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Cartilage Free Captain's thought on this particular rumor and how it has become a thing is here if you're interested in a Spurs perspective. --Ed.
Transfer windows are the toughest time to get a straight answer from anyone in the football world. It is also the toughest time to get an honest story from a sports journalist backed by any solid facts. The lone exceptions are when you see pictures of a player holding or wearing their new club's shirt.
The latest Newcastle link comes as no exception. According to the Express, Newcastle United submitted a £15m bid for Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend. Townsend has been linked to a handful of clubs, including the mackems, Aston Villa, Swansea City, and West Ham United. The Hammers are most likely out of the running after the bad blood with Spurs over the London Olympic stadium.
The homegrown English player premium is definitely in play for the young winger. Despite his respectable production for Spurs last season, £15m seems a bit overpriced for the winger. Townsend scored 6 goals and 7 assists in all competitions for Spurs, including an assist in their 4-0 win over Newcastle in the League Cup last December. He also has 9 caps for England, scoring 3 goals. Two of those goals came last season: a goal against San Marino in Euro 2016 qualifying and this beauty against Italy in their March friendly.
In terms of source credibility, the Express ranks barely above Joe Schmoe on TwitBook. We're already linked to multiple offensive-minded wingers and strikers in the £12m-15m range, and adding yet another to the heap is an unwelcome distraction. Show us a new face holding or wearing the Black & Whites, and then we'll get excited. Until then, stock up on salt. You'll need a more lot of it to stomach the onslaught of rumors between now and September.