It’s now mid-June and Newcastle fans still have no idea whether Michael Owen will be staying or going. Michael is in Dubai right now attending the wedding of his friend Steven Gerrard and when he gets back maybe he’ll then inform the Newcastle hierarchy what his plans are – if he hasn’t already.
Michael Owen
Newcastle continue to be linked with moves for strikers – which would suggest that the club is expecting Owen to leave. We would also expect that Mike Ashley – for one – would be interested in what Owen’s plans are for the immediate future.
The latest news – although this is from the News of the World – is that we are after Fredi Kanoute – who is currently at Seville. The transfer fee is quoted at £7M.
It’s being reported that Sam Allardyce has already contacted Kanoute’s agent.
Kanoute’s agent – who is Christophe Mongai – said yesterday:
“It’s true Newcastle are interested, but so are Portsmouth.
“There’s no concrete offer yet but Fredi is interested.”
Of course the agent would say that – since one part of their job is to draw clubs into bidding for their clients. Kanoute is said to want to join a big club and would prefer Newcastle over Portsmouth.
Fredi Kanoute
Kanoute is a French born Malian striker who is 29 years old and has 20 goals for the Spanish side this season – but apparently has recently fallen out with them. Fredi Kanoute has been with four clubs in his career and has the following scoring record at each club.
Club Games Goals Lyon 40 9 West Ham 84 19 Tottenham 60 14 Seville 62 26
So in 246 games Fredi has scored 78 goals so that’s a goals to games ratio of about 32% or one goal in every three games. Great goal-scorers like Alan Shearer have an average of about 50% or one goal every two games. Fredi scores goals but couldn’t be said to be prolific.
He has played for Mali 6 times and scored 5 goals.
We may have to start assuming that Michael Owen’s silence may be ominous in that maybe he has told Newcastle already he will not be here at the start of next season.
We’ve always said we think Owen owes the fans some comment on whether he will be leaving the Toon. But if he is leaving he may want to delay the announcement as long as possible. We suggest that if he is leaving he get out of Town first – then make the announcement – because it will be a very sad day for Newcastle fans – the same 25,000 fans that turned up to greet him when he was first signed in August, 2005 – and they will not be happy campers.
Comments welcome.
27 comments so far
reggie22
Jun 17, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Comment #1fredi was not good enough for spurs and he ain’t good enough for us perfectly suited to spanish football but just cant do it in the premiership big mistake i think why pay 7mil for a 29year old when u can get someone a few years younger for less.i thinks it agents talk and a load of bollocks we should be setting our sights higher than that dont u think ?
dean
Jun 17, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Comment #2I don’t think as many people would be bothered by Michael Owen’s departure as you might think, granted he is a world class striker and guarentees goals, but the newcastle fans want commitment and michael has yet to come out and say he is definately staying.
Although he will probably come out and say “I never wanted to leave”, this is after none of the top four clubs have come in for him, put it this way, he would look stupid if he said he wanted to leave earlier and not one of the top four made bids for him, which the haven’t so far, so i can see him coming out and saying something along the lines of “I never said i wanted to leave, i just wanted to get the england games out of the way first then concentrate on newcastle.”
dean
Jun 17, 2007 at 10:45 AM
Comment #3If he does leave then we have Martins, Viduka and Shola and if we can add Rigters (NAC Breda and Dutch U21 striker), for less than £1m (£300,000 being quoted), then that would get us a few goals, because Martins is only going to get better next season playing with Viduka, who will also get goals.
darren
Jun 17, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Comment #4sounds like a good buy for £7m
he’s similar to the kind of players sam brought to bolton and that is probably why we are linked to him
Gateshead Glenn
Jun 17, 2007 at 11:12 AM
Comment #5I fear the Owen saga will drag-on for a while yet while he weighs-up his options. I hope he does stay as I’m excited about the potential of our strike-force with Owen, Martins and Viduka (+ Shola as back-up). Maybe we’ll play 4-3-3 which could be interesting?
If Owen does ‘jump-ship’ then we’ll need another striker. Kanoute is a class act — great target-man + good goal scorer. He’s done exceptionally well for Sevilla this season in a very good team that suits his style. His Premiership record was rather patchy though and he can be a bit ‘moody’. Don’t know if he’ll fancy us as he may see it as a step down given that he’d be in the Champions League if he stays-put.
Another good option would be Lita from Reading, who is young, quick, strong and hungry.
valle
Jun 17, 2007 at 11:25 AM
Comment #6Kanoute is not good enough if we buy, we should improve and imo he wouldnt improve our attack. Righters isnt even reuglar for NAC Breda so wast up with ppl suddenly seing him as our solution, just because he has been linked with us?. If we was to sell Owen, then there wouldnt be to many strikers with his class who plays the same style. There is ofc Eto’o but i think we can forget that one. I would like to see Bellamy return if Owen goes or perhaps Robbie Keane.
Major Newcastle News Stories - June 17th - 2007 | Newcastle United Blog
Jun 17, 2007 at 12:08 PM
Comment #7[…] have a story today commenting on the reported interest Newcastle have in Fredi Kanoute. We are more concerned […]
Keep Oba
Jun 17, 2007 at 3:27 PM
Comment #8Dont forget about young andy carroll too
nightfall
Jun 17, 2007 at 3:41 PM
Comment #9i agree..bellamy would be a good choice… what do you think of daniel sturridge..17 year old man city striker?? he has potential…and i think we could get him cheap…
Outlaw
Jun 17, 2007 at 3:51 PM
Comment #10Fredi Kanoute? You’re having a laugh?!
If Owen goes he’s a dick. He owes us fans big time!
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2007 at 3:57 PM
Comment #11Gatehead Glenn – yes Lita kooks good.
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2007 at 3:57 PM
Comment #12Dean – you hit the nail on the head !
Shaun
Jun 17, 2007 at 4:26 PM
Comment #13Please do not wait for Owen, Sell him to Reading LOL
nightfall
Jun 17, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Comment #14if owen wants to leave exchange him for d.bent and send him down to championship:)
Shaun
Jun 17, 2007 at 4:34 PM
Comment #15Lets remember Viduka will be like baba, lot of time off and waiting only to play for his country, Then theres owen who will not risk anything because he will save himself for country.
Viduka good for a squad player (Not Captain) and Owen, must be out he’s not a Newc palyer, he likes mirrors, he’s in love with himself.
Greg P
Jun 17, 2007 at 5:23 PM
Comment #16I think Owen will hold off for as long as possible without giving commitment, and that will stop a bigish name coming in.
Rigeters for £300k sounds good, but you get what you pay for, and £300k for a 23 year old (who plays U21s?) suggests he won’t be up to it. If you can’t get into NAC’s side at 23 then there’s no hope in the Prem.
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2007 at 7:00 PM
Comment #17Shaun – really hope Viduka will not have his injury record at Newcastle he’s had elsewhere – hope Sam’s science can do the trick!
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2007 at 7:02 PM
Comment #18Greg P – hope Sam presses Owen in next week or two on what his intentions are.
Outlaw
Jun 17, 2007 at 7:41 PM
Comment #19Owen has to stay.. atleast for a season to prove a point to us fans. If he doesn’t likeit here after a season then he can fcuk off.
Lew Davies
Jun 17, 2007 at 7:46 PM
Comment #20Agree with what REGGIE says about Kanoute, but would defo do a swap for Luque, with no cash involved. What you think?
nightfall
Jun 17, 2007 at 7:51 PM
Comment #21i’d prefer luque for jesus navas:)
Kiwi Magpie
Jun 17, 2007 at 8:22 PM
Comment #22Owen will stay till January, when he will have reckoned to have scored a few goals and created more interst in himself form top clubs, he will not be cup tied so will be available for CL or UEFA or FAC for the second half of the season to his new club… nothing lost for him. So we should use him for all he is worth, BSA should flog him to death, play him every minute of every game and get as much out as possible, then let him go…. Kanoute? give us all a break, no where near good enough and again it’s only agent talk to upbeat his charge and create interest, they are all at it at this time of year and the papers have got to print something with no matches to report on. Bellamy, no, wasn’t good enough last time, still not good enough, yeah, he’s ok for his nuisance factor but thats about it and always will be.
Jamin
Jun 18, 2007 at 1:33 AM
Comment #23Sorry Kiwi but your wrong about Bellamy, he made the teams that finished 4th 3rd and 5th tick, before he came where were we? (even with Big Al) and when he left where did we go to? The club did a pretty good PR destruction job on the lad, which was in no small part aided by himself at times, but he actually brings more to a teams play then Owen. No doubt about the fact Owen is the better goal scorer, he’s top class at that, but what else does he do for the team outside the box? Now compare that to what Bellamy gives ya
andy
Jun 18, 2007 at 7:26 AM
Comment #24if youve been watching the under21 europe champoionships there some quality strikers out there, to name a few, kevin marallis belgum, and theres pazzini italian, newcastle should be looking at those players
valle
Jun 18, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Comment #25Jamin… Spot on!!!… Charecters like Bellamy and and Robert for all their different faults was the difference of a Newcastle side that finished 11th the year before they came and ended up finishing 4th after they joined. Bellamy uses his pace to great effect (Way better than Martins, who dosnt read the game and time his runs). His finishing touch is lacking a little but he also have a never say die attitude that transmits to his teammates.
Ed Harrison
Jun 18, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Comment #26Pazzini was just fantastic when England Under 21s played Italy at Wembley – scored 3 fantastic goals.
paata
Jun 30, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Comment #27i love owen