Newcastle United have opened talks with Nice striker Alassane Plea.

Sky Sports says Nice have already rejected a Newcastle bid worth up to £27m, while West Ham have offered the same fee for the player.

It is understood the French side want £26.6m (€30m) for the 25-year-old, who began his career at Lyon before moving to Nice in August 2014.

Fulham and Tottenham are also believed to be interested in the former France U21 international.

Plea was missing from the first day of preseason training at Nice yesterday.