Boro 'to land Woodgate for £6.7m'

[ewerk 30611]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ugh/6595395.stm

 

Middlesbrough are expected to confirm later on Thursday that Jonathan Woodgate has made a permanent switch to the Riverside.

 

England defender Woodgate joined his home-town club on a season-long loan from Real Madrid in August.

 

Boro negotiated a first option to buy the former Leeds and Newcastle defender when they set up the loan move.

 

Real will receive £6.7m for the 27-year-old, who has agreed to commit his future to the Teessiders.

 

Woodgate is set to repay the faith Boro showed in signing a player with a wretched injury record.

 

He arrived at the Riverside having endured a miserable two years at the Bernabeu where injuries left him struggling to establish himself in Spanish football.

 

But such has been Woodgate's form and fitness that he has started 33 of the 41 games Boro have played since his arrival, earning a recall to the England side for the friendly against Spain in February.

 

Woodgate cost Newcastle £8m when they signed him from Leeds in January 2003, and Real paid £13.4m for his services in August 2004.

 

An absolute steal if he can stay fit.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

He's only missed three or four games this season hasn't he?

 

What happened to the first option clause we put in when we sold him to Madrid?

[TheMoog 0]

He's only missed three or four games this season hasn't he?

 

What happened to the first option clause we put in when we sold him to Madrid?

 

That's assuming he'd want to come back to the Toon, personally I think he's done a Shearer and wants to play for his hometown team regardless of ambition.

[nufc4ever 0]

He's only missed three or four games this season hasn't he?

 

What happened to the first option clause we put in when we sold him to Madrid?

 

That's assuming he'd want to come back to the Toon, personally I think he's done a Dyer and values his social life regardless of ambition.

 

FYP.

[Gemmill 44881]

Freddy's crying into his No. 6 shirt.

[Fop 1]

He's only missed three or four games this season hasn't he?

 

What happened to the first option clause we put in when we sold him to Madrid?

 

Probably didn't exist (seems to happen a lot to us, or ones do that were denied).

 

Complete steal at 7 million for him, considering what else you'd get for that money

[Super_Steve_Howey 0]

We declined it when he went to Boro.

[luckyluke 2]

Tbf this is a bit hindsight tastic, the reaction when Boro signed him was mostly 'good luck with him, he's a crock, no thanks'.

[Guest alex]

If he wasn't staying at Boro, I'd doubt he'd be coming here anyway.

[Jimbo 175]

Middlesbrough have confirmed the £7m permanent signing of England defender Jonathan Woodgate.

Woodgate, 27, arrived at his home-town club in August on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

 

But he has now made the permanent switch to the Riverside, signing a four-year contract and putting his injury misery behind him.

 

Boro negotiated a first option to buy the former Leeds and Newcastle defender when they set up the loan move.

 

He arrived at the Riverside having endured a miserable two years at the Bernabeu where injuries left him struggling to establish himself in Spanish football.

 

But such has been Woodgate's form and fitness that he has started 33 of the 41 games Boro have played since his arrival, earning a recall to the England side for the friendly against Spain in February.

 

Woodgate cost Newcastle £8m when they signed him from Leeds in January 2003, and Real paid £13.4m for his services in August 2004.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

He's a con artist i reckon

[Fop 1]

Boro negotiated a first option to buy the former Leeds and Newcastle defender when they set up the loan move.

 

So either our option didn't exist or we didn't take it I guess.

[Howaythetoon 0]

Big risk at that price, surprised really. I hope no Toon fan is gutted about this, great player for us when fit but that is a lot of money for someone so injury prone.

[Guest alex]

Big risk at that price, surprised really. I hope no Toon fan is gutted about this, great player for us when fit but that is a lot of money for someone so injury prone.

As Gemmill said, Shepherd will be. I agree though.

[Howaythetoon 0]

Oh aye, FS will be. Burning the number 6 shirt in his office as I write.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I've spoken to 2 or 3 Boro fans who watch them regularly and it sounds like he's not quite the player we had, with all those injuries finally taking a little from him. Seems like he's lost the edge of his pace a touch and its no suprise them number of muscle injuries he's had.

 

Also i was thinking myself if the player that was at NUFC had played that many games this season the papers, tv pundits etc. would all be constantly banging on about him becasue he was absolutely amazing, so i don't think he's quite reaching those levels.

 

That said he's streets ahead of anything we have or are likely to sign with Roeder in charge and if he stays fit the smogs will have done well to sign him. But i'm not sure they're quite signing the player we remember.

[Howaythetoon 0]

I've spoken to 2 or 3 Boro fans who watch them regularly and it sounds like he's not quite the player we had, with all those injuries finally taking a little from him. Seems like he's lost the edge of his pace a touch and its no suprise them number of muscle injuries he's had.

 

Also i was thinking myself if the player that was at NUFC had played that many games this season the papers, tv pundits etc. would all be constantly banging on about him becasue he was absolutely amazing, so i don't think he's quite reaching those levels.

 

That said he's streets ahead of anything we have or are likely to sign with Roeder in charge and if he stays fit the smogs will have done well to sign him. But i'm not sure they're quite signing the player we remember.

 

 

I've watched him a few times this season, he isn't the same player like, that could be due to the shite around him and him just easing himself back into regular first-team football like. That and any player will be different after a few long-term injuries. Still class on his day though. Anyway good luck to him I say.

[MrMiyagi 0]

Remember his battle with Henry early in the season. He's about a million times better than anyone that we could sign.

[Guest alex]

Remember his battle with Henry early in the season. He's about a million times better than anyone that we could sign.

If we're going purely off playing well against Henry we should get Boumsong back. He's probably better on his day than anything we could sign but you know he'd be crocked straight away if he came back here anyway.

[Fop 1]

I've spoken to 2 or 3 Boro fans who watch them regularly and it sounds like he's not quite the player we had, with all those injuries finally taking a little from him. Seems like he's lost the edge of his pace a touch and its no suprise them number of muscle injuries he's had.

 

Also i was thinking myself if the player that was at NUFC had played that many games this season the papers, tv pundits etc. would all be constantly banging on about him becasue he was absolutely amazing, so i don't think he's quite reaching those levels.

 

That said he's streets ahead of anything we have or are likely to sign with Roeder in charge and if he stays fit the smogs will have done well to sign him. But i'm not sure they're quite signing the player we remember.

 

He might not be quite the player we sold, but I still think 7 million is a steal considering what else you'd likely get for that money.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I've spoken to 2 or 3 Boro fans who watch them regularly and it sounds like he's not quite the player we had, with all those injuries finally taking a little from him. Seems like he's lost the edge of his pace a touch and its no suprise them number of muscle injuries he's had.

 

Also i was thinking myself if the player that was at NUFC had played that many games this season the papers, tv pundits etc. would all be constantly banging on about him becasue he was absolutely amazing, so i don't think he's quite reaching those levels.

 

That said he's streets ahead of anything we have or are likely to sign with Roeder in charge and if he stays fit the smogs will have done well to sign him. But i'm not sure they're quite signing the player we remember.

 

He might not be quite the player we sold, but I still think 7 million is a steal considering what else you'd likely get for that money.

 

I agree, having played virtually a full season he has justified a gamble of that kind of fee i think, but i don't know if we'll ever see Woody at his very best again, which is a shame, though not so much since he plays for the smogs!

[Tooj 17]

He's lacking that turn of pace he once had but the fact his reading of the game is still absolutely immense so you don't see him exposed. He's still no slouch like.

[MrMiyagi 0]

He's lacking that turn of pace he once had but the fact his reading of the game is still absolutely immense so you don't see him exposed. He's still no slouch like.

 

Maybe just hesitant to run full pelt like he once did for fear of his muscle snapping in half...

[Fop 1]

He's lacking that turn of pace he once had but the fact his reading of the game is still absolutely immense so you don't see him exposed. He's still no slouch like.

 

Maybe just hesitant to run full pelt like he once did for fear of his muscle snapping in half...

 

It may just be his hair tbh.

[Guest alex]

He's lacking that turn of pace he once had but the fact his reading of the game is still absolutely immense so you don't see him exposed. He's still no slouch like.

 

Maybe just hesitant to run full pelt like he once did for fear of his muscle snapping in half...

Doubt you'd have time to think about that in a match.