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FIVE Frenchmen En Route to Newcastle

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Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa

With Steven Taylor out for the season, Newcastle were always going to be vulnerable should either Williamson or Coloccini pick up an injury. This obviously came to pass and Newcastle lined up with only one speciality centre-half on show against Liverpool. A centre-half is thus very much a priority for the Tyneside club and in keeping with our French theme we now look to Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

22-year old Yanga-Mbiwa has been a regular for high-flying Montpellier this season and has also been attracting interest from Arsenal. He has been holding out on signing a new contract which sees his current deal expire at the end of next season. This may prompt Montpellier to cash in on their star defender this summer rather than see him leave for nothing.

The £5 million figure that has been touted seems about right given Newcastle’s recent transfer dealings. Yanga-Mbiwa is an imposing presence at centre-half and would certainly provide much sturdier competition than Williamson and Perch.

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Romain Amalfitano

Possibly a player for the future this one. Romain Amalfitano is a 22-year old attacking midfielder who is out of contract in the summer. Currently playing for Stade Reims in Ligue 2, Amalfitano would definitely be squad player at the club, with the hierarchy possibly viewing this transfer as a business deal with a view to selling him on in a couple of years, thats assuming the hierarchy don’t view all deals that way.

The step up from Ligue 2 to the EPL is obviously a huge one and at 22 the potential for development is not as great were Newcastle to sign a teenage prospect. That said, this does seem to be a win-win for the club. Picking up a player of Amalfitano’s potential for the price of a signing on fee represents good business and I fully expect this one to go through this summer.

Geoffrey Kondogbia

Another player here with bags of potential is Lens player and French U-19 international Geoffrey Kondogbia. A defensive midfielder by trade, Kondogbia can also play at centre-half and left back. Although not quite the finished article, Kondogbia is rated as one of the best young defensive midfield prospects in France and has been linked with the likes of Juventus in recent weeks. Contracted until the end of the 2013/14 season, Kondogbia would command a much higher price than Amalfitano, but would still represent good value at a reported £1.5 million.

Part of the Lens squad that was relegated in 2010/11, Kondogbia does have experience in the French top-flight and as any Newcastle fan will tell you, the experience gained by being relegated is invaluable.

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1 comment

  • Toon69 says:

    Why not just employ the whole French national team bcause the way it’s going, we’ll have to move SJP to France.. lol

    I hope we get Pieters in, seen him play & he’s class… wouldn’t mind another striker who won’t shoot of the ACoN along with Ba & Cisse, so a French or Dutch striker would be a plus, wonder if RVP would be willing to move north… only kidding, he’s too old… lol

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