ESPN Network: ESPN.com | NFL.com | NBA.com | WNBA.com | NASCAR | NHL.com | ABCSports | Insider | Store HOME ENGLAND MORE NEWS CLUBS NATIONAL TEAM FIXTURES RESULTS/REPORTS TABLES FA CUP WORTHINGTON CUP WHO'S WHO SCOTLAND EUROPE GLOBAL EURO 2000 England: News Tuesday June 20, 2000, 2:35 AM London Time Chelsea swoop for #4m Gudjohnsen By Simon Lansley Chelsea have signed Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen from First Division Bolton for #4million.

The 21-year-old centre-forward has agreed a five-year deal with the Premiership club after scoring 22 goals for Bolton last season.

Gudjohnsen will be the second forward to arrive at Stamford Bridge this summer after the Blues also bought former Leeds striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink from Atletico Madrid for #15million.

His arrival is also likely to hasten the departure of Chris Sutton, signed for #10million last year but on the brink of quitting the club with Chelsea having agreed a #6million fee with Celtic and Middlesbrough.

As a 17-year-old, Gudjohnsen played alongside Ronaldo at PSV Eindhoven. But the early stages of his career were hampered by a serious ankle injury.

Moving to Bolton on a free transfer from KR Reykjavik in 1998 re-ignited his career, and last season he helped Wanderers reach the Semi-finals of the play-offs, the FA Cup and the Worthington Cup.

Gudjohnsen said: 'I was very disappointed when we didn't get promoted. But now I am personally pleased. I am only 21, turning 22 in September. I have been fully fit for two seasons it took me half a season to get back to first-team football.

'I still have to prove myself in Premiership football. I am not lightning but I'm certainly not the slowest either. I have heard that I only score the difficult ones and miss the easy ones!'

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Answers

While the cats away (Bobby) the mice will play (Chelsea and Vialli). Or We have no money.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

So there goes another one? after missing out on Lovenkrands, Meira, Kiko and Molina...is someone we've been linked with finally coming along?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

My fear is a 52,000 white elephant All this money put into a massive stadium which will be filled by 37000 YBR comments indicated he needed to strengthen to guarantee the stadium be filled seems as though he may not get his way VERY concerned we will get left behind

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Bobby had us playing for sixth place in the adjusted League (-7 matches) with the same players. It is not imperative that we sign anybody to ensure survival. Take our time, don't rush anything: Emile Mpenza was worth a fortune last week and probably went down 2mil last night....no wonder his agent was touting him last week! We do not want another Guivarc'h!

I'm very upset to miss out on Gudjonsson, but if he's happy to sit on the bench behind Flo, Hasselbaink and Zola then I have reservations.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Not too worried about not being able to fill the stadium to it's full capacity...the Board must have done their sums and they must also be counting on the faithful supporters to fill up the stadium every week...but ya, I'm concern about the transfer so far.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

When it all comes down to it I suppose we have to have our faith in Bobby. I hope something does happen after Euro 2000 in transfer terms, and I would be even happier if we got rid of the dross never mind signing some more.

The players who Bobby picked last year, we know them and we know what they can deliver and they ain't bad!

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

pete - surely the reality is that we ARE already left behind. It's been done to death on here precisely why and who's to blame, but IMHO it's completely unrealistic (not to mention bad for the health !) to be expecting a serious challenge on the Premier League for AT LEAST 2-3 seasons more. Sure, if we're lucky with injuries we have a fair chance of qualifying for Europe in each of the next few seasons, but I sometimes think people ignore or forget just how much rebuilding YBR still has to do. And that's apart from the obvious positional filling we all appear to agree on (ie. left m/f; playmaker; cover up front). For one, there's the huge matter of bringing the Dyers, Gavilans, Hugheses & Griffins through at a reasonable pace. And don't get me started about our need for defenders who can actually defend as a unit ......

In summary, I don't actually think our priority right now is blowing large amounts of dosh (which we probably don't have) on big name players. We're in an important transitional phase and I'm sure YBR is right on the case. Keep the faith !

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

LT

And don't forget finding a succesor to Bobby to carry on his work and not to try and rebuild the team as he sees fit.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

LT, couldn't agree more on your summary on our position. 2-3 years must be time before we have a serious Championship contending side and that's if everything goes to plan!

You must admit though that we do need to bring in some players to positions that need covere quite drastically. I would not be too disappointed to see a couple come up from the lower leagues for bugger all money then when we do come in the top 10, Bobby gets even more credit.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Today's Sun reckon that the Toon are after Czech Striker Jan Koller for #6m. He's Available from Anderlecht, is 27, 6'7" and has scored 13 goals in 16 internationals, though hasn't scored in Euro2000 yet.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Don't worry, me bonny lads and lasses: Bobby will do the biz.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

The Journo 'Transfers' database has thrown up that we might need to replace Ferguson so they have run off all strikers over 6'4" and come up with Koller. It would be funny if it wasn't so transparent.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

What about Kevin Francis who is at least 6'7"? Failing that, Martin Bayfield has stopped playing rugby now and he is at least 6'9"! Journos, they have no imagination.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Relax.

-YBR is in charge.

-He is at Euro 2000

-He has more contacts in the game than most.

It is easy to get impatient just a few weeks into the dry season, but I'm sure YBR has the situation under control. He will be talking to people and identifying prospects constantly. If one or two slip through the net due to inflated demands are they the sort of players we need? Of course not.

We don't need to be paying vast sums for the top stars at Euro 2000 whose values will be hugely inflated. YBR didn't pay #20m for Ronaldo.

Leave it to YBR.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

YBR paid $20 mills, I believe. Although he also had a cheque for whatever written out for one Alan Shearer.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Could this be true?

Brazilian striker Catanha is believed to be on Bobby Robson's summer hitlist. Malaga's top scorer last season, with 24 goals to his name, is also being courted by Aston Villa and a clutch of top continental sides. Bobby Robson, having lost out to Rangers for Danish frontman Peter Lovenkrands, is desperate to strengthen his strikeforce before the new season. He has already been linked with a #6m move for Anderlecht's Czech Republic targetman Jan Koller. But he will have to act fast if he thinks Catanha is his man. The player's agent, Inaki Espizua, says there have been several enquiries already, while Malaga president Fernando Puche admits he is now ready to sell. "We can't put a price on Catanha's head P that is up to the president," said Espizua. "But many clubs have already asked about him." Madrid rivals Atletico and Real are interested in the 28-year-old, with the former ready to put a #5m bid on the table to replace Chelsea-bound Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

points noted and digested but waht scares me ridgid is Shearer getting a knock We cannot rely on Dunc and until YBR signs a striker I will be concerned. Robinson and Kets spell trouble

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

Well, one thing is certain. We don't want to buy any of the England players on display tonight. Well, maybe Becks and Scholes.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2000

One point made by LT is that Bobby should be building a squad ready to challenge in 2 to 3 years time. Well to do that you have to have youngsters at the club who will be around then, plus also target players in their early to mid 20's as transfer targets. Well almost everyone we have been connected to is the wrong side of 28. If we are to target players, we have to make sure that NUFC won't represent their last contract, e.g. Helder of Pinto.

That said I'd still take the above 2 players, to push us higher up the ladder this coming season, but I'd really like to see some top youngsters targeted.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2000

Tre - It rarely (if ever?) occurs that a PL-winning side is composed only of younger players, who happen to have been playing together for an extended period. Winning teams also always seem to need a core of the older, more experienced players to guide them across the finishing line. I'd therefore suggest it's not just about recruiting plenty of young starlets, many of whom never live up to their early promise of course. We'll be needing those experienced hands as well in 2-3 years time if we're to see that silverware.

And for the shorter term, I'm definitely advocating a current policy of buying the odd youngster, but concentrating on experienced players at reasonable prices. We should wait at least another season for the big names at inflated prices.

I think City nobs might call that a 'diversified investment strategy' :}

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2000

LT- I'm not advocating on going out and buying a whole swathe of youngsters. There's only 1 I would really like to see at NUFC and that's Hayden Mullins from Crystal Palace as I believe he can replace Rob Lee when Lee retires. I think Bobby might just go for Paul Powell from Oxford as well if Pistone is sold, to provide back up for Domi.

I know the EPL is won with experienced players, with a core group. But when I look at NUFC's core group I wonder where they'll be in 3 years and how well they'll be playing. I am particulaerly refering to Barton, Lee, Speed and Shearer. However we have griffin to step in for Barton, but no one else for the others.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2000

Bobby Lee sure as hell won't be around in 2-3 years granted. But Al, Speedy & Bartinho all will be (or at least should be), and will be forming that nucleus of experience I was referring to.

BTW, if there were more names on that list, we'd ALREADY be towards the top of the league! Hence the greater priority for us to sign experience (repeat - at affordable prices) at this point so we are ready for a decent tilt at the title in a few years, rather than more youngsters.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2000