Transfer window gathers pace

Shamrock

Closing in on Remy...Again!
Closing in on Remy…Again!
Having already welcomed Henri Saivet and Jon Jo Shelvey to the club this January, there are rumours that the business is not done yet – with Andros Townsend apparently on his way in a £12m deal. What else can we expect before the window slams shut?

Well it has tonight been confirmed that 24-year-old Shane Ferguson has been released and signed a n 18-month deal with Millwall, where be has featured over 25 times this season, scoring twice. A hard working player with a very good cross on him, his stamina is what seemed to let him down at the top level, which is a shame. On the bright side, our squad is carrying a lot of players that offer little to the squad – either in terms of ability, consistency or being injury prone – so it’s good to see spaces beginning to be freed up in order to allow players to come in that can offer Newcastle United genuine depth of quality and tactical flexibility.

Marveaux, Gouffran, Obertan, Williamson, Cisse, Heidara, Taylor and a few others fit that catagory – and most of them can be expected to be moved on either in the remainder of this window or during the summer. What we can expect during the next week is for the tough tackling, talented but not often available Cheick Tiote to complete his £5m move to China, whilst French Flop Florian Thauvin should go back to Marseille on loan – hopefully with a compulsory buy back clause…

Fans are split on whether Townsend is value for the quoted £12m fee being paid for him by virtue of his lack of recent first team football and tendency to cut in and shoot at goal – usually missing the target. That said, he is a natural left footed winger with searing pace and something to prove – who has Premier League experience, so he should definitely add quality and threat to our play, especially if deployed from the left wing in his stronger foot as opposed to the right like he was at Spurs. See an example of what he could bring below;

To round off this window and give ourselves a solid chance of survival, we need to sign a striker. With Pato said to have finalised his Chelsea move and Adebayor now a Crystal Palace player, our chances of re-signing Loic Remy have increased. He is proven in the Premiership and proven whilstcwearing our colours. He is keen to secure a move this January because he knows he won’t make the France squad for the Euro’s if he’s not playing regularly. Fingers crossed for this one because signing Remy is a no-brainer if we want a goalscorer capable of making an immediate impact. Here’s a reminder of what he could bring us;

There has been talk of Lacazette , which as impressive as it would be – would still be a gamble as he has not played inbtbis league before. Meanwhile, the £25m being quoted for Berahino is far too steep. Whilst Mitrovic has stuttered somewhat in front of goal this season, Berahino’s general stats this season are no better than Mitro’s. With a heavy price tag and questionable attitude, I’m not sure he is the right man for us. But you never know…

About Shamrock

Like everyone here, support Newcastle United. Not the easiest side to feel good about at times, but it's our side!

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516 thoughts on “Transfer window gathers pace”

  1. Ice – 😆 nah he’d be earning something mental like 200k to be in China. Apparently Asamoah Gyan is on over 300k at his club 😯

    He wasn’t even that good in a ***** mackem side!

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  3. Wtf. If he comes in, I’d say someone like Sissy is going out.

    But where’s the striker and defender we desperately need?!

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  4. Yeah just saw that too ICEDOG him down the right ,Townsend down the left and Perez as the striker ? just putting it out their . We would have a very quick front 3 . Would have too pray that they all hit goal scoring form from the off and Gini keeps scoring as well.

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  6. wouldn’t be against Phillips, I said the other day I wouldn’t mind him like. But dear god where is the forward we desperately need?

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  8. I’ve always said he lacked effort and was too inconsistent, so if he goes for the numberrs being quoted then it’s good business.

    That said, in the last 3 or 4 weeks I think he has been one of our better players, but he’s not a natural winger so if we got a good enough replacement I think we could manage.

    We can’t lose sight of the fact we need a striker and defender though.

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  10. Just read McClaren fancies Rohdes from Blackburn als well , he has scored a boat load of goals in that division and is another british player and its Well documented thats what McClaren wanted . So a front 3 of Townsend Rhodes Philips ? Perez and Mitro from the bench .

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  11. We won’t be buying another winger.

    I want to see us go and smash our transfer record by giving a club an offer they couldn’t refuse – that would be fun… 😛

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  12. Axel – I’d take Grant Hanley from Bburn as well mate. Big strong CB and still quite young I think – around 24.

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  13. AXEL@235 there’s one big problem with him he’s oh so slow very one paced that’s why no PL clubs in last couple of years have shown no interest in him

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  15. STUART for my money they will go for Remy
    I think they missed the boat with Austin I know they thought he was a risk with his injury but not for four mil imo,they took a bigger risk when they signed Ba

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  16. Is it possible West Brom are worried about selling Berhino to us in case they fall into the relegation battle? Very embarrassing for them if he scored the goals to allow us to pass them in the table…..

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  19. Aren’t Bolton kinda screwed now? Dorian Dervite seems like our kind of deal. Young, cheap. Oh, and he’s French 😆

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  20. It would be fun, Sharpy. Something to get excited about. Although I think we will have to make do with a loan deal for Remy as we’ve left it a bit late to buy someone as the price only tends to go up the closer you get to the deadline. Shame – it could have been beautiful

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  21. G2 don’t worry mate,we know who you mean,don’t think are many spelling police on this blog,thank god

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  23. Of course this could all be a smokescreen until they can announce the signing of Shefki Kuqi to a 10 year contract ice mate. 😯

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  24. Don’t think they will ever sell the lad to Spurs they blame them for kicking all this off last year tapping him up quite blatant nearly ended up going to FA so imo they have no chance of getting him

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  25. Newkie – I saw the other day that Shola has offered to play the rest of the season for Bolton for free, but their transfer embargo stops him from being able to be signed.
    Apparently Neil Lennon is said to be very relieved 😆

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  26. Justin Rhodes seems a decent shout. He’s a one in two scorer with Blackburn, has decent size (6’1″) and is 25. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we go for him.

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  27. Sharpy 😆

    Thought you would know better than to make fun of the infirm fella! Poor Shola. Reckon anyone in China will snap him up on 200k a week wages? 😆

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  28. Jordan Rhodes? PL clubs have swerved him for years. We need better than him. He’d cost a lot of money, is a poor man’s Austin and would be a big risk in my opinion.

    I agree with an earlier poster…I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we pick a completely new name. Austin, Lacazette, Berahino…seems to be all people are talking about.

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  29. Yeah I don’t fancy Rhodes. Too slow, I’d say Perez is already better than him.We either get a good striker in or don’t bother imo, because we already have some very decent forward players and now Townsend in too.

    Centre back is a bit different, I’d go for someone who is versatile who can play left back, because the reality is Mbemba is our best defender and Colo is never going to be dropped because Schteve kept him as captain. He’ll need to be better than Willo/Taylor but willing to wait until the end of the season when we hopefully get shot of Colo who just isn’t consistent enough to build a team around. And he’s a ***** captain.

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  30. We have several good forward players, what we’re missing is someone confident that he will put the ball in the back of the net. Someone who we can give the ball to in the box and the opposition is desperate not to give him a shot because he feels he’ll score every chance he gets. If Mitrovic could just get a few goals…

    If Taylor is fit, then I’m ok with the 4 of Colo, Mbemba, Taylor and Lascelles but there’s every chance that Taylor will barely be fit for the rest of the season, so since we also have issues at full back, we are really running the risk of a serious problem with another injury…

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  31. TDS – To be fair, isn’t every team in the league after one of those strikers 🙂

    Agree about injuries, but Dummett should be fit again soon and I think he is better at CB than LB anyway personally. Mbabu was also bought in as a centre back if I remember right, and he’s strong for a young lad so if things got really desperate we could throw him in….

    Tayls is always injured and should be shown the door in the summer, along with Colo imo.

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  32. NEWKIE

    Certainly according to the media! Not sure about reality…

    Real shame about Tayls…he’s a proper PL defender when he’s fit, but that’s so rare! As for Colo, I think it depends on his form for the rest of the season…he’s been pretty decent the last few games, but I’d be surprised if he can keep it up. I don’t imagine he should be a regular starter next season, so we need a new captain for next season too surely?

    Dummett is a decent squad player to cover CB and LB, just don’t see him a regular player either. So I wonder if we can get a good LB or CB in? It’s a bit tricky as we have Mbabu and Haidara and I’m not an expert in judging how likely they are to develop into PL defenders.

    I’d love to see a striker and a defender brought in. But also depends on fitness of our defenders…

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  33. TDS – Yeah, he’s a proper defender for all of five games a season, after his injuries and suspension for smashing someone in the face with his elbows. It’s a shame that now we’ve got a decent set piece we can’t utilise his threat, buut I just don’t think it’s worth keeping the lad given his injury record.

    And yes we definitely need a new captain, we needed one this season but Schteve bottled it. Has to be a regular starter, and I’d be tempted by Gini or Janmaat, their international experience should help a bit, not, don’t think Sissoko has the mentality for it and he’ll be one out the door fairly soon I’d think. Mbemba would be a strong shout for future captain I think, solid player and his head doesn’t seem to drop as much as Colo as soon as we concede…

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  34. NEWKIE

    Agreed. His injury record is just too bad. I don’t mind having him around as he knows the club very well so is probably excellent in terms of team spirit and helping out incoming players, but I’m concerned about him taking up a spot in the 25 man squad. Saying that, I’d always prefer to keep players rather than lose them. But the 25 player limit brings a new equation…

    Agree with your captain observations. I wonder what Schteve sees behind closed doors though. I also wonder what made him decide on Colo over the summer…I suspect it was because he didn’t want two completely new players at CB so needed to keep Colo. Then it would have been demoralising to strip him of the captaincy too. Finally, I don’t think there were other outstanding candidates. It may have been the best decision in the circumstances…even if we would prefer there was a better option…

    No excuse this summer though.

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  35. 25 player limit and the fact that he is deemed a “purple” on 45-50k or so a week. If him going allows an actual regular player of quality to come in then the whole dressing room morale thing means nothing to me. He was playing when we got relegated and he was around the club in the abysmal collapse last year so I don’t think he’s got much to contribute personally. If he wants to stay around for free as a cheerleader then great.

    I know what your saying – Colo was the safe option – and for me that sums Schteve up. I think he’s a bit cowardly in all honesty, every single fan watching our shitstorm of a half season knew Colo was done. And no matter how poor Carver was as a manager a captain should not let his side be so roundly destroyed without so much as a fight. But he didn’t know the players, maybe Janmaats confrontational style scared him, so he stuck with Colo – think most of us knew it was wrong and so it has proven since. The fact that he’s played better ecently just shows how bad it’s got – he’s still a decent ball player from the back but we hemmorage goals, and for all the stick that scapegoat players like Simpson and Williamson got it is now clear that Colo was never the superstar he was made out to be by some, imo.

    For me – McClaren has no excuses from now anyway, or even from last summer. This squad is not relegation fodder, certainly not compared to last year. But we’ll see how he does and fingers crossed we kick on to a comfortable finish..

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  36. On paper though, Shelvey and Saivet in central midfield, Sissoko and Townsend on the wings, with Gini playing number 10 and Mitrovic up front is a pretty decent showing. Colback, Perez, Cisse, Anita and SDJ providing backup. Though I am slightly baffled that we have might have Cabella and Thauvin out on loan…

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  37. NEWKIE

    I’m not going to get involved on footballer’s salaries to be honest. Even earning £10kpw seems obscene to me. Especially considering they do a job that they love, keeps them fit and gives them loads of perks.

    I think Colo is a smooth player, but I said in the summer, he needed players around him to do the running. I actually think Mbemba and Colo is decent but it took ages for the partnership to start to work. Now we have a settled right back, a settled centre half partnership but issues at left back. I don’t think we look defensively terrible so far this year.

    Simpson and Willo got slated for being average players, but we still need players like that in the squad.

    And I agree on McClaren. There’s no way we should be in a relegation battle with this squad.

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  38. Shelvey will be our next Captain. Middle of the pitch, pulling the strings, understands English footy and fire in his belly. The only realistic candidate.

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  39. At this time here is our best team:

    ————————Elliott————————
    -Janmaat-Mbemba-Colo-Dummett–
    ————–Colback–Shelvey—————
    —Sissoko–Wijnaldum–Toonsend—
    ———————-Mitrovic———————-

    Subs:Gk, Lascelles, Tioté, Anita, Saivet, Ayoze, JORDAN RHODES

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  40. Jordan Rhodes doesnt need pace. He needs assists, and with Sissoko Wijnaldum Townsend Colback Janmaat Mbmeba around pace is not an issue at all. It would be Shelvey and orthers role to put him in good positions.

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  41. If Phillips signs, Sissoko will probably endup at Spurs lol. That would be a good move. In fact Phillips Rhodes and Hanley should the type of signings needed. That would mean:.

    —————————Elliott———————-
    -Janmaat-Coloccini-Hanley-Chancel-
    —————-Colback-Shelvey—————-
    —Ayoze—–Wijnaldum—Toonsend—-
    ——————–Rhodes/Mitro—————-

    subs: Darlow, Lascelles, Dummett, Anita, Saivet, Phillips, Rhodes/Mitrovic.

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  42. Shelvey, Toonsend, Colback for England. Then Armstrong. and hopefully Lascelles and Aarons lol

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  44. In fact I’d put Robert ahead of him too. Gunplay is our 3rd best PL era winger. His stats for us were actually pretty insignificant.

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  45. I think we get Michy Batshuayi from OM
    sweetening the deal with as many of our Frenchies as they will take

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  46. Kim – what the hell kinda list is that?! – no disrespect to anyone on it, but where’s Fox, Gillespie, Robert or as you say Nobby.
    Andros wasn’t even born when the first guy was playing for us!!!

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  47. Prem – I’d be trying to get N’Koulou on a pre contract agreement from OM – or if they wanted to sell him now we could make Thauvin part of the deal.

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  50. Sharpy, Sham put that list up 😉 But I would say Robert was one of my Favs and Nobby has to be up there.

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  55. This striker search is going right to the wire… I’d have though that it was a priority. Surprised we haven’t been linked with Wilfried Bony… Not getting much game time at city and we know he can score in the prem. If we are prepared to spend >£20mil on a striker I’m sure city would listen… Oh well

    Actually I would be ok with Jordan Rhodes too. We just need to get someone in…

    Happy to see us linked with defender too but never heard of the guy.

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  60. The stats don’t impress me. He’s not a regular starter, gets a yellow card every game and doesn’t contribute assists.

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  62. I don’t know anything of this Orban kid, but it’s pleasing to see that they realise that reinforcements are needed at the back.
    Cathro should know whether he’d fit or not, and if it’s a loan deal then there’s little risk – providing there’s an option to buy him at the end, if it does work out.

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  63. He is a defensive full back. Thats needed to balances defense with Janmaat bombing foward. Id take him on loan to be Dummett’s backup that would be a good move

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  65. Andros Toonsend must take a look at Solano Gillespie Robert and Jonas. A combination of those would make the best of him

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  66. I’d take Or an for sure. We have needed a LB for ages and he is fresh blood. Tough tackling and will add presence to the back 4. Twice capped for a major international Country . He’s better than what we have so yeah get him in.

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  70. Lucas Orban is a LB that can play CB and our assistant manager knows him so a loan deal makes sense. Good luck to Williamson at Wolves.

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  71. Steven Taylor wont be fit again next season so we need someone else in. I can’t see us staying up without defensive cover imo.

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  72. 😆 @ 294.

    Prem, we have not seen one of your number crunching articles for some time. If you get time soon then you know your efforts are always interesting and appreciated.

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  74. Number crunching how we lost is never much fun.
    Am keeping busy writing 11,000+ words per month for my new business and working 10 hrs per week helping out a friend with his.
    However if something crops up will do. Been drafting who to buy transfer window articles but they always get finished after the event, and they are never the players we get. 👿

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  75. Tell you what, I know of a defender with PL experience in his mid 20’s who’s capped by another major top international side. He can play both LB and RB so would be perfect for us. Yes currently only a back up for his club too, so would be available on the cheap.

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