Newcastle United reportedly offered Premier League rivals West Ham United Chancel Mbemba in exchange for Diafra Sakho.
Newcastle United’s lack of transfer activity this summer has made for enough column inches all on its own.
To the eternal frustration of manager Rafa Benitez and the whole of the St James’ Park faithful, Mike Ashley appears utterly reluctant to fund permanent deals for new faces this month.
This is why Newcastle are in the unfortunate position of not even being able to afford a permanent deal for West Ham United’s Diafra Sakho. It is understood that The Hammers would ask for about £12 million for the Malian but that would eat up most, if not all, of Newcastle’s January budget.
This perhaps explains, then, why the Magpies offered West Ham Chancel Mbemba as part of a swap deal designed to take Sakho to Tyneside, according to the Sun, after Newcastle failed in an attempt to sign him on loan.
It is understood, however, that West Ham rejected the offer as manager David Moyes only wants to sell Sakho for cash. But should he have given the deal more thought? After all, it could suit all parties on paper.
West Ham seem to be keen to add another centre-back to their ranks this month amid links with the likes of Jonny Evans and Lille’s Adama Soumaoro, who would both be out of the club’s price range with valuations of around £20 million. Mbemba, however, could be a readymade, and younger, replacement for the exit-linked James Collins.
And the Congolese powerhouse would surely be a more useful addition to the Hammers squad than Sakho, who has not started a Premier League game all season long.
West Ham may end up getting £12 million from Sakho’s sale. But whether this is enough to afford a defender, as well as help fund deals for a striker and a left-back, remains to be seen.
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