World Football Thread XVII : Champions League Final and beyond..

[Colonâ„¢]

Darned Mallorca for keeping my hopes up.

[Maquiladora]

Real Madrid win La Liga

[reds4ever]

The case that Charlton make is that, at his age, for ~15M you get a 'free try' on a proven Premiership player.

[Colonâ„¢]

Belgium FTW

[Maquiladora]

He's proven EPL class, probably worth around £10m, but if he went on to score 25-30 next season (quite possible at a Spurs or Liverpool) he'd be worth £17m IMO. Then again we got Berbatov for £11m so there's always cheaper, although always a big risk they won't adapt.

If WH are offering £17m they're obviously going to be short next season though. I heard Tevez stopped his English lessons.

[MOBIUS]

Not really, as far as I'm concerned it's called a lucky miss that we didn't get Bent - cos I certainly don't rate him for £18m!

AFAIC the jury is still out on Curbs. Parker at £7m I suppose was OK, but I still await seeing AC as the 'new messiah' or whatever...

And Spurs are a bunch of ****ers anyway, so good riddance I say!

[Maquiladora]

Darren Bent turned down £75k a week offered by West Ham because he'd rather go to Spurs or Liverpool. but we wont pay the £17m Charlton want. Kind of humiliating when a player would rather stay in the championship than play for WH.

[MOBIUS]

Hey Imran!

Nice start!

The greedy little **** has alway gouged your team out of £300,000 without even kicking a ball - if there's anyone I want to see crash and burn next year it's Barton. And if that happens, the fact he's at Newcastle will be the icing on the cake.

Newcastle pay Barton 'loyalty fee' to complete deal
By Andy Hunter
Published: 15 June 2007

Joey Barton completed his acrimonious departure from Manchester City last night after Newcastle covered the £300,000 signing-on fee that had stalled his move to St James' Park.

Sam Allardyce agreed a deal in principle 11 days ago with Barton, who was granted permission to speak to the Newcastle manager and West Ham when they met a £5.5m release clause in his contract, only to become exasperated by City's refusal to meet a "loyalty payment" the midfielder had insisted he was entitled to under the terms of his exit.

With both sides refusing to back down despite attempts at mediation by the Professional Footballers Association, Newcastle emerged as reluctant peace-makers last night when they made a second offer of £5.8m for the controversial 24-year-old. The improved bid was immediately accepted by City, who have banked their required transfer fee with Newcastle effectively paying Barton's signing-on payment as well as tripling his wages from £20,000 to £60,000 a week.

Newcastle's decision takes their financial commitment on Barton to a staggering £15.9m over the course of the five-year contract he will officially sign upon his return from a holiday in Dubai. United felt compelled to intervene having sold Barton's predecessor in their central midfield, Scott Parker, to West Ham for £7m last week, and having made a profit on the exchange of the two England internationals they will no doubt contend they have operated successfully in the market.

Few will dispute Barton represents good value at £5.8m, but there are still serious doubts over his character that his final financial dispute with City has done nothing to dispel.

The midfielder agreed to join Newcastle after a meeting with Allardyce, chairman Freddy Shepherd and prospective owner Mike Ashley convinced him further talks with West Ham were unnecessary. But an insistence he had not submitted a transfer request to City, and was therefore entitled to a £300,000 pay-off under the terms of the contract he signed last year, put the transfer on hold.

City countered that Barton's decision to request permission to speak to the Magpies and the Hammers was tantamount to a transfer request, and were adamant they had a strong legal case in that respect. Barton's agent, Willie McKay, requested assistance from the PFA to resolve the dispute last week but they were struggling to end the impasse until Newcastle made their improved offer.

"Manchester City can confirm that Joey Barton has been sold to Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8m," read a club statement.

"The 24-year-old asked for permission to speak with Newcastle last week after both the Magpies and West Ham submitted bids of £5.5m or more for the player. Newcastle followed their initial bid up with an improved £5.8m offer today, which has been accepted by the Blues."

Barton was suspended by City at the end of last season following a training-ground incident involving team-mate Ousmane Dabo that left the French midfielder requiring hospital treatment. Greater Manchester Police are continuing their investigations into the alleged assault, and have requested witness statements from several City players plus former manager Stuart Pearce.

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Big Sam

Getting Barton to talk Parker's place (and if anyone, I think Allardyce can straighten out the former Man City man), signing Viduka, and very close to getting Rozehnal from PSV for the central defense are some very promising moves.

Just need a LB (and possibly a RB!) now, Sam.

Barton is scum. A total thug. His brother ice axed a black kid to death in a racially motivated attack, and he appears to be a chip off the same block.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by LordShiva
Messi

They must teach that "skill" from birth in Ar-gen-thina.

[reds4ever]

I hope Viduka is 'up for it' because when he isn't he's one fat, lazy bast@rd!!

Barton is going to love Newcastle, I give it until Xmas before he's arrested after a night out on the Quayside!!

[LordShiva]

Messi

[Cort Haus]

You mis-spelt 'fat walrus-faced Sam'.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Big Sam

Getting Barton to talk Parker's place (and if anyone, I think Allardyce can straighten out the former Man City man), signing Viduka, and very close to getting Rozehnal from PSV for the central defense are some very promising moves.

Just need a LB (and possibly a RB!) now, Sam.

[reds4ever]

If we're taking that tack then its shame Michel Platini is French.....