Luque Going Nowhere

By Matt Jones
December 21 2005

Stories linking Luque with a report away from SJP are 100% rubbish. Why on earth would the club sell a player who a) has only been here a short while, and b) they worked so hard to sign just four months ago.

Toon chairman Freddy Shepherd has slammed the reports claiming Albert Luque will leave Newcastle United in January. The reports had linked him with a move to his native country, Spain and Real Madrid or Barcelona.

SHEPHERD: "These stories are just rubbish.

"I don't know where people get the idea from that we'd consider selling a player we worked so hard to sign only four months ago.

"Why on earth would we do that? Albert has only been here for a short time and the best is still to come from him in a black and white shirt.

"He is regarded as one of the best players in Spain and we think he will be a big player for us, so these stories are ludicrous."

The club have also dismissed reports suggesting that the Magpies were planning a swoop for Ivory Coast international, Abdoulaye Meite.

The Marseille defender played against Newcastle in both legs of the UEFA Cup semi-final in 2003-04, and a club spokesman said: "There is nothing in this story.

"With the transfer window about to reopen it seems as though the silly season has started again, and that we will be inevitably linked with a long list of players."