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發表於 2006-8-14 20:26:56
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Oba the age limit?
Newcastle United's bid for Inter Milan striker Obafemi Martins has gone on ice - while they make checks on the Nigerian international's age.
Martins is listed on Inter's official website as having been born in Lagos on October 28, 1984, which would make him 21.
But reports United are receiving from Nigeria are saying that Martins could be five or six years older.
And the word is that Martins was a former playing contemporary of Celestine Babayaro in Nigeria and the United left-back is 28 at the end of this month.
United boss Glenn Roeder is paying for the spending sins of his predecessor Graeme Souness, and it's no secret that money is tight at St James' Park these days.
Certainly a report yesterday that Roeder has £20m to spend has to be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.
And despite United being desperate for some new blood up front Roeder will leave no stone unturned when he checks out players he wants to bring to Tyneside.
Valencia have already agreed to pay Inter 14m Euros for Martins and are prepared to offer the player a six-year contract.
Now there is talk that Manchester United could be interested and the chances of one of the fastest players in Europe coming to St James' Park do not appear to be very good at the moment.
Over the weekend all the talk was that Portsmouth, with the backing of their new Russian owner, were favourites to sign Martins.
But I hear that Harry Redknapp's real target is another Nigerian, Kanu, who he hopes to sign from West Bromwich Albion before the Premiership swings into action on Saturday.
Ironically, there have been questions asked about Kanu's real age in his spell in this country first, with Arsenal and then at The Hawthorns.
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