Gradel for Smith? Toon transfer titbits.
Posted on January 5th, 2011 | 24 Comments |
The rumour, courtesy of Sky Sports, does beg some questions though, the first of which being whether Leeds – currently 5th in the Championship – would actually sell someone who could be pivotal to their promotion push.
In fact, when Toon interest was first mentioned at the end of last year, Leeds boss Simon Grayson stated that Gradel is not for sale, but the rumour fails to go away and now Alan Smith has been added into the equation.
From what I can gather, Smith would only be loaned to Leeds for the rest of the season but that could act as a sweetener if Pardew is determined to secure the services of Gradel.
Gradel – a 23 year old from the Ivory Coast – has been in fine form this season, notching up 7 goals in 19 games and providing exemplary service to the strikers from the wing.
Gradel came out of the Leicester City youth academy and made a name for himself on loan to Bournmouth before being first loaned to and then signed up permanently by Leeds on a contract that runs until the summer of 2012. Gradel has admitted he’d welcome a move to the Premiership ‘at some stage’ but – wisely perhaps – has said nothing beyond that.
Rumour has it the Newcastle are prepared to bid £6m for Gradel, which would seem to be the sort of figure Mike Ashley might approve for spending on a player. As for Smith going the other way, he’s certainly a player Newcastle could do without and Smith’s history with Leeds and the assurance of regular first team football might make it attractive to the player himself.
A new winger might make sense for Newcastle too as questions have been asked (by fans, at least) as to whether Jonas and Routledge provide enough quality crosses for the likes of Carroll. Apparently Gradel is comfortable on either wing or in a support role behind the strikers, which is the sort of versatility that might prove attractive to Pardew.
But it’s all rumour of course and there’ll be plenty more of them before January’s over.
Personally, I give the rumour slightly more chance of being true than the recent prediction by ‘The Church of the SubGenius’, who claim the world will end at 7AM on Tuesday July 5th 2011, although if you’re a believer you’ll be rescued by an escape vessel piloted by some alien sex goddesses know as Xists (this is true by the way, I’m not making it up).
Which I suppose is to say I give it very little chance indeed, but you never know with these things eh?
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.
According to Sky Sports Ben Arfa is close to signing for the club permanently.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6635566,00.html