There’s a report in Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb that Liverpool are interested in signing Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko this summer, and would be willing to bid €24M for him.
That’s around £17M with today’s exchange rate, and Moussa still had four years to run on his Newcastle contract.
Moussa Sissoko – in action last season
Brendan Rodgers did not have a very good summer transfer window last summer, and Liverpool did not have a good season, and after finishing second top in 2014 and almost winning the Premier League for the first time, they slumped to 6th place last season.
Brendan’s position is therefore under threat, although he will be Liverpool’s boss next season.
Newcastle badly want to strengthen the squad, so we are not fighting against relegation next season, and the last thing we want to do is sell our best players.
Moussa is one of our best players who – like a lot of other players at Newcastle – had a terrible second half of last season.
But we shouldn’t even be thinking of selling Sissoko unless we can replace him with somebody as good or better this summer.
Newcastle seem to be finding it very difficult to get players into the club in this transfer window – and top players are wary of joining a club who have fought against relegation in two of the last three seasons and the club was in a big mess earlier this year.
In the past, the finances have been the (only) thing that’s been important at Newcastle, but that only gets you fighting against relegation if you are not willing to spend the money available to build a good team.
That’s been Newcastle in past seasons.
We don’t expect the club to even think about selling Moussa for £17M – perhaps if Liverpool bid £24M that would be a different matter.
But gone are the days when we sold our best players at any time, and kept the money and didn’t bother replacing them.
You can never build a good team that way – and Newcastle have proven that over the last eight years with that insipid strategy.
Things have to change big time at Newcastle – and it starts this summer.
That’s according to owner Mike Ashley, who says he wants to win something with Newcastle, and that the club from now on will make their own luck.
We are still waiting to see some evidence of that in this important transfer window, but let’s not sell our best players.
Comments welcome.
160 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:29 AM
Comment #81Charlie,
Good Morning.
jesper,
Not half as annoying as your stupid winking smiley faces and your pointless musings.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:30 AM
Comment #82sparky,
I think a lot of people will be glad to see the back of him.
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:34 AM
Comment #83p
well said.
At the risk of repeating myself,,,:) (oh dear a smiley slipped out there) Its getting very repetitive saying things like ‘they won’t…’ he ‘won’t…’ about every topic. How do you know?
This has been a great blog to come on and read – to get angles on things I’d not considered etc. But now its a case of scan reading through it. If you’re in the gang you’re in…if you anything a bit more balanced get ready for a round of sarcastic put downs. A shame…
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:34 AM
Comment #84Like the idea geordie9. I would have put Colo in there still even though is our bubbly bottler captain. Still a good cb when paired with another good cb.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:38 AM
Comment #85sing…then just give back 🙂
…that gang is not all what it’s cracked up to be!
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:38 AM
Comment #86I’m balanced. Tbf I’m sitting down.
Let’s relate the good points of the club today then.
First off. The phone bill and the helicopter fuel bills will be small this month. Also there won’t be any overtime paid or lights on after normal working hours all adding up to some significant savings to bolster the club accounts. Frugal.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Comment #87Jail…trust me you top the list big time!
…I still remember when you started posting on here and boy nothing has changed. You are the equivalent to annoying!
Rotonda heights
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Comment #88I see we are struggling to even get the Spanish teenagers Concha and Mere over that mystic line now. Can’t help thinking that would not be a problem with someone like a Viera in charge.
I don’t dislike the wally at all, but he does seem to be having a hell of a time attracting anyone, even a coaching assistant.
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:41 AM
Comment #89I disagree Sitc and p. You don’t get shot down for being balanced. You get it for trying to overbalance. Carrying the devils advocate the game too far attracts deserved criticism. If you can field it well, then good on you, blog works.
But if you want to see the sunny side of ” Media partners” or the like you’re going to have your work cut out.
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:42 AM
Comment #90Anyway speaking of being shot down / at, what was that little dig yesterday Sitc?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:42 AM
Comment #91RH…that’s because there isn’t much of an attraction!
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:44 AM
Comment #92Jesper hope you don’t mind me saying this but of late a certain tetchyness has crept into your style 🙂
You seem out of sorts.
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:45 AM
Comment #93Tsunki
Ok I get it, so I’m a WUM now and in rides the multiple to chase me off the blog.?
Rotonda heights
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:46 AM
Comment #94Round, like Simpson has hardly pulled up any trees. Zenden, like Viera may not be that experienced but anyone with barca and dutch connections brings some excitement and allure with them which is all too sadly missing at the moment..
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:53 AM
Comment #95Tsunki…I suppose to see what Jail can get away with on a daily basis gets to you…if you don’t mind me saying!
…someone has to say something I think!
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #96Sitc no not at all I don’t think I implied that. Maybe I’ve disagreed with you in the past? Seems like you’re harbouring a grudge
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Comment #97Tsunki
I felt that your portrayal as the self-styled WUM / multiple slayer was a bit rich, especially as you explained you changed your identity to do it. Seeing as you have now asked me twice publicly my view is that you come across a bit narcissistic and arrogant. But maybe like me you are being ironic there?
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Comment #98Jesper what’s he said? I don’t get it what did I miss?
Tsunki
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:58 AM
Comment #99Well I apologised for my little experiment but if you’re somehow counting yourself as a wum and feeling hurt I can’t stop that.
ilovetoon8788
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:59 AM
Comment #100We can’t even bring in an assistant manager. What does it say about players wanting to come? Lol
This season might the one we finally go down and there’s no coming back. For a long long time.
mickalfas
Jun 20, 2015 at 8:59 AM
Comment #101If the headline is correct ,how is fatty/Bishop going to explain that we sold him to better ourselves
I bet he’s sitting giggling to himself,another £17m ha ha ha,what a f****g goldmine ive got here
OUT NOW !! PARASITE
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:00 AM
Comment #102SITC
Don’t be too hard on the multiple posters from the high five gang. The funny part is, in Tsunki’s case, the doppelganger is better than the original. So much so, everyone wants Pokat instead. Hahahahahahahahahah. You couldn’t make it up.
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:01 AM
Comment #103Tsunki
Ha, Feeling hurt? Errrr, ok…
Move on. I did immediately.
ronaldo aarons
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:03 AM
Comment #104Shot bru at 42
Good shout, if I was raiding Rennes I would go for ntep too.
Jib
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:07 AM
Comment #105Rotonda
Zenden never gives a project more than a year.
I’m sure he still thinks Hiddink will ask him to help with next years Euro nations
Patrick Kluivert assisted van Gaal in Brazil and then got a full managers job in the Caribean
I think Zenden hopes for something similar in
Europe.
Jail for Ashley
It’s anybody’s right to dislike a fellow human being, but your reasons for disliking Ashley because of the Milner transfer have the feel of someone who at best , knows very little about NUFC and , at worst , is pretending to be a Toon fan to pursue some nefarious agenda.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:08 AM
Comment #106Go easy on Jail. He’s now providing great entertainment as the blog’s biggest flappy bird. Old Blackley’s anticipating weeks of fun in store. Did you know that Jail saw straight through Ashley years ago? Have you ever heard him mention that?
BoyDoneGood
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:08 AM
Comment #107Expatmag
Absolutely right. I’m trying not to post until at least a few days into the transfer window. What is there to add to what’s already been said? There are two schools of thought – a) that there will be no significant net spend, or b) that this will be a season of ambition with real investment in the squad. I’m for (b), and I think Ashley’s statement, Carver’s sacking and McClaren’s appointment all support that view – certainly they contradict the predictions of the (a) team. But there’s nothing to be gained from another couple of weeks of slagging eachother off. The only proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Comment #108Expat
Old Blackley notes your earlier post in which you rate the squad highly. Did you rate it highly at the start of last season too? You reckon we only need half a dozen additions. I’d only keep half a dozen. I hope you’re right.
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Comment #109I was wondering yesterday if anyone has seen much of Lubo Satka recently. Could he be one to promote to the 1st team squad alongside (hopefully) at least one established / experienced centre half with Dummett (obviously I leave our two notorious pillars of strength from last season out of this equation). Last time I saw Satka he was lightweight. I see he played very regularly for the reserves last season.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:19 AM
Comment #110Today is Flappy Bird Cup day. A cup will be awarded to the blogger who flaps and craps the most because other clubs are pinching all the best players and leaving none for us.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:24 AM
Comment #111Tsunki…it seems alot of people are missing what he’s saying…maybe by default or because they don’t want to get on his bad side!
…this is not just something that had happened today or the past week. But now that’s out there try look for it and maybe you’ll get what I am saying!
I am off to enjoy my Saturday:) enjoy yours Tsunki.
Pootle2118
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:24 AM
Comment #112Sing
Apart from a few outings on the bench at the end of last season, I haven’t seen much mentioned about Satka, although my son tells me he’s apparently got potential. Unfortunately I’m exiled down south surrounded by Arsenal and Chelski fans, I don’t get to here much of the gossip from in and around the club. Hence why I joined the blog to be able to catch up with the news and rumors
Jib
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:28 AM
Comment #113Lilongwe geordie has seen most of the Toons bairns play , and from memory I think he rated Satka , a bit raw but good.
Talking of Good , Curtis Good had his hip op in Colorado in Feb and is looking good in training but need lots of game time
Jail for Ashley
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:29 AM
Comment #114Flappy bird,
Ha ha, from the man who dresses as a parrot flapping his arms and offering people out.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:33 AM
Comment #115You’ve got to love old professor Tuff with comments like this:
“By this process everybody at the club (players) will know that whoever gets hired was not first choice and therefore there will always be an air of being a second rater attached to the coach by the players and the message of quality/success is lost/ won’t exist.:”
Yeah Tuff. All the players are first choice players. They wouldn’t understand that the second or third person on the list can be decent too. Did you get that knowledge from studying books, Prof? You couldn’t make it up.
Jib
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:34 AM
Comment #116also this
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-look-strengthen-defence—9492360
Pretty naff weak comeback Jail
You can do better than that
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:34 AM
Comment #117Pootle
Yep me too (reasons for coming on to the blog) although i live just a few miles away from the Toon. Its still a great place for picking up some useful knowledge. Satka is one to watch but like I say I think he could do with eating some liver!
Pootle2118
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Comment #118Question out of the blue and a change of topic.
What formation would you like to see us play?
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Comment #119Jail
Don’t laugh fella. You stand a good chance of winning today’s Flappy Bird Cup, although the smart money is on Toonheroes after yesterday’s fine showing.
sing in the corner
Jun 20, 2015 at 9:38 AM
Comment #120Jib
That’s Good news. Ho Ho. It would be great to see some of these young ones genuinely come out of the shadows, although obviously I’m not saying that is instead of recruiting some established players…