Newcastle interested in a deal to sign Matt Phillips – Report

Scottish international winger Matt Phillips has once again been linked with a potential £11m move to Newcastle United, with the Daily Mail claiming that we – along with Cardiff and Middlesbrough – are ‘showing interest’.

He’s a player who the media has sounded out as a transfer target for Rafa, and as with so many of the players who fall into this category, his name seems to crop up one summer after the next.

The running joke among Toon fans on Twitter was that Swiss midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta had been kept against his will in the Jesmond Dean hotel for the past 4 years whilst the Newcastle hierarchy haggled over the deal, and if these links with Phillips persist then maybe we can assume the pair of them now share neighbouring rooms?

The thinking goes along the lines of Phillips arriving as back-up, should we lose Matt Ritchie to Stoke – and replace him with former schemer Andros Townsend. Although it sounds like Townsend will be staying at Palace if Roy Hodgson’s comments today are anything to go by.

Sure enough, Phillips might be a half-decent squad acquisition, but a meagre return of 10 goals in 109 premier league games whilst at Blackpool, QPR and West Brom will doubtless leave even the most optimistic of supporters highly dubious as to his ability to improve the starting XI.

At 27, Phillips still has a lot of fuel left in the tank, and there’s something to be said for Benitez’s ability to vastly improve players, then get the best out of them, but whether he could transform Phillips into the sort of quality that most fans expect Newcastle to target is certainly up for debate.

Would you like to see Matt Phillips in the black and white stripes, or are you hoping that we avoid him once again this summer?

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

3 thoughts on “Newcastle interested in a deal to sign Matt Phillips – Report

  1. Jack:
    God I hope not , absolute rubbish

    If he was back up then I’d be ok with it, but you just know he’d be Ritchie’s replacement – which would not be good enough..

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  2. Definitely not for me!! – the other 2 clubs apparently in for him – Boro and Cardiff – says it all really!!.
    But listen, if we sell Ritchie for £12m and bring in Phillips for £11m ?.

    I’d take his team mate Chandli but he’s 29 and valued around £17m so no chance.

    How much would Antonio cost?. Probably close to £20m too.

    I’d like Redmond from Saints, but you’re probably talking £25m plus for him.

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