Andros Townsend - Newcastle

He might not be worth that much money but the fee for a young English player is always inflated. I don't think we'll go for a foreign winger so Phillips could be next up imo. But even then QPR want £7m+.

 

Or Maybe QSF is going to continue with 4321or 4312 and we dont need a winger Amrabat prefers to play on the wing and we still have Anya ,So am sure we can get to the summer and get a player at a not so inflated price!

 

I think both Shelvey and Townsend are good players, I don't think Shelvey would fit into our system so wasn't that bothered we probably didn't try and sign him.
Im disappointed we have missed out of Townend though as I think his style of play would have worked well for us, it is more of a risk buying from abroad whereas with Townsend we know he can perform in the Prem.

I also would like to see more English players in the team and don't think other than him there are any good English wingers that we could realistically buy.

 

Vertonghen out for a while, Dier was CM will be dropped to CDM, makes a bit of sense i guess

 

Meh, £12 million is a lot for what is essentially a gamble. He might look good but stats point towards his impact on games being minimal.

 

Although a lot of you do not agree he's worh £12m, I think we should match the Geordies offer and I think he would probably opt for us ahead of them!

 

I sense mass suicides

Be strong kids

 

Thats the same price as Shaqiri and 2m more than Payet just to put things into perspective for some people.

 

WD Sport have broken their silence:

Watford have withdrawn from the running to sign Andros Townsend, refusing to be drawn into a bidding war and making an injudicious long-term financial commitment. Watford, as we reported on Sunday, felt they were in pole position to sign the England winger after talks with the player and his representative over the weekend. The victory over Newcastle United only strengthened that belief. Senior club officials who had already tabled a bid in excess of 10.5m, were braced for the deal to go right down to the final day of the window.

However, Newcastle, who saw their relegation fears exacerbated by defeat at Vicarage Road, have significantly pushed the boat out to land Townsend. We are told the Magpies have tempted the winger with an eye-watering salary offer, one that would smash Watford’s pay structure, and a much longer contract than Watford were prepared to agree on. We also understand there are clauses inserted into the bumper deal at St James’ Park that would enable Townsend to leave if the club are relegated and also if a top six club bids for him in the summer. Watford only want players who are here for the long haul.

Although very few, if any, players are around from Townsend’s loan spell at Vicarage Road in 2011 there were reservations among some about his application and attitude during that period, one that was cut short by Malky Mackay. The decision to withdraw from the running to sign Townsend is the second time in a month the club have not bowed to the demands of a winger. The Hornets pulled out of a deal to sign Juan Manuel Iturbe at the end of December following face-to-face talks with the player.

Watford, we have been told in the last hour, are not at this stage looking to pursue a deal for another winger, ruling out moves for Jefferson Montero and Matty Phillips. They are confident club record signing Nordin Amrabat can play on the wing and as a central striker.

 

WD Sport back tracking somewhat there :doh:

 

No more transfers this window then

 

Very sensible from the club. The players we've got have got us this far, Amrabat can play a few positions and Berghuis might be given a few more chances. No point rocking the boat for Townsend if he's got himself a better deal elsewhere.

 

Apart from Suarez.

 

Arambat looks to be better than Townsend, Montero and Phillips, so it always struck me as strange that we were looking to sign another winger after he joined anyway.

As a striker, Arambat would only play if Deeney or Ighalo were injured, so hes likliest chance of playing is on the wing anyway.

 

I'm hoping that Newcastle signing Townsend opens the door to us signing Gabriel Obertan.

 

Haha - I don't mind if they get it wrong but just put your hand up and admit it FFS.

 

Glad Gino stuck to his guns. We identified him as someone who could possibly make a difference and in keeping with several recent signings he's a player at a bigger club who has lost his way.

However, £12million for a bloke that has played 64 minutes of Premier League football this season, has never started more than 17 league games for a club in a single season (and that was in League 1 in 2009/10), and has scored 5 goals in 59 Premier League appearances is ridiculous. He wouldn't be overpriced if he had consistently shown that he was a decent player but he's had one purple patch where he got called up for England and did well for a couple of games. I'm glad our owners are prepared to go into negotiations knowing what their top end offer will be and not be forced to go above it - the benefit of 30 odd years in and around football!

As for the idea that Townsend's a goal threat, how about this for a comparison:

Andros Townsend career league appearances 152 (110 starts, 42 subs) - career goals 14
Diego Fabbrini career league appearances 158 (84 starts, 74 subs) - career goal 13

 

Never say never. Wouldn't be surprised if there were 2 or 3 more yet.

 

Totally agree - last thing we want is to suggest to Levi that we are pushovers. It would set a precedent for future talks between the clubs. We have a price - stick to it

 

Fair play. Didn't expect us to get drawn into a bidding war anyway. Newcastle happy to throw money at their problems, and frankly £24m for Townsend and Shelvey when we 'signed' 15 players for circa £34m back in the summer is laughable.

Suarez will do, and then Amrabat will get more of a shot out wide where he prefers to play. Just means we have to hope Deeney and Ighalo stay fit!

 

It's a bit like ebay isn't it? You put your bid in and wait. If you are desperate like Newcastle then you press the buy now button!
Thing is we have all seen how Jamatt has a wicked cross on him so it's the goalscorer they are missing and Townsend is not that.

 

If the allowed to leave if relegated clause is true, Newcastle have shafted themselves because they can't really put a 'trigger' fee in there because no one would pay it. QPR learned that the hard way with Austin.

We may still get him in the summer for £4m.

 

I was excited at the thought of signing Townsend..let's face it, (technically) a current England international..a sign of how far we have progressed.

But today I'm equally pleased we aren't, when I read about his financial demands etc. At a sensible price, and with him having much to prove in the game after drifting over the past year, I think he would have been a terrific piece of business. But for 12 million and the huge wages..hmm.

The crucial thing here is that, somewhat unexpectedly, we are in the January window as a top 10 club. No need for us to make panic buys and blow millions on trying to beat the drop. We can afford to be more measured and think long-term. The likes of Newcastle and Sunderland can't..they have to gamble their future.

I still think we are a proven goal scorer light though, and would desperately like to see one join this week, although it looks unlikely. If we are saving 10 million on a wide man, there is money there to invest in taking a punt on somebody who can put the ball in the net when called off the bench. We've lost Diamanti and Ibarbo and signed Amrabat this window, so although neither of our two departees were a success, technically we are a forward player down. While Olare and Berg remain works in progress. An injury to Troy or Ighalo and we could still be in trouble.

Would love to see Sinclair join this week too as one for the future.

 

The young Liverpool striker could arrive (freebee via Udi #loophole)

 

This is why I was surprised we were even going in for £10m+

 

I suggest Saturday's win has shaped our transfer policy (and Newcastle's) for the remainder of the window.

 

Agree

We don't need wingers if the future is 4321 / 4312

We have Ighalo / Deeney for the #9 spot

We have Deeney / Jurado / Abdi / Guediorua / Amrabat / Anya for the 2 x #10 spots

We have Watson / Behrami / Capoue / Guedioura / Abdi / new bloke for the 3 midfield spots

We need attacking full backs, a genetic merger of Nyom, Anya and Paredes if such a thing is possible

 

Glad, he's really not very good. He's a classic does well for 6 months and then nothing player. Worth £5mil but no more and he's an idiot.

 

Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

 

It would have been a standard 5 year contract.

 

Happy that we're no longer pursuing Townsend, but I really feel we need another winger, and a British one for the quota. Something must be in the pipeline.

 

Very happy this has fallen through.