Figo, not at West Ham - Photo European Parliament CCANDNC
On this day in 2005 BBC’s transfer gossip column was like one of those toddler’s games where they have shapes and matching holes to put them through, and the papers weren’t very good at it. A number of different players were faced with holes in the shape of Newcastle United, Birmingham City and West Ham, but the papers kept trying to squeeze them into the wrong hole. Then there was the Luis Figo shaped piece, which had somehow made it into the box despite belonging to an altogether more expensive higher calibre European game that the paper’s weren’t aware of.
West Ham plan a bid to bring Real Madrid’s Luis Figo to Upton Park. (Daily Star)
Well it’s always good to have a plan, but sometimes a sense of realism is useful. It is hard to imagine that it would have been a difficult decision for Figo when he opted to join Internazionale, spending 4 seasons servicing the likes of Adriano, Crespo and Ibrahimovic rather than Marlon Harewood, Bobby Zamora, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole. He probably didn’t regret it, as West Ham suffered last minute FA Cup heartache, relegation battles, legal dramas and debt problems whilst Figo helped Inter secure their first Serie A title since 1989 by virtue of winning matches without fixing them, promptly followed by three more consecutive titles including one in his final season before retirement when he was managed by compatriot Jose Mourinho.
Spurs are set to make an increased offer for Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas, after having an initial £6m bid rejected. (Mirror)
Successfully called by The Mirror - Spurs up the ante to £7m plus another £2m payable once they qualified for the UEFA Cup.
West Ham are hopeful of signing Newcastle’s former Manchester United stopper Nicky Butt. (Mirror)
First there was a plan, now there’s hope from Upton Park. The hope proved as useful as the plan, as Butt opted for a season long loan with his former colleague Steve Bruce at Birmingham City, before returning to Newcastle where he failed to prevent the slide into the Championship, making The Mirror’s use of the ’stopper’ sobriquet usually reserved for goalkeepers and sometimes defenders even more ill-advised.
Juventus have rejected a £30m offer from Chelsea for striker David Trezeguet. (The Sun)
Trezeguet stuck with Juventus through thick and thin, helping them back into Serie A after they were relegated following the match-fixing scandal and scoring 20 goals in their return to the top flight, before missing most of last season with a groin injury. Chelsea spent their £30m on Andriy Shevchenko one year later, which went well.
Manchester City are contemplating a move for former Rangers defender Craig Moore, who is on tour with Australia after being released by his club Borussia Moenchengladbach. (Mirror)
A reminder of how different things were before the Arab billions swept into Eastlands, as Manchester City were not thinking of Robinho, Kaka, Ronaldinho or Tevez but Australian centre half Craig Moore. It is unlikely that this summer potential signings will end up at Newcastle, that’s for sure. Moore spent two seasons at St. James’s Park where achievements such as being kept out of the first team by Titus Bramble saw him released in 2007 to join the splendidly named Brisbane Roar in the misleadingly titled A-League.
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is likely to move for Cardiff defender Danny Gabbidon. (Mirror)
The Mirror called Birmingham but 2005’s Welsh footballer of the year Danny Gabbison declined Bruce’s advances and went to West Ham, despite the lack of reported plans or hope on the Hammers behalf.
Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is expected to enter talks about a permanent move for Craig Bellamy, who is also wanted by Everton and Aston Villa. (Daily Mail)
The Daily Mail take three shots at the target but each one misses - the Scottish Premier League failed to satisfy Bellamy’s high opinion of himself and Everton and Villa lucked out as Bellamy joined his former Welsh national boss Mark Hughes at Blackburn, triggering a nomadic four year spell trotting about the division which took in neither Everton or Aston Villa.
Villa could move for Southampton’s Kevin Phillips if they fail to land Bellamy. (Daily Mail)
More accurate shooting from the Mail - Villa missed out on Bellamy and opted for Kevin Phillips, whose injury blighted season saw him fail to settle. At least at Aston Villa that is, as he seemed very content in the Midlands, joining neighbours West Bromwich Albion for two seasons, where he was extremely successful and popular before being affronted by their offer of a one year contract with a second year depending on appearances and heading off to other neighbours Birmingham City, where he has also been successful and popular. Rumours that neighbours Wolves are interested are unconfirmed.
Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman may be about to move to Marseille on loan, with talks planned this week. (Daily Express)
It’s great that the Express were so convinced about touting this particular rumour around that they used the words ‘may be’, but in the end they were wise to be cautious, as Mourinho was convinced the Serbian striker wasn’t up to the Premier League and wasn’t interested in keeping the possibility he might come back alive, selling him to Atletico Madrid for keeps. If only all papers were so circumspect in their rumour-mongering these days we might not be so hard on them…
Bolton are expected to pip Manchester City for the signature of Oman keeper Ali Al-Habsi. (Daily Mail)
Well expected Daily Mail!
The agent for Birmingham loan signing Walter Pandiani says his client would welcome a move to Real Zaragoza. (Daily Express)
Good call agent, but were Real Zaragoza interested? Either they weren’t or the agent was wrong, as Pandiani signed permanently for £3m. ‘Permanently’ turned out to be one season before he headed of for Spain, joining not Zaragoza but Espanyol.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has given Celtic his blessing to snap up striker Jeremie Aliadiere on loan. (Daily Record)
With Celtic blessed by the Frenchman they went right ahead and snapped Aliadiere up on loan. Quite why was unclear, as he made just 2 substitute appearances as Celtic crashed out of the Champions League at the qualification round to Artmedia Bratislava before moving back to Arsenal in August citing a lack of first team opportunities. He then took a season long loan at West Ham was not much better, with just 7 starts and no goals.
Rangers could snap up defender Soti Kyrgiakos from Panathinaikos for nothing. (Daily Record)
Could and did, rounding off the day’s rumours with a double whammy for the Daily Record.
