It was news on a Twitter feed yesterday that Newcastle had put in another bid for central midfield target Clement Grenier of Lyon of £7M – and Grenier is a player Newcastle have been after since we allowed Yohan Cabaye to leave in January for PSG.
Clement Grenier – would be a terrific buy for Newcastle
The source of that news is not really too authentic, and lots of untrue stories do the rounds on Twitter these days.
But we wonder if Newcastle are ready to go in with another bid for the 3 times capped French International play-maker, who would be a terrific buy for Newcastle United.
The news last week was that Grenier is available to move from Lyon in the summer, but Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas wants around €15M (£12M) for his play-maker, but Newcastle will not offer that.
Whatever another club wants for a player means that Newcastle will (always) bid less than that – it’s a Mike Ashley law the prevails on Tyneside. 😀
And Grenier has already been linked with AC Milan and Arsenal, and he has said he only wants to join a club playing in the Champions League.
It’s not that Newcastle don’t have the money, it’s just that Mike Ashley always wants good deals, and we suppose Newcastle think Grenier at £12M is not a good deal – even though we got £20M for Cabaye in January and £12M for Debuchy last week.
Earlier this summer former right-back Olivier Bernard thought Grenier was so good he could move for a phenomenal £20M – with Arsenal said to be retaining an interest in signing Clement.
If Arsenal are really interested in the player it could be difficult to bring the 23 year-old to Newcastle, but what’s wrong with Newcastle bidding a decent £10M as the next step?
Sometimes when you go after some very good players you have to pay out some decent money – and Grenier is a very good player and still only 23 years old.
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153 comments so far
LGFUAD21
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:28 PM
Comment #121Mister Tuff
Was Willo really that bad last season?
Or was it the suicidal high line with 2 slow CBs
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:30 PM
Comment #122Aaahhhh. The closet mackem has appeared.
How are you Tuff?…….lol
LGFUAD21
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:31 PM
Comment #123Im really curious as to how Pardew fits De Jong and Cabella in the team. This is why I think Cabella will play right which leads to question marks over Sissoko.
Does he play RW for us because Pardews see him there or because Pardew felt it was better than Benny?
LGFUAD21
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:32 PM
Comment #124107santonthenewmaldini
Nonsense.
You should never be prevented from representing your Country. It’s the highest honor in football.
Cricket teams dont complain and they have their players always disappearing for international duty.
Mister Tuff
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:33 PM
Comment #125IS THERE A DOCTOR ON THE BLOG.
Expat needs some medication -not only is he addressing posts to himself ….”Dear me….” which does cause some concern but earlier I noticed that the said he used to play for a good football team. Clearly some false memories in the old brain box developing.
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:35 PM
Comment #126Tuff
Clutching at straws, old man. Must be the effects of your team failing to sign Borini
Markaccus
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Comment #127LGF
I think Goofy could really come good this season.
Cabella on the left of 3 behind a striker is fine, as long as people move around. For example Sdj moves into the cf position for a spell, moving rivvy wide, and cabella comes in behind sdj. Confuses defences when your players switch around like that. Modern football……Pardew can…erm….hmmmm 😀
T.T.V.V.T.
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Comment #128@LGFUAD21
Cabella played the majority of last season on the left. Those impressive stats we have all read (im sure) came about through playing on the left side most of the time.
I would regard him as a left winger primarily but he is arguably as skilled/comfortable on the right or central.
If we say that Cabella plays on the right and Sissokko sits with Tiote in the middle, just behind, then do we all agree that it will be Gouffran who plays on the left and De Jong in the centre behind a striker?
And if so, do we not agree that Gouffran is an area which could be improved?
I quite like him, and him work ethic is great, but on paper hes not in the same league as Cabella and De Jong.
It may also be worth noting that the video which shows the lads training in NZ showed about 30 seconds of a game scenario.
Gouffran was playing wide right in that footage. And although it means very little it could suggest:
—————–Sissokko——Tiote
Gouffran————-De Jong————Cabella
————————-Riviere
Spoof
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:38 PM
Comment #129Winston Reid at West Ham has always looked a really good CB, a 6tf 3″ powerhouse who is only 26 years of age and is now in the last year of his contract and has refused to sign another one for West Ham, personally I think he would be ideal, just what we need, any thoughts ?
Tig
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:38 PM
Comment #130imagine the praise NUFC would get if we signed isla, grenier, dier, vlaar, lukaku would probably poo my pants in disbelief
Mister Tuff
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:39 PM
Comment #131LGFUAD21 – ref Willo.
Willo played out of his skin last season -produced a higher standard than previous displays. However we should remember from what “base” his improvement developed. I would define that base as Championship standard. He probably played at a level that he will never surpass. You’ve got to recall, he is relatively slow, oil tanker turning circle, never scores, misses runners and ball watches and is terrified /uncomfortable when is possession.
DokToon
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:39 PM
Comment #132seems to me that mr tuff v expatmag is shaping up just like ruddy v TDS…
DokToon
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Comment #133makes some popcorn and grabs a beer, since its a free fight, but could have ppv potential lol
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Comment #134TTVVT
Pardew will play Sissoko on the right with Colback next to Tiote.
nut meg
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Comment #135Anybody else seen Pardew’s piece on BBC Sport Can hardly believe the man has the nerve to say it.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28483237
Mr Magpie
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Comment #136Think Sissoko, Tiote, Colback midfield 3, De Jong & Cabella behind Reviere. Use fullbacks for width with Sissoko right & Colback left covering the runsagainst better teams like city.
Drop Colback for Gouffran going wide in a 3 behind the striker & leave 2 holding for a more attacking line up against other teams.
Markaccus
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:41 PM
Comment #137Spoof
Ashley has a rule where we cant sign anyone whos first name sounds like a butler. Winston is out. As is Geofrey 😀
DokToon
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:41 PM
Comment #138mark,
whats this modern football you speak of? id come over to your residence to thrash you for blasphemy, however, i cannot get this square wheel going for the life of me 🙂
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Comment #139DOK
No big deal mate. I have known the old fart for over 40 years and I am just ragging him……lol
Mister Tuff
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Comment #140expat – afternoon. How’s it going.
Mr Magpie
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Comment #141Or Sissoko right side behind striker & Colback holding with tiote
Spreadthetoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:44 PM
Comment #142sign PEA. problem solved and Gouffran as reasonable back-up. Grenier as back up to Sissoko in the event he does not perform in the centre. That said he had a good WC so no reason as to why he could not replicate. I felt that Sissoko was mis-positioned last season predominantly to fill the void of HBA/AP fall out. Btw lets not forget Anita who tbf could also partner Tiote or Bigi for that matter. Perhaps Sissoko is surplus to requirements if we need to strengthen in another area. I.e. Sell before we buy. Anything north of £15m I would take for Sissoko tbf.
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:45 PM
Comment #143TUFF
By the way, has PH lost his ability to email old friends?
Markaccus
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:46 PM
Comment #144I am telling you all. Goofy is the man this season. He will score 8 goals if he plays wide. If he plays centrally often, he will get more than 10. You read it here first. 😀
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:47 PM
Comment #145TUFF
Couldnt be worse mate
expatmag
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #146Mark
Isnt going to win or cups or the league with that goals return then…..lol
Tig
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #147i dont think we need to buy grenier or isla using(not wasting) money we could use on a decent CB and ST
i wouldn’t mind lining up like this
krul
janmaat-colo-mbiwa-santon
sissoko-colback-tiote-cabella
SDJ
riviere
plus the ST and CB i was talking about and we could be contending for 3RD-6TH
i think mbiwa will have a good season and will become a regular CB in the squad and i think riviere will be a super sub but dont see him being our 15-25 goal scorer
Tig
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:50 PM
Comment #148and goofy will play well this season
T.T.V.V.T.
Jul 25, 2014 at 1:57 PM
Comment #149Colback must have REALLY impressed Pardew in the derbies if he’s thinking about playing him in the middle with Tiote and leaving Sissokko out wide…
Sissokko is not a wide player naturally, but his ability meant he still created for us last seaso as much as anyone.
Personally i believe in playing players in their correct position Mr Pardew. And Sissokko should be one of the outstanding box to box midfielders in the division. We should be looking to play other players on that right side.
I heard early in the summer we fancied the look of Andros Townsend. That would make sense. Cabella left, Townsend right.
Having said that, being that hes an English player, playing in Englamd, with England caps to his name – he will probably cost us 20 million English pounds!
T.T.V.V.T.
Jul 25, 2014 at 2:00 PM
Comment #150@Markaccus
Some of that bifta your smoking. Howay mate.
Tig
Jul 25, 2014 at 2:01 PM
Comment #151ttvvt
so true on the townsend fee
but i think colback is hard working and can be that box to box player
i also think sissoko is good enough for RM
Dont look in my fridge!
Jul 25, 2014 at 2:33 PM
Comment #152We should strengthen our back and frontline.
for the back i would go after Fabian Schär. he is young, big, and got some international experience from switzerland nationalteam, el, and cl.
otherwise maybe eder balanta would be a nice pick? if westham can be in the competition for him, why not us?
As for forwards, all the interesting targets seems to have ben snatched up by now. Maybe Lukaku or Imoh Ezekiel?
musomag
Jul 25, 2014 at 3:20 PM
Comment #153RANT ALERT
No offence lads but all this talk about ‘£X million being good value for Grenier’ and ‘we should just pay this’ etc is becoming laughable. WTF do we know about players market values and what experience do we have of buying anything at such expense? We’re talking about a shrewd businessman spending £15 million of his money as it if were nothing more than buying a newspaper!
Personally I hate the way ManU, Chelsea, Citeh and now Liverpool just attempt to ‘buy’ the league title each year. It’s greedy, pathetic, it’s soulless and it’s destroying the game. They don’t care what they pay, look at some of Southamptons big sells this window. Stupid. Even Arsene Wenger folded last season blowing £40mil on Ozil. The result is mercenary players who don’t give a sh1t about any club they play for, they’re taking US for a ride.
I, just like the rest of us, have been sick at the dealings (or lack of) at this club but things appear to be on the turnaround. Personally I find it satisfying knowing we’re paying sensible amounts for new players and not being held to ransom. It also makes those rare times when we turn over Chelsea or the likes even more special.
If the team are playing well and battling with pride for their chance to pull on the Black and White shirt, I’m happy. Let’s see more players who grew up dreaming of scoring goals for Newcastle.
….right I’m off to seek shelter before you lot start attacking me!