Villa launch £2m bid for Beye

The Express & Star understands an offer of £2million, plus a further £500,000 dependent on appearances, has been put on the table to the cash-strapped Magpies, in the hope a deal can by concluded by tomorrow.

Villa are also weighing up a move for Blackburn left-back Stephen Warnock, while Portsmouth's Sylvain Distin is still understood to be Villa's No 1 central-defensive target.

But reports Villa were set to swoop for Beye's Magpies team-mate Sebastien Bassong proved wide of the mark, with the Frenchman reported to be in London today undergoing a medical at Tottenham.

The offer for right-back Beye is likely to be accepted, with the relegated Magpies desperate to offload players before Saturday's Championship opener against Albion.

Hull remain interested after making a formal enquiry last week, but the Senegal international favours a move to the Midlands.

It is believed Villa's offer, including further add-ons, will be enough to land the defender ahead of Saturday's friendly with Fiorentina.

Beye would be Villa's third summer signing, following Fabian Delph's arrival from Leeds on Tuesday and last month's capture of another north-east based player, Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing.

Villa chief Martin O'Neill has now decided to move for the 31-year-old as Luke Young is almost certain to miss the start of the season with a thigh problem.

The England international has missed the entire pre-season to date and Villa were forced to call on rookie defender Eric Lichaj during the Peace Cup.

But O'Neill has already admitted plunging the American into Premier League action would be a huge ask of the youngster, so - if the deal goes through - Beye could find himself in Villa's starting line-up for next week's curtain-raiser against Wigan.