Just days after the Chronicle confirmed Rafa had been ‘in talks’ with Benfica over a potential January deal, Portuguese outlet O’Jogo claim we’ve made a €500,000 loan bid to sign their midfielder Andreas Samaris.
The Greek international was tipped to make a big money move to Tyneside 18 months ago, with a €15m bid reported, and he’s a name that’s Rafa’s regularly been linked with ever since.
Since then, however, the 29-year-old has fallen out of favour with the Portuguese giants – starting just 5 games this season in what could be his final year at the club with his contract due to expire this summer.
Here’s what Sports Witness are now saying about our alleged interest, with both the Greek and Portuguese media suggesting we’re back in for him:
‘The Magpies have been interested before, and were recently back watching the player in Lisbon. O Jogo says the scouts were ‘pleased’ with what they saw and decided to go for the player.
‘With Samaris’ contract with Benfica expiring at the end of the season, it’s claimed that Newcastle are offering €500k to get him on a loan until the summer, and will then offer him a three-year contract, once he becomes a free agent.
‘That’s way less than the €15m offered by the Magpies two years ago, when Benfica closed the door and said he would only leave for €20m.’
It’s talk of ANOTHER loan move (even though it’s claimed a three-year contract could be on the table when he becomes a free in the summer), however it could make sense.
Isaac Hayden has done well in recent weeks, but he clearly wants out for personal reasons – having handed in TWO transfer requests since the summer.
That said, it’s been insisted by the Chronicle that Rafa will only let him leave if a replacement is signed, which makes you wonder if Samaris is someone we’re looking at so we can finally sanction Hayden’s exit.
Both are holding midfielders and both seem to have no long-term future at their current clubs, so it could make sense..
