Newcastle Eye Up Move For Talented 21-year-old French Midfielder

Newcastle Keeping Tabs on Highly-Rated Auxerre Talent Kevin Danois Ahead of Winter Window

It’s that time of year again; rumours are flying, clubs are looking at every player under the sun, and various Twitter accounts are doing their best impression of the inimitable Fabrizio Romano.

The latest rumours suggest that Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United are looking to bolster their midfield and have marked out AJ Auxerre’s Kevin Danois as a priority target.

The Magpies, who are set to face Tyneside rivals Sunderland this weekend, are looking to build extra squad depth, and may well be looking to replace Joelinton, who in recent weeks has come under fire for some lacklustre performances.

KÉVIN DANOIS — 25/26 SEASON ANALYSIS
1. PLAYER ID
Age: 21 (2004) 183 cm
Club: Auxerre
Role: CM
Minutes: 1,152 (Ligue 1 25/26)
Footed: Right

Core Strength
A high-touch, progressive, creative midfielder who thrives between lines, links wide–central channels, and provides… pic.twitter.com/Y8sUWBkQ70

— MTF Writer (@MindtheFootball) December 8, 2025

With Lewis Miley, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes the likely future of Newcastle’s engine room, Howe is now looking to bring in quality young squad depth who, with time, could develop into players capable of displacing one of his existing options.

Who is Kevin Danois?

Born in 2004, Danois is 21 years old and already boasts significant first-team experience for Auxerre, a side who have plied their trade in the French top flight in three of the last four seasons. All told, Danois has taken to the field 50 times for his club, scoring three goals and impressing the entire league with end-to-end, high-tempo performances.

Coming through at La Gauloise de Basse-Terre on the French island colony of Guadeloupe, Danois made the move to continental Europe in 2019, joining up with Auxerre’s B team. For the youth side, he managed four goals in 45 games, a similar scoring rate to his professional track record, and quickly impressed those behind the scenes. Three years after his move from Guadeloupe, Danois broke into the first team, and has become a regular fixture ever since.

🇫🇷Kévin Danois (21, 2004)

Scored his first goal of the season for Auxerre.
Despite Auxerre underwhelming season, he’s been a bright spark.
Well-rounded dynamic midfielder, tenacious, technically talented with an eye for a pass 💎 pic.twitter.com/Gd9Wmemqoc

— António Mango (@AntonioMango4) December 7, 2025

Having never played for a top side before - Auxerre are a standard mid-table Ligue 1 side - a move to Newcastle would most likely not result in immediate playing time. Still developing and learning his trade, Danois would likely go out on loan, possibly on a temporary return deal to his current club, where he can continue to improve in familiar surroundings.

What Type of Player is Kevin Danois?

Though not a goalscoring presence from midfield, Danois likes to make his presence known in the final third, preferring to dictate things in a passing capacity rather than taking shots on goal. This, combined with his tenacious, general-like approach in the midfield, makes him an attractive prospect to countless top clubs.

So many sides need midfielders of this profile - they provide the ability to control the tempo of the game and single-handedly win the midfield battle, while such players also bring leadership skills and mature heads.

The downside to this means that while Newcastle are the club most heavily linked to the Frenchman right now, plenty of other sides will want to rival them for his signature come the first of January.

Whether he ends up on Tyneside or elsewhere, remember one thing: Kevin Danois is a name to keep an eye on …