In Mo Salah’s new biography, it’s revealed that an agreement was in place for the Egyptian star to sign for Newcastle in 2011 – only for the deal to collapse after we refused to pay a £500,000 loan fee.
It is yet another transfer deal NUFC scrimped on and paid the price, joining the likes of Lacazette and Aubameyang.
For Salah, he probably dodged a bullet by not signing for Newcastle in the Ashley era, especially in 2011 with Pardew at the helm, who likely would have tried to play him at left back!
Stories like this are symptomatic of the Ashley era – penny pinching and a chronic lack of investment. Salah is worth perhaps near £150m in the current market, half of the asking price Ashley values the club at. Yet we wouldn’t pay a £500k loan fee; with the worst part being that we clearly don’t learn our lesson.
Fast forward 7/8 years and current manager Rafa Benitez is scrapping around the loan market for reinforcements, with the only one that looked likely in Jordan Lukaku, falling apart due to a ‘failed medical.’ He has struggled with injuries but as Rafa said, we knew this before flying him to Tyneside, a far more likely alternative is us once again not wanting to pay the commercials required. Meanwhile, Salah will be focusing on driving Liverpool to the title, while we wonder what might have been!
Ermmmm interesting article, although I find it bizarre you say Alan Pardew would probably have played him left back.
I think more likely Benitez would, we actually used to try and win games under Pardew, rather than try and nick them.
And don’t give me all the bargain basement operations etc we are the most negative team in the PL and that’s down to tactics not resources !!!
David(Quote)
At least Pardew would have played him. Rafa would keep him on the bench or in the under 21s ffs
Danny(Quote)
Imagine if we had bought him?
He would have been sold 2 years later for £30m.
Whereas if we kept him he’d be worth god knows how much.
Fat man has no foresight or insight on how a club should be run.
Dave(Quote)