Let's just remind ourselves of what Sissoko could be - we won't write him off yet, I'm pretty certain that we are desperate to get a full pre-season from him and get him fully fit (he wasn't when he joined us), I'm also pretty certain that he's only playing on the right for us as a stop gap, his future is in the centre, and I suspect it may well hinge on Dembele giving us one more season or following the money trail from China in the summer....
So, I'm not a fan as I think he's been far too inconsistent wherever he's played (and he's had some absolute shockers for France as well - and the french have wanted to kick him out for ever..)
He is now a really coaching dilemma, we've taken the gamble (and so far our exposure is closer to £18 mill than the number so easily bandied around here).
Poch has to get the best out of him, he's done it with other players and I suspect he (if anyone can) is the one to do it again...
Anyway, great article from the recent past to remind us all:
Moussa Sissoko's brilliance for France was not a surprise for Newcastle, it was a slap in the face
Luke Edwards Luke Edwards
11 July 2016 • 12:39pm
Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko: a revelation, or just an opportunist?
For those who have watched Moussa Sissoko play for Newcastle United, his stunning performance for France against Portugal in the European Championship final was not a surprise, it was a slap in the face.
Sissoko is a brilliant footballer, powerful, strong, skilful and he has been Newcastle’s best player for the last two years.
I’ve argued for a long time that he is talented enough to replace Manchester City’s Yaya Toure as the best all round central midfielder in the Premier League and on Sunday he completely outshone his compatriot Paul Pogba, a player so revered, so lauded, that he is on the verge of signing for Manchester United for a world record fee of around £100m.
Sissoko is – as he has been almost every year – hoping to move this summer following Newcastle’s relegation to the Championship and his performances for France were like standing in a shop window covered in flashing neon lights screaming “somebody buy me.”
Watch | Euro 2016 final: Portugal v France - key match stats
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Plenty of managers and chairmen will be tempted, but they will be gambling a lot of money if they do match Newcastle’s asking price.
The problem - perhaps even the tragedy – is that Sissoko is also a shirker, a mercurial talent who has spent most of his time on Tyneside hiding behind the failings of others, content to go through the motions, only switching off his cruise control setting against the glamorous English clubs. Why?
It hints at a bad mentality, poor motivation and a player whose self-interest and questionable desire could be harmful to the collective rather than beneficial.
At times, it has seemed as though everything Sissoko has done at Newcastle since he went on strike at Toulouse, to force a £1.7m move in January 2013, has been a calculated step towards the exit door.
France's midfielder Moussa Sissoko (L) and Portugal's midfielder Renato Sanches fight for the ball during the Euro 2016 final. Credit: Fransisco Leong /AFP
To sum things up, he has given more interviews in France talking about his desire to play for a Champions League club, than performances in a black and white shirt that proved he was good enough.
When Newcastle were floundering the season before last, had been dumped out of the FA Cup and sleepwalked into a relegation battle, Sissoko stupidly talked about wanting to play for ars*nal. He did it again last season too. Within a few days of their relegation, he demanded to leave, as though everybody owed him that right.
Ill-judged, badly advised or damning evidence of an uncommitted player whose heart and head have never belonged to the Magpies, despite the six-year contract he signed when he joined.
Had Sissoko been as focussed and committed for Newcastle as his country, he would have already been playing for a superior club. His time on Tyneside has been an infuriating waste of his considerable talent and he should hang his head in shame at that.
Sissoko was relegated with Newcastle at the end of last season after finishing 18th with 37 points
The good news for Newcastle is that it his eye-catching display will attract all sorts of suitors. There were those who have witnessed Sissoko plod along at St James’ Park who scoffed at an asking price of £22m, a few weeks ago, but after his stint in blue at the Euros, the Magpies might get even more for him.
Sissoko does not want to play in the Championship, he has made that perfectly clear. The sad thing is, most Newcastle supporters will be delighted to see him go. That should concern anyone who is tempted to buy him on the back of his tournament success.
After all, players who only play well to get a move, have a tendency to let their standards drop once they have got it. Whoever signs the 26-year-old will be taking a risk. Two magnificent games for France cannot erase tens of terrible ones for Newcastle.
Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that Sissoko’s sporadic flashes of brilliance can at least be partially blamed on those who have managed him.
Sissoko has expressed his desire to leave Newcastle but insists his relationship with Rafa Benitez is still "very good"
Sissoko has expressed his desire to leave Newcastle but insists his relationship with Rafa Benitez is still "very good" Credit: Richard Lee /Shutterstock
Alan Pardew could not get the best out of him, neither could the over-promoted John Carver or the hapless Steve McClaren. The best managers inspire players like Sissoko, not indulge them or excuse them, or pretend they have not noticed how poor they have been.
Rafa Benitez was different. The Spaniard extracted the best from Sissoko with a simple gesture. He gave him the captain’s armband and challenged him to lead by example. It led to arguably the Frenchman’s most consistent run of form for the club, even if it was not enough to save them from the drop.
Benitez knew how to handle him, but he cannot realistically force him to stay against his will. Sissoko heads off on holiday this week and he will not want to return to pre-season training in the North East. His agent will be busy, but it could turn ugly.
Newcastle will not be bullied into selling and Sissoko has three-years left on his contract. Benitez has made it clear he did not appreciate the man he made skipper publicly insisting he should be allowed to leave before the Euros began and said last week, he had to take responsibility for relegation, rather than runaway from it.
Newcastle will probably still sell but they will now hope for a bidding war. A few days ago, there had been no bids, there had not even been any contact from interested clubs. That is likely to change, but will Sissoko?
