Newcastle United came up against West Ham winger Stewart Downing on Saturday at St James’ Park and the former Liverpool player looked fairly impressive, so the question has to be: at 29 years of age, was he really too old for Newcastle to sign him?
We all know about Newcastle’s strict transfer policy of not signing players over the age of 26, and that has been confirmed by Downing as he spoke to the Mirror yesterday.
Downing said: “There were things going on in the background and Newcastle enquired about me, but it sounds like their owners are similar to Liverpool on transfer fees and wages and the player’s age.”
The England international continued: “That all comes into the equation, and I think that was obviously a problem for Alan Pardew, but when I spoke to Sam Allardyce he wanted me straight away.”
So Pardew wanted Downing but the Newcastle hierarchy essentially blocked a move? If that’s the case then why register an interest in the player in the first place?
Now, by no means am I saying that we should have signed Stewart Downing, I don’t think he’d have been a good signing for the club, but should Newcastle be so strict on which players they can and can’t buy and what they can and can’t offer?
It just seems like they’re restricting their options somewhat…
I wouldn’t take it personally Stu, nobody seems ‘right’ for NUFC this summer!.
He wouldn’t have been my first choice but he would certainly get in ahead of Jonas and Sammi for me like.
Marv did well against WH but I think he’s more a central no. 10 type player than wide player IMO.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Darren Bent told a similar story. Wanted by Pardew but blocked coz of age and wages.
Again neither would be my first choice but being honest, both would improve our current squad and I’d even agree that both would have played against WH if we had them