Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot has revealed he will not stand in the way of Newcastle United target Boulaye Dia if he choses to leave the club in January.
Despite competing against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain stars Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi, as well as Wassim Ben Yedder and Memphis Depay, Dia currently finds himself top of the goal scoring charts in Ligue 1.
The 23-year-old has netted eight goals in eights games, one more than Mbappe, despite his side sitting just two places above the relegation zone.
Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle have run the rule on the versatile striker after his impressive start to the season, which includes a hat-trick and a brace in his last two away matches.
A new striker could be on the agenda when the transfer window reopens as Dwight Gayle and Callum Wilson have both suffered injuries.
Dia is on a long list of targets for the Magpies and is also earning keen interest from Marseille and Brighton, but should Newcastle make a move they now know that Reims won't fight a transfer.
President Caillot has admitted he has given Dia his word that he will be allowed to leave if a suitable offer comes in for him.
“(Dia) could have left this summer (but) he did not leave because he did not receive the offer he wanted," he told Top Mercato. "Boulaye refused two offers, from Lokomotiv Moscow and Hellas Verona. For various reasons, he did not want to go to these clubs.
“If he stays (beyond January), I would be delighted. If he has an offer that suits him and us too, I could not object because I gave him my word.”
