Hristov delivers major coup in the summer market!
View attachment 421779
Rob Lee
Published at 10:31AM, June 9 2014
Dimiter Hristov hinted earlier this morning that something is in the pipeline but refused to go into details. Some journalists suspected it was a smokescreen to ease the pressure after selling a number first team players but the latest official club statement has dispersed these doubts: "
Newcastle United are honoured to announce the signing of
Liverpool superstar striker
Luis Suarez (27) for a club record fee of
37.0 million pounds." Further information from my sources in the club clarifies the payment is structured with 15.0 million pounds straight cash and additional 22.0 million pounds due over the next 48 months. Whatever the details this is a captivating transfer which puts Newcastle straight back on the world football map just like the arrival of legend Alan Shearer some eighteen years ago. Suarez needs little introduction but let's remind those who happen to fall from the moon the Uruguay international has 45 goals in 80 caps for his country and scored 88 league goals in Uruguay, Holland and England - 46 of which in the Premier League.
Hristov has kept true to another promise he made in March as
Newcastle also confirmed the signing of German winger
Markus Grimm (16) from homeclub
Stuttgart for
1.0 million pounds fee set by a tribunal. Markus fits the profile of extremely promising youngsters Hristov promised to bring to the club after widespread scouting.
Markus Grimm joins the trio of previously announced
Pero Sunara,
Christos Ntaflas and
Sercan Akarsu, who have also arrived at the club training grounds.
With so many up and coming talents arriving at Saint James' Park it is little surprise
Newcastle decided to let some of the current crop go. Midfielder
Shane Ferguson (22) has moved on to
Crystal Palace for
3.5 million pounds after spending the past two seasons on loan with Birmingham.
Usually we'd be disappointed with a club youth academy product leaving but not today. There is nothing to catalyze a long summer for a football fan like a big, big transfer so early in the window. You could see Hristov was aware of this when he faced the media:
Reporter: Incredible coup, Mr. Hristov! How did you pull the Suarez deal out? It was widely expected he would leave for a bigger club.
Dimiter Hristov: Bigger club, come again? How much bigger do you get than Newcastle? To answer the question, we acted fast to make sure the deal was wrapped up before other clubs could move in. The reason we were in such a hurry to sell Taylor, Marveaux and Gouffran was we needed cash in the bank account before the board had even met to discuss our budget for the season. And we managed to do it, barely.
Reporter: Can we expect further fireworks from you this window?
Dimiter Hristov: I won't reveal my targets in the media but yes, it is clear for everybody we are short of a defender and a winger, probably. Damien and I have knocked on a number of doors to check how the market is and you would be amazed, you would be mesmerized with the quality of the players available this summer. I mean players who are beyond our financial reach - I am sorry this is happening a year or two too early for us to take such a financial gamble.
Reporter: One last question. Will you look to sell more players and are you confident of keeping your best players when the big... when the financial powerhouse clubs come knocking?
Dimiter Hristov: I promise that no player I don't want to sell will leave the club.
Interesting approach by Hristov to probably put pressure on big spenders - he's basicly saying "Here, we got Suarez, and boy there are even bigger fish available out there. Who did you get?"
Luis Suarez transfer verdict: 10/10 - world class player on cut-price fee from relegated Liverpool - you just don't get any better than this!
Marcus Grimm transfer verdict: 6.5/10 - the young German looks a true gem for the future.
Shane Ferguson transfer verdict: 6.5/10 - good business by the club considering Shane would never make it to the first team. The fee is also higher than his market value.
The board have also announced the transfer budget available from this point on and we will keep the tracker on it as promised:
Newcastle transfer budget: 29.85 million pounds (29.85 million initial)