There will be comings and goings at Newcastle this summer, and the goal is to end up with a much better squad come September.
Douglas – Newcastle target this summer
That will allow Newcastle to go all out next season to finish in the top six, which we know will be very difficult.
Newcastle will continue with their rather frugal approach to transfers, but it’s not how much money you spend, it’s what type of players you get through the door.
Just ask Liverpool about that, as they paid out £60M for two strikers 14 months ago, and they are having difficult scoring goals this season, although captain Gerrard helped them out last night with a hat-trick against a weak Everton side at Anfield.
And the Magpies have shown they are very savvy in the transfer market, and already have targets identified and lined up for the summer transfer market.
Mike Ashley has been meeting regularly over the last few months with Alan Pardew, Derek Llambias and Secretary Lee Charnley, who along with Chief Scout Graham Carr make up the Brains Trust on transfers at Newcastle.
One of the top targets in the summer is a top center-back, and we have no real expert cover at center-back if either Williamson or Coloccini are injured, although James Perch has shown a couple of times he can get the job done there, and he did well at Brighton.
Newcastle have been linked with Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen, who wants to move to a top club, and FC Twente’s Douglas is another player Newcatsle have been after.
We think Douglas could be the more realistic target, but the 6’4″ Brazilian could become a target of Ajax if Vertonghen leaves, and that complicate things a bit.
Ajax manager Frank de Boer admitted he was interested inn the Brazilian:
“It is correct that we are keeping tabs on Douglas as a potential replacement for Vertonghen.”
And Vertonghen has said he knows Ajax will let him go and they are looking around for a replacement:
“My agent knows what clubs I’m willing to go to. Arsenal are obviously one of them. Ajax are busy trying to find solutions to replace me.”
We think Newcastle will be a much more attractive club than Ajax at the moment for Douglas, and the Dutch powerhouse is having financial problems at the moment.
There are other center-backs that Newcastle could go after, and one we like is 22 year-old Montpellier captain Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, who can play anywhere across the back four and that flexibility would be good.
And Newcastle could probably get the player for around £4M.
Peter Lovenkrands and Alan Smith will not have their contracts renewed this summer, and the club will also try to sell Dan Gosling, who surprisingly hasn’t been able to make it on Tyneside.
The fact that Newcastle got Dan in on a free transfer will mean they will make a profit on the player.
Newcastle will again try to unload Xisco – if anybody will take him, but he’s likely to remain on Newcastle’s books until a year come June, when his five year deal runs out.
Fraser Forster, Tamas Kadar and Nile Ranger will likely leave Newcastle this summer, and if Danny Simpson still holds out on his contract, he’ll be sold too.
Who do you think should be sold – and who should Newcastle bring in this summer?
Comments welcome.
28 comments so far
cyprus
Mar 14, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #1Slow down Ed my man!
I am assuming you watched last night’s game. Everton weren’t bad really, they had their good moments. It’s just that Liverpool were damn good… Enrique, Andy outstanding too 🙁 That upcoming game is going to be a real tough 6 pointer…
martoon
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Comment #2Reposted from last thread as topical:
I noticed last night there were a lot of people commenting on Danny Guthrie. I think his body language and lack of effort showed he is thoroughly fed up being dropped when Cabaye came back and Obertan being picked ahead of him in a 5 man midfield was probably the last straw. Definitely off in the summer imo.
jayphoto
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #3i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, the best centre-halve in Holland is Toby Alderweireld!
Personally, I think we’re nailed on to sign Erik Pieters!
Saying that, douglas isnt a bad player, but i don’t believe he’s as good as colo or Steve taylor, whereas vertonghan can play right back (probs his best position) centre back, left back and centre mid, Pieters is also strong at full back (hopefully people don’t judge him by the holland england game)
Thing i like about newcastle now, every player we seem to scout or look at or sign, i either know nothing about or really want them! Gone are the days we are linked to carlton coles and players like that you’d want nowhere near the toon side!
cheick Norris
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Comment #4@martoon 5er that he signs a new contract?
ilovetoon8788
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #5I agree with the poster above. Guthrie should never have been dropped for Cabaye. Cabaye performance has been abysmal since December and he makes the starting line up week after week because of his ‘reputation’. He has not been able to reach the heights of Guthrie’s performances this season. There is no bite in midfield from him. Sometimes disappears from the game totally and that is terrible for a central midfielder.
Is it our football which is always bypassing our midfield completely that is making Cabaye look a hopeless player or is he annoyed with out football which is making him play crap? i don’t know.. but i know i don’t want him in our starting line up next match. Guthrie in for me.
dingotoon
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #6I don’t post on here much. I am going to England for the next couple of weeks and planning to go to the Liverpool game, where would the best place to sit be! Thanks in advance
jayphoto
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Comment #7after watching him in France, i am a huge cabaye fan, talent wise he’s got potential to be a top top player, far better than guthrie! For me, they should both play! For Lille, cabaye played a “quarterback” position, behind 2 central midfielders, kind of like xavi does at barcelona! He’s best when he plays deep with players ahead of him to pick out passes, at newcastle at the moment there is never anything ahead of him and he plays more long balls than anyone because of this! I don’t think its the the style of play he struggles with, as he is more guilty of long balls than most, its the system! Also, possibly the pace of the game, lille played a lot slower and less direct than we do, in france teams build up attack, he had a lot more of the ball! Ive been screaming out to see a team of Cabaye, Tiote, Guthrie and HBA all in the same side as all prefer to play football the right way! In a 4-4-2, i agree and think guthrie has shown more than cabaye!
Adssy Mccc
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #8ilovetoon8788 – I have to agree.
If Pardew doesn’t think it will have too much of a damaging effect on Cabaye for the rest of the season – then he should give it some serious thought, because we need to control the midfield alot more than we are currently doing.
Maybe the three of them can be worked into the side….
wynsleap
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Comment #9ilovetoon8878 @ 5
Have to agree with your assessment. As far as I’m concerned, Cabaye has been the biggest disappointment this season.
He isn’t creating anything at all and in many matches such as the Arsenal one he is running around watching the game pass him by. He seems to have lost his speed, his bite, his confidence and his passing ability and is certainly not dominating the middle of the park which I am sure he was bought to do.
It may just be a Colo/Enrique ‘first season syndrome’ and for that he has to have the benefit of the doubt. What is certain though, is that if he can’t do the business next season he will have to be replaced by someone who can.
geordie157
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #10Out
Lovenkrands, Smith, kadar, Ranger. Plus hopefully Xisco. Maybes Perch, Simpson, Guthrie and Gosling, but all four would be decent squad players, but Tavernier/Perch/raylor could all be back up if Simpson goes.
In
Ideally Mbiwa, Douglas, Hoillet and maybe Clyne and Rhodes.
Others worth a mention
Luk De Jong, Barnetta, Pieters, Zaha, Butterfield, Mark Davies, Siem De Jong, Cissokho.
Someone that hasnt been linked who might be worth looking at…..Scott Sinclair and maybe Matt Jarvis as he can cross unlike our current wingers!
Busy summer then! (hopefully)
ps we should have got Mariappa as surely his pace would have complimented Colo better than Wilo’s. that ‘could’ be the difference between finishing 6th or 7th!!
Dyer8
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #11In :
Marvin Martin (Sochaux), CM
Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield) , CF
David Hoilett (B’Burn), WG
Douglas (Twente), CB
Steven Caulker (Spurs) , CB
Nathaniel Clyne (C’Palace), RB
—————Krul
Clyne–Saylor–Collo–Santon
—————Tiote
——–Cabaye–Martin
HBA————————-Ba
—————Cisse
Adssy Mccc
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Comment #12wynsleap – agree with your point overall, but think that’s maybe a bit harsh on the lad. He’s played well for a decent chunk of the season. Nobody thought he would hit the ground running like he did – which is why him and Tiote got such a good reputation for their partnership.
He’s just not having the influence on games like he was. Something needs to change somewhere. Hopefully it will be sorted sooner rather than later….
martoon
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Comment #13dingotoon @6 I think the public sale tickets are on sale now and it might be a case of buying what you can get. I personally like sitting in the middle of the East stand to get a good perspective but if you want atmosphere then you maybe need to be at one of the ends such as the Gallowgate.
cheick @5 if he signs it will only be to get a better transfer fee 😉
dingotoon
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #14I will just be happy anywhere but thanks for the help Martoon
Rowan Milsted
Mar 14, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Comment #15I think Forster’s underrated, I wouldn’t be too happy to see him go, especially as Harper is getting on now and is injury prone, Elliot is emergency back up at best and Soderburg is apparently going as he hasn’t made the grade.
Also sad to see Gosling’s name mentioned – I can only assume he hasn’t been cutting the mustard on the training pitch as I’ve barely seen him play in the first team.
Out of interest, which manager/owner combination lumbered us with Xisco? My God, we’ve been trying to get rid of him for years! He’s on something like £60K p/w on a 5 year deal, whose genius idea was that!?
pengy
Mar 14, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Comment #16Douglas has said that he wants to play in another league so i think that rules ajax out
ballerfan2
Mar 14, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Comment #17Xisco was the brainchild of Dennis Wise as I remember. It’s now the turn of Cabaye to get stick I see. Quite honestly , although he is not quite in the form he was earlier in the season, he is not doing a lot wrong. Yes Guthrie has played better at times but consistently better? I suspect there’s nothing much between them but Cabaye has greater stature on the training pitch. Unless Pardew can find some formation to play them both then the Frenchman probably just edges it. As for Guthrie’s body language – blimey, the lad was only on for a short time and is not the type to sulk when given an opportunity in a game and situation like that. An over lively imagination methinks Martoon.
wynsleap
Mar 14, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Comment #18ballerfan2 – @ 17
“Cabaye has greater stature on the training pitch”?
Why is that – because he is a current French international and Guthrie is only a player we bought cheaply in England?
Sorry – but that doesn’t mean he has to take preference over a player who has really done the business in midfield in recent games.
I also disagree about Cabaye’s form in earlier games. Yes it was OK but never outstanding or dominating.
I do think he has it in him to come through in this team but, as I said previously, if he can’t, he needs to be replaced. The creative midfield ‘boiler room’ is too important to have a passenger.
Which is what Monsieur is at the moment I’m afraid.
Tsunki
Mar 14, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Comment #19Drop cabaye for guthrie? Seriously? Pfft – short term memory problems abound!
ballerfan2
Mar 14, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Comment #20When I said Cabaye had greater stature on the training pitch I was only suggesting that he maybe seemed more impressive to Pardew, not that because he was a French international he was in some way more important. No one really knows what Pardew is seeing every day in training. For what it’s worth I actually agree with you about Cabaye’s form earlier in the season. I really don’t think it was as good as some made out. On the other hand, neither do I believe he is as as bad form now as the criticism would suggest.
chuck
Mar 14, 2012 at 2:24 PM
Comment #21Appears from what we hear through the rumor mill, that we could be looking to sell Tiote, at least he’s marketable for a hopefully decent profit, the same goes for Ba.
That could fund a few replacements, hopefully across the back four, where people like Perch and Williamson are just not up to par in this league, with the possibility simpson may also be sold.
I think Cabaye can replace Tiote, he can play that DM role and still lay on those killer passes.
I have seen him put his foot in and would fit in well to the back end of a diamond, with HBA playing the front end and Jr. Hoilett and Marveaux filling the wing roles.
Pieters and a CB would do it, using Santon to fill either back role.
A more controversial role would be to convert Jonas to a DM, the guy can run all day and we know he can play defence, a fill in for Cabaye..
Young Ferguson has looked like a prospect who can fill in for Marveaux.
Like to sign Jr.Hoilett he would be able to fit a number of roles, either wing or behind the CF.
But would’nt bet on not loosing Ba and Tiote.
Arsyan
Mar 14, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Comment #22i think we must not sell dan gosling.this boy got talent, ability, and skill.he is like phill neville that can play in variuos possition. i do not agree if newcastle sel this young boy!
wynsleap
Mar 14, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Comment #23Sorry Arsyan but I’ve seen nothing in Gosling that makes me think he’s going to make it in our first team this or next year. Consider Vuckic and Abeid to have more to offer.
Have a feeling he’ll be sold in the summer along with Lovenkrands, Ranger, Forster, Xisco and Smith (finally).
Crawfordladd17
Mar 14, 2012 at 3:56 PM
Comment #24Pieters £3m
Douglaus free
Elia £5m
Amalfitano Free
Sigurdsson £5m the boy from Swansea
Sell the lot u said get abut £3m
geordiejamie89
Mar 14, 2012 at 7:07 PM
Comment #25I don’t think Simpson should renew his contract, he doesn’t seem to be able to handle being left on the bench. I think We should sign an adition on RB, CB, LB, RM, ST(x2).
The money from Simpson would to towards a RB.
If we can sign a CB that can fill in at LB, then I think that would mean we wouldn’t need to sign a LB. I think Santon is looking better each game, and that place is his now.
We could do with a good addition to RM. Hoilett would play well there, and can be flexible.
We need two strikers signed, to be able to compete up front. African Cup of Nations next time round would leave Newcastle stranded, so we need good cover. Either two decent players, or one good striker. I think if we cover them areas, with Steven Taylor back next season we should get along fine. But if we really want to push then one extra central midfielder, a player like Larsson who is lethal at set-pieces, that would help us pick up points.
One of the strikers we should sign, should be tall and a good header of the ball, like Carroll on a good day, that would help us mix it up a bit, and if we did have somebody good at set pieces like Larsson, we could pick up points against certain teams from our tall striker. Could be handy against a strong defence that we’d struggle against in open play. Last season our game against Arsenal was tight, but a set-piece from Carroll got us the winner, and stopped us from over-committing.
Sav
Mar 15, 2012 at 3:22 AM
Comment #26Obertan.
He has pace, but he hasn’t a clue and I’m not impressed with his effort and determination, either. You can’t coach good football instincts and this lad has had the best of coaching. He can go.
To be honest I’m a bit surprised about Gosling as we’ve seen very little of him since he recovered from injury. What I have seen, he seems very willing and energetic, if rusty. Marveaux looks very good but the lad has a desperate injury record and if an offer came in so we could get a fit replacement, you’d have to take it. We’ve had enough of Dyers and Vidukas.
Lynxie
Mar 15, 2012 at 8:51 AM
Comment #27Interesting to note that Perch is on nobody’s lists here. he has improved beyond recognition, and his attitude to put right his errors is commendable. If he improves at this rate, we may yet have a decent player on our hands, and a ready made replacement for a certain impostor at Right Back.
Lynxie
Mar 15, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Comment #28Smith, Ranger, Xisco, Forster, Kadar, Obertan, Gosling. All need to be shown the door, because they are either not good enough at this level, have a disgraceful attitude problem, or are simply as good as they are ever going to be, and hence surplus to our expectations, and should not ‘expect’ a free ride whilst ‘watching’ Newcastle United (Alan Smith, Xisco, Ranger, I am talking to you).