Newcastle United have been alerted to the availability of Barcelona play-maker Ibrahim Afellay, the 26 year-old Dutch International who is of Moroccan descent.
Ibrahim Afellay – available for £6M from Barcelona
And it seems as if Barcelona are not asking the earth for this 5’11” tall player, with £6M said to be the asking price.
Afellay played eight seasons for Ajax before joining Barca back in January of 2011, but he sustained a horrific knee injury while at Barcelona, and missed much of last season, only appearing five times for the Spanish club.
In his first partial season at Barca, he played 16 times with one goal for the club that has been European Champions three times in the last seven seasons.
While at Ajax, Afellay played 217 times with 38 goals and is an excellent player, who has represented his country 36 times with three goals, and he is currently with the Holland squad preparing for the Euro 2012 Championships to start next month.
Ibrahim is a fixture of the Dutch national team, and he made the Dutch squads for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament in Switzerland and Austria, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, when Holland were beaten 1-0 in extra time by Spain.
The play-maker however, has a history of injuries throughout his career, and Barcelona only paid £2.3M for him 18 months ago, so they would be making a profit on the player if they sell him for £6M.
It is also expected that Afellay will see some playing time for Holland in the upcoming European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine, and he will be put in the shop window by the former European Champions.
Tottenham and Arsenal are other clubs said to be interested, and Arsenal can offer the player Champions League football next season, and both Newcastle and Tottenham can offer him the Europa League.
Newcastle are reported to be leading the race for the player, and they can certainly afford the £6M for a player this good.
Metro is reporting that Newcastle have around £20M to spend in the transfer market this summer, although whether they could afford his wages, said to be close to £80K/week, is another good question.
It will say something of Newcastle’s ambitions if the Tyneside club are successful in bringing this very skillful player to Newcastle.
We certainly hope they can.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
291 comments so far
Robinio
May 31, 2012 at 9:00 PM
Comment #41its a simple definition – a club who makes a net profit on transfer fees every season and where every player has a price – the point is we are owned by a very wealthy individual who doesnt need the money yet he continues to run the club on a shoe string . Why cant he give Pards £50 mill of his fortune which he would not even notice , assure us all that no-one will be sold and then make a genuine push for CL next season ? And I would have liked the FCB to have kept his word and have given Pards all of the £35m to spend , by my calculation there must be £20m + left
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:01 PM
Comment #42Why do ppl keep goin about us needing English players no we do not (a) there no were near as good as foreign players (b) we have enough as it is rtaylor, staylor, Elliott, shola, Williamson, perch, best n then we hav sammi, fergie, Vukic, abeid, tav, ranger, krul who will b classed as home grown bcoz there at the club from 18 to 21
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:03 PM
Comment #43you do not get to where ashley has got by chucking money around.
Remember financial fair play kicking in soon and where I cant see UEFA expelling barcelona or man utd from europe I could see them hitting smaller clubs like us or spurs with a ban.
Also why complain when the transfer strategy is working? Ashley also never said all 35 goes on transfers he said it goes into the club….wages, fees, development of the facilities.
I go back to my comment….other than carrol who has Ashley sold for money?
Nolan, Barton and Enrique were sold as they wouldnt sign new contracts so had to go…..
….name another player we have sold to make a profit….need to go back 18 months to carroll.
newcben
May 31, 2012 at 9:04 PM
Comment #44Everyone is raving about Cisse but forgetting what Ba did for us at the start of the year, i personally think he looks a more complete player than Cisse who seems to squander easy opportunities (scores some belters mind haha). This is how id love to see us lining up next yr…..Ba or Cisse leading who ever in better form.
——————–Krul———————
Santon—–Colo—-STaylor——–(New LB)
———-Tiote—-(new ball player holding mid)–
Ben Arfa———-Cabaye———(New Attacking LM)
——————-Ba————————
I think although Jonas was awesome last yr defensively with another player holding will give room for a more attacking LM (maybe even Ba left and Cisse up top, but id prefer to see an out and out winger) and also allow Cabaye to get forward make killer passes and pick up double figures on the goal front. Thoughts?
Robinio
May 31, 2012 at 9:04 PM
Comment #45when did we last sign an established premier league player , English or otherwise ?
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:06 PM
Comment #46and robinio…by my calculations we never made a transfer profit this year.
Out- nolan (4mil), barton (free), enrique (7mil)
in – cabs (4.5mil), santon (5mil), cisse (8mil),
that isn’t making a profit this season.
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:06 PM
Comment #47We don’t need 50mill when u buy like we do
GeordieToon89
May 31, 2012 at 9:06 PM
Comment #48davybtoon – Abeid hasnt even been at us a year yet nevermind 3… I would hate it if we had a full team of fereigners hate it!!! everyone slated chelsea when they played a full foreign team and also everyone slates Wenger for it.. people wonder why our national team is sh*te its because the ENGLISH league teams wont give them a chance and when they do they price gets ridiculous and they cant handle it
newcben
May 31, 2012 at 9:07 PM
Comment #49Also think Santon needs to go back to his orginal position of RB where he played most his career when hugely rated throughout Italy before he got injured, himself and benny down the right would be frightening plus benny is ob left footed so is reluctant to swing it in from the right first time where as Santon can. With Tiote and another holding it would give Santon the freedom to get higher up the pitch…..
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:07 PM
Comment #50@robinio
why do we need to sign established premier league players
who out of the premier league would you swap tiote, cisse, ba, cabaye. ben arfa for?
wouldn’t get anywhere near that talent for the money we spent
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:08 PM
Comment #51Robinio why do we need to buy est prem players, I’d rather hav top class player from France for a few mill who is better than your est prem player
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:08 PM
Comment #52newcben
santon always played left back…did at inter under mourinho and for italy under 21’s
he was dubbed the new maldini….a right footed left back
GeordieToon89
May 31, 2012 at 9:09 PM
Comment #53Love it how were a selling club because we sold Carroll for £35million … yeah he’s really proving hes worth that amount…
GeordieToon89
May 31, 2012 at 9:10 PM
Comment #54I’d swap Ba for Sergio Aguero!!
WWYCD
May 31, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Comment #55newcben
Santon and HBA down the right would be wonderful going forward but a complete liability in defence
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Comment #56Gt89 couldn’t give a toss if we had any English players, but we will it’s gonna b about promoting youth in the future to get your home grown n Geordie talent
studsy
May 31, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Comment #57Anyone here watching the france match? Cabaye is playing class! HBA isnt in the squad at all though…is he injured?
geordie157
May 31, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Comment #58On a serious note, surely this summer a top team (that includes us) will go in for Dempsey, proven goal scorer, can play in a variety of positions, improved work ethic oh and we have the advantage that he’s used to wearing black and white. Plus he offers more than Sigurdsson who everyone loves!
WWYCD
May 31, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Comment #59GT89
Carroll is leading the line for his country, was in two cup finals and has a winners medal tbf to him
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Comment #60@geordietoon89
the reason english players dont get a chance is because they aren’t good enough
why spend do a liverpool and buy carroll, henderson and downing for a total of 70 million when you could buy amazing foreign players for that value.
The reason our national team is poor is that England train and pick players based on strength and speed not technical ability.
That is why the FA are changing the whole youth set up..changing the size of the pitches, goals etc.
I don care if we have a geordie 11, an english 11, a british 11 or a world 11….as long as they show passion and fight when playing I am happy.
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:13 PM
Comment #61B4 we get into another santon rb or lb debate the lad has said himself he wants to b a rb but doesn’t mind lb
G
May 31, 2012 at 9:14 PM
Comment #62He’s an excellent player when he’s fit, but for those wages, forget it. I’m sure we could do better with £6M given Graeme Carr’s current track record.
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:15 PM
Comment #63Wwycd Carroll has been pony since he left us
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:16 PM
Comment #64My point is not what he wants….just where he has always played.
studsy
May 31, 2012 at 9:16 PM
Comment #65davybtoon – a LUCKY pony!
geordie157
May 31, 2012 at 9:17 PM
Comment #66thought Santon looked best left wing
WWYCD
May 31, 2012 at 9:17 PM
Comment #67davy
Am sure Krul would tell his friends that he would prefer to be a striker doesnt mean thats where he belongs
I know Given has said he would prefer to be scoring goals than stopping them
And Carroll has been pretty good in the second half of the season
Robinio
May 31, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Comment #68well the rot set in well and truly when he sold Milner and pocketed the money and totally p ed off KK in the process and got us relegated . The 4 you mention , Carroll , Nolan , Jose and Barton were all players Pards wanted to keep and I accept the replacements have been great , but sooner or later our luck in the market is bound to run out and we will get 4 Obertans . The point you make about AC being sold 18months ago is a good one , in my opinion it makes another big sale this summer inevitable so he can replenish his bank accout . C’mon guys , Pards and LLam chops have pretty much aadmitted players will be sold this summer . But why – HE DOESNT NEED THE CASH!!!!
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Comment #69Santon gives us so much flexibility in the transfer window if we buy a rb santon stays lb, if we buy lb santon goes rb gives us so much options when buying a player
newcben
May 31, 2012 at 9:20 PM
Comment #70Rich_toonfan I was speaking to Santon on a night out and he was asking what side he prefered he said he felt more comfortable on the right. I know he can play both but but on i just feel him and benny would work wonders down the right.
Defo a worry defensively WWYCD but my thinking is with another defensive midfielder in there it wouldnt be such a worry.
geordie157
May 31, 2012 at 9:21 PM
Comment #71If we buy Clyne then, we have him, Santon, Raylor and Perchinho that can play rb/lb. Plus if he’s 2-3mill its a bargain and there aren’t many English players you can say that about.
WWYCD
May 31, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Comment #72Robinio
Last summer my friend u would of fitted right in on this blog but now (until someone is sold atleast) ur gonna be fighting a up hill battle
I agree with some of ur points tbf but MA is a very rich man and thats not because he gives away a load of his money so ur pi$$ing in the wind asking why he hasen’t splashed some cash
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Comment #73Robinio wtf are you on about Ashly hasn’t took any cash it goes back into the club, n until players are sold shut the f**k up
GeordieToon89
May 31, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Comment #74WWYCD – You think that means he was worth £35million :s
Jordan Henderson is in the England squad played 2 cup finals and got a winners medal doesnt mean he’s worth the £20million payed for him
studsy
May 31, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Comment #75Erm, Robinio…may I advise you to press the “previous post: Newcastle The 25th Richest Club In The World” button and then open the detailed PDF and take a read.
That says otherwise! Im more than willing to read any evidence you have to prove your ‘theory’ – until then, keep it shut.
Ben Arfa (Either love him or Hatem)
May 31, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Comment #76Studsy, I thought Benny and Debuchy were on the bench?
rich_toonfan
May 31, 2012 at 9:23 PM
Comment #77@Robinio
look at the accounts….Ashley takes no money out the club, has given them an interest free loan of 140million…..he could earn 7 million a year interest lending that elsewhere but he hasn’t.
He wont be spending all his money on the club….he has a lot but cant afford 50million a year on transfers.
And if we lose players we spend the money wisely and move on….Spurs sold carrick and berbatov….their two biggest players and used the money to get bale, modric, van der vaart, parker…..same as what we have done with ben arfa, cabs, santon, tiote.
Unless you have a mega rich owner or a huge income like man utd you cant have to sell to buy.
WWYCD
May 31, 2012 at 9:25 PM
Comment #78newcben
Hmm might work mate but I still think we would leak goals from the right
davybtoon
May 31, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Comment #79Until we get champions league football we ain’t change are transfer policy n even when we get we won’t change it, it will jus mean we can increase the wage bill
geordie157
May 31, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Comment #80Anyone else think England lack quality central midfielders, Rodwell injured, Wilshire injured. But i can’t think of too many others who could come in other than Carrick. Leon Britton would have probably been a better option than Henderson. Liverpool have a poor season and get 5 players in the squad, says a lot about the strength of the squad. Ask Ben Arfa if he’d rather play against Micah Richards or Glen Johnson.