AN agent row is threatening to derail Newcastle United?s move for top defensive target Erik Pieters. The Holland defender, left, comes highly recommended by Toon?s team of crack scouts and the club were desperate to broker a deal for a player who can play either at left-back or centre-back in the summer.
But the deal collapsed because they were angered by the demands of his representatives ? and now Newcastle look unlikely to turn to him again unless there are indications that their stance has changed.
PSV Eindhoven stopper Pieters is desperate to join United and the club would be willing to pay the£7million the Eredivisie side want. He missed out on Holland?s latest squad to face Switzerland and Germany due to injury. Having moved so successfully in France, Newcastle are looking to make a splash in the Dutch market over the next couple of windows.
The club will not be recruiting extensively in January, but reinforcements up front and at the back are being targeted.
Modibo Maiga will join in January but the Sunday Sun can reveal that Liam Ridgewell has been wiped off United?s January hitlist, however. The versatile Birmingham City defender was a favoured target of Alan Pardew and the club considered bringing him in during the summer window but other targets have moved ahead of him.
