The Guardian is reporting today that Newcastle is interested in signing of 21-year-old Barcelona forward Munir El-Haddadi.
We are still short of firepower up front, and Rafa is trying desperately to augment the squad in the last eight days of this summer’s transfer window.
But before we get too carried away the reference in the Guardian to Newcastle being interested in El-Haddadi is not a strong one – this is what it says in their report:
“The 21-year-old forward spent last season on loan at Valencia and has also been discussed as a potential signing by Newcastle United.”
But with the talented young Spanish forward available for transfer it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Rafa could move in and Newcastle and indeed, Rafa Benitez and Newcastle would appear to be a good place for the Madrid-born player to end up this summer.
Yes, we could be just a little biased in that opinion.
🙂
And more than five clubs are interested in signing him.
He has played 45 times for the Barcelona first team with ten goals and ten assists, so this lad has real class.
After playing very well three years ago at Barca as an 18-year-old, he hasn’t been able to come through as much as he would have liked and he now wants first team football elsewhere.
21-year-old Barcelona forward Munir El-Haddadi
And it also looks like Barcelona are willing to sell the 21-year-old this summer.
Munir is already a Spanish International having earned his only cap for the Spanish national team against Macedonia in September 2014, after bursting onto the scene at Barcelona.
He is of Moroccan descent and can play either as a striker or on the right wing.
Last season he was on loan at Valencia where he played 36 games with seven goals and three assists for the Spanish side.
It’s also possible Rafa could get the player in on loan this season with an option to buy him next year.
Comments welcome.
96 comments so far
posada
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:06 AM
Comment #1We need to be signing players for the now.
Not the future.
You can’t depend on a lad like this to get the goals we need.
Markaccus
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:07 AM
Comment #2Not… a… chance. That is all. Next
Krul To Be Kind
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:11 AM
Comment #3This definitely won’t happen… This is also where the blasting the team hinders us from the manager… What decent side would let an up and coming young talent go to a dysfunctional tick over club to stagnate or damage their product?
Hope I’m wrong mind but statistically speaking and the number of players linked this summer this won’t happen imo.
I’m also very wary off Forest tonight… I like Warburton as a manager, he sets and drills his team’s well… Hard to beat.
Markaccus
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:13 AM
Comment #4Martoon
A player has to be already a free agent during the window for him to move. Outside of it on a free. Posada is correct that there would have to be some sort of compo paid by nufc to the player to terminate, but not quite sure why posada is being so condesending about it towards you 😀
Jib
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:15 AM
Comment #5Folk of Morroccan descent aren’t very popuar in Barcelona at the moment.
Just a thought .
Jail for Ashley
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:16 AM
Comment #6Can somebody please give me some quotes of Rafa slaying his players, I’m very interested to read them. When he said last year we’ll need better players in the PL, was that blasting them?
Munster Mag
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:17 AM
Comment #7Oh jesus jib where do u get it from
magscar
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:18 AM
Comment #8Thinking of Rafa now highlighting need to shift out those not making the cut (as many have been pointing out over last month) it occurs to me there could be a fundamental difference between him and Ashley .
Some years back Llambias announced that club policy would henceforward be on a cash payment up front basis. That is different to most if not all clubs and has been claimed to give us a boost when trying to sign players and delete want full fee immediately. Rafa was quoted some weeks/months back as saying he likes to pay in instalments.
Clearly working from a relatively small budget in a hyperinflated market where buyers only want to pay in instalments cripple your own spending power if you won’t change your own pay up front strategy.
Rafa may have thought he could now buy on the never-never and so make full use of his limited spending this season. Ashley presumably not budging on pay now and being unable to shift players out on same basis (as buyers want instalments) and their high wages is a double whammy right now.
If Riviere is on £30k PW that is over £1.5m PA and there are others to move out probably on even more! So not only are fees an issue but at a rough guess we are looking to also free up over £10m pa in wages.
Could this be the difference/misunderstanding that seems to have arisen since May – Rafa in charge of transfers but isn’t allowed to change buying policy which he had assumed came with that power?
Jib
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:29 AM
Comment #9Munster Mag
Comment #7
“Oh jesus jib where do u get it from”
Get what from ?
Spotlight Kid
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:36 AM
Comment #10“We desperately need to bring in a Premier League striker capable of 20 goal plus a season”
“Too expensive Rafa”
“OK, we need to bring in any striker from anywhere capable of 15 goal plus a season”
“Too risky Rafa”
“OK, we have to be content to bring in a Premier League midfield player capable of 9 goals plus a season”
“Too expensive Rafa”
“OK, we will have to put up with squad players from Europe capable of 9 goals plus a season between them”
“Been there, done that Rafa – they are currently BIN or Best Offer off on ebay – and until they sell we have no money in PayPal to buy an outfield player.”
“OK, but we desperately need to bring in a proven international goalkeeper.”
“Too expensive Rafa……..”
(etc, etc..)
Jail for Ashley
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:50 AM
Comment #11Financial Fair play Rafa, I’m a stickler for the rules amigo, did I not mention that in May?
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:52 AM
Comment #12Magscar
we could bring in a 20 goal a season striker – BUT a BIG BUT – would he score twenty goals in our present set up of playing one up front??????????
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 23, 2017 at 9:55 AM
Comment #13El Haddadi usually plays on the right (red left footer) but can operate in a central position up front…
…personally I think we need someone who plays centrally, but can operate on the wing or even better in a #10 position if required
posada
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:06 AM
Comment #14Spotlight
Sadly that is probably how it goes.
Yes Minister. That’s what I imagine them to be like.
Too many players marginalised or scrapped.
Some of them signed by Rafa it has to be said.
You can’t turn round a club in one window. You have to some extent work with what you have.
Remember SBR. He took over a squad of players brought in by three different managers.
One, Pistone was considered to be a no hoper.
Bobby brought him in from the cold, got some form out of him and then sold him to Everton for 2/3 million. Now that was man management. A genius at work.
SPRINGY
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:07 AM
Comment #15Looks like the players that are leaving this week,have either had the contracts settled one way or another or are being sold cheap….either/or if we need them out the squad and off the books,it might be the case we have to take a canny loss on them.
My team for 2nyt
———————-woodman———————-
Manquillo lascelles mbemba gamez
—————–hayden merino——————-
Murphy————-joselu————–aarons
————————–mitro————————-
Woodman…needs game time
Manquillo…needs to get used to playing with these players.
Lascelles…match sharpness
Mbemba….deserves to play
Gamez….game time
Hayden and merino…need game time together to gel,merino needs to get up to pace.
Murphy,aarons need game time and sharpness.
Joselu…time to gel and if he can score myt give his confidence a kick in the arse.
Mitro…game time,sharpness,confidence build a bit trust with the manager,if he does nowt wrong like.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:11 AM
Comment #16SPRINGY…if Rafa is going to continue with a 4-2-3-1 formation (which I hope he will not) then I think you’ll find Perez or Diame in the #10 spot tonight!
…I think the lineup tonight will give a clearer picture of who doesn’t have a future at the club. Personally I am interested in seeing who start in goal and who will be on top…there are not that many to choose from in defence and in midfield
Reilly
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:13 AM
Comment #17Get French Football?
@GFFN
Newcastle United forward Emmanuel Rivière to sign 2-year-deal with FC Metz in the coming hours.
Hope this is true.
Lindisfarne
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:15 AM
Comment #18On the deadwood contracts, if the club can secure a fee equal to the remainder of the players contract, then they should be able to pay of the individual to leave the club and the wage offered by new club is then arbitrary. NUFC will have one less player but save on wages. I am sure this is so simple that it has no chance of working.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:15 AM
Comment #19Reilly…that would be lovely news…
Lindisfarne
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:16 AM
Comment #20#pay off
toontaff2
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:16 AM
Comment #21I’m still liking the look of my deadwood team/Rafa’s Rejects.
Krul
Jesus Good Hanley Hairdrier
Riviere Colback Saivet Hazaar(woof, woof)
DeJong
Mitro.
None of the above appear to be in Rafa’s plans.
Rafa’s Rejects 1-5 Forest.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:18 AM
Comment #22Lindisfarne…the problem is that NUFC even tried to give Hairdryer away and he could not agree terms with the buying club (probably do to wages being offered)
…The wages I think is the problem and maybe even agent fees..
toontaff2
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:19 AM
Comment #23Rafa’ Reserve Bingo:
Darlow
Sterry Findlay Mbemba Jesus
Murphy Merino Saivet Aarons
Diame
Joselu
Still expect us to lose.
Rafa’s Reservists 1-2 Forest.
I expect the Murph- Daryl – to be chomping at the bit.
hibbit
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:20 AM
Comment #24According to De Telegraaf, Ajax are working on re-signing Siem de Jong from Newcastle United.
Follow Football-Oranje on Twitter
The Amsterdammers are reportedly locked in negotiations with the Premier League side and hope to complete a deal within the next 48 hours.
Championship side Reading, managed by Jaap Stam, have agreed a €2.2 million deal with Newcastle for the midfielder and can pay De Jong higher wages. However, after speaking with Marcel Keizer, De Jong has set his sights on a return to Amsterdam, where he spent seven years in the Ajax first team before leaving in 2014 for Newcastle.
De Jong’s time in England has been hampered by injuries, restricting him to only 22 appearances. Last season he was loaned to PSV Eindhoven, where he scored six times, including one against Ajax.
dig-n-dig22
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:21 AM
Comment #25“And more than 5 clubs are interested in signing him”
Why even put this up on the site, It’s just a throw away article
hibbit
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:24 AM
Comment #26dig-n-dig22 why not ??????????????
toontaff2
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:24 AM
Comment #27Hibbit, could be another bidding war, like we had for Rivierre? 😮
Mind, De Jong is probably more use donated to medical science.
toontaff2
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:27 AM
Comment #28Shields Gazette.
‘Genoa are interested in signing Lazaar on a season-long loan, and they will watch him play in the club’s second-round Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest at St James’s Park.
Andrea Cattoli?, one of Lazaar’s “agents”, tweeted: “Good luck to @LazaarAchraf who will play this evening in @Carabao_Cup.
Bologna and Atalanta have also been credited with an interest in Lazaar, who has four years left on his United deal.’
outside the box
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:28 AM
Comment #29toon taff2
nearly the same
darlow
sterry(yedlin if fit) findlay lascelles gamez
murphy merino saivet (barlaser) aarons
diamme
mitro
with hanley manquillo woodman gayle as subs
Jib
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:29 AM
Comment #30Reilly would appear to be on the money
Riviere is in Metz
https://www.francefootball.fr/news/Mercato-emmanuel-riviere-newcastle-arrive-a-metz/827754
outside the box
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:32 AM
Comment #31toontaff2 @28 …never seen that about lazzar…any 2 .full backs from yedlin lazzar sterry gamez manquillol
optimistic prime
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:34 AM
Comment #32If we sell Riviere it’ll be as good as a new signing!
jimmysmith
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:40 AM
Comment #33No good complaining about Ashley when you’ve failed to move on unwanted players though. Get them out first, create room, and then if Ashley is not helping to bring in the required improvements, then by all means wail away, but not before. Rivierre, Saivet, Colback, De Jong etal, might be burdens leftover from a previous approach, but surely transforming the group is part and parcel of the job Rafa agreed too. It’s proving tough, ok, but what should the owner do about it. Surely it is reasonable to say get the deadwood off the books before you buy.
I realise this is not quite the same attitude I held last night, but I’m older and wiser today. A better man.
Jack Root
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:45 AM
Comment #34magscar
As you are aware football clubs conduct transfer business taking into account a players fee and his wages. You suggest there could be a fundemental difference between Ashley and Benitez over the financial treatment. The accounting practice, within football, is adhered to under domestic and UEFA’s financial fair play requirements and transfer fees are amortised over the life of a players’ contract. Transfer fees are not recorded in isolation but as part of an overall package cost. Few managers( Benitez included) rarely get involved or indeed care to understand how their clubs calculate a players cost and the potential impact on the overall budget.
Hence, Spurs signing Sissoko for £35m(!) in a five year deal record £7 million for each of the next 5 years. In addition his wage including any loyalty payments etc – is treated in exactly the same way spread over 5 year term. It’s the overall package cost complicated by image rights, performance related payments, holidays for family members, school fees for children etc. You will appreciate that many player packages, for premiership clubs vastly exceed the individuals transfer fees. That’s why it’s plain daft for fans to do a back of the envelope calculation of how much we’ve spent in a window. There is always a hang over calculation either positive or negative from past Windows. You might recall Ashley’s lack of due diligence and Shepherd owing other clubs instalments on players who had long since moved on to pastures new.
As you mention,b Ashley favoured paying the entire transfer fee upfront which is often favoured by selling clubs and a good bargaining tool. However, the accounting treatment is the same under financial fair play regulations. As transfer fees have escalated the practice of paying up front has diminished and instalments are generally the norm. Tax implications are also factored into individual transactions.
In all honesty little is known by the average fan of any football club what a clubs overall transfer strategy is or where any particular player coming or going impacts on a makers so called budget. Talk of Ashley finding money behind his sofa is as good a guess as any.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:46 AM
Comment #35Jimmysmith
I often wonder if you have a split personality?
jimmysmith
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:50 AM
Comment #36I do vacillate a little from time to time Jail. Not the smartest either to be honest, especially if I’ve had a couple, which I’m afraid was the case last night.
magspuggy
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:52 AM
Comment #37Deedwood fc 5 -1 win tonight anything less and i hope rafa puts them all up for sale.
Dejong i had hope he would be like a new signing we have put up with a bad run of self harming from the lad and thought he would pay us back with a good season.
Jib
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:52 AM
Comment #38Jail for Ashley
Better to have sufficient personality to split than be like you with the personality of a gnat.
toontaff2
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:55 AM
Comment #39Magspuggy, Rafa could showcase our Deadwood 11, with a big win over The Forest. Treemendous.
Most likely they’d just confirm how useless they are and make themselves even harder to shift.
Munster Mag
Aug 23, 2017 at 10:57 AM
Comment #40Jib the Moroccans in Barcelona comment.