Some extremely bad news being reported tonight, that Pablo Aimar has signed for Portuguese giants Benfica.
 Kevin Keegan – go to plan B boss
So any hopes (and we had some earlier today) that he would be coming to Newcastle seem to be dead, and to say the very least it is very disappointing.
Setanta Sports, who are of course a credible news source, are reporting that Benfica have agreed a fee of €7.5M (£5.9M) with Pablo’s club Real Zaragoza, and it goes on to say Aimar will be officially unveiled on Thursday, pending the successful completion of a medical.
Aimar is quoted as saying:
“Fortunately, I have always been able to choose where to play in my career.”
“I had other offers, but I always wanted Benfica,”
We suppose this is another player to cross off the list, and it’s not good news at all. The Daily Mirror this morning had an exclusive, in which we had thought they had some inside information, and they reported that Newcastle were on the verge of signing the player.
But this has turned out not to be the case, and we had also thought (hoped) that having just signed Argentine, Jonas Gutierrez would have helped to persuade Aimar to come to Tyneside.
This news may also not be true of course, so we’ll just have to hope something may still happen, but this summer for Newcastle fans, has been a bit tough, to say the least.
But we have to assume Newcastle were one of the clubs in the mix for the star Argentine, and he didn’t want to come.
As we said this morning, attracting players to Newcastle, after two disastrous seasons, is not easy, and Kevin has to start at the bottom – again.
This doesn’t help matters one little bit, but we will have to try to keep the faith.
Kevin and the management team will need to move to plan B, and create a plan C, just in case, if they don’t already have one.
The road back for Newcastle will have its up and downs – and they’re usually downs at the start – which is what we are seeing now.
Also, we have again noticed with the comments on the site, that there are too many fans of other clubs coming on the site and making inappropriate comments.
There mustn’t be much going on at their clubs – or else they are just fascinated with the Magpies.
If any readers come on this site with obvious fictitious IDs for their e-mails, so we cannot contact them, as more than a few have done today, they will be banned from making comments on the site.
Comments are still welcome on this bad news – but please keep them civil.
375 comments so far
Ross G
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Comment #41Too be honest I reckon it was true and we couldnt match Benfica financially for him. It was the same with Modric, Ashleys cost cutting has turned us from the best option of Prem club to join out of Europe, to a Bolton its very depressing I think Ashle needs to go personally, Keegan cant be happy that probably not one of his principle targets have come. It hurts but this is further evidence of a down-spiralling club. Aimar although wouldnt have been my first choice he is a top player and the intent shown from his transfer will help bring others as well as help settle the likes of Owen who probably is waiting to see who we bring in before signing. If Ashley cant spare at least £50m of his £2bn + fortune then he never bought us for the interest it is for the profit, I cant beleive he wants more investors when in three transfer windows his net spending on transfers is around £12m, worst in the League. ASHLEY OUT
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Comment #42As i just wrote on an earlier link…
I always found it strange that his agent made this comment
“We have begun to speak to an English club – not Everton – and already we have offers for the club and player.â€
One media source speculated that we where the mystery club and suddenly everyone from Ed to all the Nationals WAS SURE that we was the mystery club… But never once where we mentioned by the agent or Zaragoza.
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Comment #43relax… If you really think it over you would agree that buying Aimar would hold some risk anyway… Not only has he been bad at Zaragoza, but he is also quite small and would properly take allot of time to settle… Think about it… Kluivert, Luque, Viana, how many skilled players have we seen arrive over the years who just wasnt cut for the English game or who had already been fed up with football?… When you think about how secretive the club has been, there is the chance that this was a decoy.
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Comment #44Fernandez has supposedly said he wants to play in the Premiership and he hasn’t (based on Wikipedia) played too much this year for the 1st team .. even when fit ..sounds like somebody who wouldn’t turn us down .. I don’t think 50K Euros would be the price .. more aroound £16 mill .. I reckon..
bailey
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Comment #45Never know who to believe do we. Hope it was all just paper talk. Would be good to be able to face Ferdinand and tell him supporters wouldnt have wanted him anyway.
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Comment #46Daniel and Bosck .. sounds like you’ve a good source .. were inler/Amiar KK’s list or Wise’s??
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Comment #47Toontimbo i’m definately not a one of spurs fan i regularly post on here and am 100% a toon fan
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Comment #48ezpect the mirror to confirm aimar signing for benfica in the morning
donegal toon
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Comment #49theres actually a lot of sites although maybe not totally credible but there is a good few like, so, and keep in mind he was awarded the south american footballer player of the year award in 2006 BEFORE he joined villareal so, they snapped him after that for i think i read 8 mill euros? so its obvious there going to put somebody (especially after just winning that award) of that kind of potential a low evaluation
the voice of reason
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Comment #50is it possible to start a rumour that every single player anywhere in the world is coming to NUFC. then at least we would know virtually everything was bulls..t…this is doing my head in where someones coming then they are not….arrgghh…tell you what I will start my mate told me that Ronaldo thought that when he said Real Madrid everyone would know that he really meant their feeder club the great NUFC
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Comment #51Aimar is definately away to Benfica .. the http://www.goal.com site used a quote from Aimar .. they couldn’t do that or they could be libel.
donegal toon
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Comment #52A high evaluation *
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Comment #53no need to wait, confirmed on zaragoza site
Irish toon9
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Comment #54If this has come down to wages like da modric saga i can see KK jackin it im..get yer wallet out MA ffs
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Comment #55bailey… Ferdinand is a nice guy, I really like him… He had the courtesy to stay away, knowing that he wouldnt be good enough for us… Stand up guy i say
Irish toon9
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Comment #56If this has come down to wages like da modric saga i can see KK jackin it in..get yer wallet out MA ffs
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Comment #57http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.realzaragoza.com/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=6&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dreal%2Bzaragoza%26hl%3Den
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Comment #58Fernandez is a top player .. and young .. we’d have to pay big ..
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Comment #59lol… times headline
“Pablo Aimar set to escape Newcastle’s clutches”
So we’re some kind of beast with cluthes now?… He didnt slip through our fingers, no no, he escaped our cluthes… Hehe, the times are usually ok tho
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Comment #60If this was solely down to wages .. even if KK was gagged he would say something .. the next couple of days will speak volumes, if there are any quotes from KK’s mates in the papers..
Daniel
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Comment #61I dont know the specifics of who’s list they were from, I just know what happened over the past few days. Everything was fine up until 4pm today when we decided to withdraw the agreed contract from yesterday. We had the fee agreed (7m in one go) but had a change of heart about 4 oclock today. I dont know if we were trying to reduce the wages a little bit more or what the logic was, but it didnt work and Aimars agent walked out. Big fail on our part. Same thing happened last week, met the release clause for inler, press conference arranged last thursday, then wednesday night we withdrew the offer
TT – I have 3 sources, all of which had this one. A friend who knows Llambias, someone from the press office and a journalist.
letim
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:14 PM
Comment #62the internet makes things a million times worse with rumours, even though we all can’t wait to make a big signing…. sit tight, we’re becoming an organised club and the press can no longer read us like a book, so they spend all day spread rumours to fill columns and now, websites!
have some faith, we’ll get someone to provide the ammunition we need up front! 🙂
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #63TT – i have one source, supposedly a journalist i think, that posts elsewhere that my boss let me know about.
ToonTimbo
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #64Sorri Bosck!! Im sure ur toon through and through!! I just didnt recognise ur name as u dont mine!! 😀
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #65Things like this can happen if there are better targets lined up .. hopefully the recruitment team are doing a good job on getting their preferred targets..
magpie man
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #66we will keep missing out on targets who we make “late” bids for , i think we could have got aimar if we had gone in for him and tried to seal it up sooner. Im all for siging younger players but we need some older expierience to the squad aswell and whether the toon hierachy want to admit it or not that will mean opening the cheque book a little bit more. Im not saying Guthrie and Jonas are going to be bad siginings but surely the likes of Aimar’s calibre should be a priority if we want to get back into the top half of the table at least.
domtoon
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #67Hmmmm slightly disappointing but it wasn’t right it wasn’t right. If he really said that and wanted to go to Benfica, well, then, he can go do one to be frank.
We don’t want idiots coming to the Toon who don’t want to come to the Toon so let’s save that £7 mil for the next up and coming star and get those players in who have the hunger, passion and desire to play in Black and White.
Let’s face it, Aimar is sheer talent, but it hasn’t shown at Zaragoza and at £7 mil, for a player of his stature not to have made an impact at his last club, would we really want him at the Toon? A gamble which could have paid off yes, but perhaps it could have been one of the best things that happened to us.
Keep an eye on how he does at Benfica, and we may very well be letting out a huge sigh come next Summer….
normski1930z
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Comment #68arrrrgh just finished work and was hoping to come home to a signing any signing but again nothing, what the f**k man my patience is now startin to wear very thin….
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Comment #69daniel .. have you heard if they’ve an offer in for another CM??
Beetrice
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Comment #70it’s like America under Bush
Only a football club
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Comment #71Bosck… Well, if what you say is true then we can truly say that NUFC has the ambition to attain a respectable league position save from relegation and thats it… Sad, but it seams like we are the only football club run as a proper business and i fear we are going to pay for that when the season ends… I must say that tho i dont mean this personal, I truly hope that you or your source is full of bull.
Anth
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Comment #72Dan Ive heard similar, but havnt we got to be relistic with our signings, benfica is champ league , we need to ensure we get some good am in though i dont know what MA’s standing is, I want the man to come on our web site and lead from the front, draw the line in the sand and we newcastle and this is what were doing ohh man he is so frustrating !!!!!, for future At mids avaiable moutinho (12 million) stephen defour (6 million)
Tom_Toon
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Comment #73If you both have these sources then you surely know some targets.
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Comment #74valle if it is bull then it is on their part as i am just relaying it!!!!
but he has definately signed for benfica subject to a medical
Irish toon9
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Comment #75Wonder wat pedro’s up to this season!!
Bosck
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Comment #76tomtoon – nope all i know is that he reckons newcastle mucked up on this one. no mention of other targets as of yet.
valle
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Comment #77Bosck… As i said, it wasnt personal… I dont know you and i wouldnt call you a lier without knowing it was true… I just HOPED it was bull, because otherwise we seem to be a big mess.
sweendog
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Comment #78Tom Toon’s right ..dan etc with your contacts you must know if we have bids in for somebody.. I’ve a feeling ones nearly completed..have you heard anything??
Daniel
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:24 PM
Comment #79Ive not been told of any, but it doesnt mean there arent any. I only get scraps of information normally (eg the press conference dates) but all 3 sources came in over the past 36 hours with regards to this, and a frustrated rant brought the rest out. A lot of people at the club are getting very frustrated by this, its not just the fans
ToonTimbo
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:25 PM
Comment #80I wont expect to wake up tomorrow hearing that Newcastles signed a player because i’ll just be disappointed!! 🙁 bad times at the park!!