Real Madrid’s German central defender Christoph Metzelder seems to be on Newcastle United’s radar screen for the summer.
Christoph Metzelder - 6′4″ German Defender target for Newcastle?
In mid-January there were reports in the Daily Telegraph that Newcastle were trying to bring the defender in during the January transfer window, even though at that time Newcastle were without a manager. The news was that Newcastle were trying to do a loan deal for the 6′4″ German.
The 27-year-old is currently suffering from a foot injury and is trying to recover in time to represent Germany in the European 2008 championships in the summer. Reports are that Kevin Keegan is eager to sign him in the summer, and Newcastle are certainly going to add at least one new center-back and a left-back to their defense in the summer.
Metzelder is under contract at the Madrid club until 2010 but there will be a number of clubs in the queue if Real Madrid let him move on in the summer. Keegan of course tried to get Jonathan Woodgate in January, but was a little too late in his move, and Jonathan ended up at Tottenham.
Metzelder only joined Real Madrid last summer, after he was also a target by Tottenham, but he has had very few games in the Madrid side this season. He can play center-back or right-back and seems like a very good player who has played for Germany 39 times.
Metzelder is 27 years old and is considered a world class central defender and since he stands over 6′4″ tall, he is very strong in the air. He can also play on the right side of defense and his tackling skills make him a solid and complete defender. However, he is very injury prone, and that has been proved again in his short time at the Real Madrid club.
Sir Alex Ferguson was quoted as saying Christoph was one of the very best central defenders, and one of Manchester United’s top choices to replace Gary Neville next season.
We don’t know if these reports are true, but it’s interesting there were reports even in January, that Newcastle were keen on the defender. He’s an excellent player - and quite honestly we hope the reports are true. The fee is said to be in the region of £10M.
Christoph’s career record so far is as follows:
Year Club Games Goals 1999-2000 Preuben Munster 32 2 2000-2007 Borussia Dortmund 126 2 2007-present Real Madrid 11 0 2001-present Germany 39 0
Comments welcome.
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22 responses so far ↓
1 Jim // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:28
Well if Manky’s are in for him, we’ll have to settle for one of their cast offs.
2 HeronMag // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:33
Metzelder is top class. His fitness is a worry, but I’d still be delighted to sign a defender of his stature.
3 ToonKing // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:41
Yeah Metzelder is a brilliant player on his day, but he is very very injury prone, i think he missed most of the current season. But if we can sign him and keep him fit, we might just hit the jackpot.
4 faustino // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:46
Immense amount of experience but yeah another potential Woodgate scenario.
That Fergie quote has never made sense though. Somehting along the lines of him saying he’s the best central defender in the world and then a potential replacement for Gary Neville?!?!?!!?
5 Bob // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:48
Ditto HeronMag. A real quality defender.
Even though he was really injury prone, I still felt that the other players always got a lot of benefit from playing with Woodgate.
It’s good for the players to work with world class players in their position, especially centre-back where confidence, tactical awareness and reliability is key.
Plus, even if Metzelder only managed 15 games, it would increase the depth/competition within the squad as the other players would know they faced serious competition every time he regains fitness.
Really hope this deal goes through.
6 Leo // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:48
i dont know why but i always think when i hear his name of a blond looking fella, lol dont know why.
good record defender and is well respected, would be a good player to get in then go for bigger names for midfield i say,at least if we got him we could skimp and not get a right back and just get a left back and him.
then concentrate on else wear
7 stk // Apr 9, 2008 at 10:54
right sort of target…. hope it goes thru and we have a physio witha magic sponge on hand!
8 AZ // Apr 9, 2008 at 11:21
GO FOR IT!!! They might accept carr as part of the tranfer deal haha lol!!! (wishful thinking)
9 Benn..Geordie Down South // Apr 9, 2008 at 11:33
Woould Be A Quality Signing.. But Also If We Buy A Load Of Players (4/5) They Would Need Time To Gel. And We All Now What Impact That Can Have On Our Seasons….. Just Look At The Beginning Of This Season..
2/3 Signings Would Be Enough…
1 AM.. Playmaker - Diego/Deco/Iniesta??
1 DC.. Metzelder/Garay.. Also Extend Diatta’s Contract For Depth In Cover..Edgar Can Play Well At Left Back.. So That Shores Up Our Defence..
1 ST .. Keane/Gudjohnson??
Sell.. Ameobi .. Could Blatently Flog Him To Stoke for 5+ Mil If They Gte Promotion.. Seeing As What They Paid Him For 6 Games!!
N’Zogbia If We Can Get 8+ Mil
10 ToonKing // Apr 9, 2008 at 11:38
yeah agree with AZ let’s offer Carr to Real Madrid, i’m sure they’ll byte our hands off and throw us Metzelder and some cash
:D 
11 hanzemre // Apr 9, 2008 at 12:12
12 Zx // Apr 9, 2008 at 12:56
This is complete thrash. Signing an injury prone defender with big salary. How often is he going to play?
He is just like Marcelino, spending most of the career with the physio and the physio must be his closest friend.
13 briss // Apr 9, 2008 at 15:18
though this is a fab signing if its true i dont think that its true. but he is a world class defender!!! i would be very suprised if we could persuade him to come. common M.A. do you cheque book wonders man!
14 Punk Skunk // Apr 9, 2008 at 15:43
Tymoschuk from Zenit looks a great CD & he looks built like a, well, russian tank & he don’t take prisoners!..
15 scott9 // Apr 9, 2008 at 15:57
i would be delited if we signed him he would sort our defence out him and faye would be solid at the back
16 ToonVol // Apr 9, 2008 at 16:09
rate him higher than Cuellar from rangers for sure…why would he want to come to tyneside though? he’s at Real and if available surely any german club would want him if not a side that will actually be playing in europe…we should have signed Garay from racing last year or window..now he’s off to barca likely…
that was not a penalty…and gerrard would have surely missed that penalty if he’s wearing the three lions kit…arsenal paid because they lack depth…senderos was awful and only mildly better than cygan…toure was out of position often at RB…needed a better option at RB as toure should have been central..why not Eboue at RB?
17 Tom_Toon // Apr 9, 2008 at 16:28
Punk Skunk, Tymoschuk is ukranian and a defensive midfielder, he wont be happy you calling him russian.
Metzelder is class when he aint injured, so we can expect 6 great games a sesson. Waste of monies.
18 Punk Skunk // Apr 9, 2008 at 16:54
Hey TT, my bad…A Ukrainian tank then, do ukraine make tanks?..
…He looks pretty damn good tho’, where ever he’s from!..
Yea, i know he’s DM, also, my bad!..
19 Obafan // Apr 9, 2008 at 17:02
Don’t know if he would be the ideal player to be brought in to lead our defence.
1. Injury prone (perhaps fit for 10 games); that means lots of money spended for nothing
2. Don’t know if he would want to come too the cold north.
3. No EPL experience; I prefer someone who knows the EPL in and out (Dunne, Campbell)
20 Autibo // Apr 9, 2008 at 20:16
CB - Dunne / Garay / Kompany / Metzelder
LB - Lahm / Shorey
DM - Tymoschuk / Mbia / Toulalan / Veloso / Flamini
AM - Arshavin / Dos Santos / VD Vaart / Diego / Nasri / Moutinho
FW - Huntelaar / Ashton / Briand / Kuranyi / Gomis
Squad additions - Bullard, Kitson, Volz, Gardner, Nolan
Please no top-four cast-off’s (Bridge, Riise, Pennant) or past-the-sell-by foreigners who are coming for megabucks (Henry, Deco and co.)
21 obamagic // Apr 9, 2008 at 23:05
Per Mertesacker is as good but not as Injury Prone!!! Go for Mertesacker!
22 Toooooooooooooooooon // Apr 10, 2008 at 6:36
we definitely need to sign him…he would like to join a club as ours….