On Monday, a report emerged that Newcastle were one of several clubs interested in Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik. Newcastle’s interested in the Polish goalscorer goes back to 2015 when he was on loan at Ajax.
The Dutch giants ended up triggering their purchase option on Milik before shipping him to Napoli for around £27m in 2016. He’s been quite prolific in Italy over the past four years when he’s been able to stay fit.
The 26-year-old is embroiled in a contract tussle with Napoli at the moment. With his contract due to expire next summer, Napoli will likely have to offload Milik this summer if an agreement to extend his deal cannot be sorted.
Football Italia has published some comments Napoli Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli made to Sky Sport Italia about Milik.
Giuntoli confirmed his commitment to resolving the contract stalemate one way or another. This is what he had to say:
“The desire is to renegotiate his contract, so we are talking with his agents.
“The objective is to resolve the situation, one way or another. If he doesn’t want to remain, then he will go on to the transfer market.
“Players can remain as long as they do so with the right mentality. Napoli will go forward, with or without Milik.”
Injury history aside, Milik seems like a realistic target for Newcastle. He’s in the prime of his career, only turning 26 in February. His strike rate since joining Ajax on loan is a remarkable 93 goals in 184 appearances.
Milik has managed to keep himself fit for the most part over the past two seasons after a torrid time in his first two seasons at Napoli. He missed chunks of both campaigns with major knee injuries.
While he’s had a few minor niggles this term, he has found the back of the net 12 times in his 22 appearances. Last season, he scored 20 goals in 47 total appearances.
Juventus, Arsenal, and Tottenham are reportedly very keen on Milik. With just one year left on his contract, Napoli may have to part ways with their star striker.
The report on Monday put their valuation of him at £45m, but they may be forced to sell to the highest bidder if they can’t extend him beyond next season.
64 comments so far
Rotonda heights
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:42 PM
Comment #1Thing is slavery was abolished in 1833, why is it so relevant now?
cleveleysbob
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #2Really good question Rotunda.
Jib, very funny the Angel comment from previous, really made me laugh.
WLtoon
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #3Pat On the head from previous
Do you mean the top 100 transfers? IF so, i read it. Where was Joelinton? So much for the £40M Ashley was supposed to have paid.
Northumbrian
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Comment #4R H I think its more about the symbolism of statues, they even defaced Winston Churchill’s statue. Although I had to laugh because the guy who volunteered to deal with the graffiti who incidentally was coloured was a guy by the name of Winston.
cleveleysbob
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Comment #5Kevin, from previous, your at it again, looking for a row. Give it a rest I’m not rising to your bait! 🙂
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:49 PM
Comment #6Rotonda,
It’s still relevant now because we still have monuments celebrating slavers and they are an insult to the anceators of those who had to endure those hardships. They are also an eyesore to those of us who think we should not glorify these people, as in doing so we glorify the things they stood for. Why would you not get rid of it? It was doing more harm being left up than anyone did pulling it down.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:50 PM
Comment #7Cleveleysbob,
Okay fella, I’ve said what I wanted to say, looks like you have too. Have a good one 🙂
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:56 PM
Comment #8Two statements 20 or so minutes apart
1)
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:27 PM
Comment #151
Northumbrian,
I was under the impression that the official line was that it was there for his “charity work”. Was there anything about the statue to indicate that it was a statement about slavery? It just looked like a monunent to the man rather than a social or political statement.
2)
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:49 PM
Comment #6
Rotonda,
It’s still relevant now because we still have monuments celebrating slavers and they are an insult to the ancestors of those who had to endure those hardships. They are also an eyesore to those of us who think we should not glorify these people, as in doing so we glorify the things they stood for. Why would you not get rid of it? It was doing more harm being left up than anyone did pulling it down.
This guy is defo just here for an argument !!!!!!!
Pat On The Heed
Jun 10, 2020 at 4:59 PM
Comment #9WLToon – from previous. Halfway through I twigged it was the top 100 according to current valuations.
Northumbrian
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:02 PM
Comment #10I’m pretty sure that the televised pictures of the people tearing down the statue (99% white) aren’t ancestors of the people who suffered hardships either
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #11descendants even
WLtoon
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #12Pat
I did,nt realise that mate.
Novocastrian66
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:04 PM
Comment #13There were atrocities everywhere throughout history. I think it is wrong to try and pass on the mistakes of our ancestors on to the people of today. People aren’t marching on Rome demanding monuments to be torn down because of the atrocities committed by the Romans. We should learn and move on.
Slavery is disgusting however it was a common part of life throughout history up until the 20th century.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:06 PM
Comment #14Jib,
Not sure what your point is here. In that second comment, I wasn’t trying to say the statue was erected specifically because he was a slaver, I was saying it was erected to commemorate him and that he was also a slaver, hence it is commemorating a slaver but was not erected for that specific reason. I hope that clears it up. I wasn’t “looking for an argument”, just offering a different perspective.
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #15just offering a different perspective.
Yuk yuk yuk
B&W blood
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #16I think the slavers statue should be taken down ,but not by a mob, condemning historical figures for attitude, beliefs of a different time and doing things that were legal at the time is madness
I would challenge anyone who would argue the fact that our grandparents generation had questionable views and use of language on race, does that mean all photographs of them should be destroyed and not on displayed in our houses
People are wanting Peel removed because his father as an mp voted against the abolition of slavery seems a little ludicrous
There are real issues with racism and they should be addressed moving forward not judging historical figures on modern knowledge and standards.
In 200 years time when everyone eats a plant based diet will all historical figures who eat meat now be tarnished for it even though it is widely accepted( not quite the same i know, but the world is ever changing)
Pat On The Heed
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:13 PM
Comment #17Teatime cryptic toon quiz. Name the 3 former NUFC players:
1) Pricey meat, Boyo.
2) Shattering Fry’s ceiling
3) Unearthing Dy (anagram)
Ron Knee
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:13 PM
Comment #18Prof Kate Williams@KateWilliamsme
But what prompted the statue? Yes, you guessed it, the workers of Bristol were revolting, threatening to join unions and strike. A mass protest in 1892 panicked business leaders. So, one James Arrowsmith, decided to remind everyone of the great man Colston with a statue. (9)
it’s often said that Colston was put up by the people of Bristol. Not! Arrowsmith could barely get anyone to give money for the statue. When it was put up, it was only half paid for. Colston was presented as the ‘wise and virtuous’ son of Bristol, no mention of slavery. (10)
dog
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Comment #19Jib #8,
Do you reckon he’s here for a five minute argument, or the full half hour?
Zele
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Comment #20I see the demonstrators seemed to have forgotten that George Washington, whose stature is in London, was a slave owner.
So was Alfred The Great as was all Saxon Kings.
The Normans in a good news / bad news gesture banned slavery but introduced serfdom.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:15 PM
Comment #21Northumbrian,
There were plenty of Irish slaves in Bristol in Coulston’s era. Slavery is not and never has been exclusively something white people do to black people. In fact, the word “slave” owes its origins to the fact that the Slavs (who were white) were frequently used as slaves historically.
Slavery is more something rich people do to poor ones than something one race does to another. The race patterns that have emerged at various points in history are more closely related to the relative wealth/poverty status of different ethnic groups, and how this status heavily dictates how easy it is for members of one group to enslave those of another.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Comment #22Yes Jib, yuk yuk. No more different perspectives please. Let’s reserve this chamber for echos only. That’s much more interesting.
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:20 PM
Comment #23dog
https://youtu.be/ohDB5gbtaEQ
WLtoon
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Comment #24Just found out my Coventry bet still stands so happy days.
bill
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Comment #25B&W, totally correct.
It could be said that we are trying to impose our human rights thoughts on other countries where their laws are different to ours. My general feeling is that “When in Rome you do as the Romans do”. It makes for a more peaceful life. I know life is often more difficult than that, but we have to negotiate and persuade, not demand.
Northumbrian
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:25 PM
Comment #26And Kevin I ask you!!! Was it a revolt by the Bristolian people? What event caused the outrage on that very day of the march?
bill
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:26 PM
Comment #27Which pub are we off to then WL? Oh, forgot!
Zele
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:26 PM
Comment #28Kevin,
You are correct.
We never hear of the North African nations apologising for raiding Ireland and Britain and taking away people to become slaves.
We also never hear from African states apologising for the ancestors to sold their people to slavery.
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:27 PM
Comment #29Danny Guthrie
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:28 PM
Comment #30Number 3 that is
are the other 2 anagrams ?
Pat On The Heed
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:29 PM
Comment #31Yep – 3. 1 & 2 cryptic..
Rotonda heights
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:32 PM
Comment #32KV
Yes but you can’t re-write history. Yes it was terrible and shameful, as was apartheid in South Africa but slavery in the UK ended nearly 200 years ago so why now, why now all of a sudden? Trashing your own neighbourhoods in the middle of the worst pandemic the world has known is serving what purpose exactly? I think and still do that we are the most racially tolerant country in the world.
lochinvar
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:33 PM
Comment #33Don’t see to many protests about the Highland Clearances ?
maybe the agitators could look into that as well if they have the time.
Jib
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:34 PM
Comment #341
Barry Venison
WLtoon
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:34 PM
Comment #35Bill
If only, you would be welcome to a pint m8
Zele
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:34 PM
Comment #36Rotonda,
Slavery was abolished in England by the Normans in the 11th century.
Pat On The Heed
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:35 PM
Comment #371 – yup.
Northumbrian
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:36 PM
Comment #38Why aren’t we all up in arms marching and vandalising every monument in every place where modern day slavery is happening
Kevin Vegan
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:37 PM
Comment #39Rotonda,
It happened now because of what happened with George Floyd. I think it’s one of the more expressive and less harmful forms of protest I have seen. Nobody got hurt, and there was a genuine intention to make a positive statement about how we are too accepting of those who subjugate their fellow man and too quick to sweep their sins under the carpet. I had no issue with it whatsoever. They did literally no harm to anyone. I don’t understand why anyone would oppose it.
B&W blood
Jun 10, 2020 at 5:38 PM
Comment #40BBC Headline Jan 2211
Statue of the disgraceful animal eater Bobby Robson pulled down at St James Park and thrown in the Tyne