Arsenal and Man City Battle for Lille Star Gervinho

If a Daily Mail story is correct this morning, then Arsenal and Manchester City are locked in a two way fight to sign Lille’s Ivory Coast International Gervinho.

Just when we thought Newcastle could pull off a massive coup, by signing the top class winger/striker, it looks like two of the big clubs in England have moved past Newcastle and other clubs interested in the player.

There was potentially great news over the weekend in the French press, that Newcastle would be signing the 24 year-old, but that doesn’t look to be true today, if this story is accurate.

Certainly all day yesterday, there was speculation on many of the Arsenal blogs, that the London club would be getting the player, although they would need to bid up to £15M to get him.

But that seems a lot of money for player who has just one year left on his Lille contract.

We know that two years ago Gervinho had said a move to Arsenal would be a dream move for him, and even when he was still at Le Mans, Arsenal were said to be interested in the player.

The Mail is reporting that Manchester City have been in for the player for a couple of weeks now, and of course both these top England clubs can offer the player European Champions League football, which he will get at Lille next season, if he stays in France.

The Mail report says Lille will want around £8M for their player, so just like to supposed fee for our own Jose Enrique seems to vary wildly, Gervinho’s fee is anywhere from £8M to £15M, depending on which reports you believe.

The Mail is even reporting that Newcastle, Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham have all now withdrawn from the battle, because they didn’t meet requirements – presumably because they are not playing in the European Champions League.

This will be a hammer blow to Newcastle fans, as the news over the weekend not only suggested Newcastle were in the lead, but his agent said he was coming to Newcastle (?).

Unfortunately Newcastle cannot compete with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City these days, and will not be able to do so until Newcastle finish in the top four in the Premier League.

But when that will be, we have no idea.

Newcastle will now need to go after other targets, and whether Lorient’s Kevin Gamerio is still a possibility we don’t know, but the worrying thing about Kevin, is he doesn’t want to come to Newcastle.

Oh well – this is not good news at all if it’s true – but in football as in life – you win some and you lose some.