Yahoo is reporting the following:

Paris Saint Germain's Sylvain Distin could be set to complete his loan move to Newcastle as early as this afternoon.

The move looks set to go through after the two clubs managed to agree on a one-year £1million loan deal, making Distin the second PSG star to make the switch to SJP this summer following the £10million signing of Laurent Robert.

The talented youngster is reportedly excited by the idea of joining Bobby Robson's side and also linking up with former team-mate Robert.

Distin had been close to a £4million move to Bolton Wanderers, but pulled out of the deal when he heard about United's interest.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Answers

Ace player, or another prat?

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Have Freddie and Doug run up a huge bar tab at the Follies Balgeres and agreed to pay it off by signing every PSG player available?

Ginola
Domi
Goma
Robert
Distin

Even stranger, try buying 5 players from an English Premiership club and see how many of them would be English.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

..... just don't mention Anelka to DH!

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

I've scouted Distin twice this year. On the first match Distin was solid and shared my personal MOM with Domi. On the second he was even better. He dominates the air and is a tough tackler. Not exactly a Zidane when trying to play the ball and he can't attack at all but why centreback should play winger or something is another question.

Young lad who could do it for us now plus could become even better. 3-4M spend on him would be sane invest on my cards. ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

..... it's even better than that Jussi.
We've paid £1mm for one- year loan period, and I assume(?) we have also agreed the ultimate fee if we then wish to keep him. If he doesn't work out at the end of this season he goes back to PSG and it's cost us £1mm.

Clever stuff FS, well done.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Just like Cordone then ?!

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Actually, I think these loan deals are quite a good, imaginative way of checking out a player wiuthout committing everything you have to them. From the PSG boards, I gather it's his attitude that is questionable - maybe that's why we want to check him out for a while before committing. Also, by next year, Gary Caldwell will surely be ready...??

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Sorry, that should be "without": you can tell I was educated in a small town in Durham ;)

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Eee. aah didn't knaa ye went ti skule in Sunlung pet ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

From all accounts it would seem that Distin is about to feel a need we have been lacking since returning to the premiership. Back to the US on Sunday. Three weeks in England and two weeks in Switzerland made for s delighful break from the oppressive humidity of florida. Did not see any live game -- only the end of the derby on TV. Was encouraged with what I saw despite the disappointment of not winning.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

I think we all feel it Floridian - can Distin fill it is the question!!

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Independant are reporting that Liverpool have made a £4 million offer for Distin. How come when Keegan was Manager the press was full of how much we were spending (£60m+?), but no-one has bothered to add up how much Houllier has spent since he arrived. Jesus, I could put a team together to win 3 UK based cups with that sort or money (well, maybe not, but you get the point).

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Not a bad point Terry....just HOW MUCH has Houllier spent on this Liverpool team....any stato's out there with the answer?

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Terry don't ask questions like that again! i've spent the last 30 mins looking into it :)) I couldn't find a definitive what they've spent under houllier list but my approximate reckoning since 98 is that they've spent roughly 75 million!! and recouped 23 in that period....I've included the double keeper swoop from yesterday that may or may not be true...

Apologies if my vague diggings are totally inaccurate...

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Without the 2 keepers I make it 71.45mil spent and 26.35mil recouped with a net spend of 45.1mil. On top of a good squad with some excellent youngsters coming through they certainly deserve some negative publicity....but, oh, isn't Michael Owen young.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

That info is from soccerbase.com - home of all divorce-bound football fans.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Cheers Softie I knew you'd straighten me out....just glad you got on so early cos it was bugging me! bookmarked that site for future sad reference :))

The dual keeper swoop is apparently 10 mill...at least 6 of that has to be for kirkland if it's a british transfer record for a keeper...

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

So we're looking at a net spend in 3 years of between 51 (one keeper) and 55 million (two keepers!) on top of a squad that had never dropped out of the top 6??

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Softie what have you done to me!! don't let me loose on sites like that :))

In the same period NUFC have spent 75.1mill and recouped 46.9mill for a net spend of 28.2million! suprisingly high don't you think? considering how far down hill we've gone...

SAFC have spent 31.29mill and recouped 18.02 for a net of 13.27....not much spent and better results than our managers have managed towards the end of that period (arguably)....

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Chelse have spent £45m-ish net since '99. Just too funny if they don't make the CL this season.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Oh yes....now that would be funny :)

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Well Man Poo have spent a net £29.6 million since May and so far they've won NOWT this season!

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Careful with that site Gav, it spawned the bliddy Corinthian League and my own personal database of the questions they couldn't answer (average height of goal-scorers, combinations of players etc) It'll drive you mad!

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Another £6 million worth of Frenchies, 2 French under 21's, reported as having signed for Liverpool. It must be true, it's in todays Indie. Where the hell does the money come from? And can we have some?

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

Liverpool are in the Champion's League, simple as that...

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

Still waiting for the lad to put pen to paper. Wonder what the latest is.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

According to Shepherd, we have made an offer and are waiting for PSG to say yes or no.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Shouldn't that be Oui or Non

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

..... actually, the problem is that the answer, accompanied by a gallic shrug, was "peut-etre"!

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Ronnie was telling me today that we are hoping an offer of £2M is sufficient to get him. A bit cheeky when Notlob were reported to have agreed £3.5M.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

Not really. The French transfer window closes this week, so they may have to sell cheaper if they want to sell at all. Otherwise they're stuck with him until the end of the season. Read speculation somewhere that we were stalling in hopes of the price dropping.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001