Newcastle United pull plug on Saido Berahino and Andros Townsend dealsNewcastle United are due to pull out of deals with Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion that would have seen winger Andros Townsend and striker Saido Berahino move to St James’ Park.Despite talk of the two England internationals arriving in this window, Telegraph Sport has been told no progress has been made on either deal, with frustration turning into irritation at St James’ Park.
Newcastle have money to spend and a desire to spend it, but they have become exasperated with the extortionate asking prices and are considering whether to move on to alternative targets.
There is even talk within St James’ Park that Newcastle will pull the plug on any more incoming transfers, having already signed Jonjo Shelvey from Swansea City and Henri Saivet from Bordeaux this month for a combined cost of more than £16 million.
As the signing of a striker was head coach Steve McClaren’s main priority this month, the situation looks particular bleak regarding Townsend.
Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy has raised the asking price from £12m to £14m, even though the winger is not in manager Maurico Pochettino’s first team plans.
Townsend is furious, but there is little he can do about it as he still has 18-months left on his contract.
Newcastle, who are already planning to bid for Burnley striker Andre Gray in the summer, have inquired about signing Townsend on loan until the end of the season, with a view to making the move permanent in June, but Levy is refusing to negotiate.
A move for Berahino has also been discussed at boardroom level, however,
WBA informed Newcastle last week that the player was not for sale and the Magpies have not made a bid, even though they have been encouraged to do so by people linked to the striker.
Newcastle made a half-hearted attempt to sign Berahino in the summer, but were comfortably outbid by Tottenham and there are fears they are being used to flush out WBA Chairman Jeremy Peace to try and facilitate a move to another Premier League club.
If WBA accept a bid from Newcastle – and the Magpies, pushed by McClaren, are contemplating offering as much as £20m for the 22-year-old – it will set the size of the fee and rivals, like Spurs, could pounce.
Berahino’s representatives have made sure it is widely known that their client wants to leave the Hawthorns this month, but WBA are not going to be forced into selling him against their will.
Newcastle could have to offer as much as £24m to tempt Peace to sell and that is more than the Magpies are willing to pay for a player whose attitude has been repeatedly questioned by WBA manager Tony Pulis.
As a result, Newcastle are going to take a backward step and will wait to see whether either Spurs or WBA want TO reopen talks before the window closes.
Given former Brentford striker Gray cannot leave Burnley this month, as he has already played for two clubs this season, Newcastle may have to gamble and wait to sign another striker until the summer.That will not satisfy McClaren, who has lost Papiss Cissé to a long term injury and is still waiting for Aleksandar Mitrovic to settle in English football, but he appreciates deals are difficult to do in January.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/12112971/Newcastle-United-pull-plug-on-Saido-Berahino-and-Andros-Townsend-deals.html
