Bellamy stalls - but deals still in the balance
A hectic countdown to the Barclays Premiership’s transfer deadline was in the offing as deals for Craig Bellamy, Andy Reid and Michael Dawson remained in the balance.
Trading was brisk – and by mid-afternoon the likes of Nicolas Anelka, Vincent Candela, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Mikel Arteta and Graham Stuart had found new clubs.
The January transfer window is open until midnight, and some deals looked set to go down to the wire.
There were plenty of clubs eager to buy, but fewer prepared to sell – and a proposed deal for Simon Davies to join Everton from Tottenham was understood to have foundered on those grounds.
Birmingham had been hoping to buy Newcastle outcast Bellamy today, but after talks with Blues manager Steve Bruce the Welsh international decided the deal was not right for him.
Despite that setback, Bruce was attempting to secure Bellamy on loan until the end of the season – a deal which might suit all parties – given the striker’s fall-out with Newcastle boss Graeme Souness.
Souness insisted last week that Bellamy would never play for him again after feigning an injury before a Premiership match against Arsenal and then accusing his manager of lying in a TV interview.
Bellamy may have decided to stick it out at St James’ Park in the hope that his future will be resolved in the summer when he may have more options.
Souness has made it crystal clear, though, that the controversial forward has no future at St James’ Park while he is in charge.
Before the Magpies’ FA Cup win over Coventry on Saturday, Souness said: “He can’t play for me ever again.”
Nottingham Forest announced on Saturday that they had accepted a £3m-plus-players (€4.3m) deal with Southampton for Reid, but Saints boss Harry Redknapp feared Tottenham would sneak ahead of him in the race for the Republic of Ireland international.
There was a quiet start on that front today, as with Dawson’s possible move from Forest to Tottenham – but further movement was expected.
Manchester United midfielder Djemba-Djemba was poised to seal a permanent switch to Aston Villa, with the 23-year-old taking a medical this afternoon.
Once lauded as a long-term replacement for captain Roy Keane, Djemba-Djemba failed to make the desired impact at Old Trafford following his £3.5m (€5m) move from Nantes in summer 2003.
There was mid-morning confirmation of Anelka’s £7m (€10m) move from Manchester City to Turkish giants Fenerbahce, after the French striker passed a medical - while Kevin Keegan also agreed to let reserve goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus join Rangers for a six-figure sum.
Anelka’s one-time international team-mate Candela announced that he had joined Bolton on a five-month deal after severing his ties with Serie A giants Roma.
“In June I will decide whether to continue to play for Bolton or retire from professional football,” said the 31-year-old full-back.
Delighted to sign the experienced defender, with only minor administrative details to be resolved, Bolton boss Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports News: “He’s given up an awful lot financially to join us until the end of the season.”
Everton brought in former Rangers midfielder Mikel Arteta from Real Sociedad on loan until the end of the season, with a view to making the transfer permanent.
Former Toffees midfielder Stuart joined Norwich on loan from Charlton, where the 34-year-old had been pushed to the fringes of Alan Curbishley’s squad.
Portsmouth acquired Slovenian international forward Alexsander Rodic from Gorica, and – subject to international clearance – the 24-year-old could make his debut against Middlesbrough in the Premiership tomorrow.
He became Portsmouth’s third signing in the transfer window following the arrivals of Greek pair Konstantinos Chalkias and Giannis Skopelitis.
Henri Camara was in talks to move from Celtic to Southampton on loan until the summer.
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