Andreas Samaris was strongly linked with a move to Sunderland during the winter transfer window. The Portuguese press explained a deal was close, and Noticias ao Minuto quoted Sunderland club secretary Brett Baker as telling them “the agreement is closed”, and said it all depended on the club’s next result.
With Sunderland already struggling, and with doubt over David Moyes’ future, the Samaris deal was dependent on the result against West Brom. A poor result for Sunderland would convince the club that backing Moyes so much in the window may not be the best idea.
Sure enough, Sunderland lost, went on to get relegated to the Championship, and now it’s Newcastle United said to be closing in on Samaris. Portuguese newspaper O Jogo launched the Newcastle United links on June 24th, with Rafael Benitez’s club going in with a €15m offer for the Greek midfielder.
At the time it was stated Benfica wanted €20m, and whilst that’s been reiterated since, there’s been a feeling that if Newcastle United met Benfica halfway then a deal could be done.
Therefore, claims from England of a €20m offer from Newcastle United have caught Portuguese attention. In their Sunday edition, O Jogo report that Benfica will sell 
for such an amount.
Benfica understand that this ‘is the right time’ to sell Samaris, report O Jogo, and a deal can almost certainly be done at €20m. The money would represent a good deal for Benfica, Benitez would get his man, and Samaris have a shot at the Premier League.
Will this actually happen or go the same way as the Sunderland rumour? If the English claims of Newcastle’s €20m offer are correct, then it’s likely this deal will happen.
