Newcastle United have just put on their web-site that 24 year-old former Blackburn captain and center-back Grant Hanley has been signed by the club – after around three weeks of negotiations.
Grant Hanley after signing on at Newcastle United
Here’s some of that the club has just put on the web-site.
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Newcastle United have completed the signing of defender Grant Hanley from Blackburn Rovers.
The 24-year-old Scotland international has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at St. James’ Park and arrives for an undisclosed fee.
Hanley came through the ranks at Blackburn before being handed his debut at the age of 18 in a Premier League fixture at Aston Villa in May 2010.
The centre-back remained at Ewood Park following Rovers’ relegation from the top flight and was appointed captain in January 2014.
In six years at the Lancashire club he made 201 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals.
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This is what Grant has said:
“I’m over the moon and delighted to be here,”
“It is a fantastic opportunity to come and play at such a big club and one that I couldn’t turn down.”
“It is an exciting step in my career but it doesn’t stop there.”
“This is just the start and I am looking forward to helping Newcastle get back into the Premier League.”
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez added the following:
“I am very pleased to bring Grant Hanley to our project to add his hard work and potential to our squad.”
“It was clear that we needed another central defender and we were seeking someone with good experience in the Championship.”
“Grant is a young player with a lot of ambition to improve and keep growing with us.”
“He is also a strong defender, fast and with personality, a player that surely will increase competitiveness in his position.”
This is another excellent signing by Rafa Benitez.
Welcome to Newcastle Grant!
Here’s our current signings so far this summer and soon we may have to update it for Gini Wijnaldum leaving.
[table “51” not found /]Comments welcome.
125 comments so far
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:42 PM
Comment #1McClown is being interviewed for the Scumberland job, apparently.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:43 PM
Comment #2On to the next signing please
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:44 PM
Comment #3On to the next signing please
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:45 PM
Comment #4Wini is gone Sissoko will be gone in bad dire need of a LB.
We need 3 players in minimum…Lots of money is the bank from Wini and Sissoko…time for some big time signings…
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:45 PM
Comment #5There’s an echo in here 😀
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:46 PM
Comment #6rafa said hanley is fast most of you said he is slow Wtf
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:49 PM
Comment #7Back to last nights game how on earth where we 2:0 down?!!?!? Against a bunch of amateurs, nothing has changed at Newcastle has it 🙁
A bit depressed.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:49 PM
Comment #8Dummet gets an unfair deal on here. Ok, as a lb he gives very little goong forward, but is solid defesively, and is miles away from the liability some make him out to be. Yes, ideally we should buy a starting LB, but no way should people be all doom and gloom if Dummet starts there. He has given some decent prem wingers a tough time.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:53 PM
Comment #9Roshan
British no-nonsense players like Dummet and Hanley will always be given the short end off fans, because they are not ramos, or maldini. Its a skewed view, imo. We need these players.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:55 PM
Comment #10*type of players.
You cant have a team full of technical players who get forward all the time. You need a couple of “stoppers” who make life difficult for opposition forwards.
Our Toon
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:55 PM
Comment #11Dummett has to improve going forward if he wants to nail down being a LB, his crossing is awful and he looks uncomfortable going forward. As a defender though he’s actually decent, he’s more of a 90s full back rather than a modern day full back
Wayayman
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:56 PM
Comment #12Gorgonzola, don’t despair. I’s the 2nd game of pre-season and you always learn more when things go badly than after a 6-0 win over part-timers.
Trust the bloke in charge to get things right come the big kick off. Two friendlies left, Southend next Tuesday then Vitesse on the 30th. We’ll probably have another couple of players in by then too, and the others will be two weeks fitter and sharper after having so many games in succession.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:57 PM
Comment #13The modern game is much more technical, and a 50/50 balance is not right, but its daft to abandon using a couple of brick walls all together.
toon kk
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:57 PM
Comment #14Of course our best player’s will leave, we’re a championship club now.
Don’t expect us dominating the championship it’s a very tough league, full of very hard working teams, something alot of our players aren’t used too.
We have made some good signings but we need more or it will be a case of here we go again.
Munster Mag
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:58 PM
Comment #15Rafa says he’s fast ….? Rovers fans say he’s slow. I am sure they know best…
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:59 PM
Comment #16Our toon
I agree with that. Thats a fair and balanced view on Dummet. Ideally he wont be our starting LB, and if the need arises for him to start, it isn’t the end of the world. I think a few of the games this season might give him the chance to work a little on his attacking game.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Jul 21, 2016 at 1:59 PM
Comment #17As I said last night…
Hopefully RAFA learned a lot more about his players/team than he did against Bohemians.
And what will the team be like without Gini and Sissoko.
promotion – It ain’t going to be plain sailing all the way
Personally I think they will be a big miss even if they did not play at their best last season. Both players had a touch of class when on their game and hopefully we can fill their void with the new players or it could be struggle what ever the odds the bookies make us.
Shelvey – bloody enigma – Brilliant against West Ham – poor ever since.
needs his heed sorting out.
Great to see Handley – like to see a creative midfielder, left back and a goalscorer – then I’ll be a happy man!
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:02 PM
Comment #18Larger players often appear to be slower than the actually are, it depends on stride pattern and other things. Sometimes you see a big lump and think “never gonna get there” and then he does, and you think “how the hell dod he het there?”.
Wayayman
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:02 PM
Comment #19Mark @ 13 I totally agree. The Championship s a real mixed bag. Some teams are much more technical and others are old-school division 2 in style. We have to be able to combat both.
It’ll be a much harder slog than the last time we went down as the level is higher now, but it’s shaping up to be an exciting season if we get off to a good start. Really looking forward to Fulham, it’s a great ground for watching a game too, close to the pitch and should be at least 50% Geordies in there with their ‘neutral’ end selling out before the official away tickets went on sale.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:02 PM
Comment #20*did he get
hibbitt
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Comment #21Our Toon
i spoke to Dummett a few months ago in M&S gosforth
i asked him about playing LB and he said he was happy to play were the boss put him but he preferred playing CB and he considered himself to be a CB
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:05 PM
Comment #22Wayayman
Are fulham still going through a rough time? They have been really poor in recent seasons.
Spoof
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:08 PM
Comment #23At last this particular saga is over.
Changing the subject completely, it was often said that Ben Arfa was a great player (which he was, one of the most gifted that we have ever had imho) but we never got the consistency out of him due to poor man management, we now have another gifted French lad on our hands but sadly he has had a nightmare for us but would you give Florian Thauvin a chance especially when you consider that we are short of natural wingers and it could be that Florian has here what Ben Arfa didn’t, that being a manager who could possibly get his undoubted talent on to the pitch.
I doubt that he is anywhere near Ben Arfa but so what, that means nothing as Benny was unique, Thauvin could be a great player and I would give him another go, he does potentially have a shed load of quality which is something you can never have too much of.
Hail Wor Ashley
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:12 PM
Comment #24My first choice defence as of right now would be:
Gamez__Hanley__Lascelles__Dummet
All 4 proper, combative defenders. Both fullbacks 6ft+.
Importantly, a lot more vocal than we’ve been used to. Think they could form great camaraderie and become a very good unit.
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:12 PM
Comment #25I thought mbiwa had pace right
Spoof
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:12 PM
Comment #26hibbitt
sorry mate that’s wrong, he is a personal friend of my wifes best friend’s daughter, they socialise together and I can assure you that he is a LB and that he always has viewed himself as being a LB, he like so many players can cover elsewhere with him being able to cover CB but he is a LB.
jazzyp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:15 PM
Comment #27Welcome Mr Hanley to Nufc. Hopefully Rico next at Left back
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:15 PM
Comment #28YouCouldn’tMakeItUp agree with you
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Comment #29158 – Grant Hanley made the most interceptions of any player in the Championship in 2015/16 (158). Assured.
Mr Funk
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:18 PM
Comment #30LB – Rico Henry or Charlie Taylor
AMC – Alex Pritchard, Tom Carroll or ???
ST – ??
Any other suggestions?
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:18 PM
Comment #31Hail
And Lascelles looks decent and cool on the ball. At least he did toward the end of last year.
Hail Wor Ashley
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:18 PM
Comment #32Thauvin will never produce anything like the quality HBA did whilst here. Such wishful thinking to believe otherwise.
Hasn’t got the acceleration, strength, balance, technique dribbling skills, quick mind and ability to improvise to compete with HBA.
Might do better at this level, but £10m+ and I’d be cashing in and getting a replacement. Robbie Brady would be my choice. If Mitrovic and Gayle need supply, at this level you won’t get better than Ritchie and Brady on the flanks.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:23 PM
Comment #33Funk
I am still waiting for Rafa to pull some kind of young spanish wizard out of nowhere to play as AMF. Even if its a loan at first, with option to buy if promoted. Clubs loke Barca often sell players with a “buy back” clause, so you can often have a player for a few seasons, and if you need the money, or want to alter your style, you sell them back to thier original club for a small profit. I believe this happened with Fabregas and Arsenal. I could be wrong, but i know it does happen.
nightfa11
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:25 PM
Comment #34so we basically got nothing from wini sale..
got him for 15 mio + signing of fee + wages + agent, etc..
sold him for 25 and we must give a few mio to psv..
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:26 PM
Comment #35Fabregas was re-purchased by Barca from arsenal. I seem to remember there being a buy back clause. I might have comfused it with another player.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:28 PM
Comment #36Jazzyp,
You might have missed my posts, what type of players were you expecting us to sign.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:29 PM
Comment #37Nightfa11
No, thats incorrect, but the whole discussion on wage budget and agent fees has been done to death 500000 times on here, so please lets not 😀
expatmag
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:31 PM
Comment #38Victor Moses being touted as a possible in some prees quarters
outside the box
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Comment #39hail wor ash..
..agree and with memba in the mix could play rb and cb …gamez lb /cb…dummet lb/cb …with janmatt mbabu and sterry hairdrier seems defence is sorted…..i thought hanley was left footed anyone know??
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 21, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Comment #40And i always thought a sell on fee was a percentage of any profit, not of the entire price. I.E 10 mil in ginis case?