Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is set to discuss Demba Ba’s future this week amidst speculation the striker may be leaving the club.
The Senegalese frontman has been the subject of increased speculation this summer after it was revealed he has a £7m release clause in his contract. The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Manchester City have all been credited with an interest but Turkish sides Galatasaray and Fenerbache are thought to have made contact with the player to discuss terms.
It’s an ominous situation for Pardew who has lined up FC Twente’s Luuk de Jong as a possible replacement for Ba, despite insisting he wants the striker to stay in the North East. According to the Metro Pardew told the BBC.
“Ever since he signed with us we’ve had the speculation – I don’t think it’s going to go away. We want him to stay, the fans do too, and we hope that will be the case.”
Ba joined the Magpies for free at the beginning of last season as a replacement for the already departed Andy Carroll. The forward has scored 16 goals in 34 matches during his time at the Sports Direct Arena after forming a prolific partnership with International teammate Papiss Demba Cisse.
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