Newcastle United agree deal for Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis

Bafetimbi Gomis

Newcastle have agreed a fee to sign 27-year-old France striker Bafetimbi Gomis from Lyon.

The Ligue 1 club accepted an offer in the region of £8m, but Newcastle must still agree personal terms.

Gomis, who is close friends with Magpies midfielder Moussa Sissoko, scored 20 in 44 games for Lyon last season.

Newcastle are also working on a deal for QPR's Loic Remy, another France international, on a season-long loan.

Gomis, who has scored three goals in 12 appearances for France, becomes Newcastle's first major transfer business of the summer following Joe Kinnear's arrival as director of football.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has been in the market for a new striker having sold Demba Ba to Chelsea for £7m in January.

He will become the 11th Frenchman in Newcastle's first-team squad.

Gomis came through the youth ranks at lower league outfit Sporting Toulon Var before moving to St Etienne in 2000 aged 15.

The striker made his senior debut for St Etienne in 2004, and went on to make 142 league appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals.

He scored twice on his international debut for France in a friendly against Ecuador in May 2008, which earned him a place in Les Bleus' squad for Euro 2008.

In July 2009 Gomis made a £13m switch from St Etienne to Lyon where he has spent the last four seasons.