Amalfitano signs four-year deal at NUFC

toonsy

Romain signs on
As expected, Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Romain Amalfitano on a free transfer from newly promoted French side Stade de Reims.

And as expected the signing was confirmed just after I walked out of the door to go to work, hence the slight delay in writing this as I’m now in Belgium. Anyway I digress…

The 22-year-old Frenchman will join Newcastle officially when his contract expires at the end of June meaning that he will be registered as an NUFC player on July 1st such is the nature of pre-contract agreements. The midfielder becomes the first summer signing at St James’ Park and spoke to the official club website as the news was announced.

“I am very happy to be a Newcastle player,” said Romain. “I have seen a bit of the city already and it is a change from France but one I am really looking forward to.”

“When a club like Newcastle wants you to play for them it can only be a good thing. I have taken the opportunity to play in the Premier League and cannot wait to get going.”

Amalfitano joins an ever growing French contingent on Tyneside as the club seek to extract value from the transfer market. I’ll happily admit that I know next to nothing abut the lad although he must be rated rather highly by our scouting department to warrant us making a move after spending so long in our sights.

I’m unsure what his role is going to be and whether he has been brought in as backup or whether he is here to challenge the first team but I guess time will tell. I certainly won’t be making rash decisions based on the fact that I’ve not really heard of him and he will get his chance to show me, and others I’m sure, just what he can do.

If anyone does know more about him then please feel free to share the information. I’m sure it will be welcomed with open arms!

Welcome aboard Romain Amalfitano.

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.

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214 thoughts on “Amalfitano signs four-year deal at NUFC”

  1. Know next to nowt about him other than youtube clips and what I’ve read, but looks decent enough, good luck with them finding someone at the FA working on a Sunday to complete his registration on the 1st July though…strange day for a transfer window to open.

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  2. Great stuff shame he is in at the possible expense of mr guthrie.
    Hope many to follow! 😆

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  3. Liam…from the last thread, to settle my curiousity, what has ya journo mate got right so far?

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  4. Sorry rich missed your comment; not much but he told me before drogba was released he would be leaving although most of us guessed this anyway.
    But more recently it has been confirmed that Giroud does have a release clause which me journo pal had said we had triggered of £12.5m.

    I personally dont think we will sign giroud unless ba goes and even then he is hot property but I more excited about the other potential signing. Its not narsingh im afraid

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  6. I think like most, I also have little knowledge of this lad, but we have shown an interest for a while now so im sure Carr and Pardew are confident he improves our squad. Would be great if he hits the ground running as quick as Cabaye but he if not, he has time to settle in.
    One down, hopefully afew more to come – FB, CB and CF at the very least would be good.

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  7. Liam…Aye the Drogba things been pretty much common knowledge since before Xmas. I said on the other thread my worry with Giroud is that he seems to be more of a lone striker or 442 man, so I reckon it would be goodbye to 433 if he signed, not that I know loads about him like but going off the available info that seems to be the case, going off that I’d be surprised if we got him, unless Carr and Pards knows more than me, which lets face it, is highly unlikely 😆

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  9. Rich, yep 😆 There a beaver joke on the offing there but I won’t lower myself to that level :mrgreen:

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  11. What the **** is happening with Ba, Pardew telling us “If we hadnt qualified for europe hed already be gone” What was he expecting when he joined a club tipped to be in a relegation scrap ?? Or is this now standard when players have a good (half) season.

    If the club are refusing to renegotiate his contract its probably because hes asking for ridiculous money for a player with a knacked knee who is more than likely uninsurable, Who they gave a great chance to when other clubs wouldnt touch him with a bargepole.

    Anyhoo on topic never seen owt other than the credible source of football knowledge that is youtube but looking forward to pre season to see Romain lad in action, Starting to expect every player we sign now to be a gem… 😎

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  14. Richie aye see your concerns mate but I would say that Giroud and cisse could be some front line but maybe too similar?
    Would love to see a young pacey striker as back up abonglahor?

    Would anyone take boswinga or kalou? Personally wouldnt as they would want far to much salary and arent actually that good.
    But would have sturridge as apparently chelsea are willing to listen to offers for him

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  15. CC – seems stupid doesnt it get the lad signed cant believe that demba ba would get into the top four sides other than spuds?

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  16. CC… I think that article was in the Daily Fail? maybe that they weren’t trying to renegotiate his contract, “if” that’s the case what would they know?….. I’m working on the theory that the club also said that they weren’t going to enter contract talks with Colo until this summer and look what happened? 😉

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  17. Liam… I’d be more concerned about Benny, as Giroud seems more of an AC type player, big, strong and good in the air so I can only see him 442 (hence the Benny worry), 4411(would Cisse be happy), I think he also plays in a 451 which only really allows 1 dedicated striker, like I say Carr and Pard will know more about it than me so I’ll trust them but it does worry me a little, he looks a great player though.

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  19. Don’t know much about this fella but I think he’ll thrive in tight knit team play we’ve had going on the past season. He seems to have great positional play, popping up all ower the place and hasn’t got a bad finish on him either! Just YouTube him to see a couple of cheeky chips into the back of the net! Glad we’re getting into this transfer market early – gives our new frenchies time to settle before the season kicks off again!

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  20. Liam..my worry with Sturridge would be that I think he likes to be the main man and doesn’t like being out wide, would defo like a pacey striker though. I still reckon Ba will stay….maybe more hope than owt else but fingers crossed.

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  23. It was the telegraph article actually but they have turned into a **** factory recently so probably should ignore it 😉

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  24. AMF will you stop trying to confuse wor richie with numbers 36-32-34 are his fav numbers.

    so what is the deal with this kid is it 3 or 4 yr deal the jorno reports a 3 yr deal??

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  25. CC…Aye, I just think back to Colo’s and Jonas’s coming out the blue so can’t see any paper’s getting wind of contract talks….hopefully that’s the case.

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  27. I know he’s another midfielder, but I’m just wondering what everyone’s thoughts of this Barnetta kid is?
    He’s seems a decent player who could be the answer to our right wing problem on a free transfer?

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  28. Ice…I doubt he said any such thing, otherwise they’d have “quoted” him, they haven’t therefore it’s usual journo bollox imo 😉

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  29. Ice
    I reckon Ba might be causing a stir behind the scenes and DL thinks he should go, hopefully towards the start of the transfer window and not the end as we’d need to bring in a replacement.

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  30. @10
    I don’t think anything has ever been beneath Richie, he’d squash anything that was…

    @Liam
    Sturridge is just another selfish overated English player…

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  31. Sharpy
    Didn’t realise we had a RW problem, thought Ben Arfa had it pretty covered. And for those who suggest that Hatem could be moved to LW that would take some of the sting out of his play, he likes cutting inside and shooting with his left foot, something he’d do little of from LW.

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  32. Sharpy… He “would” have been decent on a free but maybe this scuppered any chance he had…

    Alan Pardew also took the chance to respond to the agent of Tranquillo Barnetta who has described Newcastle’s wage offer as “insulting” and hinted that the Swiss international earned more at his current club even though Swiss press claim that the player is only on £26,000-a-week which is quite a way lower than the £40,000-a-week Newcastle have apparently offered.

    “In terms of those comments (from McIntosh) I’m not even going to go there. To say £40,000 is a derisory offer – that’s ridiculous.” 😕

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  36. Media are stirring the usual **** re Ba.

    He tweeted he liked San Antonio SPURS and the pathetic journalists in the UK have taken it as a come and get me plea… 🙄

    He is a well known NBA fan, always talks about it… And he had the other teams written in CAPS too…

    Just last week he said he was looking forward to playing at St James Park again.

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  38. Noted Ice 🙂
    Contrcts aren’t worth the paper they scribbled on.. how a player can be sold/leave 1 year into a 5 year deal is beyond me. They should be locked in and maybe as a result, clubs will select players more carefully and vice versa.

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  49. Andy – for me that’s the problem. Benny cutting in and having a shot is fine but I don’t think we have enough crosses coming in off the wing.
    I think 4-3-3 is our most attacking option with Benny playing right and cutting in but does nowt of Ba. We need to mix it up and play alternative formations based on our opponents.
    4-4-2 with Marv crossing from the left and someone like Barnetta crossing from the right for Ba and Cisse would give us a different threat.
    Would have said Obertan but he didn’t do it for me this season.

    Ritchie – I know what your saying, that’s why I was asking people’s opinion coz that’s the main sticking point for me to – but then I think is that cutting our noses off?

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  53. DJG imo its a no-go deal along with what richie said toon would have known about what was comeing off and deal would have been done before it hit the rags,big gob agent trying to flog him off

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  54. Sharpy…is it cutting our noses off though? The players we generally bring in our hungry to play, some have even given up Euro footy to come here and I realise money plays a big part for all players but if Barnetta were to come, it would be purely for the cash and nowt else imo……that said he’s a decent player and maybe he’s changed his gobby agent! 😉

    TGS… I’m looking forward to that pint! 😉

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  55. Maybe the agents ‘bung’ was an insulting amount 🙂

    Whatever, lets see if a bigger club offer more money after he has been out most of last season with a ‘serious knee injury’. I’m afraid we hold the cards here, not his agent.

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  56. Can’t believe I’m writing this but if DL refuses to talk about Ba’s contract after only one year – he’s dead right. Even if it costs us, the players have to understand teams/clubs can’t be fcked around like that. Player power costs us all!
    Having said all that I don’t believe Ba’s looking to leave anyway.

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  57. DJG…We’d only hold the cards if we’re the only club offering him decent money, which is doubtful….that is indeed if we’re the slightest bit interested in him of course 😉

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  58. Georgio…The thing is, I haven’t seen any quotes to say DL has even mentioned it so I reckon it’s tabloid bollocks…hopefully!.
    Like you, I don’t think he’s looking to leave anyway. Obviously in football though things change in seconds, roll on the end of the window 😕

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  64. Tiote’s now quoted as saying “can’t wait for next season”? words of someone that’s not going anywhere? ❓ 😉

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  65. I don’t think I want Barnetta as he’s left Leverkusen as he wanted higher wages than they were willing to pay, that means if he were to sign for us he’d demand wages 40k+ which we will not offer as it isn’t a smart investment, also he’s 27 so has little potential sell-on value.

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  66. Nobby
    Where’s that quoted from(when/where did he say it)? It could also mean that he can’t wait to start the new season with his new club 😡 😕 😆

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  68. I see our £5m, 50k/pw man Xisco scored his second goal of the season for his liga 2 side :???:, cheers by the way Dennis Wise 😡

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  69. Whos betting that deportivo won’t renew the loan next season? 🙄 I would’ve suggested we use him as a part deal when buying from a lower league club if it wasn’t for ridiculously high wages. 🙁

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  70. Have people read nufc.com’s thoughts on Ba. Good read, agree on what verdict they’ve come to as well.

    Basically, they believe the club are willing to offer Ba a new contract without the clause, but not willing to hike the wages of someone who is already among the top earners, only signed a contract a year ago, recent performances haven’t been fantastic, arguably his position could be under threat with the new formation etc.

    Think it will be a stalemate. The agent won’t sign a new deal unless there’s a pay rise, extended years, I wouldn’t have thought.

    Which clubs are likely to come in for him? Many may still be scared about his knees, he’s allegedly on 50k as well.
    Man City wouldn’t.
    Chelsea and Man Utd, possibly. Doubt either would take a punt on him though. As good as he is, he doesn’t have much (if any), Champ league experience and is almost 27.
    Arsenal? No way they’d shell those wages for someone that wouldn’t start.
    Just leaves the spuds and the scousers really. Both in the Europa. Spurs facing an exodus and Pool in disarray. How’s your loyalty Demba?

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  71. Andy…to be fair to Xisco, he’s barely featured for them this season, to be unfair to him, he’s barely featured in the Spanish 2nd div, partly because he’s been injured alot but mainly because he’s ****, the is much worse quality than the Championship imo, so it shows how **** he is…..that said I’m going to the match on Sunday 😆

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  72. Imagine what Carr could’ve done with £5m(plus a converted 50k/pw so £8m with 20k/pw wages) could’ve gotten another Cissé or the next messi, could buy Debuchy or M’biwa with that.

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  73. ST….pretty much agree with that, I can’t blame Ba for not signing a new deal when it only benefits the club and not him, at the same time I can understand the club not wanting to increase his wages if the reported amount is true and he’s on top whack anyway.

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  75. Richie it would be nice for Demba to buck the trend and say fck off to his agent and sign up.
    As it stands I think he’s best he leaves ASAP (wildly different to my earlier views). As a Prem striker I think he’s excellent, and wouldn’t trade him for those we are being linked to, as he is proven and we wouldn’t be able to sell him for much.
    However we know what ‘Arry is like, I’ll be sh!tting it come deadline day if we have a player on such a tiny release clause, don’t want to be left wanting on the last day.

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