News over the weekend that Sunderland are about to make signings of two players who were Newcastle targets.
Craig Gardner – a good young player
The Sebastian Larsson saga may be finally over, as the 25 year-old is expected to rejoin Steve Bruce at Sunderland, as a free agent.
That’s even though former club Arsenal and Aston Villa (his former manager at Birmingham Alex McLeish) have apparently made recent overtures to the Swedish International.
Newcastle were negotiating with Seb Larsson’s agent in Janauary but no deal was made, and with Cabaye, Demba Ba and Marveaux having already been brought to Tyneside, it could be that Seb was pushed down the list at Newcastle.
Larsson played under Sunderland manager Steve Bruce when the Geordie manager was at Birmingham.
Larsson’s father told Sport Folket over the weekend:
“Sunderland have been on really hard since January. Steve Bruce has done much to bring about a deal and been very active,”
“Sebastian along the way pointed out Sunderland as a distinct possibility. We have turned every stone and weighed the pros and cons.”
“The parties agree on the economic conditions and what remains is to agree on the length of the contract.”
“They want a little longer and we want less. But I think there will be no problems.”
News today that Sunderland are in the lead to sign a good player – 24 year old Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner – but the price quoted of £8M seems a little high, and if Newcastle were interested in the former Aston Villa midfielder, that price could have put them off.
It seemed that Craig could have been a good replacement for the departed Kevin Nolan, since he has a similar game and scored 10 goals for Birmingham last season, their top scorer.
While Newcastle have plenty of money available, they still want good deals , and are almost the opposite of the way the club used to operate in the transfer market under former Chairman Freddy Shepherd.
In those days Newcastle would not only overpay in the transfer market, but they would offer mediocre players huge wages on long term deals, which came back to harm the club, when the player(s) simply didn’t make the grade.
If anything, the Mike Ashley regime have gone too far the other way, but the club has made some very good deals over the last couple of years, so that’s something positive.
Newcastle have had three players in and three players out so far in the summer, and haven’t spent a penny in net transfer funds – yet.
Comments welcome.
47 comments so far
hitman
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:31 AM
Comment #1we pulled the plug on larsson.
toonincheek
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:31 AM
Comment #2I think we are doping bettr with our buys.
Howay le garçons
Drona
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:34 AM
Comment #3nice, preparing for relegation I see by buying two players who got relegated
Indian Magpie
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:38 AM
Comment #4Thank You sunderland
for saving us from these 2
Solaidback
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Comment #5I’m sorry but have the Muckems actually signed both these players or are they about too, because you post header says they have & then your text says they’re about too, so which is it???
Another misleading title to a blog, you’re getting as bad as the crap-loids these days!!!
As for these 2 players, yes I know were have supposedly been linked to them but only by the craploids, which is as bad as someone on twitter spouting rumours…. I think the 3 we’ve SIGNED are far better in every department!!!
TS -77
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Comment #6I would like to belive that we already has Kevin Nolans replacement in our team in form of Hatem Ben Arfa.. or am I wrong here?
NottsGeordie
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:43 AM
Comment #7Indian Magpie
Haha the scum have more money than us but yet we still have more ambition and are actually trying to buy class players like Gameiro, Gervinho and N’Zogbia lol
roshan MAGPIE
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:43 AM
Comment #88 million is too high for an average player
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:43 AM
Comment #9good players .. im sure if ashley and co. wanted them .. they would have gotten them ….
magpie6699
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:44 AM
Comment #10Would have been OK buys but no more than OK- until we got Marvaux and Cabaye. – now probably would struggle to get in – specially if the likes of Jonas and Joey stay (hopefully) – not to mention Gosling, HBA etc.
37 BEN ARFA 37
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:46 AM
Comment #11would take cabaye and marveaux over larsson and gardner anyday….
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Comment #12http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2011/06/20/newcastle-united-harbour-charles-n-zogbia-doubts-61634-28905759/
Riska
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Comment #13Surely if we need players to come off the bench and do a job in the same positions, we have guthrie and gosling. Neither of these players would bring anything to newcastle, especially if we are close to signing n’zogbia. I agree with Indian Magpie: sunderland just did us a favour.
hitman
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:54 AM
Comment #14good read.
http://theaccidentalgroundhopper.blogspot.com/2011/06/1644-first-tyne-wear-derby.html
Mags
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Comment #15Ed – naughty naughty, another misleading heading. 😀
When I read who they were – my immediate reaction was Whatever
josh_toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Comment #16Larsson would have been a great squad back-up player, but i doubt he would be ok with:
‘So Larsson, if you sign here………….. (Only will play 1 in 5 games)’
Shame though as would be free.
Hopefully we can get in a few more bodies because last year we had far too little.
Nolan has left, Barton, Enrique, Smith, Perch, Xisco, Best etc etc MAY all be leaving so we need replacements for them really. Preferably young youth players.
Danger though is strength of Character will go, but time will only tell.
Angryman the baffled Fan
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:01 AM
Comment #17Crocks are cheaper and you dont have to pay massive wages.
Kings of Toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:03 AM
Comment #18Chrlie N’Zog was never gonna come here.
Its just fat man and his cronies trying to generate a bit of optimisim and seel some merchandise 😉
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:05 AM
Comment #19haha .. just read that chelsea want to offer tottenham 28 mill plus essien for modric.. haha
ste_rico_nufc
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Comment #20@Solaidback what a troll you are picking on ed try reading the head properly it says close to signing newcastle targets
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:08 AM
Comment #21david villa to be sold to fund fabregas transfer to barca … NOW thats a striker thats worth 35 mill
Drona
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:08 AM
Comment #22http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2011/06/20/newcastle-united-harbour-charles-n-zogbia-doubts-61634-28905759/
“It seems he is waiting to see who offers him the most money, that is his priority and is that the sort of person we want to play for Newcastle United?
“He is a very talented boy, but is he just a mercenary? We are considering all of these things. We need to have a long hard think about it because it is a lot of money to spend on one player who left under a cloud.”
I’m disgusted.They are labelling N’Zog as a mercenary, then please for the love of God tell me what Alan Smith is? If N’Zog wants 60k, why can’t the club offload Alan Smith and offer his wages to N’Zog? Is Alan Smith going to get us in the top 8? No. Is N’Zogbia? Probably.
Aussiedave
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Comment #23@TS77 I totally agree, Ben Arfa will play in the attacking midfielder role just off a lone striker, that Nolan occupied so well last season imo. Also next season expect to see Vukic get some game time in that role, Thoughts on Vukic?
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:12 AM
Comment #24I think Vukic is a great talent and I think he needs more time on the pitch, maybe a 6mth loan deal to the Championship for first team football every week would be good for the lad.
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Comment #25http://football-talk.co.uk/27943/reports-chelsea-face-points-deduction-over-modric-pursuit/?
TS -77
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Comment #26Vukic could fill in when Ben Arfa needs a rest and in the cups.
toonfan76
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Comment #27Notice that Journal report says a senior source but doesn’t mention a name, Stinks of BS to me.
DarloGeordie
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Comment #28hardly bums off seats players are they… I honestly cant see why any player would want to go to sunderland the city, the people and the club all need a serious wash. Dirty mackems ;-p
Dude
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:19 AM
Comment #29My French mate’s assessment of Marveaux, not inspiring: “Marveaux is like Michael Owen : always injured, maybe the Geordies air will be better for him
For me, it is like a Walcott, run fast but no brain, lol”
Aussiedave
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Comment #30thats how I would use him as well, also give him chances off the bench. I think Vukic is 20 this year? not sure but certainly old enough if good enough to play in the 1st team, he has the talent to pick a pass and may be change a game or two
Kings of Toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Comment #31Does anyone on here find it totally amazing that all the players we are supposed to be bidding for…anything over the 6m mark, the club have not been impressed with their attitude?
You’d think being the very professional company they are under the Stewardship of Mike Ashley, they would have at least done their research into these big bucks players before even entertaining the idea of trying to sign them?
It doesnt seem to be an issue signing injury prone players? Yet a player asks for the going rate and its not impressing the Big Man?
NUFC will never go forwards with this attitude. They will always be a mid table mediocre team.
Speculate to accumulate, surely Mr Ashley knows this?
Kings of Toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:21 AM
Comment #32Cheik and Bake
You are deluded if you think Mike Ashley will spend over 10m for one player.
The proof is in the pudding.
2 AMEOBI'S
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:21 AM
Comment #33“Steve Bruce has done much to bring about a deal and has been very attractive”… haha what’s really going on steve !
Steve bruce aka mackam rent boy
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:22 AM
Comment #34We are meant to be bidding £8M for Bendtner this week
Aussiedave
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Comment #35on the two players in the article both decent players, quite like gardner but no better than we have already, if we want to get better its simple, keep your best players and add more quality and deapth to the squad. Which we have done so far, need 2 more strikers, cover at fullbacks and a nzogbia would be great,
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Comment #36@32
You dont need to spend a fortune to get class.
Look at Tiote and Ben Arfa!
Brutooon
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:25 AM
Comment #37let sunderland took our below average targets
FarAwayGeordie
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:26 AM
Comment #38who cares, both are average
Kings of Toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:31 AM
Comment #39I think Bendtner would be a disaterous signing for NUFC.
This man thinks he is the best striker in the world.
Decent coming of the bench in games to go against a tired defence, but starting? Terrible.
Why dont we try for Young Sturridge.Proven ability.
Forget your erdinc, and all these unproven foreign strikers.
Ligue 1 and La Liga, are nowhere near the style of play in the EPL. It will take a very speacial player to adapt from these to leagues I think.
tom tomb
Jun 20, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Comment #40We were not interested in either player (Larsson any more)-paper talk!