There’s news in the Chronicle and in the Croydon press today that it’s looking more and more like Andros Townsend will be returning to Newcastle this week on a loan deal.
But it’s now looking more like a loan with an obligation to buy, after Andros has played a certain number of first team games for Newcastle.
Palace lost again yesterday – this time 1-0 at home to Everton with a late goal from Coleman – and manager Sam Allardyce is now said to be warming to the possibility of a loan deal as long as the terms are right.
Andros Townsend after scoring against Swansea last season
Sam is very keen to add to his squad in the next 10 days the January transfer window is open.
An obligation to buy rather than an option to buy would seem to be a better deal for the London club, plus a decent loan fee they could then use this month on some transfer targets.,
Rafa Benitez and Newcastle have found this transfer window difficult with some ridiculous fees being asked for players.
And therefore the Newcastle manager is more willing to do loan deals and keep the transfer funds for the summer when hopefully we are back in the Premier League.
Andros has just one goal in 23 games for the Eagles and at the time we thought his move back to London was not a good career choice.
It was no coincidence that he played his best football under Rafa Benitez – 3 goals and 2 assists in 14 appearances for Newcastle – and we just couldn’t see that continuing under Alan Pardew – having had four years of Alan at Newcastle and he is nowhere near the manager that Rafa Benitez is.
This is what we wrote on July 1st after Andros wrote a letter to Geordie fans about why he left for Palace:
“It’s good that Andros wrote that but it seems a very short-sighted decision to give up Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez for Crystal Palace and Alan Pardew.”
Rafa rates Townsend highly and had a great working relationship with him at Newcastle and he improved his game considerably, but the England International has dropped back since then.
Rafa obviously believes in the player and that will help the deal get done in the coming week.
Andros is also letting everybody know he wants a return to Newcastle and that should also help the chances of Newcastle being able to get it completed.
There’s now a very good chance Newcastle can pull off what would be a great deal for us.
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129 comments so far
lesh
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Comment #1Go for it Ashley, get the lad in a loan Sammy out again to balance the books.
toonincheek
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:41 PM
Comment #2This situation is pushing my “I trust in Rafa” to the limit.
I assume it would be a choice between Atsu and Townsend –
I assume we would not want both.
Would we prefer Atsu or Townsend?
I am still of the opinion that his good form last season was due
MAINLY to his desire to be selected for the England Euro squad.
I think I would prefer Atsu, especially in view of his good form at AFCON.
Do we have a definite option/agreement to buy Atsu?
At a price?
Or is it a season long loan with no options?
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:43 PM
Comment #3Just watchin Leicester at Southampton….they look woeful upto now..what a difference a season makes,no where near the confidence they had last season.
WWSBRD
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:45 PM
Comment #4toonincheek
Why can’t we have Atsu and Townsend?
If this goes through wed have option to buy both and we currently have 1 winger at the club worth his salt
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:47 PM
Comment #5Springy,
There’s only so long they can use the CL as an excuse but that would be truly amazing if they won that.
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:47 PM
Comment #6Toonincheek
I read it was a loan with option to buy,at an already agreed fee…4,5m if memory serves,but that was just what i read somewhere when he signed could be bollicks…..rafa may want to play townsend, ritchie and atsu behind the main striker all interchangable,creative,fluid and score goals….just a thought like.
lesh
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:50 PM
Comment #7Springy
Hourihane, Hourilane? It seems you don’t know your Rs from your Lbow! ?
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:51 PM
Comment #8There is no reason why we can’t have, Atsu, Ritchie, Townsend, The Gouff and Sammy at the same time, wingers aren’t like a CB pairing where an important partnership is vital, you can chop and change tgem and tgat type of competition would be great, then next year we can get rid of the Gouff and Sammy and make a decision on Atsu. Still need someone who can play Shelveys role while pushing Diame and Perez for that “no 10” slot.
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:52 PM
Comment #9Jail
Aye,but at what cost mate,they are only just above the relegation places and as we all know someone usually drops in or suddenly climbs out of relegation….very dodgy for them….champions to relegation in one season…guess that wouldn’t get mentioned in the jamie vardy film!lol
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:53 PM
Comment #10Lesh
Hahaha…..good one mate,……smart arse! Hahaha
Nufc-83
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:54 PM
Comment #11Jail i disagree on Dummet as he looks exactly like what he does when he is playing in the prem. very solid defensively but awful going forward and that has remained regardless of the drop in competition.
I do get your point though as Gouffran is looking 10x the player and that is not down to Rafa he has just found his level.
On sammy as I said yesterday morning I wouldn’t be so quick to write him off as he clearly has talent and played very well for us during Europe league runs in the past. The problem with him is that real drive and determination to succeed as mentioned the mr nice guy attitude. I think this is something that can be coached and Rafa is surely better than anyone to do that.
AncientC
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:56 PM
Comment #12Why would the club go the ‘obligation to buy’ route? Unless the coffers are empty until the summer.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 12:59 PM
Comment #13Nufc,
Exactly and that’s not as bad in the Championship but when we get back up we need a solid LB who can put a cross in, he might stay as a squad player he might not. I don’t think there’ll a mass clear out in the summer so he might survive short term.
TyneMouth
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:00 PM
Comment #14It would appear that no one knows for certain all the factors relating to Townsend’s transfer to Palace, and what options are on the table regarding his return to Tyneside.
If it is correct that Palace triggered Townsend’s release clause, and paid £13m, most people would assume that £13m changed hands.
However it now appears that an installment of £3m is scheduled to be paid this month. Assuming that this installment is the second one, that leaves £7m outstanding. A third installment is presumed due in the Summer.
Townsend’s return to SJP will either be as a loan to buy, or a straight forward sale. There have been suggestions that a loan would incur a fee for half a season! If that is true then if we buy Townsend can we expect a loan fee for the first part of this season?
The reason that Sam wants rid of Townsend is to get funding for a replacement. If, and it’s a very big if, we pay the same as we sold him for, then the only cash Sam would get is the first deposit, (assuming it was paid last August.) which would be £3m. He would also save another £3m due to us this month.
Either way this transfer will only have a minor value to Palace. A temporary salary reduction at best.
If Townsend returns where will he play? Drop Ritchie, really!
Make him the top earner! Explain that to the dressing room, good luck will that.
This possible transfer would not be debated if Townsend hadn’t chosen Palace in the first place. A player with such appalling lack of career ambition doesn’t deserve the shirt at SJP.
He’s history, £13m can be better spent elsewhere. Time to move on…
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:00 PM
Comment #15We will have a plethera of playrrs to get rid if once again in the summer
DeJong Riviere Saviet Thauvin Vukic and possibly Krul or Sels and Mitrovic probably.
Once they are gone, then we will more than likely recruit again
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:03 PM
Comment #16Tynemouth
Couldnt agree more
WWSBRD
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:07 PM
Comment #17TyneMouth
Appalling lack of career ambition? Aye playing top level football and for ur country over a underperforming club in the championship with an owner who has a history of ruining it anytime things are going well…where was his ambition eh
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:08 PM
Comment #18Maybe with our number 10 position not exactly great at the minute and big money being mentioned for player who can play there,maybe townsend is being thought of as a player who could come in and play that position,being a cheaper option due to money owed from his deal to palace….theres so much we dont know about deals and payments,makes it all speculation.
Nufc-83
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:08 PM
Comment #19Townsend when he feels wanted is better than any player at the club. If there is a way of bringing him back we need to do that it’s that simple.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:10 PM
Comment #20WW…,
Howay man he left for the money and thought he was too good for the Championship after saying he owed us.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:11 PM
Comment #21A few players causing splits of opinion!
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:14 PM
Comment #22We do need another player who can turn a game do something special,cant be just relying shelvey..and ritchie has been hit and miss creatively,knockeart at brighton is proof that a flair player in the last third can make the difference between a draw and a win and maybe rafa sees townsend as that player….and we seen he can do that last season for us,yes he’s been poor,out of sorts but he was when he came last time, then he put in some great performance’s.
Our Toon
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:15 PM
Comment #23No thanks on townsend, let him rot there or join someone else. He was very good for us last season but there were mitigating factors….like wanting to go to the euros, with no major tournament in sight he’s gone back to being his old self, anonymous!!
The first to jump ship as well if I remember correctly, last time I checked we are still in the championship so those claiming he did it for his career…. arent we are still in the championship?
toonincheek
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:15 PM
Comment #24WWSBRD and Jail
To have Ritchie and Atsu as the main RW players, I really don’t see
how Townsend would be an addition worth the money he would cost.
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:16 PM
Comment #25Imagining we get promoted, what would our 25 man squad be next year
Who is in who is out
Keepers
Krul Darlow Elliott Sels Woodman (5)
Defenders
Anita Yeldin Sterry Gamez Lascelles Clark Hanley Mbemba Findlay Dummett Lazaars Haidara (12)
Midfielders
Ritchie Ameobi Hayden Shelvey Colback Thauvin Vukic Diame Atsu Gouffran Barlaser El wotsits Dejong Saviet Tiote (15)
Forwards
Gayle Mitrovic Murphy Perez Armstrong Riviere (6)
Thats off the top of my head. Probably forgot 1 or 2 but I count 38 players of which 5 are kids, 1 is loaned to us and 1
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:17 PM
Comment #262 are definitely leaving.
That means 30 players to fit 25 spots and that is without recruiting.
What would you do?
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:19 PM
Comment #27WWS
But he didnt make the squad, did he?
SPRINGY
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:19 PM
Comment #28Ex pat
Had to laugh at el wotsits mate,hahaha
WWSBRD
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:21 PM
Comment #29Jail
Could just as easily say Shelvey stayed for the money and easy ride, where’s his ambition?
He’s left to play in a better league (and international football which 100% he wouldn’t even be considered for in the championship) and that’s a lack of ambition?
Our Toon
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:21 PM
Comment #30Out of curiosity does anyone know how many teams townsend has been relegated with?
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:22 PM
Comment #31SPRINGY
Couldnt remember his name mate. Was going to call him El juggler……lol
WWSBRD
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:22 PM
Comment #32expat
Was he under consideration for the squad? He wouldn’t of been while playing for us
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:24 PM
Comment #33WWS
And his return of 1 goal 0 assists in 23 games where he sevrerly cracked it with Pardew when asked to swap wings has really helped his international ambitions mate
Jail for Ashley
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:25 PM
Comment #34Three bingo winners, lochinvar, reilly for their first points and toontaff22 with his second win and ten points.
Our Toon
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:25 PM
Comment #35Wwsbrd
Has he regained his England spot? He left because he thinks he’s to good for the championship, I respect the likes of Shelvey who knew what he was signing up to yet decided to stay when we went down.
Townsend knew we could go down yet signed permanently, he now wants to jump ship with palace when they are struggling….not that he’s helped them much, maybe the lack of international tournament has something to do with that!!
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:26 PM
Comment #36Wws
Yes. He was under consideration when playing for us. I seem to remember he was selected and came on as a sub against Australia at the SOS.
That was down to his form with us, not Crysral Palace
hibbit
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:27 PM
Comment #37TyneMouth
thats where i was coming from when i ask how could they ask for cash up front when they haven’t paid for him ???
i think there’s a lot more to this than we will ever know !!!
expatmag
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:29 PM
Comment #38HIBBIT
I hope we never find out mate.
Our Toon
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:30 PM
Comment #39Hibbit
If it is in installments
Our Toon
Jan 22, 2017 at 1:31 PM
Comment #40They will still have to pay for him if he joins us or anyone else……they probably want cash upfront so they can use that for someone else.