The Daily Mirror is reporting that Newcastle could make a move for Middlebrough’s Rhys Williams.
Rhys Williams – 23 year-old 6′ 2″ Middlesbrough defender/midfielder
The Australian is a versatile player who can play at center-back, defensive midfielder and right-back.
Rhys has also recently played as an attacking midfielder for Middlesbrough.
Newcastle need to bring in a central defender in January, since Steven Taylor is out with an Achilles injury, probably for the rest of the season, although there’s a chance Steven could return by late April.
The 23-year-old Williams stands 6’2″ tall and has only 18 months left on his contract with the Teesside club, and could be signed for a reasonable fee next month, with the fee said to be around £3M.
It is believed he is stalling on signing a new contract, and the interest of Newcastle United will probably make him stall even more.
The Perth-born player joined Middlesbrough back in 2007, and he had a loan spell at Burnley in 2009 under then manager Owen Coyle, where he played 17 times in the Championship.
Rhys has played 66 times for Middlesbrough with five goals and five assists, and it seems to us he would be a reasonable buy for Newcastle.
But of course, there will be questions about whether he can make the step up to the Premier League.
He made only one appearance in Middlesbrough’s relegation season of 2008-2009.
In the summer, Rhys was linked with potential moves to Liverpool and also Bolton Wanderers, where his former Burnley manager Owen Coyle is the current manager.
Rhys’ mother comes from Mubai, India (formerly Bombay), and his father was born in Kent, England and so he was eligible to represent Australia, England, India, or Wales.
He played 10 times for the Wales U21 side but he has since opted to represent Australia at the full International level, the country of his birth.
Williams earned his first call-up for the full Australian side for the June 2009 World Cup qualifiers, and so far has 9 caps for the Socceroos.
We have no idea if there is any truth in this report.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
51 comments so far
FloridaToon
Dec 29, 2011 at 12:11 AM
Comment #1Fine as long as he is the 2nd CB brought in.
kilcline
Dec 29, 2011 at 12:22 AM
Comment #2He is class, be a good signing for around £2m
Brutooon
Dec 29, 2011 at 12:56 AM
Comment #3Lets compare him with James Perch.
1) He got some Under 21 cap and now a full international. (Better than Perch who is CAPLESS)
2) Five goals and Five Assist (Better than Perch who score one OWN GOAL)
3) Versatile and can play Attacking Midfield ( Better than Perch)
4) 6’2 Tall therefore can win Headers (Better than Skinny + Short Perch)
5) Being linked with LiverFool and Bolton (Better than Perch because Perch NEVER being link with ANYBODY)
Comparing him with our Worst Defender Perch therefore Lets Sign Him !!!!
Tiote4PM
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:01 AM
Comment #4Soooo excited!
Fecking joke.
GeordieToon89
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:01 AM
Comment #5Rhys Williams is such a good player who will step upto the prem with ease in my opinion, we should sign Williams and Onuoha, could get them both for around 5 or 6 million which is class as they both very good players
levi15791
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:02 AM
Comment #6Apparently we are signing a lad from Ryman League outfit Bognor Regis. He is a striker called Jason Prior and his record is 95 goals in 121 games. His twitter is @JasonPrior1. Check him out.
Toon Tang
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:05 AM
Comment #7his face is a bit lopsided but if he heads the ball well when challenged by norwich strikers, he will do
Toon Tang
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:06 AM
Comment #8hahahaha @ levi15791
you brought jokes
levi15791
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:10 AM
Comment #9No jokes. His proposed move to BSP team Eastleigh for £12k was scuppered at the last minute because he got invited to trial at Newcastle with a view to a permanent move. He is 23, phenomenal scoring record. I reckon he could do a job for us!
ToonIcon
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:11 AM
Comment #10look lads looks like we are looking at a striker ….. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/football/9441838.Eastleigh_record_bid_threatened_by_Newcastle_United/?ref=rss
niffnoff
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:13 AM
Comment #11Jason Prior offered a trial. SIGN HIM UP 😐
levi15791
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:14 AM
Comment #12Here is some of his goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haHn_0KuO6o
MacToon
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:17 AM
Comment #13http://rymanleague.goalrun.com/leagues?league_news_item&id=2756124&lid=256&did=2104
“These unconfirmed rumours say that Prior (the goal machine) has been invited for trials with Premiership club Newcastle United.”
kingkev9
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:27 AM
Comment #14Have to laugh that every player we are linked with most people on here say ‘sign him’ would do a good job. Even though you’ve probably seen him play once!
GeordieGerman
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:33 AM
Comment #15Oh the antis are going to have a field day with this. After all Long wasn’t good enough.
FloridaToon
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:46 AM
Comment #16I’m still trying to figure out how there are any antis left?
jayphoto
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:57 AM
Comment #17Waiting for Derek to tell us signing players from the Ryman league has hidden costs! 🙂 Normally id say the toon take lots of players on trial every week, but the fact that’s hes 23 suggests our scouts who’ve been watching him think even at 23 He’s got a chance! Good luck to him
lgnufc
Dec 29, 2011 at 1:58 AM
Comment #18Im an Australian and i’ve seen Williams play on multiple occasions. He’s a class act. Sign him up.
Rumsfeld
Dec 29, 2011 at 2:03 AM
Comment #19Quality player. Always a massive fan of signings from the commonwealth, Viduka aside, they’ll always guarantee you a high workrate and positive influence in the dressing room, ontop of them already knowing English as a native tongue
Rumsfeld
Dec 29, 2011 at 2:04 AM
Comment #20On that note, roll on Hoilett 🙂
ONLINE GUY
Dec 29, 2011 at 2:05 AM
Comment #21ROTONDA H
Sorry mate, got you mixed up with a poster above you …looking at this awful monitor skew whiff !
gonufc
Dec 29, 2011 at 2:26 AM
Comment #22There seems to be some people who think it’s inevitable that atleast 1 of Tiote or Collocini will be sold.
Personally, as much as I like him, I would probably let Chelsea get Tiote if they offer the slightly crazy 25m which has been talked about- much less though and I wouldn’t. I would much rather we sold him than Collocini, who has turned into a great CB, very reliable and extremely important to the side.
However, unless that money is going to be noticeably invested (unlike the Llambias “we spent the Carroll money on the wage bill” despite the wage bill decreasing since last year!!) then I absolutely do not want anyone from the first 11 to be sold.
There’s no point saying you have to sell for ‘silly money’ if that money is then not used to improve the side. Not that I want big, flashy ‘Michael Owen’ style signings, I just want it to be used to improve the squad!
AussieToon
Dec 29, 2011 at 3:53 AM
Comment #23Please get Rhys Williams/
Class. Just class.
Charlietoon
Dec 29, 2011 at 5:53 AM
Comment #24There has been some decentd Aussies in the premier league and I am not saying that just because I am an Aussie. Cahill, Kewell, Emerton…our own Craig Moore and Viduka are probably the ones of most note.
All had there good years but of the lot I would have taken Cahill despite his lack of form recently.
If you have watched the way the Aussies generally play they are tough tackling, no nonsense, meat and potato kinda players. I dont think he will dazzle us with silky skills but as a centre back if he is tough and uncomprimising and a good confident player on the ball he might step up to the NUFC level. Here’s hoping. I would like another centre back to come in though.
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Dec 29, 2011 at 7:58 AM
Comment #25Okay! I,ve a feeling that this is just another name to add
to the long list of players we have already been linked with!
Never heard of him!
Satan
Dec 29, 2011 at 7:58 AM
Comment #26So true to form there’s no striker coming in then….they’ve only had a year to find one! I bet if Ba picked up a bad injury they’d sharp be able put a deal together. Complete and utter joke! Looks even more like pulling out of the Maiga deal on medical grounds was a blag now….diverting your pittance of a transfer fund to a CB are you Scrooge? Where’s the Carroll money you fat sh it!?
Dannyo
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:11 AM
Comment #27U can follow Jason Price on twitter lads, evidently he’s sorting everything today, so i guess we’ll know wether he’s having a trial or not with us.
I have no clue what his traits are. If he’s excellent at finishing, if he’s speedy gonzales, if he’s the most technical english man we’ve ever seen…
And he’s 23, so kind of a late bloomer?
If anyone has seen or heard of this lad, please do tell.
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Comment #28gonufc
to be honest mate, tiote could be worth 100 milliion and i still wouldnt be bothered, why ? cos the money only goes to line pockets rather than re invested in the team,
the value of our players has no real importance to the re-investment in new players for our team,
we have to rely on graham car digging up diamonds as hes done already,
IMO if we are linked with any player with a value of 5 mil or above , i dont think we will be really in for them,
so this kid from belgium, we wont get him, we are being used to push his price up
Frognastie
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:19 AM
Comment #29Rhys Williams is a very good player, but there are similar players alike already in the squad.
Another Aussie the club should look at is Teeboy Kamara, who has just made his A-League debut. Looks very very good, I sense another Harry Kewel, will not last long at Adelaide United.
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:19 AM
Comment #30ps
i dont think graham carr had anything todo with obertan being signed
Slank
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:21 AM
Comment #31Brutooon
‘….. (Better than Perch who is CAPLESS)…’
Correction
HAPLESS
Slank
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:26 AM
Comment #32Re: Jason Price
Wasn’t Chris Smalling of ManU from Non League Maidstone?
roshan MAGPIE
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:32 AM
Comment #33I thought smalling was from Fulham
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:32 AM
Comment #34sir les started at hays, then was sold to qpr
jayphoto
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:36 AM
Comment #35Dannyo – according to the Bognor fc messageboards he’s an Alan shearer like striker, strong in the air, quick but not rapid, brilliant finisher!
Slank
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Comment #36Roshan
Yes he was.
12 appearances for Maidstone
13 for Fulham
the rest for ManU (and England)
I now remember at the time people questioning whether Sir Alex had developed senile dementia overnight.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Comment #37Ian Wright came in to the top leagues late as well and DJ Campbell,so you never know.
Going back to a post I read yesterday I was wondering when that cupid stunt would rear his ugly head,he mentions how wonderful the club is doing at the moment and that we should be in a position to be able to start paying MA back all his own personal cash he’s given us.I saw an interview with one of the West Ham owners the other day and he claims to have wiped out 30 million of a hundred million debt since they’ve been there,thats without huge transfer fees and double the attendances,Fulham also reported a profit of three million the other week and still managed to spend a few quid.As for starting to pay MA back I would have thought the -59 million in transfer fees,the £40 million a season TV money,gate receipts and the biggest wage bill reduction since the collapse of Barings bank not to mention Mike doing everything by the book so should be wiping ten million a year off for being called the SDA and maybe another 3 million when we’ve got SD on our shirts next season.
Slank
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Comment #38JAYPHOTO
‘…Alan shearer like striker, strong in the air, quick but not rapid, brilliant finisher..’
Also going bald prematurely with poor taste in suits.
Dannyo
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:47 AM
Comment #39@jayphoto
Sounds exciting tho. But he’s 23, i’m not saying he won’t make the step up, but it is late in the game for him, and i wonder why no one has snatched him up before?
And indication as to when he started playing that kind of footie?
tooninspain
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:50 AM
Comment #40Congratulations to all you clever dicks who’ve got nothing better to say or do than criticise Perch. For Christ’s sake, give it a rest….you’re childish and boring. You do eff all for his confidence, and confidence is crucial on the pitch.