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Magpies could lose two key defenders


Angelus71
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from the Journal

 

ARSENAL and West Ham United are ready to test Newcastle United’s resolve to keep first-choice defensive pairing Sébastien Bassong and Steven Taylor by formalising their interest in the duo imminently.

 

Hopes are rising that the uncertainty which has surrounded the club’s future since relegation to the Championship will lift in the next few days – with “decisive” movement expected on the unresolved ownership and management issues before the start of pre-season training next week. Both serious bidders favour Alan Shearer’s claims to be manager which should pave the way for his belated appointment – but his first task will be to ward off interest in Bassong and Taylor.

 

West Ham, who have former Newcastle number two Steve Clarke on their coaching staff, are at the head of a clutch of clubs interested in Taylor, while Arsenal are keen on Frenchman Bassong.

 

Provided Shearer becomes manager and offers certain reassurances to Taylor, Newcastle have a good chance of retaining the services of their influential homegrown defender, who has told friends he has no desire to leave the club.

 

But any further delay in appointing a new manager and United must brace themselves for the imminent departure of the 23-year-old, who will be aware that the constant upheaval at the club over the last three years has damaged his career.

 

Bassong’s future is far less clear-cut, however, and The Journal understands that the defender has been flattered by interest from compatriot Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

 

The former Metz man has seen his stock rise sharply since joining United as a relative unknown last season.

 

And, while he feels a sense of gratitude to the club for handing him his break in English football, he is ambitious and is reluctant to play a season in the second tier. He has already publicly courted a move away from St James’s Park and Shearer will face a serious test of his powers of persuasion if he wants to keep the newly-capped Cameroon defender.

 

The Gunners may have already signed Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax but they are on the look-out for more defensive reinforcements.

 

Bolton defender Gary Cahill, who ironically would have been a Shearer target had he managed to keep United in the Premier League, is another player courted by Wenger – but Bassong’s name is understood to feature prominently.

 

Shearer is fully aware that, due to the

 

delay in his appointment, there will be plenty of fire-fighting to do when he finally gets his feet under the desk at St James’s.

 

As well as reassuring Bassong and Taylor that they have pivotal parts to play in United’s promotion bid, he also has plenty of work to do to convince Habib Beye to sign up for a season in the second tier.

 

But it is shifting a raft of high earners who under-performed last year that is his priority. The United boss has prepared a list of players he would be willing to sell as part of an overhaul of the squad – and the names run into double figures.

 

.....................................

 

I wonder if we'll even have a team come the new season!

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Is this not simply a case of the Journal not having any idea what's going on and not having anything else to write about, so putting 2 and 2 together and making a bushel of Granny Smiths?

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*phone goes in prospective new owners' offices on conference call*

 

Keith Harris: 'Oh, by the way, NUFC are selling some of the players. Nowt to worry about. Just thought I would mention it.'

 

Surely NOTHING can be happening (transfer-wise) atm which would confuse a possible sale??

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Bassong is suspended Anyways...

 

S-bastien-Bassong-of-Newc-001.jpg

 

Remember???

 

And Taylor's suffering from a severe migraine.

 

and howard webb is looking at bassongs cock

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Apparently the Spuds are in pole to sign Bassong, though they don't want to pay up what we're asking.

 

got to wonder what we're asking for going off ther history with fees ( I know we've no room to talk mind)

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Apparently the Spuds are in pole to sign Bassong, though they don't want to pay up what we're asking.

 

got to wonder what we're asking for going off ther history with fees ( I know we've no room to talk mind)

 

£12m for Bassong supposedly, not out of the question for a defender of his quality if you ask me.

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Apparently the Spuds are in pole to sign Bassong, though they don't want to pay up what we're asking.

 

got to wonder what we're asking for going off ther history with fees ( I know we've no room to talk mind)

 

£12m for Bassong supposedly, not out of the question for a defender of his quality if you ask me.

 

Surprised Ashley doesn't just give him to his beloved Spurs. :rolleyes:

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Im not sure how they work it. How they value a player. Lets say the club have him in their books worth £8M as an asset. Would it be better to sell him for £12M increasing the net worth by £4M? Can a club overstate the value of a player (say they buy one for £1M then value him at £5M) like a company would stock? Or, and certainly in this case, is a player more valuable than his same value in money?

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Makes no odds really. Assume all we owned was one player and had no debts- If you think that really the value of a player if £12m but he is only on the books at £8m then the value of the club would be £4m higher than the book value. Either way once they buy the club they'll either get £12m cash or £12m player. More important is whether the buyers are keen to retain certain players.

 

I don't think a club can increase the value of a player above the purchase price (and associated costs). Generally the only thing you can revalue upwards is land and buildings.

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If you were buying the club (assuming that's not all just made up), you'd want Bassong included in the price.

 

Yup.

 

Though Ashley probably doesn't know who Bassong is.

 

I'm sure he does. He's the guy who's repaying part of his loan.

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Is Bassong really as good as we seem to think? I mean, yeah he was one of the better performers last season, but he was prone to rash tackles in and around the box...

 

I'd still stick a huge price on his tag, but is he actually any good?

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