In January of 2102 Newcastle were first linked with 6’4″ center-back Lewis Dunk of Brighton & Hove Albion, his home town club, and Newcastle continued that interest in Dunk, and even last October we were linked with the central defender.
The Mirror is now reporting that Newcastle are again interested in the defender, who is now 23 year-old and played 44 times for Brighton last season with 7 goals and 2 assists.
23 year-old Lewis Dunk – interested in defender since 2012
We’ve noticed when Graham Carr scouts a player he doesn’t give up on them if he believes they are still right for Newcastle, so it may not be too surprising that we are still in for Dunk, who has played 111 times for Brighton since he made his debut back in April of 2010 in the 0–0 draw at Milton Keynes Dons.
At the time Lewis was just 18.
Last October then Brighton manager Sami Hyypia said this about Dunk when told of possible Newcastle interest:
“I’m very happy that he is playing well and he has been a very important player for us.” “I would be surprised if the interest wasn’t there, but I hope he stays here and keeps playing like he’s playing. It’s very important you keep your best players.”
“I know it’s not always easy to do that and the players sometimes have different ideas or goals they want to achieve, but we are trying to do everything we can to keep the best players here.”
Dunk certainly fits the bill for players Newcastle like to sign – and he’s at the right age and looks a very promising player, who will only get better if Newcastle sign him.
It just so happens that Steve McClaren has also been interested in the big central defender while he was at Derby County, and perhaps there’s been a meeting of the minds between Graham Carr and Steve McClaren.
That could mean Newcastle will make a determined attempt to sign the tall 23 year-old.
Former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton took over from Hyypia at the end of last year, and he did a good job of tightening the Brighton defense and they conceded only 54 goals in spite of finishing 5th bottom of the league table.
That was the 5th best goals against record of the 24 teams in the Championship last season, so if only Chris Hughton can get them scoring some goals next season they may be in business.
Lewis was a major figure in Brighton’s defense last season and valued at around £5M and may be the young center-back that Newcastle need to sign this summer.
We would prefer that Newcastle go after our center-back target of last summer – 23 year-old Dutch U21 International Virgil van Dijk. – and it could be that Lewis Dunk is a cheaper alternative to Virgil.
The Dutch International could cost as much as £10M from Celtic.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
Note: We’ve had a couple of hot days in Raleigh – yesterday it was 98 degrees and today we topped 100 degrees.
161 comments so far
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:19 PM
Comment #41Someone “leaked” first games of season on twitter and supposedly we have WBA away!
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:20 PM
Comment #42Nezza
Ahhh see what you did, there 😀
Ibiza
Well, ticked off yeah, but not surprised. I guess i am just annoyed because its so unlike ashley to break his promi….. oh, never mind…
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:20 PM
Comment #43Story out today that Anderlecht want £12-£15 Million for Mitrovic but the other day Anderlecht said he wasn’t for sale. make your mind up!
Ibizatoon
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:21 PM
Comment #44G…I’m not sure what sort of driver you are. You might be terrible, in which case, that wouldn’t be a fair gauge for the club.
Still. You’re probably right 🙂
WWSBRD
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:21 PM
Comment #45TFL
True mate its unlikely but hes getting linked with us haha
At 28 will be considered too old anyway
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:21 PM
Comment #46TFL
yep i saw that. Apparently it happens wvery year, and apparently its always a load of b0ll0cks.
ronaldo aarons
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Comment #47Wwsbrdd at 28
I wouldn’t say he is a champions league defender because he plays for Celtic. Gary hooper played in the champions league for Celtic didn’t make him a champions league striker at the time. Plus if he is supposed to be heading to sunderland then he definitely is not a champions league defender.
For me positioning is a big thing for a defender. Each time I’ve seen van dijk play he has been poor positionally and likes to wander forward a bit too much for my liking. Don’t get me wrong I like a ball playing centre half but he can take the biscuit and would get exposed in this league. Plus I’ve seen dunk a few times and he doesn’t shy away from the physical battles and I don’t think I can say the same for van dijk. Just my opinions and how I see it, others will see it differently of course.
G
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Comment #48@41, a potential first there then? Could be the first time ever we visit the West Midlands and the sun is shining?
Oldgit1
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Comment #49I suppose the chances of us ever getting a top top signing is long gone.
I can recall the day it was announced that super Mac was signed, then Andy Cole, then to top it off the great Alan shearer. I suppose you could include Michael Owen but I wasn’t overly fussed on him.
There were others that came under the bar of excitement ie. David kelly and Micky Quinn but didn’t take long to get attached to them. They turned out to be great players and deserve their place in history.
The one player that I was over the moon about signing and never let the club down was the great mighty wyn. There was no one like him and he had the heart of a lion.
Will those days ever come back, I don’t think so. Do I want Austin , yes it’s a step in the right direction but is only classed as under the bar for excitement for me. Perhaps that’s because of the club standing.
Belfast
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Comment #50Soccer Sauce are full of shite. I cannot believe people are still being taken in by these accounts.
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Comment #51yeah I know YCMIU
I bet we’ve either got West Ham or Scumderland
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:24 PM
Comment #52I think i will only make anagrams of bas dost from now on. So far i have Dab Toss and Sad Bots.
Ibizatoon
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:25 PM
Comment #53Markaccus…Don’t say that. It isn’t Ashleys fault. Have you no heart?
If it doesn’t work out this season, don’t you worry, he’ll give it another go next season. He’s here for the long haul, until we win something!
I’ve been overwhelmed at the efforts he’s gone to make this dream a reality. I mean, not hring Carver. Right there is a sign of man who wants to go places.
I really shouldn’t get this excited late at night. I wont be able to sleep thinking about CL football in the 2016/17 season.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #54Ronaldo
Surely if any defender would “take the biscuit” its going to be the one called “Dunk” 😀
G
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #55@49, I remember when we signed Andy Cole, and thinking ‘Andy who from Bristol what’? Halcyon days
WWSBRD
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #56ronaldo aarons
Fair doos mate I dont really know enough about either to have a real opinion just seemed a strange one
Heard good thinks about both so I wouldnt turn my nose up at either haha as for van djik that description it could easily be applied to Colo
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:28 PM
Comment #57Ibiza
Ok ok. I will give him 3 more last chances….maybe 4 but THATS IT!
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:29 PM
Comment #58OldGit – you forgot Peter Withe – used to love the fact that he would be on the pitch 15 mins before anyone else whilst the rest had the team talk
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:29 PM
Comment #59Tad Boss
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:29 PM
Comment #60Ronaldo, Dunk is a decent cb you are right he’s be a major upgrade on our current defence, maybe Brighton can take Williamson the other way?
ronaldo aarons
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #61YCMIU at 54
Lol, walked right into that one!
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #62Abs Dots
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #63Ronaldo
Yeah. It almost seemed too good to be true 😀
WWSBRD
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:31 PM
Comment #64Isnt Williamson Leeds bound? Have i missed something?
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:31 PM
Comment #65Dot Bass
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:31 PM
Comment #66Ado Stab?
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM
Comment #67supposedly WWSBRD but nowt been heard on that for ages
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM
Comment #68They all sound like Gungans from Starwars.
Ibizatoon
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM
Comment #69Markaccus…You mean until his next epiphany? He get’s at least 5 chances per epiphany mate. I wouldn’t want to live in a world where that wasn’t so.
Right, that’s enough rambling from me. It must be time for meds. I mean bed. Wait, am I supposed to have taken meds?
Goodnight.
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM
Comment #70Ado stabs even or
Stab Sado
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:33 PM
Comment #71where am I getting extra a from durrh
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:33 PM
Comment #72Stab sod
ronaldo aarons
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:34 PM
Comment #73Wwsbrd at 56
I would really hate to see colo and van dijk together lol, I’ll be the first calling for Williamson!! I guess it would be like colo and mbiwa in the fact that they couldn’t play together but the club and management sided with colo rather than the other. I could see the same happen again tbh as I think we’ll have colo for at least 1 more year.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:34 PM
Comment #74TFL
There are two ‘s’ and one ‘A’, but i’ll give you a b+ because ‘stab’ is good 😀
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:34 PM
Comment #75Tfl
Thats better. A* lol
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:35 PM
Comment #76pmsl YCMIU 🙂
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:35 PM
Comment #77Do Stabs
John Tudor
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #78i see it now
we failed to get x y and z over the line,but…….
we feel we have sufficient cover for our starting 17 but if need be we can strengthen in january.
fcukin bollox we want no demand players of quality in now
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #79YCMIU
Dot Bass sounds like a landlady or bar maid lol
ronaldo aarons
Jun 16, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #80Tfl at 60
Yeah he would be good especially if he can do this more often!!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pRSJPTKw-i8
In his defence, that was like 3 years ago when he was still a rookie.