Sky Sports reported yesterday evening that we were interested in signing Mexican international Diego Reyes.
The defender is available on a free transfer after leaving Porto, but it’s believed that Fenerbahce and West Ham are also keen on the 25-year-old.
Chronicle journalist Chris Waugh took to Twitter this morning to claim that the Turkish Super Lig club are the favourites to sign the centre-back, ahead of us:
Free agent Diego Reyes has been looked at by #nufc – but at this stage a deal is looking unlikely. Mexico international also has interest from West Ham & Fenerbahce, with the Turkish side favourites at the moment to sign ex-Porto centre-back
— Chris Waugh (@ChrisDHWaugh) July 20, 2018
Fans reacted to tweet with many frustrated at the club’s inability to sign players:
Can't even sign free agents now ????
— shaun johnston (@shauni46) 20 July 2018
— tom heaney (@heaneytomtom) 20 July 2018
Sounds too expensive, fair play lads
— Joe Gray (@Joe_Gray21) 20 July 2018
what, the lure of Rafa saying come and sit on the bench for a team fighting relegation hasn't got him excited enough to sign for us over playing in europe with Fenerbache or west ham who are spending over 100 mil? I don't believe it! #fakenews #nufc
— Mark Douglas (@markattias) 20 July 2018
Why is that club unable to conclude transfer deals. Every single link is always, always, always comes to nothing. #NUFC #jokeclub
— David Punton (@DavePunton) 20 July 2018
Newcastle here, gettimg priced out of free agents. What a time to be an #Nufc fan…
— Liam Shepley (@shepaz) 20 July 2018
Nice try but we now need to look at Rafa’s 6th choice.
— The Honest Johns (@TheHonestJohns) 20 July 2018
Your a bubble burster lol…how for some positivity 🙁
— Dimitri Bourandanis (@Mitcho1992) 20 July 2018
Christ man, can’t even get a free transfer over the line ????
— Craig Osborne (@ozwaldo1985) 20 July 2018
We’re being out spent by the makems ????????
— SarAlu ???? (@Us6here) 20 July 2018
didn’t work for him at Porto but that doesn’t make him a bad player. Do I need to list names of good players who didn’t work for us! Could be ideal – current international so visa should be ok and captaincy experience so could help @Lascelles16 develop and he is free!
— glen johnstone (@masterjohnstone) 20 July 2018
Verdict:
Losing out on Reyes isn’t something to be too upset about, in my opinion. It’s likely we looked at the Mexican and deemed him not good enough. He was never a regular at Porto and had been loaned out to both Real Sociedad and Espanyol in two of the last three seasons.
He made just 16 starts in all competitions for the Portuguese champions last campaign and was not a regular starter under manager Sergio Conceicao.
Still, do you think we should be signing the Mexican? Let me know in the poll: