Newcastle's Kevin Nolan having West Ham medical - Telegraph
I can see Nolan wanting to leave NUFC if they didn't match the valuation he expected after a great bounce-back season in the Premier League. Two things that are shocking here:
First, he can't find a better opportunity than life in the Championship with West Ham next season. He played well for the Magpies and there are certainly a bunch of Premier League teams who could use his goals if the transfer price is in the reported range (between WHU's initially rejected £1.5M number and today's suggested £4M number). If he wanted to stay in the Prem it seems to me that he might consider Wolves, Villa, Stoke, Sunderland, or one of the newly promoted clubs as options before dropping down.
Second, the reports from @FFScout that Joey Barton is likely leaving as well. These reports have been fairly frequent this summer as well but still surprising given that it would mean that NUFC had allowed its best three attacking players to leave over the last 6 or 7 months between Carroll, Barton, and Nolan. I'm all for the notion of selling assets at the peak of their value but one has to wonder if NUFC can recruit similar options at lower prices heading into next season to ensure that they can score the goals necessary to stay up. We shall see.
One possible theory on the Nolan leaving point. His career is winding down regardless of how well he played last season and perhaps old friend Big Sam promised him some sort of runway from playing into management at West Ham (or wherever he is coaching by the time Nolan retires). No inside knowledge on my part but about the only thing I can think of that would lead a player who could find himself a better option to voluntarily insert himself into the mess that is WHU in the Championship.
I can see Nolan wanting to leave NUFC if they didn't match the valuation he expected after a great bounce-back season in the Premier League. Two things that are shocking here:
First, he can't find a better opportunity than life in the Championship with West Ham next season. He played well for the Magpies and there are certainly a bunch of Premier League teams who could use his goals if the transfer price is in the reported range (between WHU's initially rejected £1.5M number and today's suggested £4M number). If he wanted to stay in the Prem it seems to me that he might consider Wolves, Villa, Stoke, Sunderland, or one of the newly promoted clubs as options before dropping down.
Second, the reports from @FFScout that Joey Barton is likely leaving as well. These reports have been fairly frequent this summer as well but still surprising given that it would mean that NUFC had allowed its best three attacking players to leave over the last 6 or 7 months between Carroll, Barton, and Nolan. I'm all for the notion of selling assets at the peak of their value but one has to wonder if NUFC can recruit similar options at lower prices heading into next season to ensure that they can score the goals necessary to stay up. We shall see.
One possible theory on the Nolan leaving point. His career is winding down regardless of how well he played last season and perhaps old friend Big Sam promised him some sort of runway from playing into management at West Ham (or wherever he is coaching by the time Nolan retires). No inside knowledge on my part but about the only thing I can think of that would lead a player who could find himself a better option to voluntarily insert himself into the mess that is WHU in the Championship.
they made him an offer he couldnt refuse mayb?
ReplyDelete70K a week for five years (the rumoured deal) is a godfather offer (can't refuse) in my book.
ReplyDelete