Arsenal are interested in Newcastle United’s powerful Ivorian midfielder Cheick Tiote, whom the North East club rate at around £9 million.
According to reports in the Daily Star, Arsenal have already made contact with the player’s representatives. He is thought to want around £80,000-a-week – a somewhat slightly moderate figure in today’s climate – on a three-and-a-half year contract.
Despite Francis Coquelin’s emergence as a key cog of Arsenal’s side, boss Arsene Wenger is thought to still be interested in signing a defensive midfielder. His key target is Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin but he will be virtually impossible to land this window.
Tiote is currently at the African Cup of Nations and played as Ivory Coast dropped points in their opening match to Guinea.
For me, Tiote is not the man Arsenal need. He’s not above Coquelin enough to warrant dropping close to £10 million on and £80,000-a-week. He can literally do one thing. He’s a pure defensive midfielder. Someone like Schneiderlin is a modern DM – a box-to-box god. Yes he might cost an extra few quid but he’d be worth it in the long run.
Tiote has played 130 games for Newcastle and has only scored one goal. Which was that against Arsenal in the 4-4.
It’s hard to see this one happening. Tiote doesn’t really fit into Arsenal’s style of play or Arsene Wenger’s vision. Having said that, neither did the 2-0 win. Maybe it’s a sign of change? I doubt it.
