Birmingham’s on-loan striker Mauro Zarate is reported by BBC Sports to being in discussions right now with Portsmouth, about a potential move to the FA Cup winners.
Mauro Zarate - available and talking to Portsmouth
Portsmouth have yet to agree any fee with the 21-year-old’s club, Al-Saad of Qatar, but it is repotrted that Pompey manager Harry Redknapp is believed to be very keen to sign Zarate, who scored four goals for the relegated Midlands club.
The Argentine, who joined on loan in January until the end of the season, made 14 appearances for Birmingham.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish talked about the striker to the Birmingham Mail:
“Mauro’s going to be an attractive proposition to Premier League clubs, in fact I know he is,”
“I would like to thank him for his spell here, and he made an impact, which was never going to be easy.”
“It was a little bit of a risk bringing him in from a league where you can get away with things, be lazy and still look like a world class star, coming into the hurly-burly of the Premier League.”
“So I applaud his spirit, his heart and he will be a good asset to one of the big clubs, if not here then abroad.”
The youngster has played for the Argentine Under-20 side 5 times and scored 2 goals, and he was born in Haedo, Buenos Aires in 1987, and stands just under 5′10″ tall.
What do you think - would Zarate be a good acquisition for Newcastle?
Comments welcome.
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35 responses so far ↓
1 Geordie Gerrard7 // May 21, 2008 at 13:10
i boody hope so, love him
2 ToonKing // May 21, 2008 at 13:11
Pompey said that the news that they are after Zarate is “complete rubbish” .
i like him and would welcome him signing but i just don’t know where he’ll fit in the team. we need a big striker, plus we have more important matters right now like signing a couple of midfielders and a centre back.
3 Leo // May 21, 2008 at 13:12
portsmouth rejected the link with him so its not them
4 Ben_BKK // May 21, 2008 at 13:13
To be honest, I’d prefer to get Gomez than Zarate. We already have our ’small’ strikers in Owen and Martins, so bringing him might be slightly unnecessary really. Maybe if we don’t manage to get Gomez, or perhaps Gomis, we should think about him, but I don’t think Zarate should be our priority at the moment.
5 Hadji // May 21, 2008 at 13:13
When did he shave his head
6 D B F // May 21, 2008 at 13:15
dont you think zarate could play just as well on either wing though not just up front?
7 Hadrian // May 21, 2008 at 13:17
i agree with ben , we should be going all out on the gomez signing , would make my year if we got him to the club .
8 Geordie Gerrard7 // May 21, 2008 at 13:18
definatley- zarate and turan on the wings
9 Davies // May 21, 2008 at 13:21
He’s good, but not what we need.
A big lad, with a bit of pace and the ability to hold the ball up, in the mould of Viduka. I’d still like to see Zigic come in. I’m also keen on Gomez, but I think we have as much chance of getting these two in as we have of getting Gomis.
Might as well be putting in an offer for Pele or Maradona.
10 Nicke Alvaro // May 21, 2008 at 13:22
Ive wanted him ever since he first played for Birmingham, Id personally feel ill if he went anywhere else. I love his style of play so much.
Id do anything for Zarate and Turan!
11 Ben_BKK // May 21, 2008 at 13:25
I’m sure Pele or Maradona would come if we offered…
And I’m not sure if Zarate does play on the wing, he seemed to be used more as a striker for Brum. Also, it would reportedly take 10-15, maybe even 20 million quid to get this guy, I definitely don’t think he’s worth that much.
Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a good player, just not sure if it would be the right move for us.
12 ronaldeano // May 21, 2008 at 13:30
We dont need him, we need a bigger CF that can score goals, ie, Mario Gomez
13 Bill F // May 21, 2008 at 13:31
I’m still not conviced about Zarate, yes he has had a good season with Brum. But there is a lot of players who have done likewise. If he could be got for under 10m ok but 15/20m is quite a gamble. We could get Crouch or/and Ashton for what he would cost and still have some change.
14 Geordie Gerrard7 // May 21, 2008 at 13:32
11 million each for turan and zarate
20 million each for veloso and gomez
7 million for cuellar
69 million- ideal. we will then reap the benefits by playing in europe and hopefully ending our long wait for a bloody trophy
15 Hamas (51times) // May 21, 2008 at 13:36
I agree with the others, we need another big striker to hold the ball up, not another little guy.
16 Ben_BKK // May 21, 2008 at 13:38
GG7- Hopefully some revenue if we manage to sell the likes of Smith, Duff and Ameobi, so the spending won’t be as bad for the ever increasingly apparent “tight-wad” Ashley.
Though I think if we get Gomez, we wouldn’t need to get Zarate. He may be good on the wing, but I’m not sure. Also, is he left or right footed?
17 Geordie Gerrard7 // May 21, 2008 at 13:42
he has bi-sexual feet
18 Ben_BKK // May 21, 2008 at 13:48
Might be a bit of a problem in the locker room, then, especially if he can’t control them…
19 Matt Lacey // May 21, 2008 at 13:55
Up front with Martins and Owen he could be absolutely lethal - he’s got a great eye for goal, has the pace and trickery to get past several defenders and create a load of space.
Only problem is Al-Sadd want any potential buyer to pay over the odds for him because they spent far too much buying him in the first place! I’d love to see him in a Toon shirt, guess it’s up to Keegan to decide whether he’s worth the money…
20 Graham // May 21, 2008 at 14:04
Ben_BKK what drugs are you taking at the minute?? Tight wad Ashley? Is this the bloke who has speant £250m in less than a year to buy the club and clear its debts? We are now the most financially sound club in the country!
NUFC wouln’t have existed past October last year if he didn’t save us from Shepherd and he’s now trying to run it in a proffessional manner.
We’ll get the money, maybe not as much as Kegan wants but things are being done correctly now
21 toonoholic // May 21, 2008 at 14:06
bi-sexual feet ? sounds like foot fetish to me !
22 Az // May 21, 2008 at 14:08
Unfortunately it’s not up to KK it’s that Dennis the cross eyed menace’s decision for some crazy reason!!!
23 Newcastle United. // May 21, 2008 at 14:13
I’d have Zarate and Turan on the wings. Be alot of creativity then.
24 Ben_BKK // May 21, 2008 at 14:35
Graham - I put it in inverted commas cause I know he’s not a tightwad, that’s just what people are calling him cause he’s not spent loads of money on players straight away.
I know what he’s done for the club, don’t worry
25 valle // May 21, 2008 at 15:00
Sorry to point it out to you, but what on earth does this article has to do with us Ed?… No mention of Newcastle, just a piece from when Birmingham lost Zarate and he was wished good luck.
26 Matt // May 21, 2008 at 15:10
Zarate is not what we need at the moment, too much like owen n oba, how bout diego milito from zaragosa they were relegated last week, hes 28 but is very good in the air.
27 Obafan // May 21, 2008 at 15:35
Indeed Valle, I think it is already difficult enough to follow which stories are true or not and after which players we really are after.
I don’t think he is that special and we don’t need him. We need midfielders and defenders urgently and 1 big striker (and that is not Zarate). But ffs why are we most of the time linked with strikers and not with bloody good defenders and midfielders.
1 striker I hope we will get linhked with again is Gomis, but I’ve read that St. Etienne will never let him go this summer, so that is a pity.
28 HeronMag // May 21, 2008 at 15:46
Zarate is a player that could fit in here, just as he would in nearly every other premiership club.
I’m a fan but another striker who primarily uses pace is not what we need. If we do need a striker I’d like to see a target man - an Ashton, Gomez or Gomis. Someone who can hold up the ball like Viduka but who also has the speed and of youth.
Admittedly I haven’t seen too much of Zarate. If he is strong enough bring him in, but that hasn’t been my impression so far.
29 Graham // May 21, 2008 at 16:00
Ben_BKK but does it not anger you when you here people calling Ashley tight for not blowing a fortune straight away?
For the 1st time in possibly 50 odd years the club is being run in a proffessional manner. Success will come because of this I am sure
30 Tom // May 21, 2008 at 16:59
hes definately someone we’ve tried to bring in as i remember in january we put an offer in but he decided to go to brum as he could get more games there and see if he could adapt to the premiership. would love to see him at newcastle, hed be mint in a 4-3-3 although not sure if he can play on the wings, are you sure gg7?
31 Egar // May 21, 2008 at 17:28
Remember we were outmuscled by Aston Villa. We need to fix this.
32 SCOTOON // May 21, 2008 at 17:39
So where does the toon come into this?
but still zarate on the right and arda on the left with a new left back, then bring in Cuellar and Dunnne (but rotate Dunne with Stevie Taylor) then 2 fresh CM and a big target man like Gomez, some cover players with potential and also that Swiss kid
33 Newcastle United. // May 21, 2008 at 18:40
Word is Portsmouth dismissed the link as absolute rubbish.
Go for him, Get him on loan for a season then pay for him at the end of next season.
Get him on the right wing, Turan left wing.
Gomez or Gudjohnsen upfront, Veloso and Arshavin in midfield. Dunne and Shorey for the back. It’s going to cost alot of money but we need to.
34 Steven1979 // May 21, 2008 at 18:46
he is not good enough for us..we have martins and owen..same type and better players..
we have to go after GOMEZ..
35 Randy // May 27, 2008 at 1:46
I`m form Argentina, and from what I have seen from Mauro is that he is a crack, he is diefentent from other players, because when you see him with the ball he makes wonderfull things, he hits the ball very well and strong with both legs.
For a deffender is very difficult to take him the ball out and he his dribbling is one bets in the world with Ronaldo and Messi. The only thing he need is to play in some important club to show the world his ability.
here you have some videos from him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq492ez3qlE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9kQ2tBa-7o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvXGko8A0yk
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