Newcastle have plenty of work to do during the transfer window this summer
Craig Bellamy.
Craig Bellamy spent the early 2000s with Newcastle(Image: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
There will be plenty more incomings and outgoings up and down the Premier League with the final month of the transfer window now upon us. Newcastle have been active already, bringing in the likes of Ewen Jaouen, Sean Steur, Aladji Bamba and Bazoumana Toure.
The Magpies will be hoping not to lose any more key assets either, particularly after the shock departure of Eddie Howe earlier this week. Craig Bellamy is someone who knows about being a transfer target on Tyneside, having attracted the admiring glances of one Sir Alex Ferguson almost 25 years ago.
Bellamy had been impressing at St James' Park after moving from Coventry City, catching the attention of Manchester United. Ferguson was keen on the Welshman and had initially enquired about bringing him to Old Trafford in 2002.
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However, Bellamy utilised this tentative approach from the Red Devils to secure a better deal at the Magpies, as he revealed in 2013. He said: "Actually, there was a link with Sir Alex as far back as 2002, when my representatives went to see him at United’s training ground, with a view to a move going ahead.
"But Newcastle had just qualified for the Champions League, I loved playing for Sir Bobby Robson and had just been offered a new contract there. To be honest, I used an inquiry from United to hold out for a better deal."
Craig Bellamy.
Craig Bellamy chose to remain in the North East(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Initially, talks were postponed after Bellamy was sent off in a 4-1 defeat to Inter Milan in November 2002. But his improved deal was eventually signed in January 2003, committing him to the north east for a further four years.
Sir Alex came back in again for the striker when he was at Manchester City, as he tried to tempt him away from their city rivals. Bellamy added: "It’s true – my adviser had a conversation with United in 2010, shortly before I came to Cardiff on loan. It was great to feel wanted, and I would have loved to do it, but it was never going to be allowed to happen.
"If Man City had agreed to it, then great. But, point-blank, they said no, and I never once pushed it. After Carlos Tevez had moved in the opposite direction the year before, I didn’t expect anything to come of it."
Manchester United have continued their trend of interest in Newcastle stars with Lewis Hall most recently linked. However, at the moment it is purely speculation.
Meanwhile, Bellamy would go on to spend a total of four years with the Magpies, heading on loan to Celtic before stints at West Ham, Liverpool, Cardiff and Blackburn Rovers. He retired in 2014 at the age of 34 with the Bluebirds.
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