On Thursday afternoon a Newcastle United Official Announcement has confirmed that Florian Lejeune has now left NUFC.
The Frenchman joining Alaves for the usual ‘undisclosed’ transfer fee.
The 30 year old central defender having spent a successful year on loan at the La Liga minnows last season.
Florian Lejeune was popular with Newcastle fans and helped NUFC have the seventh best defensive record in both the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons.
Steve Bruce clearly not a fan of ball playing central defenders, with the Head Coach reluctant to play Fabian Schar as well.
Last season, Bruce managed to turn the NUFC defensive record from seventh best under Rafa to fifth worst, only two clubs outside the bottom two conceded more goals than Newcastle.
Many Newcastle fans wondering at the wisdom of letting a talented defender go, for what is surely a relatively small fee, as Alaves don’t have great revenues, along with many other La Liga clubs.
Florian Lejeune proved his fitness last season, playing far more league minutes for Alaves than any central defender did for Newcastle in 2020/21. Steve Bruce having to play Isaac Hayden as an emergency central defender a number of times.
Newcastle United Official Announcement:
‘Florian Lejeune has completed a permanent move to Alavés – where he spent last season on loan – for an undisclosed fee.
The 30-year-old Frenchman joined the Magpies from Eibar in the summer of 2016 and made 24 appearances as United finished tenth in the Premier League.
Unfortunately, the 2017/18 campaign saw him suffer two anterior cruciate ligament injuries but he recovered to score his first two goals for the club in a stunning comeback at Everton in January 2020, before heading to La Liga with Los Babazorros on a temporary basis last term.
Lejeune made 46 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle. Everybody at the club wishes him well for the future.’
