Newcastle have been linked with two sensational moves for current internationals in the foreign press. Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot and Dortmund winger Thorgan Hazard are both available at cut-rate fees with Newcastle said to be lurking.
France’s L’Equipe, by way of Get French Football News, claim Rabiot has hit Newcastle’s radar after asking to leave Turin. He is entering the final year of his contract and could find his place at risk as Paul Pogba makes his return.
There is plenty to be skeptical about with yet another link to Rabiot, who has been named as a target since news of the takeover was made public. The 27-year-old earns between £175k and £225k per week from the various reports I could track down. This report states he is one of the top earners in Italy.
Newcastle are not likely to blow up their wage structure to add the French international despite him being available for just £13-17m. Chelsea and Manchester United are also credited with an interest, which seems like more viable destinations.
Sport Witness has cited a claim from Germany’s Bild that Thorgan Hazard has emerged as a target and that Dortmund would consider selling the 29-year-old for around £12m. Newcastle are after a wide forward with Moussa Diaby priced out of a move.
The Belgium international’s contract runs out in 2024 but he is coming off two underwhelming campaigns. Hazard has just 9 goals and 7 assists since the start of the 2020/21 season compared with 19 goals and 26 assists from 2018 to 2020.
Outlets from Europe don’t seem to have grasped that Newcastle are not going to pull a Manchester City and buy immediate success. Bild states Hazard earns around £113k per week and that is ‘peanuts’ compared to what he would earn at Newcastle.
Newcastle also want to decrease the average age of the squad. So a player approaching 30 on bloated wages doesn’t fit the agenda this summer. While Hazard is versatile and talented, he’s likely not a serious target for The Magpies.
162 comments so far
ITUNDERASHELL
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:31 PM
Comment #1Dubai Micky
Jun 20, 2022 at 8:30 PM
Comment #134
What a greedy knacker, I hope Amanda takes his for £millions
“Details of sponsorship payments to Newcastle from Sports Direct and designer fashion chain Flannels – another Mike Ashley firm – have also been disclosed by Staveley’s lawyers.
They claim the new owners discovered only after the transaction that Newcastle had ‘not received any sponsorship fees in respect of the Sports Direct or Flannels signage for the 2019/20, 2020/21 or 2021/22 seasons’.
The issue of sponsorship rights was first mentioned in Ashley’s claim in December. In that, he said Newcastle’s new owners prematurely terminated an agreement with Sports Direct.
He said Staveley rowed back on an alleged assurance that she would ‘endeavour insofar as possible’ to maintain Sports Direct’s sponsorship deal until the end of the 2021-22 season in May. A month after the acquisition, Staveley told Ashley that the sponsorship would end.
Correspondence shows that Ashley unsuccessfully tried to prolong Newcastle’s notice period to terminate Sports Direct’s sponsorship rights from 14 to 90 days.
Staveley has said the decision to end the sponsorship was in part due to the high street retailer ‘not paying any fees’ in return for its rights.
Legal papers state ‘there was self-evidently no commercial benefit in retaining the Sports Direct or Flannels signage’.’
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:38 PM
Comment #2Hazard would be a canny buy.
Wor B
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:39 PM
Comment #3Tick update…
Good news, Mrs Wor B started a 21 day course of doxycycline earlier today.
Bad news, advice on the prescription… avoid alcohol, protect skin from sunlight.
Worse news, just checked the match box, the tick didn’t make it. 😥
Mrs Wor B was very touched by your birthday greetings and well wishes.
CLINT FLICK
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:44 PM
Comment #4Wor
Oh!
I’m allergic to that…brings a mad rash in sunlight, indeed.
Eeek!
Good luck to ya mrs.
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:45 PM
Comment #5ITUNDERASHELL,
If there is a Gott in Himmel then he’d be ordered to pay for the years he missed at true market value and all the costs.
Mund
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:46 PM
Comment #6Julian Brandt now getting strongly linked
I’d have him in a heartbeat
Mund
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:48 PM
Comment #7Just remember this from the 7th of October if you have any doubts of the owners intentions…
Public Investment Fund
@PIF_en
“Our ambition is aligned with the fans – to create a consistently successful team that’s regularly competing for major trophies and generates pride across the globe.”
For more information: https://bit.ly/3uOoSyS
ITUNDERASHELL
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:49 PM
Comment #8Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:45 PM
Comment #5
That’s £6 million for starters, Amanda, nail the P.O.S.
“In his amended claim, Ashley says that his company, Sportsdirect.com Retail Limited (SRL), was “due” to pay £2 million per season for “particular signage” at St James’ Park and the club’s Benton training ground from the 2019-20 Premier League campaign.
“However, while the sale was being negotiated during the 2019-20 Premier League season,” the document reads, “SRL did not pay the sponsorship fees so as not to increase the cash position balance sheet outside of the pending sale agreement.” Ashley insists that SRL did pay a £1 million “annual fee” in each of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons for these “sponsorship rights”.
So….now Mike Ashley has finally admitted that indeed not a penny was paid for the overwhelming Sports Direct (and associated brands) advertising for the entire 2019/20 season, the entire 2020/21 season AND the entire 2021/22 season”.
valle
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:49 PM
Comment #9Players being available for cut price fees are normally not a good sign, but its probably just false media reports anyway. It seems like every player on the planet are supposed to sign for us, from the great ones to the useless ones
cleveleysbob
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:53 PM
Comment #10Welcome TTT. Good to see some new posters.
Re: Raphina from earlier discussions, don’t think he was ever on our radar due to being a bit of a moody tit, plus a bit too argumentative on the pitch and towards refs.
Couldn’t see Eddie ever considering him, as his attitude isn’t right for us.
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:54 PM
Comment #11I’d would agree with Valle there, we are linked to everyone now it is simply a fact we need to get used to.
Personally I wouldn’t be interest in either of these players.
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:56 PM
Comment #12Thanks Cleverly. I wouldn’t take Raphina either
valle
Jun 20, 2022 at 9:59 PM
Comment #13TTT… Right? I mean the squad we have did pretty darn good last season under Howe. All these players that most of us had written of like Krafth, Fraser and Murphy, suddenly started doing really well all considered. So if we are really hampered by FFP, then why buy players unless they can:
A. Really improve us right now (I mean Bruno level players here)
Or
B. Have the potential to be A players within 2-3 years (Probably Botman and Ekitike)
Ketsbaia9
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:00 PM
Comment #14Raphinha would be a great coup. Would fit in well with Joelinton and Guimaraes. He reminds me a bit of Sylvain Marveax. Both quality technical players.
Ketsbaia9
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:01 PM
Comment #15*Marveaux
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:08 PM
Comment #16Obertan was ten times better than Marveaux so was Shane Ferguson and Pancrate.
Romford mag
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:11 PM
Comment #17Wetspam after broja
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:11 PM
Comment #18Jail
On this point and on this point alone I will agree with Kets. Don’t you dare ever take Marveaux’s name in vain again!
😉
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:12 PM
Comment #19Again agree…I think we should focus on young players with a future…
Ekitike looks good from what I have seen of him (and it is clear the club are interested in him). Based on media reports he seems smart about his career too “is it too soon for the PL?” “What game time would I get?” etc
At least he is asking the right questions for a young kid possibly going to a new league.
Not quite convinced about Botman…I think he comes only if he doesn’t think he has a better option on the table.
magicmac54
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:14 PM
Comment #20If we were to sell Lascelles and get Clark and Fernandez out the door, and replace them with Sven Botman and Nathan Collins that would be an incredible piece of business, Shay Given and Kevin Doyle were very complementary about Collins last week after his latest performance against Ukraine , he is only 21 and is great with both feet, fantastic in the air and reads the game superbly as well as he is a great footballing central defender, the kind of defender Eddie likes, Shay Given said he can`t see Burnley holding on to him as he is to good for the championship, i would love to see Collins and Botman at the Toon this coming season. PS i forgot to add Collins scored a real worldie in that match against Ukraine HWTL
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:17 PM
Comment #21It’d be easier to name the players we aren’t linked with ……mostly journo bs for hits or agent bs to drive interest in their player. I’m hoping we are moving like a ninja in the shadows before unveiling several guimareche type signings …..you look at burn, targett and guimareche barely a whisper until the deals were done and the player was on route to sign or we were in South America getting his signature.
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:19 PM
Comment #22Well if we are comparing to superstars like Marvaeux and Oberten I must say neither were as good as Maric!
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:19 PM
Comment #23Kets …..raphina reminds me of Marveux …..I need some of your Xmas crackers.
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:20 PM
Comment #24A bit of reverse psychology Ruddy.
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:21 PM
Comment #25Naptoon – I would be somewhat surprised if we didn’t do one like that again this window
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:21 PM
Comment #26Guimareche reminds me a bit of Clarence Acura …..both South American.
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:21 PM
Comment #27Fingers crossed taco.
magicmac54
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:23 PM
Comment #28Nathan Collins goal against Ukraine last week lads HWTL
https://youtu.be/gZy7hKvtrG0
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:24 PM
Comment #29Dan burn reminds me of Marcelino …..both had dodgy fingers.
valle
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:25 PM
Comment #30What we need to remember about our new favorite Bruno, is that he actually talks open about winning the champions league with us. Other fans are laughing at statements like that and rolling their eyes, but I dont think he would have said it, if someone from the recruitment team hadn’t mentioned, that it is in fact a goal for us during his playing career here. So lets say that it should be possible in 6 years when he is 30.
If we start blowing what money we have now on players such as those mentioned in this article as well as Lingard, McNeil and Cornet, then that type of player wont be able to take us anywhere near 5th. However, with what we saw from the players we already have, we could actually have ended 8th last season if Howe had been there from the start (perhaps even 7th). So lets say we instead buy 3 quality players who are (or are close to) Bruno level, such as Botman, Ekitike and Diaby (I havnt seen much of Ekitike, but I trust Nickson) and we do the same next season, we could actually be a top 4 club in 2 years, from there on start blowing all the budget on one super signing if needed, like Liverpool did with VVD and Salah, as well as strengthening our youngsters with wonderkids, in the hope that a few reaches star level, and hopefully, we can at least be in with a shout of Bruno reaching his goal here.
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:27 PM
Comment #31Valle think on this m8 we finished 5th p45due as manager ….. anything is possible now st. James is back to being a fortress.
naptoon
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:30 PM
Comment #32I reckon pif will be targeting 5th to 8th this season ….. after the second half of the season the easily noticeable improvement and some wise investment this summer moving up 2 or 3 places this season is a realistic objective.
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:33 PM
Comment #33I wish I had a pound for every time BDB says ‘n stuff’ in his interviews 😀
valle
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:34 PM
Comment #34Naptoon… Yah I thought about that, but I think Pardew had a better squad relative to the general level in the league, and I still maintain that its important that players like Bruno sees that the players we bring in are of a very high level, otherwise he might get a bit disillusioned, if he was in fact promised the highest of ambitions.
The Last Jedi
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:36 PM
Comment #35Jesus going to Arsenal because of Arteta. Even if Newcastle were interested he would choose Arteta like Coutinho chose Gerrard.
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:37 PM
Comment #36And Trippier chose Howe.
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:38 PM
Comment #37Exactly, it is a project. Lpool and Citeh so far ahead currently it is a joke. Normally I would include Chelski in that too but let’s see what all their changes bring. The rest of the big 6 are not what they are talked up to be (but could be again if they make smart decisions)
I said it earlier and I shall say it again, one step at a time, best case scenario for next season is we qualify for Europa League, that would put us ahead of schedule in everyone’s (realistic) minds. It would also help us lure better players and increase revenue on a number of levels. But I for one won’t cry if we fail to achieve that next season.
Raj of Hailsley
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:41 PM
Comment #38TTT,
If Arsenal are spending £90M on Raphina and Jesus they’re going to be up there as well.
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:46 PM
Comment #39Well
I’m sticking us down for a top 4 finish in the predictions for next season!
The Taco Taker
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:56 PM
Comment #40I didn’t say they would not be Raj, possibly good/great signings for Arsenal I admit. But not much is certain yet and neither player you mentioned has even signed for Arsenal yet anyway.