Archive for tag: Demba Ba release clause.

Ba going nowhere in January

January 10th, 2012 | 35 Comments |

Demba Ba's alleged release clause should be no worry for Newcastle this January.
Safe. For now at least?
Newcastle United striker Demba Ba’s release clause has caused quite a stir but this writer tends to think it’s a storm in a tea cup, at least as far as the January transfer window is concerned.

On the back of my esteemed colleague’s recent posts regarding Demba Ba’s release clause and his PSG ambitions, it seems that clubs are queueing up to buy him. Or at least it looks that way if press reports are to be believed.

The release clause in his contract is either £10m, £7m, £5m or “less than £5m” depending upon which report you believe and how much creedence you give to Harry Redknapp’s comments.

Liverpool lead the suitors, which is probably no surprise given their proclivity for buying from Newcastle and in particular buying strikers from us in the January transfer window. Spurs are supposedly interested too and apparently Sunderland, Everton and QPR have had their interest piqued by the release clause’s alleged low value. You can see why when there’s seemingly an option to pick up a 15 goal (in half a season) striker for peanuts.

However, it’s worth remembering that all a release clause does is that it forces the selling the club to allow the player to enter into negotiations with the buying club once the fee in the release clause is met. The player can’t be forced to move against his will and there’s nothing to stop the selling club from trying to renegotiate some sort of contract to keep the player. (more…)