Santon: latest target?Alan Pardew remains determined to bring in “two or three” players before the transfer window closes with an Inter Milan fullback being the latest alleged target.
It’s going to be a tense few days as the transfer window heads to a close and, personally, I’ll be glad when it does. At least we’ll know where we stand. It’s the continual hope that’s the killer!
So where do we stand at the moment?
Last week, Alan Pardew said that he hopes to add two or three players to the squad before the transfer window closes, with the obvious requirements being a new left-back and a striker. And, speaking yesterday, Pardew stands by his aims. Pardew said:
“There will only be a sense of relief when the window closes if we get these two players in, otherwise I will be disappointed
“We’ve had a great start and I think the players have proved they are committed to Newcastle.
“The club is everything. It’s not about the owner, the manager, the players, it’s about the club and the fans.(more…)
Most likely? Or not.Newcastle United are still hunting for a new left-back with either Erik Pieters or Aly Cissokho looking as if they’re the most likely targets.
There are confusing and contradictory reports flying around about Erik Pieters and his potential transfer to Newcastle.
Some of the British press seems to be hinting that it’s almost a ‘done deal’, with The Journal quoting Pieters as saying:
“If a club from the Premier League says they want you, and that is the case, then you know the financial means they have.
“Whether I play for PSV at Excelsior on Sunday or am already at Newcastle I do not know.
“I have not seen much of Newcastle myself but my friend Tim Krul keeps me informed.”
However, contrary to the British press, the Dutch press seem to think that Erik Pieters will stay at PSV. The Dutch football news site Voetbal Primeur is carrying a report that suggests PSV’s Technical Director Marcel Brands told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that he now expects Pieters to remain at PSV. (more…)
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…)
Twin targets still on?Newcastle United still appear to be pursuing Modiba Maiga, who missed out on his weekend league game again, and Erik Pieters, who Alan Pardew allegedly went to watch on Sunday.
It seems that Newcastle think striking striker Modibo Maiga is still a plausible target despite his club – Sochaux – insisting last week that he will not be released.
When Sochaux’s coach arrived at Picot for their game on the weekend, Sochaux manager Mécha Baždarevi said in reference to Maiga:
“No, he’s not here. He will not play.”
Maiga is alleged to have gone on strike for the game again but officially he has claimed to have a ‘pain in the knee’, although not one bad enough to warrant him seeking a medical certificate. (more…)
Upbeat about transfers.Newcastle United appear to be struggling to land a new striker and a new left-back, but Alan Pardew has not given up hope. The Newcastle manager admits we’re not stronger than we were last year but thinks we will be by the end of the transfer window.
The prospect of signing Modibo Maiga seems to be fading with every day and it seems that Sochaux’s Chairman Alexandre Lacombe is going to force Maiga to see out his contract until 2014.
“There are those who speak and those who do,” said Lacombe, although quite what he meant by that is anybody’s guess, but the French press are suggesting that the door is now firmly shut in terms of Maiga transferring to Newcastle.
The window however isn’t, and Alan Pardew thinks we may still be able to nip in that way and land our man. The usually mute manager had this to say:
“He is a player we want to bring to the club. That is where that is. Negotiations are still ongoing.” (more…)
