Toon linked with three players
Posted on October 5th, 2011 | 33 Comments |
You’d be forgiven for thinking the transfer window is still open judging by the players the press have Newcastle United linked with.
The Daily Mail has a minimalist report about our interest in Leicester City’s Jeffrey Schlupp, who is an 18 year old German-Ghanaian striker/left winger/left back. Schlupp has been signed up to Leicester since his youth days and has only made 18 senior league appearances, 10 of which were while he was on loan to Brentford. But he has scored 11 goals in those 18 games, which is an impressive start.
The Mail reports this in it’s usual omniscient way so there’s no proof that we’re interested in Schlupp at all, although if we are I’d presume he’s one ‘for the future’ so to speak.
There’s also a rumble – or possibly more of a mild rattle – that we’re still interested in Moussa Sow and are on alert after the striker refused to commit his future fully to Lille in a recent comment where he said:
“Only God knows what will happen in the future. I know that when I play for Lille I want to remain focused, but everything could change before the end of the season.”
Surely that raises deep philosophical questions because if God knows what will happen in the future then our future must be predetermined, which means we have no free will and can thus not be blamed for any crimes we commit. I may spend the rest of my days in a barrel – hopefully one that’s regularly filled with ale – as a result of that revelation.
What’s possibly more pertinent though is that Moussa’s alleged market price is in the €15m-20m range and I tend to think it’s predetermined we won’t spend that on a striker.
All in all, I’d have to say the most likely rumour is about our continued interest in Sochaux’s Modibo Maiga. The Malian strike has had a cracking start to the season with 4 goals in 6 games and all that despite allegedly being booed by some of his own supporters in retribution for his ‘strike’ to try and force a move in the summer.
The Daily Mirror quotes Maiga as saying:
“I have had enough of being booed by supporters right now, but anyway it does not stop me scoring goals for the club and making them happy.
“I scored a double for them again (at the weekend). I had two chances on Saturday against Toulouse, two goals, just to thank them.
“Newcastle? They are a very good club, I will not finish my career in Sochaux if I am scoring every week – that is the reality of football. I have not invented that!
“At the moment I am here and scoring goals. I do not know when the transfer window opens what there will be. It depends also on the club, but in the near future I want to ply my trade in another top league. It is a genuine ambition, I will accept being booed for that!”
The player is valued at about £8m and The Mirror speculates that we’ll attempt to push a deal through in January. He seems to find the goal often enough, although I’m a touch wary about the tactics he employed in the summer to try and force a move. Nevertheless, if there’s truth in any of these rumours I suspect it’s most likely to be in the one about Maiga.
Still not sure about Maige, really good player but Pardew will have to calm the lad down, we don’t him doing the same to us as he is already doing/done at his current club.
Anyway onto last night… by all accounts Marveux was totally mint! I really hope Pards starts to give him some first team premier league action, he’s a really exciting player and we could use some decent balls coming in from the left!