Giuseppe to boost attack

[Craig 6700]

Newcastle United appear to have finally solved their problematic search for a new striker by swooping for Manchester United's exciting young Italian Giuseppi Rossi.

 

Manager Glenn Roeder had spent the morning trying to persuade Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate to part with Australian international Mark Viduka but when that failed United turned their attention to Rossi.

 

The American-born centre-forward is highly rated by Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scot was thought to be reluctant to allow the 19-year-old to leave on loan as a result of his failure to find a replacement for Ruud van Nistelrooy following his £14m move to Real Madrid.

 

But with the Magpies desperate for re-enforcements and with less than 24 hours until the close of the transfer window, Roeder and chairman Freddie Shepherd have persuaded him to allow the Italy Under-21 international to gain more first team experience in the North-East.

 

Ferguson said: "It was a big decision for us especially as we don't have the options of strikers but that was something Giuseppi wanted. He needs regular first team football and he will come back a more experienced player. He is only small but very good in the air. He has got quick feet, a great football brain and can score goals."

 

Rossi has made 14 first team pearances for Manchester United, scoring four goals, including one in the Premiership against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last season. He has also been highly prolific at reserve team level having being signed from Italian club Parma.

 

Indeed, new Sunderland manager Roy Keane had also been keen to sign the young starlet but Newcastle have beaten him to it and Rossi will remain at St James's Park until January 1 when Newcastle will hope to make a more permanent signing when Michael Owen's injury situation is clearer.

 

The capture of Rossi ended an otherwise disappointing day for Newcastle's manager and chairman after they failed to persuade Chelsea defender Robert Huth to turn down a move to Middlesbrough in favour of a move to United.

 

The Magpies had also made an offer to loan French international David Trezeguet from Juventus, with the 28-year-old World Cup finalistone of the last remaining big names at Juventus following their relegation from Serie A for match-fixing.

 

United chairman Freddie Shepherd initially enquired about the striker's availability during the negotiations about Jean-Alain Boumsong's move to Turin.

 

With continued doubts hanging over Shola Ameobi's fitness and Obafemi Martin's still to get used to the Premiership, Roeder had been desperate to add offensive options and was frantically try to finalise some sort of deal today.

 

And with Preston North End investing £3m in Liverpool's Neil Mellor yesterday, there was talk Newcastle were on the verge of sealing a deal for the Championship club's highly-rated England Under-21 international David Nugent.

 

Another name which may have been mentioned at St James's Parkwas Andy Cole. At 34, Cole is not the sort of striker Roeder would have wanted at the start of the summer but he remains a popular figure on Tyneside after his record-breaking spell at United in the 1990s, despite his heart-breaking switch to Manchester United in 1995.

 

The experienced centre-forward was yesterday on the South Coast undergoing a medical with Portsmouth.

 

Meanwhile, Newcastle's hopes of adding to their defensive ranks also look in jeopardy following Huth's refusal to turn his back on a proposed move to Boro.

 

The German international had agreed to join the Teessiders back in July but failed a medical. Boro, though, remained in touch and despite Newcastle's late attempt to hijack the move, Huth stayed loyal to Southgate and passed a stringent medical examination.

 

United's hopes of bringing in Wayne Bridge from Chelsea have also been put in major doubt because Ashley Cole does not look as though he will be leaving Arsenal to move to Stamford Bridge as the two clubs cannot agree a price. That means Chelsea cannot afford to let Bridge leave as they will not have enough cover at left-back. What targets remain for Roeder are unknown, with Woodgate also moving to Boro and Sol Campbell's preference for a move to the North-East ignored so the former England international decided to join Portsmouth.

 

Source: http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcast...-name_page.html

[Barney 0]

Andy Cole?

 

Good step forward for the club tbf.

[Gemmill 46208]

American? I hope does high-fives when he scores. This is AWESOME!

[Brock Manson 0]

Only January 1st?