Shearer's double swoop

[Jimbo 175]

ALAN SHEARER has this week made his first move as Newcastle's manager-in-waiting by lining up a double swoop for strikers Ched Evans and Fraizer Campbell.

 

Shearer is likely to be installed by the end of the week as the search for a new owner at St James' Park nears completion.

 

The former England skipper is favoured by all three groups bidding for control and has begun working behind the scenes to assemble a squad to get straight back into the Premier League.

Available

 

The list of 10 names that was distributed throughout Europe for players available for transfer was compiled with his blessing.

 

Key figures Sebastien Bassong, Habib Beye and Steven Taylor were NOT on it, despite concerted efforts to unsettle the trio.

 

And Shearer has upped the ante this week with a double swoop for the strikers who will replace Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Oba Martins.

 

Campbell's proposed move to Hull has been on hold for three weeks while a row over money has rumbled on with Manchester United.

Competition

 

That has given Shearer the chance to ask about the striker, 21. His interest was not discouraged, despite competition from Sunderland boss Steve Bruce.

 

Similarly, he has set the wheels in motion to land Manchester City forward Evans.

 

The 20-year-old struggled for opportunities at Eastlands last season but bagged 10 goals in 20 starts during a loan spell at Norwich and Shearer wants that kind of physical presence in his front line. He believes he could land the pair for less than £10million.

 

However, Shearer's annoyance at the length of time it is taking to sort out the club ownership is rising and he has been forced to ask his targets to wait.

Takeover

 

Keith Harris, the man brokering the sale to end Mike Ashley's disastrous two years in charge, was hopeful a takeover was on the brink of conclusion on Thursday. However, problems over the level of the club's overdraft stalled a deal late on Friday evening.

 

To speed up the process, Martins and Fabricio Coloccini are set to be sold this week French giants Lyon have lined up Martins as a direct replacement for Karim Benzema, who moved to Real Madrid for £35m. Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg are also interested.

 

Coloccini, who cost Newcastle a staggering £11m last summer when he arrived from Deportivo la Coruna, is the subject of a £4m bid from Galatasaray.

 

An American consortium, shown around St James' Park and the club's training facilities on Monday remain in pole position to assume control at Newcastle.

 

But a Malaysian group, who were in Toon on Thursday, have matched the £80m asking price.

[snakehips 0]

As the ginga brat Annie sang: "Next wee..eek, next wee..eek. I love ya next wee..eek. It's only a lot of heartbeats away."

[Toonpack 10384]

As the ginga brat Annie sang: "Next wee..eek, next wee..eek. I love ya next wee..eek. It's only a lot of heartbeats away."

 

Annie !!! all these years there's me thinking Gemmill was a lad

Edited July 5, 2009 by Toonpack

[Happy Face 29]

by the end of the week

 

I'll miss that promise once it's all sorted.

 

After 2 months I'm getting attached to the meaningless statement.

[Park Life 71]

by the end of the week

 

I'll miss that promise once it's all sorted.

 

After 2 months I'm getting attached to the meaningless statement.

 

All I can imagine is that our accounts are written on a cartouche.

[AgentAxeman 199]

Good news if its true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

but i aint holding my breath.......................

[Andrew 4964]

if true then its excellent news, i really rate campbell especially in the championship and evans seems a decent player too

[Kitman 2207]

Isn't shearer sitting at home with his knitting?

 

Looks like kinnears on his way back anyway. Not half had a good spout over the weekend.

 

Good news if true. Kinnear's a proper manager, who would never have got us relegated if he hadn't been ill, oh dear me no. It'll be one in the eye for all the deluded fans if Kinnear comes back in instead of the upstart Shearer. A 62 year old with a serious heart complaint and a track record of failure is definitely the man to take us forward. [/Liddle]