We have to think that Newcastle were as frustrated this summer as they were last summer, when we failed to sign a striker to replace Andy Carroll, and only brought in free agent Demba Ba.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – Montpellier captain on the radar screen
That was put right in January when Newcastle shelled out about 9M for Papiss Cisse, and the Senegal striker made a fantastic start to his Newcastle career with 13 goals in his first 14 appearances for Newcastle, although he still has to get off the mark this season.
The plans in the summer were to bring in a couple of defenders and a young striker, but Newcastle didn’t manage any of that, signing only 19 year-old youngster Curtis Good from the Melbourne Heart in August.
And the news in the Journal this morning is that Newcastle hope to bolster their defense in January, and it seems that Montpellier’s captain Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is back on the radar screen.
Mapou can play anywhere along the back four, so he is an excellent utility defender, and is ball playing defender who stands 6′ tall.
Newcastle have been checking on the player for over a year, but with Montpellier winning the French League for the first time last season, his transfer price went up, and his agents wanted a cut too.
But it now seems his club are willing to let him move on and Yanga-Mbiwa has always said he would love to play in the Premier League.
The 23 year-old was born in the Central African Republic and has played 190 times for Montpellier with four goals, and from what we can tell his contract runs out next summer, so he could come at a cut price if that’s true.
But if Newcastle are going after a center-back, we have to think FC Twente’s Douglas would be a target, and he would also come at a cut price, since he will become a free agent next summer, after deciding at the last moment to see out his contract in Holland.
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23 comments so far
ilovetoon8788
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Comment #1Yea we’ll strengthen. HAHHAHAHAHH
FollowFollow
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:45 AM
Comment #2Might be too late by Jan with the Times reporting that Colo is out for up to 6 weeks.
nico
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Comment #3Will we now? Lets just see eh. When an injury ravaged first half of the season see’s us mid table with no real chance of a top 6 finish, out the league and Euro Cup and with no real chance of success, there will be no point.
If however the injuries are limited, Pardew managers the team with expertise e.g. 4-2-3-1 (PLEASE Pards) and we are in 5/6th pos and still in Euros then I think we will strenghten.
Well, I’m looking forward to finding out.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Comment #4Well strengthen if we can pick up a bargain certainly. That’s what we do, mixed feelings about it, but that’s the way it seems to be, even as it becomes more and more difficult to pull it off.
I think they’re onto us Mike! What are you gonna do?
nico
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Comment #5FollowFollow
I think Perch is good enough to cover for Collo. He is fit though, right??
nico
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:51 AM
Comment #6jawballsaswallwell
Mike’s new plan as I see.
Keep doing what they did before but don’t budge on price and walk away. Occassionally one will come off.
Keep buying bright young talent and train up to first team level.
Become the Ajax of England but with more capability to keep hold of the players.
Then in 10 years time we will become the Barcelona of England.
20 years time we will rule Europe and World football and make a massive profit every year.
eaststandgeordie1982
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:53 AM
Comment #7Would just like to say happy birthday speedo R.I.P x
Speedo theres only one speedo
GeordieDan
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:56 AM
Comment #8Ha ha. Its Groundhog day again!
Love that film. Hate this bullshit.
Why waste time and effort looking at hundreds or thousands of potential targets to then not bother bringing ANYONE in?
3 kids and a DM? When we needed 2 strikers and 2 defenders. Almost as funny as the film actually!
NUFC must be the most exasperating club to support in the World. :/
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:56 AM
Comment #9Very persuasive Nico, makes me wonder how I’ve ever doubted it in my darker moments.
FollowFollow
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:02 AM
Comment #10nico, do you mind making it 15 for world domination? I’m not sure the old knees will bear how often I’ll be jumping up to cheer the goals 6, 7 8, 9…..
nico
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Comment #11FollowFollow & jawballsaswallwell
Sorry it’s got to be 20 years. These things take time.
FAU
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Comment #12I think Ashley wanna get better deal for Mbiwa, because his contract run-out next june. so In January Montpellier must sell him unless wanna lose him for free. cut-out price 🙂
wynsleap
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Comment #13Ed – we’ve just had the closing of this window with virtually nothing of note coming in (with maybe the exception of Anita) so please don’t start talking about January possible signings already. All the names being bandied about probably won’t happen anyway so the speculation is pretty worthless.
I know you have a blog to fill and I accept it is a great one but how much disappointment can we all take with “possible” signings that turn out to be nowt?
I for one don’t have the heart to talk about new recruits again when we have just had a bellyful of the non event signings of De Jong, Debuchy and Douglas.
stuart no9
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Comment #14no disrespect ed but, you have to stop these ” players we are going to sign ” topics, theyre not going down very well with some fans – and who can blame them. they are just winding people up, and im sure your not doing yhat on purpose, but they are annoying.
Turkish Magpie
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Comment #15As a Turkish fan that watched the game last night, I can thoroughly say Krul is not just the best goalkeeper in holland but one of the best in the world, he made some outstanding saves, was commanding and never looked out of place, Turkey definitely deserved to win the game or a draw at least after missing 2 1 on 1’s, hitting the bar, post and Krul making some outstanding saves but I can 10000000% say Holland would not have won the game if Krul didn’t play.
Also another note, Turkey’s 2 CB’s looked outstanding both are only 21, yet not for 1 second looked in any bother, they literally had Van Persie and Robben and whoever came at them in their back pockets, Newcastle should definitely consider going for 1 because they are young, reasonably cheap and absolutely amazing!
Robinio
Sep 8, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #16Oh really ? when will you ever learn ? So long as the FCB remains in charge there will be minimal investment and how much proof of that do you want ?How many transfer windows of derisory offers leading to precisely f*** all ? All this false optimisim is ridiculous – get real , we are going nowhere with that fat cockney bastard and his cohorts in charge
blew
Sep 8, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #17We can now look forward to 5 months of who we are interested in, on a daily basis. Then when nothing happens in January, we can read on a daily basis who we are going to sign in summer.Last seasons great finish and the good will towards Mr Ashley that went with it, has been wasted by not strengthening the side. Even Man City brought 5 top players in, and look who they already had on the bench. The younger players are not ready to step up.
Rotonda heights
Sep 8, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Comment #18Robinio
Colo 10M Cisse 9M Anita 7M Santon 5M Jonas 5M ring any bells
Plus Tiote, Ba, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Marveux
Previously Barton 6M, Smith 6M
I’m sure we came 5th, could be wrong!
Rotonda heights
Sep 8, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Comment #19blew
I’m sure it’s only 3 months, 3 weeks
Rotonda heights
Sep 8, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Comment #20How do you lnow the young players aren’t ready to step up. Bigi looks good to me as does Abeid and hopefully young Campbell.
They’ll never get experience not playing them
Robinio
Sep 8, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Comment #21yes and a long time ago and how many high profile departures to balance those ? how much ofrthe AC cash that was promised to be re-invested remains unspent ? About £500 mill was spend by premiership clubs last window , how much by us ? We are one of the best supported , huge sponsorship and tv revenues yet have less ambition than pretty much everyone . Its a disgrace
Levi
Sep 8, 2012 at 4:19 PM
Comment #22@stuart no9
why dont you just stop reading them?
naptoon
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Comment #23rotonda
colo and jonas where bought just b4 ashley and yes while last season we came 5th ashleys 1st season in charge led to us being relegated following masterstrokes such as dennis wise, constructive dismissal of keegan, joe kinear, xisco selling milner, given the list goes on im sure thats what happened could be wrong.
i predict one of tiote cabaye or benny will b sold in transfer window and we will spend 5 to 8 mill on a cb/rb or both combined and once again we will see the toon “wipe its nose” infact more so make a healthy profit and not reinvest.