Don't call time on Debuchy...... yet!

Will Lille really be able to stand in the way of Debuchy? As reported by ArchieMag earlier on today, it appears that Lille have put the block on Mathieu Debuchy and his move to Newcastle United.

Now I wonder if that is a wise move, but for whatever reasons (more than likely financial) Lille have decided to go against the wishes of the player and have decided that he will stay with Lille.

However I have a sneaking suspicion that this won't be the last we hear of a deal for the French international and I still remain confident that he will end up at Newcastle by the end of the transfer window. For this to happen though the player must now try and force things through on his part if he wants the move he claims he so desperately wants.

Indeed Debuchy has already gone on record to register his disdain over the decision of Lille President Micel Seydoux.

"My desire is to leave," Debuchy confirmed to L'Equipe. "I'm 100 per cent decided. I want to leave Lille. I've called Seydoux and left him a message. I'm waiting for him to call me back to clarify the situation."

"I don't understand it. One day, they tell me I can't leave because they haven't got a replacement for me. The next, it's because Newcastle's offer isn't enough," said Debuchy.

"One day, it's the coach who's blocking me, the next, it's the president. I get the feeling that everyone isn't in agreement."

“Today, I am still resolved to trying something new, to have another experience, and I would like to have a talk with the chairman for things to be clear between us. I’m close to Yohan, and I followed his season. Now I have the chance to play in the best league in the world.”

Player power means a lot these days, even more than contracts seemingly. Generally seeking if a player wants out then they get the move they desire in the end. Notable exceptions are few and far between and no doubt people will cite Luka Modric as an example of a board keeping a player who wants to leave, but ask Tottenham fans if they feel that they've had the best of Luka Modric since it emerged he wanted to leave White Hart Lane and I bet you'll find the answer is no.

The same could be true for Debuchy who clearly wants to leave his current employers, who are playing a dangerous game and risk retaining an unhappy on their books - a counterproductive move if ever there was one.

Of course I'm not saying that Lille should just roll over for us but at the end of the day we've been tracking him for a long time now and will have offered a value that reflects his true worth and not a value which has been inflated by oodles of press speculation plus a good couple of international appearances over the summer - appearances that wouldn't have materialised but for a broken leg suffered by Bacary Sagna.

This saga may appear closed, but I very much doubt it is...