I hope the Northern Echo are wrong!!!!! Newcastle look to Bent after being priced out of top continental target ALAN PARDEW’S need to land former Sunderland striker Darren Bent this summer looks set to increase after being priced out of a move for Newcastle United’s top continental target. Magpies’ chief scout Graham Carr has regularly encouraged a deal for St Etienne goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but his high valuation has prevented a transfer. A failure to reach an agreement over the £15m-rated forward’s fee has led to Newcastle considering other options and Bent is now understood to be regarded as a cheaper alternative. Pardew and new director of football Joe Kinnear have drawn up a shortlist of players which included both Bent and West Ham defender James Tomkins. With Aston Villa thought to be seeking around £6m for the former England striker, that would represent a significantly cheaper deal than the one currently being mooted for Aubameyang. As reported in The Northern Echo last month, Russian club Anzhi have been in regular contact with St Etienne since the end of the season and reports in France yesterday claimed they had lodged a 20m Euros offer. Even if Aubameyang requested a move to the Premier League, Newcastle are unlikely to match Anzhi’s bid so landing Carr’s recommended striker has become even more unlikely. Pete
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:48:02 +0000