Former Newcastle United loan flop slammed after transfer deadline day move

Ligue 1 club Brest have replaced one more Newcastle United striker with another after signing Loic Remy on a deal until the end of the season.

The former France forward was a rare positive during Joe Kinnear’s ill-fated time as Magpies director of football after he joined United on loan from Queens Park Rangers for the 2013/14 season.

Speaking after the deal was confirmed, Remy expressed his desire to progress with the club and country during the campaign, saying “I’m very happy to be a Newcastle player. It will be a huge honour to play for such a big club. I am very motivated this year to get into the World Cup squad for my country. I know in order to do that I need to have a big season and a successful campaign with Newcastle United. I am focused on helping the team achieve success this season and scoring as many goals as I can.”

After scoring his first goals for the club with a brace in a 3-2 home defeat against Hull City, Remy went on to score 14 goals in 27 appearances, ending the season as United’s top goalscorer.

However, he would join Premier League rivals Chelsea on a permanent deal at the end of the season and was reunited with his former United manager Alan Pardew when he agreed to spend 2016/17 season on loan at Crystal Palace.

A spell in Spain brought moves to Las Palmas and Getafe before Remy returned to France to spend a two-year stint at Lille that came to an end in August 2020 when he moved to Turkish club Caykur Rizespor. A short spell with Adana Demirspor was ended this summer and 36-year-old Remy’s career will now resume at Brest after he agreed to join Les Pirates until the end of the season.

He will replace former Newcastle loan flop Islam Slimani after he left Brest to join Belgian side Anderlecht on the final day of the January transfer window. Speaking of the move to replace the Algerian with Remy, sporting director Gregory Lorenzi told NewsinFrance: We expected a lot more from Islam in view of his experience… Unfortunately, that was not the case. Maybe one didn’t live up to his expectations either.

“Loïc Rémy brings us his leadership. He won’t be ready for a month but he can give us something for the end of the season. He brings us his leadership. He is an intelligent boy, very lucid. As Islam left, we had prepared something just in case, and then naturally things were finalised when Islam was transferred.”