Newcastle United have announced via their official website that midfielder Joey Barton has been placed on the transfer list at St. James' Park and that he is allowed to leave the club on a free transfer. Barton has one year remaining on his contract with the club, but he has expressed vocal displeasure with the way that the team has been run and as a result, the Magpies are willing to let him walk simply to save on his wages and get a distraction out of their locker room.
Newcastle United Allowing Joey Barton To Leave On Free Transfer
Barton has been in trouble everywhere he has been, getting into a variety of incidents while a member of Manchester City. These incidents include, but are not limited to: Hitting a pedestrian with his car, inciting multiple brawls on the pitch, assaulting a 15-year-old boy during a preseason tour and putting out a cigar on former teammate Ousmane Dabo. However, Barton seemed to have reigned in his bad behavior while at Newcastle United - at least by his standards - and had a fantastic 2010-11 campaign for the Magpies.
This incident appears to have just as much to do with the management of Newcastle as it does with the temperament of Barton. Despite his history, he’s been in great form, so there’s no chance that a Premier League club doesn’t give him a shot to play top flight football if he’s available for free.
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