News today that Newcastle United are interested in signing Leeds United striker Ross McCormack, and this is the first time we have ever been linked with the Leeds captain.
27 year-old Ross McCormack – Leeds United captain
The Glasgow-born striker turns 28 in August, but we suppose Newcastle could sign a few older players this summer, and of course Ross is British and manager Alan Pardew is keen to bring in more British players into the Newcastle squad this summer, while at the same time allowing a number of Frenchmen leave the club.
Ross has been at Leeds since 2010, and last season he was in good goal scoring form and scored 29 goals in 47 games, and in his four seasons at Leeds he has 58 goals in 154 total appearances and he can play up front or on the wing.
Leeds are now owned by Italian Massimo Cellino, and they only recently let their manager Brian McDermott go, and although the departure was done very professionally on both sides – the club are now actively seeking a new manager, so we don’t know if that will have any impact on Newcastle potentially signing McCormack.
The news is being heavily reported this morning in the Yorkshire local press, and from the reports, it looks like a signing may even be imminent.
Leeds had a number of offers from Premier League club for Ross back in January, with the biggest offer thought to be around £4M, and that’s not a lot – given that Newcastle have just received close to £100M in the last six months – £20M for Yohan Cabaye and close to £80M from the Premier League .
The reports suggest that £5M would be enough to sign the player, who must also have some good leadership skills since he is also the Leeds captain – and we need more leadership in the Newcastle side, after what has happened this year.
McCormack started his career at his home town club Rangers back in 2002, and then he moved to Motherwell in 2006, and then to south Wales and Cardiff City in 2008, before joining Leeds United two years later.
Ross has 11 Scottish caps and two goals, but the 5’9″ tall player has never played at the top level in English football, so in that sense he would be a risk – but at £5M he could still offer good value.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
Note: Matthew Stephenson is a life-long Newcastle fan and an avid reader of this blog – and he is participating in the Great North Run in early September, and running to raise money for Beating Bowel Cancer. Here is Matthew’s JustGiving page and please donate for a worthy cause, to help him reach his £300 goal for the Charity – many thanks.
10 comments so far
Lost Plot
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:40 AM
Comment #1Really hoped I was gonna wake up to some some good news
No just usual drivel
Morning everyone .. Where’s the summer gone 🙁
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:47 AM
Comment #2Ross McCormack
For £5 million – not a bad goalscoring record……
2003–2006 Rangers 11 appearances (2) goals
2006 Doncaster Rovers (loan) 19 apps (5) goals
2006–2008 Motherwell 48 apps (17) goals
2008–2010 Cardiff City 74 apps (29) goals
2010– Leeds United 137 apps (53) goals
National team‡
2006–2008 Scotland U21 10 apps (3) goals
2007– Scotland B 1 apps (0) goals
2008– Scotland[2] 11 apps (2) goals
Not a bad record scores 1 goal per 2.58 games for Leeds.
He played against us in last seasons league cup when we won 2-0 hit the bar with a screamer – their best player
I would buy him over Gomis
Tayls
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:53 AM
Comment #3He’s not bad. Not sure if he could hack it in the premiership but you could describe him as a poor man’s Wayne Rooney
croftus5678
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:56 AM
Comment #4hmm tough choices ^^
english grit and great leadership skills that we have sadly been missing ever since nolan left and is able to bang in a goal or 2 ! but how many seasons he got left and will he fit into the prem ?
ings would be slightly better choice imo but i do like the lower league options there are some gems in there we could get a bargain on compared to the price of prem players.
Laurent Robert 32
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:01 AM
Comment #5Oh how the level of expectation has dropped. Convincing ourselves that lower level players will do and will fit the abysmal disappearing budget.
Ross may be worth a punt as a third or fourth striker, but this is just another way of lowering expectation.
Pardew’s British route saw him sacked at his other clubs, so it’s all pie-in-the sky that it’s a good idea now. It’s not. He’s crap.
Fill your side with lower level players and you will have a lower level team. One may step up, but generally they will be of a lower standard.
That is not good enough, especially when we’ve just received over 60million plus 20m for Cabaye.
Ashley out, Pardew out.
Laurent Robert 32
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:04 AM
Comment #6Talk about captain of the club. Mbiwa was captain of the French champions yet is misused, misguided and wasted by the sly one, P45DUE.
Average_Contents
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:07 AM
Comment #7Seen the link to ings on a few websites now and I think he’d be worth a punt tbh
Of the two I’d prefer danny ings
younger, faster and more chance to develop into a prem player although I would take McCormack as he does know where the back of the net is and brings experience so yes to both
Pardews Prolific Boys
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:10 AM
Comment #8Average. I’d take both. Nothing wrong with bolstering the ranks if we also get first teamers in
lesh
Jun 4, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Comment #9McDermott go, and although the departure was done very professionally on both sides’
Err, wasn’t it the very same Cellino who ‘sacked’ McDermott before his bid had been cleared? Needless to say McDermott was subsequently un-sacked then re-sacked!
Sounds like Cellino’s professionalism’s taken from the Ashley Guide to Good Management Practice!
CDEVINE69
Jun 4, 2014 at 9:47 AM
Comment #10He was leeds best player when we beat them in cup. I think Jordan rhodes is better option tho but Id still welcome the move. Would be competition for places up top. We still need two more tho if it does happen