The likes of Wayne Rooney, Rivaldo and Luka Modric have all been linked with a move to Newcastle United in the past.
An injury to goalkeeper Tim Krul in the early stages of the 2015/6 season left Newcastle United desperately short of goalkeeping options. As third choice keeper Rob Eliot stepped in for Steve McClaren’s side, the Toon were linked with a move for Champions League winner Victor Valdes. According to The Daily Star, the former Barcelona stopper was targeted to solve Newcastle’s goalkeeping woes but a deal for the Spaniard never came off. Valdes has since moved to Middlesbrough.
In 2007, Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre was linked with a move to St James’ Park. However, Silvestre told The Daily Mail that – despite being offered a good deal by the club – he turned down the switch to avoid playing alongside Joey Barton. This was after Silvestre’s close friend Ousmane Dabo had been involved in a training ground incident with Barton at Manchester City, which saw the Frenchman suffer a detached retina.
Tottenham Hotspur can field one of the best centre-back partnerships in the Premier League but both men could have ended up in black and white stripes. Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen was a “prime target” for Alan Pardew in the summer of 2012, according to the Daily Mail. The Newcastle manager travelled to Holland to scout the Belgian international before Vertonghen agreed a move to White Hart Lane.
Toby Alderweireld was also mentioned as a potential Newcastle target in that Daily Mail report. Two years later, Alderweireld was at the centre of a frantic deadline day race to secure his signature. The Northern Echo reported that United followed up on their long-term interest in the Atletico Madrid man by making a late loan bid. It wouldn’t be enough to beat off his other suitors as Alderweireld signed for Ronald Koeman at Southampton.
Another player that Spurs stole from under the noses of Newcastle was Luka Modric. After being linked with Barcelona, reports in The Telegraph stated that Modric was “close” to a £12 million move to Newcastle. The player was even rumoured to have spent time at the club’s training ground and Kevin Keegan spoke of his admiration for the highly-sought Croatian. Unfortunately for Keegan and Newcastle, Tottenham would secure the Dinamo Zagreb man’s signature a few days later.
Modric wasn’t the only big talent that Keegan would miss out on in 2008. Following James Milner’s exit to Aston Villa, the club were left with a big gap to fill in their midfielder. Terry McDermott has since claimed that United’s board told Keegan they could reinvest the Milner money to bring in FC Bayern Munich superstar Bastian Schweinsteiger. As reported in the Chronicle Live, the Newcastle board soon found out a move for the German was unrealistic when they were quoted a £50 million price tag.
Perhaps the most regrettable of these missed signings will be the great Zinedine Zidane. Football agent Barry Silkman told sport.co.uk that the legendary footballer was offered to Newcastle in 1996 when the midfielder was looking to leave Bordeaux. Zidane would instead move to Italian giants Juventus, where he would continue his path to greatness before securing a world-record breaking move to Real Madrid in 2001. If it is any consolation for Newcastle supporters, Zidane was also turned down by Blackburn Rovers owner Jimmy Walker, who famously commented “Why do you want to sign Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood?”
In 2005, Newcastle made an audacious play for Real Madrid star Luis Figo. The Telegraph reported that Figo had discussed a lucrative switch to the English Premier League with the Tyneside club. Sadly, the winger would never get to show-off his talents in England and instead played out the rest of his career with Italian side Internazionale, winning the Serie A title in four consecutive seasons.
This world-class midfield is rounded off by Rivaldo. In 2002, the Brazilian was “close” to signing for Newcastle after agreeing personal terms with the club, according to The Telegraph. United Chairman Freddy Sheppard was supposedly on holiday in Barcelona to discuss a deal which would have made Rivaldo the highest paid player in the club’s history. Again, Newcastle would miss out to an Italian side as Rivaldo ended Toon fans’ dreams by joining AC Milan.
Last weekend, Wayne Rooney tied Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal-scoring record for Manchester United, but the England captain’s career would have been very different if Newcastle had secured his signature. In 2004, big-spending Newcastle had a £20 million bid turned down by Everton for their young prodigy. The Telegraph reported that the relationship between Freddy Sheppard and Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford would have helped to close the deal had a fee been agreed.
This XI is completed by one of the greatest African footballers of all-time. After turning heads with Paris Saint-Germain, George Weah attracted interest from Kevin Keegan at United. The Telegraph stated that Keegan tried to sign Weah in 1995 before the Liberian decided on a move to AC Milan.
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