Newcastle United need reinforcements in central midfield and defense.
Vasilis Torosidis – says Newcastle United are interested
But of these two the defense needs strengthening most so it’s not surprising that Kevin Keegan wants to bring in two defenders, a center-back and a left back within the next week.
News today that one of our targets last year, Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim, has moved to Manchester City for £4M.
It’s reported in the Daily Mail that Ben Haim chose Eastlands over Newcastle United, but we really have no idea if Kevin Keagan even rates the Israeli, although we would have welcomed him into the squad, since he’s experienced and can play anywhere along the back four, and has proven Premier League experience.
But since Kevin came back last January we’ve never been linked with the former Bolton Wanderers player, who only moved to Chelsea last summer on a free transfer.
He joins Steve Sidwell in moving on from the London club, to try to get a game elsewhere. Both were poor moves for the players last summer, and both had the chance to move to Newcastle as an alternative destination – oh well.
But Keegan knows where his priorities lie, and he is hoping to have a left-back and a central defender before next week’s tournament in Mallorca.
Newcastle have been linked with many many defenders this summer, and we wonder what has happened to Sebastien Basson, who had a week’s trial at the club last week? There’s been no word from the club on the 22 year-old Metz defender.
We’ve had a £3M bid for Blackburn left back Stephen Warnock turned down, and have also been linked with Vasilis Torosidis of Olympiakos, who has said Newcastle are interested in him.
Newcastle were reported last March to be interested in the 23 year-old, who stand 6’1″, and has played over 30 times for Olympiacos since 2006, and over 15 times for Greece since last year.
The Greek is trying to stir up interest in himself by also saying that he may also move to Blackburn Rovers or Atletico Madrid.
But we’ve been linked with lots and lots of defenders, and we cannot wait too much longer to bring in a couple of good young players, but who they may be is anybody’s guess at this point.
Comments welcome.
124 comments so far
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Comment #41Most teams fans expected a hell of a lot more transfer activity than we’ve seen in this window…& to deny that is…Well, use your imagination!..
…Fank thuck we didn’t get/go for ben haim, chimbonda et al…Phew!..
…Torosidis would be excellent, as would Pog & Derdi…
…Ask neverton, villa, etc what they think about ALL this transfer actiity!..
AndyNUFC
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Comment #42It’s just been so disappointing seeing so many days go by with nothing. I don’t care about “give them time” thing, we NEED those 4 other players, and even still, they better be top quality first teamers if we’re only getting 4 in. Is it actually that Ashley isn’t backing Keegan… Or that Wise isn’t getting the players in? Nobody knows, that’s the thing. It could be Wise, or it could be Ashley, one thing’s for sure I think we all know if KK was given a set amount of money then he’d be out there now buying players.
Hatty
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Comment #43Why does it have to be anyone’s fault? There are too many people who are quick to judge and point blame, but is it just not a case of everyone’s finding it difficult to sign the players they need…. not just us.
Toonlad
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Comment #44Hatty: Any chance of a reasonable translation re that item on Baptista? My Italian is limited.
Rob West Australia: Where are you? I’m in Perth.
Nick Dryden
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Comment #45Why is KK going after Ferdinand and Warnock , a waster and a journeyman, when we have Kadar and Edgar – 2 really bright and upcoming players.
Also I think KK is laying it on a bit thick with Owen. the guy’s injured yet again!! Do we never learn?
AndyNUFC
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Comment #46Well I hate to say it but Spurs don’t look to be having any trouble bringing good players in.
The Entertainers
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Comment #47I understand that one of the reasons we have not bought more players is due to the transfer market being dead to an extent. There certainly is’nt alot of big transfers going around at the moment.
But that does not explain the ones we have been in for and lost out to other teams. This can be explained by our poor current status or our lack of financial clout regarding contracts and bids.
I’m not sure which, prehaps both.
All i do know is that while i’m am REALLY TRYING to remain positive and fully back Ashley 100%. The mood around Newcastle United is quite pessimistic, you only have to talk to other NUFC fans around town or your family or better still this site is a real barometer for fans around the globe.
We could all do with a NUFC pick me up!
Oba
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Comment #48It isn’t Italian, it’s Spanish.
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Comment #49KK is sayin’ Owen is captain to put others makin’ bids for him…Huh?..
…spuds are in euroland this season, Huh?..
shearer4pm
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Comment #50has anybody thought that money is actually on the table, and it’s jus that keegan is doin his research before he takes the plunge???, think about it, were so used to having instant signings and overhauling the squad every year, were acting like a normal club,
look at man united, scholes, giggs, neville, all been there 10 years+, whos our longest serving outfield player??, we need experience. and not jus some random guy from spain whos gonna be the next maradona, i totally agree with the youth system, but for now we need experienced players, thats total experience, not 3 years in the premiership experience(sidwell, shorey)
Angryman the Angry Fan
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Comment #51Punk Skunk, I do take your point….however!! Where did Everton finish in the league last season??
Where did Aston Villa Finish in the league last season??
Arguably, do they need to sign many players?? I would have been ecstatic to have finished in Evertons position and have signed the two players we have signed……
But we didnt!!!
And Everton absolutely pummeled us last game of the season!!
With the team we have now, Everton would pummel us frst game of this season…..do you see where i am coming from??
So your logic aint that good matey!!
Micky Toon
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Comment #52The reason we are probably looking at the likes of Warnock are because some mugs are moaning that we aren’t signing anyone, so the club are going to sign anyone just to shut them up.
Like I said in another post, why do people think we aren’t offering the right money for players? Perhaps the club didn’t think the players were worth the money. If the club are doing business like that, then I am happy for it. The club thinks a player is work x amount the sellers think he is work double that we tell them to shove it. How it should be IMHO.
HeronMag
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Comment #53I’m actually not surprised we’ve been quiet in the transfer market. Year on year we’d over invested in the some of the biggest prospective talents in Europe and never had anything to show for it. KK and Ashley want proven talent for their money – no more Luque’s or Viana’s.
Mike Ashley bailed us out. Without him Newcastle United would be in serious financial difficulty. I’ve no doubt if the right player came along that KK thought could change the team Ashley WOULD back him. We already know we bid £9m for Woodgate and £16m for Modric so the money is there.
KK just wants to find the right men for the job.
KEEP THE FAITH!
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Comment #54Angry,
just 2 eg’s of teams who’ve spent nowt, & 1 of ’em , villa, selling players…& the fans of their teams that i meet, several per week, are more pissed than us lot bro’…They’re hatin’ it…
…neverton will not finish there this season & i doubt villa will either!..
…& now the bluenoses are trying to sell johnson for £10+m, Lol…apparently!..No doubt to buy players…I think we also beat them last season didn’t we?..
…Hey man, i understand what y’saying, but i ain’t gonna judge anything/one ’til it all unfolds!..
…After all, no-one can say neverton or villa got up the league with ‘world class’ players, so it also defeats a lot of the arguements for trophy signings, doesn’t it?..
Hatty
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Comment #55The Baptista article basically says that we put a bid of £6.5m pound in for him on Tuesday night, no mention of whether it was accepted, but that he’s waiting to see if Roma make a move.
With regards to Warnock, he’s a very good left back. Edgar and Kadar are nowhere near ready in my opinion, especially after watching Edgar struggle against Hartlepool last week.
Toonlad
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Comment #56Oba: Thanks, mate. Haven’t got my reading glasses on, (bit of a blur) and in a great hurry with other things, otherwise I would have recognized it as such. Mind my Spanish is as lacking as my Italian.
Angryman the Angry Fan
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Comment #57Micky Toon, get real, Mike Cashley will not part with the steam, he’s hardly gonna rush out and sign someone just to appease us peasants that plough our thousands into Nufc annually is he??
After all “He has done wonders for the club” hasnt he, in his “expensive seat”!!
I mean, look at all the players he has signed, in order to take this team forward as he promised us all.
Look at the massive backing he is giving to his Manager, as he promised us.
Oh and DONT forget the debt he has paid!! You know, the masses of debt he is now trying to claw back by selling slices of the club, cutting costs and refusing to pay the going rates for players!!
And you think this bloke will go and fork out 3m of his hard earned on a player just because we voice our opinions on a blog!!
You should do stand up mate!!
ANON
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Comment #58Why would we want a player (baptiste) that couldnt cut it at one of the best teams in the premier league who play attractive attacking football and make life easy for their front players!!
Know what I am sayin???
Hatty
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Comment #59By all accounts Baptista COULD cut it at Arsenal and scored a good few goals, but it was just a loan wasn’t it.
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Comment #60Some players take more than one season in a new land to ‘cut it’, unfortunately!..
Leo
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Comment #61onouha would be a good move mancity surely will need the money and his chances for a first team spot reduced
torosidis would also be a good signing because he is versatile
Sal
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Comment #62Onouha is just another good prospect, we need a seasoned international centre half to bring a bit of focus and composure to our, at times, chaotic set up at the back.
Geordie Nick
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Comment #63why will man city need the money???? they have a very wealthy man in charge and he isnt a tight arse
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Comment #64But he is a crim, allegedley!..
…So he’s prob spendin’ other peoples money, now that has got to be a tough job?.. 😀
ANON
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Comment #65Wenger had the option to sign Baptista at the end of the loan on a pre agreed fee/contract!!
he didnt take up the option!!
I think wenger is a manager who might know a good player when he see’s one, but i am only guessing this!!!!
He might actually be a Cr*p manager, who wouldnt know a decent player if he was pittling on him!!
Lords alive
normski1930z
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Comment #66look lads as i have sed before fat boy spent nothing last summer he spent nowt in jan and upto now this summer he has spent nowt and if im honest i dont expect that to change…sold the roz and bought spiderman sold emre and bought guthrie… still nothing spent.
ANON
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Comment #67Hatty, you make me laugh!!
“COULD cut it at Arsenal and scored a good few goals,”
How many did he actually score in the premiership?? Ratio goals per game in the premiership please??
After all he would be playing ……..in the premiership!!!
Angryman the Angry Fan
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Comment #68Normski193oz
You sound like an angry young man!! ha ha ha
However, you do state nothing but facts about the past.
People need to wake up and smell the coffee!!
Look at the Reyes situ, reports are that he will sign for monaco after failing to agree ‘personal terms’ with NUFC!!!
Whether rumour, speculation or whatever, as I stated earlier, the club are feeding the rumour mill themselves inadvertantly by not denying any of these rumours, instead they just let us think they are actively trying to sign players….keep selling the tickets mikey boy, you will break even again soonish no doubt!!
😉
SydneyToon
Jul 24, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Comment #69Do you reckon one of these new defenders will be Anton Ferdinand?…or that kid from Man U, what’s his name?
Chris
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Comment #70I agree with Anon about Baptista, Wenger must have seen something he didn’t like otherwise he’d have signed him. He’s probably doing what Aimar done, using us to get a better deal at Roma.
As for Ben Haim, I couldn’t care less if he turned us down yet again, don’t believe Keegan was all that interested though TBH. I don’t rate him that highly so I’m not bothered he’s not coming.
Torosidis sounds a good prospect though so I hope we go for him.
As for Keegan wanting 2 defenders in by next week, well there’s no quotes from the man himself, so it’s basically paper talk to raise fans expectation once again. I can see it now this time next week, angry fans coming on here asking where these 2 signings are WE’VE BEEN PROMISED!
I’d like to see a few players coming in sooner rather than later so they have the chance to get up to match fitness for one, and to gel with the rest of the squad for another.
By the time the transfer window closes we are already a couple of weeks into the season and I don’t think it’s very good policy to just throw new signings straight into the first team squad unless they already play in the Premiership.
Punk Skunk
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Comment #71Rather not have ferdinand, so maybe the rapist(allegedley!), er sorry, evans!..
Ausgeordie
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Comment #72You know what he didn’t get rich by giving money away. Ashley and Keegan will take their time with signings and look for the best buys. By not bidding yet and seeing what happens some prices will go down because players are looking to switch. Arshavin is 21mill now but in another week you’d probably get him for 18mill.
I think we should get in there and snap up Shorey and Seb Larsson. Two good/great squad players, stand outs in their team and proven at supplying assists and free kicks. Neither would cost more than 5 mill, given their clubs they would not need to be guaranteed 90 mins every week to keep them happy and they would both complement our team in areas we know we are weak.
If we let these two go I’d be massively disappointed.
ED – How about a list of ten players we might be able to get for under 10 mill each and let us vote on three of them to let keegs know what we want
SwedeEric
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Comment #73If we just would have bought Modric, we didn´t had have to listen to all kids on here who is whining about MA never gonna show the big cash. And as I hope you guys now, we offered more than Spurs bought him for, and more in wage, so the money is there!
But it has to be on the right player, witch is the way to go! Then all the players that cost all that money, not many of them wants to come here atm. And I certenly don´t want a trophy signing that cost alot, has a big name, take a huge wage, and then play like Smith and Duff did last season…
Taiwantoon
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Comment #74Ausgeordie
no offence, but shouldn’t it be 6million instead of 10m?
chuck
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Comment #75Believe Torosidis could do the job as a CD, Would like to see either Evans or Onouha as backup and future RB.
Enrique is the future hopefully, in which case an experienced LB would fit the bill, thought Koncheski had a good season.
Trouble is a combined bill of £15m or more, for all three would Ashley go for it ?
JimToon
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Comment #76Why Didn’t we go for Carlos Cuellar, he was an absolute rock for Rangers last year which he was the catalyst of getting them get into the final. Also SPL player of the year fairly young. Get Him Get Him
gorskino10
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Comment #77baptista is kinda like kanoute was not good in I’m but will be in Spain for a team like villareal or something. Onouha is American so not an English player but still good. That Greek guy and Suchy would be great but let’s wait and see what cheap player we will buy, please don’t forget kk about Paquet.
Rob West Australia
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Comment #78Toonlad iam in Bunbury originaly from the toon. Where are you? Sell SMITH and buy better.Could some one tell me why we are keeping him?
chuck
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Comment #79It appears except for a few die hard optomists,
that the majority of fans have realised that KK is between a rock and a hard place, in attempting to
improve the club.
I wont go into it , as it`s allready been stated above , just dont expect too much.
Toony
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Comment #80So much panic in the comments about signings!!
I have to say Im really looking forward to seeing the team play a full season under KK. I think the attitude and style of football we are likely to see will be a breathe of fresh air.
I do hope we manage a few more signings to bolster the squad but even if we dont, I will be eternally grateful to Ashley for saving this club from certain death!!! which I think some people forget!!!
1/ Players playing for the right reasons and enjoying football
2/ The club buying players at sensible rates and researching before purchase
3/ A youth policy for the long term future with exceptional kids from around the world and local lads.
I feel all the first team players will be out to prove a point after last seasons crap. Watch out for Duff this year, injury free I reckon he may be the difference…….