http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,11678_7081256,00.html An injury to Tranquilo Barnetta looks set to scupper a move away from Bayer Leverkusen this month, his agent has confirmed. Barnetta has been strongly linked with a move to Newcastle, whilst Wigan and Sunderland are also thought to have an interest. However, speaking exclusively to skysports.com, his agent Franco Moretti has confirmed that Barnetta picked up an injury this week. "It is unfortunate but Tranquilo picked up an injury this week, which means he is not even thinking about moving," he said. "It is a muscle injury which could rule him out for three weeks, so at the moment his only concern is about getting fit." There has been confusion about Barnetta's representation, but Moretti confirmed that he had held talks with Newcastle and that everything was going well. "Newcastle acted properly throughout, we know somebody was claiming things they should not have been, but we wanted to make sure everyone was aware that the club did everything they should," he continued. "Newcastle, and other clubs we have been talking to, have been very good with us. "But at the moment a deal is not in the offing, although in football you never know - it all depends on how quickly Tranquilo recovers, it could still happen - but we will have to wait and see."
I'm really starting to believe that this McIntosh bloke was just some mental person, the local schizophrenic who bumped into a journo somewhere! "Who? Barney? Barnetta, sorry? Oh yeaaahhh, us mates call him Barney. I'm his agent you know"... And so on.
Not having much luck are we. But he cant pass a medical with a muscle injury but like people have said we only sign injured players now anyways.
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, your crocked players ........................................... Sound familiar?
Good to read that as a proper quote (although agent McIntosh' was 'quoted' also I guess) .. puts all the shifty, dodgy, conspiracy theories to bed on how NUFC do their transfer dealings ..
I'd prefer to keep Joey Barton, as I don't think Barnetta is actually as good. Use the money saved to spend a bit more on a decent striker, which should clearly be our absolute No 1 prioity for the coming season. Even teams like Fulham and Stoke - which, no disrespect we should be aiming to better than -have Zamorra, Andy Johnson, Kenwynne Jones etc., all of whom are probably better than what we currently have.
He's injured you say. Well he is the perfect fit. I decided we needed to send a delegation of our injury prone players over to seal the deal. I have booked seats with EasyJet for Steven "not the shoulder again" Taylor, Benny "Lets all kill De Jong" Arthur, Demba Kneeba, Dan "Im fine, arrgghhh" Gosling, Sylvain "too much loving I've knacked my groin" Marveaux, Shola "Perma Crock" Ameobi, Tamas "injured again" Kadar and Haris "I'm brilliant when on the pitch" Vuckic. Once he hears about the medical treatment and how considerate we are with injured players, the wages won't matter.
Send him a brochure from the medical team. Page 1: Big heading - "WE REBUILT THE LEGEND, ICON, AMBASSADOR; MICHAEL OWEN - TWICE" > Image of Owen on the pitch in a black n white shirt (may be hard to source) Page 2: Big heading: - "EVER HEARD OF KEIRON DYER?" > Image: Recent image of Dyer playing (see above issues) Page 3: Big heading: - "KWICK FIT? PAH! WE ARE KWICK FIX" > Image: The new Michael Owen wing of the medical centre
Are you suggesting we have a history of signing injury prone players, paying them extortinate wages and generally being mugs? I resent that, we've been unlucky. Take Marcelino.................oh hang on
