News this morning that Newcastle approached Argentine great Riquelme in January, about moving to Newcastle next season, but he turned down the offer.
Riquelme – could have been wearing black and white stripes
Juan Roman Riquelme has revealed today that he turned down a lucrative offer from Newcastle United to play for them next season.
World Cup hero Riquelme, who is currently playing well for Boca Juniors, says that Newcastle United gave him the chance to move to the Premier League next season, but he turned down the offer.
Apparently Manchester City were a second club who sounded out the Argentine in January, after he had an outstanding Olympics tournament last year, and led Argentina to the gold medal, and showed both great skill and great leadership to drive his side to victory.
Riquelme said:
“I have had offers to go to England which were very attractive but I am happy at Boca,”
“Staying will give me the best chance of playing for Argentina in the 2010 World Cup.”
There had been reports that Newcastle were pursuing Riquelme in January, so it would appear those reports were true, and he could have also been the Argentine Joe Kinear said we were initially going to get on loan in January.
Of course he doesn’t actually say it was Newcastle in that statement above, but it’s being widely reported that Newcastle were the major club in for the player, and we assume Coloccini and Gutierrez did their best to persuade the 30 year-old to come to Tyneside.
Isn’t it a pity that one didn’t come off. đ
Comments welcome.
16 comments so far
RyanToon
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Comment #1such a shame, hes one of my fav players in the world, but i suppose it was never even close
Stuart79
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Comment #2He must think playing in the championship will end his international career.
Ericles
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Comment #3What a pity. A quality player. If he is happy at Boca so be it. He did not slag us off he just honestly said where he prefers to be. Try again Joe if you think it could be worth it for next season.
Toon Sweden77
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Comment #4Not a Ashley-kind-of-signing so I wonder if it really was Newcastle who tried to sign him. At least they came out and said that they tried to sign Modric but he choosed Spurs as a sign that “at least we tried”. Belive they should have done the same thing about Riquelme, if they tried.
Pons Aelius
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Comment #5Well, it’s a positive that we’re trying for creative players like Riquelme (if we did try).
But he’s at Boca Juniors, arguably the biggest side in Argentina… Don’t think he’d ever risk going to a relegation-threatened English side not in Europe.
If we do manage to stay up I can’t wait to see what we do in the summer.
Toon Sweden77
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Comment #6Dont get me wrong though, I would love to see players like Riquelme in our side
Girth
Mar 9, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Comment #7hahahahahahahaaha
‘Riquelme Turned Down Newcastle Offer For Next Season’
who says??? lol Tripe!
Dont get me wrong, was a great player, and still is decent, but a move like this screams of the transfer ethos of old, and all the got us was in debt, with lazy, over paid and over hyped players who thought to much of themselves!!
Carry on with the new transfer policy i say!!!
DJG
Mar 9, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Comment #8Correct Girth,
We are better off with the likes of Vuckic and Adjei who will have legs for the future, not people like Geremi who’s legs are in 1977.
Tom_Toon
Mar 9, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Comment #9Glad he ‘rejected’ us.
If you think Geremi is slow then just wait until you watch Riquelme.
Tom_Toon
Mar 9, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Comment #10Riquelme would be a passenger in our team. He has no fight in him.
TheDan
Mar 9, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Comment #11areet then tom toon
TOONPIPES
Mar 9, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Comment #12this has just reiterated how much s hite is chatted by the press .. have seem Riquelme live in Argentina recently and he is so f ucking slow that he couldnt possibly play in the prem
If anyone wen to scout him, this would be the first thing on their report ..
workyticket
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Comment #13Tom_Toon // Mar 9, 2009 at 3:32 PM
“Glad he ârejectedâ us.
If you think Geremi is slow then just wait until you watch Riquelme.”
10 Tom_Toon // Mar 9, 2009 at 3:32 PM
“Riquelme would be a passenger in our team. He has no fight in him.”
Er, you obviously don’t know what a great footballer looks like then Tom_Toon. Have you ever even studied him playing?
workyticket
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Comment #14He’s a master.
Tom_Toon
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Comment #15If he joined he would probably be the slowest player in the prem, slower than Richard Dunne!
workyticket
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Comment #16Tom_Toon // Mar 9, 2009 at 10:59 PM
“If he joined he would probably be the slowest player in the prem, slower than Richard Dunne!”
LOL. Jose Peckerman built the whole Argentina team (including the likes of Lionel Messi) around Riquelme, because his football brain is miles ahead, and you compare him disparagingly with Richard Dunne????
His supposed lack of pace is deceptive, and he can run if he wants to. He is so effortlessly skilled that he lets the ball do the work while he gets on with the business of running the game.
Oh well, pearls before swine and all that.