Glenn Roeder knows you are getting impatient about the lack of new arrivals at St James’s Park, but Newcastle’s manager also feels you will understand his reluctance to waste what little money he has in the transfer market.
Well, I don’t think anyone wants to see another Jean-Alain Boumsong, Celestine Babayaro or Amdy Faye pulling on the black and white stripes - the last players to sign for the club during the January transfer window two years ago - but what supporters would like to see is the squad strengthening they have been promised since September.
The latest news from the manager’s office at Magpie Towers is, he has made a couple of enquiries about players and is waiting to hear an answer. Progress, I suppose, but still not the top quality defenders riding in on white horse to save the damsel - okay, football club - in distress!
Most observers can see that Newcastle need a left back, a centre back and a striker if the squad is, realistically, going to be capable of challenging for silverware in the FA and Uefa Cups while simultaneously pushing for a return to Europe with a top seven finish in the Premiership.
The problem is, everybody in football knows this so Newcastle are being linked with a host of names which, in some cases cause a ripple of excitement before being knocked down by those “close to the club� and in others prompt a sense of “oh no he’s useless� before being knocked down by those “close to the club.�
For what it’s worth, my “contacts� have told me that Peter Crouch, Darren Bent, Wes Brown, Wayne Bridge, Anton Ferdinand and Gareth Bale have all attracted Roeder’s interest in recent weeks, but others disagree. With this in mind I thought it would be worth listing every single player Newcastle have been linked with this month, only to be subsequently un-linked with.
One thing is certain, if three players from this list of players were signed, most Newcastle supporters would be very happy indeed.
Marco Andreolli - Inter Milan defender with Champions League experience, linked to Newcastle by agent.
David Beckham - Big name, showboat signing, but past his best and not wanted, thankfully
Anton Ferdinand - Fits Roeder’s profile, talented youngster but “not on the list�, apparently.
Darren Bent - Roeder’s main transfer target at the start of the summer, but too expensive then and seems to be too expensive now.
Gareth Bale - Teenage Southampton left back who is wanted by everyone so highly unlikely he’ll come to Tyneside. Newcastle have “thrown their hat into the ring� though.
Shaun Wright Phillips - big name, showboat signing, but Newcastle’s priority is not a right winger, surely?
Chris Riggott - talented and good season for Middlesbrough last time around. Would be cheap, but not wanted.
Matthew Upson - big, strong and much-linked centre back. Rubbish against Newcastle in the cup, but Roeder wasn’t interested anyway apparently.
Peter Crouch - linked, then unlinked, Might come in the summer for £12m, fee Newcastle wouldn’t pay for Bent.
Curtis Davis - initially not wanted, now “being monitored�
Mark Viduka - Newcastle tried to sign the fat Australian for a third time in the summer and were willing to let James Milner go to fund deal. He turned them down, Newcastle won’t be going back.
James Beattie - Big targetman striker, strong in the air not wanted by Everton, but "pie in the sky" he’s coming to Newcastle.
Kevin Davies - see above, except he is still wanted by Bolton.
Stephen Warnock - talented, but injury-prone Liverpool left back ( at least he’d feel comfortable in the busy Newcastle treatment room) being monitored, but now not wanted according to those close to Roeder.
Zat Knight - Newcastle made a bid for him on transfer deadline day, but “no chance� now it seems.
Wes Brown - another who fits Roeder’s profile. Talented, experienced England international, but seemed to lose interest when player insisted he wanted to stay at Manchester United.
Jonathan Woodgate - could have had him in the summer, but Roeder unsure about his injury record.
Joey Barton - combative central midfielder which Newcastle don’t really need, but linked anyway.
Nigel Reo Coker - another decent central midfield player which Newcastle don’t need, but linked anyway.
John Carew - giant Norwegian international centre forward in the Crouch mould, but “nothing happening� according to informed sources.
Aaron Hughes - former Newcastle defender, very versatile, hasn’t been denied yet so watch this space...
Lucas Niell - tough-tackling Australian left back who Newcastle tried to sign on transfer deadline day. Strangely not wanted this transfer window with Liverpool also interested.
Pierre Boya - had trial, but no contract offer was made to the striker.
Andriy Shevchenko - Roeder almost “choked on his cornflakes� when he read this one about a loan deal for one of the best strikers in Europe who cannot settle in the Premiership.
Wayne Bridge - courted all summer, but won’t be allowed to leave Chelsea after signing a new contract. Shame because he would have been an excellent signing.
Sylvain Distin - Former Newcastle defender who can play at left back or centre back, but fell out with chairman Freddie Shepherd in his first spell at the club and "won't be coming back."
Personally, I’d go for Bent, Bridge and Brown, but maybe that’s just because I like names that start with B!
Who would you sign?
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