Newcastle told strike targets are not for sale
Jan 22 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal
NEWCASTLE United face further disappointment in the transfer market after two of their forward targets were declared not for sale – at least for now.
And French champions Lyon are considering exploiting Tuesday’s training ground fight between Charles N’Zogbia and striker Andy Carroll with a cut-price offer for the unsettled French midfielder.
Reports have suggested the Magpies are preparing a bid for Atalanta striker Sergio Floccari, with Nice striker Loïc Rémy an alternative. Neither club, though, is prepared to sell. However, both might be open to offers in the summer, when Newcastle’s need is likely to be far greater.
Reports in Italy suggest a £15m bid is imminent for Floccari. This seems unlikely given the budget constraints Joe Kinnear is working under, but even were it to happen, Atalanta are likely to resist. “He will stay until the end of the season,” the club’s president, Carlo Osti has said. “It’s a decision we took a year ago. He’s not for sale and no one has knocked on our door yet for him.”
Palermo and Roma have also been linked with the late developer, who started in Serie C2. Neither would be able to match a £15m offer. The 27-year-old, compared in some quarters to Spain’s David Villa, has hit 10 goals this season and been touted for a call-up to the Italian national side.
Newcastle’s scouts are also said to have been impressed by France B international Rémy, who they were linked with in the summer of 2007 after his impressive performances at the Toulon Tournament.
The 22-year-old’s agent has poured cold water on talk of a January transfer, however.
“For now it is impossible,” said Federic Guerra. “He has a contract with Nice for another three years.
“I don’t know if Nice want to sell him in the summer but if they did, the price would be big.”
Nice are said to value Rémy, who they bought from Lyon in the summer, at £5m.
Newcastle are currently well stocked with forwards. The problem has been
keeping them fit in the short term, and keeping them full-stop in the longer term.
Obafemi Martins only returned to training after a hernia operation this week and is aiming to be fit to face Sunderland on February 1. Mark Viduka has not featured since injuring his groin in his only start of the campaign, on Boxing Day, and Shola Ameobi’s ankle is taking longer than expected to heal. Viduka and captain Michael Owen are both out of contract this summer. Kinnear is thought to only have a budget of around £10m this month and supplementing it with sales is proving difficult. Geremi’s move to Besiktas already seemed to be dying on its feet before the hamstring injury to Danny Guthrie, which is likely to see him pressed into action against Manchester City on January 28. Charles N’Zogbia’s asking price will have fallen after Tuesday’s training ground shenanigans. The club has unsurprisingly played down the incident, with Kinnear insisting neither player will be punished for fighting in front of Carlisle United players warming up for a behind-closed-doors friendly.
But the N’Zogbia saga refuses to go away, with a constant stream of quotes attributed to him and his agent suggesting he wants to leave. Tuesday’s behaviour only furthers the impression.
Lyon appeared to offer a possible escape route, but this week’s news has weakened United’s hand and the French champions may now try to sign the 23-year-old at a reduced price. Selling Shay Given would yield further funds, but Kinnear is understandably reluctant to part with his best player and City’s bargaining tactics suggest negotiations would be drawn out.
The Eastlands club have come back with a second bid this week. But the world’s richest club are anxious not to be taken for a ride and are therefore offering way below Given’s true value. The eight-figure fees paid for Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong suggest a realistic bid could eventually be forthcoming, but perhaps not in time for Kinnear to reinvest.
