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Scouts planning to watch Kuyt again


Scottish Mag
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Meanwhile, Newcastle's chief scout David Mills was today on standby to fly to Holland to watch target Dirk Kuyt play for Feyenoord tonight at PSV Eindhoven.

United were represented at Heerenveen last Friday, when the striker made a goal for Pierre van Hooijdonk in a 1-1 draw.

 

Roeder said: "We know the player has been carrying an injury.

"And if he doesn't play tonight then David Mills will go and watch him against Roosendaal on Sunday."

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Guest CrimsonFault
Sounds like Roeder really wants him.

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Or the new manager.

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Shearer.

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Ron Atkinson is a big fan of Kuyt as well allegedly ;)

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Jesus wept! Please, don't even joke...well at least we'd be rid of Shola & Boumsong.

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Newcastle's hopes of discovering Alan Shearer's Gallowgate successor at De Kuip appear to be slim after it emerged Dirk Kuyt has opened talks with a view to extending his contract at Feyenoord.

 

United's scouts will watch the 25-year-old for the second time in ten days against RBC Roosendaal this weekend. But although the prolific Dutchman has emerged as the prime candidate to replace the club's outgoing captain, his Eredivisie employers are determined to retain his services for the foreseeable future.

 

Kuyt has already signed a contract extension this season - keeping him in Rotterdam until 2009 - but with the interest in a player preparing for this summer's World Cup set to intensify, Feyenoord are keen to agree another.

 

The striker is understood to be receptive to the idea and an initial round of discussions have already been held.

 

Sources in Holland have insisted that De Kameraden are keen to make Kuyt their own version of Shearer by keeping him at De Kuip for a decade - and the irony will not be lost on Freddie Shepherd as he attempts to fill the void which will be left by the end of the talismanic Tynesider's 10-year career at St James's Park.

 

"We want to do everything to make Dirk the face of Feyenoord," said club director Chris Woerts, who will oversee the contract talks with Kuyt and agent Rob Jansen. "If that happened, it would create a certain stability in the team. We're happy to hear that Dirk wants to think this over." Although he has yet to appoint a permanent successor to Graeme Souness, Shepherd is determined to ensure the club's summer transfer prospects do not suffer.

 

It is to that end the Magpies chairman has given Glenn Roeder his approval to have Kuyt's performances monitored. Newcastle watched the highly-rated attacker in action at Heerenveen last Friday and, with a minor football problem having kept him out of last night's trip to PSV Eindhoven, United's chief scout David Mills is to travel to Rotterdam this weekend.

 

He will not be alone, with a clutch of top European clubs pursuing the striker. That contract talks have begun will not stop Kuyt's admirers from targeting him but it is likely to inflate the fee it will take to prise him away from Feyenoord.

 

Everton were told that £12.85m was required to sign Kuyt last summer, while £10m bids from Goodison Park and White Hart Lane were rejected.

 

Given that since then he has scored 21 goals in 32 league games and already extended his contract once, the asking price will have risen to a level Newcastle will be reluctant to meet.

 

It could have been a different matter had the club acted when, in 2001, Sir Bobby Robson sent his scouts to watch the player in action for Utrecht. But United did not pursue their interest - and Feyenoord signed him for £700,000.

 

The striker has since scored 70 goals in 100 games for the Rotterdam club.

 

Sources in Germany have suggested this week Bayer Leverkusen striker Dimitar Berbatov is another player interesting United. Shepherd will have to wait until he has a new manager in place before he can act but it seems he is determined to recruit Shearer's successor at the earliest opportunity.

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