Lille manager Rudi Garcia has told Mathieu Debuchy that he wants the full-back to focus on playing for the club this season and forget about a move to Newcastle United.
Newcastle have chased the French international for much of the summer and submitted an improved second bid to Lille on Thursday.
Garcia wants Debuchy to concentrate on playing in Ligue 1 this season as Lille continue to remain firm in their will to keep their star player.
He told France Football: "He is disappointed, he wanted to leave and this is a normal reaction.
"Mathieu is a responsible boy and now he must work hard for the new season. This is one of the oddities of the transfer season."
The 27-year-old now looks likely to stay in France, although Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will have not have given up the chase for his number one transfer target.
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
