Lee Ryder conducted an interesting Q&A with Chronicle readers today, and one of the things Lee was asked about was about Sporting Lisbon striker Bas Dost.
Bas was the sixth Sporting player to lodge legal action against Sporting Lisbon this week, after being attacked by fans during training in mid-May.
Dost has made a move to become a free agent and be released from his contract at Sporting Lisbon.
But this saga could drag on and on in the courts.
And since the Sporting Lisbon hierarchy are furious they could lose so many good players, they will be dragging their feet as much as possible this summer to delay the moves of any of the six players.
Bas Dost – Newcastle no longer interested
However, this thing is likely to be slow moving with no quick decision on the cases likely.
Lee Ryder has said it doesn’t look like Rafa is interested in going after Bas Dost this summer and the Spaniard has other striker targets he is interested in.
And news today that Burnley have made a £25M double sweep for West Brom striker Jay Rodriguez and center-back Craig Dawson.
Newcastle have been linked with Dawson this summer, and the 28-year-old defender would add some experience to Newcastle’s back line.
But with Jamaal Lascelles, Florian Lejeune and Ciaran Clark all getting good experience in the Premier League last season – experience may not be such a high priority for Rafa this summer.
Clark also played 134 Premier League games for Aston Villa before arriving on Tyneside two years ago for a paltry £5M – a bargain for Newcastle.
Former Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez used to play for Burnley his hometown club before he left for the Saints back in 20012.
He’s an average type of striker, and we have never been linked with the striker since Rafa arrived at the club.
But two targets we have been linked with – Bas Dost and Craig Dawson – now look unlikely to arrive the summer.
Comments welcome.
98 comments so far
G
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:07 PM
Comment #41Dubia, regarding WC qual
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Comment #42Oh jane you are so lovely….
G
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Comment #43I’ll try that again regarding WC qual for hosts, I thought after Qatar hosts needed to qualify? Did I imagine that?
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Comment #44A perfect meal for a grizzly 😀
jazzyp
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:16 PM
Comment #45Jail
Ya wasting your time pal
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:19 PM
Comment #46Jazzy,
Yup, she’s a maybot.
jazzyp
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:25 PM
Comment #47Jail
Do you have any hopes this window will be any different to that of other’s ?
DubaiMicky
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:26 PM
Comment #48Yes G you did, the hosts automatically qualify. So there are 3 places taken before 2026 even starts. Oh, and then there’s the huge distances involved too.
jordijohnty
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:36 PM
Comment #49No hardship for mexico, USA and canada to qualify anyway. There qualifying group is virtually rigged anyway. Top 3 qualify. 4th place playoff with asian playoffs. USA, mexico, Honduras, Panama, Trinidad, Costa Rica and missing out Canada, who didnt prequalify
Munster Mag
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:42 PM
Comment #50Worrying sounds re budget. Rafa won’t beat Ashley
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:42 PM
Comment #51Jazzy,
Not anymore, he knows Rafa will stay for another year, it’s looking like he’ll rely on him keeping us up for another load of TV money and then bank that a another plodder might keep us afloat for awhile, I think the last thing he wants is a manager like Rafa making look like that soiv that he is.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:44 PM
Comment #52spiv
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:45 PM
Comment #53Munster,
He beats him automatically the minute he walks away.
DubaiMicky
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:47 PM
Comment #54However Jail, where does that leave us? With Ashley, the only winner, is him.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:50 PM
Comment #55Dubai,
What’s he won when Rafa walks?
DubaiMicky
Jun 13, 2018 at 8:58 PM
Comment #56Jail, every year he keeps ownership of our club, every month, every week, he makes money out of us.
Season tickets have gone up by 15-30% for some holders, he’s sold off our land (or transferred it to his own company), he uses his own company to be the only supplier of our shirts, the staff in the club shop are not employed by us, but by his other company.
You seriously don’t think he’s pocketing at least 10s of millions a year from us?
Jail for Ashley
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:01 PM
Comment #57Yes, he is DubaiMicky, but it will be the beginning of the end for Ashley if he does walk.
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:04 PM
Comment #58Shift Sels, Colback, Saivet and Aarons, and spend 50 million on a striker and a winger, and another ten million on a couple of decent loan signings. Can’t see Rafa being satisfied with any less than that, nor the club not having the money to pay for it.
ashleysmate
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:11 PM
Comment #59Notts Forest splash out 13mill for a player….errr…what are we doing?
Nowt…..thanks to mad Mike
We all respect Rafa for what he’s done….but this time next year???????
lesh
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:13 PM
Comment #60Jail
Ashley does win if/ when Rafa walks – Rafa’s proved to be a thorn in his side – ambition for on the field success and Ashley just don’t sit together.
Through Rafa’s efforts and despite Ashley lack of real support, the clubs due to receive £125m as a result of last season’s 10th place, the greedy git’s said to have sanctioned £40/ 50m in transfer funds – including player wages and agent fees – despite promising every last penny the club generates (whatever that means) for Rafa.
Not content with pissing Rafa about, the very same Rafa who got the club back into the Prem, to the extent that he’ll likely walk next summer, he’s hiked season ticket prices up just as a little thank you for the fans’ support. Prices up to pay for what? More advertising space for his free SD advertising?
Anyone who feels they can defend Ashley needs to either stop taking the piss out of genuine supporters or see a shrink.
jazzyp
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:13 PM
Comment #61Nicky
as much as I would love that scenario to happen mate I just don’t see Ashley sanctioning it.
I think this time Ashley is showing who is the boss of Nufc and who runs the show. He has no interest in Newcastle united now and minimum spend for maximum profit is the name of the game.
No line of direct communication between himself and Benitez apart from Ashley’s monkey passing down messages from the alpha male.many promises have been made and broken and mind games played season in season out to the point now where fans are starting to show they have finally had enough
Bambams
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:13 PM
Comment #62I can genuinely see Rafa walking at the end of next season. If the reports are right (Ash won’t release funds until after Rafa signs) I can see Ash/Charnley looking stupid. You don’t take on one of the best managers in the world by giving him an ultimatum.
But then I can see ash bringing back Pardew or similar if Rafa leaves.
But if you were Rafa, seriously what would you do given the way Ash runs our club.
I would be away.
jazzyp
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:22 PM
Comment #63We shouldn’t be in a position in this day and age to still be having to sell before we buy but again that looks the case, Rafa must be pulling his hair out because I am sure he can see the massive potential that could be unmasked yet is being kept locked. Who blinks first.. I think will be Benitez will if this summers transfer activity is poor and who can blame him
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:28 PM
Comment #64Yeah, I think it’s a money in, money out business, and that is most unlikely to change under Ashley. No solid reason to think it will.
If it is in fact to be any less then yeah Rafa will surely have better things to do with his time.
In theory though, if the club is run right then each successive window should result in a stronger side under a self sustaining model.
Is that enough of a carrot for Rafa?
He’s been unhappy that Ashley wouldn’t offer more help than that in the past, but this close season window must surely be better than the last.
lesh
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:38 PM
Comment #65Nicky
How can this window be better than last? If reports are true, Rafa’ll have £40/£50m gross for recruitment – he had near the same last summer!
Tsunki
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:42 PM
Comment #66Bas Dost Deal Bites Dust Fast at Long Last Best Left in Dust Bin.
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:46 PM
Comment #67I think last years net spend was 30 million, plus maybe more in agents fees. 40 million seems a stretch. But It surely has to be better this year because of the significant increase in revenue.
Newspaper stories regarding potential signings and transfer budgets are a load of pap generally speaking.
jane
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:46 PM
Comment #68the £13m Notts Forest new signing has played 7 times for Benfica 5 as sub.
his wages will probably be much less than our players. when comparing signings you have to look at the total cost.
some fans just look at the headline figure!
https://uk.soccerway.com/players/joao-carvalho/335238/
jasper
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:47 PM
Comment #69The 2026 World Cup is the first with 48 teams, one of the reasons that USA/Canada/Mexico won. They have the stadiums already and Morocco would have struggled. And they have promised FIFA a load of profit….
So even though these three all will qualify automatically there will be 10 more qualifying places than this time around.
jane
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:51 PM
Comment #70jazzyp you maybe right the Forest owner maybe better, just saying he looks a bit dodgy to me like that Italian owner of Leeds. lets see how Forest do this season wasn’t good last season.
jane
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:52 PM
Comment #71Jail your rhyming insults aren’t funny or clever.
ashleysmate
Jun 13, 2018 at 9:58 PM
Comment #72I’m sure, we all respect how Rafa has stayed with us, but I think we need to send a message to phat boy ,in that we all expect one of the top 5 managers in the world to walk away from OUR club in 12 month, simply because of broken promises……I hope this scenario never happens, but even Rafa’s love for our club can stretch only so far….BUT.. if this is to happen….fat fingers will, I’m sure, feel a physical and financial backlash he’s never experienced before….50yrs I’ve been in love with my club, and for better or worse , have NEVER experienced anything like this.. God bless the toon
lesh
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:03 PM
Comment #73Nicky
One could reasonably expect more spend from increased revenue but….. Not under Ashley – he’s turning the screw on Rafa – and the fans!
Chancel My MBembaship
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:05 PM
Comment #74No complaints from me about North America being awarded the World Cup. Hopefully there’ll be games in either of the New York stadiums or New England. Don’t care which teams I see, just want to go to a World Cup game. Willing to do the drive from here and take the bairns with me 🙂
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:09 PM
Comment #75I don’t know that Ashley has in fact broken any promises, though there was plenty of smoke for a while last close season. But I do accept that he may not be willing to offer Rafa enough for him to sign an extension, and that will be a huge punch in the guts for the club.
If the club is in fact running a legit money in, money out self sustaining model though, I would hope Rafa will see a long term future and sign on again.
Chancel My MBembaship
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:14 PM
Comment #76Okay, technically not North America. That was lazy of me, before the pedantics crawl out from under their rocks!
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:15 PM
Comment #77lesh, that might of course be true, but to believe it is true doesn’t take sufficiently into account the current context surrounding matters, and context is everything. There is a large amount of money about to flow in, Rafa has done a sterling job for us, seems relatively relaxed, and there is no solid real reason to think Ashley doesn’t him to stay long term.
ben.g
Jun 13, 2018 at 10:57 PM
Comment #78Bring back match day! Much fun posting then.
I did hope Mikey might of seen sense and tied Rafa down but sadly I don’t think its going to happen now. (I hope I’m wrong and Rafa comes back and signs a 3 year deal)
Rafa deserves better than Ashley who has lied to him and deceived him. (Is that the same thing)
I made my peace with Ashley being owner ages ago.
Now it’s Rafa will stay untill the end of the season and will do the best that he can until then.
I’ll just try and enjoy next season!
(Good lucky bobby with your new disaster with this surgery carry on!)
lochinvar
Jun 13, 2018 at 11:02 PM
Comment #79Mustn’t grumble, must we.
New Sunderland owner Donald is buying new seats not players.
He wrote: “Not the most important job at Sunderland AFC but one ticked off nonetheless. “An order for 31,500 red seats to replace those faded pink seats is being made so please look out for a press release over the coming days where we hope the fans can come down & help us to replace them.”
The news follows a strong campaign to boost season ticket renewals for the upcoming campaign, with more than 20,000 fans committing for the 2018/19 season.
31,500 new seats for 20,000 fans.
You do the maths.
And he wants the fans to install them.
With toilet seats no doubt.
Munster Mag
Jun 13, 2018 at 11:34 PM
Comment #80Jail, wrong. Ashley wins. We stay in prem. Annoying Rafa leaves. Mike goes on sky and explains Rafa wanted to break financial controls that would have damaged the club. We stay up. Rafa walks. No payout. Mike gets free advertising etc. Mike Sels club for 350m. Mike wins. Rafa leaves with fine rep but that’s all.