Maiga set for four and a half year deal at Newcastle

Newcastle are set to complete a deal to bring Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga to Newcastle in January, if reports in France are to be believed.

According to reports in L'Equipe discussions between Newcastle and Sochaux have been continuing despite the rather frosty relations between the two clubs after a summer of protracted transfer negotiations.

It seems as though Newcastle have got their man in the end though and Maiga looks set to sign a four and a half year deal in January and complete a £7 million move to St James' Park before heading off to the African Cup of Nations with Mali.

Maiga has been in good goalscoring form this season despite the grief that he is getting from his own fans as a direct result of his antics over the summer. For those of you who are unaware just what the problem was, it stems from Maiga spitting the dummy out and refusing to play for his current employers thanks to interest from Newcastle - A tactic that backfired when a deal couldn't be reached over the summer leaving Maiga high and dry and with few options after such a public display of disrespect to his current club.

You'd think he'd perhaps shut up after that debacle and keep his head down, but he then went on to antagonise the situation further by insisting that he still wanted to leave the club as he is ambitious and welcomed the jibes from his own fans citing that he was happy to be boo'd for having ambition.

Personally I think the attitude he has shown to Sochaux has been terrible, but I won't let it bother me too much. The lad has said he wants to come here which is fair enough, but the problem will arise again if he is successful at NUFC. How long before he tries the same tactic with us?

Still that is a long way away yet and we need to first get him confirmed as a Newcastle player as, at the moment anyway, it appears to be just a rumour, albeit with stronger foundations.

We'll see what happens in January.