Sofiane Feghouli linked

Newcastle are said to be interested in the signature of Valencia’s versatile winger Sofiane Feghouli.

http://www.nufcfans.co.uk/2012/11/guillem-balague-newcastle-united-valencia-sofiane-feghouli/?

According to Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague, Newcastle want to sign the Algerian footballer who could be available for a fee of around £12m. Speaking to the Sun, Balague said:

“His buy-out clause is £20.2m but Valencia are the kind of club that are selling everybody at the moment, so he could go for much less. He has the quality to play for Arsenal or Man Utd and I reckon you can get him for £12m.


“For that value, if anybody wants a winger, he’s a good bet. He says he wants to stay but his contract is up in 2014 and he earns less than £1m a year, which anybody in England can pay. I believe Newcastle are after him.

“He’s a good bet for anyone who wants a winger. Valencia will sell and Newcastle could move for him.”

Feghouli joined Valencia from Grenoble in 2010. He has made 39 appearances and scored nine goals since joining the Spanish club. He has also featured on the international stage seven times for Algeria, scoring two goals in the process.

Balague clearly rates Feghouli highly, after stating that he could play for Manchester United, the pundit thinks his versatility is one of this main qualities:

“Feghouli is very versatile as he is a right-back who can also play right wing and he’s developing into a forward. He’s coming to the fore and looking quite good.”

 

Guillem is quite a good source to be fair.
This lad sounds right up our street as he seems quite versatile on the right hand side.
If we did go in for him it would surely sound the death knell for Obertans time at our club.
At £12m though I'm not sure Mike would pay... not with only a year or so on his contract.

 

I doubt we'd buy a player for a position we have cover in unless they knew they were going to be shipping others off the wage bill (Guti, Ben Arfa, Sammy, Obertan, Ferguson and Raylor all cover wings for us and that's not taking into account the likes of Anita stepping in- no comment on their ability/ best positions there!). I agree we could strengthed there but i don't see it being done.

 

12m? I have my doubts Mike will risk that sort of money in his January card shuffle.

 

A - He is too expensive
B - We can forget ANY players coming in with selling at least one of our best players.

 

Only one of those players, Ben Arfa is a first team winger, or a 'purple' if you want to use that horrific phrase. Jonas is mister utility and shouldn't be in our best 11 now, Anita is a central midfielder, Taylor is a utility RB and the other 2 are kids, that were free and are on no money at all. Interesting a decent source like Ballague has said this, but Feghouli is very, very good and I'm sure any real interest from us would prompt 'bigger' clubs to come out and go for him.