---
title: "A Silly Low Bid & £4M Price Tag Brands Toon As Time Wasters"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/a-silly-low-bid-4m-price-tag-brands-toon-as-time-wasters/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Cross"
section: "uncategorised"
published: "2012-01-25T20:56:40Z"
modified: "2013-01-21T10:06:29Z"
---

# A Silly Low Bid & £4M Price Tag Brands Toon As Time Wasters

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/1056.jpg)

**Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is continuing to assess his options as he looks to sign some defensive cover, amid reports of a rejected bid for Watford’s Adrian Mariappa.**

The *[Shields Gazette](https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/transfer-latest/toon_assess_options_after_watford_reject_mariappa_bid_1_4177254)* reports that the Watford have put a £4million price tag on the 25-year old defender while it is thought Newcastle’s offer was under £1million.

The article also suggests that Watford are far from happy with what they consider to be a derisory bid and manager Sean Dyche is quoted from the *Daily Mirror* by *[ESPN](https://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1012864/dyche-anger-at-newcastle's-mariappa-bid?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5739)* as being annoyed. He said:

> ***“Their offer is nowhere near our valuation. I couldn’t begin to tell you how far away it was – my son’s got more money in his money box.***
>
> ***If clubs at our level are helping to develop players, it’s fair to say that the big clubs with money should respect that.”***

With the Magpies already missing out on James Tomkins, and a big difference in valuation with Watford over Mariappa, *[soccernews.nl](https://www.soccernews.nl/news/144524/Van_Dijk_en_Tadic_lokken_Engelse_scouts_naar_Euroborg)* reports that Newcastle – along with Blackburn and Aston Villa – are looking at Holland under-21 international Virgil van Dijk.

The Groningen defender is a rising star in Dutch football and “an army of scouts” from all over Europe were sent to watch him at the weekend, according Groningen president Hans Nijland.