Newcastle and Tottenham have been linked with Palermo’s Argentine center-back Ezequiel Munoz, whose contract runs out in June, and it seems that the 24 year-old will not sign a new contract with his club, and will therefore be available as a free transfer in the summer.
Ezequiel Munoz – 24 year-old Argentine center-back
This is what his agent Fernando Ortiz has told the Italian press about whether his client will stay in Sicily:
“Yes, probably the adventure of Ezequiel in Sicily is over. His contract is expiring and our intention is to not to renew.”
“Now we have to consider whether to allow the Palermo to collect something from his sale and then starting as early as January, or wait until the end of the season and get rid of him for zero,”
Ortiz has been negotiating with the Palermo Board this week, and it seems he has turned down their final offer, so Munoz he will be available this month for a (small) fee, or in the summer as a free agent.
Most teams who have only two fit experienced center-backs would be determined to sign a center-back as cover for the team this month, but that’s not necessarily true with a Mike Ashley run Newcastle club.
Mike Ashley doesn’t like to spend money at Newcastle unless it’s absolutely necessary, and maybe we are not in enough relegation trouble for Newcastle to make a move this month to bring in the two players we need – a good center-back and a good striker.
There’s just over two weeks to go in the transfer window, and it doesn’t look like many – if any – players will be coming through the door this January.
And it helps Mike Ashley that he can say we don’t have a head coach so we didn’t bring in any players in January.
That’s even though a committee of four (Ashley, Charnley, Carr and the head coach) decide the players we go after – and mainly it seems it’s Chief Scout Graham Carr who has the most say these days in which players we should bring in.
Lazio are the other team that have expressed an interest in Ezequiel Munoz, who joined Palermo from Boca Juniors in 2010 on a five year contract, and he’s played 126 times in Italy with 7 goals.
What do you think?
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19 comments so far
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 15, 2015 at 8:53 AM
Comment #1On the Dubai trip:
Wouldn’t suprise me when the club booked but I’d question why
It had a massively negative effect last season and we only went on to win 4 games
Transfer Sage
Jan 15, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #2tads
Which manager is available now? Garde? Said he wants to wait until the summer according to reports in France.
He has barely had a crack at management though, not long in charge (could be a sign of his ability as you say).
We’d easily get 10 points under Carver, played well at chelsea and if we do that in the rest of the games I feel we will get 20 points?
I’d like a top manager, but wouldn’t think carver would do any harm either. Agaim, until we see how he does it’s hard to say, I’ve been impressed so far though after he had his first full week with the team.
Bambams
Jan 15, 2015 at 8:57 AM
Comment #3I think we all know Cashley wont release any money for new players.
Carver will be telling him what he wants to hear
Transfer Sage
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:01 AM
Comment #4Bambams
A few ex players have spoken about Carver, by no means is he a yes man. He obviously rested players for the cup but he wants the job, he needs to do what is told on some issues….a lot of people are like that with work.
steve howey said that he thinks carver would be the kind of man to walk away if the owner started getting too heavily involved….but there must be some give and take.
Harley
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:08 AM
Comment #5Transfer
I like your optimism with carver.
I’m really worried that this becomes the outcome. I don’t think he’s anywhere good enough to get us through to the end of the season.
1 good performance against Chelsea doesn’t do it for me. I’m not saying youre wrong but me personally wouldn’t be comfortable with that.
He may go on to surprise us and get some points on the table but I wouldn’t like to take the risk.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:08 AM
Comment #6TS…I gotta say I am with tads on this one mate.
I just want it sorted now and would prefer neither Carver nor Stone was part of the outcome!
catchy in norway
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:11 AM
Comment #7TS
iv been impressed with Cabella from day 1, the only thing I think the kid has lacked is support, football is a team sport,
its very rare that any one player shines week after week in a poor set up, but in most teams , if they have a good player , the team is set up to exploit his talent, the manager will make him feel wanted, I don’t think P45 has ever done that with any player, as with p45 its all about do a job for the system and trust that it will come good,
carver didn’t inspire Cabella, he just let the TEAM attack higher up the pitch as a group, not as individuals,
Ronaldo is the best player on the planet , but the team is built to make him shine, stick him in our team, he will shine for a few weeks, then he will be brought down to the groups level
that’s why I feel sorry for HBA, p45 totally mismanaged him, IMO HBA did nothing wrong, Ginola is worshiped still up here and had a worse work ethic than HBA,
cyprus
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:14 AM
Comment #8C,
Spot on, all the way through
catchy in norway
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Comment #9Transfer Sage
I think you need to have a word with yourself mate,
he is a total yes man, you can not tell me he isn’t when he has just worked with P45 for over 3 years, and still believes they played attacking football.
the trained defensively for 4 days a week, and he got them for just 1 to go through the attacking part of the match. he said yes to that for long enough.
he will get down on his knees and suck whoever he needs to, to get the job,
what was easier for him, go across and have ago at our own fans for saying how they feel, or keep quiet ?
he went across to the fans to please the king, that’s the only reason
JAMSHA(CARVER SLAYER)
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Comment #10Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will have a
clear-out this month, with Andre Schurrle and
Mohamed Salah set to leave Stamford Bridge.
wish we could get them both on loan with a per deal..
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Comment #11What I think Carver has done differently than Pardew – something I actually thought was quite brave of him – was to give Cabella more of a free role…
…it was very un-british of him, but it proved a point actually. Long may it last.
I just think we need to move on and for me, both Carver and Stone are a part of the problem. Any knew manager working with these two will not be able to make much difference.
lesh
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:20 AM
Comment #12Maybe Saturday’s a good day to crank up the pressure on Ashley.
Get a new head coach, buy the players we need and DO NOT SELL anyone we can’t afford to let go.
A simple message he might just hear – or better still if Bullshit Bishop were to hear it and advise his client to consider his 50k customers!
Not a lot to ask, or is it?
Transfer Sage
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:20 AM
Comment #13jesper
I’m with you on that I’d rather have a proven manager in now.
but I don’t want a manager for the sake of it, rather we wait til we can get our man if we can’t get a good manager now
catchy in norway
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:21 AM
Comment #14jesperfuglsang – capt’n awesome of the lemon crew
I agree
martoon
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:21 AM
Comment #15catchy @7 – That is a little too simplistic – if getting the best from players was that easy we could all be top managers 🙂
The difference between HBA & Ginola is attitude. Where ever HBA has been it has ended in tears where as Ginola has always been liked and respected.
firebug666
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:30 AM
Comment #16One of the biggest problems I see at the moment is Coloccini, he appears to have to much influence both on and off the field.
He was instrumental in the HBA and MYM incidents, not wanting either at the club.
Now he is becoming involved in the new head coach selection. I know he is Ashley’s favourite and his power will stem from that, but how far does his influence stretch?
He is only the captain of the team, and a new manager may decide to strip him of that and offer up a new captain, as is his right. In Coloccini’s case though, because of that influence he has, a new manager/head coach may find his options limited even more.
There were some reports last year that during the inept one’s absence after the head butting incident, that Coloccini was infact giving the half time team talks, and was more involved in the team selection and substitutions, True or not I don’t know, but there is seldom smoke without fire.
If a manager is trying to do something one way, and the influence of Coloccini is counter to it, then that friction could see the team doing another 2014. He’s not a great defender anymore, and a lot of posters would not be sad to see him go, me included, and if he does have so much influence at the club maybe he should go.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Comment #17Sage
3 years with a 51% win rate under bigger financial restrictions than us whilst fully utilising there youth set up?
I’d say he sounds perfect, there was one paper than ran the wait til summer story, with no sources or quotes, I’d say he’s massivley realistic
As for Carver, are we really basing his potential ability on a spirited 45 minutes against Chelsea before he reverted to Pardews 2nd half tactics of damage limitation whilst ignoring the fact we 3 times threw away the lead against Burnley before he stood there and lied through his teeth before the woeful offering at Leiscter?
Steve Howey may well have backed him but there have been ex players also saying he shouldn’t get it and even more saying he’s a nice bloke but skirting around actually answering the question
Sorry but we why agree on this, Carver has been part of the problem for as long as Pardew has, just because AP’s taken his hand out of Carvers a**e doesn’t mean he’s any less a puppet
As for the “kinda bloke to walk” there is no basis what so ever to back that up, not in the slightest
goommy
Jan 15, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Comment #18Get him!! Colo style and maybe better 😀
nufc 11
Jan 16, 2015 at 1:58 AM
Comment #19Wouldn’t be surprised if the new manager in waiting has already signed on just waiting for the window to be over b4 appointing him and he has agreed to that he is already a puppet for ma.