Tag: Rafa Benitez

Rondon – West Brom striker joins Newcastle on loan

Rondon - West Brom striker joins Newcastle on loan

Newcastle United have completed the signing of Salomon Rondon on a season-long loan from West Brom.

The agreement sees Dwight Gayle move in the opposite direction on a season-long loan with the recently relegated side West Brom in the  2018/19 Championship seas.

Dwight Gayle scored 23 goals in Newcastle‘s 2016/17 Championship-winning season but struggled to find the net in the following Premier League season, scoring just 6 goals. Now he heads back to the Championship with the Baggies, hoping to hit the ground running and replicate the prolific tally of his last stint in the Championship.

Newcastle boss, Rafa Benitez said: “I am delighted to sign Salomon. When we were looking for options up front, we knew how important experience would be. Salomón has been in the Premier League for a while and he knows how demanding it is.” 

“He, together with Yoshinori Muto, will give us different options and will improve the competition between the strikers, which is always positive for the team.”

https://twitter.com/BlackWhiteBarmy/status/1026195843345465344

Rondon began his career at Aragua in his motherland before moving to Spain in 2008, where he experienced prolific seasons with Las Palmas and Málaga. In  2012, he joined Rubin Kazan, where his form attracted fellow Russian Premier League side Zenit St. Petersburg. After just over a year at the Russian club, he joined West Brom ahead of the 2015/16 campaign. 

The 28-year-old striker has scored 19 goals and earned 66 caps for Venezuela.

Rondon said: “It’s an honour to be here and I’m excited to get started with my teammates. The clubs were talking for a long time and now I’m focused on the season to help my teammates to get the points to do well this season. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and I knew about the interest of the gaffer, so I’m happy to be here.”

Rondon becomes the Magpies‘ 6th summer signing after goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka, winger Kenedy, midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung, defender Fabian Schar and striker Yoshinori Muto. 

Newcastle host Spurs in their opening fixture of the 2018/19 Premier League season on Saturday.

Yoshinori Muto – Japanese striker signs for Newcastle United

Yoshinori Muto signs for Newcastle United

Newcastle United have completed the signing of Japanese international Yoshinori Muto from Bundesliga side Mainz 05.

Yoshinori Muto was waiting on an FA Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) hearing in order to get the permission to complete his move to Newcastle. The striker failed to fulfil the automatic criteria for an FA GBE, having not played enough international matches for Japan in the recent years.

Yoshinori Muto agreed on personal terms and completed the medical last Friday ahead of a permanent switch from Mainz. The fee was reported to be around £9.5 million. He also signed a 4-year-contract with the Premier League side after he was granted a work permit after the hearing.

The 26-year-old, who has also earned 25 caps for his nation, told the club’s official website that he was “honoured” to become Newcastle’s first ever Japanese player.

Muto said: “I am really looking forward to playing in front of the fans. As the first Japanese Newcastle player, I am honoured to be a player for such a big club. 

“I hope to achieve good results – that is what I am here to do. I would like to perform well and leave my name in Newcastle’s history.”

Newcastle head coach Rafa Benitez affirmed that the club had been tracking the Japan international for some time before the forward became the club’s 5th signing of the summer.

Benitez said: “I am really pleased to have Yoshinori Muto with us. We were following him for quite a while. Hopefully, he can bring us his energy and work-rate and help the team to improve and be better for the new season.”

Newcastle have also sold Aleksandar Mitrovic to Premier League rivals Fulham last week generating a healthy fund of £22m. He becomes the 5th signing for the club following the arrivals of Martin Dubrvaka from Sparta Prague, Swansea captain Ki Sung-Yeung, Fabian Schar, and Kenedy on loan from Chelsea. 

Also, read: Fabian Schar – Newcastle Sign Switzerland International From Deportivo

Fabian Schar – Newcastle sign Switzerland international from Deportivo

Fabian Schar - Newcastle

Newcastle United have completed the signing of Swiss defender Fabian Schar from La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna.

The Premier League side reportedly activated the defender’s £3 million release clause to bring him to St. James Park. Fabian Schar signed a 3-year-contract with the club.

Rafa Benitez heaped praises, talking about the defender. The boss believed that the signing was an important one and his arrival would bring the much-needed competition at the back for Newcastle.

Rafa Benitez: “I’m really pleased to welcome Fabian to Newcastle. He is an international, did well in the World Cup and has great experience. He adds competition in this position and that is a positive for the team.”

Fabian Schar left Swiss side Basel to for Hoffenheim in 2015 where he made 30 appearances before trading the German club for Deportivo last year. The 26-year-old centre-back has earned 42 caps for Switzerland and was a crucial player as they reached the knockout stage of the World Cup this year.

Talking to the club’s website, Schar revealed his strengths and playing style which might be exciting for the fans to hear.

Fabian Schar: “I’m really happy to be here. The club is a really big club for me. It has a big name, and it is a brilliant chance for me.

“I’m not like a typical defender. I, of course, defend, but I’m quite good with the ball – I like to play, I want to build up the game from behind, and I think that is a strength of mine. I have also scored some headers – that could also be a strength and hopefully, I can use it here. I hope to start training with the team soon, and I’m looking forward to everything that’s coming. At the moment, I just want to get started.”

Fabian Schar becomes the 4th signing for Newcastle so far this summer. Martin Dubravka‘s loan from Sparta Prague being made permanent for £3.6 million, Ki Sung-Yeung on a free transfer from relegated Swansea and Kenedy on loan from Chelsea after a successful stint in the second half of last season.

Newcastle United start their Premier League season at home against Tottenham Hotspur on 11th August.

Mitrovic – Newcastle striker set to join Fulham

Mitrovic - Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic is set for a permanent move to Fulham after a £22 million bid was accepted by fellow Premier League side Newcastle, according to Sky Sports.

Mitrovic left Newcastle‘s Portuguese training camp on Saturday to finalise his move Fulham. Talks have been held over the last few days to acquire Mitrovic after his four-month loan spell with the club ended in June.

Negotiations were going in the wrong direction with Fulham originally prepared to pay just £16 million, while the Magpies wanted £18 million. It is surmised that the final fee is around £22 million, which could rise as high as £27 million with potential add-ons.

Mitrovic joined the Magpies from Anderlecht in 2015 after scoring 44 goals in 90 appearances for the Belgian side. But the striker has since struggled to perform on the same level with Newcastle, scoring on just 17 occasions in his 72 matches for the English club.

The 23-year-old showed fine form in the Championship, netting 12 times in 20 games while on loan at Fulham last season, as the club obtained promotion to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs. Mitrovic also played in all 4 of Serbia‘s games at the World Cup this year, scoring a single goal in the campaign.

Rafa Benitez indicated earlier in July that he was being urged to “wheel and deal” in this summer’s transfer market and was bound sell players in order to generate funds.

Rafael Benitez defended Mitrovic’s sale saying: “It means we can bring in another striker and we can be stronger. Yes [Mitrovic’s departure means the signing of another striker].

We did this business with Muto because we needed to do something more. I don’t control the accounts but if you do the maths we have enough money.”

 

Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto has already agreed to join the Magpies from Bundesliga side, Mainz. But the 26-year-old striker must wait for next week’s hearing over his work permit to finalise the move. 

Fulham have already signed Andre Schurrle on loan, Fabri from Besiktas,  Maxime Le Marchand and Jean Michael Seri from Nice.

Fulham start their Premier League campaign at home against Crystal Palace while Newcastle host Tottenham on 11th August.

Mbemba joins FC Porto from Newcastle United

Mbemba - FC Porto

FC Porto have completed the signing of Chancel Mbemba from Premier League side Newcastle United in a fee reported to be around £7.2 million.

The DR Congo international leaves The Magpies after three seasons. The 23-year-old defender made 59 appearances for Newcastle, scoring once, after joining from Anderlecht in July 2015 but was restricted to just 7 Premier League appearances last season.

The defender took to Twitter to thank the fans of the Magpies: “Thanks to all the fans of NUFC for the love you showed me!! I’ll never forget that!”

Head Coach Rafael Benitez has indicated the club must engage in commercial scheming, especially unscrupulously in this summer’s transfer market to raise funds for new players.

Benitez told Sky Sports News last week: “We have to wheel and deal. That is the way for us. And then we try to continue doing the right things.

“We are trying to sign a characteristic of players, it’s not just named, big names, because they will be too expensive for us, but we are trying to sign players that can do a job for the team.

“As soon as the price goes a little bit higher, I know that we cannot buy them, so we have to be realistic with our budget, and then maybe sell some players and buy some players.”

A strong and versatile centre-back, who can play on the flanks as well, Mbemba can fit anywhere in the back line of a team.

Mbemba told the club’s website“Everyone knows FC Porto are a great club. It is a great happiness for me. I remember being in Africa and seeing Porto win the Champions League.”

Newcastle have made 3 signings so far this summer – Ki Sung-Yueng on a free from Swansea, Kenedy on loan from Chelsea, and Martin Dubravka from Sparta Prague.

Newcastle are scheduled to face Porto in a preseason friendly on Saturday.