The Newcastle fans in the Transfer Tavern have started to get their hopes up over the club’s pursuit of Sporting’s dominant target-man, Bas Dost. The Dutch striker is one of a number of players at Sporting who is set to rescind his contract with the Lisbon club after a number of the club’s payers were abused, and some even beaten, by a 50-strong gang of masked fans in Mid-May, according to Sky Sports News.
Wow. Could the longest transfer saga in history be close to its end as Bas Dost is to be a free agent… https://t.co/3cbeyiDQWU
— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) June 11, 2018
Dost is one of the names alongside teammates Gelson Martins, Rui Patricio, William Carvalho, Bruno Fernandes and Daniel Podence who have all asked to have their contracts terminated by the club, and with good reason. The issues at the club all started after the Portuguese outfit lost 2-0 away to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League, prompting a savage attack on the players by the club’s owner on Facebook, claiming they were not good enough.
After that point, Sporting found themselves in freefall. Jorge Jesus quit after three years in charge, the club bowed out of the Europa League 2-1 on aggregate to Atletico, they lost 2-1 to underdogs, Aves in the Portuguese Cup Final and lost to Maritimo on the final day of the season to condemn themselves to a 3rd place finish which saw them miss out on the Champions League qualifying rounds. However, Newcastle could come in and benefit from their bad fortunes.
You can read our local Geordies’ verdict on the Dost news here:
Time to move in, Lee… https://t.co/URTrCjF4ko
— NUFCEdge (@NUFCEdge) June 12, 2018
He’s within our price range anyway.
— John McHale (@TheMachine1981) June 11, 2018
Insane what's happened over there, but Bas Dost on a free? Got to be worth a punt
— Foxy – ماكر (@Foxy_005) June 11, 2018
Be delighted with him on a free!
— Mark Dilbo (@dillmin1) June 11, 2018
Bad dost and carvalho will do @sir_craigdevine
— Graeme Pilkington (Pilky) (@graemepilkingto) June 11, 2018
There has never been a better chance to finally sign Bas dost.Go sign him up.
— M (@Sandancer87) June 11, 2018
Can we have William Carvalho as well?
— Ricky (@Lightningricky) June 11, 2018
The timing has never been better for Mike Ashley to make a move for Bas Dost, who has been linked with a switch to Tyneside for what feels like years. The club will need to act fast though, as a number of clubs will be sniffing around the Sporting free agents.
