Ba: Cold shoulder from Turkey.Well, the latest “silly season” non-story about Galatasaray making a “daring raid / swoop” for Demba Ba seems to be dead in the water, with Galatasaray’s Chairman, Ünal Aysal coming out and saying that the club will not be making a move for the Toon’s Senegalese hitman.
Claiming that the striker wasn’t a big enough name to replace ex Liverpool striker and bouncing Czech, Milan Baros, if he leaves the club. Baros can currently be seen strutting his stuff at the ongoing European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine. Of course, when he suggests that “Ba” isn’t a big enough name, it probably has nothing to do with the fact that it is only two letters long (sorry, I’ll get me coat…).
Anyway, Aysal told the meedja:
“Ba’s name was suggested to us by a committee member and we opened negotiations after approval from (coach) Fatih [Terim].(more…)
Esmeralda!After strongly suggesting that Newcastle United hitman Demba Ba was available on a release clause of less than £7 million, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has now changed his tune somewhat.
The droopy featured North London manager has now admitted that neither he nor anyone else apart from Newcastle United and Ba himself know what the figure is (if, indeed, there is a figure at all).
Originally, when Redknapp was asked if the figure was £10 million, as claimed by well known bastion of truth and justice, The Daily Mail, the floppy chopped gaffer responded:
“I think you will find it is a lot less than that.”
When asked if the figure was even lower, less than £7 million, he continued:
On the verge of Demba Ba’s departure for the African Cup of Nations, Newcastle United striker, Demba Ba gave an interview for French sports radio station, RMC. When asked by the station if he could join moneybags Paris St Germain, the Carlo Ancelotti managed Manchester City of France’s Ligue Un, our goalscorer in chief gave the somewhat worrying reply:
“Yes why not, it’s possible.”
“I have always supported the PSG, and it’s a club that is enticing.” (more…)
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: Newcastle terms agreed, allegedly.Speaking in an interview with Sam Matterface on ‘Talk Sport’, the chief football writer of the Sunday Mirror, Paul Smith, has been claiming that Newcastle United have “agreed terms on Friday night” with West Ham striker, Demba Ba. He also claimed that West Ham had also made a bid for Kevin Nolan, but that it was only for £1.5 million, not the £3 million figure which was widely reported.
When probed by Matterface on the Nolan and Ba situations, Smith said:
“The story about Kevin Noland [sic] is absolute nonsense by the way. West Ham have not bid £3 million for him let me tell you, they have actually bid £1.5 million for him and I know that for a fact because I’ve spoken to David Sullivan (one of West Ham’s owners).
“I think a paper earlier in the North East ran this story that they had bid £3 million.(more…)
