One areas of the Newcastle side that Joe Kinnear must strengthen in January is central midfield.
Christian Poulsen – combative midfielder but wouldn’t come cheaply
We are very weak in that area with Joey Barton out with a medial ligament injury in his knee through March, and our loan signing Uruguayan International Ignacio Gonzalez, who is also out injured until Match with an Achilles injury.
We are linked today with multiple players including forward Michael Kightly of Wolves, midfielder Joe Ledley of Cardiff, striker Kevin Doyle of Reading, Ben Haim of Manchester City and Matthew Upson of West Ham.
Another report this morning has us linked with Juventus’ Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen, who is said to be interesting Newcastle United.
The Denmark international only moved to Juventus in the summer from Sevilla, and the combative central midfielder could be made available by the Italian giants.
The 28 year old 6’ midfielder has represented Denmark over 60 times, and was at Schalke 04 for 4 years from 2002 where he appeared 162 times for the German side, before moving to Sevilla in 2006 for a couple of years, where he appeared 49 times for the Spanish side.
In July of this year Juventus paid €9.75M (about £9.5M) for the Dane, and he’s on a 4 year contract worth about €3M a year (about £58K/week).
So it would appear that if Newcastle are indeed interested in the player he would not come cheaply.
We have no idea if there is any truth to this report, but it seems he would be too expensive for us, at least in January.
Comments welcome.
72 comments so far
Freddo
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Comment #41we need to sign NINIS
craig chisholm
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Comment #42reports coming in that we are after paddy kennedy, the sheff united keeper. wow, looks like we might be off to a flyer in strengthening our team, letting the prems best KEEPER (not just bloody stopper as some idiot said) go and bringing in someone else on a cheapy. i bet we let harper go too, something is up saying as he still will not sign his contract – this was said by jfk to be sorted and in the bag along with butts ages ago. its obviously not sorted though is it. i think this jan will be very good watching to see what ashley is made off. is he going to keep on being a selling club?
CLINT FLICK
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Comment #43His name is Christian Poulsen
His name is Christian Poulsen
His name is Christian Poulsen
His name is Christian Poulsen
Partizan
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Comment #44Zoggy & Given for Ramsey,Eduardo da Silva,Bischoff……………shake hands pls 🙂
Toon1978
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Comment #45Ashley cannot afford anymore f*** ups and selling our best players and bringing in CC players in not going to help him. Seems out with our best players and in with CC players on the cheap. BEFORE ASHLEY AND JFK THINK ABOUT SELLING WE NEED PLAYERS IN. Selling Given and bringing in Kenny is no return its like replacing a Bentley for a Mondeo. Just does not work. I’m Getting angry with Ashley again even though this is all rumour lol.
Bill F (Original)
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Comment #46Dan and Toon1978, I agree re. the pointless speculation. I think I will ignore any thread that has a header stating “Toon in for ?????” or Owen transfer talk. Actual buys I will read.
Timmers
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Comment #47Bill F i agree, out of the players we got in the summer i dont remember reading one single article prior to their arrival. This will be the same again in Jan (although dont know why we havent started Real Madrid have.) My gut feeling is 3 loan signings with the poss that we will sell one of our first team. But until headline reads 100% genuine he’s here and wearing the shirt, i’ll believe nothing.
StevieA
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Comment #48Would be a quality signing, would want to prove himself and would improve the squad with his power, skill and creativity in midfield.
Not getting carried away but he would be a realistic target I think considering his current plight.
One to have a good look at for sure, can we get him on loan with a view to a permanent deal?
neeraj
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Comment #49paddy kenny is just rumor
even if given goes
we have
harper
krul
forster
soderbrg
all of them better than kenny
its just a rumor, coz there is a rumor that given is going…
bruTOOOON
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Comment #50when is the last time we got a reliable DM?
last one i can recalled is gary speed.
StevieA
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Comment #51bruTOOON – Scott Parker. Although his distribution left a lot to be desired he could still command the area in front of the centre backs well. He also gave 100% in every game too!
Shame about the passing but I think he is over that now. Gary Speed was a cracking player, what an engine that lad had. Could score some good goals too with his feet or head if needed.
Rich
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Comment #52@Scottish Mag
surely
‘ is a foot
” is an inch
???
Rich
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Comment #53@ CLINT FLICK…
great chant…
how did you come up with that? 😉
nightfall
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Comment #54Toon1978 – i’m sure our youngsters would preform better then some of the oldtimers
Partizan – well..those players are still more experienced then ramsey…the guy is 17, while those 3 are all 20+…
GEORDIE69
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Comment #55Christian Poulsen is too slow!
chuck
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Comment #56Having watched Givens heroics against L`Pool.
and Duff having one of his best outings it makes me wonder what game some of the fans were watching, one idiot above wants to sell both.
Brazilian Geordie
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Comment #57Hey, have you ever tought about bring in Roque Santa Cruz?
I think it would be just fantastic.
Santa Cruz stays always fixed in the area, has good shots, good headers, is strong and really knows how to score goals, like Michael Owen. But we don’t know if Michael will stay. And I think a duo with Oba Martins and Santa Cruz could really settled very well. We need a big foward to stay in the area, not like MO. And by the way, Santa Cruz is also very fast.
I’m no way saying he’s better than Michael, not that. But Newcastle needs urgently a respectable centre-foward who stays fixed in the area. I guy who we can go and cross for him, because he will stay there.
Anyway, just my opinion.
t-g-w
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Comment #58Why all the hate for Kinnear on here? I agree, selling first teamers and replacing them with Championship players would be stupid. But not selling anyone and adding the l;kes of Kightly and Ledley would be an excellent move. They provide good cover in the short term and will be challenging for the first team in the long term. I.e. they would be squad players initially. Look what Guthrie and Bassong have done so far this season. The CC players would be for cover, not immediate regulars – cover is what we’re lacking at the moment. Our first team is good when they are all fit.
And this Poulsen guy looks great in that vid between him and Kaka on Youtube. Haven’t seen anything else of him to be honest but would seem to be a good buy.
t-g-w
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Comment #59I agree Brazilian Geordie but Blackburn want 20 million for him and he has only scored 3 times this season. OI would like to see us go after Cisse in the summer when his loan ends at Sunderland. I think him and Martins would be excellent if Owen were to leave.
Brazilian Geordie
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Comment #60Oh no, too expensive. If his price is just that it’s better we pass it to Manchester City.
—
But about Cissé, excluding the fact that he’s a Sunderland player, he is playing very well. Honestly, he also surprised me with such good performances. Good name, by the way. And, anyway, we need to get a new forward. We must!
Darling27
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Comment #61We need a goal scoring midfielder!!!
Magpie forever
Dec 30, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Comment #62ithink we shud try and breech the gap of teams like liverpool by making prolific signings like moutinho and fernandinho
HAMMY14
Dec 30, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Comment #63In some ways JK has got the right idea by bringing in some up and coming talent but we need to mix that by bringing in experianced heads aswell. Arsenal bought the likes of Walcott and Ramsey in Championship and they are coming along a bundle at the mo but in the same light if we do bring talent like that we need to nature them in the correct way aswell. I personally dont belive the rumours about Given its just the papers putting two and two together and coming up with 941532345235445386163 as papers normally do i personally will be watching Sky Sports News for the completed deals and this would be the only way i forgive MA if he says to Jk heres 20mill ir so get thee very best players that will be a foot in the right direction and i dont people can object to that as the whole KK thing has washed over now despite how angry i was at it.
Gordon
Dec 30, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Comment #64Euro is worth that much – scary eh!
Brazilian Geordie
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Comment #65I think a good idea would be to bring in one new RB and LB both on loan basis.
Then we can think further of maintaining these players on the team. And also because Beye, for example, is a good side back, but as he’s injured we have to get a player. And in the case of Enrique in left-back, I don’t like him too much – but some people thinks he’s good – would be great to bring someone to challenge him.
Or also we can look to bring permanently the likes of Warnock or Konchesky, who are very expierenced players.
Another good point is to improve our attacking central midfield. And hey, bring someone with good skill with free-kicks.
And in the attack there is a must to bring in big and respectable center-foward.
CLINT FLICK
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Comment #66Rich,
it’s from ‘Fight Club’, when meatloaf gets shot up.
Thanx mate, i thought is was funny & apt.
Piers
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Comment #67No too old too expensive and not likely
The Entertainers
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Comment #68I honestly believe we need that type of midfielder.
Would like to get a creative type too, but feel the defensive is a must as we have good wingers.
josh
Dec 31, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Comment #69its simple….look at the top teams, the have a decent atacking midfielder who scores goals, lampard, gerrard, scholes, fabregas etc young with villa of late…… we have to DM at the moment in butt and guthrie, they cant play together and expect us to score and win convinsingly , theres no creativity ….we need to either spend big on a proven Attacking midfielder or search the world for 1 …plus add to the woeful defence which looked to be forming a bit but after the decimation by liverpool it left nothing to the imagination !! RECUITMENT PLEASE ASHLEY
richie
Dec 31, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Comment #70i think we should buy the best from the chamioship, simple as
richie
Dec 31, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Comment #71josh iv been harping on about that midfield commanding position for ages. we have to look at the top teams and how they are shaped and shape our team around that
GenuineMagpie
Jan 1, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Comment #72That’s not difficult adapted to uniform design (Black&White)
http://genuinemagpie.blogspot.com