Newcastle fans were not impressed by Tuesday’s links to Daniel Sturridge, but could the Magpies use the Liverpool man?
According to a report from the Chronicle, Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Sturridge this summer for £15m.
The Liverpool striker turned down the chance to move to Tyneside on loan in January, snubbing the Magpies to join West Brom instead.
The Birmingham born striker supposedly chose the Baggies to be closer to his family, but with Liverpool now looking to cash in, could a permanent move to St. James’ reignite the Englishman’s career?
Everyone knows the biggest issue with signing Sturridge, as the Liverpool man has missed countless games season after season with various injury issues.
However, in today’s inflated transfer market, it could be worth taking a punt on a man who has 48 Premier League goals in 98 appearances for Liverpool.
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The 28 year-old is 6 ft 2, strong, quick, skilful and versatile… but above all else he knows how to find the back of the net.
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Signing Sturridge would obviously be a huge risk, but it’s not every day you get offered the chance to sign a striker capable of scoring 20 goals a season for just £15m, and if anyone can get his head right it’s Rafael Benitez.
So, Newcastle fans, would you take the risk on Sturridge? Is he worth £15m? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Javier Hernandez recently admitted that he did ask to leave West Ham United during the January transfer window.
However, the Mexican later insisted that he was dedicated to the Hammers, at least until the end of the season.
It has not quite happened for the former Manchester United striker since he arrived at West Ham, but he scored a super goal against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The strike was Hernandez’s sixth in the Premier League this season, but he will more than likely find himself out of the team when the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini return to the fold.
It appears that the West Ham fans are split on the centre-forward, who is rated at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk.
On one hand, they are pleased to have the Mexican at the club, but on the other, Hernandez has not really performed as a striker collecting in the region of £140,000 a week should.
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It would be impossible to attend a Newcastle United fixture right now without noticing a banner or hearing a chant echoing these sentiments. The Magpies defeat at home to Swansea City was the club’s fifth consecutive loss in what has so proven to be a miserable calendar year.
In the Premier League form table since the New Year, Newcastle sit in nineteenth position with just four victories from their last seventeen matches. Any hope of a rousing run in the FA Cup was extinguished at the earliest possible stage at home by Cardiff City, the only team which find themselves below the Magpies in the form table.
For an ill-advised onlooker, the club’s current position of ninth in the league wouldn’t justify such a fan backlash, especially when relegation was so narrowly avoided in the previous campaign. But with so many of the Toon Army so clearly disgruntled with events on Tyneside, is it getting to the point where something has got to give?
Journalists from local media outlets such as the Evening Chronicle have been banned for portraying the club in an allegedly unfair manner. Alan Pardew’s decision to apportion some blame to these publications for his side’s recent performances led the Sunday Sun to mockingly publish a distinctly damning “apology.”
With Joe Kinnear no longer present to draw the ire of the Geordie faithful and Mike Ashley retreating further into the background, the manager is now exposed to the full brunt of the fans’ resentment.
Jamie Carragher recently defended the Newcastle manager in his column and with some justification. Undermined by a clueless Director of Football and a Chairman that is positively appalled by the prospect of unnecessarily investing in his side, Pardew had performed admirably in his role to have the club in touch with the European spots at Christmas.
But the downturn since is simply inexcusable.
Fans have quite rightly grown sick and tired of the constant excuses and the insipid performances which has seen the club limp towards the season’s finish. A blunt attack and a porous defence has meant that the club have been subjected to a number of humiliations in such a short space of time. A third consecutive derby defeat to Sunderland epitomised a side absent of any real desire or passion.
Even with the sale of Yohan Cabaye and a number of injuries, Pardew cannot escape the blame. At a time when his side have lacked any creative ideas, the manager has failed to bring the best out of his flair players. The likes of Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux remain out in the cold amid rumours that Pardew has lost control of his dressing room. The 2012 LMA Manager of the Year has his shortcomings and these flaws have been brutally exposed since the turn of the year.
But where the “Pardew Out” brigade always falters is when attention turns to identifying a successor. Pardew certainly isn’t the best manager in the world but it is difficult to name a realistic candidate who could succeed where he has failed. Tony Pulis is the latest name linked to the hot seat on the basis of his revival of Crystal Palace, but Sam Allardyce’s ill-fated spell suggests that the Welshman’s trademark approach would not last long on Tyneside. After his somewhat surprising dismissal at Swansea, Michael Laudrup’s name was another thrown into the ring.
But why would any upcoming manager be realistically willing to take the role on?
Under the current regime headed by Mike Ashley, the prospect of this slumbering giant being awoken to challenge for silverware once again remains a distant fantasy. Ambition is a dirty word and the soul of the club has been traded for the balancing of the books. In a time of ludicrous excess in football, a commitment to financial fair play is admirable and should not be wholly condemned. But unfortunately for Newcastle, medals will not be awarded come May for impressive financial statistics. Just ask Arsenal fans about that.
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Pardew has failed to inspire and the players haven’t delivered all too often in the New Year. But with Ashley’s objective of mid-table mediocrity essentially secured by the New Year, what was left to play for? In the owner’s eyes, the club could successfully afford to cash in on Cabaye and yet still earn the riches that participating in the Premier League next season will bring.
As long as Ashley remains, this is the grim reality for the Toon Army. Without any prospective buyers, Newcastle will continue to operate in a similar fashion for the foreseeable future. Money will continue to line his pockets whilst the club will merely play to retain a spot in the most lucrative footballing division in the world. Players will continue to view St. James’ Park as a shop window, an opportunity to impress and earn a transfer to a club where ambition isn’t actively repressed.
In the eyes of so many of the Toon Army, something simply has to give and it has done for a while now. But unfortunately for them, the potential for change remains unlikely.
Nicklas Bendtner’s agent says that he and his client will be considering their options if the striker continues to be left on the bench at Juventus.
The struggling Arsenal striker is currently on loan for the season to the Italian giants, but has hardly been picked to play by Juventus boss Antonio Conte, only managing to feature for 24 minutes so far this season for the Serie A club.
He played for just the second time this season for Juventus in last night’s Champions League match, which ended in a 1-1 draw between them and Nordsjaelland, where the striker missed a good chance to win his new club all three points.
Also, embarrassingly for Bendtner, coaches at the club called him overweight shortly after he signed.
Bendtner’s agent Tom Brookes has now warned that though he feels happy at the club, he may even leave in January if the situation does not change.
“The boy is happy at Juventus, even if clearly he would like to play more. When he is on the field more regularly, he’ll be even happier.
“Why isn’t he playing? In all honesty, you’d have to ask Antonio Conte. Every player wants to play more and do his job. Nicklas has patience and respects the club, his team mates and the decisions of the coach,” Brookes said.
“However, he is too strong a player to stay on the bench, so it’s not good for him or for Juventus to keep him there. If it continues like this, we will consider our options.
“Could that be from January? We’ll talk about it over the next few weeks,” he added.
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Bendtner rejected offers from other Italian clubs Fiorentina and Siena before accepting the loan deal offer at Juventus.
According to French media outlet Le 10 Sport, Newcastle United are keen to sign Lille defensive midfielder Thiago Maia and have already had a bid rejected, and their Premier League rivals West Ham United should be watching developments closely.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Le 10 Sport report that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez has made a move to bring the 21-year-old Brazilian to St James’ Park this summer, as he clearly wants to strengthen his options in the middle of the park.
If Maia did eventually leave the Ligue 1 outfit, who only narrowly avoided relegation to the French second tier last term, for Tyneside, he would be competing with the likes of Mo Diame, Isaac Hayden, Mikel Merino and Jonjo Shelvey, who earns £70,000-a-week according to Spotrac, for a spot in central midfield.
He certainly impressed for Lille during the 2017/18 campaign despite their struggles, and according to WhoScored.com he won 55 tackles and made 60 interceptions for his club in 34 Ligue 1 appearances.
Why should West Ham be interested in the situation?
Well, if Newcastle do sign Thiago Maia it would suggest that one of the midfielders we mentioned previously could be on their way, including Shelvey.
The England international was one of his club’s most impressive performers during the 2017/18 campaign as Benitez’s men recorded a 10th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League, and his influence from both a defensive and offensive point of view could be brilliant for West Ham and new manager Manuel Pellegrini, who could save a fortune by using these three exciting youngsters in the first team rather than spending big on the likes of Marlon and Javier Pastore, next term.
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The Chilean boss looks certain to bring in a new midfielder with captain Mark Noble getting no younger and Cheikhou Kouyate enduring a tough season last time out, and the powerful Shelvey could be an inspired addition given his ability on the ball.
The Romford-born 26-year-old may well fancy a return to the capital, but the east London club would likely have to spend big on the midfielder given he still has three years remaining on his contract with the Toon.
Andre Ayew is reportedly on the verge of leaving West Ham United.
The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Swansea City in the summer of 2016, and has scored 12 times in 50 appearances for the London club.
This term, the forward, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has only managed three goals in 18 Premier League appearances, which is not exactly a great record.
Swansea have reportedly offered West Ham £18m for Ayew, and it seems that the Ghana international wants to leave the London Stadium.
The January transfer window closes on Wednesday night, however, meaning that Swansea do not have too long to seal a return.
West Ham paid £20.5m to sign Ayew in August 2016, but it has not quite happened for the attacker in the English capital.
The club’s supporters have been reacting to the news that the forward is set to leave, and it would be fair to say that there are many with differing opinions.
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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Liverpool owner John W Henry has made various comments regarding the Suarez to Arsenal transfer saga of 2013 and how he took a gamble by refusing to let Suarez leave.
Suarez had a buyout clause of £40m and Arsenal met those terms by offering £40m + £1 to legally trigger the buyout clause. The Liverpool owner sees Suarez as an important player and refused to let him leave for Arsenal. He stated that he would rather take Arsenal to court than to let his star man leave.
Here’s what John Henry had to say about this:
“Luis Suarez is the top scorer in the English Premier League, which is arguably the top soccer league in the world. He had a buyout clause of £40m. Arsenal, one of our prime rivals – this year we’re tied for 2nd … we’re actually 2nd because of goal difference.
“They offered £40m+£1. What we’ve found … is that contracts don’t seem to mean a lot in England – actually, in world football. It doesn’t matter how long a player’s contract is, he can decide he’s leaving.
“We sold a player, Fernando Torres, for £50m, that we did not want to sell, we were forced to. Since apparently these contracts don’t seem to hold, we took the position that we’re just not selling [Suarez].
“It’s been great for Luis, it’s been great for us, and what will happen at the end of the year I think we’re going to make the Champions League, we have a small chance of winning the Premier League this year.
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“We have 3 gentlemen up front Suarez/Sterling/Sturridge, [they] are young, I think Luis and those three could be together for a long time.”
You have to hand it to Arsenal, though. That’s one clever way to activate a buy-out clause without paying over the odds. Bravo.
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is prepared to let Cameron Jerome join Championship club Blackburn on loan.
However, the Potters boss insists that the move does not signal the end for the 26-year-old at the Britannia Stadium.
Since the departure of Steve Kean at Blackburn, Erik Black is in charge of the Ewood Park club and is keen to strengthen his attacking options.
“Blackburn have enquired about Cameron and we will see what happens in the next couple of days,” Pulis told the Stoke Sentinel.
“It would be a three-month loan with a recall available after 28 days if it happens.”
Since Michael Owen joined Stoke at the end of August, Jerome has fallen to fifth in the pecking order of strikers at the club and has yet to start a Premier League game this season.
“If it comes off, it would be a good one because Cameron is the kind of player that needs game time,” Pulis added.
“It’s not far away and they are a decent Championship side.”
Although some believe this is the end for the striker, Pulis remains adamant that the door is always open, as long a she gets some playing time under his belt.
“He would be the first to say he needs to play.”
One striker that Pulis insists is not going anywhere is Kenwyne Jones despite reports linking him with a loan move away to Leicester.
Jones will start on the bench on Saturday against Sunderland, the club he joined the Potters from for £8 million for a club record fee two years ago.
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Despite Glenn Whelan returning to full training following injury, Dean Whitehead is set to keep his place in the centre of midfield.
As reported by The Daily Record, former Rangers player Billy Gilmour has opened up on why he left Ibrox to sign for Chelsea.
What’s the story?
Gilmour made the switch from Glasgow to London last year before even making his first team debut at Rangers, spurning the chance to become the youngest ever player for the club he loves in order to try and make a career for himself at Stamford Bridge.
It was a controversial decision, upsetting supporters, and now the 16-year-old has decided to make the reasons for his move clear.
As quoted by The Daily Record, Gilmour said:
Most of my family are Rangers fans and I love the club. I’ll always be thankful for everything they did for me.
But when Chelsea showed me what their plan was for me, I just couldn’t turn it down. Everything about the club was incredible and it’s where I wanted to be.
If you really know what you want, it’s an easy decision. If boys are hesitant – ones who say they want it but don’t really – it can be difficult. But my aim has always been to play at the best level. I’ve always wanted to play older, get the best coaching, stay behind and do more.
So when I heard Chelsea came in it was a no-brainer. I wanted to be with the best team. I want to be winning everything.
It’s a highly ambitious mentality from the youngster and one which will serve him well, with his ability ensuring he has a great shot of making it at Chelsea and the Premier League.
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Did he make the right decision?
Had Gilmour, a year on, been struggling with the adjustment to life in the youth teams at Stamford Bridge, the move could have been seen as a mistake.
The fact is though that he is thriving right now, shining as the club lifted the Youth FA Cup, with Gilmour scoring in the final against Arsenal in an age group above his own.
A stand-out for their U18s side, he’ll now be pushing for a place in their U23s side at the age of just 16.
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It’s now about physically developing and gaining first team experience, whether that comes on loan or at Chelsea themselves.
There’s no doubt he has every chance of making it at the top level in England, fully justifying his exit from Rangers.
With Everton struggling to make much of an impact up front this season, pressure is on new signing Cenk Tosun to be their saviour.
The Turkish international made his debut for the Toffees on Saturday in the late kickoff against Tottenham Hotspur.
Playing in such a big Premier League game for a first outing must have been a little daunting for the £27m man.
In the end, the forward was unable to make much of an impression, but he was only given 62 minutes by manager Sam Allardyce before being replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It will be a debut to forget for Tosun given that the team were beaten comfortably 4-0 by Spurs, whose star player Harry Kane broke Teddy Sheringham’s club record of 97 top-flight goals.
Shortly after the game, Everton fans assessed the overall performance from their team, and Tosun’s debut was a talking point.
Everton, who are ninth in the league table, have lost their last three fixtures and have conceded eight goals in the process.
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