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Florian Lejeune will become the second player to join Rafa Benitez 's Toon revolution.

Eibar's strapping centre-half will join Newcastle in a £8.7m deal next month after his release clause was triggered.

Lejeune, released by Manchester City last season, will follow Chelsea's Christian Atsu as Benitez re-shapes his Championship title-winning squad ahead of the new campaign.

Benitez has concentrated on the Spanish market this summer and has a number of players in La Liga on his wanted list.

(Image: Rex Features)

He has received good reports on the former French junior international and has decided to take the plunge.

Benitez is looking to strengthen the spine of his team in what will be a hectic summer at St James's Park.

Ideally, he wants two new stoppers at the heart of his defence and Lejeune, 26, comes highly recommended.

Newcastle had been offered Eliaquim Mangala by Manchester City after the defender's loan spell at Valencia came to an end.

But Benitez has decided instead to snap up the former Villareal player. He can off-set some of the cost of the Lejeune deal by selling Grant Hanley.

(Image: Rex)

The Scotland international has been the subject of significant interest from the Championship.

But Derby County are so far the only club to have tabled an offer for Hanley – at around £4m - and Newcastle will allow the ex-Blackburn Rovers man to talk to the Rams should no further offers be received this week.

It appears that the former Liverpool chief may also beef up his options in goal by taking Willy Caballero after his deal with Manchester City ran out.

Benitez had wanted to push through a transfer for Pepe Reina but if that fails to materialise then the Spaniard is willing to take ex-Manchester City shot-stopper Willy Cabellero on a free transfer.