As long as Chancel Mbemba’s transfer to Porto is not made official, local newspapers will continue to have big stories on the deal.
Today, it’s A Bola who brings a big article saying the agreement between the Dragons and Newcastle United is ‘imminent’.
After a long negotiation, the clubs have made a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ to each give in a little. Porto were offering €7m and the Magpies demanded €9m, so the move is being closed for €8m.
The official offer is expected to be made in the next few days, and now there’s confidence from Porto’s side that Newcastle will finally accept it.
Porto will find no trouble to agree Mbemba’s personal terms, since he already signed a four-year pre-contract with the club some weeks ago.
A Bola also managed an interview with the former Sporting defender Mbo Mpenza. Just like Mbemba, he was born in the city of Kinshasa and also played for Anderlecht.
“FC Porto made a great choice, Mbemba is a defender of great level and very difficult to pass through,” Mpenza told A Bola. “I find some similarities with Mangala, but he’s a better player.”
“I just have not figured out yet why Mbemba didn’t work out in the Premier League, he had all the qualities to impose himself.”
The local media is pretty happy that there’s a Portuguese club signing a Premier League player, and A Bola writes a short story showing how rare it is to happen, as Porto mostly export their talents to England.
