Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting on social media after Sky Sports claimed Olympique de Marseille have offered United the chance to sign Morgan Sanson.
The Ligue 1 outfit are in a dire financial situation and must look to raise funds over the summer to avoid Financial Fair Play punishment, after missing out on qualification for next season’s Champions League or Europa League and the financial gains that come with European football.
Sanson is now thought to be one of the high-value players expected to leave the Orange Velodrome over the coming weeks, after midfield partner Kevin Strootman was also linked with a move away as a result of former boss Rudi Garcia only achieving a fifth-place finish.
While Strootman was said to have been offered to Everton, Manchester United and West Ham United, Sanson is understood to have been presented as a potential signing to the Hammers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and us, with the Irons already getting the ball rolling by holding discussions with Marseille Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta over a move.
Marseille value Sanson at €35million (£31.1m), almost treble what they paid Montpelier for his services, as he has been involved in 32 goals (18 scored, 14 assists) in 108 games for Les Phoceens since joining the club in 2017.
That would be a lot for Mike Ashley to pay, but it would be a mega signing for Rafa Benitez – or whoever our manager will be next season – as Sanson has been one of the top central midfielders in Ligue 1 over the past few years, and played a vital role in OM reaching the 2018 Europa League Final.
The 24-year-old often holds down central duties at the Orange Velodrome in a supreme manner, with great ball winning and distribution skills as evident in his average 2.6 successful tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 41.1 accurate passes per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 – including 0.9 key passes and a 57% dribble success rate.
When it was shared on Twitter that Sanson had been offered to us, here’s how these Newcastle fans reacted…
So they can loan him back in January and re-sign him for halve the price they sold him for in 12-18months?
— Regular Chris (@ChrisTheRegular) June 9, 2019
And that’s us out. 35 million ????
— B (@JMAG1892) June 10, 2019
I don’t want to sound cynical, but we definitely won’t get this one over the line
— David McAndrew (@McAndrewDavid) June 9, 2019
Good player but he costs actual money so I think Mike will look elsewhere
— colin oliver (@100Magpie) June 9, 2019
Proper player Sanson
— Jon Sadler (@JonSadler8) June 10, 2019
Thauvin v2
— Marc (@MarcInners) June 9, 2019
Cant even get a manager to sign ????
— ????????ASHLEY OUT???????? (@RAFALUTION86) June 10, 2019
Exactly who within the club are these players being offered to??
— Ian Biggins (@IanBiggins) June 9, 2019
Snap him up he’s quality!!
— NUFC Bradders ⚫️⚪️⚽️???????????????????????????? (@Bradders4711) June 10, 2019
Love these storeys we will end up with Andy Carroll on a free
— PLAZZ84NUFC (@plazz84) June 9, 2019
Eh. I doubt we’d get him as I dunno how we’d be even in the running with everything going on, but if Rafa says I’d say go for it. He’d get the better out of him than what the Wolly and JC got out of Thauvin or Cabella.
— David Vardy (@XVardy1) June 9, 2019
Tbh, the club are probably ‘offered’ tens, if not 100+ players every window by agents.
— Jonathan Taylor (@obitaylor) June 10, 2019
How many times have we been “Offered such and such player” and we’ve actually ended up buying them? I can’t think of any tbh
— Taylor Not Besty (@TaylorandBesty) June 9, 2019