8 Most Ridiculous Newcastle United Rumours That Never Happened
5. Is Tranquillo Barnetta Still In Jesmond Dene?
Ask any Newcastle supporter where Tranquillo Barnetta currently resides and they will probably reply with "why the Jesmond Dene hotel, of course".
Barnetta, a Switzerland international, was a prominent name on the Tyneside grapevine in the lead up to the 2011/12 season with the Magpies apparently earmarking him to replace Joey Barton on the right flank at St James' Park and sparked a running joke that continues to be a great source of amusement for us, particularly on twitter throughout the summer transfer window.
https://twitter.com/CNarr07/status/159400036042670080
Failure - to borrow a Pardew phrase - to get Barnetta 'over the line' after he was rumoured to have met Newcastle officials at Jesmond Dene Hotel gave rise to a gag with numerous iterations that included the Swiss winger being held captive in one the rooms or that he was diligently waiting for the Toon representatives to return with a contract to sign.
It goes without saying that it was a completely fictitious but a piece of light-hearted humour all the same.