Newcastle have been linked with Manchester City defender Micah Richards for some time now, and he could be brought in for a low £5M, and the Englishman has lots of experience in the Premier League, and Newcastle need to strengthen their leaky defense this summer.
Micah Richards – available from Man City
The news is that Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle are all interested in signing the player who turned 26 last week, and has played 244 times for City with 9 goals, but cannot get his game at the super rich club these days.
Pablo Zabaleta is currently playing for Argentina at the World Cup and he is City’s first choice right-back, but he will face competition next season from newly signed Bacary Sagna from Arsenal.
Richards has only one year left on his contract, but one barrier for Newcastle could be his wages, and we don’t know if Newcastle are really interested in signing the player, who can also play at center-back.
One advantage Newcastle could have is the last thing Micah wants to do is to sign for Arsenal or Liverpool, and then find himself on the bench again – and at Newcastle he would have a better chance at being a starter – but that would not be guaranteed.
We think Micah would be a good signing for us, because he’s a powerful player with lots of experience and £5M is not that much tp pay for a player of Richards’ caliber.
But as we said – we’re not sure he is a top target for Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comment welcome.
224 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:49 AM
Comment #1If City are willing to let him go, then they may also be willing to part pay his wages. They did with Adebayor and Santa Cruz.
I guess we could offer him £40k a week, with City topping up to what he would have earned if he stayed for his final year. If he is a success in his first year then have an option in the contract to improve wages after 1 season. Seems like a sensible solution, although not sure how ‘success’ would be measured in this situation.
IITianToon
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:51 AM
Comment #2@Lilo Thanks for the update. There do not seem to be a lot of buyers for the likes of Obertan, Marveaux, which probably means they are on decently high wages here.
Micah Richards? I do not think we will buy a RB until we are completely sure Debuchy is leaving. Would be a good replacement, however he is very injury-prone.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:54 AM
Comment #3Tian,
I think we want too much for Marveaux. £3million for a lad who has started only a handful of games each year at NUFC is a lot. Especially as we are marketing him to the French league which isn’t cash rich other than 2 clubs.
Obertan has just never progressed since he looked a very good prospect at Bordeaux I think it was. We won’t shift him as he is on too much, and nobody is particularly interested.
thai-mag
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:56 AM
Comment #4We wont pay the wage he wants, so he will just sit out the last year of his contract then leave on a free transfer, that’s the way everyone plays it now a days
Spoof
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:58 AM
Comment #5At £5m he would be a bargain, wages would obviously be a problem but surely he would realise that he could not expect a City type of wage if he moved elsewhere, it would be a case of just how important is his career compared to his bank balance, and in all honesty even if he took a cut to come he he would hardly be getting a pauper’s wage would he, he would still have more than enough to retire on when he finishes playing, I really like this guy, he may not be as good as Debuchy at going forward but he is far better than Debuchy at defending.
Laurent Robert 32
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:05 AM
Comment #6Kww from earlier thread.
Surely any reference to another situation is cherry-picking? Highlighting capable managers and successful performance coaching is showing that good managers can get the best out of players whereas this clown is way out of depth.
Demonstrations at Charlton, West Ham, and sacked from Southampton as well. The man man consistently does average to start with then nosedives to record lows after that.
When a new manager comes in, players are generally keen to impress and gain a starting place so in a lot of ways he’s coasting until being found out.
The man is a slimey conman.
Did he tell Siem De Jong that he was pleased we weren’t in Europe? He’ll have laid on the ol’ silver tongue action instead. Champions League he’s misled him with.
martoon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:09 AM
Comment #7I’m surprised he is only 26 – he seems to have been around for ages but I guess he broke into the City team when he was a teenager. Like others have said – his wages will definitely be a problem and I can’t help feeling this story is in the papers without any really basis apart from if we sell Debuchy we will need a RB.
IITianToon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:09 AM
Comment #8Jack Colback is a player who might not have the quality of a Sissoko, but he is the kind of player who won’t roll over and give up when goings get tough in matches, or sequence of matches. Chile and Costa Rica have shown that aggressive, hard-working players with reasonable quality can do a number on the big teams.
But is he going to start ahead of Anita or Sissoko? Will AP continue to play Sissoko on the wing? Your guess is as good as mine.
Scottiedog
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:10 AM
Comment #9I thought Arsenal had signed our Debuchey!?!?!?!?!?!?! Why would they want Richards??
Will believe it when they have the shirt on!
Laurent Robert 32
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:12 AM
Comment #10Rotonda, the Galtier link would provide me with too much false hope, so I don’t want to think about it too much only to be let down later 😉
IITianToon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:15 AM
Comment #11@LR/Rotonda Alan Pardew is going to be our manager at the start of this season. Deal with it! 😉
In fact, unless we a) are threatened by relegation, during the season, or b) finish bottom half, end of season, he will be manager next year as well.
lesh
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:18 AM
Comment #12Looking good today eh?
De Jong signed, four more players to come in, aspirations for Champions League in two years – one could be forgiven for thinking that season tickets are on general sale.
Cynical? Moir?
anthc
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:20 AM
Comment #13He looks like a juggernaut in that picture, the kids a beast and could provide some physical presence that we severely lack at the back. On the other hand we won’t pay his wages and isn’t he a bit injury prone?
Just tell debuchy to wind his neck in and honour his contract the little cretin!
lesh
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:20 AM
Comment #14IITianToon…. You’re right in saying that barring major changes, Pardew’s position’s as safe as houses.
However, people can and will wish otherwise no matter what.
Laurent Robert 32
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Comment #15Tian, why should I deal with it?
That is acceptance of his ineptitude. He shouldn’t have been employed in the first place. I’m not accepting that his lies is mis-management is OK. It isn’t. I hope he doesn’t leave his dugout again through jeers and abuse.
He’s a lower league chancer getting by on silver tongued lies and an owner who uses him for a buffer to make more money from advertising his brand.
Any owner with serious ambition in the top division would not have Pinocchio in charge.
…but you go ahead and accept it.
thecaptain9
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Comment #16@IITiantoon with our new wonder lady physio taking care of injurys, we could sell Debuchy for £12 mil and buy Richards for £5 mil, pay him an inflated wage and still end up with money in the fat mans pocket to buy a new ivory backscratcher! Very good player on the day…
Blofal
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:33 AM
Comment #17Scottiedog I’m not sure if Sissoko will play on the RW.
If we actually bring in a winger then I can see Sissoko sitting beside Tiote in a 4-2-3-1.
Something like..
Santon-Colo-Willo-Haidara
—–Sissoko—–Tiote
Cabella—De Jong–Gouffran
———-Lacazette
With Anita, Colback, Cisse on the bench.
WLtoon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:33 AM
Comment #18Ive always liked Richards, but his wages are the reason he wont sign, he,d rather sit on his wallet for the last yr rather than take a huge pay cut.
If Swanea or Southampton,2 huge clubs ?? show interest,we are screwed.
They will pay bigger wages than Ashley,so forget it folks.
Ive heard a rumour that Grimsby are prepared to let their striker go on a reduced fee, i bet Mike,s eyebrows were raised knowing that eh.
Its so frekin frustrating being a fan of this club.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:34 AM
Comment #19I think we could sign the lad who unfortunately has been blighted by injuries, Citeh could pay for half his wages or we could tell him he can have what he’s asking for as long as he plays on a pay as you play basis.
His wages won’t be higher than Colo’s who is reported to be on around £80k/£90k and don’t forget we were apparently willing to offer £70k/£75k to Gomis
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:41 AM
Comment #20Tian
We are in this mess because we “just deal with it” mate, personally I don’t like Percy for a number of reasons, do I think MA would change under a new manager….possibly not!! What I’m most interested in though is being entertained, watching the team play attacking football and with the ball on the deck, not lumping it 60 70 yards. Allowing attacking players to have more creative freedom and to allow them to interchange. Can a new manager bring all this….Hell yes, that’s is why I want change and I believe that’s why most want change. Is it that to much to ask for?
BTW Look at the world cup, not any teams have employed Percy tactics, all teams have worked hard but have also attacked the bigger nations…given them good games, a certain Uwe Rosler at Wigan would be my choice, unproven and untested yes but he would fit into MA’s salary bracket for a shot at the big time!!
jimmysmith
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:43 AM
Comment #21At the end of the day, you might as well pay Obertan and Marv out of their contracts and release them as free agents. That’s the flip side to the transfer market, and in particular the overvalued English game, the duds you can’t shift. Fans don’t seem to care about the cost of the deadwood, but if I was an owner I’m sure I’d despise a number of players who seem happy to coast on big salaries and so be very cautious about the terms of contracts and in particular the personalities of targets.
Gutierez, unlike the other two, plays with endeavor and consistency and I’d be happy to see him retained for the final year of his contract and used off the bench.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:54 AM
Comment #22Jimmy
I don’t rate Obertan at all but Marv can still do a job off the bench, I really feel for this lad as don’t forget it was his assists that kept us up a couple of seasons ago. Has he ever been given a fair go? The one season he consistently played he finished as leading assist player….ahead of HBA and Cabaye, the following season he was thrown into the reserves and made to train the the development squad!! Would you class Percy as deadwood?
As for Debuchy, he’s already gone people!!
Phil K
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:59 AM
Comment #23Micah’s english and has tons of ability but doesn’t seem to have it between the ears. Thats why he lost his place. Thinking he WAS that good without actually having to prove it on the pitch. He’s on the slide and needs to stop feeling sorry for himself and PROVE he can do it.
martoon
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Comment #24jimmysmith @21 – I agree – there is no way we will be able to sell either of them and I think you can probably add Jonas too. Do a deal on their remaining contacts and release them is the only way we will get rid.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:08 AM
Comment #25Phil
He’s playing 2nd fiddle to the best RB in the Prem and probably the 2nd or 3rd best in the world. Look at his injury record, he lost his place because he keeps getting injured and every time he makes a comeback he’s out again for a few months, read the article below you’ll find its not an issue between his ears mate.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/9131491/premier-league-man-citys-micah-richards-ready-for-battle-with-pablo-zabaleta
jimmysmith
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:08 AM
Comment #26I’ve always felt that Pards has never had the deep and balanced squad he has needed to really compete over a season, so thought the criticism was largely unwarranted, but yeah, in the cases of Marv and Benny, it’s hard to know where the blame lies, although it’s surely moot as Pards is staying.
Personally, when a player has a stinker and won’t run, I tend to think its probably the player showing a real lack of professionalism and I wonder if a manager can ever really afford to trust them again at this level.
Laurent Robert 32
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:13 AM
Comment #27Jimmy, bad managers can de-motivate players to a level where they are disinterested in putting the full effort in because even with good performances they are benched the following game.
Behind the scenes Pardew can be a horrible man.
Phil K
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:16 AM
Comment #28As for Marv – great player and another example of petulant player who won’t knuckle down to job, with an idiot for a coach as we have, it’s the worst kind of combination.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:18 AM
Comment #29Jimmy
He blamed HBA for 2 defeats against a 2nd string Man Utd and for Spurs (Marv was also blamed for this game) both players came off the bench when losing 2-0 though. Personally if I was in there position I wouldn’t run much either because either way I’M THE SCAPEGOAT!!
Rotonda heights
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:24 AM
Comment #30Jimmysmith
The tactics employed and capitulations at home against those mighty powerhouses Reading and Sunderland should tell you everything you need to know about Pardew.
Kww
Was finishing 16th and just missing relegation or setting records for the most consecutive losses, goals conceded and least goals scored here and at West ham previously achieving targets?
Tian,
You may be right but why the hell should I deal with it? It’s people like you are responsible for accepting mediocrity.
Crowd Demos at West ham and Charlton got rid of the charlatan, apathy is letting him stay here, so you go ahead and accept it.
The players we are linked to getting sound great but I can’t enjoy that fact so much with this buffoon still here.
Slank
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:25 AM
Comment #31Phil K @ 23
You are right about Micah. He has an attitude. He could have easily been the first choice for England and Man City but he has something about him that is unpleasant and is possibly why (and his sky high wages) no clubs have rushed in with an offer.
jimmysmith
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:26 AM
Comment #32Yeah, but if you don’t put in you’ve got no hope at all. I mean even if the the manager doesn’t fancy you, and that happens often at all clubs, there’s no mileage or justification for going through the motions or sulking. And again, isn’t Marv, Obertan even Benny now an issue of Pardew almost having to play them when he didn’t want to because of that ever existing lack of depth and unwanted players that can’t be shifted because their on money they aren’t earning.
Marv and Obertan ideally should have been shipped two seasons ago and Benny probably last. I’ve seen Newcastle play great under Pardew, when he has his preferred team out, so I think he’s probably ok at motivating when backed.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:29 AM
Comment #33Fancy Percy Parsnip spinning Siem a line about challenging for top four! Percy, your nose is growing again.
Rotonda heights
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:30 AM
Comment #34Jimmy
Obertan should be pardew’s epitaph as he was his choice!
bobby mango
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:31 AM
Comment #35Would give my right nut to sign Richards.
Markaccus
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:31 AM
Comment #36If this lad had been in anyones first team last season, he would have been playing right back for England. He is wasted at Citeh (possibly some of his own fault). Debuchey is almost certain to leave, so he is almost nailed on to start at RB for us if he came here. Even if Debs stays for me he should start at CB.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:34 AM
Comment #37Obertan was Pards choice and for the record he couldn’t find space for Tevez upfront and played Harewood or Cole and Mascherano was a bench warmer for him with Mullins or Reo Coker preferred…look at the careers of these players since.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:37 AM
Comment #38Ibiza
I think mikey’s plan is to use profit to pay down the debt. People think that’s a bad thing, but it benefits the club.
We can’t compete for a champions league place because that would involve spending silly money that we haven’t got.
I think mikey would like to see us as the best of the rest, but he’s not a man in a hurry.
Our Toon
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:37 AM
Comment #39Slank@31
please check my comment and link provided @25 mate. Richards has had injuries consistently for 15 months bu read what he says in that article and then tell me if he has an attitude. Reason no one is lining up for him is due to his injury record!! Here’s the link again
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/9131491/premier-league-man-citys-micah-richards-ready-for-battle-with-pablo-zabaleta
Rotonda heights
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:39 AM
Comment #40B&B
Must admit I’d be a whole lot happier if we had some evidence of the debt owed to Ash going down