Agent pretty sure transfer will happenCould it be that Newcastle United are indeed closing in on a ‘double swoop’ for a left-back and a striker? And will Joey Barton leave or not?
Rumours abound that we’re close to finalising deals for both Erik Pieters and Nolan Roux, although I think it’s always worth waiting to see them at an SJP press conference holding a black and white shirt before getting too excited.
The story with Erik Pieters has us agreeing a £6m+ deal for the 23 year-old left-back, which presumably also accounts for any financial clauses in his contract that were allegedly a sticking point with the deal originally.
Pieters’ agent Piet van der Pol said:
“I don’t know the exact numbers of Newcastle’s offer, but I’m pretty sure that the transfer will go ahead.”
I would imagine Pieters would slot straight in as first-choice left-back but I wonder what will happen to Ryan Taylor. I sometimes think he’s worth having on the pitch just for his set pieces given that goals in open play haven’t been our speciality since Andy Carroll left. Or at least it seemed that way until Sammyobi scored that cracker last night. (more…)
Pardew: it's a tough placeHello, good evening and Welcome. Newcastle United are in action in the League Cup tonight away to Scunthorpe.
For a more in depth analysis, take a look at Jimbob’s excellent match preview but let’s catch up with what Alan ‘The Quiet Man’ Pardew has been saying ahead of tonight’s game.
First up, after losing to Stevenage in the FA Cup last year, he’s keen to avoid another cup defeat at the hands of the underdogs:
“It’s a tough place – the crowd at Scunthorpe will be buoyant. It’ll be what I would call a proper English game of football, and we can’t get caught out by the passion of the opposition.
“We need to match that, which was something we didn’t do at Stevenage.
“I was a new manager, and not particularly familiar with the squad, and I was disappointed that day. I don’t want to be disappointed on Thursday night.” (more…)
The conclusion I came to is that I think it depends upon how you define ‘different’. Are we talking ‘different’ in the way an otter is different to a sewing machine or is perhaps the devil in the detail?
At it’s most basic level, I think Pardew’s right. Most transfers probably happen as a result of some sort of consensus between the manager, the scouts and the owner or board, but I think where the difference lies is with the amount of input each particular party has on things. (more…)
Nolan RouxReports from across The Channel suggest that Newcastle United is ‘cooling’ on Modibo Maiga and is instead looking at a couple of other French strikers.
The rumour-mill in the French press is alleging that our interest in Modibo Maiga is cooling but that we’re chasing other players in France’s Ligue 1.
Two names have been suggested by French hacks and they’re Nolan Roux and Guillaume Hoarau.
Nolan Roux (no relation to Nolan Kevin) is a 23 year old striker who currently plays for Stade Brest where he’s been since 2009. In that time he’s played 62 league games and scored 21 goals, and he has made 1 appearance for France’s U21s, scoring 2 goals in that game.
Back in June, Liverpool were allegedly chasing the player with a €6.5m (£5.7m) bid. The same bid was apparently make by Shalke and Roux was reported to be upset that his club turned down the bid, thus depriving him of Champions League football. Apparently Brest were holding out for €8m (£7m) but no bid that high materialised.
Whether we’re actually preparing a saucy bid for Roux or not remains to be seen and at the moment this is nothing more than speculation. (more…)
Still in our sights?Newcastle United’s pursuit of Mobida Maiga continues despite threats of UEFA involvement and an alleged £10m price tag on the player.
There have been many twists and turns with this Mobida Maiga debacle and there’ll probably be few more before it has finished.
Yesterday it was reported that the striker may have ‘faked’ a knee injury to avoid playing in the next game but Maiga and Kevin Anin – another player seeking an exit (to Arsenal) and who was allegedly ‘injured’ – are both now back with the squad. Sochaux coach Mecha Bazdarevic had this to say:
“It happens to be bullshit.”
Although whether that’s in relation to the players’ actual injury claims, the press reports about those claims or one of Alan Pardew’s speeches is unclear.
Bazdarevic goes on to tell L’Equipe:
“We had a very good exchange. They said they were injured, but are now better and that I could count on them.” (more…)
