According to L’Equipe, Newcastle United have now made a bid in the region of £20m for Jean-Philippe Mateta – but the offer comes in ‘well below’ FSV Mainz’s asking price.
With the French outlet claiming that Mainz are demanding £35m for the French U-21 international – £15m more than we’ve offered – you can’t help but feel this sounds like an absolute Mike Ashley classic.
Mateta – a 22-year-old, 6ft 3′ striker – has just enjoyed an impressive season in Germany, bagging 15 goals and 3 assists in 36 games for Mainz.
Time will tell if there’s any truth in these claims, but it would be just like us to offer £15m less than the asking price set – and just like us to chase a talented but largely unproven young striker after turning our noses up at a £16.5m deal for Salomon Rondon.
It seems it’s one rule for Ashley and another rule for others, with the NUFC owner calling anyone coming in with low-ball offers a ‘time-waster’ – yet he’s the master of it when it comes to purchasing.
NO, no they haven’t..
BillyTheFish(Quote)
Nothing to write about, so let’s make up 20 stories put them in a hat and draw one out every day for us gullible fans, who are desperate for some news on the takeover and transfers.
Would like to see a list of the stories to date and the eventual truth before the season starts, it would show the real journalists and the numpties we have. HWTL
Whinger(Quote)
You think WE make these up?
We don’t know if they’re true – how can we? – but we simply share what other outlets are reporting. It’s as simple as that.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
You could always start the headline “Rumour Control” and not click bait.
Colin(Quote)
If its not known to be true, why dish out trash, …
You know what the fans want and you continually feed them b011!ck5.
Not surprising then that theres so much unrest,
but its nowt to what it will be …!
Peter Henderson(Quote)