Ba: Medical issues says Pardew.In a rare interview, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, has revealed that the deal for former West Ham and Hoffenheim striker, Demba Ba, is far from done, and that “other suitors” and, unsurprisingly, potential medical problems are the issue.
Ba, who suffers from a degenerative knee condition previously failed a medical at Stoke City before being taken on by now relegated West Ham last season. On the problem, Pardew told Radio Newcastle:
“I don’t think it’s any mystery that we’re getting close to tying that up.”
“He’s a player who’s got a natural eye for a goal and my connections at West Ham, as you would imagine, are very very good and I know everything about him, and therefore I’m pretty relaxed that he’s gonna be a success at Newcastle if we can get him.”
With a note of caution though, the Cockney supremo added:
“That’s a big if at the moment because there’s some big hurdles to get across.
“There’s obviously other suitors and there is an issue about his medical and there has been in the past. (more…)
Ba: In Toon.Former West Ham player, Demba Ba has been filmed at St James’s Park while in Tyneside to have a medical for Newcastle United.
As we published on this ‘blog on June 11th, the chief football writer of the Sunday Mirror, Paul Smith, alleged after a converstion with Derek Llambias that the player had “agreed terms on Friday night” (10th June) with Newcastle United,. However it WAS from a Sunday Mirror journalist, and the player has a degenerative condition of the knee which will only get worse with time. This scuppered a move to Stoke before he signed for former club, West Ham in a deal which enbled him to leave on a free transfer if the club were relegated, which, of course, they were.
The 26 year old striker was somehing of a success at West Ham last season, scoring 7 goals in 13 appearences for the Hammers, with the player also scoring 40 goals in 103 games for German Bundesliga club 1899 Hoffenheim before his move to the Premier League. (more…)
