Alan Pardew has said he wants to bring in a goal-scoring center-back this summer, so we wonder if Newcastle may be targeting Thomas Vermaelen, whom Arsenal will let go this summer.
Thomas Vermaelen – available this summer
Thomas was the captain at Arsenal, but surprisingly lost his place this season, after some poor performances for the London giants, and now Arsene Wenger is willing to let him go this summer.
Not surprisingly, top clubs like Manchester United and Napoli are said to be interested in the 42 times capped Belgium International.
Vermaelen started his career at the famous Ajax Academy ten years ago, and eventually played 114 times for Ajax with 14 goals.
He joined Arsenal in 2009 for a fee said to be around £10M, and was made the Arsenal captain last summer, after Robin van Persie left for Manchester United.
There’s no doubt Vermaelen would be a great acquisition for Newcastle, but unfortunately these days we just cannot compete with clubs like Manchester United and Napoli for these top players.
If we had another top six finish this season, maybe we could – but finishing 5th bottom in the Premier League doesn’t make Newcastle an attractive club to join for a player as good as Vermaelen – that’s the unfortunate truth.
So there’s probably no way Newcastle can get the 6′ center-back to Tyneside.
The Belgium International played 129 times for Arsenal with 15 goals.
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116 comments so far
Ben3arfa
May 30, 2013 at 10:37 AM
Comment #1Realistically, how much would Vermaelen cost to sign ?
Top defender
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Comment #2Of course we’re only after 1 first team striker. People who think we’re after two are completely mad. We already have Cisse, Goofy, Ameobi, Ben Arfa, other Ameobi and Campbell to play in those forward positions. Plus Obertan and Sissoko at a push.
The player that we need will depend on the formation that Pardew wants to play. I don’t see us attracting a top striker to be rotated with Cisse, so either he’s got to get a striker who can play upfront with Cisse, or he’s got to get a more flexible forward player who can play upfront, as a support striker or out wide with Cisse as the focal point.
one Tony Green
May 30, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Comment #3Ed If Manchester United want him you know the answer it is NO period. Next post please.
Jail for Ashley
May 30, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Comment #4Real news must be slow or non existent.
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Comment #5We also can’t sign Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, RvP etc. so what is the point of this article?
RonVanDam
May 30, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #6Ben3afa
You mentioned Brown Ideye in one of your post. I hope we get him. Very pacey, powerful and fluid player. On the plus – he knows the offside rule lol
Rainrix
May 30, 2013 at 10:42 AM
Comment #7Would like him but realistically he isnt tall enough. Only 6 ft not 6ft 4″. Common knowledge that its impossible to score at set plays without someone at or over that height. Sorry thomas!
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 10:42 AM
Comment #8Short answer to this…… no. He will go elsewhere. Pointless even thinking any more about it.
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Comment #9Any more news on thay bojan krkic thing? I remember a few issues of PES ago he was a really good player 😀
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Comment #10Rainrix – is that a serious post or are you taking the Owen?
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
May 30, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Comment #11I don’t think Arsenal sell players on the cheap 😉
Anyways we have alot of fringe players we need to be making a decisssion about this season (personally I think last season proved that when called upon in the heat of an injury crisis they weren’t good enough)!
Realistically we are going to have a 22-23 size first team squad and everything else will be youngsters. And those youngster need to be better than those we have right now!
Indian Magpie
May 30, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Comment #12Get French Football ?@GFN_France 2m
L’Equipe: They claim that Pierre Emerick Aubameyang has been subjected to a formal offer from Bayer Leverkusen. #ASSE
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Rainrix
May 30, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Comment #13Sarf… Deadly serious 😐
Nah im referring to a interview pards did that was mentioned yesterday.
“It’s all well and good saying that the set play problem is down to tactics, delivery, whatever. Ultimately you need (players of) six-foot four (inches) to go and head it in, or at least make first contact.
“We haven’t had that all year and it means all our wins have been one-goal wins, apart from Wigan and Southampton.
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 10:52 AM
Comment #14Jesper…. i think we should fill the few remaining senior places with established ‘purples’. We need the full 25 otherwise we will be in the same mess with regard to player shortage and lack of experienced back up.
geordie@bergen_norway
May 30, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Comment #15If we are to raid other PL-clubs we should be realistic and look at the clubs below top 5 like Fulham, Liverpool, WBA, Swansea, Everton.
Players like Shane Long, Joe Allen, Kevin Mirallas, Michu, De Guzman, Martin Skrtel.
To aim higher than that is a waste of time imo.
Abdhammed
May 30, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Comment #16I don’t know also
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #17Rainrix – oh dear…the poor guy should keep his mouth shut too often because people are bound to pick up on these comments!
Yes, it’s tough to score from corners when they’ve got 2 or 3 massive blokes in the box and you haven’t but it’s not impossible!
Saylor used to chip in with a few, what’s gone wrong? Before Carroll, who was in the box of 6’4″ it above? Shearer got quite a few top, and he wasn’t that tall!
Indian Magpie
May 30, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #18TDS
Pardew to keep his mouth shut?
That ship has sailed
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Comment #19There is only one even remotely possible addition to the first team squad this summer and that will be a striker. Every single other signing will either be a replacement or one for the development squad.
Fans that are dreaming of the 5/6 signings we could make to challenge the top 4 are just setting themselves up for disappointment.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
May 30, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Comment #20Mark…25 is a large number don’t you think? That means realistically someone would have to be third choice!
…for me that is where the youngsters fit in. I just don’t think our youngsters are good enough.
We need a first team where you cannot pick that starting 11 that easy I think and you need a flexible squad 🙂 so you can make it interesting from time to time (I know this is not Pardew bag so to speak 😉 lol)
Munster Mag
May 30, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Comment #21Er…no.
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #22Indian – I don’t know how many of his comments are taken out of context, but he’s hardly helping himself!
He sounds like half of the people on this forum to be honest…”we need to”, “we can’t” etc.
Munster Mag
May 30, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #23Toondarnsarf, pardew blames his lack of scoring from dead balls solely on laxk of height. Obviously nothing to do with training, drills, delivery of movement , inventiveness etc. Pardew is Souness Mk2 although I much prefer him to Souness….
Rainrix
May 30, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #24Sarf… I know, he doesn’t help the stereotype that he makes excuses all the time, or the one where he doesn’t know what he’s doing. 🙂
Surprisingly a lot of people seemed to have missed that interview. Lucky for him i guess.
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Comment #25Jesper – I completely agree with you. No way are we going to have 25 outright first team players. There’s no way we could keep them all happy, not even the top 4 manage that.
2 in every position would be great, the rest of the 25 can be young up and coming players as you’ve said.
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Comment #26Jesper. Yes it is a big number, but i would fill it as follows…. 2 players in each position plus 3 utility players for emergencies (in our case you could say Perch, Ryan Taylor and Jonas). Cant see many objecting to those players only getting the odd game 😀
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Comment #27I think it’s a matter of communication with Pardew. Most of us would agree that it would certainly help to have a big lad in the box for a corner. Someone of Carroll’s ability will get his head on most balls, and if he doesn’t then he’s taken away a big defender or two who are watching him.
But we don’t “need” that to score corners, it just helps a lot.
JAMSHA
May 30, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Comment #28as i know he rejectd juventus… so why would he sign for us
Slank
May 30, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Comment #29I think Vermaelen would be an ideal replacement for Colo as he is very similar to Colo in that they are both very experienced, calm, play the ball out intelligently and read the game exceptionally well but both need a big lump as a partner eg Saylor, Williamson.
However, from what I have seen so far of Yanga-Mbiwa I feel he could easily replace Colo in a year or two when he is fully acclimatised to our premiership.
JAMSHA
May 30, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Comment #30im still thinkng who we would sighn… only one think comes in mind c.cole
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Comment #31Toondarnsarf…. i agree it would be hard to keep outright first teamers happy, but when i say 2 for each position i mean the back up player just needs to be experienced and solid, without necesarily being first choice. He has to challenge for the place to keep the no1 on his toes, but the best teams have 2 players for each role, often with slightly different styles to allow more defensive/attacking approaches depending on what each game requires.
Indian Magpie
May 30, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Comment #32Jamsha
Because we have a different shade of Black and White 😮
JAMSHA
May 30, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #33thing*
TorqToon
May 30, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #34I see the Belhanda news of offers from England has finally hit the press! 🙂
JAMSHA
May 30, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Comment #35Indian Magpie
lol (mrgreen) but this thing is getng boren… every clubs are signg players an ntg is goin on hea excpt rumors
ToonDarnSarf
May 30, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #36Markaccus – but we’re not one of the best teams…:-(
If we want to get into the top 6, then any player good enough to be the backup that you describe would have to be an experienced player who would get into the first team in the bottom half of the table. They’re better off playing for one of those teams. The reason the CL teams can do that is the sheer number of games, they know they will get the easy CL games, cup games, and some of the easier PL games too.
What we need is for the likes of Bigi, Fergie, Sammy etc. to push the first teamers.
JAMSHA
May 30, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Comment #37TorqToon
are we one of the club 💡
Markaccus
May 30, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #38Toondarnsarf… i do see your point. Maybe we should wait till we get better before we start doubling up our first team! 😀
TorqToon
May 30, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #39Jamsha – yes sir, I believe we are. Said last week that we had progressed with our approach for the player. He will surely have more offers than just us…but you never know in football.
croftus5678
May 30, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Comment #40i’ll be very happy with a top striker and winger if we keep arfa/collo but if any of those 2 go we need decent replacements also.
personally i dont see tiote hitting form again and value bigi/anita/perch/sissoko for that possition so i would not kick up a stink if a 7mil+ was accepted (besides i want to see bigi in the england team and only way that will happen is with 1st team apps)
arfa is way more valuable to us imo as we have no one else at the club who can get us going like he does (only winger we have who can cross) but 20mil+ could see 2 very good wingers heading our way any lower than that is not worth its value to our team imo
collo again needs to be kept at all costs every new foreign player we get needs time to settle and collo is the best defender we have had since woodgate ! i would not think twice about trading saylor/williamson for a 31yo collo if his contract has years left to run on it then happy or not we should make him play out the rest of it he has to play well to get a contract at another club when he does leave and by then mbiwa will have learnt.