Rolando

I reckon Joe Kinnear is convinced this lad is RONALDO....

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/0...attle-for-highly-rated-portugal-centre-back/?

Top-flight duo are both desperate to land classy Portuguese for next season.

Newcastle United and Everton are interested in signing FC Porto defender Rolando this summer, according to reports in the Sunday Express.

The Portugal international has been at the Dragao stadium since April 2008, having initially signed for the Portuguese giants from Belenenses on a four-year contract.


And in the intervening five-year period, the 27-year-old has gone on to establish himself as not only one of the most accomplished central defenders plying their trade in the Portuguese Primera Liga, but also on the Continent.

So much so that Rolando was rewarded with his eye-catching form by being called up to the Portuguese national team for the very first time in February 2009 in a friendly against Finland, before then being chosen as part of Paulo Bento’s squad that went to the World Cup in South Africa the following year.

In fact, the centre back very nearly signed for Premier League strugglers Queens Park Rangers in the January transfer window after falling out with Porto manager Vitor Pereira, only to instead move to Serie A high-flyers Naploi on loan until the end of last season.

However, now both Newcastle and Everton are set to go head to head this summer for Rolando’s signature.

 

I've not heard of him before, but that's no surprise really as I don't follow the international scene too much these days.

If he's good enough I will welcome his addition, but Everton will be favourites to land him over us - Martinez seems to have tapped some decent resources since being installed by Bill Kenright.

 

Looked quality whenever I've seen him. I'm not sure centre back is that big a priority. We need two strikers badly. This guy isn't go to play 2nd fiddle and we already have 3 trying to go into 2 with Mbiwa, Colo, Saylor. We then have Willo and Streete. We seem ok to me?

 

I reckon Joe Kinnear is convinced this lad is RONALDO....

Let's face it, it's the way Joe would spell it.

 

I don't know, I think Joe would just call him Dave, he is so badly out of touch

 

He'll probably be calling everybody Dave.

 

Chelsea players all call Cesar Azpilicueta Dave, as they struggled to come up with a nickname using his surname

 

Don't think JK could get his tongue around that one either.

 

Please tell me his surname is Rat, I would deffo sign him purely on that basis.

Plus I can just imagine Joe insisting how proud he his to finally "get his Rat out" at the player's unveiling...

And then refer to him as Ronaldo for good measure.

 

If we are to buy a CB - needs to be an advanced development player with a little bit more first team experience but is still young and won't expect to play too many games.

 

Surely you aren't suggesting we sign:

Răzvan Dincă Raţ (born 26 May 1981) is a Romanian footballer who plays as a defender for West Ham United in the Premier League. Raţ is also a Romania international and is currently the first-choice left-back for his country. He also serves as the first-choice captain of the national team. He made his international debut in 2002 and has represented Romania at the Euro 2008. Raţ first captained his country in 2005, in the friendly match against Nigeria in the absence of regular captain Cristian Chivu and on 2 September 2011, he was appointed captain. He is seventh most capped Romanian player.

 

I wouldn't be raging at the heavens if we signed someone ready to push for a staring place immediately, someone who may or may not be this Rolando fellow.