The Newcastle faithful have enjoyed an up and down season thus far, but even if things get worse from here on out, they can still rejoice that they’re not Fulham fans.
As things currently stand, the Cottagers are firmly embedded in the relegation zone, boasting a goal difference of -15. They’ve played sixteen games this season and have won just four. Fantastic stuff.
Part of the problem has been Dimitar Berbatov, who has spent large swathes of the season looking like he doesn’t give a damn. The Bulgarian has always had a nonchalant side to his game. He’s deeply arrogant and highly talented.
But when he’s at his best, he plays with a real swagger. When he’s on song, he makes football look effortless and graceful. Unfortunately, this swagger has been largely absent this season and Fulham have suffered as a result. Beyond Berbatov, Fulham are somewhat lacking in talented, experienced Premier League players.
Admittedly, his performances have improved measurably since Rene Meulensteen took over. He’s working a little harder and making more of an impact. He’s also scored a couple of audacious penalties in his last couple of games.
The cynics among us may well feel that Berbatov has upped his game in anticipation of the January transfer window. Is the 32-year-old attempting to create an exit route for himself out of Craven Cottage? His agent, Emil Dantchev’s most recent comments suggest that could be the case:
“I don’t usually speculate as nobody knows what will happen in January but what I can tell you is he (Berbatov) is not happy at Fulham. He would like, if possible, to find another option.”
The Mirror have followed up these quotes by suggesting that Newcastle are in the running to sign him. With loan star Loic Remy’s future uncertain, I’m glad to see that Alan Pardew is already weighing up his options.
Berbatov may not be the player he once was, but he still has the quality to significantly improve this Newcastle side.
With six months left on his Fulham deal, Berbatov could be available for as little as £2m. He may not be the most dynamic player, but he is supremely talented. For that price, I’d argue that that is a gamble worth taking for Newcastle United.
What’s your take? Should the Magpies move in for this unhappy Fulham star?
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Lazy journalism. As if mike would sign anyone even close to 30. We don’t want or need a sulky slow high earner at the club. Gouffran was little more than 2 mill and he’s banging them in so lets see who else Graham Carr has got lined up and whoever it is will pl$$ all over berbatovs boots.
PLEASE TAKE him
In one word NO
I’m a toon fan and the only way we would take him is if u paid us 2 million cause he’s crap
Not a chance that this will happen. He is too old and the wages he will want will price him out of a move.
I can’t read your stupid article on mobile because you’ve got a stupid advert appearing every time I move down the page . Idiots
John Barnes, Ian Rush, ….. Dimitar Berbatov….. No Thanks…. Far too old for us, what’s the point in paying him £80.000+ a week x 104 weeks ( over 2 yrs) which is £ 8,320,000 in wages alone then another 2 million to sign him??? And it’s dead money.
When you can unearth talent at half the price that is an investment and will rise in cost – Mike Ashley is a business man, he doesn’t flog the dead horse , he nurtures the young and sells them at a profit
So let’s buy someone new who has excellent potential, pay reasonable wages ( which we expect to rise in cost over a few years ) sell them at a profit when we can replace them with cheaper talent….
Forget the has been’ s and the end of career hanger on’ners…. PLEASE NO MORE DEAD MONEY SIGNINGS ….EVER let’s buy raw talent and make a profit, let’s have some home grown talent too – LOOK AT KRUL !!!!
He’s a Newcastle fan himself so may actually put in the “swagger” that he’s been missing at Fulham for us, still unsure though at 32. Would rather try and get Ba back or go for someone like Long or De Jong