Why Newcastle United won’t sign ex-West Ham man this month - despite ‘99 percent chance’ claim
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Newcastle United transfer news: The Magpies have been linked with a strange and surprising move for one former West Ham defender.
The January transfer window has just four days left to run and Newcastle United have been involved in a number of ridiculous rumours throughout the month.
Heading into the window, it was expected that the Magpies would be quiet and instead let business fall around them. However, injuries to Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar in the first few days of January may have forced them into the market.
As the winter window passed its 14-day mark, Eddie Howe had just four fit senior defenders to pick from. A move to strengthen their defensive options was considered, as was recalling Matt Targett from his loan at Middlesbrough, however, it appears that they will instead stick with their lot and hope they can get through to the end of the season, or at the very least until Schar and Livramento return to fitness, without further defensive injuries.
That, though, hasn’t prevented them from being linked with one former Premier League defender.
Newcastle United linked with shock move for ex-West Ham man
With the transfer rumour mill in full flow, the Magpies have been linked with a surprise move for former West Ham defender Kurt Zouma in recent weeks. Zouma is currently a free agent having left Romanian outfit CFR Cluj earlier this month.
The former Chelsea and Everton man had moved to Romania in September on a free transfer from the London Stadium and once again finds himself as a free agent. According to reports, the 31-year-old has been offered to a number of Premier League clubs, with Newcastle United among those to have been offered the chance to sign him on a free transfer.
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Despite a stretched squad and depleted defensive numbers, the Magpies won’t be making a move for Zouma this month. A plethora of injury issues have plagued Zouma in recent seasons, with Cluj chief Iuliu Muresan revealing back in December that those injury issues would likely lead to Zouma’s departure.
“He wants to play, he has quality character, he has an impressive physique, but he has some problems with both knees,” Muresan said. “It’s hard for him to play football at this level anymore. The chances are 99 per cent that he will leave, yes.”
Zouma’s injury record, coupled with the fact he was not deemed good enough to play for West Ham, a side currently occupying a place in the Premier League relegation zone, means that the former French international was never a serious target this month with all reports on Newcastle United’s interest likely being driven by the player’s representatives.
With a quiet end to the window anticipated on Tyneside, even loan deals look an unlikely option for Newcastle United before Monday’s deadline: “It's very difficult to use the loan market effectively for us,” Howe said on Tuesday. “There's not too many clubs around the world desperate to help us, due to the fact we're competitors. That's not to say we wouldn't look if it became available.”
The January transfer window closes at 7pm on Monday 2 February. Europe’s other top leagues will also close their mid-season transfer windows on Monday.