The January window is still a few weeks away, but it seems like we may have already been dealt our first transfer setback.
After suggestions that Newcastle will make a ‘big play’ to sign AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, reports on Friday afternoon explain why a winter move to St James’ Park is looking unlikely.
Writing for The iPaper, Mark Douglas reveals that Chelsea are now showing strong interest in the 19-year-old midfielder, with growing interest from the Blues and other ‘big six’ rivals seeing Newcastle’s hopes fade.
Douglas reports that Chelsea has been in dialogue with the 19-year-old’s camp, while emerging interest from Spurs and Man Utd promises to complicate our attempts to sneak in early for the £25m-rated Dutchman.
Eddie Howe is thought to be a big fan of the teenage sensation, who has shone in the Netherlands, featured in Europe this season and been compared to Pedro by Dutch boss Ronald Koeman.
It’s unclear if Chelsea will launch a January bid or line up a deal that could see him arrive next summer, but Newcastle must now prepare a tempting sales pitch if they are to stand any chance of winning a fiercely contested race for his signature in 2026.
Speaking at a Q&A event for Mail Sport last week, Craig Hope suggested that Auxerre star Kevin Danois is one their radar and one to watch as an alternative should we fail to land Smit, saying:
“It’s an Auxerre midfielder, 21-years-old, called Kevin Danois. If they can’t get Kees Smit, Danois is one they could pivot to.
“21-year-old, playing for Auxerre, France Under-21 international. Really athletic, good on the ball. That’s the profile of player they are looking for.”
We are making the same mistakes over and over because the big guns as the reporters say are after someone that we are we give up with out a fight keep trying to sign them sell the club the supporters and the kitchen sink if they are good enough. i hope tino does not leave one of the best likely to be the best in years to come we must fill that void quickly WELL LADS BEST OF LUCK COME SUNDAY
Keith Richardson(Quote)
we’re not making any mistakes yet, it’s a bunch of (not very good) Journos that cover our club making stuff up off a really dodgy link from a questionable website (you know like sports mole,football insider, etc the usual garbage sites)
If you look at what has happened in reality we have got players above other so called top clubs Bruno, Botman and Woltemade to name a few. It’s only this summer when players turned us down and i’ll guarantee the likes of Pedro, Delap, Trafford and Sesko wish they’d signed for us now and none of them have shown us they are great loss.
The only ones i wish we got are Mbeumo and Ekitike.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Don’t know who is bringing in the players, but Elanga, Ramsey were big mistakes, who knows about Wissa yet,, for me the only top signing from the summer was Thiaw, whoever is in charge should have been getting Tino and hall resigned to new improved contracts and ship out Willock, id say we need another left sided centre half, love Dan Burn, but he’s getting on and will not get quicker, Botman looks like he might always get injuries, we also need a top keeper and that’s not Trafford, we need cover at both full backs, so we can’t afford to waste big money on second rate players who we can’t afford not shift because of the wages they’re on.
MorpethMag(Quote)