Newcastle United have been interested in 26 year-old Adel Taarabt since back in 2011 and it looks like he will be available for sale from Benfica in January.
Newcastle have recently been linked with him – but it would be a disastrous signing if we do bring this Moroccan International to Tyneside.
He caused enough trouble while he was at QPR and while he’s wonderfully gifted as a player, he’s basically caused trouble wherever he’s gone and still has to play for the Benfica first team since joining them on a five year deal in the summer after five years at QPR.
26 year-old Adel Taarabt – available in January
In fact his contract with QPR was terminated in the summer following their relegation from the Premier League and he was one of the bad eggs in the dressing room that Harry Redknapp kept talking about that were a problem for the London club last season.
And in September there was news that Taarabt could be sold rather quickly by Benfica in January and there were a few things noted in the reports from Portugal.
He was overweight – something that happened at QPR – and he was also sampling the nightlife in Lisbon a bit too much – and he had just broken a club curfew.
The problem we have is that Graham Carr continues to go after the players he likes and tries to sign them – and he seems to be impressed with the 18 times capped Moroccan International.
So just like Carr surprisingly brought in Florian Thauvin in the summer when we really could have used that money on a center-back – he could finally get another of his long term targets in January.
And Adel could be cheap because it looks like Benfica have given up on him and he’s a central midfielder – and we’ve never really replaced Yohan Cabaye since he left us almost two years ago.
But if this guy was signed it would undermine what fans are being told – that not only are players vetted for their skills and consistency during the transfer windows, but also for their characters and temperament.
It is well known in football circles that Adel is trouble – so it would be stupid to bring this lad into the club.
It’s the last thing we need given the troubles we already have with our players inconsistent and sometimes not turning up for games.
The other thing we would like to see is head coach Steve McClaren have some say in who comes in during the January transfer window – but that’s unlikely to happen.
It would be tempting to bring Adel in on a six month loan in January – so we hope that doesn’t happen.
Comments welcome.
15 comments so far
Toonfan8
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:08 AM
Comment #1Santon03
Do you really want Honda in Newcastle? Why? Just ask AC Milan fans, he is lazy, slow and they are just waiting and praying for his exit…I dont want him here, plus he is on big wages already and play number 10 position where we already have 3-4 better players than him in that position (Wijnaldum,De Jong,Perez,Sissoko)….
Santon03
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:19 AM
Comment #2Toonfan
I have watched all AC Milan games, I don’t see him being lazy. I don’t know anyone called him lazy and wanted him out, he has bust up with Sinisa.
It hasn’t worked for him in Milan, it’s different than lazy. Same as Mitro or SDJ hasn’t worked since they moved here. AC Milan was in turmoil, 4 different coaches in 3 seasons, Seedorf, Allegri, Inzaghi, now Sinisa.
He is good passer, pass very quick, good dribbling, good set piece. Our players will get injured or suspended, we need good back up and he is good back up.
mindshaft
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:24 AM
Comment #3Trabatt isn’t on the radar – journo had picked up the story from years ago and regurgitated it
mindshaft
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:26 AM
Comment #4Honda is on big money so clearly not going to happen anyway
Tsunki
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:38 AM
Comment #5You Vill not steal ze cheap ankle socks and nibble away at ze billions of pounds profits
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35058974 .
Tsunki
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Comment #6Mineshaft nearly all these “links” are vomited up regularly come transfer window time. Most sports journos have these as calendar alerts.
Ron Knee
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:42 AM
Comment #7Tsunki
A heart-warming story from our lovable leader!
Tsunki
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:43 AM
Comment #8I wonder if that’s the reason for lack of motivation on the pitch from our players – they know they’re going to be kept back after the game and each training session for a thorough invasive search by the team doctor for anyone trying to nick a bib or a sports bottle.
jayphoto
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:43 AM
Comment #9this is a non rumour. No chance Newcastle bring this player in! He’s built a reputation from 1 good season in the championship and a sporadic decent game in the premier league….
Unfair to compare him with Thauvin who is professional and hasn’t put 1 foot wrong at Newcastle yet in terms of attitude despite not being in the starting line up and is still settling to the league/country/area.
Taarabt is basically a less gifted Ben Arfa…
Tsunki
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:44 AM
Comment #10Ron I know it brings a tear to the eye. After the bending over part I suspect. 🙂
Tsunki
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:45 AM
Comment #11Sorry I meant mindshaft.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:52 AM
Comment #12Bored about transfer speculation – interesting article in Journal –
Elliot speaking ‘ ‘We’re much better when we ‘play narrow’, says United Elliot’
Basically the team has gone back to playing narrow and counter attacking…
mmm
Me thought it looked like that on Sunday with Colback, Anita and De Jong playing behind each other …
Elliot
Janmaat, Mbemba, Colocinni, Dummet
Colback
Sissoko, Anita, Wijnaldum
De Jong
Cisse
Jib
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #13Contracts expiring June 2016
Williamson
Gilliead
Ferguson
Mbabu
Obertan
Marveaux
Taylor
All of these except maybe Mbabu and Gilliead will be allowed to find new clubs in the summer.
Where applicable they will have been amortised through the books so no transfer fee will be required for them.
Some have been good servants to the club and a free transfer is their reward,
The others in the words of the song “sad sweet dreamer” by sweet sensation 1974.
“It’s just one of those things you put down to experience”
Toonfan8
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Comment #14Santon03
ok, I will post you some of their opinions from their blog 🙂
Honda turns like a truck…
Let go of Honda, Nocerino, and Poli.
Honda is absolutely useless. Worse then Suso, who is worse then Cerci.
Honda is awful, his time at Milan should come to an end in January.
Honda needs to be sold the most useless player in the squad and Poli a close second sell them and bring back Cristante and buy Yarmolenko…
I am sorry, but this is not type I want at Newcastle, there are a lot of better players for lower price and lower salary than he has. He is 29 and if cant get to speed in Serie A i am not convinced, that he will get to speed in Premier league
jayphoto
Dec 10, 2015 at 9:00 AM
Comment #15Don’t mind Honda as a player but he’s on the way to 30?
Not sure he’s as good as a player as he is as a commercial marketing tool? Honestly don’t watch much serie A though so not seen a vast amount.
To be honest, Kagawa aside (and even he didn’t pull up trees in England despite playing for aside that dominated possession) the Japanese football team doesn’t have much of interest
In Asia the UAE have a couple! Abdulrahman and Ahmed Khalil look like they have the ability to move to Europe and South Korea seem to produce players that adapt well to Germany and England. Kim Shin-wook always looks a right handful when I’ve seen Korea play.
It’s hard to scout and buy from Asia as a lot of the good players that play in the middle east and china are on huge moneyand actually move for big transfer fees but because the leagues aren’t a huge standard it must be hard to judge their actual ability.