Magpies snatch Geremi
Geremi will be looking for regular first-team football at St James' Park
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Tuesday, 03, Jul 2007 02:59
Newcastle United have completed the signing of utility man Geremi on a free transfer, subject to the successful transfer of his work permit from Chelsea.
The 28-year-old, who filled in at right-back for the Blues on several occasions last season, has signed a three-year deal at St James' Park and will be a useful addition to new boss Sam Allardyce's defensive line.
Geremi, a 60-cap Cameroon international, is renowned for his free kick-taking. He has scored six times for his country and also won Olympic gold at the Sydney Games in 2000.
He joins the Magpies despite coming to England as a loan signing for Newcastle's local rivals Middlesbrough in the 2002/03 season from Spanish giants Real Madrid, although he moved to Stamford Bridge that summer after being voted the Riverside club's player of the season.
Fellow former Boro man Mark Viduka is also among Allardyce's new signings, which include Joey Barton and David Rozehnal.
Geremi has been a target for Newcastle since Allardyce took charge at the end of last season and the former Bolton boss has made no secret of his desire to capture the versatile player.
"Geremi is something we would like to pursue but many other clubs in the Premier League will be doing exactly the same thing," Allardyce remarked last week.
"Hopefully we can persuade him - if we get the opportunity - to join this football club and not the others who will be chasing him as well as us.
"It is a long way from done but there is an interest there and hopefully we can progress it over the next few days."