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Strange story behind Newcastle target Baheng


Scottish Mag
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THE Sunday Sun has uncovered the bizarre background of Newcastle’s soon-to-be new boy Wesley Ngo Baheng.

 

Teenage striker Baheng is set to join United in January after they apparently agreed a compensation deal with his current club Le Havre.

 

But we can reveal the strange story behind Sam Allardyce’s interest in the 18-year-old – and the youngster’s complex personal circumstances.

 

Having already been linked with Chelsea, we understand that Baheng had a brief trial at Bolton in January, while Allardyce was still in charge of the Trotters.

 

But the youngster’s spell at the Reebok Stadium – and its aftermath – caused a mini-uproar at Le Havre.

 

For the French Second Division club claimed Baheng – then 17 – travelled to England without their permission . . . having told them he was going to visit his estranged father.

 

And after Baheng failed to win a contract with Bolton, Le Havre alleged he was then abandoned to wander the streets of Paris by the agent who had arranged the trial.

 

Police in the suburb of Blanc-Mesnil who found Baheng alerted Le Havre to his presence in Paris, and a club official travelled to bring him back from the French capital.

 

And Le Havre had particular reason to take care of Baheng, with a club director having been appointed as his guardian following the imprisonment the player’s mother.

 

Le Havre president Jean-Pierre Louvel accused the agent of putting Baheng’s “physical and moral integrity in danger” and added: “We have a responsibility to the young people we train, and we had given this player’s mother our word we would look after him.

 

“This youngster returned to us shocked. He felt betrayed.”

 

Louvel also vowed to take Baheng’s case to the French footballing authorities in order “to get the support of other French clubs to strike a blow against the swindlers”.

 

Baheng, whose family hail from Cameroon, has not appeared for the Le Havre first team.

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If he wasn't good enough for Sam at Bolton then why is he good enough now?

it might not have been talent, but a contractual dispute, perhaps there were too many players in his position, it could be a myriad of reasons.

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  • 2 months later...

It's just like that film where the young lad travels many miles on his own much to the chagrin of the folks back home so that he can end up at Newcastle and score a goal.

 

We'll make a mint when we sell him to Madrid.

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If he wasn't good enough for Sam at Bolton then why is he good enough now?

 

my thoughts exactly

 

As above, that assumes his lack of talent is the reason he wasn't signed. Plus he's a year older.

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Incoming:

Wes deal done

 

The club have now confirmed that a second youngster has joined Newcastle after pre -contract agreements were made last year.

 

18 year-old striker Wesley Ngo Baheng (pictured) follows in the path of Charles N'Zogbia in moving to Tyneside from French Division Two side Le Havre.

 

French-born of Cameroon parentage, Wesley originally appeared on Tyneside in pre-season, having had trials at Bolton during Allardyce's time at the Reebok.

 

However the French paper L'Equipe claimed at the time that the Trotters were unable to reach agreement with Le Havre over the player - a similar situation to that which had seen a potential move to Chelsea fail in 2006.

 

Enter Newcastle, who were unable to complete a deal in the last transfer window despite the player technically being a free agent.

 

Le Havre then went public in October to confirm that they had agreed compensation with United for the player who like N'Zogbia hadn't graduated to their first team.

 

Baheng is now officially a Newcastle player and has already gained some experience of training with his colleagues and featuring in a couple of behind closed doors training matches.

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