Pieters: Fatty's wallet remains closed.De Telegraaf in the Netherlands have reported that Newcastle United will only pay a maximum “ransom” of €5 million (around £4.3 million) for PSV Eindhoven and Netherlands left back, Erik Pieters, which falls far short of the £6-7 million PSV are looking for.
However they also state that the reason is that moneybags Manchester City have revealed that they would be willing to pay a “substantial share” of the wages of redundant left back, Wayne Bridge, in a loan deal, with a rental deal for Bridge being allegedly a more appealing option for Newcastle United’s notoriously mean owner. It goes on to report that Ashley would be looking for Man City to pay at least 50% of Bridge’s current £90,000 per week salary.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, went to see Pieters for himself in yesterday’s game between PSV and ADO Den Haag, a game which I saw myself due to the wonders of modern televisual technology. Pieters looked solid enough, not so much an attacking left back in the manner of Ashley Cole etc, but that is not a criticism. However the quality of opposition left alot to be desired.
Speaking on a possible move to the Magpies, Pieters himself has said:
“I’m open to this step, but if it fails I am not disappointed.”
Match highlights ADO Den Haag v PSV Eindhoven.(more…)
Twin targets still on?Newcastle United still appear to be pursuing Modiba Maiga, who missed out on his weekend league game again, and Erik Pieters, who Alan Pardew allegedly went to watch on Sunday.
It seems that Newcastle think striking striker Modibo Maiga is still a plausible target despite his club – Sochaux – insisting last week that he will not be released.
When Sochaux’s coach arrived at Picot for their game on the weekend, Sochaux manager Mécha Baždarevi said in reference to Maiga:
“No, he’s not here. He will not play.”
Maiga is alleged to have gone on strike for the game again but officially he has claimed to have a ‘pain in the knee’, although not one bad enough to warrant him seeking a medical certificate. (more…)
Who do you believe?In a rare interview, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew fas come out to firmly defend the way Newcastle United conduct their business in the transfer market.
He told local rag, the Sunday Stun, that Newcastle United are no different from clubs such as Manchester United in their recruitment policy, and added that he wasn’t really disappointed to have missed out on any players, saying:
“I don’t think the process at Newcastle is very different from elsewhere in the Premier League.
“It’s exactly what I had at West Ham in terms of chief executive (Derek Llambias) trying to do the deal – and it’s as simple as that. The board, and in this case we don’t really have a board – it’s Mike to a degree, agreeing with the deal that the chief executive has done.
“That’s the same as every other club that I know and how it works. I keep hearing these things about this football club that are actually just not true. I don’t think the procedure is any different.(more…)
Door open, says Lyon coachAlan Pardew intends to use yesterday’s victory over the mackems as a springboard to entice more action from the Newcastle United board in terms of transfers.
Yesterday’s result was extremely satisfying – as any win over the hapless mackems is – but I think we’d all like to see a new left-back and a new striker in before the transfer window closes.
Pardew is obviously thinking along the same lines, which I must mention to my psychiatrist in case agreeing with Alan Pardew is indicative of something worrying. Pardew said:
“A victory like today helps me with Derek and Mike to go upstairs and say, ‘Come on, let’s try to get them in this week’.
“We want to get the right players and we want to get the best value we can, and we are trying to do that.
“The group I have got is sound. They are aware to balance us up, we perhaps need a left-back in the building and we need a striker in, and that’s what we are going to try to do.” (more…)
Anybody else feeling like this?With the exciting news of Rob Elliot’s alleged arrival at Newcastle United from Charlton, I’ve been asking myself several questions about current predicaments at St James’ Park.
Firstly, this is not Elliot’s fault and, if he does come here, I welcome him to Newcastle and wish him all the best.
Right, I could now relay my thoughts on to you dear reader, about the 7 month struggle to find a striker, no left-back and general rubbish I hear coming out of the club on a regular basis, but that would warrant at least 5 different 1000 word articles and I’d rather wait until after September 1st 2011 to vent my spleen.
Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Lets start with the left-back position…
In regards to our alleged pursuit of Erik Pieters, PSV technical director Marcel Brands has had this to say:
“Since the weekend we have no news from England.”
So quite what to make out of that is totally up to you, personally I can see this transfer not happening, simply because whoever it is who deals with negotiations at our club, has failed to notice we need a left-back in the squad NOW and not next week. I’m also sure Ashley probably thinks £6-7 million for a full Dutch international left-back is just ludicrous. Actually maybe it’s Llambias? Either way, it doesn’t bode well does it? (more…)
