5 Reasons Newcastle Must Sell Papiss Cisse (And 5 Why They Shouldn't)

1. Cisse's Departure Would Free Up The Famous No 9 Shirt...

It has been well-documented in recent weeks that one way in which the Magpies hierarchy are attempting to entice Charlie Austin to sign on the dotted line is to offer him Newcastle United's famous No 9 shirt. Players of the ilk of Jackie Milburn, Andy Cole and Alan Shearer have all adorned the iconic black-and-white No 9 jersey - and Austin has, in private circles, made it clear he would love to be the latest name printed on the back. Other strikers such as Bas Dost and Aleksandar Mitrovic may also demand the No 9 shirt as part of any deal to bring them to St James' Park - yet the current custodian of that jersey, Mr Papiss Cisse, has made it clear he will not give it up easily. Cisse has revealed how "proud" he is to wear the Newcastle No 9 shirt and he is unlikely to agree to hand it over to an incoming forward this summer in the way Shearer was prepared to do for Michael Owen, only for the latter to accept No 10 instead. Newcastle may find it easier just to sell Cisse in order to free up the No 9 shirt and use it as an incentive to convince their top striking target to move to St James' Park. Although in some ways this point may seem trivial, should this gesture land Newcastle Austin, Mitrovic or Dost this summer then it may prove a masterstroke.