It seems that Aston Villa are confident of signing Habib Beye before the week is out.
Habib Beye – Aston Villa willing to pay £4M
Martin O’Neill may then try to hijack Spurs, and also take Sebastién Bassong to Villa Park, and it seems Newcastle are now willing to sell almost any player, if only to get their books in order so the club can be sold.
Exactly who will come in and build the Newcastle squad, decimated by contracts ending and good players being sold, is anybody’s guess.
These deals will leave Newcastle United caretaker manager Chris Hughton with whatever players are left, and will presumably provide extra funds for the club’s next manager in the transfer market.
That’s assuming time is left in the transfer market and players are available to be bought, of course.
There is now total confusion surrounding the Newcastle club, and how exactly the squad can be rebuilt with just over 3 weeks of the transfer market remaining, is a very good question.
Any more time spent on trying to sell the club will endanger the rebuilding of the Newcastle squad, and it looks like everything is being done to sell the club, but nothing at all is being done to put us in a position to be promoted next season.
It now appears that Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is keen to take some Newcastle players.
O’Neill hasn’t been active so far in the transfer market this summer, his only signing being the free transfer of Courtney Cameron and the injured Middlesbrough and England winger Stewart Downing before yesterday.
Villa last night completed the signing of exciting Leeds United youngster Fabian Delph, while sources in the Midlands suggest they are hopeful of also adding both Beye and former Newcastle center-back Sylvain Distin to their squad this week.
After that they are expected expected to go after Bassong, if he is still available, as Spurs are said to be very keen on the Newcastle youngster.
Hull City are also interested in Beye, but it would surprise us if Seb wanted to move to Hull City if Aston Villa and Spurs are two clubs also interested in him.
Villa are thought to be ready to meet Newcastle’s £4m valuation for Beye, which would be twice the amount we paid Marseilles for the player two years ago.
Beye and Bassong are two players Alan Shearer was hoping to keep at the club if he got the manager’s job, but any planning that may have been done this summer has been thrown to the wind on Tyneside, in an attempt to lower the wage bill and bring in transfer fees, so the club can be sold.
As we said earlier, this seems to leave any Newcastle rebuilding for next season in a sorry mess indeed.
Comments welcome.
22 comments so far
Macas35
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Comment #1I heard on Thursday night that Beye was off to Villa. I imagine he might have stayed, but has had his head turned by the prospect of moving to a club that’s doing well. Good riddance, good player but no loyalty.
Billy Bunter
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Comment #2Lads – there is a full blown press conference on Friday! It is confirmed!
Hope its good news either way – will update you as I am bound to get more crack as it gets closer, she doesn’t know who is taking it though.
Graeme
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Comment #3Macas, if you were being treated like a mushroom, fed up with no manager, no future and someone gave you the chance of Premier League footy with a club showing everything your current club isnt, what would you do??
Villa have a manager, a structure, a sound footing – we have none of those at this time. You cant blame a player of his age wanting to move to secure possibly his last 2 years playing, can you!!
On a different topic, MA is quoted in that well known rag, The Mirror, saying the sale WILL be completed before the end of the month and it will not be sold to FFS and cronies – make of that what you will lol.
AussieToon
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Comment #4Just a new topic for you smart lads on this blog.
Who is left as good quality signings for our club if hypothetically we get our stuff in order?
Say we rid ourselves of Beye, Bassong, Colloccini, Gutierrez, Butt and Smith along with the already departed Owen, Viduka, Cacapa, Edgar and Martins, who can we get to cover the losses? Also for how much?
Andrew Driver from Hearts for 5 million pounds? Jermain Beckford for 3 million pounds? Ross McCormack for 5 million pounds? Per Ciljan Skjelbred for 5 million pounds?
Who can we get?
Stuart79
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Comment #5Aussie
Harry Potter would be a good start.
sirjasontoon
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Comment #6We are in a sorry state,I expect a few more players to go and non to come in.
I don’t see no end in sight so I am going to sit tight and try and keep my moaning to a minimum.
Our squad will tiny next season and will be easily beaten by most teams.
AussieToon
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Comment #7Nice answer Stuart lol.
Macas35
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Comment #8Graeme – I wouldn’t be so bothered if he hadn’t made such a big statement about how he was going to stay here. He’s acted like a spoilt child the last few weeks.
waddler
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Comment #9Ashley has stated, allegedly, the deadline for a sale is this Friday and he will remain its owner for 1 more year if its not sorted by then.
So what can we expect if this story about a press conference on Friday is true?
My guess would be Ashley stays and has a new manager alongside Llambias.
Stuart79
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Comment #10http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00m2y3q/5_live_Sport_Premier_Banking/
Toon Graeme
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Comment #11Billy Bunter – aye mate -its called the pre match conference and is normally done on a thursday and released on a friday.
chuck
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Comment #12Listen!, about loyalty is it ?
Wise up for ch***t sake, it has`nt been about loyalty in years, its about security , dosh, silverware in some cases, but loyalty, gedoutahere !
Beye was as loyal as could be expected , he is also a proffessional and come on folks who would`nt want out of this sorry ass club right now , oh yeah forgot! only those highly compensated jerks who got us relegated.
Elvis at Left back
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Comment #13Hi Guys,
Villa fan here,
Firstly can I say that I’m appalled as you are the plight of NUFC over the past year or so and we at Villa wish you every success in your return to top flight football where you rightly deserve to be..
On to my point, Are these 2 guys any good, we hear mixed reports on them, the loyalty aspect of football has LONG SINCE GONE, it’s all about cash in the pocket, we found that out with Gareth $arry
Good luck for the coming season !!
Billy Bunter
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Comment #14Aye it is Graeme – I just messaged on the other thread – Com toon pointed it out to is, I texted donna and she said its for the game, sorry lads, got two exsited
THE MAGPIE
Aug 5, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Comment #15Loyalty-ha that died when the Premier League began, i can understand anyone wanting to leave and am suspicious of players who dont want to play at a higher level.
If the club is going to be sold then no Manager is going to be appointed until then-Ashley has made that very clear.
Also if the sale happens on 31st then the new owners would clearly want player sales to start now so they are not saddled with massive wage bill.
stevep
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Comment #16I doubt we’ll get anyone to buy or take Geremi and Smith off our hands and they’re hardly going to walk out on the wages they get – why do people go on about loyalty, if you were at a company that was going to the dogs and had the chance to go and do the same job at a much better company for more money you would jump at the chance – people need to take a reality check
telford
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Comment #17at the end of the day i dont blame ANYONE for leaving just now but am gutted i like beye v good RB in my opinion
Doocey
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Comment #18Elvis at Left back // Aug 5, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Hi Guys,
Villa fan here,
Firstly can I say that I’m appalled as you are the plight of NUFC over the past year or so and we at Villa wish you every success in your return to top flight football where you rightly deserve to be..
On to my point, Are these 2 guys any good, we hear mixed reports on them, the loyalty aspect of football has LONG SINCE GONE, it’s all about cash in the pocket, we found that out with Gareth $arry
Good luck for the coming season !!
—
Cheers, nice to see a different fan recognising us.
About Beye and Bassong, to very good defenders, Would be perfect for Villa to be honest, especially Beye.
Doubt Martin O’Neill would be willing to meet £15m evaluation for him though.
Toonmania
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Comment #19Can’t say that i would be too unhappy about seeing anyone leave the club except for s taylor and harper, i know some people don’t rate harper but he is loyal to the newcastle cause and that’s what we need right now, personally i would like to see 3-4 pacey mids/ strikers and a couple of good defencive men brought in, but the quicker we can get them out the door the quicker we can get new owners in 🙂
Hooway the lad’s
Nick 69
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Comment #20Elvis at Left back // Aug 5, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Hi Guys,
Villa fan here,
Firstly can I say that I’m appalled as you are the plight of NUFC over the past year or so and we at Villa wish you every success in your return to top flight football where you rightly deserve to be..
On to my point, Are these 2 guys any good, we hear mixed reports on them, the loyalty aspect of football has LONG SINCE GONE, it’s all about cash in the pocket, we found that out with Gareth $arry
Good luck for the coming season !!
—————
ther both very good players, but personally i would stay clear of bassong cos he is just another whining frenchman who thinks hes a lot better than he actually is, Beye however is a real grafter and always seemed pretty loyal and commited and was all set to stay and get us back up, but cos of events here over the summer, i dont blame him one bit for wanting out now.if you sign him you will be getting one of the top 4/5 RB in the prem
Fans Should Own The Club
Aug 5, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Comment #21Hey Elvis,
Thanks for the kind words! Hopefully we’ll be back and battling with you next season!
I think both Bassong and Beye are very good players.
I think many would say Bassong was our best player last season. There was a slight dip in his performance toward the very end of the season when I think the whole team was clearly in a world of sh!# and they were all downhearted.
Beye was really excellent for us too, but he was injured for a while last season and when he came back, he seemed a little wobbly, but it was probably just a bit of rust.
So basically, I think they’re excellent players with a small sliver of concern. They’ll probably come good for you if you pick them up and I think most NUFC fans will be really sorry to see them go.
Chris G
Aug 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Comment #22telford – totally agree. I wouldn’t blame anyone for leaving either
I’m also disappointed that we are about to lose Bassong as well – probably to Tottenham, if you believe the tabloids –
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1204357/Bassong-chooses-Tottenham-ahead-City-fined-Newcastle-missing-Dundee-United-game.html?ITO=1490
I thought this bit was interesting –
‘…Bassong, banned for the first two games of Newcastle’s Championship campaign with a suspension carried over from last season, believes working for Redknapp would help his development…’
I can understand that. Harry is a smart bloke and he knew that being the manager of Newcastle United wouldn’t do much to help his own development. I’m not surprised that that Seb would prefer to play for him rather than Chris Hughton