Premier League Gossip (9 December 2010)
Alan Pardew to name Ray Lewington as his assistant
The idea of sacking a manager who brought Newcastle back into the Premier League, and replacing him with a man who, in his last job was sacked by a League One club is absurd to say the least. One wonders what Mike Ashley was thinking before he appointed
Alan Pardew. Well, it might be ‘absolutely nothing’, which we believe is what he has been doing in his three and a half year tenure.
Ray Lewington will join up with Pardew after Newcastle’s game against Liverpool this weekend. Caretaker manager Peter Beardsley will take charge of the team for that game.
Alan Pardew will pocket £750,000 from his new job. After all, it isn’t really bad to get sacked by a League One side.
Liverpool to sign Ashley Young for £15m
The major transfer gossip of the day involved the Mighty Reds. The Daily Mirror believes that Liverpool are ready to step up their efforts to snap up a big name signing, which they believe is going to come in the shape of Aston Villa hit-man Ashley Young.
The paper claims that manager Roy Hodgson and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli are working on this ambitious transfer target, and hope to come out of it successfully. They believe that Villa can be persuaded to part ways with Young for £15m.
Villa have not had a great start to the season, and lost one of their top players James Milner at the start of the season. Some of his team-mates might want to follow his lead and move away from Villa Park, and the club could be tempted to sell in order
to shore up their finances.
New owners, NESV want to show their intent by making at least one marquee signing in January, but would otherwise pursue young and upcoming talented players.
Fanni also in Liverpool’s sight
Rennes full-back Rod Fanni has also reportedly expressed his interest in joining Liverpool. This is a strange one, since the problems between Roy Hodgson and Glen Johnson seem to have been sorted out.
However, according to Telegraph, Liverpool has made Fanni their top defensive signing for the January transfer window. This news has again led to speculation that Glen Johnson could be on his way out, with Inter Milan as a possible destination.
However, it is also believed elsewhere that the 29-year-old Frenchman is being brought in as as back up to Johnson. Fanni who is comfortable at both the right-back and centre- back positions is considered to be a cheap utility player for Roy Hodgson.
The mooted transfer fee is in the region of £2.5m.
Is Jermaine Pennant worth £6m?
The Sun claims that Real Zaragoza has demanded £6m for Jermaine Pennant. Stoke, who signed the former Liverpool man on loan from the Spanish side, will be reluctant to splash out that amount on Pennant.
According to reports, Pennant is willing to take a pay cut for the move to happen. However Stoke are not be willing to pay even half that amount.
Let’s just get this straight; no one on earth will ever pay £6m for Jermaine Pennant. Somebody should get that across to the Real Zaragoza president.
Steven Taylor? No one knows where!
How good is this guy? He seems to have been linked with nearly every club in the Premier league, and the best part is that he is hardly playing for Newcastle United.
The latest team to be linked with Taylor is Wolverhampton Wanderers. Mick McCarthy has been described by the press as a huge admirer of the English centre-back. If the Magpie’s new boss fails to persuade Taylor to sign a new contract, then he could finally
be on his way out in January.
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