The Daily Telegraph has been reporting that Newcastle may be pursuing Greta Steinsson, the Iceland international, who signed a new deal with AZ Alkmaar only this summer.
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We caution that we don’t know how much truth there is in this story. However, Greta was one of the four full backs we profiled in our Four Foreign Full Backs For Newcastle story on Monday – so he is certainly available.
Let’s take a look at this story – we’re not sure if Steinsson fits the bill.
Greta Steinsson
Middlesbrough were interested in Greta before they eventually signed Luke Young from Charlton Athletic recently. The best way to describe Steinsson is as a wing back since he can play either right-back or right-wing much like our own Charles N’Zogbia on the left hand side.
Grétar Rafn Steinsson was born on January 9, 1982 in Siglufjörður in Iceland. He currently plays for AZ Alkmaar in Holland and also regularly for the Iceland national team. His position is right back but Greta can also play on the right wing as mentioned above.
It was interesting that in July his club AZ Alkmaar announced they had accepted a £2.3M bid from Middlesbrough for Greta. But after it was accepted Alkmaar raised the price to £4M and that seems to be the price quoted by recent news reports on Newcastle being interested.
We think the asking price of £4M is far too high for Steinsson and would be surprised if Big Sam would be willing to pay that amount. Sam has also indicated he is after full backs who are not converted wingers – but are more defensively minded.  Steinsson doesn’t seem to fit this description.Â
Our gut feeling on this one is that we’re not sure he would be a good signing for us – certainly not for the asking price – so we’d rather pass on Greta.
But we’ll see what transpires on this – he is certainly available and can play right full back.
Comments welcome.
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20 responses so far ↓
1 ToonKing // Aug 2, 2007 at 2:34 PM
I don’t know and don’t want this guy.
Iceland international blaaaaaahhhh.
We don’t need a RB to be backup for Carr, we need a RB who’s backup will be Carr.
2 Tom_Toon // Aug 2, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Ive seen him a few times hes simply a decent player. I dont like the fact he can play full back and winger that takes away from his defencive attributes which i think we need more than his attacking attributes.
3 Bosck // Aug 2, 2007 at 2:42 PM
true tom but then again its not always the case, wayne bridge can play left wing (where he started his career) and left back but he is a great defender in my opinion. Having said that not sure this is the player we need though.
4 StevieA // Aug 2, 2007 at 2:48 PM
I can’t see it to be honest.
I think Sam would prefer a more experienced player. Plus Edmilson is likely to sign in January so he may be thinking of bringing in centre backs who can play at left back or right back rather than an inexperienced right back.
5 paul p // Aug 2, 2007 at 2:49 PM
av never heard of this guy. surely we would be better off going for someone in the nature of glen johnson or jonny hettinger from ajax, someone who actually can defend and is better than carr. sam give me a ring, al play right back and am better than carr!!!! anyone is!!!
6 Tom_Toon // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:04 PM
Malik Fathi is still the ideal solution!
7 Peter // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:13 PM
Truthfully, and I should now since I’m a fellow Icelander like Steinsson, is that his natural position is central midfield.
And he isn’t good enough to be playing premiership football.
8 P.collins // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:15 PM
Is Alan Smith any good in defence.
9 michael // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:20 PM
Quite simply, no we aren’t!
10 Gallacher the Horse // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:36 PM
More on another defender, Dragutinovic – go to about two minutes 40 seconds to see a defender scoring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXq8qRjKitA
11 ToonKing // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:55 PM
Wow that goal Drago scored for Sevilla is an absolute peach!
Let’s get him!
12 Craig Allen // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:56 PM
Seems like the Deco speculation has been put to rest – also not even mentioning Newcastle (by name) in this article
“Deco is not up for sale,†assured Barcelona president Joan Laporta firmly. “He is a player who can contribute much to the team, and is thus not on the market.”
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=369948
Crap, would’ve been a welcome addition even more so , since Kieron’s emminent departure
13 P.collins // Aug 2, 2007 at 3:58 PM
Bramble was capable of scoring the odd goal and look how he turned out!
14 Gallacher the Horse // Aug 2, 2007 at 4:19 PM
Ooh, P.Collins, you know how to bring an optimistic man right back down to Earth! At least Drag didn’t end up on his backside, plus he’d played it forward, got knocked over but got back up to score! Too much for Bramble to do in one go, all that thinking and acting.
15 Kristofer // Aug 2, 2007 at 4:28 PM
I am an Icelandic Newcastle fan and i know a fair amount about Gretar Rafn Steinsson. For me 4 million is way too much for him, he is a good and reliable player but he is not worth much more than 2 million. I still say he would be a good signing for 2 million if big sam can negotiate down to that price. He is WAY better than steve carr. He is more comfortable in right back as he plays that position regulary for his nation and club, but he is an attacking full back but is still a solid defender. I reccomend him but only if Sam can get the price down.
16 ToonKing // Aug 2, 2007 at 4:53 PM
@Craig Allen : Did u even , for one solitary second, think that Deco would join us ??
17 Jóhann // Aug 2, 2007 at 5:15 PM
I´m from iceland I´m not sure about him either, he has played very well for alkmar and most often for the national team. but recently not so well, I´m not sure if it´s just him or just the whole confidence crises that is going on in the team. Iceland is certainly a lot stronger than they are showing and Grétar is a top player, but I´d rather as you say have a more experienced right back but I fully believe Gretar is a lot better than Carr. Gretar would be able to hold his own and perhaps surprise me and you.
18 Craig Allen // Aug 2, 2007 at 5:19 PM
hey, why not? We’ve had better .. but yeah, at this time of the year and our non participation in Uefa had me grasping but yeah, a part of me hoped…. sue me … lol
19 Neil A H // Aug 2, 2007 at 5:27 PM
Seems like a versatile player so why not bring him in. We need numbers.
20 ChrisL // Aug 3, 2007 at 9:23 AM
I too am still looking forward to seeing who the star signing will be, that will make the football world sit up.
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