Latest Transfer Update at 16-03-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 16-03-2012

Ivica Olic: Out of contract in the summer

OLIC AGENT DENIES WOLFSBURG DEAL

The agent of Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic has denied that the Croatia international has agreed to join Wolfsburg from the start of next season.
Olic's contract with Bayern expires in the summer and several German newspapers have claimed on Thursday that he has agreed to join Wolfsburg on a free transfer.


However, his agent Gordon Stipic told Sport1.de that he has "neither negotiated nor reached an agreement" with the Wolves.
Olic, 32, becomes a free agent in the summer and, after falling out of favour at Bayern, he recently announced that he will be seeking a new challenge next season.
He has made only 15 substitute appearances so far this campaign and initially wanted to leave during the winter break before being convinced to stay until the end of the season.

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Wylde: Released from his contract by Rangers

BOLTON LEADING GREGG WYLDE CHASE

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has repeated his liking of Gregg Wylde amid reports the former Rangers midfielder has decided to sign a three-year deal at the Reebok Stadium.
Aston Villa, Everton, Wigan, West Ham and Charlton were all linked with the Scotland Under 21 winger, who is a free agent.
Wylde was released from his contract after Rangers entered administration and his experience at such a young age has led to mass competition for his signature.


But Premier League relegation-threatened Bolton are rumoured to have won the race and Coyle has again been full of praise of the 20-year-old.
"He is a very talented young player, a wide player who excites me," said Coyle ahead of Saturday evening's FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham.
"He has played a lot of games for Rangers both domestically and in Europe."

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Brain Kennedy: Fallback plan

RANGERS BID DEADLINE TODAY

Rangers will have a better idea of the prospects of moving the club out of administration later today when the deadline for indicative bids passes.
Only two parties had publicly declared their hand on the eve of the deadline, which was set by administrators Duff and Phelps.
One of the bidders, Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy, has declared himself a reluctant runner and the financial backers of the other bid, Ticketus, were yesterday involved in a court dispute with Duff and Phelps.
Double-glazing tycoon Kennedy, a Hibernian fan, has held talks with manager Ally McCoist and former manager Graeme Souness, his friend, but he claims his interest is only out of a sense of duty rather than desire to be Rangers owner.
Kennedy said: "I hope to get something in by Friday purely as a fallback for the administrators, should the other bids fall over or not be acceptable.


"If I am going to be in a position where they ask me to press on with it, then I want to know more about it.
"The administrators will be looking to get the best possible deal, that is their duty."
Kennedy would be happy to concede to Paul Murray, whose fan-backed Blue Knights consortium have been planning a bid since the start of the process.
The initial capital will come from Ticketus, whose £24.4million cash injection allowed Craig Whyte to pay off the club's bank debt and thus complete his takeover in May last year.
Ticketus yesterday faced Duff and Phelps in the Court of Session where they insisted they had a legally-binding agreement with Rangers, with the administrators looking for direction from the judge after arguing the deal would deter bidders.
Duff and Phelps have previously revealed interest from America and the Far East.
Meanwhile, Rangers can start preparing for an SFA hearing on March 29 after being charged with five offences on top of their non-payment of gate receipts to William Hill Scottish Cup opponents Dundee United.


The cases will be heard by an SFA judicial panel, who will also decide on two alleged rule breaches by Whyte.
The club and Whyte have both been hit with two identical charges - disrepute and acting improperly.
The Scottish champions have also been hit with two charges over the SFA's rules regarding fit and proper officials - Whyte did not declare his previous disqualification as a director.


Rangers could also face action over rule 14(g), which states that membership may be suspended or terminated, or a fine may be issued, where a club suffers or is subject to an insolvency event.
The club also face a Scottish Premier League inquiry over alleged non-disclosure of payments to players before Whyte took over.

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Peter Beardsley: Newcastle legend

CARR DRIVING TOON RESURGENCE

Former Newcastle star Peter Beardsley has saluted the man whose eye for a player is helping to build a new dynasty at the club.
Chief scout Graham Carr has proved a central character in the Magpies' recent revival having identified the likes of Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse as men who could make a difference on Tyneside.
Beardsley, who is himself engaged in the hunt for new talent at the other end of the scale in his role as the club's football development manager, insists Carr's contribution has been crucial.
He said: "Graham Carr is one of the most important people. The job he is doing is incredible.


"The great thing is, he is from Newcastle originally, so he knows what is expected, he knows what the Geordies want to see on the field.
"When you look at Cisse's strike on his debut, I think there might be a few more there."
Former England international Beardsley, of course, enjoyed two spells at his home-town club before his return as a member of the coaching staff, and is fondly remembered for his brilliance on the pitch.
Newcastle's fortunes have fluctuated in recent years, but they are currently riding high in sixth place in the Barclays Premier League table and the 51-year-old firmly believes they are moving in the right direction once again under the guidance of owner Mike Ashley off the pitch and manager Alan Pardew on it.
He said: "I went to Liverpool, Everton, Vancouver Whitecaps when I didn't get a chance as a youngster, but Newcastle will always be my club.
"It maybe sounds big-headed, but that's why Mike has got me involved on that side of the club, because he thinks I can help.
"I will never have a negative [outlook] on the club because that's the way I am.
"Don't get me wrong, we have had bad results this season, 10, 15 years ago and we will have bad results again.


"But in the main, the club is going in the right direction, and they deserve a lot of credit for that."
Beardsley's comments came as he performed the official opening of a new 3G artificial grass pitch as the city's Walker Technology College.
The facility, part-funded to the tune of £102,000 by the Football Foundation, an organisation supported by the Premier League, the Football Association and the Government, is expected to be used by up to 1,750 people a week.


Beardsley joined in with youngsters from the college in testing the playing surface out, and admitted he still loves to pull his boots on.
He joked: "I love it. I am lucky - Willie Donachie takes the reserves now and I work with Willie every day.
"When there's an even number, we send one in so I can join in. I get to join in most days, and it's brilliant fun."

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Eddie Newton: Back at Chelsea

EDDIE NEWTON WANTS TO STAY

Eddie Newton has admitted it would be impossible to turn down an offer to remain on the Chelsea coaching staff after the end of the season.
Caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo, who has transformed the Blues' fortunes in spectacular fashion following Andre Villas-Boas' sacking, has steadfastly refused to say whether he wants the manager's job full-time.
But fellow former player Newton, who Di Matteo drafted into his backroom team, revealed he would jump at the chance to extend his stay.
He said: "I don't think I could turn it down - but I have to get there first. Let's get to the end of the season and then we'll see from there.
"At the end of the day, I'm enjoying it for what it is. I know what my remit is and it's as simple as that."
The clamour for Di Matteo and Newton to remain at the helm is growing by the day, with Chelsea's 1997 FA Cup-winning heroes having last night helped pen another chapter in the club's folklore.


The historic Champions League win over Napoli made it three wins from three matches, raising hopes of a fairytale end to what was turning into a horror story of a season.
Villas-Boas' demise was reportedly partly the result of a dressing-room mutiny.
"I know they get a bad rap every so often but they're a great bunch of lads," said Newton, who nevertheless admitted that confidence had been low.
"They're human beings. They're expected to be at the highest level and it hasn't been that way. So, obviously, they're going to be a little bit low.


"It hadn't been nice just before I stepped in, obviously because of what happened. There is a certain amount of picking up.
"Any coach will have to do that around the country at certain points during the season. Chelsea's in the limelight, so you see it a little bit more."
Picking them up has proved remarkably simple.
"Listen, it's a magnificent squad and, at the end of the day, we're just talking to the players and getting behind them and just reminding them that they're top players," he said.
"'You're top players, go out there and prove it and show a bit of pride for the club that you're playing for. Everyone loves the club, everyone loves being here, and you have to show it'.
"That's exactly what we've seen."


You might also expect Newton to be a confidant for Di Matteo, who he worked with previously at MK Dons and West Brom.
But he revealed his former team-mate, who last week claimed to have "no friends", never told him anything "until the last minute".
Asked what it was about Di Matteo that kept him coming back for more, Newton added: "We've worked together, we've played together, we've had a long time together in very stressful situations.
"At the end of the day, we work well, so that's it really.
"Simple as that, we work well."

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Guthrie: Has been linked with Aston Villa

GUTHRIE SET FOR SUMMER TALKS

Newcastle midfielder Danny Guthrie will not hold talks with the club regarding a possible contract extension until the end of the season.
The former Liverpool, Southampton and Bolton player will be a free agent in the summer, but manager Alan Pardew said in January that he wanted the 24-year-old to stay at St James' Park.
It was therefore thought that an agreement was imminent with Guthrie and that he was set to follow Fabricio Coloccini, Tim Krul and Ryan Taylor in signing a new deal.


But, with Aston Villa reportedly waiting in the wings and prepared to offer more first-team opportunities, discussions will not take place until the summer.
However, Guthrie told the Newcastle Chronicle: "I'm just scheduled for talks. Come the end of the season, my agent will be in touch with the club, or vice-versa.
"We're just waiting to see what happens."
Guthrie, though, has indicated he is settled with Newcastle, who had silenced their doubters by challenging for a place in the UEFA Champions League before a recent slip.
"Look at the way the club's gone this season - I'm really happy," he said.
"On a personal note, my form's been really good. I've had a couple of injuries, but I've managed to stay fit for a while now and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
Guthrie earned plaudits in January when playing regular first-team football due to the respective Africa Cup of Nations and suspension-enforced absences of Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.


He has since returned to a role as a substitute, but he insists it is a squad effort as Newcastle, who have not won in four Premier League games, aim to consolidate sixth place.
"The position we're in at the minute is down to the players and staff," he said.
"We lost some big players, but the club brought in good players, and we've all pulled together. We want to finish it off now."

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Ally McCoist at training on Friday.

McCOIST ENCOURAGED BY INTEREST

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has been encouraged by news of interest in the club ahead of this evening's deadline for first indicative bids.
McCoist says administrators Duff and Phelps are expecting several offers on Friday.
"I spoke to David Whitehouse from Duff and Phelps this morning and he was very positive that there would be a number of bids in before close of play today, which is very, very encouraging," McCoist said.
McCoist added: "I have met two or three, and spoken on the phone to two or three interested parties, David said there were three or four more and he was hopeful that I would get an opportunity to meet with some of them early next week.
"Without getting too carried away, it has certainly been more positive in the last three or four days.
"We have had a really, really tough month but when you look back at the 140 years of history we've had at the club, it's vitally important to continue for the next 140 years.


"There is a little bit more light at the end of the tunnel and more positive noises coming out."
Two parties have confirmed they will bid - former Rangers director Paul Murray's 'Blue Knights' consortium, which is backed by investment firm Ticketus and supporters groups, and Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy.
McCoist admits the prospect of securing a Creditors Voluntary Agreement will likely hinge on Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs but he is more hopeful that can be settled.


"Anything can happen, we're not out the woods yet," he said.
"The threat of liquidation is still there but I just feel it's a little bit more remote than it has been."
Kennedy has described himself as a reluctant bidder but McCoist did not get that impression from their recent meeting.
"Brian was extremely positive about the club, extremely positive about the club's future and extremely positive about what his involvement in taking the club forward would be," McCoist said.
"I had a great meeting with Brian. I have got absolutely no doubts, if his bid was accepted, it would be positive for the club."
But McCoist added: "It's absolutely not for me to say what the best option is.
"I feel I have to be completely and utterly neutral.
"I will hopefully be speaking to every potential purchaser - they want to ask me questions and I obviously want to ask them questions.
"The club is in a bit of a strange scenario with no board of directors, no chief executive, no chairman.
"It would be unfair and wrong of me to have a favourite in terms of a potential purchaser.


"It's my job to listen to all of them. I have stated to them that I will be speaking to all of them that I can and am allowed to. They all respected that."
Duff and Phelps have previously revealed interest from America and the Far East.
Chicago-based Club 9 Sports, who failed with an investment offer to Sheffield Wednesday in 2010, and New York investment firm Fortress were both reported to be considering offers.

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Jonas Olsson: In talks over a new deal

HODGSON HOPES TO SECURE OLSSON FUTURE

West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson wants to resolve the long-term future of key defender Jonas Olsson sooner rather than later.
Hodgson is desperate to keep Olsson, who only has 15 months remaining of his current deal.
He has opened talks over a new deal and Hodgson is keen for the Sweden international to commit himself to the Baggies.
Hodgson said: "Jonas will be entering the last year of his contract next year and no club really wants that to happen with the players they are anxious to keep.
"Albion and myself are anxious to keep Jonas. I can only hope the negotiations he and his advisor are having now with the club will be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
"Talks are ongoing. We are not panicking he will walk out of the door in May, but the sooner the talks reach a conclusion, the better it is for everyone.


"It is nice to know what players you can rely upon when you are planning for the future."

Hodgson is hoping Olsson can enjoy the fruits of his labours after helping Albion establish themselves in the Barclays Premier League.
He said: "We think Jonas is a good player who has been here a few years, understands what we are about and plays a big part in helping us to achieve our goal.

"He deserves an awful lot of credit for what he has done so far. I think it would be nice if he could enjoy a couple of years enjoying the fruits of his work here.


"Part of his work has been getting us back into the Premier League but then it's been fighting hard at the bottom to keep us there.
"Maybe he could be looking ahead now, if the club is looking forward, to a few years where he can consider himself a bona fide Premier League player in a bona fide Premier League team."

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Rodgers: Looking to sign 'three or four' players

RODGERS EYEING SUMMER SIGNINGS

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed the club will look to bring in 'three or four' new signings in the summer, with plans for a second season in the Premier League already underway.
Securing their top-flight status appears an increasingly likely prospect for the Swans, with Rodgers' men currently sitting 11th in the table and 14 points clear of the drop zone with 10 games remaining.
The manager met with Swansea's chairman, Huw Jenkins, this week and says they both agreed investment is key as the Welsh club prepares for a second successive campaign playing top tier football.
"We are not being arrogant, we are just planning ahead," Rodgers told the South Wales Evening Post.
"We have plan A and plan B and we look at the what if scenario, but certainly we are very positive in our minds about the future.
"I had a good chat with the chairman this week, and we are not going to shell out millions and millions like some clubs have done because that's not the way we work at Swansea. We want to do it our way, but the chairman understands that we have got to invest. If we are going to retain our status at this level in the long term, we have got to recruit well.


"We are not going to go crazy, but we will be looking to add three or four players who can make a difference if we stay in the Premier League, and that means we will have to make some sort of investment."
Rodgers believes Swansea's appeal will have been boosted by a season in the Premier League, which could prove crucial in attracting quality signings.
"We are already seeing that it might be easier to bring players in this year," he added.
"We were relatively unknown last summer, but the Premier League is a global brand and I think we have opened up more doors now.
"People are seeing not only that we are a competitive team, but we play like a big team.
"Players want to be associated with that, but of course they also want the wages and that's the balancing act for us.
"It's exciting to see what we can do in the transfer market, but it's a challenging time as well because there's a lot that goes into finding the players who can help us move forward.


"Then there are the players' expectations. Because we are in the Premier League you can add noughts to the wages they want, but we will always work with common sense."

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Ross McCormack: Approaching final year of contract

WARNOCK WANTS CONTRACT TALKS

Leeds manager Neil Warnock wants to find out which players are ready to commit themselves to the club before the end of the season.
Key players such as Ross McCormack and skipper Robert Snodgrass are approaching the final year of their current deals while Aidy White will be out of contract in the summer.
Warnock said: "I haven't had time to make much headway. But I will get round to it over the next 10 days. I would like to get an initial reaction from all of them.


"Not just the players, but the agents concerned as well. I don't like leaving stuff like that until the summer. There are certain things that should be put to bed as soon as possible."
Jermaine Beckford, Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny have all left Leeds on free transfers in recent seasons, while Max Gradel and latterly Jonny Howson were sold having entered the final year of their contracts.
Leeds fans have been highly critical of the club's recent policy on keeping players with the sale of former captain Howson to Norwich in January sparking a protest outside Elland Road.