It will take more than this to put a negative spin on a Newcastle United side living out their very own rags to riches tale but, just 24 hours after the most transformative of takeovers was finally confirmed by the Premier League, one marquee signing has already slipped through their grasp.
“During the period in which there was talk of the possible purchase of Newcastle by the Sheikh’s fund, they called my agent,” Ciro Immobile said in August last year, confirming an approach from the Tyneside giants while also revealing that Max Allegri or Luciano Spalletti had been identified as potential replacements for Steve Bruce at St James’ Park.
“Then the Premier League did not approve that proposal.”
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, not only had Newcastle made an approach for Immobile, they had also offered him the sort of salary that would make Michael Owen wince.
The Italy international would have earned a whopping £140,000-a-week in addition to becoming the club’s record signing to the tune of £49 million.
But if Newcastle’s new owners were planning to dig into their contact book and renew acquaintances with Immobile, opening the floodgates with one of football’s most prolific centre-forwards, we have got some rather disappointing news for Amanda Staveley and her merry band of rich investors.
Who will be Newcastle’s first big signing?
Calciomercato reports that, as of Friday lunchtime, Immobile has signed a new deal at Lazio which will keep him at the Serie A giants until 2026.
Given that the former Dortmund and Sevilla striker is already 31, we can only assume that Lazio have full confidence in Immobile ageing as gracefully as a bottle of the finest Barolo.
But as far as a suddenly nouveau-riche Newcastle are concerned, they will have to look elsewhere for the sort of statement signing capable of kick-starting a bold new era in style.
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