Newcastle United Transfer Rumours and General Chat

therecklessone

Thought you might like to know Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott were seen in the crowd at PSG vs St Etienne on Saturday night, there was no mention of who they were watching.

mike65

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/13/ufnowen113.xml

Mike.

Charlie

mike65 wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/13/ufnowen113.xml

Mike.

Beckham at 31 (for a whopper salary) to LA is one thing, but Owen to Japan at 27 is laughable.

However, i'm beginning to revise my position on the whole Michael/contract situation. Whilst I still believe that he could prove to be our biggest signing this summer, i'm not as frosty to the proposed wage cut as I first was.

In many ways, the club has been gutted of all of Freddy Shepards previous mistakes (namely Fat Sam) and bad debts. However, Owen's contract is one that remains. As a club, who at best is aiming for 5th (and in my view, more likely to be 7th for next season) we can't justify paying an injury prone striker £120,000 a week. Whilst Michael has been terrific in the last 10 or so games, I think every goal he has scored at the club has worked out at close to £1.8 million, when you factor in wages and transfer fee. This would be hard to justify as a top 4 team, let alone a team who has finished outside of the top 6 for 4 years running.

Is it that unreasonable to ask him to take a cut to maybe £90,000 pw with decent goal and appearance bonuses available should he perform? What are his options?

He has been linked to United? But why would Sir Alex swap one injury prone striker (Saha) for another? And I seriously doubt he would pay £120,000 for the pleasure of having one on the bench. Aside from all that, I honestly don't think United are interested in him. He is too similar to Tevez, and what they need to bring in is a RVN type striker. People may laugh at me, but I think Crouch would be better for United, given their present squad, than Owen.

After that; I can't see Chelsea interested (when they are targeting the likes of Messi and Kaka), and Arsenal won't break their wage cap for Owen. Liverpool have moved on, and I don't think Rafa really rates Michael. Certainly not high enough to meet his wage demands. That article mentions Everton. But again, I don't see them paying that sort of money, and would Michael sign for them given his ties with Liverpool?

There are possibilities abroad, but Barca are looking to clear out the over-paid older, more injury prone, earners in their club, and I don't see Real taking a second bite. Milan look to be having a total rebuild, and again, Owen just doesn't fit in with such an overhaul. Inter are a possibility maybe, but would Michael play abroad again after his time in Madrid.

So that's how I see things, and I imagine it's how Mr.Ashley saw things as well. Thus, he thought he had some leverage in Owen's contract negotiations. That was until Keegan came out and made it clear that signing Owen is paramount, therefore swinging things back in favour of Michael and his agent. As we all know, this was one of the reasons KK was summoned for talks. However, I don't blame KK for that. Ashley should have been clear with KK what their tactic was with Owen, and I think Ashley may have learnt a valuable lesson, that communication between owner/chairman and manager is essential in football.

I really do hope we retain Owen, as he looks to be remoulding himself into a great player for us, and the fact that KK wants him is reason alone for me. However, as a club, we do need to get away for this culture of paying wages as if we were in the top 4. A compromise we will need to be struck, I only hope that it is one which sees Michael in the black and white for the foreseeable future.

Charlie

therecklessone wrote: »

Thought you might like to know Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott were seen in the crowd at PSG vs St Etienne on Saturday night, there was no mention of who they were watching.

PSG are on the way down, possibly trying to nick a few players.

What I don't understand, is this not what Wise and co. are being paid? Maybe Terry Mac fancied a jolly boys trip abroad

EDIT: Just heard on Talksport that it was Bafetimbi Gomis of St. Etienne that he was looking at. The chap they have on now is a French football journo, and he seems to be raving about him. Suppose to be big and strong, but with a good technoque. Hopefully the type of player we will need to replace the ageing Viduka. Wikipeida (I know, such a concrete source) has already been edited to say that he signed for Newcastle United on May 13th for £15 Million. Anyway, here's the obligatory Youtube (although there's not a lot in that)

Limerick Dude

Yeah this Gomis chap has been dubbed by the press as a the drogba, interesting. But im not going to believe it as i have never seen the guy play.

kinaldo

Some very sad news re. Geremi which explains his absence at the weekend.

TOUGH-tackling Toon ace Geremi blinked back tears today and told of his personal hell after his sister was killed by cancer.

It was massive blow for the former Newcastle United skipper who missed his team’s last game of the season on Sunday as he flew home to Africa to pay his last respects at the funeral of his big sister Nantchouang.

The mother-of-two died aged just 35 after losing a two-year battle against leukaemia.

Geremi said: “She is so young.”

While his team-mates played against Everton on Sunday, grieving Geremi was with his 16 brothers and sisters in his home town of Bafoussam in Cameroon.

From his home, the 30-year-old former Chelsea star said it meant a lot to his family that he missed Sunday’s match to be at the funeral.

He added: “This is the last thing we can do for her.

“She came to my place to spend some time with me in December. Over the last few months she just got worse.

“It’s a big drama for the family – she is so young.”

Team-mates at Newcastle United have been rallying around with messages of support for Geremi. He said although he has tried to put his private anguish behind him, he would have been in no fit state to play at the weekend.

“That is why they let me go,” he said. “I was not ready to play.”

Now, after an emotionally turbulent few days, he is desperately trying to recover in time for a Cameroonian World Cup qualifying match.

He has just weeks until he’ll be back in action when Cameroon face the Cape Verde Islands on May 31 in Yaounde, Cameroon.

He is not expecting to return to Newcastle until the summer.

“I’m taking my holiday now and I am trying to get some rest,” said Geremi, whose return home caused a stir. He said: “It was a sad moment but I want people there to know I have not forgotten them.

“These people encourage me.”

Nantchouang had been living in Belgium, and now her family are rallying around to look after her daughters, aged six and two.

Geremi’s father, Samuel, had five wives after the Bamileke tribe awarded him the social status to marry as many times as he wanted.

The privilege was bestowed on the Cameroon football star of the 70s after his success on an international level.

His shot was so powerful he was nicknamed ‘Poison Arrow’.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2008/05/13/toon-ace-geremi-s-grief-for-sister-72703-20902160/

On a lighter note, disappointing end to a terrible season, but as has already been said, plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the future. Roll on next season.

Ekancone

Killed by cancer?

Charlie

kinaldo wrote: »

Some very sad news re. Geremi which explains his absence at the weekend.

Very sad news indeed. Puts some perspective on all the 'drama' that has surrounded the club of late.

smog

The Scientist wrote: »

I doubt we'll get Dunne even though he would be an extraordinary signing.
Yesterdays Sunday World said Wenger was very interested in him.

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3572378,00.html

Thank god we have a normal billonaire
So it maybe back on (but those comments just sound mental)
Wouldn't say no to Dunne at 5mill though, tbh i thought if hes available we will find a way to get him, but never thought City would let him go

Charlie

Stolen from the Chronicle forum

Newcastle offered $16 million to Galatasaray for the transfer of Arda and wants to finish the transferring procedures before EURO 2008. Galatasaray has a cold attitude towards selling a player.

Arda Turan, who has moved Galatasaray to the top this season, is receiving numerous offers. The young player has received many proposals from European clubs and says: "I want to stick with Galatasaray." Recently, Newcastle United offered Arda an annual salary of $2 million and $16 million to Galatasaray. Newcastle wants to finish the transfer procedures before EURO 2008.
The managers of Galatasaray said: "we should at least wait for EURO 2008. The situation can change if Arda's price doubles. However, we will keep the offer on hand for now."

Looks like a cracking prospect, and with us also been linked to Andrei Arshavin, and the Modric bid, it looks like we are finally trying to bring in some real quality to the club, and not another man's trash.

EDIT: Fuppin hell. I just had a look at this chap on Youtube, and he looks like he would be an absolute steal at £8 million. We NEED to sign this player

Arda's bit starts at 3.08.

smog

Would be nice to sign before the euros alright, but cant see that happening.

Really positive news over the last while, so glad its come together at last

Charlie

smog wrote: »

Really positive news over the last while, so glad its come together at last

Over the last few days the guttersnipes have been suprisingly quiet. It will be interesting to see if they concoct any 'rifs' in this Sunday's rags.

Malmedicine

Bye bye Emre . Em think we need some central midfielders.