Newcastle were linked with a move for 23 year-old Kemar Lawrence in August and TEAMtalk is reporting that Newcastle are now considering making a move for the left-back in January.
With Paul Dummett finding things tough this season and Massadio Haidara having injury problems and out for at least four months with a knee injury – Newcastle need a left back in January along with a center-back to strengthen our defense.
The defender attracted Newcastle’s interest by playing great for Jamaica in the Gold Cup last summer when they surprisingly reached the final after beating USA in the semi-finals 2-1 – and Kemar made ESPN´s team of the tournament.
Kemar Lawrence – NY Red Bulls left-back
But they went down 3-1 to Mexico in the final, but the Caribbean country had an amazing run, and Lawrence played in every game for Jamaica at left-back and looked impressive.
Kemar was born in Kingston, Jamaica and joined his local club Harbour View back in 2007, and he played for the first team from 2011 through 2014 appearing 62 times for the club with a couple of goals.
In July of last year, Lawrence went to the United States for a two-week trial with MLS club D.C. United, but was not offered a contract but then in March he signed by the New York Red Bulls.
He’s now played 27 times with one goal for the New York club, who happen to play their games at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
The left back has played 22 times for his country and a number of English clubs, including Newcastle and Leicester, are reported to be looking at making a move for the young defender in January.
In the summer we didn´t think left back was a priority position to be strengthened, but with local lad Dummett not having an easy time of it and Massadio prone to injury – it´s now a position that´s a weakness at Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
46 comments so far
nut meg
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:05 PM
Comment #1We need someone who can come straight into the team not a guy coming from the MLS.
nut meg
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:07 PM
Comment #2Anyone been watching Matt Phillips this season,if so how’s he been performing?
Rotonda heights
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:08 PM
Comment #3Ed
”by playing great”
Did you go to the pardew school of grammer!!!
Lindisfarne
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:15 PM
Comment #4Townsend should only be offered a place if he is willing to play left back and no other position.
Sazzer
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:19 PM
Comment #5Jetro Willems is the left back we should get.
AncientC
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:23 PM
Comment #6I have a feeling this Townend link is going to drag on through the winter window and negatively effect any other potential deals.
Daniel Levy and Mike Ashley attempting to come to an agreement they can both can sanction… what could possibly go wrong?
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:24 PM
Comment #7I’d prefer Andrew Robertson as the left back. Wanted us to go after him before he went to Hull, and still think he is a good bet for us. Knows the division and is good defensively and going forward.
Tsunki
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:29 PM
Comment #8Yeah but is he a fret? 🙂
Funny I had Kingston Town by UB40 stuck in my head all morning then this story comes up. Two things you don’t want to happen in one day.
Tsunki
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:31 PM
Comment #9‘E done great, Ed. ‘E done great the boy did.
LGFUAD21
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:33 PM
Comment #10LG
We should 100% go all out for Andrew Robertson.
He’s a talent and a half in my book.
Nice and aggressive, loves to attack but isnt afraid to stick in a tackle.
Still very young too.
On Townsend, I’ve never particularly rated the lad highly but I think we need to get some wingers in. At the moment our wide areas are simply too vulnerable because we have cms playing wide and dropping inside.
I think if we had attack minded wingers that could cope with the league pace and physicality it’d open up more space for Gini and Sissoko to do their thing.
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:34 PM
Comment #11sazzer
jetro seems like a decent player..have’nt seen loads of him or lawrence tbh….but al depends on money tho
Ian Toon
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:36 PM
Comment #12I find myself agreeing with Lilongwe’s earlier post on a number of fronts. I have not been impressed with what I’ve seen of Townshend. He does remind me of a moody type of Obertan and offers little in a “team ” sense. On tactical formation, I also favour playing with 2 wide forwards who are more well-rounded players than the typical winger. We need to have more of an attacking presence particularly in away games. This In a 4-3-3 would mean they can provide more support to the ST which in the long run would be Mitrovic Berahino is a striker who has a broad enough skill set that he can play wide but still perform very well while playing on his own up front . He is a class act and technically sound and could provide alternative attacking options in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 depending on opposition, state of squad with injuries and suspensions etc. The bulk of a January budget on him would be money well spent but ideally we need a CB, LB and creative midfielder. Returning to Berahino he has intelligence with good movement and positioning- he provides options and meets all of Ashley’s re sale issues. Let’s be ambitious please.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:36 PM
Comment #13I give up, as soon as I start typing everything goes t!ts up. Is it the cookies on this blog at fault?
Ashton
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:36 PM
Comment #14I agree re Andrew Robertson. He is a real outlet for Hull. So composed and so fast. He is immense.
I’ve seen him a lot and I rate as a better overall talent and having a better potential than Luke Shaw.
We should spend big on him and sort out our abject shortcomings at LB that has been going on since Enrique left the club.
Ashton
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:40 PM
Comment #15Also no point in buying 5-6 million chumps and squad players anymore. We have plenty of them.
We need two 15 million caliber players in Jan instead of 5 cheap players.
AncientC
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:46 PM
Comment #16McClaren will have a dilemma on his hands if the club were to bring in wingers to take Wijnaldum and Sissoko off the flanks.
Sissoko has proven poor playing central, he cannot deal with being closed down and gets caught in 2 minds.
Wijnaldum shouldn’t be playing central or defensive midfield either. Wijinaldum has too much talent in forward positions, to be wasted slugging it out in midfield, getting caught up in congested battles for the ball.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:47 PM
Comment #17Here goes again,
We already have a winger, is name is Ferguson, does his defensive duties and would work well with Dummett.
Surely worth a try at least.
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:52 PM
Comment #18berahino will not join us so waste of time trying to sign him….robertson dont much about him… myt of seen him playing for scotland a bit..if that was him but cant be sure tbh…myt do a dennis wise and have look on u tube!lol…a few of you on here rate him highly…is he good enough to come into the side straight away?….like i say no nothing about him
cyprus
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:54 PM
Comment #19Agree on ready to battle 15 mil. players, although a 13 mil. one we got didn’t hit the blocks flying. Do your HW Carr and work with more than YouTube man.
On the two players discussed, seem good. I remember Townsend igniting games, pacy, flying past players, scoring, saving Spurs and England, but I guess some of you have seen him being poor as well. Haven’t seen enough of him to safely judge, I guess. Berahino was amazing last year, not sure about his temperament and moods, and it seems he wants to do a Sterling, team wise and salary wise. Will he settle at a wee club? Reminds me of the tantrums of that QPR player (Canadian?)
WWSBRD
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:56 PM
Comment #20Why would Willems stain his name by coming to Newcastle to fight relegation?
I’d take Townsend though faced relegation before is a winger and has a reason to play well. Sadio is never going to happen
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:56 PM
Comment #21Essex,
Not Shane Ferguson. He has found his level at league 1, and even then he is in handout of the Millwall team. Started 8 of 15 league matches, and is yet to last a full match for them although has 2 that sort of count, (2 substitutions were in stoppage time) subbed in every start.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:58 PM
Comment #22Springy,
He would come into the side easily mate. Far better than our current 2.
Ian Toon
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:59 PM
Comment #23Springy- Do you approach all of life’s trials and tribulations with such a defeatist attitude ? What happened to nothing ventured nothing gained.
Glad we’re not playing in the same team!
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 1:59 PM
Comment #24essex G B
i liked the look of fergie when he came on the scene tbh….more as a winger didnt think he had the height or strength for left back…more strength….but he’s struggled over the last few years so not exactly sure if he would make it here but if he was on the bench and got a few run outs we myt see something…lets face it left footers/sided players are few and far between in our side …so why not…….doubt it will happen tho
manxpie
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:00 PM
Comment #25How about we actually buy a few defenders from the championship there’s gotta be a few that are worth it and they are a lot more ready as are already playing in this country
rotonda I’m not one for complaining about how people write but you have a go at ed and then spell grammar wrong! So who’s school did you go to?
WWSBRD
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:03 PM
Comment #26manxpie
Championship player should be what we aim for but they won’t fit the transfer blue print I’d imagine
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:06 PM
Comment #27Lilongwe,
I don’t think he’s had a real chance to show his worth, a lot of players look cr*p on loan. AC was a prime example.
I think he should be given a few games, if he doesn’t do any good then sell him, at least he would know where he is and not in this footballing limbo.
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:07 PM
Comment #28ian toon
just my opinion.. the reality is lad has higher aims then our current position….if we were top half of the table winning more regular and getting heavily invested in then we myt be an option….our current plight will scare off alot of players unfortunately……if he signed i would over moon mate, i really would…..but realistically cant see it happening.
manxpie
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:13 PM
Comment #29Yeah true ww, that brilliant revolutionary transfer blue print that has done us so well over the years be madness to change it now lol
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Comment #30Essex,
He has struggled on every loan he has had. He is 24 now, if he can’t look a star in League 1then he isn’t going to cut it here. Better just to sell/let go for free in January. I’m not sure why we extended his contract to be honest, he hasn’t looked good enough for 3 years now. A pointless extension in the hope someone would give us some cash for him.
Andy Carroll was a teenager on loan. Not a 24 year old with nearly 100 first team appearances.
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Comment #31lilongwe
how much for this lad u reckon?….im not convinced they’ll try and sign a left back unless theres already an agreement in place(maybe why jetro was visiting a few month back?)….with us having 2 full backs there…a cb and dm and maybe a striker/winger if cisse leaves would be my guess
Sazzer
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Comment #32WWSBRD
https://twitter.com/JetroWillems_15/status/637584673913335808
WWSBRD
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:20 PM
Comment #33manxpie
Haha yeah mate it’s made us a far better club
Sazzer
He got a holiday and a free ticket from a mate, not sure he wants to join the stepping stone bus come January
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:21 PM
Comment #34Springy,
You’d probably be looking at £10million for him I’d guess. Hull will want to keep hold of him as they are fighting for promotion and he has played almost all of their games. That makes it less likely we would be interested, but at 21 he would hit all of the Ashley requirements, just at a fee Ashley might find unpalatable for a player in the Championship….
SPRINGY
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:26 PM
Comment #35lil
the fact u reckon he’s played almost all the games for hull he’s already lookin a better option as our left backs keep gettin injured!!lol….we need a few wins before the transfer window comes to make us look a better option tbh
Sazzer
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Comment #36WWSBRD
I think the assumption that Berahino and Willems is going to have better options than us available is probably correct.
Townsend probably going to choose from similar offers from a couple of Premier League sides.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:35 PM
Comment #37Should it be one of our criteria be to look for players with good health backgrounds.
One of the curses of modern football that kids are over trained as youngsters and are injury prone as a result of this in later life.
Sazzer
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:37 PM
Comment #38I thought same about Wijnaldum in the summer but the other clubs stayed away from that one and I hope similar thing can happen with Willems.
JDdubai
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:37 PM
Comment #39We have needed a lacy Cf for awhile now, think SDJ would be a good 10 with a quick CF ahead of him. He seems the type to be able to pick a through ball but needs a quick CF to make the runs, Vardy/Bellamy type.
Think Berahino will cost too much for us, would like to see about Afobe maybe from Wolves.
Jib
Dec 8, 2015 at 2:40 PM
Comment #40http://www.fcupdate.nl/voetbalnieuws/288776/wijnaldum-staat-achter-mcclaren-beste-die-we-kunnen-krijgen/
As usual someone has used Google translate and totally cocked a quote up
Gigi doesn’t say “right now” he says “at this moment in time McClaren is the best guy for the job”