Newcastle were linked last week with 24 year-old Inter Milan’s International center-back Jeison Murillo and 24 year-old Angola’s speedy right back Clinton Mata, who plays at Belgium Pro League club Charleroi.
Rafa Benitez is going after a number of players this summer and we identified 13 yesterday that we are being strongly linked with now and which players arrive will depend a lot on what kind of deal Newcastle can get for each target.
Some clubs will ask for ridiculous fees and that will price Newcastle out of doing a sensible deal.
24 year-old Colombian International center-back Jeison Murillo
The latest news is that Belgian publication DH are reporting we want Charleroi right-back Mata, and the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport have reported Newcastle are after Columbian center-back centre-back Murillo, who is likely to be leaving Inter-Milan in a big shake up of their squad this summer.
It’s interesting that we did not include either of these two players in our list yesterday because we don’t think these signings are necessarily imminent – but we’ve been wrong before.
🙂
Murillo is an accomplished International and could be a good signing for us, especially given how Rafa can get the very best out of him.
Monaco, Borussia Dortmund and Valencia are clubs also said to be interested in signing Murillo, but we have to expect that when we go after accomplished players.
Mata has been attracting attention in the Belgium Pro league this season for his excellent performances and he has terrific speed and is not unlike DeAndre Yedlin.
If Vurnon Anita is released this summer Rafa will need to bring in another right-back.
Mata can also play as a wing back or on the right wing and has 6 caps for Angola; he is said to be interesting Anderlecht, Nice, Marseille, Ghent, Genk and Feyenoord – so again we have competition for one of our targets.
These are two possible signings Newcastle can make this summer, but it just shows how many targets Newcastle have identified – they have done their homework.
Now we have to try to get say 8 players in that Rafa needs to create a strong Premier League squad for next season.
Working together with Lee Charnley we have every confidence the two of them can accomplish this very difficult task.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
5 comments so far
Oldgit1
May 27, 2017 at 11:23 AM
Comment #1I have given this a lot of thought. With 6 of the top teams, ie man city, Chelsea, Liverpool all playing in either champions league or Europa league which means they will have a lot of games why can’t NUFC take advantage and finish a lot higher in the league. recent history shows when involved in Europe they can struggle in the premier league games.
It’s also interesting to note that the last two teams to win the premier league title, Liecester and Chelsea did not play in Europe.
I would pit Rafa against all the remaining premier league team managers as we all know he is a world class manager.
So. I’m going to put a £10 bet on NUFC to win the title next season, current odds are 750 to 1. Unless anyone on here knows of a bookie giving higher odds.(please gamble responsibley). Before anyone thinks this is an idiot bet, who thought Leicester would win the title. Got to be worth a tenner.
Salmon
May 27, 2017 at 11:24 AM
Comment #2Mangala is class defender? Howay man!
Don’t think so.His first touch is suspect and has bramblisq over him.
Not good leading the back line either.
Which is why offloaded by city quickly.No thank you.
I would rather sign Chris Smalling for 15m than the suspect.
kilcline
May 27, 2017 at 11:31 AM
Comment #3Defenders – 3 from below
Gibson
Simunovic
Zouma
Ake
Gibbs
Tierney
Maguire
Mids – Both
Carvalho
Townsend
Strikers 2 from below
Abraham
Batashauyi
Ihneanacho
Sandro
Gray
outside the box
May 27, 2017 at 12:10 PM
Comment #4oldgit
betfred has toon at 1000-1 …..f.i.o….oddschecker gives best odds..
good luck …better bet may be saver for top half finish or top 4 finish 100-1 paddy power
Oldgit1
May 27, 2017 at 12:16 PM
Comment #5Cheers outside the box. Might put two bets on then. Feeling confident about the coming season. Can’t see us getting hammered as in previous seasons. Ie 6-0 with Rafa in charge.