Newcastle had a scout present as Porto demolished Braga 4-1 at the Estadio do Dragao last night. Sport Witness has speculated that the likely focus of the scouting trip was Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Newcastle reportedly made an inquiry over Costa early this past summer. Porto warned the Magpies that his release clause is €60m and were unwilling to budge. Newcastle eventually landed Nick Pope at a bargain price.
Costa started last night’s match but wasn’t threatened much with Braga unable to get any of their 9 shots on target. Their lone goal was scored by Porto’s veteran defender Pepe.
While the report doesn’t name him, Newcastle were also linked with another Porto player, also named Pepe, this summer. A few reports from Brazil claimed Porto rejected a £30m bid for the 25-year-old. Pepe also has a very high release clause.
Like Costa, Pepe started last night’s match scoring a goal in the 63rd minute. Other Porto players that Newcastle may have been keeping tabs on are striker Evanilson, right-back Rodrigo Conceicao, and winger Gabriel Veron, who came on as a substitute.
40 comments so far
JohnJ
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:09 PM
Comment #1Hello Sir Pug
sparky55
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:11 PM
Comment #2Good game this…we are nowhere near this level yet IMO… I think we’re far too slow and casual in possession…this is very quick footy indeed.
Nijmegen-toon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:14 PM
Comment #3sparky55,
If that’s a stark realisation as to where we are at, then what makes you so impatient in demanding top six at 0-60 in 3 seconds?
A Geordie Mongrel
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:17 PM
Comment #4JohnJ, you can listen to the radio Newcastle feed on NUFC TV. I’ll put a link up when I get back from my beer run. 🙂
Nijmegen-toon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:18 PM
Comment #5Arsenal and Spurs in first and second as it stands. I wonder how far back you’d have to go to see that. I’d say mid eighties.
Rotonda heights
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:20 PM
Comment #6Fraser, miggy, murphy, ritchie and Longstaff sadly aren’t going to take us to the next level. Hope Eddie doesn’t get too sentimental, especially with Fraser and Ritchie. All realistically need to be moved on.
Munster Mag
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:20 PM
Comment #7What game is on TV Sparky?
Munster are on at 5pm, its looking like a couch day.
Nijmegen-toon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:22 PM
Comment #8Rotonda heights,
Unfortunately Murphy is going to be an albatross round our necks for the next five years.
WLtoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:23 PM
Comment #9The commentator doing the Arsenal v Spurs game said the last team to beat Arsenal was Brighton in April, how wrong was he, do these idiots not realise that Nufc tortured Arsenal at the end of last season, or do they not want to give Nufc any credit at all.
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:28 PM
Comment #10http://www.nufc.co.uk/matches/first-team/2022-23/fulham-v-newcastle-united/
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:30 PM
Comment #11WLtoon
His comment was about Spurs
WLtoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:31 PM
Comment #12Sparky,
You mention we are nowhere near Arsenal or Spurs level, is that not the same Gunners team that we destroyed in May bar Jesus.
Yep i know our squad is nowhere near those two teams as far as strength in depth, but i think Toons first choice 11 is a match for either of those two teams.
Do i think we will finish above either of those two, no, simply because we don`t have adequate cover when our better players are injured.
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:33 PM
Comment #13As assets all those players, bar Ritchie have value between £15-30mand would jointly pay for a new technical player.
Ashingtoon62
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:39 PM
Comment #14Lloris
Just done a “Pope”
Davas
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:53 PM
Comment #15Hope Bruno and Wilson both play. In fpl I dropped Emerson but he’s my 1st sub
WLtoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:57 PM
Comment #16Match day and nobody about, unknown isn`t it, maybe the blog is on it`s final legs
AncientC
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:59 PM
Comment #17I would agree with most of the lists posted over the past two weeks, on players that will need to be replaced. Aside from maybe one, who ironically, I hope doesn’t play today.
Willock looks far from the finished article. I am expecting him to be a different player in a year or 2, as it looks like he is bulking out. How Willock develops, who knows, but he does look like one of the poor recent performers who at least has some potential to change as a player.
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 1:59 PM
Comment #18Drum roll please……
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Comment #19Chris Waugh
@ChrisDHWaugh
·
20s
#NUFC starting XI vs #FFC: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Willock, Longstaff, Guimaraes; Almiron, Wilson, Murphy
AncientC
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:01 PM
Comment #20Murphy in for Fraser. Botman starting. Burn LB. Wilson & Bruno in.
davetoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:01 PM
Comment #21Why is big Joe on the bench?
Bambams
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:01 PM
Comment #22Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Willock, Longstaff, Guimaraes; Almiron, Wilson, Murphy
sparky55
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:02 PM
Comment #23Jail…I’ve ever asked for 0-60 in 3 secs and top 6…I keep on saying we need to buy better players and we need greater depth…which means buying better players than we have right now and most of our current players dropping to the bench.
jane
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:03 PM
Comment #24https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/1576195251051515904/photo/1
Ashingtoon62
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Comment #25Conte’s made five defensive subs,to try and prevent a drubbing lol.
I thought the red was a bit soft like..
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Comment #26433 starting line up that lends itself to a back three.
But you would want Miggy on the left in a 352 rather than the inverted wingers Howe usually plays.
Mister Tuff
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Comment #27Big Joe must have a niggle. Playing safe I suppose.
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Comment #28Newcastle United: Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schär, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimarães, Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, Miguel Almirón, Jacob Murphy, Callum Wilson.
Substitutes: Loris Karius, Paul Dummett, Jamal Lewis, Matt Targett, Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton, Elliot Anderson, Ryan Fraser, Chris Wood.
AncientC
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:05 PM
Comment #29Fraser cannot have any complaints.
Just trying to figure out who is playing left of the midfield 3. Usually Longstaff plays on the right when he starts. Willock on the left maybe.
sparky55
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:05 PM
Comment #30WLtoon
If this Arsenal had turned up on our last home game of last season, the result would have been very different.
Pat Mania
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:06 PM
Comment #31Murphy. I actually vomited when I saw him starting
Pat Mania
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:06 PM
Comment #32Such a weak starting xi
Mister Tuff
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:08 PM
Comment #33Head says a draw but I’ll go for the heart version – 2 -1 win to the Toon.
Murphy needs a good game- he’s been very poor lately.
The team has not really got a selection of good replacement players.
sparky55
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:08 PM
Comment #34Murphy FFS!…what has he done to justify a starting slot!
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:09 PM
Comment #3550 Minutes to KO.
Mickey G
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:10 PM
Comment #36Strong bench
Pat Mania
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:10 PM
Comment #37I was confident of ending this horrid run without a win today. After looking at that xi I no longer am
2 or 3 nil Fulham
Hopefully I’m wrong
Not another deJong
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:13 PM
Comment #38Howe needs to start making the substitutes count for something, having 5 means that at least two can be brought on early to create impact.
WLtoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:25 PM
Comment #39Sparky,
If Arsenal played like that all season they would of finished 2nd, but they don`t.
They had more riding on that game up here against us than we did but we battered them, you aren`t giving us the credit we deserve mate.
Like i said earlier, a full strength Toon side are a match for anyone, trouble is i don`t think we will see a full strength Toon side any time soon.
WLtoon
Oct 1, 2022 at 2:28 PM
Comment #40Im sticking with my 1-1 today, any team with Longstaff in midfield has a disadvantage, like playing with ten men.