Newcastle are preparing an offer for Everton defender Lucas Digne.

The Frenchman is in line to be sold by Rafa Benitez to raise desperately-needed funds for Goodison recruitment in the transfer window.

And after falling out with the hard-line Everton boss the left back bought for £18million from Barcelona in 2018 is very much on Newcastle's radar, says The Sun.

Yet while long-term money is no object at the world's richest club following the Saudi takeover, the proposed budget for bringing in talent is around £50m.

Digne, valued at £25m, would take up have that proposed fund when manager Eddie Howe will be looking to bring in at least three more.