[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[pleasure]

So does this mean that Beattie is our number one target?

providing none of our forwards leave us, we'll be signing 1 more striker before the end of the window.

i'm sure nicko will confirm.

[nicko]

Beattie is a definite 'live' target but it will come down to the valuations.

Everton are hoping there is an auction, but my info is that Middlesbrough are looking at Mido rather than him - and will sign the Spurs guy if the price is right. By the way, he can't go on loan - that is certain.

I don't think Jason Roberts to Everton is something Blackburn want to suggest and I don't believe he is on Moyes's list either.

If Everton sell Beattie for about £2.5 million it will happen. The trouble is they will want a replacement first and this may drag.

That's a snag. Depending on your point of view...

[EwoodGlory]

Middlesbrough are looking at Mido rather than him

He's going on loan to Birmingham isn't he? Thats what I heard last night anyway

[nicko]

I will be stunned if that happens as a loan deal.

I believe that rumour came from Tottenham who want to start an auction. He is not wanted there. But he IS for sale. The price they want is £4 million, but they will probably settle for less.

Right now Middlesbrough want him most - and they have to find a replacement for Yakubu before selling him to Manchester City, so that might hurry it along a bit.

But Spurs are hard bargainers and will try to use one club against another.

It would not surprise me if Rovers get mentioned with him in the papers soon too. It's the kind of game that Tottenham play.

I know it frustrates the fans, it makes my job harder, but it's the way the game is.

[Saf]

niko, are rovers considering steeping up their interest in santa cruz or have they been put of what they have heard so far from his agent. id take him over beattie still 25/26 i think. beatties approaching 30. maybe past his best

[nicko]

Just an update on Mido.

He is quoted in Egypt saying that he had a possible deal at Birmingham City.

The terms are a £1 million loan fee to Tottenham and a guaranteed £5 million sale if they stay up.

That gives the story of their interest more credibility.

But I still think it is a 'come on' for bigger clubs to join in the bidding.

Mido is a bit big-time and I cannot see Birmingham as a major attraction although is pal Ghaly is going there.

So if you want him, those are the terms. Not the worst under the circumstances. Only thing is you will stay up and then he costs a lot of money.

Nobody said it was easy...

[nicko]

On the Beattie v Santa Cruz issue...

I think both are possibles, Beattie more than Santa Cruz as we speak. But things change.

[Eddie]

Right now Middlesbrough want him most - and they have to find a replacement for Yakubu before selling him to Manchester City, so that might hurry it along a bit.

Are City the only side interested in Yakubu?

[nicko]

At £12 million they certainly are...

Middlesbrough will sell at that price and Man City will pay. Amazing.

Portsmouth fancied him but not at those prices.

[philipl]

I'd be feeling very unhappy if I were a Boro fan. Mido replacing the Yak is a major weakening.

Ghaly going to Brum would be the first signing that shows they might be serious about staying up.

Nico's comments about Spurs bargaining style should cause the Defoe-lovers pause for thought. Even if Rovers get linked with him- it will be make believe coming from WHL!

Incidentally, all these comments on these threads about Roberts going seem to be going OTT. I could believe Rovers were prepared to sell if they needed to fund something close to Liverpool's original Bellamy asking price but now I would say selling Roberts is off the agenda. The club's no to Fulham's offer has not been followed up with any further interest from Craven Cottage so it must have been pretty definitive to have frightened them away.

[Eddie]

At £12 million they certainly are...

Middlesbrough will sell at that price and Man City will pay. Amazing.

Portsmouth fancied him but not at those prices.

It is a lot, although given the current market it isn't that high of a price. He's a young striker with pace and power who has already shown for several seasons that he will score upwards of 10 goals a season, with the potential to score 15-20 in a good side. I'd much rather have Yakubu at £12 million than Bent at £16.5. I'd say if you could work that down to 9-10 then it would pretty much be a steal given the prices of strikers this summer.

[Sandiway Blue]

Nico's comments about Spurs bargaining style should cause the Defoe-lovers pause for thought. Even if Rovers get linked with him- it will be make believe coming from WHL!

http://home.skysports.com/player.aspx?plid...id=6&cpid=8

he might not be everybody`s cup of tea but he was impressive last season when you look at his stats.

maybe hughes wants to wait until the end of august and try for him at last minute when everybody interested has already spent their money.........

[gazsimm]

http://home.skysports.com/player.aspx?plid...id=6&cpid=8

he might not be everybody`s cup of tea but he was impressive last season when you look at his stats.

maybe hughes wants to wait until the end of august and try for him at last minute when everybody interested has already spent their money.........

no we are buying Beattie for some reason i have heard

[modes98]

The terms are a £1 million loan fee to Tottenham and a guaranteed £5 million sale if they stay up.

My god! £6m!!!!

Get that Beattie bid in

[Perth_Rover]

My god! £6m!!!!

Get that Beattie bid in

But you must remember beattie is 5-6 years older...............

[RevidgeBlue]

My god! £6m!!!!

Get that Beattie bid in

The problem with Mido seems to be a suspect temprament.

At his best he would be well worth 6m imo but it's not an absolute certainty for that reason.

[trs]

But you must remember beattie is 5-6 years older...............

But don't forget, Mido is 5-6 stone heavier............

[gazsimm]

But don't forget, Mido is 5-6 stone heavier............

and he will want to move on after 3 months as well

[tcj_jones]

After he rejected us in the way that he did, it pleases me immensely to see Mido on the verge of joining "Big Club." They really do deserve each other and I hope that they both end up in the bottom three come May.

[Hughesy]

I dont want Beattie, and i dont want Roberts to leave.

I would much rather prefer Mido as I think he will score more (although im not sure about his desire to play for us after last summer). I would love Alan Smith or Defoe though!!

[Saf]

guys come on be realistic. i cant see rovers even enquring about defoe. god knows how mcu hspurs value probably around 10 million. which i cant see us forking out. united probably wouldnt sell smith for less than 6 million. he dosent have the best goals scorign record. looks to have lost his goals scoring touch. could be approaching another serious injury. and im pretty sure hes not on sparkys wanted list. so theres no point going on about players who are not going to come and who rovers arent at all interested in

[nicko]

POSSIBLY THE BEST STORY OF THE SUMMER SO FAR..

MEDIA FALLS FOR PALACIO PRANK

The international media has been tricked by a group of football fans in a scheme cooked up on an internet messageboard.

In scenes reminiscent of 2005's 'Kris Musampa' hoax - which made its way onto the pages of the Daily Mirror, and was even discussed on Match Of The Day - journalists have been caught out by an apparently entirely fictional story.

A blog claiming to be run by and on behalf of Boca Juniors fans began by reporting that the Gunners were interested in Argentinian Rodrigo Palacio, a striker who has scored 39 goals in 79 appearances for Boca and has won five caps for his country. Various Arsenal forums were also spammed with the rumours.

It didn't take long for the national press to jump on the bandwagon.

'Palacio, 25, will fly into London tomorrow after Boca accepted the Gunners' offer' announced the Daily Telegraph, who along with The Independent published the story on Tuesday. They were far from alone - the BBC, the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail all ran the news.

The Sun were amongst the hardest stung within the British media, announcing on Monday that 'all obstacles have been removed after Arsenal came in with a record-breaking offer', while Sky Sports News announced it as a done deal.

By Tuesday morning, the story had been repeated in newspapers as far afield as Argentina, Japan and Spain.

[rover_groo]

Just returning from Northern Irelands weekend game against Everton in a pre-season friendly. Beattie was meant to have travelled over with the squad to Northern Ireland but was supposedly pulled out of the squad as Middlesbrough had put in an offer for the player. The fans had slated him and said he has done feck all for them and their kids call Beattie Tits, claiming he was badly over weight.

Personally, I would love to see him make a return to Ewood Park and get himself back onto track again. No better man than Hughes to do just that. Brum could be facing another relegation battle if they sign that twit Mido. Best to stay well clear and as for £50k in wages for Santa Cruz, then good luck.

[Ricky]

Kris Musampa hoax, what was that all about then?

[Hanks]

Kris Musampa hoax, what was that all about then?

Christmas Hamper