Newcastle join hunt for precocious Carrick By Ian Ladyman

Newcastle United have joined Arsenal in the fight to secure the precocious talents of West Ham's Michael Carrick. Carrick (left): Geordie target (AlexLivesey/Allsport) The 19-year-old England midfielder is wanted by Bobby Robson as he looks to bolster his squad before the start of next season and the Newcastle manager believes he can exploit the current uncertainty at Upton Park to lure Carrick away.

The Ł10million-rated Carrick has previously stated his desire to stay in the capital and has revealed Arsenal's growing interest on Saturday.

Now Newcastle have stepped up their bid after learning the teenager may be open to approaches in the wake of Harry Redknapp's departure from West Ham three weeks ago.

With Robert Lee beyond his peak years, Robson aims to provide for the long-term future of Newcastle's midfield.

He has been a fan of Geordie Carrick, a Newcastle fan who was rejected by the Magpies as a young boy, ever since arriving back in English football last season.

West Ham are sure to resist all approaches but face a difficult summer.

-----------

if there is a chance he could be persuaded, then Bobby this HAS to be our signing.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Answers

The Times also running the story.

Also news on Solano and his desire to play for Real..are these new qoutes?

Cort due to have his plaster removed and see the extent of his injury

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

that times report...

Newcastle prepare to snap up Carrick BY OLIVER KAY NEWCASTLE United are seeking to exploit the growing uncertainty at West Ham United by arranging a deal to take Michael Carrick, the England Under-21 international, back to Tyneside. With West Ham still without a manager three weeks after the dismissal of Harry Redknapp, Newcastle are prepared to set aside much of their summer transfer kitty on the midfield player. The prospect of a Ł10 million outlay on a 19-year-old whom they could once have signed for nothing might not appeal to Newcastle’s financiers but he would represent a significant coup in their attempt to import native talent. Bobby Robson, the manager, also hopes to sign Robbie Elliott and Lee Clark, two former St James’ Park idols, from Bolton Wanderers and Fulham respectively.

The word is Shearer is put a word or two in his ear at the England game last Friday. As for Solano, he's as good as gone.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Solano might well say he wants to swim to Real Madrid but I can't help thinking it's like John Hartson saying it's always been his dream to play for Barcelona!!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

especially as madrid have all but signed zidane, thuram and salas for next season for a whopping 70 mil...

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

They won't go for Nobby and all this has done is shown how little regard Solano holds for Newcastle, saying he felt no particular loyalty to Newcastle. I'd sell him because with an atttude like this is he really going to give us 100%?

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

if we only sign ONE player this summer, it should be him.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Carrick would be a really terrific acquisition, but I can see him going to Arsenal. He seems highly ambitious and will undoubtedly see a return home as being at best risky - a good test of Shearer's powers of persuasion actually.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Isn't Madrid the only landlocked capital in Europe? I'd love to see Nobby try to "swim as far as the Bernabeu".

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

I cant really blame Solano for wanting to play for Real Madrid. I dont think he will work less hard for us just because his goal is to play for another club, a bigger club. He will do his best just to get there.

Maybe he could have said it in a better way though. If this about Emerton is true maybe Solano is on his way and Emerton is his replacer.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Teamtalk are saying that Emerton is happy to stay in Holland. TT speculate that it would take a huge financial package to tempt him into a move. He'll probably sign tomorrow then.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Where's all the news about Solano coming from??

I agree with what yu say about Carrick, clarky. I also think you've hit a nerve with the last comment: "a good test of Shearer's powers of persuasion".

It's almost a forgone conclusion that he's the next manager. Is he up to it? If we can't get Carrick now, will we ever be able to?

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

It will be interesting to see if any official response comes from West Ham or Carrick on this proposed move. If Carrick comes out with a statement similar to last time and suggest it would be a bad move then Shearer has had little influence on the young man.

The only way I can see him signing is if he can be assured that we will makes strides in the transfer market and sign another three quality players to join him.

All the rumours are of course rumours but we aren't even being linked with any decent established players. Very quiet on the club front with Robson on holiday and Shepherd probably trying to flog Marcellino. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

A problem with alot of Geordie-born players is that have this emotional desire to have played for the Toon - that is, before they hang their boots up - but don't have a strong enough desire to be prepared to take any financial or career risks.
This is, of course, their choice but it doesn't do the Toon cause any good whatsoever, and IMO borders on being disingenuous.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Fuck him if he doesn't want to play for us....

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Forgetting about the Newcastle origins, would it be a good move for Carrick? Depending on who they appoint as manager, Frank Lampard Jnr and possibly Di Canio and Kanoute will be leaving the club. This would leave West Ham in a pretty dire situation.

As for a move to Newcastle we are a club who have a huge fan base, 2nd biggest stadium in the EPL, if all the players stay fit we have a good team who could be a very good team with the right tweaks in th right places.

I'm not so sure that Arsenal/Manure/Leeds would be prepared to move for Carrick and as such a move to a club of Newcastle's position would be a good move in my view.

It is up to him to make any move a success, if he plays out of his skin he can still maintain his England place as it has been shown that Erikkson has a high regard for Robson's opinion. If he is not prepared to bust a gut we don't want him anyway!

The way he can effortlessly pass a ball would make him a tremendouse aquisition for the club and would pose a real signal of intent to move up the tabel instead of stagnating.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

agree, agree...

But not only are we offering the chance to link up with Dyer and form the backbone of a 'potential' England midfield, we're also offering him the chance to return home, he's almost guaranteed 1st team football which he wouldn't get elsewhere, plus he'd learn form the likes of Lee and Speed...

ah, the penny drops....

;0(

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Selling Speed and Solano would fund the purchase of Carrick, simple as that. We'd still have Dyer on the right wing with Gavilan as cover.

We'd have Lee, Acuna, Carrick and Bassedas in the middle, pick two out of those four as two central midfielders.

Having effectively spent nothing yet we should still be able to afford a left winger and whatever we have in mind.

In my mind this would dramatically improve the effectiveness of our midfield both in attacking and defensive ways.

None of it will happen though becuase it's all too dreamy!!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

There's also the problem of his younger brother who Newcastle did not slip through the net, they rejected him. So luring Carrick away from the capital in this respect would be a problem.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Hmmm. Bobby's net spend since getting here is -2.25mil (yep, that's minus 2 and a quarter million). The very idea of us spending 10mil on a player is laughable.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

how many assists does Solano make? i'd bet he's pretty much the most valuable player in the team.

Carrick is just the player we need, but, West Ham arguably have better midfielders and strikers than us...and look what happened to them. I'd quite like DiCanio too, we need a bit of fun if we are to endure 3 more years of Gary Paradox...

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Sure he has a few assists but I feel we could have a far better midfield if Dyer went to right wing and we signed a left winger with two strong central midfielders.

Not a bad reflection on Solano, just a need for adjustments within the formation.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Particularly in the sense that we would have a settled formation and not keep having to piss around changing things with this player on the left this week and that player in the middle the next week.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

to be blunt Dyer can not cross, Solano is probably the best crosser in the prem. I wouldn't play Dyer right, but lets not get into that one, eh:-)

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

We'll have to disagree on that one Swift but you're right it's probably better talked about when we are still playing with a lop sided team next year!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

its well out of our hands.bobs buying a left winger (so the story goes) so it shouldn't be too bad. I personally would rather have Nobby on the right crossing the ball in. Nothing else.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

So swift, if WH have a better forward line and midfield than us we gained more points than them because of our superior defence?

Nurse................

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

If solano is the best crosser of a ball in the Premiership, why did we finish 11th in the league last season?

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Err cos we didn't have anyone to put the ball away and cos the rest of the team were shite...

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

errr ... cos the crosses kept landing smack on the forehead of the first defender ?

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

err because the rest of the team were in the treatment room/being flogged on the pitch without a hope of reaching a cross near the goal?

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

According to Opta Nobby was our best performer, gaining a staggering 831 marvellous Opta points. His Opta-mistic victory celebrations should be tempered somewhat by the fact that he won by just one Opta point...over Warren Barton.

Insert own jibe here...

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Oh dear!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

question justified then? i rest my rucksack m'lud.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001