Peruvian admits Magpies move collapse

By Matthew Jones
August 19 2002

Peruvian international Martin Hidalgo admits he would have joined Newcastle this summer but for Olivier Bernard's decision to stay at the club.

Peruvian international Martin Hidalgo admits he would have joined Newcastle this summer but for Olivier Bernard's decision to stay at the club.

Hidalgo is currently a free agent and spent two weeks training with the Magpies in pre-season as Bernard appeared set for a move to West Ham.

But the Frenchman's failure to secure his release from St James' Park and subsequent choice to sign a new contract on Tyneside meant the similarly left-sided Hidalgo was surplus to requirements.
He has since returned to Peru and is close to signing for Cienciano in his homeland.

But Hidalgo said: "I travelled to England because of the strong possibility of joining Newcastle and trained well with the team during pre-season.

"But the player who was going to sign for West Ham, and who I was meant to replace, had a problem with his transfer and decided to stay.
"That ruined my opportunity and I could do nothing but return home."