We should be looking at Rafa bringing in players who we haven’t been linked with, in these final two days of the window, if we can indeed add some talent to the Newcastle squad.
And news in the Chronicle today that Jordy Clasie of Southampton has been told by new manager Mauricio Pellegrino that he can leave the club in the next two days.
Rafa Benitez and Mauricio are good friends, so maybe Rafa could even bring in the 15 times capped Dutch International.
But Clasie usually plays in defensive midfield, and we seem to be well equipped with Isaac Hayden and Mikel Merino able to play competently in that position.
It’s certainly not a priority at the moment, with left-back and striker probably the two positions that Rafa would like to strengthen before tomorrow night.
Jordy Clasie – potential Newcastle transfer target?
The Saints paid £8M for the midfielder when his former boss at Feyenoord, Ronald Koeman, brought him into the club on a five-year deal two years ago.
We were apparently watching Clasie while he was still at Feyenoord, but that was before Rafa Benitez came to Newcastle.
The Southampton Daily Echo are reporting that both Newcastle and Crystal Palace could be interested in signing the 26-year-old.
But Rafa will not panic and bring in players we don’t need or who will not add quality to our squad, so we’d be surprised if Rafa even bids for this player.
So it really (as usual) depends on whether Rafa rates Clasie.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
83 comments so far
BandB
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:01 PM
Comment #1What better advertisement for our club could there be that, on the day before the transfer window closes, our manager can attend a by-invitation-only seminar with the world’s other elite managers, confident in the assurances he has had of the professionalism and goodwill of those charged with carrying out his instructions.
SPRINGY
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:03 PM
Comment #2Clasie may be a late last day deal ti replace colback…probs on loan if we can get our main targets in.
hibbit
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:04 PM
Comment #3jesper
30th august 2016 close
1 GBP = 1.1742 EUR
Jib
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:05 PM
Comment #4Mister Tuff
so nothing to do but come on here talking a load of bollix.
Ha ha ha
So true
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:07 PM
Comment #5JIB
Evidently takes after you then
Ron Knee
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:07 PM
Comment #6hibbit/expat
If Gayle is sold and not replaced, it’ll be goodbye Rafa.
Ron Knee
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Comment #7BandB
Rafa can sleep sound tonight!
wynsleap
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:09 PM
Comment #8Not a ‘classy’ choice by any means. Are we getting desperate here? Time is pushing on.
While other teams are steadily bringing in much needed recruitment, when will we hear that early morale dropping announcement “We’ve done all our business for this window”?
Can’t be too long now.
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:09 PM
Comment #9SPRINGY
By my calculations on player requirements, a forward, a creative midfielder and a quality keeper is needed before we look at a Colback replacement.
Mister Tuff
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #10jib – were are all these signings you posted about some time ago – the ones you kept telling us Karanka tipped off Rafa about.
also save you a Google search
this lad Jordy is not a Geordie from Newcastle.
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #11Ron
Thats what I expect, mate
lesh
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:11 PM
Comment #12So if we signed Clasie, would that make Jordy a Geordie?
hibbit
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:12 PM
Comment #13Ron Knee
the shit will definitely hit the fan under those circumstances
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:12 PM
Comment #14Lesh
No mate……but he would be a classie signing
geordiemark
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:12 PM
Comment #15we will sign no one as normal and i just wonder how much has been saved in transfer deals this time around and how much will be in ashleys piggy bank come may well that’s if were not relegated
SPRINGY
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:14 PM
Comment #16Expat
Thats why i said late deal after other targets,…whey hopefully anyway.
lesh
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:15 PM
Comment #17Repost from previous
it’s worrying that they’re supposed to be wondering what to do if a good bid comes in for Gayle. Pondering? Pondering at this stage of the window?? Ffs…… If Gayle’s not flavour of the month, get the Icelandic lad teed up or even signed up before Gayle’s shipped out. We don’t need pi$$Ed off players in the camp!
Ah, but Barnes’ll put paid to that – he’s been dropped in to be mean and make the finances attractive to potential investors – even if we’re gonna run the risk of relegation. Ashley and his puppets seem to have the vision of a bat! It seems that his greed obscures everything.
So much for Ashley’s Sky interview. He’s learned from his mistakes has he? It’s a shame some media outlet doesn’t run something on the reality of Ashley and NUFC under his ownership.
There must be a white knight out there to take the Club off him and run it as a football club aiming for success on the field.
hibbit
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #18till the window shuts we just don’t know
still time for Rafa to surprise us
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #19RON/HIBBITT
Remember what the Italian partisans did to Mussolini and his mistress in 1945?
If the above scenario happened, expect to see Ashley and Penfold hanging by their “buster browns” from the Tyne Bridge rafters the morning after the Stoke game.
Ron Knee
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:17 PM
Comment #20https://twitter.com/UEFA/status/902874203648663553
Chancel be a fine thing
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:17 PM
Comment #21or as long as Rafa Benitez remains their manager, Newcastle United will improve. For as long Mike Ashley remains their owner, they will never be better in any meaningful sense, not if the definition of better includes vibrancy, hunger or straining for glory. This is the contradiction at the heart of a football club, the battleground of a testing, wearing summer, one which has left relationships brittle and ambition rationed.
lesh
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:18 PM
Comment #22Expat
Top of the class for that one.
Our Toon
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:20 PM
Comment #23I’m surprisingly not concerned about getting rid of the deadwood along with Gayle, I think we will be active in the last day of the window completing deals that we’ve already begun discussions on.
I don’t think rafa will have attend this managers coaches forum thing if he wasn’t confident himself that we will make progress.
As for Mitro v Gayle debate, Mitro is still considered a very good player on the continent. Gayle is considered a good player in the championship. Absolute no brainer which one should be leaving
lesh
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:21 PM
Comment #24Anyone have any insight into Claise’s recent form? Class, form credit????
Ok, I’m.off to stand at the back of the classroom for that
Jib
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:21 PM
Comment #25UEFA have summoned 12 of the best coaches in Europe for their Coaches Forum in Nyon and Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is one of the men in attendance.
A year after his incredible debut season with Los Blancos, he won an historic double that the club had waited over 50 years for.
The only men ahead of him in terms of silverware are Jose Mourinho with 25 trophies, Rafael Benitez with 12 and Massimiliano Allegri on nine but none of them have claimed back-to-back Champions League titles like the Frenchman.
expatmag
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:24 PM
Comment #26Clasie apparently off to Club Brugge according to tbe BBC
Jib
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:25 PM
Comment #27Is that a mobile in Rafa’s hands ?
BandB
Aug 30, 2017 at 2:49 PM
Comment #28Ron
That photo really brings home the scale of Benitez’s career achievements and his exalted status within the game. He really belongs in that company.
It’s hard to imagine that shadowy specialists in reputation management could possibly believe they have the tools to fit him up.
Munster Mag
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:04 PM
Comment #29Hanly gone to Norwich, hurrah
Chancel be a fine thing
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:05 PM
Comment #30Hanley suits the Norwich shirt; yellow goes with the disinterested look in his eyes. So glad to get rid.
Jib
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:06 PM
Comment #31BandB
Some of us didn’t need a pic from Switzerland to know what a fine manager Mike Ashley had acquired.
Ciaran
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:17 PM
Comment #32Jib’s not even attempting to hide his agenda these days, not that he was ever that clever to do so. Makes me wonder what a pathetic life one would need to lead in order to incessantly peddle his pro-Ashley claptrap just to be a contrarian.
No one really needs telling that Mike Ashley is one of the worst things to happen to our football club and by gambling on recruiting Benitez he really needed to back him or risk another fan revolt – as tepid as previous ones may have been he doesn’t really want that kind of PR.
supermac69
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:23 PM
Comment #33Jordy classie having medical at club Brugge so he ain’t gonna be a jordy geordie
ToonTime
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:23 PM
Comment #34Clasie off to Club Brugge. We need another link Ed…
Rotonda heights
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:25 PM
Comment #35Ashley has made it abundantly clear for some time he wants out, so pointless him suddenly feigning any support for anything NUFC related at this stage. Unfortunately Ashley’s greed to sell at a fair price will see to it that he will be as he says in his own words ” with us a for a good while yet” Sadly the elite manager probably will not be. Strangely no sign of AP, JC or SM at that meeting.
OneAlanShearer
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:25 PM
Comment #36Yep sky reporting it now as well.. Lots of weapons grade horse plop reports flying about. No offense to ed of course not shooting the messenger
Rotonda heights
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:29 PM
Comment #37Ciaran, spot on. Recently Jib claimed he was in a picture sitting in front of charnley wearing shades. If it that was really him in it it would be hard to look any more of a spiv.
Rotonda heights
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:31 PM
Comment #38Is there anyone ash doesn’t upset or fall out with from the tax man to KK. Seems to have to go to court a lot
supermac69
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:32 PM
Comment #39Can’t believe we got money for horseheed hanley, just passback and Henry slaver to Nash and we’ll be spending like a half price sale in shepherds (anyone remember that shop.?) 🙂
Jib
Aug 30, 2017 at 3:33 PM
Comment #40OneAlanShearer
Lots of weapons grade horse plop
Ha ha ha
Do you have that copyrighted ?
May I use that (elsewhere of course) ?