It’s little short of amazing, how the five French players brought in last month have helped to fortify the Newcastle squad, and of course three of those players – Moussa Sissoko, Mathieu Debuchy and Yoan Gouffran are not only starters for the club since they arrived, but they have been three of Newcastle’s best players in the last two games – both vital league wins against Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Ricky van Wolfswinkel – could be striker target this summer
Newcastle will need to sort out the Fabricio Coloccini situation – or at least try to in the summer, and if Colo does leave for personal reasons then Newcastle will need to bring in another top center-back.
And there was news that Newcastle are after Mamadou Sakho, and according to our records we were first interested in this player way back in January of 2009, four years ago, when Joe Kinnear was the Newcastle manager, and we ended up getting relegated four months later.
So let’s assume Newcastle and Coloccini can find some way to allow the Argentine to leave the club for Argentina, and we’d need to bring in a fourth center-back – and that would be four center-backs with Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Mike Williamson already at the club – – and certainly Mamadou would be an excellent signing.
Newcastle also need to bring in one midfielder and another striker, so we have four experienced strikers – and the news now is that the club may be interested in going after Andy Carroll, but for that to happen, Liverpool would have to be prepared to left Andy leave for £10M, or less than that.
And apart from Andy there are a number of strikers we were linked with last month – and in that final week it looked like Newcastle would bring in an other striker – but the reports were simply not true (that was a pity).
But either of these top three strikers in our poll below, would be good signings for Newcastle – with our preference being for Dutch International striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel of Sporting Lisbon.
As far as midfielder is concerned, we were linked with Ajax captain Siem de Jong last month – the older brother of our striker target last summer – Luuk de Jong – and it may be that Newcastle have some deal half-worked out with Ajax, to sign the player in the summer, and Siem is an excellent player and would certainly be a great addition to the Newcastle squad.
We seem to be strong in defense again with Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haidara having fortified the defense, and with Steven Taylor (let’s hope we can keep him fit) and Davide Santon in top form – Davide is getting better and better this season – we should be okay as far as our current defense goes – as long as Colo is replaced if he leaves in the summer.
A striker, a center-back and a midfielder is what we seem to need this summer – and if we can keep all our top players on Tyneside over the summer months – and that’s an if – the squad will be the strongest it’s been for a many a season – and surely we can challenge again for the top six in the Premier League – and even perhaps the top four?
What do you think?
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38 comments so far
ebol
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:15 PM
Comment #1We need a winger. Don’t want Guti, Sammy and Obertan as the only backups when Gouffran or HBA get injured and we need some competition to keep Gouffran on his toes.
El Sleeve
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:17 PM
Comment #2i’d say 4 players because we have to assume Colo is leaving
options
CB (of which we need 2 to go with saylor, mbiwa, willo)
———–
okore
sahko
douglas
any 2 of those would work
midfielders
————
de jong or belhanda
strikers
———-
PEA
Dumbia
RVW
any of those and we will laughing and will have an extremely strong squad, the best i would have ever seen since supporting us since 1993
norwegian magpie
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:18 PM
Comment #3i totally agree with you ebol, besides neither douglas or RVW would be an improvement on what we already got.
TorqToon
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:19 PM
Comment #4Ibiza – You call me ‘mate’, ‘Buddy’ and *Expletive* all in one sentence…
That’s quite a feat, sir !
yo-yo
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Comment #5plus a left sided or two footed left winger
NJToon
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:21 PM
Comment #6I think we already have Colo’s replacement in Mapou. What we need is 2 promising near 1st team CB to back up Saylor and replace Willo – who is not PL primetime.
ONLINE GUY
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Comment #7Torq
I remember living just outside Manchester . (Spotland) .I was at Rochdale football club for a short time ..Used to get the train back home from Rochdale station Via Halifax then changing at Leeds ..Rochdale was in some kind of Oklahoma dust/rain bowl ! Always seemed to be raining waiting for my train.., but fine rain that soaked you to the skin ..really… It swirled round you ,Off on a tangent there Torq ..Sorry !
ONLINE GUY
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Comment #8Torq
Wonder, could you bring back 2 players ? Ribery..& Benzema …Thank’s in advance.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Comment #9Torq…I think I can do better, but we’ll save that excitement for another day.
seths374
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Comment #10Bring Ricky in. Why does Pardew want Pavel? Especially since he called him a diver prior to the Reading match.
ONLINE GUY
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #11RVW is the closest player I have seen to RVP ..better get in quick before Arsenal..Iv always found it strange that Arsenal have a manager named Arsene…Am I living in a universe that is just a figment of my own imagination? are’nt we all ? Dont Answer that !
chuck
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:29 PM
Comment #12Sakho @ PSG, noway, we are gonna get him, not only is he a major young star defender, but the captain of the side.
A side that does’nt need the money, especially what ashley would be expected to offer.
yo-yo
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:29 PM
Comment #13Online
Rochale is bandit country – especially Spotland
My son was born in Rochdale
sula
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Comment #14I hope that Sissoko doesnt leave us in the summer please oh please ashley keep all of our stars we need to move forward and Sissoko is the real deal. Thats my only concern.
Spoof
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Comment #15Simon Kjaer to replace Colo
Siem de Jong to put pressure on Cabaye and others
Bony is a different class to Carroll, and a higher class at that
Ketsbaia9
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Comment #16Sign:
Alderweireld
Douglas
Benteke/Bony
Belhanda/Sulejmani
Gomis
ONLINE GUY
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Comment #17YO YO ..it’s a small world
I used to go to Tiffany’s club ….. there was one in Rochdale ..as well as Manc…Was threatened by a nutter who was know to carry a knife …I ran home that night..I was living in dig’s with Johnny Giles family, from Dublin ..Never got fed after 9 pm…Nightmare, was like living on the set of Coronation street !
Twatter
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:40 PM
Comment #18Simon Kjaer
Douglas
Wilfried Bony
Sofiane Feghouli
Gerard Deulofeu
I’m in dreamland a bit with that last one, but he’s got an £8.1m buyout clause and is the real deal. These five signings would make us top four I’d imagine — only get Douglas in if Coloccini goes.
Ketsbaia9
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:42 PM
Comment #19Get rid of:
Williamson
Simpson
Gosling
Tavernier
Shola
donkeypunch
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #20Ricky van Wolfswinkel how the hell has he got 37 pecent of the vote hes no better than cisse. only need to get two players in the summer 3 if colo does leave. 1 an out and out forward 2 a creative wing player whos fast and can cross a ball. then we can easily compete for to top 4
Ketsbaia9
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:44 PM
Comment #21Doulgas are Gomis are available for free so they’re both no brainer’s.
Coloccini will leave so Alderweireld will come in to replace him.
norwegian magpie
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:54 PM
Comment #22douglas is far from good enough and would be a liability. same goes for simon kjær! he was a good prospect but has failed to live up to the high expectations. and about RVW(purely speculations, cause i havent seen him other than on youtube) but he does not look too impressive. and i would rather go for bony or PEA
TorqToon
Feb 6, 2013 at 5:59 PM
Comment #23Chuck – Sakho is no longer captain mate.
Thiago silva is.
OhSholaAmeobi
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:10 PM
Comment #24Sakho would be great, was captain but Ancelotti doesn’t like him much. Rotates with Alex.
Aubameyang is the striker we should go for, and at the right sort of price.
Gomis for free would be excellent, but Douglas is a donkey and I don’t want him.
goommy
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:11 PM
Comment #25This Wolfswinkel guy really remind me of RVP. It’ll be good if we can sign him in this summer.
andym
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Comment #26How about……..
Turnbull on a free transfer (i think) from chelsea …. Keeper
Dejong 10m ajax…. Att mfield
Gomis on a free transfer from lyon…. Striker
Difranco on a free transfer from wigan…. Striker
2 young guns like biggi last season
10m spend should be nearly recouped selling gosling obertan ranger shola amalfitano
The American
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Comment #27I really think that we only need three players and that’s Kjaer, Belhanda, and Aubameyang. Obviously anything else for depth would be fantastic as well.
croftus5678
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Comment #28@21
agree on the free no bainers m8 (i know douglas’s attitude is suspect but looks whats happened to arfa)
warnzee
Feb 6, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Comment #29Finally got around to signing up. This is the only decent blog for news and info on the Toon.
I agree about the need for a new centre back, i thought Williamson did a really good job filling in for Taylor last season, but he hasn’t really been good enough this, so we may need two centre backs if Cpt. Curly leaves?
We also need another world class centre forward to replace Ba if we’re to challenge for top six finish next season.
Not so sure about needing another midfielder though, don’t forget Vuckic! He is absolute class, and it’s a massive shame he’s been injured this season. Hopefully once fit again he can continue to progress and fulfill his potential.
Having said that though Siem De Jong would be an incredible signing.
toonicle
Feb 6, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Comment #30LW was the most important spot we needed filled in the window I feel, but I have to say Gouffran has looked pure class over there so far. Really would like to see Bony come to us in the summer.
toonicle
Feb 6, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Comment #31Or Benteke when Villa go down. He would be great for us and maybe even at a discount.
donkeypunch
Feb 6, 2013 at 7:17 PM
Comment #32have villa bought Benteke or is he on loan
Bowzer912
Feb 6, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Comment #33The American
I agree as Belhanda is probably the best LM option unless we go for Suleymani but I reckon we’ll get Douglas.
scout
Feb 6, 2013 at 8:01 PM
Comment #34Bridcutt from Brighton would be a good squad player, very rarely gives the ball away
Dyer8
Feb 6, 2013 at 8:25 PM
Comment #35CF
Loic Remy, QPR
Van Wolfswinkel, Sporting
Luuk De Jong, M’Gladbach
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, St Etienne
Kevin Gameiro, PSG
Christian Benteke, Aston Villa
Gabriel Agbonlahor, Aston Villa
Jordan Rhodes, B’Burn
AM
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Spurs
Adam Lallana, Southampton
Gastón Ramírez, Southampton
Siem de Jong, Ajax
WG
Iago Aspas, Celta Vigo
Antoine Griezmann, Sociedad
Ryad Boudebouz, Sochaux
Romain Alessandrini, Rennes
Tom Ince, Blackpool
CM
Benjamin Corgnet, Lorient
Leroy Fer, Twente
Benat, Betis
Jake Livermore, Spurs
Morgan Schneiderlin, Southampton
DM
Etienne Capoue, Toulouse
Stéphane Mbia, QPR
CB
Steven Caulker, Spurs
Nicolas N’Koulou, Marseille
Bruno Ecuele Manga, Lorient
Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Valenciennes
Mamadou Sakho, PSG
Toby Alderweireld, Ajax
Douglas Franco, Twente
Craig Dawson, WBA
Scott Dann, B’Burn
Kurt Zouma, St Etienne
RB
Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton
Sebastien Corchia, Sochaux
scout
Feb 6, 2013 at 10:20 PM
Comment #36I wouldn’t sign Remy on a free, what’s the point. Already showed his character. Sissoko wants to be here. Some people just have to be.
sphinxhunter
Feb 7, 2013 at 1:09 AM
Comment #37Agree with Toonicle and others that put Bony above others. Only, I think the price will be the deciding factor, not the quality. It’ll be best value for money, though, not skint on the cheapest. I don’t think RVW is much improvement on quality, but provides squad depth (up to 8M), while PEA has potential that may take time (up to 10M), whereas Bony should immediately add more quality than we currently have and provided alternatives for AP to switch to if necessary (up to 12M). Still, I’d prefer someone substantially better, the type who would cost up to 20M+.
Given the large numbers brought in last window and the need to let the team settle, I think only a few (first teamers) will be considered next window (there will be plenty of juniors brought in), so maybe one or two expensive players may be on option ?!
KenyanMagpie4Life
Feb 7, 2013 at 9:43 AM
Comment #38RvW of Sporting or Mbokani of Anderlecht as strikers