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Allardyce eyes Israeli stopper


Scottish Mag
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Newcastle boss confirms interest in Trotters star

 

SAM Allardyce has confirmed he is keen to sign centre-back Tal Ben Haim as Newcastle United's manager reflected on a successful flurry of transfer activity at St James's Park.

 

Allardyce has moved rapidly since his return from a family holiday to complete a £5.5m swoop for midfielder Joey Barton, while simultaneously working to tie up a deal for Middlesbrough's out-of-contract striker Mark Viduka.

 

Viduka is expected to be confirmed as a United player when he has a medical next week, but Allardyce has already turned his attention to his next recruit, with Ben Haim likely to be his third signing as Newcastle manager. The Israel international was a big success under Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers and, like Viduka, is available on a Bosman-style free transfer.

 

"Yes I'm interested in Tal Ben Haim, he's a free agent and hopefully available," said Allardyce, who did not rule out the possibility that he will also look to sign centre-forward Nicolas Anelka from his former club before the start of next season.

 

"He has got three or four years of experience in the Premiership and I know him inside out. We had a good working relationship, we grew in the Premiership together and I'm very interested in working with him again."

 

Allardyce has held talks with new Newcastle owner Mike Ashley this week and was pleased with the ambition of the millionaire businessman to invest in the club's infrastructure, as well as the first-team squad.

 

United's manager refused to give any indication of the size of the transfer budget that has been offered to him, but it is thought to be large enough to rival any other in the Premiership this summer.

 

"I've met the new owner and we've talked about things," said Allardyce, who admitted he had been stunned by the number of players he has been linked with since taking over at St James's Park last month. "He wants to invest money for the good of the club and that can only be a good thing for me as a manager.

 

"Details of how much he has given me to spend are obviously private, but I've been working with Bruce Shepherd and Russell Cushing, who have stepped in because Freddie (Shepherd) isn't well and things are progressing well.

 

"We are moving quickly in that area. We have established what I need to change around here and we are looking at the ways to do that. There are things already in motion, using the scouting information here at Newcastle and my own research over the last six or seven years.

 

"If I feel a player will be an asset and we can afford him, we will try to get him."

 

However, while Allardyce is constantly looking forward as he begins the difficult process of reshaping the club, he can still reflect on a highly impressive start to his reign following a successful pursuit of his first two transfer targets.

 

He added: "We have to take it one player at a time. I've had a very successful first week at my desk. I've come back from holiday and I've signed two quality players in Joey Barton and Mark Viduka.

 

"Mark is almost in the bag. It's been difficult because he has been on holiday, but we're nearly there. We hope to sort out a medical for next week and then that will be done.

 

"To get Mark and Joey in one week is not bad going and I'm delighted, particularly with how crazy the transfer market can be. But they are not the only things we've been working on."

 

Reports in France suggest that one of those other projects is a £3.3m offer for Paris-Saint Germain defender David Rozehnal, with the player's agent claiming yesterday Newcastle have made contact ahead of a bid for the 26-year-old Czech international.

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United's manager refused to give any indication of the size of the transfer budget that has been offered to him, but it is thought to be large enough to rival any other in the Premiership this summer.

 

Bullshit or not, that's fairly nice to hear. West Ham apparently have silly money this summer.

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it's good that sam's bolstering the squad by signing decent players for small fees knowing that there's money in the bank to splurge on a big name player if we need to.

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Can we have some fullbacks next please Sam?

 

 

 

Did you not hear that Dyer will be playing at right back next season? :D

 

 

I suppose he could do a Cashley Cole thing, there's got to be SOMEWHERE Dyer can play consistently well surely?

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Can we have some fullbacks next please Sam?

 

 

 

Did you not hear that Dyer will be playing at right back next season? :D

 

 

I suppose he could do a Cashley Cole thing, there's got to be SOMEWHERE Dyer can play consistently well surely?

 

 

Well their both greedy bastards and take it up the arse, so maybe they have something else in common

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