Well we all know by now that Peter Lovenkrands has boarded the boat to Glasgow instead of Newcastle.

So where does that leave Bobby Robson? well if teantwaddle is to be believed (and they never are) going after one of my favoured targets. Extract as follows...

United will now refocus their attention on Wimbledon's England Under-21 striker Carl Cort, who wants to leave the Dons after their relegation from the Premiership. Bobby Robson is believed to have made an enquiry about Cort, whom he sees as cover for the injury-plagued Duncan Ferguson. Cort's pace and power in the air are seen as complementary to the abilities of Alan Shearer. Cort scored 15 goals last season and is set to cost around #7 million should Newcastle wish to get their man, as he is under long-term contract. Newcastle have also denied that they are in negotiations with Benfica in an attempt to sign Portugal forward Joao Pinto.

O.K. so some thoughts.

Good we get another player who knows what is requires to play in the EPL and he's english. One who knows what his position at SJP will be, and could be a long term replacement for Shearer. He can join Dyer and Griffin as a foundation of the team for the next ten years.

Added to this, don't forget Ruud Van Nistelrooy. He's just had surgery and will be out for a further 8 months. Which means he'll probably play towards the tail end of next season for PSV. And give prospective buyers just enough of a glimpse as to whether he has recovered enough to be worth signing. Hopefully by which time NUFC will be a more attractive team and have some serious lucra to spend.

As mentioned elsewhere both Gareth Southgate and Nick Barmby might very well be available this summer. While no-one would argue either player is a world beater, both fill a need at NUFC, and are likely to be more reliable than a continental player. Added to this Barmby is young enough that he would improve under Bobby. While Southgate adds the type of experience needed and more importantly is someone who commands those around him. Southgate is getting on (29), but he would give us time to see if our younguns at the back (Hughes, and the Caldwell brothers) are of the quality we expect.

I would be happy with the core of the squad being;

Harper, plus an experienced keeper.

Barton, Southgate, Dabizas, Griffen, Hughes, Howey. Reluctantly Pistone.

Solano, Lee, Speed, Dyer, Barmby, Gavilan, Bassedas.

Shearer, Ferguson, Cort and Gallacher.

It appears Domi may very well be on the way out with Marcellino, Goma and Charvet. Add in Maric, Ketsbaia and Pual Robinson. Hopefully thats at least 15 million quid. So we can afford Cort, Southgate and Barmby, with hopefully some money left over.

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

Answers

Lots of what if Tre. Cort maybe, I quite like him but another scenario where we may pay #7m for an international striker abroad. Anyway, we ain't going to get a sniff of Southgate. His reasons for going are that he "wants to win things" - sounds like Sheringham to me and NH. Barmby I doubt aswell. We'll get nowt for Maric and Robinson has to be improved to be worth anything. Kets should be allowed to go at knock down as he's done his service for NUFC and scored some CRUCIAL goals, good luck to him, but no transfer fee. Charvet is always mediocre at best, quite like Goma although I would swap for Helder (yes I realise he's injury prone).

This leaves us with #4-5m for Domi and a huge payroll of non entities.

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

TM

Yeah I read that but ignored. However what has surprised is the possible 8 million tag on Southgate. I could handle Cort at around 6 million, but not a 29 year old at 8 million. I wonder what value has been placed on Barmby then?

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

Gareth Southgate has become the latest Aston Villa player to be linked with a move to Maine Road after asking for a move. The England centre-back reportedly faxed a transfer request to Villa Park after discussing his future over the phone with Villa boss John Gregory.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Leeds are believed to be four clubs who could now take an interest in developments, while City will no doubt be linked too with the former Crystal Palace man.

Guess from where...

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

Hmmm. A tricky one. Southgate wants to win something = Manchester City...it can only be T***T***!

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

I also like the look of Cort, a kind of young Sir Les who needs beefing up a bit and careful nurturing - bingo! #7m is excessive, but I can see maybe Kets being involved in a swap and getting him for #5.5m-#6m.

BTW - I dreamt last night that I saw Sir Les wearing a toon top training. I recall in my dream yelling out that he still loves the Toon. Maybes it was Carl Cort???

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

Teamtwaddle contradict themselves again:

Newcastle have been quick to deny reports linking them with moves for Wimbledon's Carl Cort and Aston Villa's Gareth Southgate. Cort, who is rated at #7 million, scored on his senior debut for the Dons just two minutes into a 3-1 win at St James' Park in 1997. However, according to a club spokesman, the 22-year-old will not be moving to the North East with Newcastle. "Carl Cort is not one of the players we are looking at," he said. The same spokeman also dismissed the rumours surrounding Southgate who has asked to leave Aston Villa - pointing out the club have six international centre backs is Dabizas, Goma, Marcelino, Howey, Helder and Hughes while the promising Caldwell brothers are currently coming through the ranks.

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000