Newcastle to buy Sigurdsson to hurt Arsenal

Newcastle are fast acting like the big boys they have become. After going toe-to-toe with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League, Alan Pardew is matching those teams in terms of buying new players. And fellow-Premier League teams might be the ones to suffer. The latest news is that Newcastle is lining up a swoop for Swansea’s loan sensation Gylfi Sigurdsson. Sigurdsson, 22, has scored seven goals for the Swans since joining on loan from German outfit Hoffenheim in January and been named Premier League Player of the Month. Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers wants to sign Sigi permanently but the £8million asking price is more than double the Swans’ record fee of £3.5m. This website wrote in the past that perhaps the team that Arsenal most need to watch out for are is Newcastle United. Tottenham Hotspur’s meltdown continues and Chelsea look unlikely to be able to cover the points. However, both could hurt Arsenal, especially Chelsea next Sunday. The team to benefit most will be Newcastle United who will then hunt down Arsenal for third. What’s more, British press reports today stated that Newcastle manager Alan Pardew made a personal check-up Arsenal’s rime transfer target Jan Vertonghen in Ajax's weekend win in Holland. The Dutch club's star defender and captain is likely to cost around £10million this summer and is being touted as a must-buy for Arsene Wenger. Pardew, though, will now attempt to steal Vertonghen away. The Newcastle Evening Chronicle also claim fellow Belgium international Toby Alderweireld, who could also be an option for the Magpies with the player open to a move away from Ajax. Ajax veteran Vertonghen was one of the high-profile targets of Wenger who had hinted at bringing in several new players before the start of next season. With Germany international Per Mertesacker on his way out, Vertonghen is regarded as the ideal replacement to plug Arsenal's vulnerable defence. Vertonghen, 24, has been described as an elegant and technical ball-playing central defender who can play in other positions. The Belgium international is also good friends with Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen, with the pair playing together at Ajax and also for their country. Ajax manager Frank de Boer virtually confirmed that Vertonghen’s move to Arsenal next season is already a done-deal. “Yes we’ve already discussed it,” de Boer was reported as saying in aljazeera.com. “When there’s a club that he’s already interested in - and it’s really got to be a good club - then he will leave. It’s 100 per cent sure.  “I think he’s ready to make a next step. For us, it’s a setback, of course, to miss that kind of quality player.”