Miroslav Klose

[Scottish Mag 3]

NEWCASTLE United chairman Freddy Shepherd was in Germany last night aiming to run the rule over his number one transfer target - Miroslav Klose.

 

Shepherd, who has rubbished reports linking the Magpies with Real Madrid's David Beckham and Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy, planned to watch Klose in Germany's third-place playoff against Portugal on the recommendation of retired Toon skipper Alan Shearer.

 

And Newcastle are hoping to land the free-scoring World Cup star, who was named as one of the World Cup's top strikers in FIFA's all-star squad, for as little as £7 million.

 

The 28-year-old Werder Bremen star has a clause in his contract allowing him to quit the Bundisliga if Werder receive an offer in excess of £6 million.

 

Newcastle are desperate for strikers following the retirement of Shearer, the long-term injury to England star Michael Owen, the sale of Michael Chopra and Shola Ameobi's injury problems.

 

Shearer, scouting at the World Cup for Newcastle on a consultancy basis, also gave the thumbs down to Holland striker Dirk Kuyt, but has told Shepherd that Klose would be the ideal man to replace him.

 

Shepherd will also take in today's World Cup Final in Berlin where he will check out several of the Italian players who could become available this summer as a result of the Serie A corruption scandal.

 

A senior Newcastle source last night dismissed a newspaper claim that Shepherd had held transfer talks with Beckham at the Claridges hotel in London on Wednesday as "Fantasy Island journalism".

 

He said: "The only fact that is correct is that Freddy Shepherd happened to be at Claridges on the same day that Victoria Beckham was having lunch there with her book publisher. It was 100 per cent coincidence.

 

"The Beckhams use the hotel quite a bit because their friend, the celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, has a restaurant there and that means there are always a lot of paparazzi outside.

 

"The Newcastle chairman and Mrs Beckham didn't meet and were pictured leaving at totally different times.

 

"There was categorically no meeting, no transfer talks and no contact. Freddy Shepherd is close to Real Madrid and has told them that the claims are completely untrue.

 

"Can you really imagine the chairman of Newcastle United arranging a transfer meeting with the most famous couple in the world at Claridges? It defies belief."

[geordieshandy 0]

Really good option

[The Fish 11272]

hang on if Werder Bremen receive a bid higher than £6m? then why offer £7m? why not offer £6,000,000.50?

 

seriously, why offer an extra million? why not half that? we could buy another player for £500k

[Guest Sima]

Absolutely no mention of Roeder being interested in the player there.

 

Fuck off Shearer

[Isegrim 10161]

Hmm, why does nobody in Jormany know about this clause.

[Dr Gloom 23204]

£7m seems a good price. i expected his world cup goals to have boosted his value to over £10m

[Isegrim 10161]

£7m seems a good price. i expected his world cup goals to have boosted his value to over £10m

157863[/snapback]

 

It certainly has. There is no way Bremen will allow him to leave for that kind of fee as there isn't a release clause in his contract as much as I know.

[TheInspiration 1]

hang on if Werder Bremen receive a bid higher than £6m? then why offer £7m? why not offer £6,000,000.50?

 

seriously, why offer an extra million? why not half that? we could buy another player for £500k

157860[/snapback]

To beat off competition from others bidding for him.

[Gemmill 48680]

So is Shearer Chief Scout and Shepherd Assistant Scout or what? How about sending a proper scout to have a look?

 

Klose has looked a good player though this tournament and if he was interested looks a good signing. Just have to see if he fancies playing for us though....

[Brock Manson 0]

Cooled our interest in Kuyt I take it.

 

If he has a clause which allows him to leave for 6 million (euros or £s?) then offering 7 is lunacy.

 

Yet wouldn't surprise me should it come to pass.