Newcastle United can reflect positively on the fact that they missed out on some of these players.
Newcastle fans may be urging the club to show some more intent in the transfer market, but sometimes missing out on potential targets has proved to be a major blessing.
With that in mind, HITC Sport has compiled a list of eight players who Newcastle came close to signing down the years who probably left the fans delighted when they ended up not signing for the Magpies…
Modibo Maiga
Modibo Maiga failed a medical at Newcastle back in December 2011, the Chronicle reported at the time. He would arrive in the Premier League in 2012, joining West Ham. He would leave after three seasons, during which he scored four league goals in 34 appearances.
Luis Boa Morte
Newcastle would bid £3.5 million for Luis Boa Morte in 2005, only for the bid to be rejected by Fulham, The Telegraph reported. Though he scored six league goals the following season, he would score twice more during the remaining nine seasons of his career.
Derby County’s Darren Bent
Darren Bent
The Telegraph reported in 2013 that Newcastle wanted Darren Bent after a season where he scored three Premier League goals in 16 games for Aston Villa. He would join Fulham on loan, scoring three in 24 top flight games as the Cottagers were relegated. He has not scored a Premier League goal since.
Ravel Morrison
According to the Daily Mail back in 2012, Newcastle made a bid for Ravel Morrison, who appeared set to be one of the brightest talents in the English game. He would subsequently join West Ham but the brief moments of quality were overshadowed and his career appears to have been in decline since.
Ravel Morrison
Gervinho
The Sunday People reported back in 2012 that Gervinho had been in talks with Newcastle the previous summer before he ended up joining Arsenal. He was sent off on his Premier League debut – against the Magpies, and ultimately scored just nine top flight goals in two seasons for the Gunners.
Mido
Mido claimed in 2004 that he had agreed to join Newcastle, BBC Sport reported at the time, but a move never took place. He subsequently spent six seasons in England, reaching double figures in a season just once.
Bryan Ruiz
The Costa Rica international joined Fulham for £10 million in 2011 despite the fact that Newcastle made a late offer, The Telegraph reported at the time. He would score just 12 league goals in 97 games for the Cottagers before leaving permanently in 2015.
Charles N’Zogbia
Charles N’Zogbia
After leaving St James’ Park in acrimonious circumstances a few years previously, Newcastle wanted to hand Charles N’Zogbia the chance to return in 2011 and were interested in making a £12 million bid, the Telegraph reported. He would ultimately join Aston Villa a few months later, scoring four times in 80 Premier League games.
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