Obafemi "Obagol" Martins

[Dellas]

Newcastle striker Obefemi Martins says he is "not going anywhere" despite a summer of speculation linking him with a move away from St James' Park.
The 22-year-old Nigeria international, who has a £13m release clause in his contract, was thought to be a possible target for Arsenal.
But he told the Newcastle website: "I will keep my mouth shut. I am still a Newcastle player.
"I am very, very happy here, so I am not going anywhere."
Martins signed from Inter Milan last summer for £10m and enjoyed a successful first season, scoring 17 goals.


It emerged at the end of the season that Martins had a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if a club bid £13m but he has joined fellow striker Michael Owen in committing himself to Newcastle.
However, Newcastle look set to lose winger Kieron Dyer after manager Sam Allardyce left him out of his squad to face Celtic in Thursday's friendly. Newcastle won that game 4-1, with Martins opening the scoring and Albert Luque adding two more.

source: BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Newcastle United | Martins commits future to Magpies

[Pennywise]

He will be very important for N'castle. I hope and think he will stay now.

[kennethlindheim]

Good news. It would be even better if he re-negotiated his contract to remove that clause.

[kennethlindheim]

OBA MARTINS was today cool about the arrival of another striker in Alan Smith heading into Newcastle United’s final pre-season friendly against Sampdoria tomorrow.

The Toon No 9 and former Serie A striker will be up against familiar opponents for the second Sunday running after helping gun down his old adversaries Juventus last week.

Now against the Genoa side, known as the Blucerchiati, Martins will be aiming to rekindle memories of scoring against the usually tight-knit Italian-style defence.

And despite the arrival of Smith to go with Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi, Andy Carroll and Mark Viduka, Martins is undaunted ahead of a season that sees Sam Allardyce go into battle with an embarrassment of riches in attack.

He told the Chronicle: “We have a lot of games to play and we will need as many players and strikers as we can.

“I don’t think Oba Martins can play in 50 games all on his own!

“We have to roll it around and rotate it next season.

“The important thing is three points, though, and not who gets the most goals.

“It’s not about Oba Martins scoring 70 or 80 goals in a season.”

This time last year, Martins arrived on the scene as virtually an unknown after being only a bit-part player at the San Siro after several years of playing in the shadow of Adriano, Christian Vieri and Ronaldo, who was the main man when the Lagos-born star arrived at Inter.

And even though he was handed the No 9 shirt on his arrival on Tyneside, he was still expected to fill a huge void left by 206-goal legend Alan Shearer.

Martins said: “I am comfortable in the No 9 shirt, it’s not like last year.

“It was scary and it was hard for me to come in after Alan Shearer – he is a world-class player.

“The No 9 shirt at Newcastle is worn by legends, and for a young player you know you have to do well.

“I spoke to Alan Shearer – he wished me good luck and said that I needed to have big shoulders to wear his shirt.

“I said I would try my best, and I think getting 17 goals was a good start.

“But I have to say I still have plenty of work to do with my Geordie accent.

“I will score goals and win games first and later work on my accent!”

Martins has been in good spirits in pre-season training so far despite talk that several clubs are monitoring his situation, knowing he has a £13m release clause.

And his happy body language indicates he has put behind him an ordeal earlier in the summer when he came under fire from a gang in his native Nigeria, with several shots fired at his family car at a petrol station.

He added: “I don’t want to look back too much on that because it’s in the past now.

“I am OK, but it was a scary experience.

“All I want to think about is that you have to work hard in training.

“If you are not scoring goals, the only person that can help you do that back out on the pitch is yourself.

“You have to learn more every day to improve your position at the club.

“After the Premiership starts it is all about results.”

icNewcastle - Battle doesn’t worry Martins

[Pennywise]

Sell/loan out Luque or Ameobi and Carrol !

Michael Owen, Oba Martins, Alan Smith, Mark Viduka + one of the mentioned players over is more than good enough cover.

[kennethlindheim]

Normally we could do that, but when we are suffering injury crisis every season at all time, we have to keep'em all.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Obafemi Martins has declared he could play out his career at Newcastle United.

The Nigeria ace told the Sunday Sun: "I would be interested in extending my contract here.

"It would mean that Newcastle wanted me to stay. We will see what is going to happen.

"Do I see myself here five years from now? Of course. If things are going very well, I would want to stay 10 years."