30th May 2005
Index:
Arsenal
Aston
Villa
Birmingham
City
Blackburn
Rovers
Bolton
Wanderers
Charlton
Athletic
Chelsea
Crystal
Palace
Everton
Fulham
Liverpool
Manchester
City
Manchester
United
Middlesbrough
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
Europe
Conclusion?
So Graeme Souness wants to bring in players who have Premiership experience
or who can perform in the League, then? Well lets take a look at our
Premiership rivals and see who is available, who could be available
and who we could potentially attract.
Buying from Middlesbrough?
Having secured European football for the second successive season
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren will be looking to add to his under
strength team not look to further weaken it. However with contracts
needing renewed for a number of players Boro may well see one or two
seek pastures new this close-season.
Bolo Zenden, out of contract this Summer, is mulling
over a new offer as I write but is believed to have sounded out other
clubs via his father (his agent) and while the amiable Steve Gibson
has in the past been very generous with contracts, he has stated recently
that the Teeside club would not be held to ransom by any of it's 'stars'.
Zenden of course snubbed Newcastle for a move to Chelsea which didn't
quite work out for him, but since his move to Middlesbrough he has
been nothing short of a revelation after McClaren switched him to
the centre. He's now added goals to his game and creates them as well
and did score the goal that won Boro their first ever trophy.
Whether he will commit to them for another few years remains to be
seen, but on a free, he would make a pretty decent signing in my opinion.
Another Boro player who's contract is up for renewal is George
Boateng who's current deal has just one year left to run
and like with Zenden, Boro are pushing for talks to get him tied down
on a longer contract.
An underrated player, Boateng is a very good defensive anchorman who
can pass the ball and get on the end of things too. Newcastle have
been linked with him in the past and when he left Villa, he was a
player I wouldn't have minded seeing at the Toon.
He's very similar to Amdy Faye in build and pace but he's much better
on the ball. However I don't think that area of the team is as pressing
a priority as others are which leads me onto another Boro player who
would be a great signing in my view - Franck Queudrue
- who too has just one year left on his contract.
The Frenchman has recently expressed concerns about his international
prospects and with the World Cup looming he's made noises about a
possible move away from the Riverside. Quick, comfortable on the ball
and dangerous in the attacking 3rd he's every inch the modern full-back.
Suspect defensively and rash in the challenge which has brought him
a spate of red cards but overall he's a very good player and a potentially
realistic target. With Charles N'Zogbia and Jean-Alain Boumsong already
at the club, he'd fit right in.
Next up, a look at who is available, who could be available and who
we could potentially attract from Norwich City.
Write In... Who would you like Newcastle to sign
in the Summer? Write in with your suggestions, reasons for your choices
and what these players would bring to the squad and we will publish
your thoughts on these very pages. Send in your suggestions using
the below e-mail form:
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