The Mail is reporting today that Newcastle are very keen on signing Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney this summer and that’s hardly surprising after he put in an excellent performance last week in Fulham’s surprising 3-1 win at St. James’ Park.
And Cairney’s good form is finally getting some recognition as the 26-year-old was called up to the Scotland squad this week and certainly Rafa seems a fan of this creative attacking midfielder.
Fulham slapped a £20M price tag on him in January since Slavisa Jokanovic did not want to lose him half-way through the season, but Fulham may find it hard to keep their talented player in the summer.
Tom Cairney – Newcastle very interested in this player this summer
The Mail is reporting that Cairney is rated at a price of around £12M and that even seems reasonable with today’s inflated transfer fees – although he is untested in the Premier League.
Of course this news is noy much of a surprise after his great performance at St. James’ park marked him as a really talented footballer who could become a lot better under the expert coaching of Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez.
There will be a number of clubs after Cairney in the summer, but assuming we get promoted then a resurgent Newcastle United under world-class manager Rafa Benitez has to be a big attraction for a lot of good players.
Tom was born in Nottingham and started his career at Leeds United and came through their Youth Academy before joining Hull City back in 2007.
Six years later he joined Blackburn Rovers in 2013 where he stayed for just a couple of years before joining Fulham.
16 year-old Ryan Sessegnon
Another Fulham player Newcastle could well be interested in the summer is 16 year-old Ryan Sessegnon who scored two goals against Newcastle just over a week ago and looked a youngster who can develop into a top player.
Going after the two of them would be an exciting move in the summer for Newcastle and Rafa will want the players in early so they can have a full pre-season at the club.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
104 comments so far
eggman
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:07 PM
Comment #1dont forget his grandad is a toon fan – hes as good as signed 🙂
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:30 PM
Comment #2Not one NUFC defender in this “team of the season”?
Shows you what excel will cough up when you fiddle around with formulae.
scout
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:32 PM
Comment #3His Grandad? Yeah always do whatever my Grandad says.
Good player but like mentioned untested in Premiership, id sooner get Harry Arter from Bournemouth.
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:33 PM
Comment #4Looking at that sessegnon lad it makes me wonder how well our wonderkid is doing at Barnsley. 😐
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:41 PM
Comment #5Looking at Sparky’s reject list was an eye opener on how some players are viewed.
Lascelles not good enough for the prem? I’m sure a defence with a very vocal young lascelles steadied the ship and almost rescued the season. Clark not good enough yet diame Maybe? Mitro a pl player? Got a bit lost off after halfway down there….
Jail for Ashley
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:53 PM
Comment #6We are no worse than any other automatically promoted club over the years and nobody has ever came up and spent 100M in order to survive.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:59 PM
Comment #7I seen moonraker wanted SBR sacked, at least he’s been honest about it, there are hundreds who wanted him gone but now grumble he was harshlt treat. It’s funny how people seem to know the squad better than tge manager. SBR was plagued with injuries that season we finished fifth and semis of UEFA, didn’t complain once and people wanted him sacked, I remember him more for his bold triple substitutions ratber than his eronous ones.
Jib
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:07 PM
Comment #8Jail for Ashley
Funny how you bang on about Ashley , then blame the fans for SBR’s sacking .
Anyone with half a brain knows the sacking was down to fat Freddy , who lost his nerve when a few fans flapped their lips.
martoon
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:08 PM
Comment #9The thing I don’t understand about that team of the season is the timing. If it was done by polling all the other league teams then that must have taken at least 4 – 6 weeks to allow voting and then collating all the information. So you’re voting for a team of the season at the end of January, beginning of February – go figure?
Lindisfarne
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:11 PM
Comment #10At the time of SBR it appeared to me that his age was catching up with him, the player were lacking discipline and they were running rings around him. That is why I was surprised John Carver was kept on the books.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:17 PM
Comment #11Jib,
Of course it was fat Freddy but it didn’t help having people calling for his head, don’t see what it’s got to do with Ashley
Lindisfarne
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:18 PM
Comment #12Team of the season… t’was ever thus. Almost as if one man on a horse travels to the abode of each professional player to record their vote.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:27 PM
Comment #13Tsunki
Must admit I was a bit surprised at some of the players he was saying can’t or won’t (possibly) be good enough for the EPL. I recall someone else making a similar list recently about which I was rather scathing.
I reckon at least 2/3 of those he’s writing off will step up with no problem.
As Jib pointed out the Burnley and also Bournemouth teams have players who (possibly) aren’t good enough but it’s a bit like the Bee who can’t fly but it does.
Let’s deal with next season after this one.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:29 PM
Comment #14Jib // Mar 20, 2017 at 11:26 AM
“Martoon
Rafa Benitez in his 6 years at Anfield bought 79 players for £230 million (£300m at current values)
His net spend however was only £16 million !!!”
Wrong.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:31 PM
Comment #15“During Rafael Benitez’ six-year tenure as manager of Liverpool, he oversaw the purchase of 59 players and the depature of 72. Approximately £230,000,000 was spent on players under the leadership of Benitez at an average of approximately £3,900,000 per player, whilst approximately £162,000,000 was recouped from players sales. This equates to a net spend of approximately £68,000,000 on transfers”
Jail for Ashley
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:34 PM
Comment #16Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!
Jib
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:37 PM
Comment #17Ancient C
Those figures don’t allow for players that Benitez bought but were sold after his departure.
For example Torres was sold to Chelsea for £50 million – I think Rafa should take the credit for that – don’t you ?
Australian Pie
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:38 PM
Comment #18Would have been good to see either Lascelles or Clark in TOTS but o well. As an Aussie very exciting to see Mooy in the team, our brightest prospect currently, I want to see him in the prem next year! Maybe with us =]
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:42 PM
Comment #19Jib, the Torres money was spent on Carroll and Suarez, so didn’t end up as surplus, but I see where you are coming from.
toonincheek
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:44 PM
Comment #20Jib –
Understand the point you are making re: Torres
BUT – that was such an exceptional situation that you
cannot attribute the profit made to Benitez.
Even if the Torres transfer fee is excluded, STILL pretty
impressive figures for Benitez.
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:52 PM
Comment #21Essex it was probably one of my lists you tore to shreds ha ha.
Btw you do realise the bumblebee aerodynamics problem is a myth don’t you? 😉
Jib
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:55 PM
Comment #22Ancient C
I should have said “acquired” 79 players not “bought”
he got a canny few on frees.
posada
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:56 PM
Comment #23On the sacking of SBR.
A number of the young players thought some of his methods were old hat.
Dyer in particular has recently expressed some regrets about his attitude.
Discipline we are told was poor. Souness was thought to be the answer to that, but in the era of player power he fell out with Belamy etc.
Thing is Bobby was 71 I think.
How long do you go on before it gets too much.
It’s a game played by young men. Sooner or later you are unable to relate to them or them to you.
Think Wenger could be there now.
SBR and SAF probably lasted longer than most because of their stature and in SBRs case all consuming passion for the game.
But we all have a limit.
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 1:58 PM
Comment #24Ancient – it would be unfair to say that the losses liverpool made on players such as Carroll should be included in Benitez’ legacy, wouldn’t it? I think his record should stop at the last player sold from his purchase stock, not subsequent managers purchases. Jib (gag….Splitter..Choke….Gag…) Is probably right.
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:02 PM
Comment #25The timing of SBR’s removal could have been the right move had Shepherd lined up an upgraded replacement, which he certainly didn’t.
SBR would have had a maximum two seasons left imo. Unfortunately some of his charges managed to create a poor atmosphere and a lack of respect cooked his goose. Like Dyer, I suspect a few of those young men in their more mature years reflect regretfully on a time of poor behaviour.
Tsunki
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:03 PM
Comment #26Anyhooooo, what was Suarez sold for again? Should Rafa get the credit for that?
toonincheek
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:05 PM
Comment #27posada –
That is pretty much my recollection of the situation.
SBR getting on a bit.
Factions/divisions developing in the dressing room.
SBR authority limited by the 1-year rolling contract.
And FS decided to call it a day.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:07 PM
Comment #28Yes. Liverpool do very well out of the Saurez deal, more than £50 million profit. I still to this day do not know how to got away with blocking Suarez’ move to Arsenal, after Arsenal bid his release fee. Arsenal probably would have won the league if they had bought Suarez. The FA turned a blind-eye to that one.
posada
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Comment #29Young men are very intense.
Which is how it should be with high achievers in a very competitive activity.
Later in life they will reflect on it differently I am sure.
But, that intensity is gone, which makes it all the easier.
If that makes sense.
Jib
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #30The least Fatty could have done was move Bobby upstairs and have some input on his successor – if Shepherd had the brains to plan ahead he could have got Mourinho from Porto at the end of the 2003/4 season before Chelsea stepped in and got him in June.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #31I wonder what would have happened if we had blocked Townsend’s move to Crystal Palace. A very different outcome I suspect.
posada
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:12 PM
Comment #32Toon
Bobby would never have retired of his own choice.
Big mistake was who came next.
Also Owen and Luque did not help.
Rafa would probably have been available at that time ?
posada
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #33A mate of mine had to go and see SBR at his home in Durham for reasons I won’t go into.
He had been there for a while and was having a chat with Bobby.
Lady Elsie said Bobby your FA Cup is ready.
He drank his tea out of a small FA Cup replica presented to him by the FA.
The trip to Milan. Oh happy days.
toonincheek
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #34AncientC –
All speculation, but would Townsend have shown the same
form had he been refused his move to CP – a move he
clearly wanted.
Jib
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:21 PM
Comment #35posada
Owen did not help
que ?
Owen left Liverpool for Real Madrid the year SBR was sacked
Jail for Ashley
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:23 PM
Comment #36Owen and Luque were signed by Souness and Souness was fifth choice apparently, I remember exactly where I was when I got the news.
WWSBRD
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:27 PM
Comment #37Not sure if I have missed something but we had no choice over Townsend leaving so we couldnt of blocked his move?
toonincheek
Aye Townsend would of been very good had he stayed
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:31 PM
Comment #38WWSBRD – Yes, but I am alluding to the fact that Liverpool blocked Sanchez’ move to Arsenal and seemingly got away with it. They even insulted Arsenal after they bid the release amount – some comment on Twitter along the lines of “What are they smoking over there at Arsenal”.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:32 PM
Comment #39*Suarez that should be.
AncientC
Mar 20, 2017 at 2:33 PM
Comment #40posado, it isn’t speculation. Arsenal did bid the release amount for Suarez. Fact does not equal speculation.