Latest Transfer Update at 05-04-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 05-04-2012

Tim Wiese: Looking for a new club

TIM WIESE TO LEAVE BREMEN

Goalkeeper Tim Wiese will leave Werder Bremen when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Bundesliga club have confirmed.
The Weser Kurier and Bild newspapers both claimed on Wednesday that the 30-year-old Germany international had informed the club of his decision and confirmation has now arrived from Werder.
"Tim Wiese has informed (coach) Thomas Schaaf and (director of sport) Klaus Allofs that he will be transferring to another club and will therefore leave Werder at the end of the season," said Bremen's press officer Tino Polster to Kicker magazine.


Wiese joined Bremen seven years ago on a free transfer from Kaiserslautern and has played 188 Bundesliga games for the club.
He is Germany's second-choice goalkeeper and will be part of Joachim Low's squad for Euro 2012, although what happens beyond the summer remains open.
"We will announce that when the time comes," said his agent Roger Wittmann to the Weser Kurier.

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Neil Warnock: Looking to strengthen

WARNOCK LINES UP LEEDS SIGNING

Leeds manager Neil Warnock is hoping to announce a new signing at the start of May after confirming a deal has been "almost agreed".
Warnock replaced Simon Grayson as manager at Elland Road in February and has taken time to assess the players already at his disposal.
He is intending to make several signings ahead of next season, with the Whites unlikely to snatch a place in the Championship play-offs.
The club's final game of the campaign is against Leicester on April 28 - and Warnock is optimistic of presenting his first permanent capture the following week.
Warnock is keen for this season to be finished, so that he can press ahead with his plans to freshen up the Leeds squad.
"I've already done that," Warnock told the Yorkshire Evening Post when asked about targeting specific players.


"We've almost agreed to sign one of my main targets on May 1. That would be a great start and I want to get things going as quickly as I can. I think we need quite a few new players.
"I know in my own mind what I'm looking for in the summer and if I'm being honest I wish it was the end of the season now."

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Chris Maguire: Portsmouth stay extended

MAGUIRE STAYS AT PORTSMOUTH

Portsmouth have extended their loan deal for Derby striker Chris Maguire until the end of the season.
The Scotland international joined Pompey on a month-long deal on March 9.
The 23-year-old has scored two goals in six appearances, leading manager Michael Appleton to pursue an extended agreement.


And a deal has now been agreed to keep Maguire at Fratton Park until the remainder of the Championship campaign.
Maguire will be unable to play against Derby on April 21 but will be available for Portsmouth's other five matches as they battle to avoid relegation.

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SOUTHAMPTON SIGN ROOKIE GALLAGHER

Southampton have signed rookie striker Sam Gallagher from Plymouth.
The 16-year-old turned down an apprenticeship with the Pilgrims and has agreed a youth contract with the Championship leaders.
Saints Under-18s boss Jason Dodd told the club website: "We're very happy to have him here. He's something a bit different to what we've got.
"The pleasing thing is that he's already familiar with us and likes the way we operate.


"His parents came down and watched him play his first game for us at the weekend, and I think the reputation we have of pushing players into the first team when they are ready, and on to international recognition, was a big attraction.
"He had a few Premier League clubs after him but he's made the right choice in my opinion."

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Barry Fry: Announced signing on Tuesday

POSH ANNOUNCEMENT IRKS WREXHAM

Peterborough have been criticised by Wrexham for announcing the signing of Nathaniel Knight-Percival.
Knight-Percival, who has been a key player in the Welsh side's push for promotion back to the Football League this season, looks set to move to London Road on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.
Posh director of football Barry Fry told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph on Tuesday: "We have signed Nathaniel on a pre-contract and he will join us at the end of the current season.


"The manager went to watch Wrexham and Brighton in an FA Cup tie and liked what he saw of Nathaniel."
Fry's announcement frustrated Wrexham chief executive David Roberts, who feels the information should have been kept confidential as Knight-Percival, 25, is still under contract with the Dragons.
"The board of Wrexham AFC would like to express its disappointment at the comments attributed to a senior club official of Peterborough United regarding Nathaniel Knight-Percival," said Roberts in a club statement.


"We have a strict policy that we do not speak publicly about players who are under contract with another team.
"Sadly, we cannot control how other clubs conduct themselves in such situations."

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Kenny Dalglish: Business as usual

KENNY DALGLISH - NOTHING'S CHANGED

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insists it is business as usual in terms of his dialogue with principal owner John Henry and Fenway Sports Group despite the team's recent slump.
The Reds have lost six of their last seven league matches in a worrying run which has brought just two wins since the turn of the year.
Reports earlier this week suggested Dalglish would be asked to file a detailed report to FSG on his assessment of the season but the Scot said there was nothing out of the ordinary in that.


And he added that was also the case in regards to their regular contact with the America-based owners.
"I've got to file a report - even when you are at school you get a report - but we don't tell everyone," said the manager.
"Nothing has changed but we take what measures we can to keep them updated on their football club.
"There is communication every week after every game so nothing has changed.
"The people who own the football club talk to us regularly and the conversations we've had are on the same basis as what we've had with them before."

Another defeat at Newcastle at the weekend compounded their recent misery with goalkeeper Jose Reina getting sent off and £35million striker Andy Carroll marching straight down the tunnel having been substituted against his former club.
Dalglish said both reflected the effect recent results were having on players but stressed they had already moved on.
"There was Pepe getting sent off and Andy coming off and both were frustrated but that was dealt with and done and dusted on Sunday," he added.
"Anything that had to be done was done there and then so it doesn't fester for anyone.
"I don't know how other people (outside the club) have reacted but we have reacted properly, promptly and correctly."

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Dirk Kuyt: Would be interested in Roma move

DIRK KUYT CONSIDERING LIVERPOOL FUTURE

Dirk Kuyt's agent has admitted the striker is considering his future at Liverpool with Roma a possible option.
Widespread reports on Thursday suggested Kuyt could be on his way out of Anfield this summer as part of a major clear-out.
Kuyt has struggled to hold down a regular place in Kenny Dalglish's side this season with Jordan Henderson preferred to the Dutchman wide on the right.


The 31-year-old admitted last month he could be forced to leave Liverpool if he is not playing regularly and a number of sides are thought to be monitoring his situation.
Kuyt's agent, Rob Jansen, has confirmed the former Feyenoord man is keeping his options open and that Roma would be an attractive proposition for him.


"Kuyt is considering his future," Jansen told pagineromaniste.com. "He still has a contract with Liverpool which expires in 2014.
"AS Roma could be an option for Dirk. They are a prestigious club that is fighting for important objectives. With (Roma's sporting director, Walter) Sabatini there is an excellent relationship.
"I can say that Roma is part of the list of clubs that Kuyt would take seriously into account."

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Bendtner: No thoughts on future

NICKLAS BENDTNER COY ON FUTURE

Sunderland loanee Nicklas Bendtner will delay a decision on his future until the summer.
Bendtner has netted in four of his last five Premier League games for the Black Cats, raising the prospect of Martin O'Neill making a permanent move for the Arsenal man.
The Denmark international still has two years remaining on a contract worth at least £60,000-per-week plus bonuses at the Emirates Stadium.
"I haven't given it much thought," Bendtner told The Shields Gazette. "I really like the club and the manager has done really well since he came in here, but I haven't given it any thought yet.


"I still have two years left with Arsenal. It isn't just up to me.
"Ideally it would only be in my hands, but I'm just waiting to see in the summer.
"We've got the Euros, then in the summer after the Euros, we will see where we are."

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Danny Murphy: Part of the playing culture

JOL KEEN TO SORT OUT NEW MURPHY DEAL

Fulham manager Martin Jol hopes captain Danny Murphy will remain at the club where he has become such an important part of the "playing culture".
The 35-year-old joined the Cottagers in 2007 from Tottenham and has written himself into club folklore, leading them to the 2010 Europa League final.
Murphy's contract runs out at the end of the season and a new deal has yet to be agreed, although Jol is hopeful terms can be sorted.
"He is part of our playing culture," the Dutchman said. "That is what you see most of the time.
"He is our link-up player and if he is not there you get a different style.


"But of course Danny is not 22 or 18 like [Kerim] Frei so sometimes you have to create your own options.
"If he is not there or cannot play all the games, I wanted somebody who can fill in for him.
"Dickson Etuhu is not a link-up player, he is a defensive midfield player so we brought in Mahamadou Diarra.
"He is very important to our playing culture.


"[I can see him staying for at least another year] if we can agree on the terms as we have offered him a new deal."
Murphy is one of several players in negotiations over a new contract, including Andrew Johnson, Brede Hangeland and Clint Dempsey.
The latter has been exceptional for the west Londoners this year and negotiations are ongoing, according to Jol.
"It is the same as it was before," he said. "We are talking to Clint, we are talking to several players.
"We will probably see at the end of this month but, on the other hand, it is not a crucial thing.
"Clint is still here next year so I think time is on our side.
"He has been very important because if your strikers are scoring 15 goals and you have a player like Clint we would be even higher in the league.
"But you can't imagine a situation if Clint had not been here.


"Luckily enough we have Pavel [Pogrebnyak] and he scored in his first three games so that helped.
"I feel with Clint, Pavel, Bryan Ruiz - who will hopefully get his form like he used to have - and Mousa Dembele we will hopefully score a couple of goals and then we're on our way."
Fulham face Bolton on Saturday looking to build on last weekend's defeat of Norwich.
The Cottagers will again be without striker Johnson through injury, while fellow frontman Pogrebnyak faces a fitness test on Friday.
"Johnson has a problem with his thigh and that will take another two weeks," Jol said.
"Last week I thought he was on the fringe of joining the squad but he couldn't, and he will be will be out for at least the next few weeks.


"Pavel is struggling but we will do a test tomorrow, so hopefully at the very least he will play against Chelsea and hopefully against Bolton.
"It will be a 50-50 situation. When he started a couple of months ago he had the same in his first game but he played on.
"He twisted his ankle again in a block tackle against Norwich so it's an old injury because it probably didn't heal 100%."