Newcastle United have tonight officially announced the signing of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, on a five and a half year deal from Montpelier. Yanga-Mbiwa has been a target of Newcastle for well over a year now – and this is a stellar signing by Newcastle, and Mapou will certainly help the strengthen the Newcastle defense, which has been a weakness of the side for the first six months of the season.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – signs for Newcastle!
This is what was posted on the Newcastle United site tonight:
Newcastle United have signed centre-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, from Montpelier. The 23-year-old has agreed a five-and-a-half year contract at St. James’ Park and takes on the number 13 shirt.
Mbiwa may be an unknown quantity to some Magpies’ fans, so here is a brief lowdown on the talented French international:
Born in Bangui, in the Central African Republic, Yanga-Mbiwa moved to France as a toddler and grew up just outside Marseille.
Joining Montpelier at the age of 13, he progressed through the youth ranks at the Stade de la Mosson.
The center-back’s professional debut came at the age of 17, on 23rd February, 2007, as they lost 1-0 to Bastia.
Yanga-Mbiwa helped La Paillade win promotion from Ligue 2 in 2008/09.
After representing France at Under 21 level, the defender has gone on to win three senior caps, with his debut coming last August in a friendly against Uruguay.
Yanga-Mbiwa was named in Les Bleus’ preliminary squad for Euro 2012, but missed out on the final cut.
He captained Montpelier to their first ever Ligue 1 title at the end of last season.
The defender has made 28 appearances in total this season, and appeared at the Emirates Stadium in November, as Montpelier faced Arsenal in the Champions League.
We should have three more signings to be announced soon – maybe tomorrow.
Mapou played a total of 187 times for Montpelier with four goals – and he was their captain – and will wear the number 13 shirt at Newcastle – unlucky for some.
But not for this boy.
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571 comments so far
ONLINE GUY
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:53 PM
Comment #1THought youd gone out Ed !
nufc786
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:53 PM
Comment #2yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Spuggy
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:53 PM
Comment #3Praise Elijah!
nufc786
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:54 PM
Comment #4number 13…..
lucasnufc
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:54 PM
Comment #5If we were in a comfortable position in the league, this would have been such a good January.
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:55 PM
Comment #6And now Von Swinklewinkle Sissoko Heidara and another CB cause of Colo and we are set…!!! I hope we start winning games…
NUFCarter
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:55 PM
Comment #7Wickedddddddddd! Fantastic news. That’s a top 3standard player and he’s playing in black and white. What a legend.
But that picture seems to of been taken quite a while ago for its light. I’m not complaining though. Get in! Goody goody gumdrops 😉
G
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:56 PM
Comment #8Call me superstitious, but isn’t giving a defender number 13 asking for trouble?
NUFCarter
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:56 PM
Comment #92 down 4 to go
Ketsbaia9
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Comment #10Sissoko’s currently on £17,538 per week. We should offer to double his wages. Would like to see Simpson,Tavernier, Golsing and Shola sold in this window.
reccerobbo
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Comment #11Happy days hopefully get the other 3 over the line then another 2-3 wishfull thinking but if Ashley is serious who knows!!!!!
Spuggy
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Comment #12Amazing that we can attract this kind of quality at this price when we’re in a relegation battle!
Fair play to the board.
NUFCarter
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Comment #13Bradford city 1-1. 4-2 on agg legends come on city
Mashley u Batfastard & lambiarse u Cupid stunt
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Comment #14Oh yanga yanga!
jayo
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Comment #15get in and Gouffran tommorrow HWTL
NUFCarter
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:59 PM
Comment #16Well done mike Ashley. I have never said that before. Keep up the good work!
jeff
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #17what about we play 5 at the back
saylor colocinni mbiwa
debuchy santon
cabaye anita tiote
hba
cisse
Mashley u Batfastard & lambiarse u Cupid stunt
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #18Kets & 99 pence!
Mund30
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #19Fantastic news been watching this clip over and over http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzGzlD5mZTA looks like it could be a great few days and for all the hurt ive been feeling this puts a huge smile on my face
colwell
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #20Benteke is awesome would love for Villa to go down and take him off their hands.
Spuggy
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #21If anyone wants to stream SSN….
http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/68515/1/watch-skysportsnews.html
alf
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #22Bradford goal! Sissoko on way Happy Days!
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Comment #23Very good news!
…have been waiting for this for days now 😉
Toon1978
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:01 PM
Comment #24How can Ashley get these players in to the club in a few days but Llambias is unable to be anywhere near as efficient?
MrMojoRisin76
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:01 PM
Comment #25“Your just too good to be true,can’t take my eyes off Mapou,he’s got a lovely 1st touch,i want to hold him so much,at long last love has arrived,and i thank god i’m alive,your just too good to be true,can’t take my eye’s off Mapou”DA-DA,DA-DA,DA DA DA DA DA.etc
davybtoon
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:02 PM
Comment #26http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eUkuJvUEnxY
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3TuA2GTFBig
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fJYdNQJPShA
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ43Kxdo6BI
Selection of gouffran goals
askar
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:02 PM
Comment #27Very good news! I am over the moon 🙂 We need more signing, a good striker and HBA and Tiote Back then 15 wins = 45+21=67 points 🙂
King Arfa please come back!!!!
Toon1978
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:02 PM
Comment #28I want to see Sissoko in tomorrow hahaha. Anymore news on Hiedera?
Marty-Toon
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:03 PM
Comment #29Thank you Lord,hope we can keep Collo for the season as to have 2 ball playing defenders would be class 🙂 this brightened up my day no end
jimiley
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:03 PM
Comment #30I hope he is good. Nobody really knows?? We should have been signing these players last summer from a position of strength. Not as desperation signings to stay in the league. But that is Ashley all over. Does anybody think we would sign these players it we had 30 points? Mid table is what he wants. Easy life and the cash rolling in. There is one constant holding this team back. Pardew is still crap and we will never progress under him.
yorkymag
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:03 PM
Comment #31144yorkymag // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:00 PM
I tell you what curtis good is going to ge a good un
Come on bradford
MacToon
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Comment #32“this is a stellar signing by Newcastle” Agreed Ed, Colo to stay too? Hopefully.
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Comment #33MrMojoRisin76
HAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!! Love it! we did it lads!
TorqToon
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Comment #34On Yanga’s squad number – the No.13 is special to the player and he requested it.
Spuggy
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:05 PM
Comment #35Mapou seems a great lad – perhaps we really did dodge a bullet with the attitude of Remy. Last thing we need is another Joey.
LargeSadMenace
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:05 PM
Comment #36Great news that we’ve finally signed a centre half and even better if we pull the other signings off but I wouldn’t go so far as to praise MA to the high heavens…this should have been done in the summer, in fact we’ve needed another senior centre-half in the squad since Sol Campbell left two years ago.
Rather than a signal of his ambitious intent, It looks to me more like MA has moved to protect our premier league status after his risk to break even again in the summer backfired massively. Call me cynical but if the money is there now then it was there in the summer.
Nevertheless, if we do sign these other players then AP will have more options and hopefully more success on the pitch. Let’s just hope that MA has realised his one in-one out transfer policy is not suitable in building a truly competitive squad. In other words I bloody hope Mbiwa is not Colo’s replacement.
Spuggy
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:06 PM
Comment #37One thing is for sure. Mbiwa signing is gonna tip the scales in our favour for any more potential french signing, very clever tactics.
Nufc-83
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:07 PM
Comment #38Excellent news!!! Curtis good could be playing in a major final at wembley great experience for the lad. Would take hines from Bradford based on the two appearences against villa works so hard and gives the lb a major headache with his pace.
G
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:07 PM
Comment #39@33, as long as he knows what he’s doing I’m fine with it. I just never like to see centre halves or goalkeepers wear 13.
ToonIcon
Jan 22, 2013 at 9:08 PM
Comment #40Finally after 2 years of screaming for this signing we finally get Mbiwa absolute beast of a defender great tackle pace can run with the ball
BEST CB we’ve had since Woodgate
couple more signings then we can start climbing the table