Leeds Utd for Harewood

[loonyTOON 10]

Leeds are apparently interested in signing former nufc's loanee Marlon Harewood. Does this mean Leeds have admitted defeat in fending off interested parties coming in for Jermaine Beckford. Does that mean he's shortly on his way to us, and is Harewood likely to sign for them in League 1?

 

hmmmm

[wykikitoon 21511]

They dont want to sell Beckford until they have a replacement.

[TheMoog 0]

I'd probably take Beckford over Harewood, though the Goomba does have a certain comedy look.

[Barney 0]

NEWCASTLE United have been warned they will have to move quickly if they are going to turn to Marlon Harewood to fill the gap in their forward line as the striker is concerned by the lack of progress being made.

 

United manager Chris Hughton contacted Harewood’s agent on Saturday evening when he first discovered his main target Jermaine Beckford had decided to stay at Leeds United until the end of the season.

 

The Journal understands that Hughton assured Harewood’s advisors that he was their preferred target following the collapse of the Beckford deal, and that they would be in touch this week once they had begun negotiations with Aston Villa. But that was the last Harewood’s camp heard from the Magpies hierarchy and with Queens Park Rangers making their interest in the 30-year-old known yesterday, Newcastle are in danger of seeing him move elsewhere unless they make a firm decision in the next 48 hours. A source close to Harewood said: “QPR have made a firm enquiry and they have asked whether Marlon would be up for a move to Loftus Road.

 

“It is an interesting proposition, but Marlon has made it clear he would rather come back to Newcastle because he enjoyed his time up there so much.

 

“But he can’t wait forever, there isn’t much time left in the transfer window and there are other options on the table.

 

“Newcastle need to get on with it if they want him because a decision will be made by the start of next week at Marlon’s end.

 

“He doesn’t want to be left at Aston Villa because he doesn’t feel comfortable there anymore.”

 

Villa had made it clear they would prefer to sell the player this month rather than let him leave on a temporary basis and lose him for nothing at the end of the season when his curent contract runs out.

 

That stance has not persuaded anyone to offer them the money they were looking for and with Harewood unhappy at being forced to return to Aston Villa’s reserve team, they realise he is a potentially disruptive influence if he remains at Villa Park for the next six months.

 

As a result, Martin O’Neill is now willing to let him leave on loan again as long as a club pays all of his £25,000-a-week wage packet – something Newcastle were willing to do before Christmas.

 

However, Hughton would also rather sign players permanently and while he is happy to have Harewood back on a temporary contract, he does not want to be forced into offering him a long-term deal.

 

Indeed, although Harewood – who looks increasingly like a safety net option – would be a welcome addition to the squad, Newcastle may also still be looking at alternatives to buy as Hughton had several names on the wanted list he gave to managing director Derek Llambias before the window opened.

 

Danny Simpson’s permanent switch to Newcastle was confirmed last night after he agreed terms on a three-year contract.

 

The deal had looked in jeopardy last week, but Newcastle have now agreed an undisclosed fee with Manchester United and also reached a compromise with Simpson over his £15,000-a-week wage demands.

 

The full-back will instead receive around £10,000-a-week with an increase if Newcastle are promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are highly unlikely to return with a second bid for defender James Perch after they had a £1m bid – described as “derisory” by Nottingham Forest – turned down at the start of the week.

 

Forest have made it clear they do not want to lose the player to their promotion rivals and Newcastle, who have no interest in paying over the odds for players despite the need for new recruits, have other targets in mind.