Leicester City playmaker James Maddison reportedly tops Newcastle’s target list for what is shaping up to be an exciting summer. The 26-year-old will enter the final year of his contract this summer with hopes dwindling at the King Power of him extending his stay.
This summer could be the perfect time for Newcastle to finally land the talented midfielder. Incidentally, Maddison joins Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope in the England squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
Maddison is not the only long-term target who could again come into play this summer. 90min is reporting that Leverkusen remains a firm hunting ground for the Magpies with no shortage of linked talent.
The report claims that Moussa Diaby and Mitchel Bakker are on the agenda for potential summer moves. Diaby was considered the preferred wide target last summer while Bakker was a target in January 2022.
It’s no surprise Diaby remains high on the wishlist. The winger has refound his form under Xabi Alonso after a slow start to the season. Leverkusen could be more open to selling him after stumbling in this campaign.
Bakker is an interesting player. The 22-year-old is an attacking left-back with no shortage of passion. He would be a fan favorite at St. James’ Park though Howe would have to rein in some of his destructive tendencies.
The U21 Netherlands international has excelled under Alonso, who loves for his fullbacks to push forward. Bakker has responded scoring 3 goals under Alonso after managing just 1 in his Leverkusen career previously.
In related news, Sven Botman has been called up for the full Netherlands squad. He had featured a few times in the U21s backline alongside Bakker. So if Eddie Howe wants any inside information on Bakker, Sven could be the man to ask.
114 comments so far
Sir Pugalot, the Dutch Bulldog
Mar 17, 2023 at 2:56 PM
Comment #1pug power
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 2:59 PM
Comment #2Happy St Pats Fenham
The pom thing was just a habit I picked up in London when the Irish guys wud banter with the English guys at work. Whingeing Poms v Thick Paddies đ
niafron
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:03 PM
Comment #3@Raj
Will be honnest, there’s not a lot of NUFC fans in Paris… but i know another french guy on twitter who is a big fan, perhaps he have some contacts, just got to check if he is in Paris or not.
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:03 PM
Comment #4Happy St Patrickâs day to one and all.
Munster, that was fine until they married and interbred, creating a new class âthick whingersâ. đ
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:04 PM
Comment #5We played 5 a side once and the Irish won about 8-1. One of my buddies was a hurler from Cork, the rebel county, and quite republican. And he must have got 5. The in typical Cork fashion he kept crowing on about it so both the Irish and English lads all got tired of him đ . Fun times in sarf Landan.
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:05 PM
Comment #6Cleveleys. A bad mix
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:05 PM
Comment #7Good on you Jail, starting up a new Parisien Supporters Club. Youâve got Niafron working at it big time. đ
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:08 PM
Comment #8Jeez, the Cork fella wore a Liverpool strip and we were hugging each other each time he scored. I hope I washed myself and my toon top after but we probably just had a load of pints and a curry đ
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:11 PM
Comment #9Anyway, happy St pats to all my English and Toon brothers.
Haven’t even had a pint yet ffs
Novocastrian66
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:12 PM
Comment #10Can any of you brain boxes out there make any sense of this?
https://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1171607983?-11058:809
Some organisation called 777 are looking to invest in the Toon.
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:15 PM
Comment #11I do remember Cowgate being rough.
Me and a couple of mates went for drink up there just before Xmas one year. During the night we bought a few raffle tickets and I won 1st prize which was a big load of various meats.
I never gave it a thought although a few regulars were staring daggers in our direction, until the landlord came over and suggested we followed him quickly through the bar and out a side entrance and got bundled into a cab heâd called. I seem to remember his parting shot was âdonât come back you buggers or I wonât be able to save you againâ. Narrow escape apparently. đ
The Taco Taker
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:20 PM
Comment #12The Taco Taker
Mar 17, 2023 at 2:58 PM
Comment #120
On a few thingsâŚ
I think Neil is correct with the line up it will be as you were â the possible exceptions could be Almiron coming in Murphy and/or Lascelles coming in for Schar given he is reported as injured for Switzerland (but of course that might not be 100% true)
My main recollection of us vs Forest is from our first Ashley season in the Championship. I had a Forest supporting mate staying with me for that game. I remember him being genuinely really scared about being an away fan in the home end (the seats I got us were in Platinum Club ffs!) and me telling him it will be fine mate just donât wear Forest colours or get overexcited if your lot score. Once we got to Newcastle he was panicking about going into pubs in toon especially Shearers once we got to SJP, again I told him nothing to worry about â people here are really friendly unless you behave like a total cretin. As we went to our seats he told me how surprised he was that I was right everyone was really friendly and he had really enjoyed the day so far. He didnât enjoy the game so much though, he spent most of it muttering obscenities at me as NUFC cruised to a 2-0 win.
?
TFB
You nicked my thing!!! I always predict a Botman goal as sooner or later I will be correct. I will let you have it this week though as I fancy an Isak hat-trick not least cos I put him in my FPL team.
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:23 PM
Comment #13Novo, 777partners are a serious investment company into all sorts. They have a huge investment portfolio in Sports & Entertainment, they have the digital distribution rights for Argentinaâs and Peruâs games + major investment in Brazil and I think Paraguay National teams. They have massive investments into Womenâs football all over Europe.
This might be where their interest in us lies. Perhaps theyâre prepared to fund the development of our Womenâs team?
Big players.
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:26 PM
Comment #14Novo, they are also big into basketball and netball in Europe.
The Taco Taker
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:29 PM
Comment #15Novo, my summary is that the article is barely readable, it make no sense and it explains nothing well.
Based on others reporting the same basic thing what I can say is this – 777 are asking PCP and/or PIF for investment INTO 777, so it is not 777 investing in NUFC.
niafron
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:31 PM
Comment #16@cleveleysbob
Well there’s probably some Geordies living in Paris, the contrary would be surprising, simply, i think they are not as many to form a group of fan with the habit to see the games together.
But well, we can still search for them…
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:44 PM
Comment #17Always wondered if we were still keeping tabs on bakker he was probably a bit too young in terms of the relegation battle we were in at the time
But a couple of year older with Botman beside him could be an amazing combo!! Still only 22 he’s defo one to watch!
Diaby again also looking clinical he’s either going to be a massive player or a big German league flop does have good composure though which is crucial
cleveleysbob
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:45 PM
Comment #18Looking forward to the game tonight, just hoping for it to be âcomfortableâ and not our more usual nervy, hanging on sort of encounter as itâs just not good for my blood pressure.
HWTL.
As usual, I wonât be on here between 30mins before KO and until after the dust settles on the result. đ
magscar
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:49 PM
Comment #19Whoever comes in in the Summer for midfield/upfront I would like to be great at freekicks (and winning them) and in defence someone who can also score fairly regularly
As good as our defence is we really need someone who can also attack a ball in the opposition box – BDB, Botman and Schar given their height reallly should give goalkeepers more to worry about than they do
I wonder given the excellent coaching we have why it is that we don’t seem to do more than get the ball from back post back into the box ?
I also think this is the window when we have to make Botman and Bruno ( possibly Isak but more likely the following Summer) recognise that we are intent on adding similar quality to them maybe not yet at quite the “elite” level but with clear potential
I have faith in our recruitment but as we begin to look to more “elite” players we still have much to do to get them
ottawageordie2
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:58 PM
Comment #20Pom (POM) over here is a drink made from pomegranates. Itâs not unusual for Brits to be called different names in other countries. I was called a limey when I first came to Canada. Something to do with scurvy prevention way back for sailors on the high seas.
Rotonda heights
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:04 PM
Comment #21Magic,
I will say the guinness over here is nowhere near as good as in Ireland.
Munster Mag
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:05 PM
Comment #22Might have been said already but Miggy is out
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:14 PM
Comment #233 Hours 35 Minutes to KO.
The Taco Taker
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:18 PM
Comment #24Will be interesting to see if Miggy and Schar really are injured Munster. Both only reported as injured by their national teams as far as I know, might be those type of injuries that suddenly disappear during a late fitness test.
Davas
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:22 PM
Comment #25See joselu has been called up by Spain.
captainmarvel
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:25 PM
Comment #26Ah Benwell where I was born.. Great for years, great for fun too! Loads of kids in the lanes and the gardens where I lived.. Mates with the Bowers, Mike and Stan.. Met Alan Hull too, magic years..
Someone mentioned Deleval Gardens, lad called Gerry O’Shea, but there again knew loads of lads.. West end boys club, superb..
Adamn_92
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:30 PM
Comment #27Probably won’t be on later, during or after the match.
So enjoy the game all!
HWTL
The Taco Taker
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:34 PM
Comment #28Probably a wise move Adamn, the joyless oddballs will arrive soon đ
cyprus
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:39 PM
Comment #29Davas
Which comes to show you. 46 goals in 127 appearances since he left us.
Sometimes we don’t give people a chance. The way we were playing when he was around, well in the last how many years, our CFs would get like a chance a game.
Not too good for them to excel. We hardly saw the ball anyway. Aguero would’ve struggled to score with us.
On tonight? 0-2.
Great White Hunter
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:43 PM
Comment #30Cleverlybob,Scott,Captain Marvel, WOW Good old Benwell was a popular place to live in the seventies onwards…… I fortunately lived there for a few years in the late sixties, Hodges Park,near Atkinson road, had a great time. Being from Byker ,then Benwell then, rowdy Cowgate no wonder I havenât got a posh accent, only joking, some great times and plenty of stories to tell…..In the seventies I was a Skin head, and proud, had plenty of clashes with other skinners and hairies, tough period,full stop. Aye the good old days…… Cheers GWH
G
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:43 PM
Comment #31@scott, ottawa etc from prev thread, didn’t have time to comment earlier, but saw a lot of faces I recognised on that youtube vid, just a bit ahead of my generation there, by the time I was in my teens Scotchy Upstarts were the main gang, although I was not involved with them, but one of my brothers was. By virtue of simply being from Scotswood we were contantly fighting, with main rivals being ‘The Pendowers’, ‘Dumpling Hall’ or ‘The Bells Close’ gangs. No wonder I couldn’t wait to get away from my childhood. Second I was 16 I was straight into Army Recruitment Office in Ridley Terrace.
magscar
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:01 PM
Comment #32Cyprus
you’re right those were lean times and our style of allowing teams to have the greater possession and defying them to break through us didn’t make it easy for a lone striker especially one without much pace
Didn’t do much at Stoke either so maybe English game wasn’t for him
ottawageordie2
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:14 PM
Comment #33GWH and G
I remember Hodges Park. Not sure if it was by Beechgrove Road or by my grandparents at Delaval Gardens. I left to come to Canada when I was 11. Too young to know or get involved with gangs. Good thing. Was a choirboy not a street boy.
G
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:20 PM
Comment #34I think you mean Hodgkin Park, was divided in 2 by Armstrong Road. Benwell Dene Terrace used to back onto it.
G
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:23 PM
Comment #35Seem to remember the old folks round there used to call it Benwell Dene too, which would make sense
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:25 PM
Comment #36I’m still at a loss to remember that estate I worked on, that house I was in that had the Rottweler called George or might have been Fred.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:25 PM
Comment #37It was behind Benwell high street.
G
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:33 PM
Comment #38I wouldn’t have called myself a street rat, or a toe rag etc, but our poverty, violence and general behaviour was just part of the norm then. Round about 15 years of age I started noticing that all the older guys, older teens, and even our parents generation, in majority numbers were going nowhere, earned nothing, contributed nothing, and had very little to say that was worth listening to. I couldn’t wait to get away. Glad I did. When I returned home in my 30s a mate in Police force showed me a centre page from the Chronicle showing a load of faces that had been prossecuted in a massive drugs and violence sting. At least 18 of the 40 or so faces were childhood friends. Lifecould
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:34 PM
Comment #39Apparently Cooper says one thing and means another so expect to see Johnson playing??
G
Mar 17, 2023 at 5:34 PM
Comment #40Life could have turned out very differently for me (I was attempting to write on the end of that)