OPINION
There have not been too many players who have made a success out of playing for Newcastle United after a stint with Sunderland – and it seemed as though there was another prospective flop lined up to swap Wearside for Tyneside – via Milan.
The Magpies had been reported by TuttoMercatoWeb to have tabled an offer for AC Milan’s striker Fabio Borini – known on English shores for his time at both Sunderland and Liverpool – as manager Rafael Benitez looked to bolster the attacking options at his disposal.
It seemed a strange deal on paper, the Italian having struggled to make any sort of mark at the San Siro after leaving England with just 16 Premier League goals in 111 top flight appearances, a record hardly worthy of mention.
However, it seems as though the Toon Army can rejoice at not having to cheer on a man who once tormented them in red and white stripes, with Calcio Mercato stating that Borini’s agent is in fact heading to Hong Kong – rather than Newcastle’s Chinatown, which stands in the shadow of St James’ Park – to hold key talks over a move to Shenzen.
Borini simply does not tick any boxes for the Magpies and his history with the Stadium of Light outfit means he would hardly be welcomed with open arms by the Newcastle faithful.
Whether this was paper talk or there was something actually in Newcastle’s interest will be consigned to history, but the Magpies have dodged a serious bullet by missing out on his capture.