Post by PureOldGold on May 24, 2009 8:51:11 GMT -1
Wolves have rejected the chance to sign former England World Cup stars Sol Campbell and Nicky Butt.
It is understood the club have been offered Campbell, Butt, former England man Alan Smith and Campbell’s Portsmouth central defensive team-mate Hermann Hreidarsson amid the avalanche of offers from agents following their return to the Premier League.
But the club’s management are refusing to buckle to the kind of flawed moves that left a financial drain on the club last time they were promoted six years ago, when expensive free transfers such as Oleg Luzhny and Steffen Iversen flopped.
Instead, they remain committed to bringing in Premier League experience ‘with legs’ who aren’t seeking a last pay day.
Portsmouth defender Campbell, 34, is earning upwards of £80,000 a week and is on a Bosman free transfer.
His 2002 World Cup team-mate Butt, also 34, signed a new one-year Newcastle deal in January to the end of next season.
But he earns around £60,000 a week and Wolves remain highly sceptical of a return on their money for such an outlay.
Smith, 28, still has two years left on his Newcastle contract, but he’s on similar money to Butt and Wolves won’t entertain that sort of outlay, even by paying a subsidised part of his salary in a year-long loan deal.
Hreidarsson, also 34, who has been relegated with Wimbledon, Ipswich and Charlton, is also available on a free. Although the Icelandic defender is on a more modest salary, Wolves aren’t keen to take a gamble on a player with so much of his career behind him, with McCarthy committed to a high energy work ethic.
The Wolves boss has returned from two weeks of scouting in Europe and hopes his transfer plans will start to fall into place once seasons across the continent end over the next fortnight.
Wolves also remain cool on a move for Villa striker Marlon Harewood. It’s understood they are unwilling to shell out wages of in excess of £30,000 a week for the £2m-rated 29-year-old.
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I agree, no point breaking the wage structure for someone as old as Campbell. As for Harewood, i'm not really sure, does he offer anymore than Iwelumo? I'd rather us pay out big wages for someone like Mancienne who would hold his value.
It is understood the club have been offered Campbell, Butt, former England man Alan Smith and Campbell’s Portsmouth central defensive team-mate Hermann Hreidarsson amid the avalanche of offers from agents following their return to the Premier League.
But the club’s management are refusing to buckle to the kind of flawed moves that left a financial drain on the club last time they were promoted six years ago, when expensive free transfers such as Oleg Luzhny and Steffen Iversen flopped.
Instead, they remain committed to bringing in Premier League experience ‘with legs’ who aren’t seeking a last pay day.
Portsmouth defender Campbell, 34, is earning upwards of £80,000 a week and is on a Bosman free transfer.
His 2002 World Cup team-mate Butt, also 34, signed a new one-year Newcastle deal in January to the end of next season.
But he earns around £60,000 a week and Wolves remain highly sceptical of a return on their money for such an outlay.
Smith, 28, still has two years left on his Newcastle contract, but he’s on similar money to Butt and Wolves won’t entertain that sort of outlay, even by paying a subsidised part of his salary in a year-long loan deal.
Hreidarsson, also 34, who has been relegated with Wimbledon, Ipswich and Charlton, is also available on a free. Although the Icelandic defender is on a more modest salary, Wolves aren’t keen to take a gamble on a player with so much of his career behind him, with McCarthy committed to a high energy work ethic.
The Wolves boss has returned from two weeks of scouting in Europe and hopes his transfer plans will start to fall into place once seasons across the continent end over the next fortnight.
Wolves also remain cool on a move for Villa striker Marlon Harewood. It’s understood they are unwilling to shell out wages of in excess of £30,000 a week for the £2m-rated 29-year-old.
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I agree, no point breaking the wage structure for someone as old as Campbell. As for Harewood, i'm not really sure, does he offer anymore than Iwelumo? I'd rather us pay out big wages for someone like Mancienne who would hold his value.
