Enrique: Showdown talks next week.In a rare interview, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, has claimed that Jose Enrique is about to be offered a “fantastic contract” to stay at Newcastle United. He also added that he was “still hopeful” that the player could be persuaded to remain at the club.
Speaking to Tyneside newspaper, the Evening Chronic, Pardew revealed that the latest bid to persuade the Spaniard to stay at the club will happen in the early part of next week, when the player’s representatives will meet with Newcastle United’s Lee Charnley, the man who usually deaals with player contracts and such at the club, in an attempt to thrash out a new deal. Enrique’s current contract will terminate at the end of next season, with much speculation that Liverpool have a strong interest in signing the left back. Pardew said of the upcoming showdown talks:
“We have been waiting to see his representatives, they are due here in the early part of next week.
“We are going to make Jose a very, very good offer and we are hoping he is going to accept it.
Adding a note of caution though, he then continued: (more…)
Buy one get one free?Liverpool want to take both Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique from Newcastle United now and the Toon targets a Swansea midfielder.
As Clint said in his recent article, silly season is upon us and transfer speculation is becoming as common as a common thing
Having allegedly had their insulting £4m bid for Jose Enrique turned down, Liverpool are now apparently planning a swoop for both Jose and Jonas as a job lot, which just goes to show how well-recognised their mutual understanding on the left of the pitch is.
Allegedly a fee of £20m-£22m would be enough to tempt Newcastle.
What are we now? A feeder club for Liverpool? Losing Enrique is bad enough and, whilst losing players is part and parcel of football, I must admit I’m not too keen on the idea of losing our entire left side. I think we need to keep some continuity in the key areas of the pitch or it will make for a very difficult season of readjustment during 2011/2012. (more…)
Worth more than £4m methinksNegotiations begin between Newcastle United and Liverpool over Enrique and the Barton situation is explained further.
Allegedly negotiations have begun with Liverpool for their acquisition of Jose Enrique. Although it seems they haven’t begun very well.
Newcastle have placed a £15m price tag on the player and Liverpool’s initial offer was only £4m, so there’s a fair bit of meeting somewhere in the middle to be done before Enrique departs for Anfield.
Alan Pardew is now fully resigned to losing Enrique, saying:
“There’s no point keeping a player who has set his sights on a club he has perceived is bigger.
“You can’t keep a player that’s unmotivated.”
Which is fair enough. If a player is determined to leave there is little to be achieved by forcing him to do otherwise. (more…)
Toon hierarchy meet to discuss aimsNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew meets with owner Mike Ashley to discuss the club’s aims for the 2011/2012 season.
Mike Ashley was up in the Toon this week talking to Alan Pardew about our aims as a club and how that translates in terms of summer transfer targets. Pardew seemed to think the meeting went well, saying:
“Mike came and we talked about certain players and values and the strategy and how the summer scouting is going to progress. I felt buoyed by the meeting. As a Premier League manager, I was quite satisfied.”
Pardew then goes on to explain that, although there are limitations we have to expect in terms of competing with the Premier League’s elite, Ashley and him nevertheless plan to aim as high as is realistically possible:
“Now it’s about recruitment and making sure the squads stronger. It’s quite obvious at this time we can’t compete with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and the top four.
“We could attract a squad here I know would keep us safe in this division but that’s not what Mike wants and it’s not what I want. We want to try and excel. We have to try and take a few chances with players that will keep us in the division but who might take us on to that next level.(more…)
What colour stripes will he wear?The Zog may be heading the Mackemland, Lyon are after Enrique and Pardew still wants Bothroyd. Allegedly.
According to that paragon of virtue The Daily Mail, we might fail in out attempts to sign Charles N’Zogbia from Wigan.
Based on absolutely no evidence, quotes, ‘club sources’ or anything else that I can see, The Mail suggests that Bruce and the baboons from Wearside lead both Juventus and Newcastle in the race to sign the £10m-rated player.
Clearly no player would actually choose to go to Sunderland over Newcastle (or Juventus), so my sympathy goes to The Zog if Martinez and Whelan send him there kicking and screaming.
Is there a team anywhere that doesn’t want Jose Enrique? If the press is to be believed he seems like the most in-demand player in the Premiership and his list suitors has been extended with alleged interest from Olympique Lyon.
Lyon currently have Ahly Cissokho at left-back but rumour has it that he’s on his way to Inter Milan in the summer. (more…)
