Ba and Erdinç – next season’s Toon strike force?
Posted on June 14th, 2011 | 30 Comments |
As previously speculated, it does indeed seem that Alan Pardew has considerable interest in Mevlüt Erdinç.
Speaking to The Journal, Pardew said:
“Erdinç has always been on our radar. He’s a very good player and that is all I will say at the moment.
“We had a bit of a disappointment with Kevin Gameiro as he has decided to go elsewhere. We made a fantastic offer to the club and to him but these things happen.
“We tried very hard on that one, but we always knew there would be setbacks along the way and we have always had other people in mind, deals we have been trying to keep to ourselves for obvious reasons.
“We are working extremely hard to make those deals happen and I’m pretty happy with how things have gone so far. We should have another signing finished in the next few days, and we will able to confirm that one as well.“
Erdinç, who has 53 goals in 155 appearances (9 in 34 last season for Paris Saint-Germain) doesn’t look to be the most prolific scorer but apparently likes to play alongside a target man.
And with that in mind, maybe Pardew has visions of him lining up alongside Demba Ba next season, about whom Pardew said:
“Demba Ba has done very well since he came to England and he’s a good player. I’m very much aware of him and I probably know what he is capable of more than most because I’ve known about him for a while, before he went to West Ham.
“We’re not the only club who are interested, but we are trying. There is always competition and we will keep plugging away.”
That sounds to me like we are actively pursuing both these players, as has been previously speculated in the press.
Of course nothing is signed, sealed and delivered yet but what do you think about a Ba and Erdinç strike partnership for the Toon?
wer dus that leave ben arfa, i thot hez supposd to be behind the striker?