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Santa Cruz story refuses to die as the transfer window creaks ever
never to the 'shut' position, the boss bigs up Bellamy, it might not be
a 'Given' thing and a move for Tevez is mooted.
The Sun
"Fourth Santa bid is KO'd"
BLACKBURN last night knocked back another bid from Manchester City for star striker Roque Santa Cruz.
The
latest offer — believed to be in the region of £17million — was the
FOURTH from the Eastlands club since the start of the season.
And
it was still not enough to tempt Rovers to part with their prized asset
as they need the Paraguayan to help them beat the drop.
City
boss Mark Hughes has put the man he brought to Ewood Park for £3.8m on
top of his January wish-list. But Rovers have indicated even a bid of
£20m would not tempt them.
The Mirror
"Brawler Craig Bellamy will save Manchester City dressing room, claims Mark Hughes"
Mark
Hughes believes Craig Bellamy's snarling presence in the Manchester
City dressing-room is just what his squad needs - and has told the
mouthy striker to speak his mind whenever he likes.
Bellamy has
earned a notorious reputation as a troublemaker during his nomadic
career which has seen him play for eight clubs in 12 years, often
falling out with team-mates and managers.
But Hughes claimed
Bellamy's confrontational and spiky personality is just what his City
players need right now and has encouraged the famously volatile striker
to let rip.
"Players like Craig will say it as they see it, which is no bad thing sometimes," said Hughes.
"He'll
make his point, but you have to be careful because sometimes players
can get a little bit emotional. They'll maybe say the wrong thing.
"That's when, as a manager, you step in and tell them to be quiet.
"But if they are valid points then they're probably points I'd be making anyway. So you let players have their say.
"If
you ask most Premier League managers, most will tell you that dressing
rooms are quieter these days. And at times you need the players to do
things themselves.
It can't always come from myself or the
coaches." Bellamy scored on his City debut in Wednesday's 2-1 win over
Newcastle and played with his customary industry and passion, qualities
that persuaded Hughes to pay West Ham £14million to sign the
29-year-old.
And the manager reckons Bellamy's demanding
personality would have a positive effect on the players around him,
ensuring they raise their level. "Craig is demanding of himself and you
see what a driven guy he is," said Hughes. "He wants to be the best he
can possibly be. That desire to be the best can be frustrating for him
because if he feels players aren't working hard or not doing the right
work, he'll tell them.
"He's demanding of everyone and doesn't suffer fools."
Bellamy
is hopeful City succeed in their £20m pursuit of Blackburn striker
Roque Santa Cruz, who he said would be the perfect foil for him up
front. "We haven't got that physical presence in our attack that at
times you need in the Premier League," said Bellamy.
"We're
renowned in England for our big strong No.9s who can head the ball, and
at times we'll need that this season. I've played the lone striker's
role once or twice and not done it too well - but I don't think I've
had the quality of players like Robinho, Stevie Ireland and Shaun
Wright-Phillips behind me.
"I like to drop deep and wide, but
what I really wanted to show everybody is that when we haven't got the
ball I'll work hard for the team and close opponents down."
Daily Mail
"No joke for Kinnear as N'Zogbia insists he'll never play for him again - and Given's set to leave"
Shay
Given submitted a written transfer request to Newcastle last night as
manager Joe Kinnear was left reeling by a parting shot from Charles
N’Zogbia, who looks set to join Wigan.
Kinnear, who revealed
the club have launched a desperate late raid for new players in
response to an injury crisis that has sparked fresh relegation fears,
has been stunned by N’Zogbia’s outburst.
The frantic transfer
activity and injury setbacks will have left Newcastle fans wondering
just what kind of team will take to the field in the Tyne-Wear derby
against Sunderland on Sunday.
Given, 32, has been publicly
demanding dramatic transfer action for the past two seasons and
ironically, the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper has now submitted his
written request in order to clear obstacles to his proposed move to Manchester City.
Mark Hughes’s side have offered £5m but Ashley left Eastlands on Wednesday without reaching an agreement.
Kinnear
said he would be ‘heartbroken’ to see Given leave but he is resigned to
that happening and the possibility of bringing in new recruits would
brighten his mood
before Sunday’s home derby.
The Times
"Chelsea and City join chase for Tevez"
Chelsea
and Manchester City will join Real Madrid in the scramble for the
services of Carlos Tévez if the Manchester United forward prices
himself out of a long-term contract at Old Trafford.
United are
in negotiations to sign Tévez on a permanent basis once their two-year
lease arrangement expires in June, but progress has been awkward, with
Kia Joorabchian, head of the companies that own the player’s economic
rights, maintaining that they must pay a fee of £22 million in addition
to the downpayments of about £10 million that have already been made
and a salary well in excess of £100,000 a week.
Other clubs
have been alerted to the impasse and while Real’s interest is well
known, Chelsea and City have also made clear their desire to be kept
informed of developments.
The Argentina forward has expressed a
preference to stay with United but, as well as the financial
complications, he has been frustrated at times this season by his
demotion to third choice behind Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney.
Madrid would be his preferred destination if he were to leave United,
but Chelsea and City would offer further options.
City
officials have discussed the feasibility of such a coup with Mark
Hughes, the manager, since the failed bid to sign Kaká, the Brazil
forward, from AC Milan this month. The fee for Tévez would be £32
million, but Chelsea appear to be willing to match that valuation in
the summer while also bidding to sign Luis Fabiano, the Brazil forward,
from Seville.
City are hoping to make one last, big splash in
the January transfer window as Hughes prepares to pursue an alternative
striker in the event that Blackburn Rovers do not accept the club’s
final £18.5 million offer for Roque Santa Cruz.
While Shay
Given, the Newcastle United goalkeeper, moved to break the deadlock
over his proposed switch to City by submitting a transfer request
yesterday, Hughes’s chief concern is signing another striker to
complement the £14 million acquisition of Craig Bellamy from West Ham
United. Didier Drogba’s name has been discussed, although it is unclear
how prominently the Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker figures in Hughes’s
thoughts or whether the London club would be prepared to sell him with
little time to find a suitable replacement.
City are eager to
sign Santa Cruz — the latest bid was their fifth for the Paraguay
striker in the past six months — but Blackburn remain reluctant
sellers. Tottenham Hotspur have expressed an interest, but they believe
that City are more likely to meet Blackburn’s £22 million valuation.
Sam
Allardyce, the Blackburn manager, wants to keep Santa Cruz, mindful
that he will be a potent weapon in their relegation battle, but last
night the club were in talks with El-Hadji Diouf after lodging a £1.5
million bid with Sunderland for the Senegal forward who played under
Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers.
City’s pursuit of Given is not
without its problems either, but the goalkeeper’s desire to move may
ultimately help to force through a deal. Newcastle say that any
transfer fee for the Ireland goalkeeper will have to be more than the
£6 million offer made by City that Joe Kinnear, the manager, described
as derisory.
but Given, who withdrew from Kinnear’s squad before the 2-1 defeat by
City on Wednesday evening because of a knee injury, hopes that his
transfer request will speed up the process.
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