With Rolando Aarons injured and out for at least eight weeks with his broken foot and with his injury history, Rafa Benitez is considering bringing in a second winger in addition to Chelsea winger Christian Atsu.
Atsu will have a medical tomorrow after terms were fully agreed with Chelsea, before signing a season long loan deal with an option to buy at Newcastle.
Callum McManaman has been on Rafa Benitez’ hit list this summer but we have moved for higher priority targets so far.
25 year-old West Brom winger Callum McManaman
Callum is available for £4.75M from West Brom with the 25 year-old Liverpudlian having no future at the Baggies.
Callum signed for West Brom in January of last year from Wigan for that identical fee, but he has hardly played at West Brom (12 appearances) and has not been in their first team squad at all this season.
Tony Pulis said this on Sunday afternoon after the drab 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough:
“I expect McManaman to leave, we’ll get our money back on him.”
McManaman began his youth career at home town club Everton before being released in 2007 – and it’s then that he signed on at Wigan at just 16 years-old.
We think Callum would be a decent signing for us, but it’s up to Rafa to decide if he needs another winger in the squad.
And that really terrible tackle Callum made on Sadio Haidara in March of 2013 when he was playing for Wigan will likely not be held against him after he did issue this apology:
“I actually thought I’d won the ball cleanly and it was only afterwards when I saw the replays that I realised what I’d done.”
“It’s something I regret and, if could go back in time, I’d make sure it didn’t happen.”
“But it did and all I can do now is work on my game and try and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Sadio is still at Newcastle.
Comments welcome.
59 comments so far
SPRINGY
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:29 AM
Comment #41one fine day
with chadli going to west brom tonight,if its going to happen i would expect to hear about it tomorrow…cant say he excites me tbh.
one fine day
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:41 AM
Comment #42Laurent Robert 32 @ 18
Great clip
The run from midfield and finish against spurs does have Benny written all over it .
Has baggage but unlike the affor mentioned has talent to burn and so is worth a loan to see if he can sort himself out/ grow up under rafa
Could be that creative spark we currently lack to unlock the bus parkers and a player who can draw defenders in to make more space for others
ilovetoon8788
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:42 AM
Comment #43What’s the useless sisokko doing at our club still? I can’t wait for that lazy unprofessional lard to get out of our club by tomorrow.
one fine day
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:44 AM
Comment #44springy
yes will be a nervous 24 hours what with him and le sulk to deal with
one fine day
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:47 AM
Comment #45ilovetoon8788
He is currently holed up in some Paris suburb frantically trying to photo shop a old palace shirt onto a pic of him as kid to s how his” dream” club bla bla .
Will make my day if he ends up there .
SPRINGY
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:48 AM
Comment #46ofd
there will be allsorts toys and dummys been thrown out of sulkyholes pram over next day or 2
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 30, 2016 at 2:04 AM
Comment #47Nobody wanted Joey Barton, (including me) but he turned out to be a Toon hero.
Can’t say that I’m enthusiastic over the prospect of signing McNanaman but would it be a form of redemption if he did sign for us and was instrumental in the rise of the Toon to glory.
By the way is he related to the ex LPool player.
My only post today as it’s way past my bedtime so hello and goodnight.
Ian Toon
Aug 30, 2016 at 2:14 AM
Comment #48I am a big fan of Jack Wilshere but not in favour of him joining the toon on loan. His playing time stats suggest a further stalling of his career is more than likely. They really are very telling and he will attract constant unwanted media attention. Benitez will be attracted because a fit Wilshere would provide the creativity that we’ve lacked.
I thought Hughton was right when he described our game as efficient – I would add functional.
Anyway this is what Opta indicate on Jack in seasons past – in 2010-11 there were 35 appearances by Jack Wilshere; in 2011-12 there no appearances; in 2012-13 there were 25 appearances; in 2013-14 there were 24 appearances; in 2014-15 there were 14 appearances; in 2015-16 there were just three appearances.
From 2,650 minutes on the pitch five seasons ago, as one of the most exciting English talents for many years, Wilshere has registered just 4,325 minutes in total and the trajectory of that graph has headed ever downwards.
He’s completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League just once since the start of 2014-15 and has, been taken off in nine of the last 10 matches he has started. This is not recovery. He is for me a special player but not worth the risk as the Euro’s episode signified.
.
Novocastrian66
Aug 30, 2016 at 2:14 AM
Comment #49Joey Barton is no hero of mine. Not sure I know anyone who put him in that category.
jimmysmith
Aug 30, 2016 at 2:51 AM
Comment #50Wilshere wouldn’t entertain the notion, I’m sure.
Sliema
Aug 30, 2016 at 4:06 AM
Comment #51I’d certainly take Jack Wilshire on loan, he’s far higher quality than we currently have and would really cement our season. Not a chance he’d join us though. 🙁
HarriboNo9
Aug 30, 2016 at 4:20 AM
Comment #52Re Post
Shadow_Shearer
I came on here to write about Achraf Lazaar when I seen your message about him, I agree with you he has a great turn, but disagree that his crosses aren’t good, I actually think he has an amazing cross. Not just because he’s morroccon but I think he is a defensive marhez we have signed I honestly love this player and is going to be player of the season I truly believe. He is exactly what we need and if we need to be more defensive in games then we start Dummett. Rafa has done a tremendous job bringing in the exact players we need for the championship and without a doubt we will be in the top 4 come end of season lets just hope it’s 1st or 2nd.
My biggest worry is half of our squad aren’t good enough if we do get promoted which means that is a lot of people to get rid of. There’s no way we could be a top 8 team in prem league if we weren’t to sign 6plus players when promoted. Does anyone agree with this or do you think our squad would be prem material next season if we go up ?
nut meg
Aug 30, 2016 at 5:43 AM
Comment #53Barton didn’t do serious damage to one of our players… but McManaman certainly did ! If he does end up here he’s got a bit of a mountain to climb to win over the toon army and that’s never a easy thing to do.
Lindisfarne
Aug 30, 2016 at 7:10 AM
Comment #54If there was a vote on this potential player and I could be bothered, I would vote ‘No’ to buying him.
Toon-Prodigy
Aug 30, 2016 at 7:45 AM
Comment #55I like the look of this team which is on another site. It includes McManaman. Loving the fact we now have competition for places and the balance is almost complete throughout the squad. I’d take him.
http://www.footballinsider247.com/newcastle-line-two-reportedly-imminent-arrivals-sign/
Lilongwe Geordie
Aug 30, 2016 at 7:50 AM
Comment #56Manx,
Atsu did get 1 assist in his 2 games at Bournemouth, but it was against Hartlepool in the league cup. They didn’t even use him in the league once.
I’d prefer Mcmanaman to Atsu, but can’t say with any conviction I’d want either. Atsu seems to have done okay abroad, but when on loan in England has barely got a look in, and at 24, you would have expected him to have featured for Chelsea at least once or twice.
McManaman has made a few nasty challenges through his career, the one on Haidara being the main sticking point for most Newcastle fans. I wouldn’t not sign a player cause of that though. He is a decent Championship player and can cover both wings plus through the middle, has experience and will buy in to the hard work ethos Rafa is trying to build within the team and squad.
He isn’t being picked by Pulis at West Brom, but then Pulis didn’t pick Gayle either when at Palace – he only started 2 games. Pulis doesn’t play the same way as Rafa, and that may be the issue for Mcmanaman there, rather than ability.
Like I say though, I wouldn’t want either, but we are running short on time, and we still are very short on wingers and creativity. If we are in talks with them, then it is highly likely that both will arrive.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 30, 2016 at 7:57 AM
Comment #57Is this the RAFA factor…..
The agent of Achraf Lazaar has told the Italian media Fiorentina had an agreement with Palermo to sign the defender, but he turned this down to join Newcastle United. At the weekend the 24-year-old joined the Championship side after Newcastle United’s late interest in the Morocco international.
TMW have reported on comments agent Andrea Cattoli made to TV station SportItalia when he was asked about Lazaar’s decision to join Newcastle United. Cattoli said despite the agreement with Fiorentina he and the player flew to England once they knew of the interest from the North East side.
Next 24/36 hours I think we will bring in a signing as part of Sissoko deal
or Sissoko will stay at least to Christmas and play his part in the Championship – feeling RAFA likes him
toonincheek
Aug 30, 2016 at 8:08 AM
Comment #58I can still close my eyes and see that horrendous
tackle and I reckon the majority of fans feel the same.
He would NOT get a good reception.
Even if he had done well over the last few years,
I would still say NO, but he hasn’t, so it’s a NO
on both counts.
hibbitt
Aug 30, 2016 at 8:09 AM
Comment #59if it was my choice which its not i would go all in for Knockaert him and Ritchie would dominate teams in the championship both 100% team players