French press says ouiAlan Pardew has attempted to persuade Gervinho to sign for Newcastle United and allegedly a deal is all but done for Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
If the Daily Mail is to be believed (ahem), we should find out after next weekend whether or not a £15m offer for Lille striker Gervinho has been accepted.
Apparently Alan Pardew met the striker last week to try and persuade Gervinho – who has professed a preference to go to a club playing Champions League football – to sign with us rather than bidding rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
Gervinho doesn’t want to make any decision about his future until after his Africa Cup of Nations qualifier for the Ivory Coast on (next) Sunday June 5th.
Unless the offer is a stunner and Pardew has done a top-notch job on the persuasion front, the player’s preference for Champions League football makes me doubtful about seeing Gervinho lining up in black and white next season. That would be a shame because the 24 year-old striker – who can also play out on the wing – looks to be in good form having scored 25 goals in 54 appearances for Lille, helping them on their way to the league title this year. (more…)
Gervinho: Champions League for meSome of Newcastle United’s tipped transfer targets seem to have shut the door on a move to Tyneside.
As with any transfer speculation bear in mind that it is indeed just speculation, but two players the club was said to be interested in were Gervinho and Kevin Gameiro.
It seems however that both players have slammed the door on our club (assuming said speculation was true in the first place of course).
Lille and Ivory Coast striker Gervinho (whose real name is Gervais Yao Kouassi) has said he will only consider a move to clubs who are playing in the Champions League:
“I am trying my best to concentrate on the final push for the league. We want to win the championship. Also, we are in the cup final.
“At the end of the season, my advisers and I will speak to the club and see what to do, but if I am leaving a club which will play in the Champions League I will only go to one who is in the Champions League. It is the best competition and I want to be a part of that set-up every year.”
That would seem to rule us out for the 23 year-old who has 25 goals in 54 matches for Lille. (more…)
