Newcastle United Transfer News: Luuk de Jong Hints At Toon Move

“The club doesn’t need to be a top club, but a good club in a big league where Luuk can play regularly and develop as a player.”

By Matt Holmes /

Despite reports last night claiming that FC Twente striker Luuk de Jong had joined Borrusia Monchengladbach, the player himself hints that a move to Newcastle United is still very much on the cards and may be preferred. News last night suggested that the German club had agreed an initial £9 million deal for the striker (around ‚11.2M) with additional payments to come based on the number of appearances the Dutchman makes over the four-year deal. It looked like de Jong had opted to go to a side with Champions League football, however de Jong's agent Louis Laros denied claims the deal had been completed to Dutch website TC Tubantia. He said:
€œLuuk is still a Twente player. If the right club comes along then he will happily make the move.€ €œThe club doesn€™t need to be a top club, but a good club in a big league where Luuk can play regularly and develop as a player.€€œI cannot name the clubs individually, but there are more than two clubs seriously interested in Luuk.€ €œLuuk has taken the decision to move on. He wants to develop as a player in a bigger league.€ €œThe important thing for us is the development of Luuk. €œ€œNot the money, but the way of playing and the amount of playing time he will get, will be decisive.€ €œLuuk scored 25 goals in the Dutch league last season, how many more does he need to score? 35?€
Some Newcastle fans are reading between the lines that Champions League football isn't the most important thing compared to playing at "a big club in a big league". Newcastle United's Managing Director Derek Llambias flew out to Holland late last week to talk to FC Twente to try and agree a fee with the club that would allow Alan Pardew to talk to de Jong about coming to St. James' Park. We have yet to hear whether Newcastle's second bid of £10 million has been agreed by the club but what seems to be clear is that Mochengladbach's £9 million offer with future incentives in place (possibly getting up to the elusive £12.5 million figure we spoke about last week as probably being what Twente desire) has been agreed by the Dutch club and they can/have spoken to the 21-year-old. More developments are expected this week as Newcastle United return to training on Thursday.