Newcastle United

Mbemba medical done as Newcastle haggle over Porto deal

|
Image for Mbemba medical done as Newcastle haggle over Porto deal

Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba has already undergone a medical and agreed terms with Porto but the Magpies’ demands of £8million (€9million) have caused the move to take a twist, according to A Bola.

The Portuguese publication claim in today’s print edition (Tuesday, 17/07) that the Premier League outfit had given the 23-year-old permission to go and finalise the finer details of his move, but that it is being held up by what Porto deem to be a surprise asking price.

It is stated that the Portuguese club were expecting a fee of just £6.2million (€7million) to secure his capture, and that negotiations are still ongoing to come to some sort of agreement despite the unexpected hitch.

Good move for Newcastle?

There should be question marks over why they are letting Mbemba leave for just £8million, so Porto must have thought they were onto the deal of the summer with their expected price tag.

The defender might be out of favour under Rafael Benitez but he still has something to offer with his versatility, and a team that can get the best out of him will have a resolute powerhouse on their hands.

Selling him will obviously help bring in added funds for Benitez’s own transfer recruitment drive, hence the cut price, but it still does not work out particularly favourable for Newcastle, as a quality replacement will cost much more than the fee they are receiving.

This is Futbol rating: 5/10

Likely to happen?

The €2million difference in valuation should not take too long to sort out, and with all the other necessary bits of business done, this move should be in the bag for Porto.

Of course, they might have a set price they are not willing to go above, and if that is the case, Newcastle may have to search for another suitor.

This is Futbol rating: 9/10

Share this article