Reports in France today that Newcastle are ready to offer midfielder Romain Amalfitano a three-year contract.
Romain Amalfitano – plays for Reims in French second division
The 22-year-old plays for Stade Reims in the French second division and he is the younger brother of Morgan, who plays for Olympique Marseille.
Romain is out of contract in the summer, and the news is that he is about to sign a pre-contract deal with Newcastle United, before the summer transfer window opens.
That’s how Newcastle signed Mehdi Abeid last season from Lens, and the deal is made official when July rolls around, so this could be Newcastle’s first signing of the summer.
Amalfitano is 5’9″ tall and was born in Nice, and he is an attacking right-footed midfielder, who started his career at French club Evian before moving to Reims in 2010, on a two year contract.
We can only assume he is another youngster who has been scouted by Newcastle Chief Scout Graham Carr, and it will be interesting to see just how good this lad is, as he turned 22 last August.
Romain Amalfitano – that’s a pretty shirt
Romain has played 23 times this season for Reims and has scored three goals and has three assists, and in the last two seasons he has made a total of 59 appearances for Reims with 9 goals and 5 assists.
Newcastle will be releasing twelve members of their Development squad this summer, and owner Mike Ashley has released funds for the club to sign up youngsters from around Europe.
We expect a number of them to come from France, which is a good market for the Tyneside club.
And this signing will auger well for the summer, when we suspect Newcastle will bring in quite a few players to be part of the first team and development squads.
Comments welcome.
NUFC News 24/7
50 responses so far ↓
1 Indian Magpie // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:32 AM
i dont know what 2 say, i dont anything abt him
2 planb's revenge // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:32 AM
not seen this lad. where’s naifron?
3 planb's revenge // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:36 AM
@Indian
what was that about frazier Campbell?
4 Rotonda heights // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:39 AM
A guy was on here a couple of weeks ago mentioning this. I wish I could remember who he was, as he is obviously ITK!!!
5 Indian Magpie // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:40 AM
he is in England’s squad to face Holland, IMHO undeservedly so
6 JackButler // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:40 AM
He can play on either wing is quick, tricky and chips in with a goal or two
How the hell does Campbell get a call up when Chamberlain is left for the under 21′s????
7 Beattie25 // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:41 AM
7Beattie25 // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:37 AM
I think the wolves match is a big game for Pardew.
Other than Saylor it is the strongest team selection possible at the moment and I will be intrigued to see who and how we play.
If Benny doesn’t start Pards doesn’t rate him and if we play hoof ball Pards is tactically useless.
Also on the talk of summer transfers the following (IMO) should be a priority and certainly a possibilty!
2 CB’s (Douglas on a free, m’bwia/Vertohogen/that Lille player)
1 exciting LB/RB (nagatomo/contento/izaguairre)
1 DM (mo Diame on a free)
1 attck cm (corgnet)
1 RW/LW (Hoilett on a free)
1 young CF (Rhodes/Jay Rodriguez)
I reckon a net spend of 12 million on transfers supplemented by selling the likes of Simmo, willo, Colo, perch and best would turn our team into top 4 contenders.
Add to that the 15 mill to be spent on youth and other freebies and it could be exciting.
In reality I don’t think there is any chance but we will see.
8 Stuart // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Give it a minute Indian Mag, you’ll think of something miserable to say.
9 martoon // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:43 AM
JB from last topic. Not such a bad thing Fraizer Campbell in England squad and Sessignon off to Ethiopia days before the Derby – balances Cisse going to South Africa.
10 Beattie25 // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:44 AM
That is an outrage!
How can Campbell get called up and simpson and perch br left out.
Stuart Pearce you fcuker!’
11 JackButler // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Stuart @8 – thanks mate, almost choked on my coffee after reading that
12 WWJBD // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:45 AM
JB
Campbell 140+ games fair load being in the PL
Ox 58 6 of which are PL
Personnally I see the logic
13 JackButler // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:46 AM
martoon – Agree mate, but from a point of view of England picking the best available players who the hell can he pick Campbell and leave Chamberlain out???
14 JackButler // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:47 AM
WWJBD
For a competitive game maybe, but for a friendly can’t see why he’d be left out, great experience for the lad with little pressure
15 Beattie25 // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Hopefully micha Richards will get a game ahead of Glenn Johnson!
At least that pony tailed Cnut isn’t in the team. I was dreading having to watch him in the summer!!!
16 Ciaran Thomas // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:51 AM
How isn’t Danny Guthrie not in the England team ?.
17 wynsleap // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Turned 22 and still playing in the French Second Division?
I’d have thought he’d have been playing in a higher class of football than that if he’d been real quality.
It is to be hoped that Carr has seen something in him that others haven’t. Another French mis-firer like Obertan worries me however.
18 Beattie25 // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Hart
Richards
Cahill
Jones
Baines
Barry
Parker
Gerrard
Sturridge
Rooney
Wellbeck
19 SurefootedShola // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Crap player. We’ll sign him and never see him play for the first team.
20 John // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Great to see nufc has a plan of action when it comes to transfers and building up the squad for far to long things when down to the wire on deadline day and making desperate calls at the last min to get people up to newcastle only for them to be over paid and under preforming.
21 Indian Magpie // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Pardew is Tactically Inept, There you go Stuart, that makes your day,
22 Stuart // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Haha sorry Jack, I couldnt resist like.
23 WWJBD // Feb 23, 2012 at 11:57 AM
JB
Aye fair one but Ox strikes me as a johnny big balls type plus this close to the Euros it should really be the squad that is going though don’t ya think? I probably would of included Ox but I can see why he has been left out
24 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM
another frenchman? what is it with ash and the french? i think most of us know the answer , and why another midfielder?mm strange!
25 JackButler // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:03 PM
WWJBD
I’d take Ox as he as pace, power, can cross, score and is a unknown quantity on on the international stage and England have been nothing over the years if not predictable
26 toonincheek // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Stuart @8 -
No problem – he’ll just copy one from a previous thread.
Ah . . . just seen he’s done it already.
27 Toon Tang // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:08 PM
get defensive cover. weve got midfielders coming out of our arses.
28 AndyMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:22 PM
Toon Tang says:
” weve got midfielders coming out of our arses”
Maybe a rephrase on that TT ?
Lets hope Amalfitano is not just an out of contract, therefore no fee involved, bargain. We havent done too well with those in the past..
29 chris_g // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:25 PM
wynsleap – “Another French mis-firer like Obertan worries me however”
Fair point, although I think it was Pards who was responsible for the Obertan signing, rather than Graham Carr.
In Carr we trust
30 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 12:56 PM
wyn @17 good point there mate.22 – still in 2nd division in france -either ash has already got a buyer for him, or ash has really excelled his foot ball knowledge, or he aint very good, who knows? seriously though, who is moving on if we get this lad in ?
31 Whos_SuperMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 1:12 PM
This guy is a bit of a gamble, but only a small gamble. It isn’t going to cost much to get him over here, how much can he be getting paid in the French second division. Remember were dealing with Mike Ashley here, not a guy known to spend extravagantly that often, not on his football club anyway. So it’s a gamble but a calculated one.
32 Whos_SuperMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 1:21 PM
If he doesn’t cut it as a footballer after his 1st year, Ashley will put him in one of his stores for the remaining years on his contract, and he’d still probably be on better wages than he is now… To think of it why hasn’t he done that with the other free loaders we have on our books!!!
33 Munster Mag // Feb 23, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Beattie, what is hoofball? . Personally i consider hoofball to be Stoke – old wimbledon – Bolton under Sam. We dont play that type of game at all. And we have a manager who has us waaaay up the league – what planet u on ?
34 StuW // Feb 23, 2012 at 1:46 PM
It is amazing how many are saying Amalfitano is crap, yet haven’t seen him play. The reason he is stayed at Reims, and not moved to another club is because he wanted to be at a club where he is going to play regular at his age. Also, not many will know how big a club Reims are. They were in the first European Cup(Champions League) final in the 50s, and also two years later. Six times champion of France, won everything in France.
The reason they are in the second tier is because the club folded about 20 years ago and had to start from the bottom, and have started shooting up the leagues over the past few years.
Think of this lad as a younger version of Cabaye. I can see why they want him in, if Cabaye picks up any injuries or suspensions, this lad comes in as a like-for-like replacement. Sensible buy, free transfer, almost certainly will make a profit should they sell, and at 22, has a lot of time to improve. His brother didn’t really get going until three seasons ago, so he may be a late bloomer like his brother.
35 toonincheek // Feb 23, 2012 at 1:58 PM
All too easy to criticise a quick counterattack, while the opposition is out of position, as hoofball.
36 Colo-Sus // Feb 23, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Beattie
Selling COLO are you completely out of your Tree!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!
Other than that I agree with your Post re summer window.
37 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 2:44 PM
stuW @34 how do you know so much about the guy, and where have you seen him play apart from you-tube?
38 philippealbert // Feb 23, 2012 at 3:03 PM
a very small footballer
39 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 23, 2012 at 3:38 PM
Colo should be sold if he doesn’t agree to take a wage cut. He is very good but there is a system in place and if he doesn’t buy into the ethos then that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Hope he realises that at his age and status with our club as captain that he should be demonstrating to the younger players that the club is bigger than the individual, so hopefully it irons itself out.
40 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 4:02 PM
ruddy @39 ” collo should be sold if he dosnt agree to a wage cut. ” would you take one if youn were the leader of your team, group, organisation . or whatever. and where the core of your team ? yeah. so any one who dosnt take a pay cut now can F..k off.? not really the attitude of a club looking to build a team to get into europe with is it . By selling players of his age , we are loosing experience.You win nothing with a team full of inexperienced kids, ask sir alex, -rio 34-scholes37-giggs38 , you tell sir alex there too old .We wont be paying him for his pace, but his understanding of the game and the knowledge he has accrued over the years. That is how you get into europe.
41 StuW // Feb 23, 2012 at 4:08 PM
stuart no9 @#37 –
I follow Reims in actual fact, have done for the past two or three years. Something about a fallen giant I suppose. Quite a good team to watch, you should watch a match or two, especially this season, they look like they may get into Ligue 1
42 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 4:48 PM
stuW @41 my apologies . didnt mean to sound rude , he was just a player no one had heard of ,but you had good knowledge on. you follow reims. why? again no offence, lol
43 StuW // Feb 23, 2012 at 7:00 PM
stuart no9 – Don’t really know, I was reading about their rise and sudden fall, and it just got me intrigued. Since then I have followed, and enjoyed watching them progress
. They have some very good players, wouldn’t be surprised if Amalfitano is the only Reims player being monitored, Coutadeur(attack midfield), Ca(Tiote-esque) and a couple of others are very good players.
44 AndyMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 7:25 PM
Whos_SuperMac says:
“If he doesn’t cut it as a footballer after his 1st year, Ashley will put him in one of his stores for the remaining years on his contract, and he’d still probably be on better wages than he is now… To think of it why hasn’t he done that with the other free loaders we have on our books!!!”
Manager of Gateshead Store Mr A Smith, Sports shoe dept, Mr Francisco Jiménez Tejada and Head of Shop Security Mr P Lovenkrands (he’ll have to run after the bastads who dont pay) !
45 AndyMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 7:28 PM
Stuart No 9 it looks like they’ll take a younger CB, for less, in the summer and Colo will go to the highest bidder
46 StuW // Feb 23, 2012 at 7:52 PM
Colo is 30, and is one of Newcastle’s highest paid players. In theory, he will start the road to decline soon, and to have him on a reported 60-70k pw is not financially good.
47 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 9:23 PM
stuW @46 his experience will be invaluable. to loose him for a younger model means we start from scratch AGAIN!
48 stuart no9 // Feb 23, 2012 at 9:31 PM
andymac @45 I just dont get it.selling experience like collo just dont make sense. world cups amd european championships are won by experience players who know what is needed , and who keep a calm head. we sell them for some one else to reap the rewards aaaaaarggh.
49 AndyMac // Feb 23, 2012 at 9:42 PM
stuart no9 says:
andymac @45 I just dont get it.selling experience like collo just dont make sense. world cups amd european championships are won by experience players who know what is needed , and who keep a calm head. we sell them for some one else to reap the rewards aaaaaarggh.
One day stu the fat bloke will find some new toys to play with and we’ll live to tell the tale
50 Ryan2502 // Feb 23, 2012 at 10:50 PM
@7. Beattie25, glad u brought the name izaguirre up. I hoped we would have getn him as a replacement for Enrique, at the start of the season, as he looked a really good player (albeit in Scottish Prem Lge) before he broke his ankle. Hopefully we might go in for him now he’s fit again.
previous post: Wolves Now Unlikely To Have New Manager At Newcastle
next post: Profile Of A 16 Year-Old Columbian At Newcastle’s Academy