Hughton dismisses Ben Arfa link
Newcastle United manager Chris Hughton says there is no truth in the rumours linking Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa with the club.
Reports have been going around some media circles that Newcastle were preparing a deal that would see the talented Frenchman join the club at the very last moment.
Hughton has not ruled out bringing further players to the club before the end of the transfer window but his snub of the story suggests he is happy with the playing staff that he has in place.
Ben Arfa would have obviously added to the wide areas of the team and there will now be greater pressure on the players already at the club. Newcastle do not face an easy start to the Premier League and have to prevent any negative feelings from settling in to the side.
Pressure on others
Newcastle do not have the best squad in the Premier League but it is by no means the worst. Ben Arfa is a versatile player who could play out wide or up front as a striker.
However, Newcastle can cope in these areas. Jonas Gutierrez can play on either side of the pitch and will be full of confidence after playing quite well at the World Cup with Argentina.
Shola Ameobi looks as though he will start as the club's main striker alongside Andy Carroll. This shows the club have a couple of very good attacking players who can play different roles and score goals for the team.
Hughton said: "There isn't anything. We are aware of the speculation and that he has been linked to us but he is very much a Marseille player. There has been no direct contact. We have said all along that we need to boost the squad but it is difficult. It's not only us that have found it difficult, it's finding the right players and the right values."
A difficult start
Newcastle face the worst possible start to their Premier League season as they will play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night. A new signing could boost the side as Hughton says and give them a little inspiration.
However, they will be happy that they have managed to get back in the Premier League at the first time of trying after winning the Championship. This is likely to have created a determination in the side that can counter no new signings.
The manager added: "There had to be some realism of where we are. We want to be a stable Premier League team and for that we have to work hard this year and allow this club to grow again. There are some wonderful signs here, we know what this club can be but we are a long way away from that at the moment."
Betting advice
Be very wary of betting on Newcastle to win this Monday because Manchester United will be intent on making sure they win their first game at home in front of a big crowd.
The best option with Newcastle seems to be backing them to stay up. The odds will not be great right now but you stand a much better chance of making a good sum as opposed to waiting until they start getting points. This would cause the odds to shorten and will damage the value of betting on them to stay up.
Ameobi looks a good bet to be the club's top scorer by the end of the season. He's been out with injury for a long time and should score a few goals against the weaker teams in the league.
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