There’s a report in France Football that Marseille will soon be bought by Iranian investors associated with Iran Air for around €100M (£79M), with their intention to invest some big money in the south of France club to make them real competitors to PSG in the French League and be a club to reckon with in Europe.
The news is that the investors plan to invest a massive €500M (£395M) in both the squad and the club’s overall facilities.
Apparently there have been discussions going on for some time now and they plan some big changes in the club’s structure including replacing current President Vincent Labrune.
Florian Thauvin in action for Newcastle last season
It will be interesting to see how they meet the Financial Fair Play rules while pouring all the money into the French club.
This could have a positive impact for Newcastle as we had two players on loan there at the end of the season – wingers Remy Cabella and Florian Thauvin.
It looks like it’s already a done deal that Marseille will buy Cabella for around €8M (£6.3M) by the terms of the loan agreement, once he had triggered the requisite number of games played.
But they could also be willing to pay Newcastle back for Florian Thauvin, who was a complete bust on Tyneside and returned to his former club on loan in January.
It’s going to be interesting to see whether Rafa Benitez wants the 23 year-old to report to pre-season training at the end of June, but we think he will – he’s a Newcastle player and Rafa needs to take a look at him.
The manager will decide what happens with Florian and at least one possibility is that Rafa will want to sell him this summer and want back what we paid for the French U21 Internationale last August – around £13M.
The other possibility is that if he likes what he sees – and there a good player in there somewhere – he could send Florian on loan for a season and then bring him back next summer and start to use him in Newcastle’s squad when we are (hopefully) back in the Premier League.
The third unlikely alternative is he tells Florian he must stay at the club for the coming season, although we cannot see the frail youngster being much of a hit in the Championship.
In any case, a takeover of Marseille could be good news on the financial side of things for Newcastle United.
If we can get say £20M for Cabella and Thauvin this summer we certainly wouldn’t miss them – if only because they didn’t play last season much for us at all.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
8 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Jun 11, 2016 at 9:44 AM
Comment #1Someone might offer me .5M for all those old programmes I have in the loft!
Bambams
Jun 11, 2016 at 9:45 AM
Comment #2That was money well wasted in my opinion. Could of done with a LB as a priority.
WWSBRD
Fella I never thought for one minute you were having a go.
I love the chat on here when it’s football related.
Banter better than the odd school ground fallout which are too common on here.
Off to build a decking ….
See you lot later, first signing on Monday would be nice…….
BandB
Jun 11, 2016 at 9:47 AM
Comment #3I agree with the points Lesh and Jimmy were making earlier.
I think many of our “star” players have suffered from the bad management and general pointlessness of the club not being what it said on the tin.
I would like to see Benitez get a full season with them to see what he can find.
The club certainly won’t be taking huge losses to get sulking players off the books and Rafa has shown himself quite capable of winning a stand-off with such players.
There are clearly players who think they have Champions League Player stamped on their birth certificates, without ever having proved the case that they are.
I’d be asking Sissoko to show me his medals.
Bambams
Jun 11, 2016 at 9:47 AM
Comment #4Jail
I hear ‘stone tablet programmes’ are very expensive these days !
Enjoy your day fella !
BandB
Jun 11, 2016 at 9:59 AM
Comment #5Congratulations to Alan Shearer, Commander of the British Empire.
Well deserved Alan.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 11, 2016 at 10:11 AM
Comment #6Oh and BTW Munster, when I’m proved right on Rafa, I won’t be saying I was banging the Rafa drum in every single post I make.
DubaiMicky
Jun 11, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Comment #7Iran, since the dropping of sanctions by the USA are in a hurry to get rid of their cash and clean it, by buying a football club they will. But would you seriously want them as owners?
Would make Ashley look like a saviour.
“Beware of Greeks bearing gifts”
posada
Jun 11, 2016 at 12:03 PM
Comment #8Ed, you describe him as a frail youngster. He’s 23 years old in a game where you can be finished at 28.