News tonight that Blackburn Rovers have completed the signing of Leon Best from Newcastle, for a fee that’s being reported to be over £3M.
Leon Best – scoring against QPR last season
Leon has signed a four year deal at Blackburn, and the personal terms are understood to be very good for the 25 year-old former Southampton and Coventry striker.
Best did quite well at Newcastle, and in a total of 42 appearances he scored 10 goals, and he looked a good striker, who could put the ball in the back of the net.
His best performance for Newcastle was in January of 2010 against West Ham at St. James’ Park, when he hit a hat trick in his starting debut in the Premier League – not too bad.
A statement on the Blackburn website read as follows:
“Blackburn Rovers have this evening completed the signing of Leon Best from Newcastle United. The 25-year-old striker makes the move from the North East to the North West for a fee of more than £3m, signing a four-year deal.”
It’s very unusual for a club to state the size of the fee, but we suppose it’s a message to the Blackburn fans, that they want to put a side together that can go straight back up to the Premier League.
It was a done deal as long as Leon passed his medical, which he seems to have done, and he decided to drop down a division to play at Blackburn, where he will no doubt be hoping to help Blackburn get promoted next season, at the first attempt.
Best will wear the number 9 shirt at Blackburn, and seems to be a direct replacement for Yakubu, who has followed Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka to China, and signed for Guangzhou R&F recently, on a three-year deal.
We wish Leon Best all the very best of luck at Blackburn Rovers.
Comments welcome.
146 comments so far
Shiremagpies
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:34 PM
Comment #81toon 1978
cant agree more, i read one article and i get all excited then 5 mins later the next article comes along to send you in the complete opposite direction…. the lad is phenomenal granted, but i hope he doesnt turn out to be like nicklas bendtner at arsenal, full of himself thinking he can take the world on, possibly gets to carried away with the fee he has commanded etc etc etc. do you agree that to show real strides forward and to cover us for the next 5-6 years de jong and Jordan rhodes would send us fans delirious
MagpiesFlyHigh
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:36 PM
Comment #82Rod Fanni sound like an instruction
MagpiesFlyHigh
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:38 PM
Comment #83Shire
We know Pards is a good man manager and should have the measure of most gobby, arrogant, prima donnas
Only Ranger has proved beyond reason
NUFC FOR SALE
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Comment #84Why do people get so upset that they are not being updated on transfers by the club?
Why on earth would a football club update its fans at every stage of a transfer?
Forget about it, if it happens it happens if it doesn’t?? so what? we’ll go after someone else.
Begs belief that some fans think they should be kept abreast of all transfer dealings 🙂
Toon1978
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:40 PM
Comment #85Shiremagpies
Yes, both players are big talents and i would be extremely happy with both De Jong and Rhodes. I am exactly the same when waiting for news on incoming players, one minute it sounds promising, the next it’s doom lol. For us to have a strong finish next season,it is imperative for us to keep Krul, Santon, Colo,Cabaye,Tiote,Hba,Ba,Cisse. We also have the up and coming Vuckic, Ferguson and Abeid not to mention the quality we have in our reserves in Campbell, Richardson and Streete to things look pretty healthy atm but it would be even better to get the likes of De Jong, Rhodes, Anita and Debuchy.
Toon1978
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:42 PM
Comment #86NUFC FOR SALE
I think your post was directed at me lol. But i did not say i wanted to be updated all the time. A little info would be nice from time to time. After 33 years of support i have no hair left through the stress hahaha.
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:48 PM
Comment #87Is cabaye on twitter? also the debuchy one is well fake there is no way a player would write that about a club he might be joining.
NUFC FOR SALE
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:48 PM
Comment #88Toon1975 not directed directly at you, you’re certainly not the only one 🙂
I just don’t get why people start getting upset about transfer dealings.
Look we’ve been linked and signed much much bigger names than De Jong in the past (Owen springs to mind) and they turn out to be hopeless.
Just let the transfer window play out, see who we get and then we’ll get on with it.
I think we’ll do alright this window (5 million for Best and Forster is a great great start) just bide your time.
Carr has already said the club have 3 options for every position when looking for a player.
From what I’ve seen I’m not totally convinced with De Jong anyway, he looks like a Pavlyuchenko type to me and i’m not sure that fits in with the 4-3-3 formation we are likely to play and most teams are adopting.
I’d prefer to see Junior Hoillett and Adam Johnson
Sazzer
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Comment #89I hope for some Twentfers and some classy underbid action on tomorrows menu.
Shane
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:51 PM
Comment #90Just seen that old Carlsberg advert with the ex England guys with Sir Bobby as manager. Great advert… The bit with Sir Bobby really got me though. 🙁 What a legend of a bloke he was! Sorely missed!
rich_toonfan
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:51 PM
Comment #91Sazzer ???
Which strategy? I mention 2 opposite ones.
The gamble leeds took whih back fired and the one that spurs have been using over the past few years. Try and be as close to the top 4 as possible to give yourself a chance. If you don’t spend a lot and don’t make it then no problem.
The clubs that are in it every year like man utd, Milan, real, barca etc know pretty much they will be in it every season so can afford to spend large amounts knowing they will qualify.
peterrwrightt
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:54 PM
Comment #92looks like we’re gunna have to go through another day of twitter lies getting our hopes up. De Jong news tomorrow please 🙂
yorkshireToon
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Comment #93The debuchy account was tweeting when France were playing and it also said he was in chile on one of the tweets during the euros.. And cabaye is on twitter..
@nufcfans: Here’s the brief Sunday Express story from yesterday – £5m fee agreed they say > http://t.co/7XVUkhM6 – @elfvoetbal figure is £6.4m. #NUFC
From a Dutch media
Toon1978
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Comment #94NUFC FOR SALE
I know hat you mean mate and i do agree believe it or not lol, but a little info form time to time would be nice but that is not going to happen any time soon.
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 10:58 PM
Comment #95Now ya’ll call me yo lol
http://www.yohan-cabaye.com/
rich_toonfan
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM
Comment #96I wonder why DL went out to holland?
It’s not often you hear of directors going to meet other clubs to directly negotiate a fee. Something must be going on. If we hadn’t got a deal in place I can’t see why they would have made the trip.
If they knew twente wanted 15 million and we wouldn’t pay it, it would be a strange move heading out there. Hopefully they are goin there to tie a deal up and conclude negotiations.
Bit worried the transfer sage guy said we were only after Douglas and de Jong was paper talk. Hope it’s not right but then again he would be guessing like us anyway.
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:03 PM
Comment #97…Debuchy on cabaye..Mathieu Debuchy (Lille player)
He is a good player, an international class player. We met at the trainee center of Lille and he already had a huge potential. His best quality, I would say his kindness. He is level-headed and remains simple. We are on the phone twice a months and we had lunch few weeks ago. I am planning to come and see him play in England soon enough. We share a passion for tattoos and we often discuss about the next one. Besides, we both have a tattoo representing a rosary.
I am proud to get the chance to play in the French national team with him. It felt special because we have the same route since the beginning of our career.
When he left Lille, I was happy and sad at the same time. I knew we wouldn’t be able to see each other every day but It was a good thing for him to join a good team abroad. I am not surprised about his adaptation to the premiership. Yohan’s game can match with any kind of football. If he would have been to Spain, no doubt he would have as comfortable as he can be in Newcastle. He is now proving that he can evolve at a very high level
I am sure that within the next two years, he will join one of the best European club.
Eden Hazard (Lille player)
First of all, Yohan is a friend. I know him since I have been integrated in the professional team. He was very helpful to me when I first arrived. I was only 16 years old and it may be tough to find your place. At that time, Yohan was close to Kevin Mirallas another Belgian player, and eventually, I got closer to them. He took me under his wing and when Kevin Mirallas left Lille; I took the sit next to his in the changing room. He has always been an example to me. Indeed, I watched him on my TV screen during the Champions’ League. Automatically, I was envious of him and wanted to put myself in his shoes especially because he is a product of the trainee center.
To me, he is a Xavi but less talented (laugh). He is above the average regarding his passes and in the way he sees the game.
My best memory with him is the past season. We won the championship and the “Coupe de France”. By that time we said that it was something special we were lucky enough to share. Here is one specific memory with Yo. Before my first game as a professional player, I was sharing my bedroom with Lichtsteiner. Yo and Kevin Mirallas were sharing another one. So, I decided to visit them and I would come back later to my room. Eventually I stayed and spend the night between them. We made one bed out of the two we had. I didn’t sleep that well, and I woke up with pain in my back. Fortunately, I didn’t play the day after. One other memory was the friendly match between France and Belgium. During the match, I only got hit once… By Yo! He stepped on my foot so hard that I still have a mark today. I couldn’t sleep the night after the game.
My personal message to Yo: The 2012 European Championship is coming. I hope he will be a part of it. Actually, I am not worried about that, I am sure he will. May he enjoy because it’s a big chance to participate to such a monumental event. In any case I wish him to keep performing as he does at the moment.
his siblings
players
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kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Comment #98The site also gives his agents email adress for contact and ll
Sazzer
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Comment #99Rich
Developing or buying English players on the cheap.
Marty-Toon
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:08 PM
Comment #100http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFEJWNFC9o
That’s a cracking add,with wor bobby in it.
Great laugh they’re havin with waddle and beardo
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:11 PM
Comment #101Lmfao eden hazard ”I was sharing my bedroom with Lichtsteiner. Yo and Kevin Mirallas were sharing another one. So, I decided to visit them and I would come back later to my room. Eventually I stayed and spend the night between them. We made one bed out of the two we had. I didn’t sleep that well, and I woke up with pain in my back. Fortunately, I didn’t play the day after” funny stuff
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:11 PM
Comment #102I love this blog….this morning it was all about racism and tonight….fanni.
Keep it up one and all.
Goodnight
FootballPsycho
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:15 PM
Comment #103If I’m honest, I think this whole Luuk de Jong saga is just a smokescreen. It stinks of Erdinc/Maiga. Cisse was a player we were linked with very early on last summer; it was briefly dismissed as just a rumour. In January he was then snapped up and nothing was heard about the other 2 well-publicised sagas. Briefly this summer early on, we were linked with Kevin Gameiro (apparently he was “offered” to us by PSG for £7m). That rumour has gone cold; but with us being in for him last summer and them having just signed Lavezzi, I think he is the man we will end up with under the radar. It mirrors the Cisse transfer eerily from start to finish. I also think that the young striker we’ll be after is not Luuk de Jong but John Guidetti due to similar reasoning and circumstances.
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Comment #104Demba ba was a center mid before striker
peterrwrightt
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:24 PM
Comment #105kevy
Ba a center mid? yaya toure right there!
kevymartins
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:24 PM
Comment #106It says that on his biography on his website
peterrwrightt
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Comment #107hang on, i’m starting to prefer the idea of signing Gamerio and Guidetti… Ba Cisse Gamerio Guidetti / Ba Cisse De Jong Guidetti – sort of strike force i have on FIFA12…exciting to think of.
SupaToonKid
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:27 PM
Comment #108FootballPsycho
You maybe be onto something there with Gameiro also maybe Luc Castaignos of Inter maybe another. I think we do have an interest in Luuk de Jong but if Twente continue to overprice then we’ll just get Douglas from them and Anita from Ajax and that’ll be business completed in Holland by Llambias. Who knows though, I just hope we get a signing this week as I can’t stomach all these anti-climaxes!
peterrwrightt
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Comment #109night lads. here’s hoping we have a player signed tomorrow.
Sazzer
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:36 PM
Comment #110Kevin Mirallas that’s your guy psycho.
FootballPsycho
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:37 PM
Comment #111SupaToonKid
I’m glad you agree with me. I also thought Luc Castaignos was another possibility…however I only mentioned Guidetti because we’re actually (supposedly) in Holland right now…I also think we’ll sign Roberto Rosales instead of Douglas and also linking in to players we were after but have gone cold…Leroy Fer, but Anita is the smokescreen. I just don’t buy all these transfers being so public, we just don’t do that anymore.
FootballPsycho
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:41 PM
Comment #112Sazzer
That Mirallas guy seems to be pretty impressive in terms of stats. 34 goals in 52 games for Olympiacos for a winger/striker who’s only 24…not too shabby at all. And it also links in with us playing them in a friendly too doesn’t it…hmmmmm…you’ve made me think hahahaha
davybtoon
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:49 PM
Comment #113Mail say we’re close to getting Douglas n de Jong
GeordieToon89
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:03 AM
Comment #114We surely must be close to signing a striker considering Lovenkrands and Best have both left… Btw Mirralles is cracking player and is a very close friend of Cabaye
surreytoon
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:13 AM
Comment #115The problem is we and Twente are too far apart in valuation. Twente are trying the same tactics we did with Liverpool. If Carroll went for £35m without an England cap, they think De Jong is worth at least E20m. We will try our luck with £10m, and if he agitates we may get him but if we dont then we’ll move on.
davybtoon
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:18 AM
Comment #116Gt89 yea with loven n best gone I reckon won’t b long b4 a striker or 2 is signed, reckon Douglas will b a matter of days along with Curtis good
Beardo
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:19 AM
Comment #117At noon tomorrow, keep an eye on the Twitter hills to the east, you will see two new stars appear in black and white.
davybtoon
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:24 AM
Comment #118I do think we will hav a couple of signings this week
PIBID (the poster formerly known as hattambenarfa)
Jul 3, 2012 at 12:46 AM
Comment #119Mirallas is a shout and i think we may have stumbled across something. ..hmm. Also as much as i dont want there to be think theres something in the douglas story him and krul future dutch starters. No legs in the anita story for me expect us to bring in a cm from france/germany. Id like kuzmanovic and tasci double raid from stuttgart 😀
Twatter
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:01 AM
Comment #120@Beardo Will there be Dekkah and the Fat Controller dressed as Joseph and Mary with baby Luuk in a manger? Starring Colin, Ketsbaia and Indian Magpie as the three wise men.