When Newcastle United were lining up strikers in the summer, current Arsenal forward Gervinho was one man who was on the Magpies’ list. The Ivory Coast international had already seen his then Lille teammate Yohan Cabaye move to Newcastle and it seemed that Gervinho could also have been on his way to the north-east. However, things didn’t materialise and it is now being reported that Newcastle were unimpressed with how Gervinho conducted himself during negotiations, namely his use of his mobile phone!
There are a number of criteria that Alan Pardew and Newcastle now want players to fit when they come to the club and one of the most important is professionalism. Today The People is reporting that Gervinho was anything but that. Newcastle apparently agreed a £10 million fee with Lille for the 24-year-old and sat down for negotiations with the African forward. However, Gervinho whipped out his phone and started sending texts, which in turn led to alarm bells ringing amongst the Newcastle hierarchy and any potential deal was well and truly off.
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As it happens, Newcastle may well have dodged a bullet by not signing Gervinho. Later that summer the Ivory Coast international signed for Arsenal in a £10.8m deal, but Gervinho hasn’t quite hit it off at The Emirates. It started off badly for the 5ft 10in forward, as ironically he was sent off against Newcastle on his Premier League debut after clashing with Joey Barton. Since then Gervinho has scored just four times for Arsenal in the Premier League, a strike rate of worse than one in four and not at all comparable with Demba Ba’s 16 in 23 or even Papiss Cisse’s 2 in 4.
Gervinho may well come good, but what I’ve seen of the Ivory Coast forward so far is that there is simply no end product. He is not a striker in the traditional sense and has been mainly employed wide left by Arsene Wenger, meaning that Danny Simpson will have to deal with him tomorrow night. In regards to the non-transfer, it’s nice to see that Newcastle are not just interested in talent, but also attitude and how a player will fit in at the club. No player is bigger than the team and let’s just hope that Gervinho doesn’t get on the scoresheet against the Toon tomorrow.
Chelsea’s Ashley Cole has already found out how damaging texts can be, now Arsenal’s Gervinho has too!
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what a shit article.hes not even a striker.whoever wrote this piece of crap obviously knows nothing about football.
ah he is good now ! always beats the defender ! creates stuff but yes not a finisher ! he is good though !bringing his goals ratio into it is wrong he isnt a goalscorer or a striker ! more of a winger! hes better than that donkey obertan yous have there!
Hmm so a 4nil obertan who is 20 is being compared to a 24 yr old gervinhoe who cost 11million both r shit but atleast obertan costs less and is just 20 and still played for better teams in man u n now the toon 😉
What planet are you on? Gervinho was never signed as a striker, he was signed as a winger. He has been impressive this season, his finishing is a little off at the moment but his build up play has been great. As if Newcastle wouldn’t love to have him in their team!
Has he really found out how damaging a text can be? He didn’t end up at Newcastle but instead found himself playing for Arsenal. I’d hardly call that damaging!
I’m sure he’d be preferable to Obertan or Ryan Taylor on the wing.
we got benny arfa dont need gervinho and wenger would love cabaye in his team
This may be one of the funniest articles I’ve ever read.
This may now be my favourite satire website, oh wait, hang on, it’s not satirical?
Oh…..
Wenger would love Cabaye in his team? We have ten Cabayes.
You have 10 Cabayes?
You have 0 Cabayes and 1 Van Persie,that’s all you got.
oh really? chamberlain, arteta, walcott, gervinho, vermaelen, koscielny, szczesny, song, rosicky… you’re telling me that none of those players are better than cabaye? gimme a break
yep none of them are better than cabaye, most of them arent even worth to be mentioned in the same breath as him
As a newcastle fan, i think he is better than all of our wingers
No he’s not, would rather have Jonas or HBA any day.
I will be back on Tuesday morning to see how mouthy you Newcastle fans are after we have hammered you…take care
Didn’t your mighty Gervinho miss his penalty in the ACN causing the the Ivory Coast to loose in the final???
He isn’t worth the price tag…Simples!
And for the clown listing “chamberlain, arteta, walcott, gervinho, vermaelen, koscielny, szczesny, song, rosicky” as players better than Cabaye. Care to list the price you paid for each player you mentioned? Here I will start…. Cabaye £4.5mil
Cabaye alomg with Mr T (Tiote are probably the best central midfielders in the whole league!
Well con-freaking-gratulations for getting a player on a free!! What is it, the first time? No wonder you’re so happy.
Gervinho suck a little dik now and then, but he’ll come good after getting a season under his belt.
And talking coups, I have some news for ya:
WE DIDN’T PAY A PENNY FOR CHAMAKH!!! 😉
No, but seriously; Wilshere, Ramsey, Frimpong, Coquelin, Afobe, Gibbs, Lansbury, Bartley, Campbell, Miyaichi, Yennaris, Chambo will become another batch of stars. The cost of having an academy that actually produces and develops talent? Priceless.
See the Arsenal advanced cheating party have started already. Why not just support your team and show a bit of class!
If the Toon can avoid getting sucked into all the Arsenal cheating, wingeing etc they may just have a chance.
Secretly fella’s they know that they may beat us, but if the right Toon turn up we will upset them.
Yes yes, because Arsenal is known for cheating —> lawl
Get a grip man, Pardew’s done a great job, creating a competitive team up north, and I’m sure a lot of teams are impressed with some of your lot’s players. But claiming Cabaye is the best thing since sliced bread is a bit overdoing it..
Lets hope for a good match tonite, and try not to hate everything!
This blogpost is amazing ..
I shall recommend it to everyone looking for a good laugh. He ended up at Arsenal instead of Newcastle for fuck sake.. he is a winger and was among the top in assist league before leaving for African Nations Cup. i like your strikers and Ben Arfa as well . but
Gervinho is better than anything you’ve got on the wing he beats his man all the time.. and we might yet make him more of a striker. Pure comedy post..
Typical arrogant arsenal fans when did you last win a trophy, stop thinking you have world beaters in your team when you’ve won naff all in how long?
well, we’ve been damn close haven’t we. On a shoe string budget at that. Thing is, when Arsenal is debt free, we will once again dominate. And when SAF retires, Manure won’t get all the decisions, and someone else can win the PL again.
LOL WHAT DID CABAYE DO? 2-1 hahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahhahahhahahaahhahahahahahahhahahahahahah
More to it, what did Gervinho do?????
There probably would’ve been only one or two minutes of injury time if Tim Krul didn’t spend 2 minutes for every goal kick. Architects of your own demise. But you’ve got Cabaye though, so what does it matter? HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
RVP to Man City very soon LOL THAT
Ben Arfa is a good player, I believe Arsenal were looking at him around the same time they signed Nasri. But chose Nasri instead. Because he’s better. Similarly Newcastle could have signed Gervinho but he chose Arsenal instead. Because they are better.
Newcastle fans of all people can’t mock Arsenal fans for not winning anything, for reasons I’m sure I don’t need to mention. It was a good match, Newcastle are having a good season, Arsenal are having a better one. Let’s leave it at that.