There were reports yesterday that Newcastle have bid £2.5M for 20 year-old left-back Massadio Haidara of Nancy, and it seems Newcastle are now talking terms with the player and his agent.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – could be arriving on Tyneside
There’s not much time left in this transfer window with just over two weeks to go, and Newcastle need a striker and some defensive reinforcements, but we wonder if Newcastle are after Moussa Sissoko, and it would be a surprise if we’re not, since he’s available for £3.5M from Toulouse – a bargain buy.
The news is that Newcastle are going after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Saint Etienne, and he is the second choice striker to Loic Remy, who passed a medical yesterday at QPR and is expected to sign for the London club today.
But it could be that Saint Etienne don’t want to sell until the summer, so it will be interesting to see if Newcastle can get the 23 year-old over the line before February, because we desperately need a striker and we have only Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi as experienced strikers at the club, after Demba Ba left on January 4th.
And there must also be some doubt as to whether Newcastle can bring in 23 year-old Siem de Jong, the Ajax captain, as we don’t think the Dutch Champions will want to sell him in January, although there was news yesterday that Newcastle had launched a £9M bid fro the Dutch International.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the Montpelier captain would be a great buy and he can play anywhere across the back line, and Graham Carr has watched the player for Newcastle for over a year now, and it could be he is coming to Newcastle, but Arsenal are also keen on the French International defender.
We find it hard to believe that Newcastle can get Siem de Jong to the club in January, and in fact we think there is no chance of that, but Newcastle may go after Yanga-Mbiwa if the club agrees to let Coloccini go back to Argentina this month to San Lorenzo, but why they would let Colo go back to South America – we have no idea.
Of these players the likelihood is that we we’ll struggle to pry away these players from their clubs in Jnauary.
And of course we are still reeling from QPR gazumping our pursuit of Loic Remy at the very last moment, and the FA really have to bring in some limits on what clubs can pay these players – a salary cap or something – since QPR simply don’t have the money and are simply relying on Tony Fernandez pouring money into the small London club, with the smallest ground in the Premier League.
So of these five players we think it’s reasonable that we could bring in Massadio Haidara and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, and maybe Moussa Sissoko, but that will not be enough after we have already lost Demba Ba and could lose Fab Coloccini tomorrow.
If we only get two through the door it will be a fight to stave off relegation in May.
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149 comments so far
Kyo
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:32 AM
Comment #1We won’t sign any of them.
soundoid
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:37 AM
Comment #2We can only F##k with the cocks we,ve got.
nick_9
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:40 AM
Comment #3Probably going to end up with Grant Holt or Danny Graham. Right now i’d take either.
No Plain Saylor
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:43 AM
Comment #4The FA, Fifa, Uefa.. none of them have the balls to ever implement any of the fair play rules, rich clubs will always rule this game. it would be great if the case was otherwise but sadly it aint and it wont ever be. Don’t really fancy Siem De Jong as a player to fit into a front three with Benny and Cisse. Remy could have, and Aubameyang i even better again, he’s the lad in form, the one i wanted all along.. But we will not get him in january, he doesnt want to go, they dont want to sell. Belhanda would be next for me, Benny Cisse Belhanda?
Tasty trio.. Yanga Mbiwa would be excellent, Sissoko is a must, sheer class. Guidetti or Welback on loan would hold us over till the summer if we cant get a decent striker.
Rozzy
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:50 AM
Comment #5Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa would be a bigger transfer coup than Remy would have been. This lad has it all including pace which is rare in a centre back. It would be very hard to bring him in and if he does I can see him only being hear a few seasons before he will be wanting away to a bigger club like Man Utd or AC Milan. Lets wait and see
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:55 AM
Comment #6NPS i agree with you on welbeck and guidetti, but siem de jong would probs play in behind cisse in attacking mid to feed balls to him since he aint getting the service right now. tbh i think hed be a great signing, hes captain of Ajax isnt he, so must have good leadership skills, good reading of the game etc, hes quick and is a proven provider/scorer. whats not to like lol
ginkoh
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:55 AM
Comment #7More likely we will lose more players but no more signing. sad.
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 1:59 AM
Comment #8Yoann Gourcuff is reportedly available for around 4 million… hes had a few bad seasons of injuries, just getting back to form…sounds like a player we’d go after, im not sure on his current wage tho…might be a sticking point if its over a fiver and a pasty
NUFC_LEAZES END
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:04 AM
Comment #9@nick9
Apologies, I’ll just ask the sun to put more words in, because I have that power…..
No Plain Saylor
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:05 AM
Comment #10When you put it like that Zero! haha i think pardew would play two up top if he got de jong, i think we play best at 433, so a remy/ Aubameyang/ Belhanda type that would fit as a pacy attack minded winger, with a midfield trio behind that consisting of Cabs Sissoko and Anita/Tiote. That would be brilliant. Debuchy and Santon up the flanks, Yanga Mbiwa and Okore (summer signing?) cbs. Timmy in nets, we’d be back in the top 6.. cough.. with a new manager
RonVanDam
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:05 AM
Comment #11Siem will be excellent aquisition if we go him. We’ll then have Siem and Cabaye feeding Cisse to get the goals.
I also rate Aubameyang higher than Remy. Now that he has got his hands on a big payday, i doubt his heart will cope with the pace of PL
No Plain Saylor
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:06 AM
Comment #12Wsnt Gourcuff at Malaga? Id say his wages are massive man!
Mister Tuff
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:17 AM
Comment #13No plain sailor – you mentioned Younes Belhanda -terrific player – thing is he’s currently available. Montpellier say he can leave.
Toon73
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:23 AM
Comment #14More pie in the sky fairy tale ramblings…we tried to get more players through the door, but couldn’t get them over the line.
Yawn…
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:23 AM
Comment #15I thought Gourcuff was at lyon?
others that have been rumoured to be available and would fit as suitable cover:
Mathieu Valbuena box to box midfielder
Federico Fazon cb or holding midfielder 3 mill
Mohamed Diame 3.5 mill
Foxworth
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:26 AM
Comment #16Not pertinent to Ed’s post but I hope Saturday’s team resembles something like:
Krul
Debuchy – Saylor – Colo – Santon
Obertan – Anita – Cabaye -Marveaux – Jonas
Cisse
In a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 with Obertan & Jonas pushing up from midfield.
I think Marveaux plays better in the park and with 2 other CM’s it would assist Cabaye in his fitness also.
Here’s hoping.
santonthenewmaldini
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:28 AM
Comment #17Siem de Jong?? Are you mental??
We will NEVER GET HIM he is AMAZING!!
He is like a proper No 10 in fact a midfield trio of :
Tiote/Anita/Sissoko Dm
Cabaye Cm
De Jong No 10
Would actually be unreal maybe if we were challenging for europe the guy might fancy it cause thats how we got Anita but i doubt he will want to come
Mbiwa would be unreal as well but I dont think he will fancy it Arsenal will probably want to get him
Annoying thing is we could have got them in the summer when our stock was high I hope we dont waste time with these guys and then leave it too late for the 2nd and 3rd choice
Also it will be shocking if Sissoko goes to either Villa or Sunderland and we dont make any kind of bid
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:34 AM
Comment #18Tiote————Anita
——–Sissoko——-
Cabaye——De Jong
——–Cisse———-
id be a happy man with that lol
nick_9
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:35 AM
Comment #19Leases – I can’t tell if you are saying that humorously or with a bit of attitude. I was merely making conversation at a time when the blog is slow.
Latest news is we’re in talks with five players, be nice to have one over the line for weekend but if not we’ve got 10 days to get them over the line and some players back before the next game
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:37 AM
Comment #20could switch sissko and cabs around with hba or marv on depending on if we needed to push up field
nick_9
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:38 AM
Comment #21Foxworth i think you have got the players right as we don’t really have any other players available worthy of a starting place. Bigi and perch could step in but I cannot see if, it has to be some form of 4:5:1 or 4:3:3 as we’re lacking up top
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:40 AM
Comment #22Is anyone concerned with the defenders we have been linked to…. im guessing they are going to make Collo stay other wise we are going to have to spend serious money to replace him with someone such as sahko etc.
p
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:52 AM
Comment #23I gather mbiwa is looking for a big paycheck, maybe he will come late in the window if colo does one and frees up salary budget
Sazzer
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:58 AM
Comment #24Zero
Valbuena isn’t a box to box midfielder and will cost a lot.
Gourcuff doesn’t mix well with Ben-Afra.
Diame might be an alternative.
NUFC_LEAZES END
Jan 16, 2013 at 2:59 AM
Comment #25@nick
I was saying it sarcastically, because I thought u were being sarcastic to me haha.
Anyways on topic,
@zero
I am not concerned with the defenders we have been linked with, because they are either accomplished defenders or defenders with bags of potential. The only one I am concerned with is Tomkins. I don’t think he’s much more of an improvement from Williamson.
The only thing I am concerned with right now is if coloccini does leave us, then who else is gonna jump ship aswell?
santonthenewmaldini
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:00 AM
Comment #26Annoying thing is we should be looking at signing a top drawer center back regardless of Colo leaving !!!
We should have someone as good as him here and also a young back up
Unfortunate thing for us is that Taylor is on really good wages so he gets classed as 1st choice when he is a total sicknote
This trying to balance out wages by getting rid of players is what makes our club a wee club
Sazzer
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:13 AM
Comment #27Jonas maybe will jump. I can’t see no one else. Benny and others would go regardless of Colo staying or going.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:14 AM
Comment #28Just read the Joey Barton twitter thing, for a man that quotes George Orwell his spelling is worse than catchy in norway.
NUFC_LEAZES END
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:16 AM
Comment #29@sazzer
Maybe it’s a bonus if Jonas does leave, he’s useless.
I can maybe seeing Ben arfa leave aswell. But I can’t see cabaye, debuchy, krul, tiote, cisse leaving unless we accept daft dollar for them
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:20 AM
Comment #30i dont think many would jump ship even if colo goes and we get relegated, probs jonas, santon, possible cisse but HBA would be our biggest loss i dont think we will hang onto him unless things change for the better dramatically in the style of football we play between now and summer
Sazzer
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:21 AM
Comment #31I think avoiding relegation and signing good players will have more effect. Remy not coming is more of a blow.
Zero
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:25 AM
Comment #32MA might be planning to chuck 30+ million at this window to avoid relegation since the EPL payout is going up significantly, thats why i cannot understand why he didnt strengthen in the summer when we were in a better position to sign people…
89Norcal
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:28 AM
Comment #33A bit embarrassing that we are desperately trying to land so many players, but thats the cost of summer complacency.
Zebras4Life
Jan 16, 2013 at 3:39 AM
Comment #34Nani? Perfect player. Open the check book up Smashley u tight F@&k
AmericanGeordie
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:18 AM
Comment #35I agree with Rozzy (#5) that Mbiwa would be huge coupe. But, I think he has eyes for Arsenal, and the feeling is mutual. I’d be shocked (and thrilled) if we got him through the door.
Santon03
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:32 AM
Comment #36Mbiwa wants to go to Italy, he’s looking for transfers to go to Juve or Inter or Milan.
Santon03
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:41 AM
Comment #37Zebra
It is easy, isn’t it? when you tell other people to spend their money.
noladonna
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:48 AM
Comment #38mbwia wants to join united would love him here for a few seasons thou
The American
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:51 AM
Comment #39Too me, it is obvious what we have to do. Yanga-Mbiwa must be the top priority; just in case Colo is somehow allowed to leave this window. Next must be Sissoko, his ability on both ends of the pitch is world class and Ashley has to give it a go with the few he could be going for. Tying up Haidara should be next, depth in the back position never hurt and the other two simply just won’t happen. They just seem like pipe dreams to me. I certainly hope that I am wrong.
Cheers.
Santon03
Jan 16, 2013 at 4:59 AM
Comment #40Guys
I don’t think MA or any of us would have imagine that things could be this bad.
I personally expected we are 8th in the league by looking at the teams above us and how we played last season. We have more or less the same squad as last year, but last year we didn’t have Saylor and Marveaux for most of the season, so I would consider them as new signings. Everton didn’t do much in summer either, but they are doing well. It has to be managerial problems that we are where we are now and we lose domestic cups too. It’s not about the amount of players we didn’t buy, it’s about how we play imo.
MA is willing to buy more players this January because not only we lose Ba, but we are about to lose Colo too. How can MA predict this is going to happen? Even I wasn’t expecting Colo is going to leave, and I wasn’t expecting the team played the way they played this season.
Who would predict at the start of the season that Cisse will be scoring only 4 goals in the league? At least MA is trying to take actions, now is more like damage control.
MA’s biggest mistake this season is AP 8 years contract.
That is my opinion about this season.