Newcastle are now in talks to sign Atletico Madrid winger Gelson Martins according to Mundo Deportivo in Spain.
The Portuguese International was signed on a free transfer from Sporting Lisbon last summer, and the move was heralded as a significant acquisition in Madrid.
But he has not lived up to his expectations this season, and the ruthless manager Diego Simeone seems ready to sell him at a profit this month.
Arsenal, Everton, and Wolves are three other Premier League clubs said to be interested in signing the player – in addition to AC Milan.
Newcastle will have to move quickly for any player now that we have only 8 days left in this transfer window and haven;t signed anybody yet.
It’s all turning out to be very late and much like last year – with Newcastle signing two of their three players on loan on the final day of the transfer window a year ago.
When will they ever learn?
Martins is said to be available for a rather cheap £4M so that should interest Mike Ashley.
The 23-year-old has played for all the Portuguese youth side from U18 and has 21 full caps at the senior level.
Before moving to Madrid, he had been at Sporting Lisbon for eight years and played 140 times for the first team with 27 goals and 30 assists.
This season he has struggled for game time and played only 12 times for Atletico Madrid with one goal.
For £4M Martins would seem like a decent buy for us because he does have skill and class.
Comments welcome.
23 comments so far
Optimistic Panda
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #1There’s suggestions were trying to sign this lad on loan for £3.5m which seems strange as there’s talk he can leave perminantley for £4m in the summer.
Unless we’re trying to loan with a view to buy it doesn’t make sense, paper talk me thinks
DubaiMicky
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:07 AM
Comment #2And what Rafa wants Rafa gets of course.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:08 AM
Comment #3Did Atletico not have to pay 30 odd million to Sporting for him?
Rotonda heights
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:11 AM
Comment #4OLG
AS the fakeover is dead in the water and probably always was surely you can say who your source is now. Nothing to lose surely, it can hardly be delicate any more?
If advertising was the issue surely Ash has to pay for that like everyone else, not just keep having it gratis indefinitely after a salel I suspect almost the first thing a new owner would want to do is pull down those hideous SD signs.
Re – the club shop, surely everyone could give that a swerve.
Lastly on loans, they worked pretty well for us last time.
I’d be quite happy with Shelvey out, Almiron in.
lochinvar
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:16 AM
Comment #5Liverpool are set to become the first club to report an annual net profit of more than €100 million.
The future’s bright at Anfield.
and there’s me thinking that Ashley isn’t interested in profit. Of course he is, it’s just that he’s paid nothing for free advertising of Tacky Sports for the last eleven years and ironically trousered significant turnover and profit from the nupties swayed by his advertising a large proportion in Liverpool buying the latest shell suits. Ironic.
kc2012
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:20 AM
Comment #6I read Yesterday that Martins has a €90m release clause in his contract and given how good he was in Portugal I very much doubt he’s available for £4m in Summer. He’s a quality player and they wouldn’t struggle to get £30m+ for him.
I’d Love him to come in on loan either way but considering Arsenal are in the loan market and they nearly signed him in the summer I think we’ve barely any chance of getting him.
His agent is the guy with the the Wolves connection so wouldn’t surprise me if he goes there.
Maybe Rafa’s Spanish connections could help us though.
Online Guy
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:24 AM
Comment #7Why don’t Magpie group ask Ashley to walk away without profit ..take his money back and set us free . That has got to be the message .
He is killing a Nation.
Ashley has already said he cannot take us any further yet holds on to the club for what reason ?
In any announcement he makes on selling the club the prospective buyers know it’s not a straight sale … If , the greedy man wants most of the commercial side to stay with him !
An impossible ask or proviso in any sale .
If the sale does not happen and there is frustration because of the rotund one having made it impossible ..watch this space .
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:26 AM
Comment #8@Lochinvar
Not remember the club happily announced a 30 odd million profit a few seasons ago when we were desperate for players?
Haven’t really made that mistake again be interesting to see how the books get cooked this season to show that we have no money again !
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:31 AM
Comment #9Liverpool have shown that if you run the club the correct way by employing good people to do the job and are willing to go for the players that your manager wants you can have success and profits at the same time!
Ironically we had the chance to sign Salah , Mane and Van Dijk all before they got big but we refused to pay the going rate and their careers have gone from strength to strength!
ToonRich
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:34 AM
Comment #10Gelson’s market value was £31m when AM signed him for free!! He was one of the players to cancel theirt contract after the fans turned on the Sporting players at the training ground.
Not sure where £4m is being touted…he’s thought to be worth aroung £18m atm.
Arsenal maybe in the market, but rumour has it they dont have the funds – again, dont know where this info is coming from.
Some other clubs after him too; Monaco, Wolves (his agent is Mendes after all!)
ToonRich
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:37 AM
Comment #11OLG, whatever the outcome…sale or no sale, MA’s highstreet busniesses need to be financial hit somehow…with it being known that it is coming from football fans, he might think twice then?!
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:40 AM
Comment #12Talksport now
Mike Ashley / Simon Jordan
Newcastle
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:40 AM
Comment #13Owners
Online Guy
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:43 AM
Comment #14Rotunda
It’s not been said it’s off, it’s still under wraps. If A calls it off then I’m hoping I can tell the story but that part, if the story turns, is not something I’m privy to am. When it’s concluded I’m hoping, Im waiting by.
I can’t say (and might not be able to ) until the fat bloke sings.
TomaKaThor
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:46 AM
Comment #15Just over a week left. Not one signing, takeover has clearly fizzled out but he won’t confirm that until the windows closed… All as Mike planned…we all knew it but a few of us thought surely he won’t do it again…well he has and of course he will have a predictable excuse?
They didn’t have the funds to take the club forward.(because he really cares about the club moving forward) *Laughable*
TomaKaThor
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:47 AM
Comment #16And we all know why you won’t say a thing OLG lol
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:47 AM
Comment #17Nowt
posada
Jan 23, 2019 at 10:55 AM
Comment #18Why would Mike Ashley not want to buy players. Much is made of the 80 million spent during the Steve McClaren season. Was it wasted. Well not really.
Thauvin – Failure but got much of the money back.
Wini – Made a 10 million profit.
Mitro – 15 million profit.
Mbemba – Small loss, but played for us for 2 or so years.
Townsend – Money back.
Shelvey – Probs would get the money back and he’s played for us for 3 years.
Saivet – The one real waste of money, 5 million plus much more in wages.
Mike Ashley is not a gambler with balls of steel. He’s a coward who won’t back the right people to make a go of it.
Trusts Rafa as a coach. Does not trust his judgement on transfers I suspect.
All figures off the top of my head.
Bladey
Jan 23, 2019 at 12:16 PM
Comment #19Day 23
NO takeover No transfers
All going to plan
Same old crap doing the rounds today RAFA wants this player
NUFC in talks blah blah blah
We all know the what will happen a loan deal is possible maybe on the last day
That’s your lot
ASH IN RAFA IN
beefman13
Jan 23, 2019 at 12:18 PM
Comment #20Oh dear another Atletico Bilbao or Madrid reject, sure Benitez has a nice click with these agents, all the Spaniards are arnt very clever at all, hardly summik to look forward to, boring.
Shoulders knees
Jan 23, 2019 at 12:31 PM
Comment #21Monaco struggling big time why let us have a decent player when he could be helping them! 🙁
JohnJ
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:30 PM
Comment #22Ed “When will they ever learn?”
The simple answer is never as long as Ashley is involved – so lets hope he’s gone soon!
JohnJ
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:38 PM
Comment #23I read with great interest as a NUFC supporter that the club is due to a £50m plus influx of funds into their coffers from the Premier League any time now!
I wonder where that will end up eh?
Probably the same place (back pocket) as where the other £125m went last August I think!!!