Chris Mort has said the club will only discuss transfers with manager Kevin Keegan, when Newcastle are completely safe from relegation, and they know they will remain in the Premier League next season.
Kevin Keegan - will discuss transfer situation when the team is safe
Chairman Chris Mort talked to the Evening Chronicle today about incoming transfers in the summer:
“Of course. We will sit down with Kevin and what we have said is that once we have made sure we are safe for next season we will go through the squad with him and see where the rebuilding is required.â€
“It is only fair to the supporters to make sure we are safe for next season before making any decisions and we are taking nothing for granted.â€
“Clearly we were delighted with Sunday’s performance, but until we are safe it will be pointless making any sort of decisions.â€
It turns out that Kevin made a quick trip to Scotland to run the rule over some Glasgow Rangers players, but in the main Keegan has rightly concentrated on the playing side of things since he returned in mid-January.
But if we can get all 3 points on Saturday against Reading, and with suitable results from the other teams in relegation trouble, we could be almost safe, and discussions will probably start with Kevin, because the new regime will want to get a quick start in the transfer season.
Director of Football Denis Wise and scout Jeff Vetere were both at White Hart Lane on Sunday to watch the demolition of Spurs, but they have also been very busy tracking several top players in Europe.
It looks like they will be able to present Kevin with a number of excellent potential targets in the summer.
We’ll have to see how our recruitment team does in the summer, but we’ve been very impressed with the club structure Chairman Chris Mort has put in place this season.
Comments welcome.
72 responses so far ↓
1 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:22
Ed Harrison i am no longer recieving emails alerting me when someone has posted a comment after me, can you fix this?
2 James // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:26
Agents of the players will want to know we are a PL club before coming here - so makes perfect sense.
However, they definitely have a list, but won’t approach them until next month.
Scottish players aren’t good enough for the PL, so stop looking there.
I expect a jaw dropping amazing signing in the summer to lift the place completely. Ashley will spend big this summer, no question about that.
3 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:35
“Scottish players aren’t good enough for the PL, so stop looking there”
that is a trully disgraceful comment, how can you generalise a whole nation of players and say they are not good enough for the Premier League.
So Hutton aint good enough for Tottenham?
what about McFadden? He only scored past us but nah he aint good enough is he? lol
Aiden Mcgeady wouldn’t be good here?
4 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:37
I think Scotland currently has some good talent and i would love to see some Scottish players here. From what i have seen of them many are hard working consistent players. Just what we need.
5 James // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:39
We can do better than Scottish players is my point. We need to be more ambitious in the transfer market than looking at the SPL.
6 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:41
thats not fair James
7 DC Magpie // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:51
Please no more mention of Lennon, especially at 10M, wow I almost puked.
Let’s get this Aguero rom Athletico he looks a proper KK player or Farfan from PSV.
8 Raffles // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:55
McGeady would be nice, as would Fabiano etc.
Yet, screw the talk of jaw dropping signings and all of that palava. Good players that can play as part of the team without whining, acts of petulance and other undesirable traits is the order of the pre-season. Enough with the speculation, let’s wait to the summer. Don’t want to spoil the main course by filling up with desert (tedious metaphor realting to hype- desert- and actuality- the main course, for which I make no apologies for).
Howay, let’s get ready to hopefully gub Reading.
9 Bill F // Apr 2, 2008 at 15:57
This is quite a smart backroom scouting team at the Toon now and I would bet that they have already got potential deals, or at least feelers out for the Summer transfer market. I don’t think they are losing sleep over relegation anymore, I reckon one more win should do the biz.
10 Andery // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:01
chances of aguero very slim. Ath want from what i hear 50mil. good player but not worth 50mil
11 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:02
Farfan fronm PSV is a fairly realistic move but we will never get Sergio Aguerro
12 Macca // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:06
James. That’s totally generalizing, that’s like saying we could do better then Irish or Welsh players..etc. I could name a few I want. Like McGeady for instance.
13 Leo // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:08
yep i agree spyro they are hard working and cud do a job a st james
14 valle // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:10
Slow starts in the transfer market have always been a problem for us, but now is the time for Mort and Ashley to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk… Another summer of a combined outley of 10m or less and i will be very worried that we are a milking cow for business men without any ambitions. I know its early to be pessimistic, but we have taken to much crap over the years with false promises to go there again, and there have been allot of talk of “fantastic” players comming in… this could sound like Mort is playing it down, and i doubt KK would stand for that after getting those promises when he signed.
15 Reillers // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:11
James, my friend he’s a Reading fan, he lives in London. I remeber telling him that Coppell was looking at 2 wee lads from Cork City, (Eircom League..Irish league), Kevin Doyle and Long, he laughed for an hour, he said that they weren’t good enough even though he’d never seen them play. Guess who his favorite player is now..Doyle.You’d be surprised what or who you’d find if you actually looked. All the top managers look in the same place for top class players, then you’ve the likes of Keane and Copell who also look in the likes of the Eircom League or in the lower leagues in England and they’ve got a few buys outta it.
16 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:14
You know what, NUFC of all teams should be raiding Scotland for talent because we might have an edge on attracting players as Newcastle and Scotland are so close to each other. Looking back to January, Bryan Robson would have been a good buy.
17 Marty // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:32
REILLERS good one!There has been many that came through from Eircom league,Robbie n Roy Keane,Duffer n from Wales Giggs n several others n Scotland Gary mc allister,Darren Fletcher and mm.
18 Marty // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:34
Must say though JAMES that it would be nice to see REAL CASH spent on 1 or 2 Real Quality players at the top of their career!!!!
First get safety in the league
19 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 16:42
Thomas Kahlenberg!
20 Obafan // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:13
This is the spirit; first get safety (not that far away anymore thank God
) and then focussing on next year. I really have no clue what can happen in the summer; I’m looking forward to it with KK.
James - I think you misexpressed yourself a bit. I think James wanted to say that he hopes for 1 or 2 world class players to sign for the Toon (Diego, …). He stated that they do not have to look at Scotland to find those world class players. It indeed is not fair to say that Scotland has got no players who can play in the EPL. But to say that they will be the toppers is something else. I think there is lots of potential in every country (even in my Belgium
). The only difference between the countries is the possibilities which are there to build out a very good youth working. Countries like France have got very good youth working centers compared to Belgium, so it is normal that more French youngsters make the step to become a professional player.
21 James // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:17
Didn’t mean to start a Scottish debate on here guys. My point was raised by Bobby Robson, who said KK should only look at buying 5 or 6 “Star” signings that would put Newcastle back up with the big boys. Like him I agree, and don’t want to see another player with “Potential.” There is enough potential in the reserves.
We need class if we want to be class.
Obafan - Thanks mate, thats exactly what I was trying to say, it just got misread earlier
22 Punk Skunk // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:21
Do we want ‘Big names’ or people who wanna play for the Toon?..Class is subjective!..
23 Obafan // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:43
James - You’re welcome mate. Hope the others now understand what you were trying to say
24 King Kev-4-3-3 // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:56
tom toon- the players you always come out with are always the worst thing since aids, thomas kahlenberg is shite
25 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 18:57
i think many will disagree and its not a deluded suggestion i have seen from you many times.
26 Newcastle United. // Apr 2, 2008 at 19:04
Boyd, Brown and Mcgeady from Scotland would be great signings. Who ever said Scottish players aren’t good enough is living in the past. Those three would be quality signings for Newcastle, We shouldn’t all expect us to buy 20 million starts like Aguero, Van der Vaart, Because we aren’t in Europe. Fair enough players like those three I mentioned, Maybe Ashton, Gudjohnsen, But real world class players who could get into any team we wouldnt get, Personally. Im a season ticket holder and go to 8/10 away games a season so you can’t call me a bad fan for saying the truth.
Given
Beye Faye Ben haim Riise
Emre Carrick Brown
Owen Ashton Martins
27 Punk Skunk // Apr 2, 2008 at 19:09
Who cares where players come from or how much they get?..When all that matters is that they wanna play for us, do what they’re paid to do, win games, keep their noses clean & love the club/fans!..That’s what i’m talkin’ about!..
28 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 19:13
Newcastle United. - Ben Haim and Riise? Have you been watching football this season?!?!?
29 ScottyT // Apr 2, 2008 at 19:27
to be fair i think riise would be a decent signing ano u will disagree tom_toon but a suppose we have enrique who needs to progress and looks promising.
i still say bullard would be a decent low cost signing (like a sibierski was) and with a few real quality signings foreign or not we could have a decent team.
arshavin seems a good player and at the back van buyten id have but havnt seen him play much to be fair but has a good physical prescence. if we could get some quality players in (say 2 CM’s 1 LB 1 RB 1 ST 1 RM 1 CB - not all expensive some for backup then this would be ideal but unrealistic i feel).
also ideally get rid of people like shola rozehnal zog (if he rly wants to) carr. this would give us a good sized squad to challenge for europe. first get safe but then its the challenge to get these ‘quality’ players in for next season.
30 Steve // Apr 2, 2008 at 19:42
I wish Mort hadn’t said anything because the press are typically making a meal of this story.
31 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 20:25
To be honest if we were to stay in 433 Newcastle uniteds side is much like what we should be aiming for although i would swap Riise and Ben Haim for Bridge and Cahill or Rodriguez or both
Right im ready for you any Milner bashers fancy their chances, Im as dedicated to him as i am to KK and i even got an apology from Tom_Toon on that issue
SELL GEREMI AND BRING IN SOMEONE WHO CAN TAKE A FREE KICK OR CORNER FFS
32 ScottyT // Apr 2, 2008 at 20:41
no1 can have a go at milner .. hes probably been our best player on average over the last few seasons and this break from injury will probably be good for him as it gives him some rest. think jimmys quality just needs to improve crossing then hed be even better.
33 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 20:46
The sad fact is scotty t the last two sesons have been forgotten in favour of Geremi and his 3 assists and 1 goal add that too his totals for the whole season and that is 4 assists (the free kick for Oba at blackburn) and 1 goal.
GEREMI FOR CAPTAIN AGAIN AND GET HIM ON THE BANNER
34 ScottyT // Apr 2, 2008 at 20:59
lol tbh i thort geremi was pap agenst fulham at home even though he got them assists his passing was shocking all game .. thort he did better vs spurs like but hes just way to slow and predictable and like ya say his delivery is again shocking so many wasted corners and freekicks having said that probably keep same team due to the fact we’re winnin if not put emre in id say.
35 gaz // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:00
farfan
carrick
diego ribas ( i wish )
bridge
jesus navas
bentley
wright phillips
any of these and i will be over the moon
36 iain // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:06
need to look at quality players who arnt priority signings for clubs like man utd.
fit strong constant injury free players like arshavin/emana/gomis/kahlenberg/mensah/rosina, players who arnt being chased by cl clubs (as far as i know). and maybe if were lucky we will steal a really good player from under a cl team nose.
id rather go foriegn for our attacking players as noone english truly excites me especially for the prices being qouted. 10m for lennon ??? 10m+ for bentley etc ridiculous.
think the the key is to get a couple pl exp defenders but only if there better than what we have, so no riises thank you very much.
eg ben haim isnt anything special but hes a darn sight better than cacapa/rozehnal when it comes to playing in the pl.
same goes for other positions if the best we cant get to replace geremi is say sidwell id be happy. every improvement will help imo.
37 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:08
‘fit strong constant injury free players like ‘
‘emana’
ahahaha, are you serious! he is quite injury prone!
38 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:16
Spyro shot me down when i implyed that Geremi only set up the goals really he did nothing else in the fulham match
Also i dont believe 2 of his 3 assists have been i dont think it was really an assist for Vidukas goal as Viduka really made it himself with the dummy to create space to get his shot off and the butt one was just a short square pass not meant to set up a shooting opportunity
39 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:21
Emre wouldnt come straight back in for me as it would be wrong to change the team after the last two matches.
KK wont keep Geremi next season though and Despite the fact that he is a thug Barton is an outstanding player and has played really well recently, Butt also again has done nowt all season but the last coule of games he has played well, All probably have deserved ther places for now.
40 iain // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:33
‘fit strong constant injury free players like ‘
‘emana’
ahahaha, are you serious! he is quite injury prone!
i thought it was only last season he was injured for a bit ??? hes played 20+ league games this season and scored around 8 goals not not bad considering tourlouses leage position.
either way hes a lot fitter than emre.
41 ScottyT // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:36
who isnt fitter than emre? lol
kieron dyer?, stevie carr? lol
42 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:38
I think it is a blessing that Stephen Carr is injured personally.
43 CRAIGG // Apr 2, 2008 at 21:51
Colin Kazim-Richards scoring in a champions league quarter final there is hope for any players with a lack of talent.
44 King Kev-4-3-3 // Apr 2, 2008 at 22:04
haha, jumping on the deluded bandwaggon i see tom toon, i have not once mentioned anyone not worth mentioning, i have said to people in the way of transfers since i have been coming onn here, they were today and yesterday. lucho gonzales and mauro zarate, wheres the delusion in these to transfers?
45 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 22:11
Lucho - Wouldn’t leave Porto.
Not to the extent people name Diego Ribas though.
I want Gourcuff or Kahlenberg for the attacking/creative cm spot.
46 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 22:52
rather then buy and attacking player like Gourcuff we should just try and mould Milner into that sort of player, he would be much better in the middle
47 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 22:53
Craigg i didnt “Shoot you down” thats a bit over the top lol
48 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 22:54
Nah, definitely got to get a natural in that position aswell. Gourcuff is young and due to his current situation is a great talent we could realistically get.
49 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:00
whats his situation tom?
50 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:03
wanting out
and it sounds like he isnt prepared to go out on loan. Arsenal have been linked with him, but they get linked with every talented french youngster. Hes a confidence player so kk will do him good.
51 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:06
whoa! he has a contract until 2011…doesnt seem like this is happening tom
52 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:09
he will leave in the summer, no doubt about that.
53 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:13
i would rather NUFC went for Zarate though, he could be our Messi
54 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:17
Yes and Gourcuff we need a cm who can create, with pace and can score a few goals. Gourcuff has an amazing long shot.
55 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:22
we would have to pay between 25 and 30 mill for the two of them lol
56 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:25
Gourcuff will be around 5 mil.
57 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:27
i think Milan would let him go for under 10mill personally. Zarates price seems to be getting highe rlal the time. First 10 mill, now 15mill, will probably be 20mill by the end of the season.
58 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:29
Nah, Zarate is nowhere nowhere near that good. I saw him in Velez and he was pretty good. He is worth 8 mil tops.
59 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:33
Zarate is currently priced at 15mill though, so 8 mill is completely out of the question. I would pay 15mill maximum for him as he is young and will get better despite already being good enough for Premiership. I think NUFC need to make some bold moves in this transfer market in order to compete for a UEFA spot
60 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:38
Zarate aint one of them moves.
Gourcuff/Kahlenberg , Alex, Cisse/Vucinic, McGeady and Setaridis/Adriano would be some of my 5 signings.
61 Spyro // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:41
i would rather zarate, adriano, biglia, taarabt and cisse
62 Tom_Toon // Apr 2, 2008 at 23:44
Nah, definitely need a brute striker. Im torn between whether we need a dm or an am or both.
63 Spyro // Apr 3, 2008 at 0:05
I think Biglia, Barton, Butt, Geremi would be enough cover us in the DM department.
AM is a section where we definitely need more players though. Milner should be made into an AM, and i think if we bought Zarate thats where he should play, same with Taarabt
64 Leo // Apr 3, 2008 at 0:24
tom toon from what i saw of Kahlenberg he looks a really good player, would be interesting if we got him, its good all your players seem to be of a certain size and arnt midgets which is perfect
65 CJ // Apr 3, 2008 at 1:06
Anyone seen Trochowski from Hamburg he is quality and would bring a bit of creativity and he isn’t scared to have a go at goal and is young.
66 Tom_Toon // Apr 3, 2008 at 1:17
Yer Trochowski is pretty decent. Think we need a bit more height than that, while his passing is good, he isnt too quick, thats why i chose Gourcuff.
67 KKN39 // Apr 3, 2008 at 5:32
Trochowski looks decent but i think we have Milner in that mould if he can work on his passing and read more into the game (and he’s younger, phyically stronger and more committed than Trochowski). if we stick to 433 someone needs to fill up the left side of the midfield trio (Butt or Edgar in center, Barton or LuaLua on the right, Geremi gone). Emre or Zog can play well there but if in any case they are shipped out Milner may fit in, or just get Luigi Bruins from Feyenoord and sell Milner to Villa if they come up with more than 8mil for him …
68 AdamCF // Apr 3, 2008 at 9:22
Anyone heard of Ahmed Iminagaibar?
I hear he goes straight down the middle and doesn’t take prisoners.
69 Oga // Apr 3, 2008 at 11:11
————Harper
Beye—Alex—Wes Brown—Enrique
——-Barton—–Appiah
——–Pandev or Gudjohnsen
Martins———————–Reyes
———–Gomis or Cisse
Krul
Matt Taylor/Ricardo Gardener
Taylor
Faye
Geremi
Lua Lua
Butt
Arshavin
Milner
Duff
Owen
Carroll
70 JJ // Apr 3, 2008 at 13:40
Gudjonson would be a great buy with prem experience and I reckon would only cost about 5mil now.
71 JJ // Apr 3, 2008 at 13:42
And why mould Milner into our attacking midfied when we have a player like NZogbia who would be even better in that role with his creative flair and abilty to defend as well as beat a man and lay it off, plus he has a great shot on him.
72 JJ // Apr 3, 2008 at 13:46
Emre (IF FIT) would be perfect in that role, and if we bought it would have to be either Arshavin or Kallstrom for me.
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