Yesterday’s 5-2 defeat to Fulham was something of a shock to the system for Newcastle United. While it can partly be put down to a bad day at the office, or more accurately a bad half on the pitch, it still showed that Newcastle need to further strengthen in this transfer window. Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew will know that more than anything, with the defence his main priority right now and it seems that he’s set to raid the Championship.
For the last couple of months Newcastle have been linked with a move for West Ham centre back James Tomkins, but it is being reported that Pardew has turned his attention to Watford defender Adrian Mariappa. Of Fijian descent, Mariappa has been at Vicarage Road right from the beginning of his youth career and has played over 200 league matches for Watford. 5ft 11in tall, Mariappa has almost been an ever-present for the Hornets this season, who are struggling down in 18th place in the Championship.
Swansea City were thought to be interested in Mariappa earlier in the window, but the Sunday Sun is reporting that it’s Newcastle who are set to make a £3 million bid. The 25-year-old fits into Newcastle’s transfer strategy, that being that the Magpies only sign players under the age of 26, but questions have to be asked as to whether he has the ability to step up a level to the Premier League after spending so long in the second tier of English football.
Mariappa has an own goal to his name this season, but you have to say that Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach takes the blame for that…
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Would you be pleased to see Adrian Mariappa added to the Newcastle United ranks?
Rather sign some1 on loan than him wait til summer if we have 2,but please not him lmao 🙂