No new deal for Coloccini yetNewcastle United have been trying to negotiate new contracts with Danny Simpson and Fabricio Coloccini, so far without any success. We’ve seen before that the club is prepared to let players go if they demand what the club thinks is ‘too much’, so what does the future hold for this pair?
It seems like the contracts of Coloccini and Simpson have been ‘outstanding’ for ages and new attempts to get both players to sign new contracts this week have apparently failed. Nevertheless, Alan Pardew is upbeat about the negotiations and said:
“We’ve had conversations. I can see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel now. I can understand why fans are concerned, but we’re making progress.
“It’s not easy, contracts, and we’re trying to do what’s best for the football club and what’s best for the player. Sometimes, they are worlds apart.
“There’s been a bit of antagonism with contracts in the past. There’s a lot more communication here and I think we’re trying to work through the process in a sensible manner.”
The press have suggested that Danny Simpson has turned down a £25,000/week 5-year deal and, although he still has 18 months left on his contract, there have been rumours in the past that he might favour a move away from Newcastle (and the higher salary that might bring him). (more…)
Yanga-Mbiwa alleged latest targetNewcastle United allegedly turn their interest towards a 22 year-old Montpellier defender while both Simpson and Coloccini are yet to sign new contracts.
The last flurry of transfer speculation about Newcastle was mainly about attackers and, in the interests of balance, the press have been hitting us with speculation about defenders – either new or current – over the last few days.
The Daily Mail and The Sun, for example, have us interested in Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, which is easy for them to say. He’s 22, plays for Montpellier and is a naturalised Frenchman originally from the Central African Republic, which is a place I really like on account of it being exactly where it says it is. A sort of geographical onomatopoeia.
Anyway, Yanga-Mbiwa started out as a right-back and has more recently played as a centre-back, which is the sort of versatility managers like. He’s been at Montpellier for his entire footballing career and has also notched up 8 appearances for France’s under-21 team. Arsenal were linked with the player, who is contracted with Montpellier until June 2013, at the end of last season. (more…)
Practising for contract negotiations?Newcastle United have some player contracts to sort out, in particular the contract of team Captain Fabricio Coloccini who – it is rumoured – will initially be asked to cut his wages by half.
With all the furore over the stadium naming, let’s not forget that there’s a football team somewhere there in the background!
Apparently the international break is being used to sort out some contract issues with players, most notably those of Fabricio Coloccini and Danny Guthrie.
But one item of news I did read in connection with Coloccini worried me a bit. It comes from the Northern Echo, which first suggests that Coloccini’s wages are currently around £80k/week and further suggests that the club will be looking to cut those in half as part of a renewed contract.
I have seen quotes of £60k/week – £80k/week for Coloccini’s wages in the past, so I’m not sure how accurate the Northern Echo’s assessment is, but surely the club will struggle to get Coloccini to cut his wages by half won’t it? Again, I’m not sure how the Echo knows that’s what the club intends to do but I’m hoping that, if there’s any truth in it at all, it’s merely a starting point for negotiations. (more…)
Nearing first-team fitness?Davide Santon looks to be fairly fit after playing the full 90 minutes of a reserve game against Swansea and does Jonas’s interview indicate that Colo is angling for a longer contract?
Davide Santon completed the full 90 minutes of our reserve game against Swansea last night, which we won 5-3. Santon only had his knee drained earlier this week and it looks like he’s already reaching a level of fitness that could soon put him in line for a first-team start.
Nile Ranger – who, like Santon, had part of his body drained at some point in the past, although in Ranger’s case the part drained seems to be somewhat north of the neck – also played the full 90 minutes and scored from the penalty spot (the other goals were scored by Michael Richardson, Shane Ferguson, Dan Gosling and Greg McDermot). I’m not sure how much Nile Ranger figures in Alan Pardew’s plans after his recent spate of alleged misdemeanours but I suppose he’s another attacking option, albeit one that’s a fair way down the list. (more…)
In the exit seat?Right-back Danny Simpson will refuse to sign a new contract at Newcastle United according to rumours in the Sunday Sun.
The Sunday Sun (bless its heart) is reporting that contract negotiations have broken down between Danny Simpson and the club. The Sun alleges that the club have offered Simpson a 5-year contract and aren’t prepared to budge from their offer, but the offer is too low to interest Simpson and he will therefore not be signing it.
The Sun does not quote any sources of their information, it merely ‘understands’ that the situation is thus and they further suggest that Simpson will just run down his contract and leave at the end of it unless he is sold in the interim.
It’s all news to Pardew, though, and he insists it’s completely untrue. Pardew said:
“He’s got a future here but he’s got a fight on his hands because Ryan Taylor has done terrific at left-back and now we’ve got Santon who can play both positions. So he needs to play well now.
“I don’t know where the stuff about Danny Simpson came from. It’s totally untrue as far as I’m concerned, anyway.”
