35 year-old Liverpool defender Kolo Toure, who played 332 times for Arsenal in the prime of his career, has been released by Liverpool and is now a free agent.
He signed for Liverpool three years ago and played only 71 times for the Reds but he is still a good players and certainly extremely experienced and maybe on that Rafa Benitez is thinking of bringing to Newcastle for a couple of years.
Kolo Toure – free agent now
Toure played 26 times for Liverpool last season and he played well, especially in the Europa League and put in some top class performances.
He finished the season as the first choice Liverpool center-back and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp thought of offering him a coaching role but Kolo wants to keep playing.
He may be getting on in years but he uses all his guile and experience at center-back and he can also play at full back too.
The importance of Toure at Newcastle could be his experience, leadership and his professionalism; a number of our young defenders could learn from the player who has 118 caps for the Ivory Coast.
Kolo is also a winner and while at Arsenal he was one of the best defenders in the world, and he showed last season he can still perform at the highest level.
Because of his good play last season there are some big clubs after him, including Monaco in France, who can offer him a big wage and European football, so even if Newcastle want him it could be difficult for Rafa Benitez to get him to Tyneside.
Mike Ashley doesn’t like to pay big wages for former top players and Sol Campbell was a disaster at Newcastle in the 2010-2011 season, when then manager Chris Hughton persuaded the owner that Sol would be a good free agent acquisition, even at £40K/week.
But Ashley doesn’t control who comes in any more – it’s completely up to Rafa Benitez – and if he thinks Kolo Toure is the right man for the Magpies for a couple of years – then he will sign him.
Another defender released by Liverpool – as expected – is our former left back Jose Enrique, who is now 30 and has been at Liverpool for five years.
We tried to buy him in January.
He’s Spanish so maybe Rafa thinks he could get the best out of him back at Newcastle?
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
14 comments so far
Jib
Jun 13, 2016 at 8:54 AM
Comment #1From previous
Lots of stuff like the transfer windows brought in by the good old boys in FIFA was for the benefit of agents and other bottom feeders rather than the clubs !
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2016 at 8:57 AM
Comment #2It’s about finding the right balance, we need experienced players, we also need to either find players who will be good enough to step up to the PL OR short term options ie loanees or free agents until we can attract top players. The tricky bit is getting in a short term player who’s going to give his all, would Enrique be committed to the cause knowing he was just here a season, or is he good enough for a go in the PL.
Spoof
Jun 13, 2016 at 8:57 AM
Comment #3If your good enough your young enough, with Mbemba and Lascellas looking as if they could in the long term be a great partnership then signing Toure could be a godsend as what both Mbemba and Lascellas lack is experience and Toure has that in bucket loads, he could really help those two lads to develop.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:02 AM
Comment #4The FFP introduced by two of the most corrupt men in World football. I bet those 50M euro fines handed out to PSG and M City paid for a few Business class flights and a few square metres of mahogany panelling in those FIFA offices, I doubt very much the grass roots clubs in Asia and Africa seen much of it. It would be interesting to find out off Lilongwe how much Malawi received from them!
Spoof
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:02 AM
Comment #5Jail
I wouldn’t want Enrique back as I never rated him that highly in the first place, yeah he done ok but in all honesty I always felt that it was Jonas’ workrate and back tracking that made Jose look good, we have the same situation now with Townsend who will make whoever is playing right back look good as he also tracks back and works hard, Townsend even made Anita look ok which takes some doing so for me its a no to Enrique as Dummett never lets us down, he is a good solid defender, not spectacular but good at his job.
cyprus
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:13 AM
Comment #6Ed,
New challenge mate. Remember, it used to be not to say Cabaye? Don’t write the words Rafa or Benitez, in a post.
For example: if Belgium or Italy play well tonight. We don’t all have to collectively think, ‘what did Rafa think of this game’? Or, ‘it’s completely up to Benitez to decide if this was a good game’ 😉
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:14 AM
Comment #7Spoof,
I think they will have to buy a top class CB for the future, you need four CB’s and although a Mbemba Lascelles partnership sounds promising I think Lascelles needs to be back up. I hope we’ve seen the last of the days where one player is back up to two positions meaning when he is brought in to cover one of those pitoesn’t leave the other
cyprus
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:16 AM
Comment #8Spoof, when he wasn’t injured, which he often was, I personally thought that guy was our best ever left back, and I’ve seen a few. When he decided to shut door, to anyone, that was it. Fast, skillful, powerful.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:24 AM
Comment #9Spoof,
Wordpress issues.
I hope we’ve seen the last of the days where one player is back up to two positions meaning when he is brought in to cover one of those positions it doesn’t leave the other spot needing a player out of position. I think they need to make a decision on whether Dummet is a LB or CB or buy another player for the bench who can cover LB or RB capably enough to keep the specialists on their toes.
Spoof
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:26 AM
Comment #10Jail
I agree with that, apart from Lascellas, from what I saw I feel he could be a bit better than back up, I would rather have the experienced Toure as back up, they would still learn from him in training and due to the amount of fixtures he would still play quite a few games, but you are right as we would need a fourth, some will say Dummett which I can understand but the problem is if we use Dummett as the fourth then we are also forced into changing our left back as well which isn’t ideal, so a specialist CB would be my choice, Dunk and Ayala have been mentioned, I wouldn’t have a problem with either of those two, both know the championship and both would probably be good enough for the PL if we get back up.
Spoof
Jun 13, 2016 at 9:34 AM
Comment #11cyprus
thats football for you, we see the same thing but it looks so different, for me a fullback should be a defender first which is why I like Dummett so much, these attacking full backs don’t do it for me, Janmaat, Santon and others of that type of dreadful in my eyes but some people love them, give me a Dummett and a Danny Simpson type all day long
GenralHez
Jun 13, 2016 at 10:22 AM
Comment #12Offer him a pay as you play contract with a view to becoming a defensive coach. His experience in the next 12 months or so would be valuable for our young center backs.
The next Mike Williamson
Jun 13, 2016 at 10:46 AM
Comment #13a lot of these guys who have always played for big teams can’t motivate themselves for lower teams. ferdinand, lescott, richards etc. nevermind the championship. its a risk. will he bust a gut trying to add a championship promotion to his list of medals?
isleofmanman
Jun 13, 2016 at 3:03 PM
Comment #14The problem with these Toure lads is inconsistent self-motivation week in and week out
This ageing millionaire footballers and NUFC’s requirements for next season won’t mix unless he’s coming primarily to strengthen the bench and help the younger team members