Newcastle made their first summer signing last week, PSV attacking midfielder ‘Gini’ Wijnaldum for £14.5m on a five-year deal and this has since raised question marks over Moussa Sissoko’s future on Tyneside.
Sissoko started his career at French side Toulouse and played 218 times for the club scoring 23, then, in January 2013, Newcastle came calling. He rejected the proposed signing on fee to force a January move, rather than wait for the summer. His desire to join the club wasn’t solely motivated by money, which is a bonus in the modern day. He cost Newcastle a fee of £1.8million and, considering the performances he has given the club, he has been great value for money.
In his first half-season on Tyneside, Sissoko made 18 appearances, scoring 3 times – including the unforgettable solo effort against Chelsea, where he left Ashley Cole for dead on the right-hand side. He went on to score a second in that game to secure a 3-2 victory for the Magpies. The Geordie faithful were in awe of their new French powerhouse. It looked as if the club had a future star on their hands.
He continued with his impressive performances in the 2013/14 season, which left the fans excited to see where a full season with Sissoko in the side could take them. He continued to show flashes of brilliance, but there lied the problem, it was only flashes and he lacked consistency. He would often disappear in games, but was given the benefit of the doubt in hope that it was while he ‘settled in’ at the club.
Last season was a disaster for the club, narrowly avoiding the drop on the final day of the season, and Sissoko’s season wasn’t much better. He made 38 appearances for the club but only scored five times and failed to make a significant impact. Infact, the Frenchman was overshadowed by his midfield partner Jack Colback, who consistently performed to the best of his ability.
Despite his inconsistency, he is a regular in the French national side – with 29 caps to his name since making his debut in 2009.
Sissoko was heavily linked with a move away from St James’ Park towards the tail end of last season, with the likes of Arsenal and PSG reportedly interested, and Sissoko confessed he wanted Champions League football. He then made a dramatic U-turn and announced he wanted to stay at Newcastle. He needed to play regular first-team football in order to be involved in next year’s European Championships and Newcastle will give him that.
Since Newcastle confirmed the signing of Gini Wijnaldum, speculation surrounding the future of Sissoko has intensified, with Liverpool emerging as favourites for his signature. The Reds are reportedly willing to match Newcastle’s asking price of £20million and, following the £49million sale of Raheem Sterling, they have the funds available.
Now, if that is the case, I cannot see Newcastle turning that kind of money down and, although I would prefer to have Sissoko playing in black and white, £20million for a player who has been inconsistent since his arrival seems like smart business. I would prefer to sell him to a club in another league as former players tend to come back to haunt us, but PSG seem unlikely to follow up their initial interest.
Newcastle do not need to sell, but should Sissoko go to the Euros next summer and have an awful tournament, his price-tag will only decrease in value. Obviously, on the other hand, he could have an amazing tournament, but his price-tag is unlikely to ever increase over £25million. It would seem the logical option to cash-in this summer, should an offer in the region of £20million arise.
Would you sell Sissoko for £20m? Where will he fit in the squad this season? You tell us!
