One of the most frustrating aspects of this window is breaking news from reports that directly contradict each other. Newcastle’s pursuits of both Hugo Ekitike and Sven Botman have been rife with pendulum swings.
Again this morning there are disparate claims regarding Hugo Ekitike. Lee Ryder reported that talks have progressed between NUFC sporting director Dan Ashworth and Ekitike’s agent over the past few days.
He added that staff was on standby for the player’s arrival should a breakthrough be reached. The hold-up is down to agents’ fees. By Ryder’s account, the 20-year-old is pushing to get the deal sorted.
The latest from The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards paints a far different and darker picture. Edwards is reporting the lines of communication have gone silent with no contact in the past week.
There are fears inside St. James’ Park that the Frenchman doesn’t want the move as calls have not been returned. Newcastle have, however, reached a full agreement with Reims for an initial payment of £12m rising to £26m.
The update on Botman is only slightly less worrying. Lille have refused to come down from their increased demands. A few weeks ago, Edwards revealed Lille raised the asking price to £37m after weeks of negotiating a £30m fee.
Botman, who is also on holiday, is keen on the move. AC Milan have not even matched Newcastle’s offer of £30m so appear to be out of the running at this stage. Botman is currently waiting on a bid to be accepted.
There are claims from France that Lille’s owners have grown frustrated with the lack of player sales. This has put president Olivier Letang’s job in jeopardy. Whether this impacts the club’s stance on Botman’s valuation remains to be seen.
Newcastle have now moved on to other options at both striker and center-back according to Edwards. They simply cannot expend any more energy on these two targets with preseason just around the corner.
Time will tell what happens moving forward. As Mehrdad Ghodoussi tweeted to a frustrated fan last week, ‘Patience is a virtue’.
172 comments so far
The Prince's Mate
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:11 PM
Comment #81I would accept our present squad if we HAD to as long as our reputation is intact
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:12 PM
Comment #82Cheers Tom, thanks for the update and get well soon, enjoy your Kip. 🙂
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:15 PM
Comment #83TPM, to be honest mate, it’s the journos losing their reputation not us. The usual no news scenario is useless for them, so they have to make things up.
The Prince's Mate
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:19 PM
Comment #84Probably Bob but I bite too easy
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:20 PM
Comment #85Don’t we all.
I rant and rave about the standard of journalism and still click like an idiot. 🙁
Mund
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #86They are trying to out guess each other to the truth 😆
To think they get paid to make shit up is unreal.
“Patience is a virtue”
Patience is a virtue
It’s a soul’s companion
You can feel it everywhere
Lift your hands and voices
Free your mind and join us
You can feel it in the air
Oh-oh, it’s a passion
Oh-oh, you can feel it in the air
Oh-oh, it’s a passion
Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
lesh
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #87Bard
@53
Oh gawd, I hope you don’t have ‘serious completion’!
phy
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #88Wow, from desperate to join to not taking calls in less than 30 minutes. That changed fast. Sounds like the bets of the ITK are properly hedged.
On a side note: has anyone heard of this Norman character, think it’s someone we should be looking at and pursuing but not a whisper anywhere about it 🙂
Darnik
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:26 PM
Comment #89Glad to hear your getting sorted Tom
Swablr
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:29 PM
Comment #90Jeez Tom, that sounds grim. Glad that cloud’s got a silver lining. Take it easy.
hibbit
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:30 PM
Comment #91take care Tom, plenty fluids and plenty rest and you’ll soon pull round, stay strong,
The Bard of Bensham Bank
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:34 PM
Comment #92Patients is a virtue
The Toon are gonna shock you
Signings in from everywhere
Ekitike and Botman
No one’s gonna stop them
Nicky Pope and then some mair
Ooh, it’s a passion
For Toon fans living everywhere
Ooh, it’s a passion
The Bard of Bensham Bank
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:34 PM
Comment #93All the best Tom
The Bard of Bensham Bank
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:36 PM
Comment #94Oops,
Patience!
Ketsbaia9
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:37 PM
Comment #95West Ham looking to sign 6 new players this summer. I wonder how many first team players, we’ll sign?
The Bard of Bensham Bank
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:37 PM
Comment #96Tsunki wouldn’t make a mistake like that!
😀
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:37 PM
Comment #97Told you, we’ll all be singing it for days now…. 😆
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:38 PM
Comment #98Bard, I noticed, but didn’t want to be picky 😀
the crown princes nashers
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:46 PM
Comment #99thats you sorted then tom, I could send my good wife down to nurse you shes a senior nurse but she would make your life hell but a good thing is id have peace from all this hard graft shes got me deein 🙂 chin up youning youd soon be right
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:53 PM
Comment #100How about,
Woke up this morning, feeling fine,
Botman and Ekitike on my mind,
Something going on in our neighbourhood, oh yeah,
Something tells me we’re into something good.
Something tells me we’re into something…… curtesy Herman’s Hermits circa early 60’s. 🙂
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:54 PM
Comment #101Had to do something to remove Rhythm is a Dancer. 😆
Munster Mag
Jun 21, 2022 at 3:54 PM
Comment #102Gan on Tom.
Darnik
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:05 PM
Comment #103Bob
Try an elvis song
Moody blue, is it us they’re moving too
Darnik
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:06 PM
Comment #104To
The Mighty Quinn
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:06 PM
Comment #105Mund you missed an oh off at the end there. 🙂 .
niafron
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:06 PM
Comment #106Someone ( Mister Tuff?) asked french media spoke of NUFC.
Well more now than never, but must confess the image of the club wasn’t good, so will be a long road.
To give you an idea, here’s the “Loic Rémy song”, by the famous french humourist Julien Cazarre ( he’s a football fan and he made a lot of sketch about Football ):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnAg2TjUBmw
Translation of my own:
“I’m from Newcastle and my name is Rémy
And i feel alone even during the locker’s room speech
In my own head, there’s a lot of friends
In the hyperspace, i’m the pichichi
Come with me north of Sunderland
There’s the weather of the Groenland coast
The passing of Gouffran, the play of Allan Pardew
Don’t touch the stool, i already have the rope around my neck
Farewell Paul Gascoigne, Keegan and Magic Chris
Moussa Sissoko play as number 10
It’s a good springboard, it’s well known, Newcastle
rub with black soap to better fall down
I’m depressed, my name is Rémy
can’t wait for Brazil, the sky is less grey there
After that, i take the leave, well if i’m lucky
They realease a hostage at each Mercato
Here the french touch isn’t electro
this is rubbish players for 10 millions euros
Cabaye leaved for he is inadequate
what is this habbit to make pass in the feet?
I’m depressed and my name is Rémy
And i feel alone even during the locker’s room speech
In my own head, there’s a lot of friends
In the hyperspace, i’m the pichichi”
Well, in all fairness, Cazarre hit hard anybody, but as you can see, there’s some work to do…
Mund
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:10 PM
Comment #107So we should have 3 new players in by next week. I can’t see Hope taking that long to sort out and won’t be anything like the Botman, Ekitike deals.
Look forward to seeing the 3 announced and maybe a triple announcement
magicmac54
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:10 PM
Comment #108Tom
Thanks for the update Tom, get well soon Lad.
lesh
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:11 PM
Comment #109TOM
You seem to have been in the wars bonny lad. Keep smilin’.
If you’ve any Warfarin spare, they might help thin the clot count on here!
😉
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:13 PM
Comment #110Or,
“Black and White Satin” – Moody Blues.
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:14 PM
Comment #111Nice one Lesh. 😉
Davas
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:14 PM
Comment #112Phy
Its all quiet on the Norman front. 🙂
Mund
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:14 PM
Comment #113Good effort niafron 😎
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:16 PM
Comment #114Mund, I see your Pope turned to Hope! Stands to reason, the way things have gone so far 😆
Paul141726
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:16 PM
Comment #115Little time here, so only read Neil’s update. Sorry if this repeats others thoughts. Seems like the agent is running this into the ground. If clubs like Real Madrid are interested, then SIGN FOR THEM!!! Go sit on their bench and collect your wages. We ONLY want those who want to be a part of something that will be the envy of other clubs. ( and very soon). We don’t need you!
A Geordie Mongrel
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:17 PM
Comment #116Niafron, humourist must have a different mean in France. 😮
A Geordie Mongrel
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:18 PM
Comment #117* meaning.
More haste, less speed. 🙂
magicmac54
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:19 PM
Comment #118https://youtu.be/skHMuGqR3io
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:19 PM
Comment #119Tell you what Niafron, that makes Newcastle sound really miserable and gloomy, and it’s the polar opposite!!
The weather of the Greenland Coast ffs, we’re a lot bloody colder than that!! 😆
lesh
Jun 21, 2022 at 4:19 PM
Comment #120Mund
If the journos are just guessing, grasping at straws one must wonder why they don’t ask you to get the inside track, the truth.