Following the capture of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, Newcastle’s new Managing Director Lee Charnley quickly secured the third signing of the Steve McClaren era with the capture of his Anderlecht defensive teammate Chancel Mbemba for around £7.5M.
The Club released the following on their website:
Following an agreement between Newcastle United and Anderlecht for the transfer of Chancel Mbemba, the player has been in Newcastle and has agreed personal terms with the Club and undergone his medical.
The documentation in relation to the Club’s application for a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), required in order for Mbemba to obtain a visa, was submitted to the FA on Wednesday morning (22nd July).
Unfortunately, the FA are unable to consider the Club’s application until Thursday of next week (30th July). The FA advised the Club they were not able to convene a Panel any sooner.
The Club will provide an update for supporters at the earliest opportunity following the conclusion of the Panel hearing.
The Congo international who turns 21 (according to Wikipedia amid a mystery over his D/O/B) on the day the new Premier League season kicks off is primarily a centre back yet has provided excellent cover both at right-back and as a shield in midfield a la Kurt Zouma at Chelsea for both club and country during his 16 caps and is recognised as an all-round defensive machine.
Centre half is an area The Magpies have long needed reinforcements especially younger ones with skipper Fabricio Coloccini now aged 33, Mike Williamson 31 and Steven Taylor, himself a veteran at 29 after an injury-laden decade with the club due to an all-action never-say-die style.
With 6 goals in 56 games in Belgium, the 5ft 11.5in pacy defender renowned for his ball skills also poses an attacking threat, has Champions League and trophy-winning experience with Anderlecht and will be ready for anything The Premier League can throw at him. His former Anderlecht manager Besnik Hasi said this of his protege:
“He has great class, he may not be tall if you compare him to some defenders but he is so fast and can jump so high, plus he’s a really good footballer too.”
Mbemba is a hungry and ambitious player who like Mitrovic and Georginio Wijnaldum will bring a freshness and athleticism to the United squad in line with the winds of change that are blowing through the club since Steve McClaren took over this summer and could not be more enthusiastic about his move to Newcastle and the best League in the world, saying:
“I worked very hard for it to arrive and it’s a childhood dream come true. In Congo, everyone dreams of one day playing in the Premier League. In my country, it is the place to be…
This competition is a showcase. I think it’s mostly at home to Arsenal when I tabled my business card to English clubs.
“When I arrived in 2011 I had nothing. I did not even know if I was going to eat every night. And now here I am. It’s also cool that Mitrovic is in Newcastle too. But I also look forward to seeing Cheikhou Kouyaté when we face West Ham.”
More signings are expected before Newcastle line up against Southampton for their first match of the season on Sunday, August 9th with both defensive and attacking recruits still very firmly on United’s radar as McClaren’s new side face six of last year’s Top 8 in the opening eight games.
