Soon after Newcastle’s takeover was confirmed last Thursday links to sensational transfer targets began to emerge. Almost right out of the gate, Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho was again touted as one of the consortium’s preferred targets
The 29-year-old playmaker was heavily linked last year before the takeover’s seeming demise in July 2020. The abrupt completion of the sale last week has the former Liverpool midfielder back on the radar for a potential move in January.
The Brazilian is not the only Barcelona player linked with a winter move to Tyneside. The Sun is citing a report from Spanish outlet Sport that central defender Clement Lenglet has emerged as a January target as well. According to the report, Newcastle have asked about the Frenchman’s availability.
The 26-year-old has seen his playing time slashed at Camp Nou with just over 90 minutes of football played this season. The arrival of former Manchester City center-back Eric Garcia as a free agent has seen Lenglet drop down the pecking order. Garcia has become the preferred choice to partner with Spanish international Gerard Pique.
Even when the 20-year-old is unavailable, he’s had a straight red and double booking already this season, Ronald Araújo has been selected over Lenglet. The French international has become 4th choice after making 29 La Liga starts last season.
Lenglet joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2018 for £31.7m. He’s since made 137 appearances for the club while becoming a full French international (14 caps). Last October, he signed a new six-year contract to 2026 which has a £255m release clause.
While that may seem like a massive obstacle to the defender coming to St. James’ Park, Barcelona recently revealed they were in debt to the tune of £1.15bn. So they could be willing to work out a deal for a player who is currently wasting away on their bench.
61 comments so far
Zhongguo Geordie
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:41 PM
Comment #41Gallagher and Toney would be the first two players I’d approach. They’ve gone up about 70-80m since the start of last season.
DaraghL
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:41 PM
Comment #42Canny lad –
Add Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme song and I’m in!
TTB@W ARMY
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:42 PM
Comment #43Just wondering if the reason for Amanda taking her time over the sacking of Bruce is because the Premier league have assured them we get all VAR decisions our way for X amount of games as part of the deal to abort the CAT. Maybe he was telling Levy that Tottenham would have to lose against us as well as the takeover going through, no wonder Levy looked so sickened.
🙂
Zhongguo Geordie
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:45 PM
Comment #44Tarkowski Lascelles and Schaar would make us strong at CB. Clark has to go. It’s incredible he’s been getting games above Schaar. He can’t even get in a poor Eire squad, while Schaar is a star player for Switzerland.
We need wingbacks or fullbacks. Krath Murphy Ritchie aren’t able to play this position.
Zhongguo Geordie
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:50 PM
Comment #45Bruce will be negotiating his multi million pound deal to work alongside Savage, Murphy etc, and put forward his version of what great football he played. Lucky for the pundits, they’ve been towing the Bruce party line, otherwise it would have been awkward when he turned up in the studio. Lucky, despite 2 wins in 21 and 3 pts from 7, that not one of them critisided him.
Assassins Inc
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:50 PM
Comment #46Sunday, Bruce, Nice to see you to see you not at the ground.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:51 PM
Comment #47catchy, like Munster is getting defensive over Bruce because of their past actions regarding him.
RobLeenio
Oct 12, 2021 at 4:57 PM
Comment #48https://twitter.com/Exploding_Heads/status/1447946469936439304
😀
magicmac54
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:06 PM
Comment #49https://youtu.be/xzho-DJgLaA
north east lincs toon
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:06 PM
Comment #50Washed my lads footy kit my cycling gear and my misses netball kit , proper sportswashing
geordie157
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:07 PM
Comment #51I don’t mind Lampard coming in, I think he’d be given a year or two to impress and if it’s clear he can’t keep us progressing up the table then he’ll be replaced.
I do hope we don’t sack managers for fun and give them a chance, which early impressions are that the owners will be patient.
I would prefer Potter but Lampard did do well at Derby and is good with younger players, although could argue even with a transfer ban that Chelsea squad was nailed on for a top 4 finish anyway.
TheTinman
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:10 PM
Comment #52If the manager who we bring in isn’t A Tier – Favre, Conte etc. Then I honestly don’t care who it is, as long as its a short term contract until the summer.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:11 PM
Comment #53What worries me about Lampard is that when he got his hands on a big transfer kitty he bought all the shiny new toys and couldn’t get a tune out of them, if he was to be handed £150M in January would he have the same problem?
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:14 PM
Comment #54Lampard done brilliantly to get Chelsea top four that first season but let himself down badly the year after, made worse by Tuchel coming in and doing so well.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:16 PM
Comment #55Who did he buy that summer?
Ziyech, Havertz, Werner, there was more than that but can’t think who.
lochinvar
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:19 PM
Comment #56Lampard no.
Gerrard no.
Potter no.
Jose no.
The new owners have serious ambition.
They will appoint a Champions League level Manager of high calibre and one who can bring in the game changing players we need. Those with ambition, something to proof and not expecting the world tomorrow, so forget Kane and a few others.
Manager and players need to grow the club so not a quick fix more a soon ad possible fix.
onmeedsun
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:22 PM
Comment #57I think if it’s costing £8m to offload Bruce, which is simply shocking (perhaps he’ll donate half of that to local charities!), I suspect they will not want to be paying a similar amount to poach our next manager. Someone that’s worked in the PL before and who would accept a short term contract seems to make sense. We may think it’s a bottomless pit of money but they still need to be sensible as everything adds up to FFP. Anyway, I’ll back whatever they do, just hope they have good input from a range of football contacts.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:24 PM
Comment #58Just listened to a podcast tonight which suggest that whatever is spent on facilties can offset your FFP spending, not sure how that works.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:27 PM
Comment #59Just Googled it, Thiago Silva, Chillwell and Malang Sarr, not sure what happened to him mind.
onmeedsun
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:30 PM
Comment #60Jail
In terms of FFP infrastructure spending is excluded from all calculations. It’s capital expenditure. FFP is only interested in profit and loss items, like revenue, wages and player transfer fees amortisation. But the reality is it will take a good 3 years to complete any infrastructure projects as there’s planning applications to produce, approval of them and then the actual build. Suspect these will run alongside squad rebuild. I’d expect us to be top 6 competitors in 3 years, that’s if we stay up.
WLtoon
Oct 12, 2021 at 5:35 PM
Comment #61Bruce still here, it`s not looking good for him to be gone before Sunday is it.
I don`t think there is any reason for him to be here tbh, Jones can run the show while the owners sort something out with a new coach and DOF.
I agree with others who think the atmos on Sunday will take a huge dive if Bruce is still here, it could turn nasty if we go behind.
Why risk spoiling a great day by having that clown chewing his guns on the sideline.