June 10th
Sunday, 10 Jun 2007 09:45
Michael Owen may not be a Magpie next summer
What do Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Valencia have in common? Why, their yearning burning desire for Wesley Sneijder, of course.
Sadly for the three clubs the
Ajax playmaker looks like he will be returning none of their advances as his club are making it clear he's going nowhere.
The same cannot be said of
Michael Owen, whose frustratingly injury-blighted stay at
Newcastle may be coming to an end this summer.
Sam Allardyce has admitted the England striker may be on his way before the next season gets underway, because of a pesky clause in Owen's contract which allows him to leave for bids of over £9 million. Any takers?
Someone who isn't going anywhere for now is
Arsene Wenger, who has made clear he will stick by the Gunners at all costs – for now at least.
The
Arsenal chief has one year left to run on his contract and, quashing frenzied speculation that he may be making an early break for the exit door, has said he will serve out his time. A bit like Paris Hilton in that respect.
Next we have the lure of the Premiership proving an apparently irresistible attraction for bright young talents like
David Nugent.
The
Preston striker says there is nothing he would like more than testing out his skills in the highest tier of English football – if anyone will have him, of course. His goal against Andorra is an advert for the 22-year-old in itself.
Other potential upgraders are
Cardiff players like
Darren Purse and
Michael Chopra who club chairman Peter Ridsdale says are bound to be tempted. It's tough being nearly at the top.
In other transfer news, rumours are afoot that
Robbie Fowler and
Luis Figo may be set to join
David Beckham at
LA Galaxy.
Crystal Palace's Peter Taylor says he is keen on getting his south London hands on Lincoln defender
Jeff Hughes.
And, to wrap things up in a suitably vague fashion,
Birmingham are reportedly being targeted as a potential takeover prospect by a nameless businessman from the Far East. Now that's what I call speculative.