The new Premier League handbook has unveiled our third strip for the new season, the colour officially described as lime with navy blue trim.

No official announcement on the new kit has been made by Newcastle but it was hinted to us previously that the club didn’t want this to be known as a “European” shirt (likely because if don’t qualify next season, the owners want to keep producing an extra kit as they have done in previous seasons), which is probably why there has been no fanfare for the kit this week as we head into our Europa League adventure.

There is a chance the lads might be wearing it tomorrow in Greece but then that would help signify it as being our European shirt, so maybe not. There’s a chance it could also make a debut against Chelsea on Saturday.

The Journal claimed today that French right-back Mathieu Debuchy, who we were so impressed with during England vs France on Monday, has been telling his international team-mate and friend Yohan Cabaye that he wants to come to St. James’ Park.

The local paper reckons Newcastle have opened negotiations with his club Lille over the transfer and are willing to double his Ligue 1 wages and tie him down to a five-year contract which would cement him as Danny Simpson’s replacement next season.

What they claim is hampering the deal is Debuchy’s sudden elevation into the French first team at Euro 2012 when Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna got injured and his tournament distractions and the fact he is catching the eye of other clubs (such as Inter Milan) and in the process raising Lille’s asking price, are slowing things down.

The Journal’s story also seems to confirm that Debuchy is indeed the “close friend” of Cabaye’s that Alan Pardew revealed on the radio last month that the club were trying to do a deal for and that he keeps telling Cabaye he wants to make the move but everything is pretty much on ice until after the Euro’s.

Jose Salomon Rondon for £20 million?

Take this for what you will but British newspapers are once again linking Newcastle with interest in Malaga’s Venezuelan striker Jose Salomon Rondon.

First linked with us last summer, the 22-year-old has had another decent season at Malaga, contributing 11 goals in 37 games, a rate of just under 1 strike in every 3 games. In total he has hit 27 goals in 72 games for the Spanish club and would be another option for us up front to challenge Demba Ba (if he stays) and Papiss Cisse and is young enough to mature into an eventual first choice starter.

However with reports that Malaga, who have huge cash reserves now and have just finished fourth in La Liga with Champions League football on the way next season, are under no pressure to sell and would want £20 million for the player… that is surely the end of our interest.

No matter how promising the 22-year-old is, there is no way we are going to offer that kind of silly money for an unproven striker who has just a 1 in 3 strike rate.

Rondon has played 24 times for Venezuela, scoring 8 goals. He joined Malaga from Las Palmas in July 2010 for a reported fee of €3.5M (£2.8 million) and has caught the eye of both Arsenal and Chelsea. Though if they are willing to spend £20 million on him, more fool them…

France right-back Mathieu Debuchy sure impressed us here at Toon Army during England’s Euro 2012 international on Monday and his link-up play with our very own Yohan Cabaye, who was commanding in midfield, certainly had our mouth-watering over the prospect of him coming to St. James’ Park.

The skillful Lille defender was a constant attacking threat for France, many of their plays starting from his distribution, his comfortable touches on the ball in bringing the ball forward, and his pace and guile to get forward and take on defenders. If not for an excellent block by England, he would have also put a whole through the net with a powerful effort that was surely goal-bound.

Simply put, he looked a million miles better than Danny Simpson and would be an awesome addition to Newcastle.

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The Daily Mail claim Ajax’s 23-year-old defensive midfielder Vurnon Anita is “on the verge” of joining Newcastle in a £7 million move.

Twitter, Facebook and other social media streams are so certain that the deal is done that one Newcastle fan even went to Wikipedia and changed Anita’s entry to reflect the transfer…

Update: Newcastle United blog NUFC Fans have exclusive quotes from the player’s agent Harry Lulofs last night;

“Newcastle have made an offer between £5-10 million. I cannot give you the accurate figure, but Ajax have received a written offer.”

“They are very satisfied with the guy [Anita] and want to keep him. Newcastle have been watching him for a long time and really want to sign him.”

“This is the first offer Ajax have received for Vurnon and we’ll soon see how they react.”

He went on to say the offer will be discussed next week with the player;

“After next week, he [Anita] will be back from holiday and I will meet people at Ajax with him and his dad.”

And that new Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert showed interest in the player whilst at Norwich City.

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