The Brazilian defender can fill in for the injured Steven Taylor.
Newcastle United have had a start to the season beyond the wildest of expectations of most fans- yet a 4-2 defeat to Norwich at Carrow Road brought them back crashing down to earth.
The damage was done in their defeat to Chelsea, with Steven Taylor picking up a season ending injury and Fabricio Coloccini also forced out.
Playing Danny Simpson, a full-back, and James Perch, not a Premier League standard player at centre back was asking for trouble and Norwich found them out instantly.
Manager Alan Pardew needs to sign defensive reinforcements that much is clear.
His number one target should be Chelsea’s transfer listed defender, Alex.
After Nicolas Anelka was ushered out to China through the back door, Chelsea are unlikely to ask for a hefty transfer fee, as Villas-Boas seems desperate to get rid of Alex.
Quite why, is open to interpretation, it seems a clash of personalities between player and management has alienated the defender, who began the season in Chelsea’s side.
The Brazilian would be a great addition to Newcastle. Strong, experienced in the Premier League, and available at a cut-down price.
His transfer fee would be unlikely to top £3 million, a bargain for a Premier League winner with Champions League experience.
He has a flamboyant side which would get the fans onside too, scoring memorable free-kicks against Arsenal last season and versus Liverpool in the Champions League.
Alex doesn’t have to be a permanent fix for Newcastle, but he can form a partnership with fellow South American Coloccini to take the club through to the end of the season.
He would also have an opportunity to cement a place in the side. One of the reasons he struggled at times at Chelsea was through constant rotation policies of various managers, in one week, out the next.
Newcastle will face competition for his signature, with Tottenham also rumoured to be interested, but as the Magpies are not perceived to be a direct threat to Chelsea, they could have the edge when the blues make a final decision on selling him on.
A cheeky enquiry is the very least Mike Ashley could do, and he should start making his approach now before the defender gets snapped up.
– Newcastle fans, would you be happy with signing Alex? Are Chelsea fans happy with his sale?
images: © marc_tacoma, © Jason Bagley
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