In the last few days there have been numerous reports linking us to both a left back and a striker.
For the left back the initial report was that we had approached Gary Neville’s Valencia with a view to taking their tough tackling twice capped 29-year-old Argentine Lucas Orban on loan. That rumour quickly subsided with the news we were on the verge of securing the services of Brazilian born but Italian and Spanish eligible Guilherme Siqueira from Atletico Madrid. I was concerned about this one because be is described as an attacking full back, better going forward than back. I feel our back line is screaming out for a solid presence and with Townsend able to do the attacking on the left, it makes sense for us to employ a ‘limited’ full back concentrating on protecting our third of the pitch.
Now it transpires Valencia are about to scoop up Siqueira on a permanent deal, so I’d not be suprised if it was just the media putting 2 and 2 together and it was always Orban that we were going to sign. Watch this space. We had a successful Spanish left back in Jose Enrique not so long ago, but he did take a long while to warm up, which is always a concern with overseas purchases…
Up front we have been heavily linked to Loic Remy, Saido Berahino, Seydou Doumbia and Bafetimbi Gomis.
I won’t bore you with the specific stats but in terms of records in the PL, Gomis contributes a goal or assist every 3 games. At 30-years-old I don’t feel he is the man for us. His record this year mirrors Alexander Mitrovic’s almost exactly in terms of direct goal contribution, chances created, attacking moves etc with Gomis winning more one-to-one challenges.We need a significant improvement in our front line and Gomis does not fit the bill.
Seydou is an Ivorian with an impressive record in Russia, who can play up front or as an inside forward on either flank. If he comes in on loan, then we have little to lose – but he is unproven in the best leagues and is somewhat of a journeyman – again I’m not convinced.
So that leaves Remy and Berahino. Both of these players have directly contributed 1 goal every 2 games so far in their time in the English top flight. That makes them by far the better of the prospects currently available and we should move Heaven and Earth to secure one of them if we are serious about doing all we can to avoid the drop.
At 29, Remy would want a long contract as it’s likely to be his last big pay day. We know what he can do from his previous time with us, but with Leicester keen on him, we stand little chance of securing his services given their position in the league. I’d also be cautious about pinning our hopes on a man that has a track record of spurning us.
So that leaves Saido Berahino as the only realistic, available player capable of immediately significantly improving our front line. He is English, proven in the PL and only 22-years-old. It is rumoured we have offered in the region if £25m whilst the Baggies want in excess of £30m. Before I did my thorough homework on him, I though tbat price was steep given his questionable attitude this season. However, his stats are not in question and we don’t know what happened behind the scenes last summer. He might have been promised a move away only for West Brom to change the goalposts at the last minute. Who knows?
Andy Carroll was a young prospect that the Magpies managed to get £35m for several years ago way before this £5b TV deal was on the agenda. When you consider that and what is at stake for us this season, I’d say £30m for Berahino is actually a fair price and our board needs to cough up if they are serious about keeping this great club in the big time where it belongs.
Any of the other options are simply a cheap gamble….
£10m or £11m will likely get Remy and despite his age, he scores in this league and his age is ideal in terms of allowing our youngsters to move up in the future.
funkyjesus(Quote)
great news about Perez, really happy with that. Really was hoping we’d get a defender in if we can’t land a prolific forward. Should concentrate on the dodgy defence if we can’t address the goals situation.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu – perhaps it’s just an arrogance from WBA. They’ve said he’s not leaving so don’t feel they need to answer the email.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The Remy situation is odd, thought he was off to Leicester 😕
kimtoon(Quote)
Stoke have got the message about Berahni. Hughes said he was interested but WBA consitently said no.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy, I wondered that, all the same when someone offers you £21m up front it’s a tad rude to not even reply.
kimtoon(Quote)
Not if you’ve already told them umpteen times he’s not for sale, Kim. If that was the case then the bid was a PR stunt.
Stuart79(Quote)
We have form for it…
Stuart79(Quote)
Hope we have closed the door on it now and put our efforts into other options, it’s obviously not gonna happen.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu, very true mate.
kimtoon(Quote)
When he goes abroad on a bosman next summer WBA get nowt
Premandup(Quote)
I see no more incomings if Berahino is off. Unless were working on Remy or…. ugh, Gomis on the side.
funkyjesus(Quote)
I agree, Funky. I think they’re briefing the media that they would like another in but I imagine that is it.
Stuart79(Quote)
KIM@229 you broke the pact already saying that name 😆
Icedog(Quote)
Ice, 😀 I know mate, it’s just odd nowts happened with him.
kimtoon(Quote)
Now the talk is £27.5m agreed for Berahino and a loan deal for Jose Enrique.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Talk of Enrique coming back to toon,hes30 now so club are working on defence hopefully
Icedog(Quote)
Michy Batshuayi & Jose Enrique bids in for both
Premandup(Quote)
Always liked Jose. He’s 30 now though – we’ll see.
georgio(Quote)
Prem – where have you seen that mate? – loan bids or to buy?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’d be surprised if Jose comes like, wasn’t there an exchange of arsey tweets when he left?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Funky – if that’s true they should just offer the £30m that WBA want & get the deal done.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Get French Football
@GFN_France Bafétimbi Gomis’s proposed move to Newcastle has broken down as he asked for too much money, according to Daily Mail
ha ha
kimtoon(Quote)
JE all over the web
sae MB earlier today along with a couple of other Left field eg lad from porto
Premandup(Quote)
Jose Enrique then…
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy, Is he really worth all that though, I’m starting to wonder if the lad is totally over hyped tbh.
kimtoon(Quote)
Great news KIM best of the window lol
Icedog(Quote)
Whether we sign another striker today will depend 100% on how desperate we are.
Stuart79(Quote)
JE good call. out of contract in summer. LUFC willing to pay off contract, or at least enough to make it viable. LB needed. All good
MB OM connection, excellent option.
Premandup(Quote)
I’d take Enrique back. He was a good left back, good going forward and knows the club. Will have a point to prove too. I know he had a little Twitter spat with the club but he was right wasn’t he?
Stuart79(Quote)
Enrique coming back will only work If he still Has a bit of pace left in him , i would be surprised If he has 30 year old and not played in a long time. Its a big worry for me him next too an ageing collocinni .
AXEL(Quote)
Did we really have any intention of “smashing” our transfer record for a striker?
Stuart79(Quote)
No. Enrique in and we’re done.
I expect no striker.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Enrique coming in makes Dummett our new centre back with left back cover now, doesn’t it?
Enrique is the last signing.
funkyjesus(Quote)
We never have really replaced Jose, Santon was powder puff and way too right footed, Dummett/Haidara are squaddies not starters
Makes sense with him signing until the summer & sign up Willems then
CC(Quote)
BBC saying we will not be signing Enrique
Stuart79(Quote)
Reckon we are done and if so it would be alright and that’s about all. No cover in defence and no goalscorer with PL experience. A big risk!
Stuart79(Quote)
After Perez signing a new contract i would like too see Woodman sign a new contact too then be loaned out again , the lad is otherwise out of contract in the summer and will be free too walk out the club .
AXEL(Quote)
Thought Jetro was a target for Manure and City a while back, if that’s still the case we have no chance.
kimtoon(Quote)
Anyone worried about the keeper situation too, what happens if Elliot gets crocked? Wouldn’t be so bad if our defence was tight.
kimtoon(Quote)
only mugs would pay wba blood money dint want him meself they can keep an unhappy player and if they think they will get 20 mil from a tribunal good luck with that smokeing to much crack down there
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Eder from Swansea to Lille – that would suggest there is no Gomis move to me like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
let them bite there nose off to spite there face 😆 😆 😆 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
You’re £19m not looking too good is it, TAE?
Stuart79(Quote)
21 is closer to 19 than 25 or 26 or cant ya count stu 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Sharpy@267 Good see@248
kimtoon(Quote)
OK, then. The £21m isn’t looking too good either!
Stuart79(Quote)
STUART79
not to fussed about him meself let them do a qpr and be greedy we all know how that panned out we got another striker so why do we need to spend silly money on him
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Kim – I think that was the problem with Gomis when we tried to last sign him. Hopefully that’s the last of that one now.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Seydou Doumbia i was expecting him going to china he had a massive wage offer from there so tells me hes here to play football and not just pick up a wage packet
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
he also what weve all been shouting for all window an experienced striker
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I would have been happier with a good defensive player, LB or CB and forget about Saivet. Still, very happy to get Doumbia. I think he’ll come good with us. So a good, experienced forward and a very good MF (Shelvey), and hopefully a pleasant surprise from Townsend.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Debuchy off to Bordeaux. Just glad he isn’t going to Sunderland because you just know he’d score against us in the Derby.
Leicester still not got Remy over the line. Remy only wants to leave on loan so he can fight for his Chelsea place under a new manager but Chelsea want a permanent deal.
paulos(Quote)
Think the Debuchy deal is off Paulos, least that’s what I just heard on radio.
kimtoon(Quote)
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2016/02/01/19892062/-?
Ouch
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
No return for Enrique, wants too much money he’s on £65k a week and doesn’t fancy a wage cut
kimtoon(Quote)
I have much higher hopes for the last 15 matches now. At least we should be able to score. Whether we can keep them out of our own onion bag is another question….
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, We better pray Elliot stays fit then.
kimtoon(Quote)
G2 – Why do you say “at least we should be able to score”? Are we pinning all our hopes on this Ivorian to score the goals we’ve been missing? The jury is very much out on him.
Yet again, when it came down to it, the club have failed to sign a PL quality striker. It’s a huge risk they’ve taken. We’ve bought three midfielders and that was the position that we were strongest in. We have neglected the defence where we are weak and are now pinning our hopes on a striker who’s never played PL football.
Like I said earlier, it’s been an alright ish window but yet again where it’s mattered they’ve failed.
I wonder if Berahino was ever realistic and whether it was all just PR.
Stuart79(Quote)
Just under 6hrs left. I think any deal that comes off now will be a major surprise one.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m just trying to cheer myself up Stuart mate. We need The Bringer of Doom Dooooooombia to come good. Besides….. we can’t defend worth a sausage so it means I have to focus on our attack now…..
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Stu – you can’t say they haven’t thrown the kitchen sink at it this time though.
I think you’re being cynical to say that our pursuit of Berahino has just been one big PR stunt.
It’s frustrating but if clubs aren’t selling, or the players they want aren’t available what can they do?!. If they spent on Gomis or Dwight Gayle then people would be ****** off at that as well.
Let Leicester got Diame in and then convince Chelsea to loan Remy – that might be our last option I think.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Yes we’re praying for Elliot and all the back 4 Kimtoon lass. They must all stay fit through thick and thin. And please Janmaat stop jogging back after being caught miles out of position!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Sharpy – Wasn’t it so obvious that Berahino wasn’t for sale or it would need something special to get WBA to sell him? Why offer £21m when they knew that? I don’t think we can dismiss the idea that they knew they wouldn’t get him so through a record bid at it knowing it wouldn’t be accepted. We’ve had 31 days to get someone and we end up with a loan player because he couldn’t hack it in Italy?? Hope he does well and scores the goals we need but ultimately the only thing we know for sure we have improved on is midfield as we k ow the players we have bought. As for goals – we still have no idea.
Stuart79(Quote)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< sees we geting linked with gibbs
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I thought the Enrique deal would happen but even that fails.
Fail.
funkyjesus(Quote)
West Brom clearly don’t want Berahino to come to us with us below them in the table. They are taking a real chance though. As his contract winds down he’s worth less and less to them. He does have fitness problems quite often as well. We may be hoping Perez becomes the next big scorer for us but it’s not going to happen overnight.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
A failed bid for Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette was followed by a futile pursuit of West Brom’s Saido Berahino. Despite being told several weeks ago that the player was not for sale, Newcastle made a £21m bid last weekend anyway.
It had the feel of a public relations exercise; a desperate attempt to try and persuade supporters they had tried as hard as they could, right up until the end of the window.
It did not impress WBA, who thought they had reached a gentleman’s agreement that Newcastle would wait until the summer to try and sign the 22-year-old.
From Telegraph.
Stuart79(Quote)
Now it’s all up to McCarver to get the lads playing well together. Start the prayer meetings now lads and lasses…..
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I see us finishing a very tidy 16th ahead of Villains, Sunderflatulence, Norwich, and Bornagainmouth.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Well just finished work and great that Ayoze has signed a new deal (whats the buy out clause then?) – but this is all a bit disappointing. Where’s our defender and striker? Jose Enrique? Someone having a laugh?
Shamrock(Quote)
Stu it does not mean the lad wont score in the Epl because he did not score in Italy , i remember Ian Rush moving from Liverpool to Juventus and failing to score in the serie a ……but iknow where your coming from.
On another note the Mother of my next door neighbours dentists postman just told me That Zlatan ibrahimovich is due into long Benton at 9pm for his medical …….honest
AXEL(Quote)
Thauvin’s not a player I asked for but he’s good and is welcome,” he told reporters.
“I still need an attacker. Other players who have been spoken of to improve the team have not come.
“Thauvin is an interesting player but I didn’t ask for him.
“I know him, he has a good level… but I would have asked for someone with a different profile, someone who could have solved some of the problems of my team.
“He’s a good player, but not one I asked for.”
Words of the Marseille manager. Erm…..ouch.
Shamrock(Quote)
I think I knew your mother’s next door neighbour’s dentist’s postman Axel mate. Did he look a bit like Dennis Wise?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Stu – it wasn’t that obvious coz you spend a canny bit of time discussing his fee. You obviously thought it was possible, or if not why not say that when you were suggesting £25m plus would get him.
Stoke clearly thought there was still a chance too, or was theirs a PR stunt too?.
Sharpy17(Quote)