With the comments about buying another striker, who will it be? I can't help thinking Bierhoff would be a pretty hot Al standby and partner. Or Lee Hughes? Or is Bob wanting a playmaking forward?Could it be Djorkaeff (a bit old) MYSTERY English and Italian clubs have joined the chase to sign Youri Djorkaeff, but Marseille remain favourites to grab the French international. The 33-year-old Kaiserslautern ace is keen to leave The Fritz Walter Stadion after a fall-out with coach Andreas Brehme and he is looking for a new club.

The Red Devils are keen to hold onto their talisman, but the World Cup and European Championship winner does not want to return to Germany.

Marseille are determined to bring the former Monaco man back to Le Championnat as they try to assemble a squad capable of challenging for honours and according to his agent and brother, Denis, the player would like a move to Stade Velodrome, but that clubs from England and Italy are also interested in him.

"It would not displease Youri to come to l'OM," said Denis Djorkaeff. "It is clear that he wants a fresh start from Kaiserslautern.

"Italian and English clubs are following his situation closely, but he would not be unhappy at joining l'OM."

The former Internazionale ace is thought to be very interested in a move back to France and that all that needs to be decided is a price with the German side.

"I am unaware of what the German club are asking for him, but I think it would range between 10-15 million francs (£1.5 million)," said Djorkaeff.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Answers

How about Mario Jardel for £8m. His mooted move to Marsielle hasn't eventuated so why not?? He's a "natural" goal scorer and would be an asset to The Toon :)

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

great player

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Jardel was on his way back to Porto i heard.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Excuse my ignorance, but wasn't Jardel that tall German Krap-Meister?

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

.... don't you mean Carsten Jancker, Bobby?

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Birmingham have offered £4.5mm for Lee Hughes, so if we are interested we better get cracking.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

If the Robert signing goes through (good news I hope), surely we don't need to reinforce the strikers at the expense of other areas. You can't tell me we don't need a top-quality midfield anchor (not rhyming slang) and dominant central defender. Dabizas/O'Brien/Hughes all OK, but not in the mould of masters of the penalty area. Speed = bollocks to coin a phrase, Lee finished, Acuna good buy at 1m, but will he turn out to be top-class? Without a midfield master we won't be able to play Robert, Dyer and Solano with two strikers: someone will have to miss out.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

spot on D2

Robert is supposed to be the Ginola replacement, elliot is the new Robbie Elliot, it would be nice to believe Dyer could be the Beardsley replacement, what we now need is a new Robert Lee and a new David Batty/Lee Clark and we could just miss out :0)

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Have to agree Dan2 - the squad is improving all the time; however, we still need a commanding centre half and a central midfield player who can put his foot on the ball, control the game, and link defence with attack.

The need for another striker imo depends to a large degree on the true prognosis for AS's full rehabilitation.

As to the need for a m/f player, who fits the bill? Sadly, I don't think Lee Clark does. At the very experienced end, Sep Guardiola could be the man, assuming he could do it in the PL. He'd be costly in wages, but being available on a FT he could be worth a punt for a season or two.

At the younger end of the spectrum Michael Carrick would be the dog's dangly bits, but isn't a realistic option. I'd love to see us sign Seth Johnson who has a great engine and bags of potential - another Stephen Gerrard. David Prutton is a player I don't really know but is highly recommended by those in the know - and importantly, is probably available. More of a risk than Johnson, but could still be a good long-term investment. We really should go for one of these.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

I'd prioritise a really decent centre half, mainly so that Hughes, O'Brien and the Caldwell Bros can learn from him: much though I love Dabs, I think there's a limit to what he can teach the youngsters. We also need a decent holding/defensive midfielder.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

I bet he could teach them a canny dance or two! Arms outstretched, and off they go round in circles, kicking their legs as they go. Hang on, I think he's started already.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Apparently Glenda Hoddle has told Sir Les that he is not part of his plans at WHL. If Les was available on a FT, I'd grab him for one season as back-up to AS & CC - top man, even at 34.

Out of interest, Paul Murray has been offered a one year contract at Wadsworth-inspired S'ton. He has twice broken the same ankle and is quoted as saying "I went to Newcastle over the summer but there were a few problems with the medical. They were taking their time deciding, but I didn't want to hang around and wait for a decision". We dodged a bullet there then, for once!

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Isn't this just a smokescreen to put the journalist scum off the story?

I reckon the next signing will be a centre half - but after what we've been thru this close season, we hardly want to be shouting it from the hilltops...

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Nicky Butt.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001

Butt out Nick.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2001

Jancker, Jardel, Junker - all look the same to me :-)

If Acuna is starting to look the part, does no-one think the same about Bassedas?

Sir Les is always welcome on Tyneside, but I'm not convinced he'd get any further than the treatment table for 1/2 the season, and there's too many there already.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2001