Moussa Sissoko has been linked with a host of clubs after his performances at the Euros shocked the footballing fraternity. Sissoko was considered a strong and physical box-to-box midfielder, but his inconsistency aligned with Newcastle United’s relegation had put him away from the glare of the transfer pages.
The Newcastle United midfield enforcer has been the surprise package of the Euros in which the performances he put in have led the Toons into scratching their heads in bewilderment and wondering if the same player had featured for them in their dismal last season which resulted in a drop to the Championship. He was the stand-out player on the pitch against Germany and Portugal, and his work-rate and dribbling abilities while tearing through the mid-field of the mighty Germans left fans in awe and disbelief.
Ever since the relegation, Sissoko, along with fellow star players at the club have been restless and itchy at the club. With clear signs of discontent and the unwillingness to serve the team in the 2nd tier of English football they have started agitating for a move out. Sissoko has been quite vocal about his desire to leave and he has openly professed his admiration and respect for the Gunners. But after the Euros, a host of clubs have come into the picture and Newcastle United have been equally up for the ensuing transfer charade and have slapped an improbable price-tag of £35m on the want-away Frenchman.
The latest club to have entered the fray are Crystal Palace and according to sources Alan Pardew is ‘very interested’ in re-uniting with the French International whom he had initially signed from Toulouse while in charge of the Magpies. Pardew is keen on linking Cabaye and Sissoko in midfield, a partnership which had blossomed at St. James’ Park. Though the price tag is an obvious deterrent, the Eagles are said to be keeping a close eye on the developments over at Newcastle.
While a midfield duo of Sissoko and Cabaye does sound enticing, the price tag will have to be considered by the club for a player who has his fair share of detractors. Though Pardew will be aware of his capabilities, his inconsistent performances in a Newcastle shirt should not be discounted for. His Jekyll and Hyde show within a span of a year has led to a section of fans questioning whether he intentionally chose the stage to perform on. With Newcastle slumbering towards the drop, his level of dedication was seriously questioned and a drastically improved show on the international stage in a few months’ time has led critics to ponder whether he was auditioning for a move to a new club.
And the public knowledge of Sissoko’s ambitions of joining a bigger club will be fresh in the minds of Crystal Palace supporters and they could do without the possible tantrums of the player down the line in case things don’t go as planned at Palace.
