MONACO have emerged as potential rivals to Newcastle United for Bruges midfielder Nzelo Lembi.

The £4m-rated Congo international, who now holds a Belgian passport, is being closely monitored by United.

Manager Bobby Robson and chief scout Charlie Woods made a personal check on Lembi ten days ago and the Magpies were represented again at the weekend, when Bruges beat La Louviere 2-1.

Lembi, 26, operated at centre-back, though Robson is understood to see him as a possible long-term replacement for Newcastle's midfield mainstay Robert Lee.

But struggling French giants Monaco are also keeping tabs on Lembi, who saw a proposed summer move to Kaiserslautern fall through when the German side refused to meet the asking price.

A source close to Bruges last night told Echo Sport: "Bruges and Lembi are saying nothing about any deal, but the player's agent, Walter Mortelmans, knows that Newcastle are interested. Monaco have also watched him, but that is all they have done.''

Lembi, who has flown to Cyprus with Bruges for tomorrow's UEFA Cup tie against Olympiakos of Nicosia, is under contract for three more years but anxious to make a big-money move.

Capped 27 times by his country - formerly Zaire - Lembi has spent six years with Bruges, having previously played for Sporting Lokeren, who were among Newcastle's Intertoto Cup opponents.

*Newcastle still have a small number of tickets available for Sunday's televised game at West Ham.

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