While we are rumored to be after players like Alan Smith, Alou Diarra and Maceo Rigters – Newcastle desparately need to bring in some defenders within this next week. After signing Rozehnal – now scheduled for Wednesday this week – we will still need to sign another experienced center back and at least a left back – but preferably two full backs. Other signings are not that important right now – and hopefully Sam is getting the help he needs to bring in these additional defenders.
Sam Allardyce
Here are some of the players we have been linked with in the past with a comment on whjat theyw ould add to the squad.
- Nicky Shorey – Reading – ₤5M
He would be a good buy for us and we have been linked with him in the past – but it doesn’t appear we have yet lodged a bid with Reading. Stands at 5’9†and seems a solid player who played very well for Reading last year and made his England debut in the summer against Brazil. - Leighton Baines – Wigan – ₤5M
Had a good run in the England Under-21 team that recently reached the semi-finals of the European Championships – and were only defeated on penalties by eventual winners Holland. One thing against him is his lack of height – Leighton stands at 5′ 7†tall but he has a good left foot and can hit a ball with ferocious power. A good defender. - Luke Young – Charlton – ₤3M
Luke Young at £3M would also we feel be a good buy for Newcastle – although not all Newcastle fans seem convinced of this. Two other teams are in for Luke – Bolton – who can offer UEFA Cup football next season and Aston Villa. Luke is 6′ tall and has lots of premiership experience with Charlton and Spurs and would fit in nicely at right back. - Habib Beye – Marseilles
Habib Beye is Senegalese and currently plays for French League giants Olympique de Marseille. He can play right back or center back and could be the experienced central defender Sam still needs. His preferred position seems to be right back – where he currently plays for Marseilles. He is one of the most accomplished defenders in France’s top tier and stands 6′ tall. - Bakari Sagna – Auxerre – ₤6M
Sagna is 24 years old and wants to to leave Auxerre as he wants to be playing for a top club to keep his place in the France team. Sagna would prefer Arsenal – but with Arsenal seemingly a bit at sea at the moment – following the Henry transfer to Barcelona – there may be an opening for us here. The fee for Bakari is around ₤6M – which is reasonable given he’s one of the best young right backs in Europe. Bakari is 5’9″ tall. - Sami Hyypia – Liverpool – nominal fee
Newcastle are still continually linked with Sami – who stands 6’5†tall. Not all Newcastle fans think Sami would be a good acquisition – thinking he is well past his sell-by date. Would provide defensive experience to the squad but would not be a starter.
So maybe the 3 defenders we need can come out of the above group. The dream three would probably be Nicky Shorey, Bakari Sagna and Habib Beye (although that may make us a bit lop-sided at right back). One central defender that would be great at Newcastle – but we haven’t been linked with yet – is Argentinian World Cup central defender Fabricio Coloccini from Deportivo La Coruna. Fabricio is 25, stands 6′ tall and has played over 25 times for the Argentinian national team.
Comments welcome.
18 comments so far
Soren
Jun 25, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Comment #1Its a bit annoying that we haven’t heard any concrete news, on possible new fullbacks at Newcastle. The begin training soon, and it would be optimal to bring in players for that. But again July hasn’t begun yet, so we are still in time. All these players above would be great buys.
LV
Jun 25, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Comment #2I keep hearing Fabricio Coloccini’s namein the rumours and he is being linked to us. Would be a typical sam allardyce buy and not too expensive, can see him and Drenthe being brought in to compete for LB.
paul p
Jun 25, 2007 at 11:12 AM
Comment #3am getting more and more frustrated as the days go on. It is only 1 week before they report back for training and we have got 3 signings. 1 defender out of them. We need to get the board issue’s resolved today and tomorrow at the latest. Sagna looks like a good turn, must be if Wenger is going after him, so yeah get him brought to the club, also need competition so get young as well. Left back has to be baines for me, although I would be happier with Bridge. Centre backs, we already have Steven Taylor and Rozental allegedy, so to go with them 2, I mentioned Coloccini before, he would be good, I also think Curtis Davies would be a good signing, but I reckon we need someone with Premiership knowledge and experience, not hyypia though. He is way off the premiership pace now. What does anyone else think??
Greg B
Jun 25, 2007 at 11:13 AM
Comment #4Rozehnal is a good start, I rate him as a decent center back and would immagine he will be a big player for us next season.
The likes of Curtis Davis, Leighton Baines and Luke Young would be decent additions and in my very humble oppinion shouldnt be too difficult to aquire. The reason i say this is that Davis has put in a written transfer request and while it has not been accepted I would immagine a solid offer could be enough to tempt him away, Luke Young is apparently available now after Charlton signed the young French lad and its common knowledge that Baines is highly unlikley to be at Wigan next season.
We have the money, these players wont cost the earth, and I beleive with Allardyce at the helm we have more than a fair chance of attracting these sort of players.
For me Micah Richards is out of our league, he is a fantastic player, versatile, strong and very highly rated. Id be both shocked and elated if Allardyce managed to pull that one off, although stranger things have happened.
James
Jun 25, 2007 at 11:24 AM
Comment #5do we know if ashley has spoken to Big S
Greg P
Jun 25, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Comment #6I still think Baines would be a great aquisition and if we could get Beye, then at least we’d have a back four, with Ramage and Carr as back up (as Sam seems to think Carr can do the job). Then we can start the season and see where over the coming 12 months we need to add further signings, but its essential to get two full backs in place in the next couple of weeks.
Ed Harrison
Jun 25, 2007 at 12:49 PM
Comment #7James – yes he has – when he came up to meet with Shepherd – when Barton was here he met with Sam – and I’m pretty sure they will have also talked on the phone. Although Ashley is said to be shy it looks like he’s a pretty good communicator.
Conor
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Comment #8What about Jorge Andrade anyone? A regular for Portugal and Deportivo, and Deportivo are doing pretty bad in the league, and they have just sacked their manager… Luke young would be perfect, good at going forward, committed and a good tackler, plus he knows how to organize a defence. Bridge would be the best left back, but i don’t think Chelsea would sell him. I’m not too sure about either Baines or Shorey, but there’s not many others… Heinze would be great if Big Sam could convince him to come here.
Alan Riley
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:36 PM
Comment #9I’m not sure where this idea is coming from that the transfer window doesn’t open until July. The rule says that it begins when the season ends. This year, as far as I can gather, transfer business began being done on June 1st.
Obviously, the “lack” of completed transfers does not been that negotiations are not under way. I am confident that a number of new defenders will come on board before the season starts.
As always, the key question is, “Do you hang on for your first choice, or do you go for a second, third or fourth choice who might be available?” Both strategies carry risks. Glenn Roeder/Freddy Shepherd adopted the “Hang on for first choice policy”, with the results that we are all aware of. Will Sam do the same? Only time will tell.
I have a good feeling about the way things are going, at the moment. To my fellow Newcastle supporters I would say – “Don’t Panic!”
Owen
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:42 PM
Comment #10Out of the above mentioned I think Bebe should be first choice, he can play fullback and centre half. Next should be Sagna or Baines. Both will do well for us.
Hypia is a no no if you ask me. Not good enough for the last 2 years. Great before that but not now.
But BSA should really try to pick up Flamini from Arsenal, Wenger will let him go for 2-3million and he can play left,right fullback or in the centre of midfield. Come on Sam, sign another proven premiership player.
david veitch
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:51 PM
Comment #11Alan you are spot on, chill out, Ashley is clearing the dead wood and expect new faces in soon. But don’t expect world class players yet, that will happen in years 3-4 of Ashley’s plan.
Ed Harrison
Jun 25, 2007 at 5:01 PM
Comment #12Conor – I remember the one thing bad about Andrade was his injury record – he misses a lot games through injury and he is almost 30 – so unlikely to get better.
Ed Harrison
Jun 25, 2007 at 5:04 PM
Comment #13david – if Ashley wants to win premiership in 3 years he’ll need to buy some world class players starting next year at least.
Ed Harrison
Jun 25, 2007 at 5:06 PM
Comment #14Owen – agree – Flamini would be great.
Outlaw
Jun 26, 2007 at 2:29 AM
Comment #15I don’t care who we get as long as they don’t leak goals in! Curtis Davies would be excellent but the asking price is too much. Hyypia? I prefer Sol Campbell instead! He looks like a totally new player.
jim
Jun 26, 2007 at 8:30 AM
Comment #16do you think that Sam is holding back a little on his transfer targets because he may be waiting to see how much money is available to him now because of the takeover? I would like to see John O’shea at newcastle but I doubt Man u would ever let him go.I read in the Chronicle(I think) that Sam wanted an experienced head to help Taylor. that could be in the shape of Hyppia or Sol Campbell. I thought sam would have splashed the cash more than he has because he would have had ideas who he wanted already, lets hope its because he is carefully considering all his options so as to not buy mistakes like other managers have in the past.
Ed Harrison
Jun 26, 2007 at 9:09 AM
Comment #17jim – think the stuff going on at the club has to have affected Sam – just because of the uncertainty – and what the direction is. Allardyce and Ashley need to have a face to face meeting – or a long telephone call to get grounded on what Ashley wants at the club – in terms of goals. Like what is the goal for next season? Also – how much money is available and/or how much does Sam need. Not sure Sam needs an awful lot of cash this summer – we need to get strong competitive team next season. The big buys can come next summer (or January) when we’re back in Europe. I have ultimate faith in Big Sam.
Shearer 4 pm
Jun 26, 2007 at 1:18 PM
Comment #18i have heard things that rozenhal will speak to his best mate ujfalusi and reccomend the toon and will also tell the toon of ujfalusi. i think that it willl be great if we got beye and possibly chivu, capaca or even cafu as he didn’t hav that much pitch time last year