KaKa

Linked with Toifilou Maoulida in the French press. He is a striker currently playing for Lens, but he is getting on a bit. 30 years old and has never been playing outside Ligue 1. The fee mentioned is 2,5 million euros.

This was denied by Chris Hughton in one of the Chronicle articles yesterday

Arda = cover for Lennon? seems excessive though when you have Krancjar, Bale, Lennon, Bentley and at a push Modric who can all work the wings. Not to mention yoof like Bostock and Rose.

Modric will be off to Chelsea I think. Arda will replace him at Spurs.

Leeds after Shola ...

The idea that we have to sell to buy first is an interesting one.

You wonder if the regime don't really trust the majority of these players who essentially relegated us last time around, and are basically setting it up so that we have to get rid of some of them before we bring others in. If this is indeed the case, then this announcement of theirs makes it easier for Hughton to do this I would imagine. It will certainly have clubs contacting us to enquire about our players if people feel we have to sell to buy.

Newcastle really do have a knack of making the summer a lot less enjoyable than it should be.

Cleverley on loan.

Cleverley is out of contract so who would we be loaning him from?

capital outlay just means we wont be paying for players in installments like we have done in the past.

I've heard this from someone else also. Apparently capital outlay insinuates payments over a period of time.

Just said to my colleagues before that he could just be making it sound like nowt is going to happen so that the speculation stops and we get a few players on undisclosed fees. Maybe it's an optimistic look but, I suppose the glass is always half full.

 

I still think Ashley is a prick.

I Think he's a prick too - but I dont think he's stupid enough to be making the same mistakes nor gamble with us going down again. People are overreacting and media are fuelling the fire. Everyone loves us having a go at the board and the passion/contraversy/drama that goes with it.

 

In my view much of the statement is aimed at the media and agents.  I would be ery suprised if ch did not approve of this statement. Up to now the board and him have been working very well. 

 

I am quietly confident that people will be pleasantly surprised. If not, well - cockney mafia out!!!

Agreed. Think it just caught everyone off guard more than anything.

I love Hughton for what he's done so far, but considering they've already had to pay off Allardyce and Keegan in their time in charge, there really is no reason to extend Hughton yet. Let's at the very least see what Hughton does over the summer and how he starts the season. Hughton is sensible enought o be fine with that too.

There is no plan for new capital outlay on players.

Having read that again, that could easily be a response to the speculation that Hughton will have £15 million to spend. Could they simply not be trying to say that there is no plan of how much to spend? As according to Hughton we haven't even determined exactly who we are targetting yet.

It read a lot worse when I first saw it last night. I don't think we won't be spending any money on players.

sooooooooo beckford anyone?

Right back - Mamadou Dabo/Ebondo

Central midfield - Joe Ledley/Tamir Cohen

Striker - Paolo Guererro/Jermaine Beckford/Kris Boyd

All these players are on a free and are all good options for our three key areas in need of improvement. If we had gone after a combination of these players in order to sort out the right back, central midfield and striker positions I don't think it would have been the worst thing just because they are free. However this statement is just so depressingly negative that you wonder exactly what their intentions are. It just seemd so unecessary. Can't help but be let down and upset by it all. Just have to wait and see what happens.

Oh boy ... what's going on now. Wasn't expecting to see this when I logged on.

The way they play now is very different to the way they played during 03-04.

It only appears that way because the quality of players they had were so much better then.

Lets face it, at the beginning of this season, when most key players were fit nobody could stop us scoring. We just need numbers.

 

Even then you were beaten by Man U. You just can't impose yourself in a game with the big boys and Wenger doesn't seem to want to compromise his footballing principles in order to do so

People blame it on the way Arsenal play, but for me they just need some better players. Wenger has gone undefeated in the league with these same footballing principles.

Must be Nigerian...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only joking Baba!

 

Sadly, Baba has died of old age.  He was 23.

Man, I'm only twenty.....on my passport anyway.

 

I would be stunned if Gignac were to come to Newcastle. He's beeen heavily linked with l'OM recently and I would love to sign him for l'OM or Newcastle. He's a top calibre striker. However, I think he's well out of our price range and wouldn't be interested.  He's been struggling a bit in a rubbish Toulouse team this year, but he had 25 goals last year in Ligue 1. Ligue 1 isn't Holland, it's not the easiest place to score and he was doing it for fun.

 

I agree about the toughness of ligue 1. It's why I'm hoping we get a striker from that league this summer. Would love it if we got someone with power and pace like Gignac. From what you say it doen't seem likely though. Other than Gignac is there anyone else in that mould we could possibly get from France? Can't think of anyone else really ... maybe Hoarau? Although not sure how realistic he is either.

£10m bid for André-Pierre Gignac.

 

Good shout!

 

http://www.alleztfc.com/actu/un-nouveau-club-etranger-sur-gignac,5570.html

 

Hmmm, only 5 goals this season.

Likely why we would have a chance. We should definitely take advantage if possible though. Still just 24 years old.

Eidur is old.

Why not look for a younger version? PSV's Ola Toivonen perhaps.

Any german football experts here?

Both Hamit and Halil Altintop are available for free this summer. People are typically familiar with Hamit, but what is Halil like? I know he's been a pretty succesful striker in the German league, but not sure what kind of player he is. Would he be worth picking up on a free? And would he be a good match alongside Carroll?

As long as it's undoubted quality and players that can take us up a level. And cause the weakest 3 in the team to have to truly fight and improve to get a game go for it.

 

Who do you reckon are the weakest 3 in our best XI are?

Assuming we are looking at our typical 4-4-2 lineup, I would imagine we would be looking to upgrade on Guthrie, Lovenkrands and Simpson.

We will need a more dynamic, ball playing DM to replace Guthrie. A higher quality fast striker than Loven, who has more strength and gets more involved in play. Lastly a better right back than Simpson.

Ryan Babel linked in the News of the World. Would only want him if we play him upfront alongside Carroll. Someone needs to let him develop as a striker, as he just deosn't seem comfortable on the wing. He is still just 23 yrs old and could still become quite the player if given more of an opportunity.

Whats the deal with Fernando Cavenaghi? Doesn't seem to be getting too much of a look in at the moment and his contract is up in 2011.

Cheeky bid? Would feel right at home with Jonas and Colo too. 

Out of interest do people think Carroll will be in the starting eleven next season? I think that would be okay as long as we get a quality striker to play alongside him. However, that would mean a 4-4-2 formation, which would likely mean Nolan playing in a midfield two. This scares me.

NOTW reckon we are after Altintop from Bayern and Bullard.  Owen Coyle willing to pay 2 million of your English pounds for Ryan Taylor.

Interesting to note that both Altintops are available on a free this summer. Wouldn't imagine we had much of a chance with the one at Bayern, as he is a greater talent, and there will be big teams interested.

His twin brother at Eintracht, who plays as a striker, is far more realistic and would be a very good pick up for us. Full Turkish international, who can also play just behind the striker and on the wings as well as up front as a lone striker. Been a bit more quiet for him since leaving Kaiserslautern a few years back after scoring quite a few goals, but would be a very good addition for us.

"That's why football is not my passion because when you are professional, the world of football is not good. There are people around you only because you play football; the girls, the same. I have my girlfriend, who I met when I was 18, 19, and I do not want to lose her because when you are a footballer it's not good to meet a new girl at 26."

Sounds to me like the guy has a pretty good head on his shoulders and doesn't get too sucked into the false and pretentious lifestyle that surrounds him as a footballer. At least I wouldn't have to worry about him doing a Terry or Ashley Cole eh? Sounds like a top pro to me.

Leeds are a mess. Ridiculous.

looks like the papers don`t know which AZ player we want unsurprisingly (if any).....now linked with Simon Poulsen

 

 

http://www.clicklancashire.com/sport/wigan-athletic-fc/126860-newcastle-united-to-battle-wigan-athletic-for-danish-winger.html?

 

Wigan Athletic are reportedly keeping tabs on AZ Alkmaar winger Simon Poulsen.

 

The Daily Mail claims Latics boss Roberto Martinez is keeping tabs on the Dane but is likely to have to battle with Newcastle United for his signature.

 

The paper also claims that Wolves, Sunderland and Fulham are interested and that they, along with the Latics and the Magpies, all sent scouts on Wednesday night to check on Poulsen in action against Celtic.

 

It seems AZ are inviting offers from European clubs for their players as they struggle to clear substantial debts.

As I mentioned earlier, Mounir El Hamdaoui of AZ has scored 20 goals in the last couple of seasons and is really coming along as a player. More interestingly he was at Tottenham as a youngster, between 2005-2006, while Hughton was still coaching there. Also, El Hamdaoui has recently spoken of a wish to return to the premier league. Probably the most likely I would imagine. Would be pretty exciting.