Premier League side Newcastle United have joined Aston Villa in the race to sign Brentford defender Yoann Barbet, according to reports from Calcio Mercato.

The 25-year-old has been a solid figure for the Bees ever since his move from French side Niort in 2015, and has since gone on to make over 100 appearances for the West London club.

But the Frenchman's future at Griffin Park is up in arms with his current deal with the club expiring at the end of the season, with a host of high-profile clubs looking to pursue his signature.

Aston Villa have been keen admirers of the defender for some time - manager Dean Smith will know Barbet like the back of his hands having worked together at Brentford.

But reports have now emerged claiming that Newcastle are looking to land the highly-rated, left-sided central defender, with Rafa Benitez' men looking to kick on and allay any fears of relegation next season.

Villa's defence has dramatically improved since the signings of Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause, but with the duo only on loan, a permanent option is likely to be ideal for Smith.

The Villans currently sit 6th in the Sky Bet Championship table, after a run of four league wins.

The Verdict

Barbet would be a class signing for Newcastle, and it is a massive blow for Villa that they have declared an interest in the player.

He is a typical, old-fashioned centre-half who would add real presence and power to the Magpies' back-line, and left-sided centre-halves are hard to come by nowadays.

It's going to be an eventful summer for the Frenchman.