Newcastle United have been told to forget about signing Mathieu Debuchy by the Lille president Michel Seydoux. The Magpies had tabled an improved offer for the 27-year-old France international but it was less than the £6.3m wanted by Lille.
Seydoux told L'Equipe: "I have decided that Mathieu Debuchy will remain. The offer from Newcastle is definitely not at the value of the player. For Mathieu Debuchy to leave, it would have taken the offer to be consistent and commensurate with his replacement. As the conditions are not met, it is my duty to make a decision."
The full-back, an international team-mate of Yohan Cabaye, wants to follow the midfielder to Newcastle, but having seen Cabaye's value increase since his £4.8m switch last summer, Lille are holding out until their valuation is met. The Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, has also shown an interest in the FC Twente defender Douglas and the Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, having signed Romain Amalfitano, Gaël Bigirimana and Curtis Good.
Wigan are close to completing the signing of Ivan Ramis from Real Mallorca. The 27-year-old defender had looked set for a move to West Ham United after Mallorca revealed that a deal had been agreed last weekend. But the player has now passed his medical after being persuaded to move to the DW Stadium and should complete his switch in the next 24 hours. The chairman, Dave Whelan, told Wigan Today: "He has passed a medical and it is being concluded."
He added: "The player doesn't speak English and didn't want to go to West Ham. But Roberto asked me to go out to Mallorca where I met their chairman and they accepted my offer."
Everton have said they are in discussions with Fenerbahce over the transfer of Joseph Yobo. The 31-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan with the Turkish side.