News today that Crystal Palace are willing to sell former Newcastle winger Andros Townsend this summer but would you believe it – Newcastle have been told the price could be as high as £30M.
We sold him to Palace two years ago for £13M – which was his release clause.
If that’s the price for Townsend I should probably end this article right now – but let’s take another sip of this strong Starbucks Italian black coffee and continue.
Ah – that’s better.
Palace had earlier this summer rejected an approach for Townsend from Newcastle, but apparently, they are now willing to listen to offers for the England International.
West Ham winger Michail Antonio had previously been reported as the preferred replacement for Townsend, but former Premier League Champions Leicester City are also interested in Antonio.
Andros Townsend with Rafa Benitez on the final day of relegation season against Spurs
The Times are reporting that Hodgson must sell players before he can buy this summer so it could be he wants to push the deal for Townsend through quickly?
Assuming we can get Townsend for £20M, it could be a good deal because he is a proven Premier League player under the coaching of Rafa Benitez.
But where would that leave us with Kenedy – who could be available from Chelsea?
Presumably, Rafa will not bring both wingers in – we need one or two good strikers as a priority – and we would prefer Kenedy as the new winger he brings in this summer.
But these are some of the scheduling difficulties during any transfer window.
If he does want both wingers in then, he would need to sell one of our existing wingers – Ritchie, Murphy or Atsu.
If both wingers are available for £20M – we’d take Kenedy.
What would you do?
Comments welcome.
30 comments so far
simon376
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:00 PM
Comment #1Not for a silly price like that, but yes need both especially if rumours or Richie are true. Also as well as both playing on either wing, they could both play as a number 10
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:06 PM
Comment #2Adding both of them would add pace and the ability to beat a man which Richie can’t really do against the pacy left backs in the league! I wouldn’t mind keeping Richie and trying to convert him into a no 10 the guy has the tools to be great in that position!
Yedlin and Townsend could be dynamite on the right wing mind you constantly running at defenders !
toon kk
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:06 PM
Comment #3These inflated prices are ridiculous. MA will be looking to sell for big money not buy.
Kenedy was a big turning point in our season, hopefully he’ll be a Newcastle player next.
mactoon
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:18 PM
Comment #4I wouldn’t even consider Townsend especially at that ridiculous valuation. I would go for Kenedy and sound out West Ham for Antonio, but ONLY after securing the striker(s) we desperately need
lochinvar
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:28 PM
Comment #5Townsend at £15m maybe but after that forget it. Palace like all Ludun clubs think that because they live there they can charge a cost of living bonus into their valuations. Ashley might not be mister popular but mister big spender he’s not and no way do I want to see the clubs financial position further comprised by paying the like of Palace over the odds.
Mister Tuff
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:29 PM
Comment #6Townsend no thanks he stuck up 2 fingers to us previously and really he is not that good ie a knacker.
RobLeenio
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:34 PM
Comment #7mactoon, we need support players – we could spend £110M on a striker, but if nobody can get the ball to him then it’s like having a pistol without any bullets – it becomes no more than a club.
Rafa is building the team from the back, last season he sorted out the defence and the goalkeeper which are settled though we need cover. He showed with Kenedy what can be achieved with some quality on the wing and he’d like to improve on that again, either with Kenedy or with equivalent players.
The strike rates will improve if we improve the midfield, even if we don’t buy a new striker, through better service leading to more chances for our existing front players and increased numbers of goals from midfielders. If we improve the midfield and also upgrade the strikers, strike rates will improve even more, but with this logic, sorting out the midfield should be the priority
Tsunki
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:34 PM
Comment #8It’s one thing to take a boot in the clangers but to go back and offer another swing seems a bit daft. Nope.
JackBall
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:37 PM
Comment #9I thought this was an interesting statistical analysis on extra time in games.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/world-cup-stoppage-time-is-wildly-inaccurate/
lesh
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:38 PM
Comment #10RobLeenio
Rafa’ll have dropped into SJP to pay his subs into the tea fund and that could mean he’s committed to the club – or paying what he owes before leaving.
Seriously though, it’s a pity that Rafa wasn’t photographed coming out of SJP – his demeanour could’ve said a lot. However, he wasn’t.
Where’s Jib when he’s needed! Ah, probably hiding in the Leazes Park bushes on chopper watch with his little Brownie at the ready!
As you and others are saying, the silence is deafening and we can but hope for good news.
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:41 PM
Comment #11The only real concern about this post is Ed’s obviously indiscriminate choice of coffee vendor. Starbucks is pathetic. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to get a decent cup of coffee in the entire United States. Interesting fact, despite its global dominance, Starbucks just can’t crack the Australian market. They’ve lost 143 million bucks and closed 75% of their outlets Downunder because Aussies know when they are being sold dishwater passed off as a flat white.
Tsunki
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:44 PM
Comment #12I believe jib upgraded to an instamatic.
Great cameras but I used to get in trouble when I was a kid for setting the flash cubes off by jamming a pen up it ha ha. Anyway on with the blogging. Don’t mind me.
ronaldo aarons
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:45 PM
Comment #13Reports in Italy that we’ve bid €14m and bonuses for sturaro. Hope it’s not true, he is very much the Italian jack colback.
Tsunki
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:47 PM
Comment #14Nicky you have to hop over into civilisation -Canada- to get a decent coffee at Tim Hortons. I’ve still got me refill mug makes pret a mangers stuff taste magically better.
ronaldo aarons
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:47 PM
Comment #15If it’s a choice between kenedy and Townsend then it should be a no brainer, kenedy!
If it’s a choice between Ritchie and Townsend then for me it is Ritchie. He is probably our best winger so it doesn’t make sense to sell him and bring someone else in, you still lack the depth. Bear in mind, Townsend left because we got relegated, Ritchie joined us in spite of being relegated.
RobLeenio
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:48 PM
Comment #16Sounds like some wheels are starting to creak into motion. Rafa’s got Charnley back on the treadmilll, he’s dangling the pizzas just out of reach and the club is starting to get back into gear
Tsunki
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:50 PM
Comment #17Jackball well we’ve still got VAR to drag into the present day lol but next up could be scoreboard timer linked to referees watch. That’d be fun. 🙂
RobLeenio
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Comment #18I’d rather have no coffee than bad coffee. I don’t drink a lot but am particular.
Best coffee at the coast is Cullercoats Coffee. Best in town (that I know of) is the Pink Lane Coffee shop though they don’t believe in a big mug.
G
Jun 28, 2018 at 1:56 PM
Comment #19RobLeenio, Mister Woods in Tynemouth is a good brew. City Centre wise, the best Coffee I have had in town was at Wetherspoons on the Quayside.
DubaiMicky
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:01 PM
Comment #20Rob #7, much as i hate always agreeing with you – you’re right again.
((((((((((Gadgee hug))))))))))
lochinvar
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:01 PM
Comment #21Ritchie needs to stay.
If nothing else he has to repaint the corner flags after inflicting so much damage to them.
He’s also not stupid – Stoke or Boro, ain’t on his radar.
The Telegraph are claiming that both Stoke and Middlesbrough are preparing a £15million bid for Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie.The report claims Middlesbrough and Stoke have both held detailed discussions with Newcastle over a potential deal, with £15m understood to be the fee required to sign him.
Bournemouth are also said to be interested in re-signing the Scotland international.
RobLeenio
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:30 PM
Comment #22Ritchie will go if he doesn’t think he’ll get enough game time. His international career is too important to him
Oldgit1
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:34 PM
Comment #23Just a question, but can NUFC refuse to release Merino, I seem to recall a couple of seasons ago (could be longer) when Arsenal added a £ to the buyout price for a Liverpool player and they refused the transfer.
I’m going on the fact that the merino thing is taking too long to complete and perhaps they are not too keen to letting him go for whatever reason.
RobLeenio
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:35 PM
Comment #24Micky, cheers mate – you should have a word with my missus, she tells me I’m never right….
DubaiMicky
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:40 PM
Comment #25RobLeenio, she tells me that too…
Ben Afri
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:40 PM
Comment #26Too lazy to reread who made the comment of keeping Ritchie and using him as a number 10. Think it was Lee Charnley Bunga Party, but I couldn’t agree more, not just for football reasons, but also for practical ones considering the tight budget we may find ourselves in. That means that Perez gets the competition Rafa wants for him in that role, we pay the 20M fee Kenedy is worth, and keep Atsu as the backup for a bit of squad depth. That’s two positions solved for the price of one!
JackBall
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:41 PM
Comment #27Tsunki,
Call me crazy, but I always felt they should put a second official on the pitch. The NBA use to have two and moved to three and I think it improved the game.
Ben Afri
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:43 PM
Comment #28Isn’t the second official the linesmen?
JackBall
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:48 PM
Comment #29Ben,
On the field of play. This way you would always have some one in front of the ball and behind the ball. Let the linesmen concentrate on the line and offsides and the fourth official on the clock .
swemag
Jun 28, 2018 at 2:59 PM
Comment #30I have to post this question again on here – Who wants England to win tonight and then potentially face Brazil in the Quarters and who would rather take a loss and have a path involving either the Swiss or my country Sweden?
I would remind you that in our path to this stage we have passed Holland, Italy and Germany while also beating the French at home in qualification. 🙂