Sky Sports Spanish Football pundit Guillem Balague knows a lot about Spanish football (probably a big understatement), and he knows Rafa Benitez well – having written a biography about Rafa’s time at Liverpool.
And he’s in the know when it comes to transfers to and from Spanish clubs.
There has been some talk in the papers this week about Fernando Torres of Atletico Madrid possibly linking up with Rafa at Newcastle in January – maybe on loan.
But today Balague has put a huge damper on that possibility by tweeting this on his Twitter account:
About Torres and Newcastle: there is nothing at all going on about it pic.twitter.com/tZIGRFy08f
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) November 16, 2017
Why does he have to be so sure?
You would have thought he would have waited a day or two before tweeting that – which is probably the truth, unfortunately.
It was nice to visualize Torres putting away some easy chances at Newcastle – chances that our current strikers are missing.
Oh well, you can’t always get what you want – we know that’s true because the Rolling Stones told us.
Now we may be forced to go after Harry Kane.

Comments welcome.
24 comments so far
tenpointnine
Nov 16, 2017 at 1:53 PM
Comment #1Ed., the clickbait master!
Ron Knee
Nov 16, 2017 at 1:55 PM
Comment #2tenpoint
One of his best!
Rotonda heights
Nov 16, 2017 at 1:59 PM
Comment #3got me there Ed
Bryan
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #4He didn’t put to many chances away at Chelsea
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:18 PM
Comment #5Good to see you Ron alive and well! Was afraid you were missing in action 🙂
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:20 PM
Comment #6A quick question to your 3 ITK’s…do you know the name of our bidder and the other party who has finished due diligence as well?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:20 PM
Comment #7I am guessing Ed thinks we are sad that Torres is not coming here?
ashleysmate
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:27 PM
Comment #8Torres?????
Phew….a blessing in disguise
bettyswallocks
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:28 PM
Comment #9IT will be a very intriguing match on Saturday. Can our resident tactical genius Mr. Benitez possibly get the better of Mr. Mourinho with only half a bowl of ingredients at his disposal to bake his cake.
A hard fought draw is surely the best we can hope for.
AncientC
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:28 PM
Comment #10No Fernando Torres, well that is our hopes dashed. I wonder if there are other expensive has-beens that the club could pick up for an inflated fee. I wonder what Soldado is up to these days.
The next Mike Williamson
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:31 PM
Comment #11@Ancient
I hear Stuart Pearce, John Barnes, and Ian Rush are without clubs at the moment.
AncientC
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:33 PM
Comment #12Loved Stuart Pearce’s free-kicks, but the other two being back painful memories.
bettyswallocks
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:37 PM
Comment #13Jesper…….. Still waiting for an update on the seagull situation over there when you get a minute.
Rotonda heights
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:38 PM
Comment #14posada
not sure why you are so intent on trying to bring everyone down. A takeoveris all that’s keeping the faith for a lot of us.
That said, I do need another positive bulletin from Hibbit to calm my nerves
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:40 PM
Comment #15Betsy…why don’t you express yourself in a picture! You make so much more sense that way…
…and it’s a delight for everyone! Or do a postcard…come on, get on with it!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:40 PM
Comment #16Picture! Picture! Picture 😀
Bowjaw
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:42 PM
Comment #17Ancient, im not saying he was a great signing but im pretty sure john barnes finished the season our top goal scorer with about 10 goals. correct me if im wrong
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:45 PM
Comment #18Picture! Picture! Picture ?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:46 PM
Comment #19…I’ll check back later then 🙁
Jib
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:48 PM
Comment #20Barnes 33 games 7 goals
1 in Europe 6 in the League
U.S Magpie
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:49 PM
Comment #21Ed, please change the storyline with ” Newcastle Fans Happy Old Man Torress isn’t coming to Newcastle, not a dream but a nightmare”
sparky55
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Comment #22I don’t know anything about Staveley and whether she is one of the two serious bidders still involved and unlike the other ITK snippets I didn’t know DD had been completed.
All I do know is there is group of people that includes some relatively unknown but seriously wealthy Geordies that are party to one of the two bidders still involved.
Ashley has supposedly said its a minimum £300 million to be transferred into his account by 15th of December and the balance to be negotiated can come later in whatever shape of form the buyer wants but the longer it takes to pay for the negotiated final price the more expensive it gets.
That’s all I’ve got.
Hooded Claw
Nov 16, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Comment #23ITK no deal on the table only the one in Aspers
beefman13
Nov 17, 2017 at 4:22 PM
Comment #24Give over Ed, this fella is just here for one last pay day, his attitude at Chelsea was terrible.