Scottish Mag 3 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Newcastle United are hoping to succeed where they failed in August - by signing Aussie international striker Mark Viduka in the close season. And the word from Tel Aviv is that Israeli international Ben Haim is ready to jump on a plane and join his former Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce at St James' Park. Viduka has not signed a new contract for Middlesbrough and, like Ben Haim, would not cost United a penny in transfer fees, leaving money to be spent on other players. The burly striker is now back in his native Melbourne, but I understand he can expect a phone call from United in the immediate future. Viduka was desperate to join United in the 2006 summer transfer window, but Middlesbrough blocked this. However, he is a free agent now and those close to him tell me after playing in front of empty red seats at the Riverside Stadium, he would love the chance to do his stuff in front of the 52,000-plus every other week at St James'. And although he is now 31, the former Dynamo Zagreb, Celtic and Leeds striker showed he can still cut it in the Premiership with seven goals in his last six games, including the equaliser against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, like Viduka, 25-year-old Ben Haim is back in his native country and is set to get married next month. Allardyce took him to Bolton from Maccabi Tel Aviv, but he is now out of contract and, despite interest from both Chelsea and Spurs and the offer of a new contract at the Reebok Stadium, I am told Ben Haim would love to follow his former boss through the door at St James'. His record of nine bookings and one red card last season shows that he does not take any prisoners - and isn't that just what United need? Allardyce will talk to Michael Owen in the next couple of days, but the new boss has also to sort out the little striker's fellow England international Kieron Dyer's future at United. Like the now-departed Titus Bramble, Dyer was booed off in the final home match of the season against Blackburn Rovers, and his body language after he scored at Watford on Sunday was not that of a player who wants to stay with United. My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. But any move for Dyer would mean he has to pass a medical, and as his injury history is not great, this could cause insurance problems because of his long-standing hamstring difficulties and undisclosed medical condition. Whether Owen or Dyer goes or stays, Freddy Shepherd is knuckling down for a busy summer after handing Sam Allardyce the task of reviving his club's fortunes. This week Shepherd finally got his man, three years after first setting his sights on Allardyce, when he appointed him as Glenn Roeder's successor. The pair have wasted little time in preparing the way for new arrivals by releasing Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Pavel Srnicek, Olivier Bernard and Oguchi Onyewu barely 24 hours after the new regime was put in place. Shepherd will leave Allardyce to talk to Owen, amid talk he could leave the club after managing just 14 appearances in two seasons, as well as dressing- room rebels Obafemi Martins and Charles N'Zogbia. He knows there is no time to waste as the club prepares to bounce back from a disappointing, injury-plagued season which fell far short of expectations on Tyneside. Shepherd said: "It was important to bring someone in quickly. It is a revolving door and when Glenn resigned we did not have much time. "We have the whole summer to plan ahead and, believe me, we will need every minute of every day to do that." Shepherd gave Roeder the job on a groundswell of popular opinion after his heroics as caretaker and was desperate for him to be the man to finally bring success to St James' Park. Like so many managers before him, however, it simply did not work out that way. Shepherd said: "Every manager who has come here has always done his best, or tried to do his best. Nobody came here and tried to do their worst. "It just has not worked out for them. It is quite simple. "Glenn deserved a chance after last season and we gave him that chance, but it did not work out for him for various reasons which everybody knows." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1282 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Would be two good signings for free. I think we're gonna need to get some players in for nowt or next to nowt considering how light the squad is and if we can get two of that quality it's a good start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleftpeg 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. Fuck me. Oba Mikel aside, I thought Mourwhingio was a better judge of players than that. Whatever Dyer is paying his agent he's getting a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 31604 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 His record of nine bookings and one red card last season shows that he does not take any prisoners - and isn't that just what United need? Aye Alan, I'm sure a propensity to give away free kicks and collect cards is exactly what we're looking for in a CB. And Dyer to Chelsea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 What's Mags doing in your avatar Ritchie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Viduka was desperate to join United in the 2006 summer transfer window, but Middlesbrough blocked this. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Mag 3 Posted May 18, 2007 Author Share Posted May 18, 2007 What's Mags doing in your avatar Ritchie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Ben Haim is one of the best centrebacks in the league. Would love it if he joined us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 47252 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 What's Mags doing in your avatar Ritchie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6702 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. You don't even have to put a name to it these days, you can smell Oliver's bullshit from miles away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gram 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. You don't even have to put a name to it these days, you can smell Oliver's bullshit from miles away... Sadly youre right. Wish the popcorn faced cock would shut his fucking trap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman02uk 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. You don't even have to put a name to it these days, you can smell Oliver's bullshit from miles away... Sadly youre right. Wish the popcorn faced cock would shut his fucking trap. Hasnt lampard being going abroad for the last 4 years? its easy fucking writing for the tool, hes got nothing new so he sits typing and masturbating "the lads are gonna love this, dyer off to chelski haha" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Mag 3 Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 Both Crumpy Gunt/Ugly Mackems and someone on Skunkers reckon Viduka was in talks with Allardyce yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima 0 Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 ahahaa, that article. At least 5 claims of inside information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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