Larsson again

[Barney 0]

Birmingham City raise asking price for Larsson

Jun 30 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

 

NEWCASTLE United will have to pay around £4.5m if they are going to prise Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson away from Birmingham City.

 

Larsson has attracted the interest of United manager Kevin Keegan and executive director (football) Dennis Wise as the Magpies look to add more pace and creativity to their midfield.

 

The former Arsenal youngster was a rare bright spark at relegated Birmingham last season as his career continued to benefit from his move away from the Gunners – which saw him initially arrive on loan at St Andrew’s in 2006 – in order to play regular first-team football.

 

Should Joey Barton’s contract be terminated after his trial for alleged assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, which is due to start this morning, Larsson could offer the same box-to-box running style with a touch more finesse to unlock resolute defences.

 

Having begun his career under the expert tutelage of Arsene Wenger, the Swede is capable of fitting into the 4-3-3 formation Keegan favoured at the end of last season.

 

He has mostly occupied a right-wing berth at Birmingham but can play either in that role or centrally in a traditional 4-4-2 line-up. Crucially, Larsson, who is still just 23, also fits into owner Mike Ashley’s overall transfer policy of recruiting the best young players who have the capacity to improve their games, rather than the sort of big-name stars he fears are looking for one last payday as they wind down their careers.

 

The Journal understands that an approach has been made by United, but their enquiry prompted Blues manager Alex McLeish to raise the asking price to more than £4m.

 

Newcastle, though, had only expected to pay around £3m for a player who still has three years left on his contract but wants to leave St Andrew’s following City’s drop back into the Championship.

 

With the European Championships now over, the summer transfer market is expected to pick up pace in the coming days and United are hoping to complete their first new signings before their squad return for pre-season training next Monday.

 

It has been another busy weekend of speculation without any action to back it up. Keegan was also linked with Fulham left-back Paul Konchesky, while reports of their interest in Manchester United centre-back Jonny Evans, who has enjoyed two productive loan spells with Sunderland, also resurfaced. Keegan is looking for cover and competition in both full-back positions and the combative Konchesky could provide that on the left, although it remains to be seen whether the former West Ham United prospect, who has won two England caps, is willing to leave his native London.

 

Meanwhile, Newcastle will have to consider lowering their asking price for striker Shola Ameobi after West Bromwich Albion pulled out of the running to sign the former England Under-21 international.

 

Reports based on a source “close to the player” had claimed that Ameobi was set to make the switch to the Black Country club when he returned from his honeymoon this week, but that has been denied by the Baggies.

 

Like Ipswich Town before them, Albion did show some interest in Ameobi, but their manager, former Middlesbrough centre-back Tony Mowbray, is going to extend the contract of former Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips, who will be 35 next month, instead. The veteran is keen to have one last crack at the Premier League.

 

Newcastle had hoped to receive more than £3m for Ameobi but may be forced to lower that valuation in order to sell – and that could open the door for former manager Glenn Roeder to make a move to take the player to Norwich City.

[sammynb 2934]

Yes please, if only to attract those Svedish supporters (see Euro chick thread).