Sending Andy Carroll from St. James' Park to Anfield on deadline day, Newcastle United was faced with the desperate task of replacing the young center forward.
Newcastle looked far and wide for a replacement — including a pretty desperate measure. According to The Daily Express, Newcastle attempted to plug that hole by trying to bid for three-time Footballer of the Year Thierry Henry.
The team courted Henry with intense passion, even trying to set up a temporary deal with Henry worth almost a six-figure weekly paycheck if he accepted. Newcastle has also tried to sign current Liverpool forward Milan Jovanovic, but he wasn’t able to come to terms with the deal because of the Magpies’ fee for Carroll.
Henry was already in England training with Arsenal getting ready for his MLS season with the New York Red Bulls that will kick off with a preseason match in Mexico before the home opener in Seattle on March 19.
"We had a real attempt to get Henry but the start of the MLS season worked against us," a Newcastle source told The Daily Express.
The team will now have to leave it up to trying to convince Henry’s former Arsenal teammate Jeremie Aliadiere who has been free since quitting Middlesbrough last summer.
Manager Alan Pardew will have to find a way to maximize his thin attacking force, especially since losing experienced striker Shola Ameobi to a facial injury too.
