Will there be any more signings after Seb Larsson?

Yousef El-Arabi
El Arabi? Or someone else?
The transfer window seems to be ticking along fairly nicely for Newcastle after it emerged that the club are in talks with Birmingham midfielder Seb Larsson over a proposed move to St James’ Park.

This potential move would of course add to the signature of Hatem Ben Arfa that we have already secured this window.

If we could get Larsson through the door aswell it would be pretty good, but would there be any room for any more signings during this transfer window?

Alan Pardew said the other day that he expected to get “one, maybe two, new faces” through the door, which could be taken either way I suppose. I hope Pardew gets another two through the door to be honest, but the question is just who that additional face could be?

Talk is still emanating from France suggesting that the club are interested in signing the French/Moroccan forward, Youssef El-Arabi. A fee of around £4 million has been mentioned, and with the forward having a fairly decent goalscoring record and a decent assist rate you could perhaps see the merits of looking at the 23-year-old.

Talk of Karim Ziani seems to have subsided though after his club distanced themselves from rumours suggesting that the player had agreed a move to Newcastle. I guess that one can pretty much be ruled out.

Anyway, I’m getting a bit off track here. I’d like to know where you would strengthen the team?

I like the look of that El-Arabi to be honest. He looks like he knows where the back of the net is and can cause trouble. Of course, it is the French league that he is currently looking good in, but perhaps he could do a job over here?

I’m not trumpeting the signing of the lad as, quite frankly, I have no idea whether or not we are actually after him. I do like the idea of us being linked with players like him though. He looks like the kind of player that can play in and around Andy Carroll, and that is where I would like us to strengthen this window if we are to get any more signings other than Ben Arfa, and potentially Larsson, through the door.

So come on then, where would you strengthen the team?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

120 thoughts on “Will there be any more signings after Seb Larsson?

  1. as toonsy said “I have no idea whether or not we are actually after him”

    hypothetical, Champ Manager stuff man, who would you like in?

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  2. That’s why I said if :mrgreen:

    Of course, IF we don;t, then we could be in for others, potentially two others 😉

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  3. I just don’t see where Adam would fit in our side? Is he is good as Tiote? No. Is he as good as Barton? No. Does he score as many as Nolan? No.

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  4. I think in the summer we should try and improve our defense. We have conceded 31 goals this season , the second highest in the top 10 at the moment. Im not saying it all about defenders as we should defend as a team. But i think a new right back , cover for left back and maybe a new centre half.

    I dunno who or dont have any players in mind but id like us to contrate on that area

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  5. Reading between the lines and thinking aloud, when Pardew talked about one possibly two signings I think he was talking about the fact that if we got Bentley it would be one signing and if we didnt it would be two, simply the fact that Bentley is very expensive both from a loan and buy perspective whereas Larrson and a.n.other would be relatively cheap in comparison

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  6. hmm that’s an interesting one, as for me, at the start of the season, the Collo Willo partnership looked good, would be interested to see the stats, goals conceeded when they have played together against other pairings we’ve had.

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  7. yep, but not sure if that’s where Benny will be playing and Jonas still hasn’t convinced me and he’s right footed,tho he has improved recently imo and hopefully that’ll continue.

    The same could be said why get Larsson…JB,Routledge,Gosling,Raylor,Jonas.

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  8. Gosling isn’t a right midfielder. Truth be told, he hasn’t tied himself a position down yet. He is basically a utility player at the moment.

    Raylor is garbage.

    Routledge will only ever be an impact player used to stretch teams in the latter stages.

    Jonas is a right footed left winger. He hasn’t looked at all good when he has played on the right for us in the past.

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  9. The ziani rumour may have been real, but as a back up plan if we didn’t get Larsson. Maybe it also helped push the deal through. IF it is getting pushed through 😉
    I really like the highlights of el arabi as well. Has some guile but what I like most is the lad knows how to finish. Can place or hit for power. May be another Carr gem.
    If we get Larsson and el arabi then I’d be happy with that but I’d like to get some cover on the left as well. Someone who can play Lb or lm. All these years I thought Larsson was left footed and thus would of fit that role perfectly, but i was wrong…

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  10. I honestly feel that if we get Larsson and hopefully another whether that be a left back or nippy winger/striker but this happens i can’t see much activity in the summer or than a proper striker for Carroll and maybe squad fillers like if Raylor or Campbell were to leave. Am not saying I’m against only getting a few in but if it means getting a proper striker to partner Carroll i would be very happy seeing a team of;

    Harper
    Simpson S.Taylor Coloccini Enrique
    Barton Nolan Tiote Ben Arfa
    Carroll ???

    Subs; Forster, Williamson, Kadar, Gosling, Larsson, Jonas, Ameobi.

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  11. Perch has played well at LB for the last two games he has played there. He was faultless at Stevenage and made just one error against Lennon in 90mins. I’m not saying he is a great player, but he clearly has enough about him to provide cover. Especially as he gets used to the pace and intensity of top flight football. Can’t help but feel he is ed as a scapegoat because of his awful start to Prem football.

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  12. Exactly. We aren’t far away from having a European squad. In the summer our priority should be looking at cover for Tiote.

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  13. ‘Willo is above criticism’? hahaha did you not see the Bolton game? Or how he was muscled off the ball for Jason Roberts winner against Blackburn? He isn’t above criticism, why do you think he hasn’t played as much lately.

    The fact is though, there are no other glaring errors from Willo appart from those two so far this season – in his first Premier league season might I add – he has been consistantly good.

    Where as Saylor has had many seasons to imporve/prove his worth, and he hasn’t.

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  14. Anyone reckon there is any truth in this Joorabchian gadgie being at Newcastle?

    I’d have liked to have sid that there is nowt official, but this is Newcastle and nothing surprises me.

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  15. just making the point that just because we have players in thos positions doesn’t mean we can’t add to or replace them, and we have more options at RM than left, we only have Jonas who has been inconsistent at best this season and Benny I believe will be given a more central position but regardless of that he’s probably still quite away off playing.

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  16. I hope it’s true. He is a slime ball ,but a very successful agent and would get us good fees for transfers both in and out.

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  17. Gosling may have just picked a good little time to be reaching playing fitness. Especially as Tiote could miss potentially 4 matches, if anything happens to Barton or Nolan he could get a chance. Smith and Guthrie have proved themselves to be not up to it this season. Where does Gosling actually play? Some people said he was central and only a makeshift winger but is he attacking or defensive?

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  18. you’re right, Perch so far has proved he can do a decent job as back up, if he does get in a problem, his pace usually lets him correct it, he’s very quick.

    Our fans can be complete bellends at time though, give the lad a chance man, if the fans had their way, Enrique and Collocinni wouldn’tbe here, they would have been gone after their first season they were that poor, now look at them.

    Both are international level players in my opinion.

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  19. Perch may turn out ok but he has been pretty bad on the ball especially when he’s played on the left. He’s a decent defender for most of the game but when he does make a mistake it’s usually pretty bad and ends up costing us. His versatility is valuable to fill the squad so id like to keep him but list him as cover on the right and get someone to cover the left who can play there naturally.
    If anyone has 12 million quid laying around go get us fabio coentrao 😆

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  20. Apparently he’s not a registered agent so any ‘activities’ that he does that is the same as a football agent are actually illegal. I don’t want the slug anywhere near the place tbh and I don’t know where Ashley finds all these dodgy characters. He is also involved in third party player ownership, which is rarely any good for clubs, he can sling his hook as far as im concerned. 😮

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  21. only saw him play once but he’s a box to box midfielder, same sort of mould as Pinnar maybe, agile, quick minded.

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  22. Most of what I’ve read and the little I’ve seen, he’s a box to box type like gerrard or Barton.

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  23. Aye, it’s funny how “apparently” the mackems are going for a euro place but if we were to beat them we’d be 2 points behind with a game in hand……of course if we lost………… 😥

    Still I’d be happy with mid table and push on next year.

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  24. From what I have seen he is nothing like Pienaar. Pienaar is a poor mans Nasri. Technically very good in possession, good in front of goal and at unlocking defences, but has very little pace.

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  25. Thing is, Sunderland are only one or two players away from having a quality team. They need a creative player in the middle, and a quality winger that can play on either side. If they were to sign say, Charles N’Zogbia and Charlie Adam in this transfer window I would really begin to worry about them. Luckily they are looking at the likes of Suley Muntari, a thoroughly overrated player with little end product 😀

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  26. So he’s a central midfielder, box-to-box, playmaker, technical.

    Not the fastest but compensates with a good fast footballing brain.

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  27. aye agree, although I think they rely too much on Bent(could say the same about us with Carroll) and I believe they rely a bit much on gettting penalties too 🙂

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  28. No, not really. From what I have seen he isn’t a playmaker, and isn’t all that technical. He is similar to Rodwell in my opinion. Although Everton fans will tell you that Rodwell is the better player.

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  29. for this window i think some reinforcements like we got this time last year to help cover for injuries, but more importantly improve the squad. unfortunately i think routledge has found his level he is a CCC player. i havent seen or heard of this el arabi guy but from what others are saying he could be another tiote in terms of been a steal. i still think the fat man may surprise us a bit with a signing, maybe a new striker i dont know who but that would mean 2 shipped out – mcloven and xisco

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  30. I would have liked to see us take Wayne bridge but he’s off to west ham on loan. He would have been good competition for Enrique.

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  31. That’s a lot of wages to pay for a back-up player. West Ham are willing to do business as they are desperate.

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  32. not a chance for wayne bridge. do not rate him at all never have he has somehow managed to live a nice lifestyle for far too long. and i must say i think he came out the John Terry saga worse off. rant out the way phew!

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  33. what a load of **** that story is, can spot lazy, thick journalism at it’s best a mile off, and what’s with that quote at the end? You know it’s made up when it’s at the end, where they hope no one will notice, and it’s from a ‘club insider’.

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  34. no one was faultless, but all in teh past now, remember it and use it as motivation, it’s what you do in the enxt game that matters

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  35. Nah man. Next time he plays for england, watch how slow he is compared to international midfielders you’ll be amazed. He makes up for it with his movement and class.

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  36. Cant agree with that. Bridge is a class player. He just needs to be playing some games. Didn’t think about his wages.70k a week is a lot to pay.

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  37. Why does it have to be a clear out? Why can’t Ashley be trying to sign the next tevez or macherano? Legally tho… Of corse 😎

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  38. Jersey-Tiote is twice the player Mascherano ever is/was! Don’t need his like 😀
    Still, a decent left back would be brilliant, could even try moving enrique up then if we get thin on the left, he’s quality at passing, crossing and cutting in, plus I’d love to see more goals from the lad, they’re the best! 😛

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  39. oh micky toon i have to disagree with wayne bridge and the term “class” being used in the same statement. i personally dont rate him. he has no speed, isnt the best at defending or getting forward. he can deliver a pretty good ball though. i also think you need to seriously question his aspirations as a footballer coz he seems to be quite happy not playing and picking up his wages wherever he goes. why will he change now

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  40. Everyone out their pits then finally! Haha..
    Toonsy, you mention being linked with players “like” them and I agree, said the same the other day. I’ll be pleased with Larsson coming in, but I’m also pleased that we’re no longer being linked with overpaid rubbish (Keane aside..and maybe Bentley, lol). Seeing us at least linked with potential moves for younger overseas lads who have shown promise is encouraging. I’d still like to see us take a gamble on Charlie Austin though. I know I said this about Beckford and he’s been a hilarious flop but Austin has scored goals in the CCC. Did he not get something like 37 in 50 games for Swindon?

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  41. didn’t do Bale any harm, got decent pace, shot, cross on him, could think of worst things to do.

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  42. I love monsieur T but he could do with a bit of macherano’s class on the offensive side. Still may come as he’s still young and personally wouldnt trade them.
    I just mentioned those two as those are players brought to wet spam by gadgie.

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