3m Howey Carl Liddle Former England international defender Steve Howey is close to ending his 14-year association with Newcastle United with a move to Manchester City.

And, all that now stands in the way of a #3m deal is a discussion in Manchester on Friday between the player and City boss Joe Royle over the central defender's terms.

The Sunderland born defender, who has been at the club longer than anyone else, will then sign a four-year deal before he goes about proving he is still good enough to play for England once again.

Howey, who joined the Magpies as a trainee way back in December 1989 after being on schoolboy forms, has had a tough time over recent years with a number of serious injuries. However, there is no doubt that on his day he is still one of England's finest defender's.

He has been very highly thought of by all of United's managers, including Keegan, Dalglish, Gullit and most laterly Bobby Robson, but the player himself believed it was time to make a fresh start.

Gullit gave the tall defender a new four-year deal just last year and he thought so highly of the player that if Alan Shearer hadn't decided to take over the captain's armband from the dispossessed Rob Lee then he would have been offered the job.

Tall and elegant in his style of play Howey will prove a great signing from Royle if he can stay injury free. One of the major disappointments in recent seasons is the number of matches the classy defender has missed through a combination of injuries.

He had terrible circulatory problems in both his calves before painful surgery and then even more recently he ruptured his right achilles tendon during the FA Cup semi-final defeat of Spurs the season before last. However, he now looks leaner and fitter than he has for sometime and the player is determined to make the deal work.

This surely must mean that Robson will have to go out and further strengthen the depth of his squad's defensive cover. This #3m will come in very handy. Meanwhile, the intrigue surrounding Duncan Ferguson's proposed move back to the blue side of Merseyside deepens.

And while both clubs refuse to deny a deal is any closer there seem to be a couple of major stumbling blocks. Firstly, their valuations are very much apart at present, Everton would be willing to pay #3.5m while Newcastle want the vast majority of their #8m outlay 20 months ago back.

And the player himself would be taking a major cut in salary so he will want very close to the difference between what he would have earned over the next four seasons on Tyneside and what he would earn at Goodison Park if and when the deal does go through. This could be as much as #3.5m.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Answers

3 million for Howey???? Yes please...pretty please!

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Sell Howey, keep Dunc...works for me!!

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

This is what the Mirror are running. Not sure about the bit of them going after Ward. I thought he was signing for Bradford?

EVERTON'S bid to bring Duncan Ferguson back to Merseyside has hit a frustrating impasse.

Club owner Bill Kenwright was hoping to unveil the one-time Goodison idol as his latest signing at tomorrow's testimonial match for Joe Parkinson. But talks with Newcastle have hit a deadlock, after the North East club insisted they wanted to recoup most of the pounds 8million fee they paid Everton for Ferguson two years ago.

And last night boss Walter Smith admitted that he is no nearer signing the forward who is already guaranteed a place in Goodison folklore for his exploits in his first stint at the club.

"Things seem to have hit a bit of an impasse, and I can't see there being a swift conclusion," said Smith.

Everton are becoming frustrated with Newcastle's rigid stance over a fee for a player who has only played a handful of games in the last two years - and who has failed to attract a single offer from another club.

Smith has already identified other possible targets, with Blackburn's Ashley Ward high on the agenda.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Current reports from the BBC say that Howey will be #2M down with a further #1M on appearances and Dunc is #3.5M down with a further #1.5M on appearances. Does anyone else out there think we are being ripped off. Seems to me YBR has someone out there he is desperate to sign and is raising money any way he can.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

It's amazing how nobody has any fondness for our longest serving player. Is it just that we are finally losing the other mackem from the squad (having sold Robinson) or that he has been the least available player in the last decade?

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I must admit I am more disappointed about Dunc leaving than Howey, which I know is probably the wrong way round. His injuries have never helped the same as Dunc but I guess Dunc made more of a visual impact when he was firing on all cylinders.

Apparently we have agreed a fee with Everton for Dunc and it's down to the players demands and the medical. Hope is still alive!

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Who the f**k is S. Howey I say ;)) I'm still gutted that Dunc is going......I really felt like we had a strikeforce for the first time in years....

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

It's sad that Howey can't see out his career here. Nothing against the guy personally. But he's just not done much the last few seasons, mainly due to a horrendous run of luck injury-wise. I was in tears for him when he went down in the Spurs semi. Just when it looked like he was making a comeback and playing well. Other than that, his form(when he's played) has been inconsistent. Not helped by porking up quite a bit last season. To be fair, he did come back to preseason this year looking fitter than I've ever seen, but still didn't seem to make much impression on the field. And how many defensive howlers has he made, Softie? ;-)

I'll wish him well and hope a fresh start finally breaks his injury jinx so he can find his form again....just not against us!

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I can't believe anyone would pay good money for Howey. He's clearly got legs that are too long for the muscle stretched over them and will never play a full season. Brilliant player but what would you pay for him???

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I only hope the deal is that if Howey makes a full season of appearances for Man City then the fee is doubled at least. How many caps has Ehiogu got and how much is he worth. City may have an absolute bargain. I wouldn't want to wish injuries on anyone but...

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

From Football365

HOWEY COMPLETES CITY SWITCH

Steve Howey has completed his #2m move to Manchester City from Newcastle. Howey came through a medical today and agreed terms on a four-year contract with the Premiership new boys. The fee could rise to #3m depending on the number of appearances he makes. Howey's signing ends City boss Joe Royle's summer-long search for a centre- half after he failed to prise Ugo Ehiogu away from Aston Villa.

City's chief operating officer Chris Bird hailed Howey as a major signing and insisted the 28-year-old, who has had injury problems in the past, came through his medical with no problems.

Bird said: ''Steve Howey has just signed for us. The fee is #2m, plus #1m depending on appearances. He flew through the medical and there were no problems. He's an England international and can still play at the highest level. We're delighted he's signed and he's a quality player.''

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

#2 mill even with his injury record is a F##king insult. We must be so desperate for cash for a new player.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Agreed De Builder. As I posted earlier on this thread, YBR must have someone lined up and is desperately trying to raise cash for him. Guardiola?

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

There's also the fact that his new deal with us(the ink was still wet when he collapsed at OT in the Semi) gave him 18k per week for next to nothing.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I'd be astonished if Guardiola signs for us, not even UEFA cup footie for him to saviour. He's 29 and this would be his last big contract so I can imagine his wages will be astronomical and he didn't impress me enough in Euro2000 to justify silly money.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Howey has been carrying weight for too many years, hence the succession of ankle/calf problems. Like the lad, but any pace he had has now sadly departed. Never thought he read the game well enough to cope without pace. Another huge wage off the bill. Step up Aaron Hughes

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Guardiola no thank you, plays the easy percentage ball all the time, plenty of possession, not incisive enough, style of play would not suit EPL, simple as that.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Exactly Bill. He doesn't look like he'd get his knees dirty in the tackle and can do nothing that Gary Speed can't do and the rest. The standard of his free kicks in Euro 2000 were pitiful and I failed to see why he kept humping balls towards the box with no obvious target.

Perfect for Duncan Ferguson...damn, has he signed yet!

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

What a cold-blooded lot we are. This deserves more than an assessment as to whether it is a 'good bit of buisness' or not.

Our longest serving player deserves a better send-off than this (especially compared with Kets). I'm fond of the guy, he's been a part of the club for so long, and I wish him nothing but the best at City. I've seen him give his best for Newcastle United whilst being abused for coming from Sunderland, which infuriated me.

This lad switched positions, grown with the club he's served for 14 years, and ended up with England caps which is no small achievement. He deserves our respect and thanks. I think he's wise to take on a fresh challenge and hope his wretched luck with injuries changes. All the best Steve.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Well said Stevo - got to agree with you.
The lad did brilliantly for us before having bad luck with injuries, and in many respects I'm sad to see him go. Given top form and health he would have been by far our best CB. However BR clearly does not want to keep players who have a high risk of injury - and who can blame him for that after last season.
I certainly wish Steve Howey every success with City, and sincerely hope he gets back to England form - let's face it, there's not that much competition.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Well I won't comment much on these to sales, except to say I agree with both and the money upfront is acceptable, and the future payments on appearences is acceptable.

As for cover up front. Well I think Shearer, Cort and Cordone is a good rotation and Coppinger deserves to get some run outs. So if injury hits the strikers we've got Gallacher and Coppinger as back ups.

As for cover down the back. Dabizas and Goma are obviously Robson's starting choice. Marcelino is still up fro sale, So that effectively leaves Aaron Hughes, then the bairns Beherall & the Caldwell brothers. Unfortunately Helder doesn't appear to want to return so I don't know who Bobby fancies to bring in. I just hope it's not some 29+ year old. My preference would be barry from Villa.

I still reckon Bobby's going to target another central defender and left footed midfielder to bring in this season. However it may be after some of the teams are knocked out of the early rounds of Europe.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000