News this morning that Sébastien Bassong, the Newcastle United defender, is on the verge of completing a move to Tottenham Hotspur, and is expected to be announced as a Tottenham player later today.
Sebastien Bassong – now in London
The Frenchman arrived in London last night and is apparently waiting to complete a medical at the famous club.
However, the two sides are still hassling over the fee, and of course Newcastle have to get as much as they can from their best player of last season.
But late news suggest the fee has been agreed at £8M, which is a little low from the Newcastle point of view.
If that happens, the way for Newcastle fans to looks at the sale, is that it should help to make Newcastle’s books look better and help sell the club.
If that means Mike Ashley will leave Toon then that has to be good news for Newcastle fans – in fact that would now be wonderful news for Newcastle fans.
The fee Newcastle wanted was believed to be in the region of £10M, and of course Newcastle signed the player 12 months ago for £500K from Metz. One of Newcastle’s best buys ever in the transfer market, to be sure.
With Aston Villa also interested, Harry Redknapp has moved quickly to recruit Bassong, with Tottenham almost certain to be without two center backs for the opening match of the season, against Liverpool, on August 16th.
Both Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson are both injury doubts while there are never any guarantees over the fitness of club captain Ledley King.
In fact because of the fitness concerns of these players we expect Bassong to get lots of games for Spurs next season, and of course the lad is a good, very good player indeed.
It’s just a pity he will not be plying his trade at Newcastle in the future.
Harry said:
“I like Bassong, he is a young player with a good future and a good central defender,”
£8M into the coffers at Newcastle hopefully will make the club that little bit more attractive to potential buyers, and we also expect Aston Villa to snap up the talented Habib Beye before the weekend for as much as £4M.
Comments welcome.
27 comments so far
brownrob
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Comment #1Rumour is its actually £8m
Its just typical of the regime to reject a 10m bid but then accept an 8m bid…
Expect ashley to be involved with the spuds now 😉
RyanToon
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Comment #2The Frenchman arrived in London last night and is apparently waiting to complete a medical at the famous club.
FAMOUS FOR WHAT? LMAO
Solaidback
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Comment #3Well Ed, this has already been rubbish by the club according to other crap-loids… so no idea what the gen is now!!!
What I would like to know is, why have we apparently sold Bassong to the Spurts for a reported £8m when we apparently rejected a £10m bid just 2 days ago???
Who is telling porkies & why would we sell Bassong for £8m when we know damn well that Manc Citey would pay a lot more for him??
Which idiot is selling out players & letting them go for the first offer they get in, instead of waiting to see if another club comes in for them!!!
Timmers
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Comment #48 million? WTF. The papers obviously got it wrong with the rejected 10 then. We need to offload, Butt, Beye(regretfully),Geremi,Smith.
Then Ashley can keep gambling as he likes to with a smaller wage bill, and prey we look like getting promoted so he can double his asking price. Thats all he wants to do. He never had any intention of selling until Dec/Jan at the earliest.
(anyone else thinks keith harris looks like that DJ Dr Fox?)
coxonfamily
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Comment #5haha dr. fox, ive been thinking that since i saw his picture all those months ago hahaha
geist
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Comment #6Bassong is a tw@
wicksy
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Comment #7The whole Barry Moat story is very confusing. The National Newspapers ran the story, and so did the Chronicle last night. Now the Chronicle are saying the story has been denied by the club. But BBC are a running a breaking news story that Barry Moat is the front runner to buy us. Whos’ teliing the truth?!!!!
Toon Graeme
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Comment #8Im really peeeed off with all of todays news.
What is to be believed?
ginkoh
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Comment #9How much we sold the players, All money will go to Ashley pocket so that’s why a lot of our players will be sold in the nearly future before Ashley sell the club.
Ratfink
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Comment #10I would expect we turned down the 10 mil because of the payment terms. Lots of clubs will try it on and offer us money on the never never. 10 mil may have been in 5 installments over 5 years based on appearances which would have been bad business.
If we then accept an 8 mil deal I would expect it to be up front or in maybe two payments. We have to maximise our income from the 4-5 decent players as we will get nowt for Geremi, Smith, Colo etc
Prince Bassong
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Comment #11I don’t get why they’ve accepted a low bid for a player on low wages who we were under no pressure to sell. Another example of Mike Ashley’s business acumen?
I’d like to think we’d someone in return but like Shay Given’s transfer that’ll never happen.
And I’d also wager Bassong’s fee will be spread out over the next 2/3 years or so despite Mike Ashley insisting we buy players and pay everything upfront for them.
Yet cheap but talented players pass us by as Mike Ashley misses out on another chance to come out of his ownership with some dignity and respect. He seems to be suicidal in a business sense.
The sooner we are rid of the kamikaze conman the better; alternatively read “Please let the Barry Moat rumours be true!”
punk skunk...
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Comment #12Ball off then bassong, your name starts with lower case now…Well at least spuds keep up their tradition of buyin’ whiners, bad luck to all concerned!..
geist
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Comment #13If i see bassong in london, i’m gonna give him a piece of my mind.
NUFC-0809-Oh Dear
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Comment #14Where the hell is the transfer cash going to? Ca$hley’$ pockets?
geist
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Comment #15Maybe if ashley gets the money from the sales, he might accept a lower bid. Although, if that is the case i wouldn’t be too impressed if i was a potential buyer.
geist
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Comment #16i meant a lower bid for the club.
bill
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Comment #17Bassong transfer could be taken as further evidence that the club is being sold. No doubt the transfer fee will go to reducing the overdraft.
Hopefully, the money is being paid upfront.
magforlife
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Comment #18The Moat story appears to be a runner, hope its true, Toon fans as owner and manager, dream ticket for me.
Solaidback
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Comment #19If it’s not true, there will be a statement on the official site like the last time!!! or will there??
roscoe
Aug 6, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Comment #20Anyone who thinks that the Money goes to Ashley is a Fu@kin% idiot!!!
the players are assets and are on the books, they add to the value of the club.
money from transfers will just become CASH on the balance sheet rather than “expected value” and this is more attractive to potential investors, as it shows money can be generated from player sales and its not just perceived value.
WAKE UP!!! Its a huge business, its not like they deliver briefcases of cash and mike keeps it under his mattress.
Enough with the money in ashleys pockets thing for goodness sake!!!
nufcc
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Comment #21so thats 17 million from two transfers. Either ashley keeps this money and sells the club for cheaper price or this money could be used to pay our high wage bill. WIN WIN. Great to see bassong finally leave. hate him. reminds me of insomnia.
punk skunk...
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Comment #22Aye,
get shot of the whiners!..
…Be off with you!..
nufcc
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Comment #23Roscoe you are wrong. money comes in chocolate briefcases and he stuffs his pocket with it. hes done it every transfer window.
magforlife
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Comment #24Roscoe – of course the cash goes to Ash- its his club, there are no other shareholders.
GEORDIE69
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Comment #25When are we going top learn??? French players sulk and spell trouble!!! Good riddings thanks for the money! Don’t come back!
Purely Belter
Aug 6, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Comment #26i hate tottenham with a passion.
JoeColl87
Aug 6, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Comment #27Best way to think about it is that the money from the mackems buying Bent, is heading straight back North to us. 🙂
Oh and we get rid of a sulking French player for a nice tidy profit.