There hopefully will be some added thrust in the transfer window over the next week after we managed to lose to Championship club Nottingham Forest last night 3-2 after extra time and that’s our first two home games ending in defeats.
We also lost at newly promoted Huddersfield Town last Sunday to make it three losses in three games.
🙁
But there are some good signs that Newcastle will be moving players out in the next couple of days with Siem de Jong in talks with Ajax over a return to his former club.
There is also news that Manu Riviere could finally be leaving the club and joining French club Metz, where he’s reported to have negotiated a two-year deal – that was in the local papers, so we have to hope that’s true.
Siem de Jong – close to a move back to Ajax
And Achraf Lazaar played in the second half of last night’s game at St. James’ Park and is wanted by both Genoa and Atalanta in Italy, so we are hoping that Achraf can be on his way too.
This is what a frustrated Rafa Benitez said yesterday after the defeat to Forest about the transfer market:
“We have a couple of players in conversations with different clubs,”
“But officially, today, still nothing.”
“Siem’s one of the players talking with another club. We are waiting.”
“The fans know we’re not happy with three defeats, but we will work hard to change that.”
De Jong has never been a hit at Newcastle since we signed him three years ago from Ajax for £6M, so we hope for his own sake he can get back to Ajax where he can get regular games again and revive his career.
Other players Rafa is trying to move out include Jack Colback, Henri Saivet who played the whole game last night, Grant Hanley, and Sadio Haidara.
So that’s at least seven players we are trying to move out over the last week of the transfer window, and it’s possible we could have a breakthrough this week.
That looks very difficult to achieve, but it’s still possible.
Also, we seem to be close to bringing in David Praet if we are willing to pay out the money for him.
Comments welcome.
22 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 7:56 AM
Comment #1Posada…the thing I don’t get about the Hanley signing is that he was offered a 5 year deal…
…if we take Rafa on his words then he basically said not long ago that they bought players just to help us gain promotion and the players knew that…they knew they would be moved along…so why a 5 year deal?
And this doesn’t explain neither Sels nor Lazaar…no experience in the Championship what so ever…
We have a few buys this season as well that are strange to me…hence why I think this season will probably the the exact opposite of last season
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 7:59 AM
Comment #2Change formation and style Rafa…
…4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 is not working here…especially not with the players you have!
…it’s as simple as that!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:01 AM
Comment #3There are some many different ways to play football and the world is ever changing…even since you managed Liverpool or Chelsea!
…English football is also quite different than that of Italy or Spain…not necessarily for the better just different
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:03 AM
Comment #4What about 3 at the back or even 3 on top?
…maybe a modern approach to 4-4-2…the skies the limit
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:03 AM
Comment #5Echo…
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:07 AM
Comment #6…”Overhead the albatross hangs motionless upon the air
And deep beneath the rolling waves in labyrinths of coral caves
The echo of a distant tide
Comes willowing across the sand
And everything is green and submarine”
G
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:09 AM
Comment #7Jesper @ 1. I believe that the longer a contract a player agrees to, the higher the signing fee for both he and his agent. In other words, it was probably the only terms they would agree to.
Munster Mag
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:09 AM
Comment #8I think rafa once played 2 up front v Norwich but despite the talk about tactical flexibility all we seem to get is 4231. A stoke journo said Joselu was a bit of a softie and might benefit from a big man beside him. Why cud rafa not try this for 20 mins even? Long story short, if mccardew had helped produce this game plan we’d be saying they were crap and stuck in their defensive cautious ways. Its hard to see one player, eg praet, lifting us but maybe a win can.
G
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:10 AM
Comment #9… I agree that it’s madness mind.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:10 AM
Comment #10I’m pretty sure that Rafa would have envisaged a situation this season where Dummet and Yedlin were the back up FB’s but instead has had to buy back ups for them. Will we ever get to hear what was said May and what has changed so much to cause this air of negativity in what looked to be our brightest era in a long long time.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:12 AM
Comment #11Just say it then Munster, you think Benitez is crap and stuck in his defensive ways. It’s not hard gas and there’s one or two that might agree with you.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:13 AM
Comment #12Gas=ffs
nut meg
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:13 AM
Comment #13If we miss out on Praet and we’re in talks with Ajax about Siem De Jong maybe we should take the opportunity to test the water about their number 10 Hakim Ziyech…goals and assists year after year.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/hakim-ziyech/leistungsdaten/spieler/217111/plus/0?saison=ges
kakaobi
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:14 AM
Comment #14Would have probably cost more to put that match on last night than they made
toontaff2
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:16 AM
Comment #15Glad I stayed at home.
Did predict a defeat, which I rarely do.
Expected a team of Reservists and Rejects/Beaver Dam Materials.
Actually think Rafa wanted/expected to lose.
Wondering what the atmosphere will be like, Saturday – tinhat time? – it seems incredible that we have sunk so quickly.
Rafa really has his work cut out to ensure the players are up for it, because he has backed himself into a corner.
Jib
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:16 AM
Comment #16It’s hard to believe the negativity on here.
To say our season is over if we lose to West Ham on Saturday is frankly laughable.
Starting next Monday morning for the last 100 hours is when the window will get frenetic.
Cagliari have put a bid in for Mitrovic.
Our number 10 problem will be solved by us signing another Partizan Belgrade ex player
Stevan Jovetic – Inter don’t want him and the respected Italian sports journalist Giancarlo Padovan has told him publicly he would be a mug to reject Rafa and NUFC.
Which goalie do we get ? is Rafa going to suddenly pull a Rabbit out of the hat ?
Munster Mag
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:18 AM
Comment #17Jail i think he’s a good manager and is good for the club in all sorts of ways, if supported. That said I think he was given God like status by fans from kick off without allowing themselves to look at what he was doing, good bad or indifferent. Yes he is a defence first manager and that’s not the end of the world in itself. I have a few concerns which I can expand on later but right now he needs money. I hope he spends it right though.
toontaff2
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:18 AM
Comment #18Mentioned, yesterday, how many different sponsor names have been attributed to the Carabao Cup – have only even seen 1 or 2 of the next round ties, including Forest away to Chelski. Cannot believe an English cup for English league professional teams, ends up with a draw at 4am in Beijing.
posada
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Comment #19Jail
Over the years we have been affected by MAs wider business interests.
Are they up or are they down. I’m sure of that.
At times he’s supposedly worth 3 billion then it’s one and a half.
He bought NUFC when he had just sold half of SD for 900 million and had cash to spend. A super confident business man.
Just before the Keegan calamity and the appointment of JFK we had the financial down turn and he was affected by it. Then not such a confident business man.
What’s he up to now in the wider business side of things. Who knows.
lochinvar
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Comment #20It’s reported that DeJong will be let go for £1.8m after we paid £6m for him.
Ajax have just recouped £45m from sales.
Clearly playing hard ball is not in Charnley’s locker, but on this occasion maybe not relevant as his wages come off the books as well.
Let’s hope that the deals for Rivière, Hanley, Colback and others ( who did I miss ? ) are more productive.
Jib
Aug 24, 2017 at 8:24 AM
Comment #21Have you seen how many posts the Dane has made ?
Quoting Pink Floyd and revelling in the clubs discomforture.
I’m surprised that so few have sussed the guy for what he is !
BANDWBURNABY
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:45 PM
Comment #22If we signed half the players we are supposedly on the verge of getting we would have a bigger squad than Chelsea. As long as fatty will only pay a fraction of the asking price we are prime relegation candidates