Newz Forum: SOCCER: Football News and Rumors 29/07/04

England international Nicky Butt has completed his move to Newcastle from Manchester United. The 29-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Magpies and has been given the number four shirt for the forthcoming season, according to the club's website www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk. The midfielder was not a regular starter for Sir Alex Ferguson last season and has opted to seek first-team football elsewhere.

West Brom have completed the signing of Middlesbrough midfielder Jonathan Greening for an initial fee of 1.25million. Greening, who joined Boro from Manchester United along with Mark Wilson after Steve McClaren had taken charge of the Teessiders, has signed a three-year deal. The 25-year-old former England Under-21 international started his career with York City. Greening made only four Premiership starts for United, but won a Champions League winners medal as a substitute in their 1999 success against Bayern Munich.

Arsenal midfielder Edu is set to sign an extension to his contract before the start of the season. The 26-year-old played in Brazil's winning Copa America team and is currently resting before the start of the domestic campaign. The former Corinthians players attracted interest from Barcelona last season after a string of impressive performances and his contract expires next summer, but he is looking to stay at Highbury.

Newcastle's French winger Laurent Robert has reportedly leapt to the top of Espanyol's summer wanted list. The skilful left-sided player, formerly of Paris St Germain, is fancied by new Espanyol coach Miguel Angel Lotina to bring creativity to his team for the new Spanish season. Robert scored for Newcastle in their 2-1 defeat by Ipswich last night, but reports in Spain say that Espanyol have already made a tentative bid for the 29-year-old.

Henri Camara will put pen to paper on his 1.5million loan move to Celtic within the next 24 hours. The Wolves striker is set to arrive at Parkhead on Thursday evening for talks and a medical after both clubs agreed terms. The Senegal hitman has refused to play for Wolves after they were relegated from the Barclaycard Premiership last season, claiming his international career would suffer from dropping into the lower divisions.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been forced to accept that star midfielder Amdy Faye will be out for the first three months of the season. A specialist has delivered the shattering verdict after Senegal international Faye failed a medical on his right knee having agreed a 3m move to Fulham. At first, Portsmouth claimed he had merely changed his mind about the transfer opportunity and decided to stay at Fratton Park. Redknapp eventually admitted the player had been sent back to him but hoped Faye would get through the problem after a month's rest.

Kevin Blackwell has denied West Brom midfielder Sean Gregan was at the top of his summer shopping list. But the Leeds boss did confirm he was hopeful of completing a deal to bring Chelsea misfit Neil Sullivan to Elland Road within "the next three or four days".

Fulham have failed in their bid to sign Junichi Inamoto on a permanent basis after he decided to return home Gamba Osaka, according to reports in Japan. The 24-year-old had a successful season on loan with Fulham but the two clubs could not agree on a fee. Inamoto has a year left on his Gamba contract and Fulham were unwilling to pay the reported asking price of 2.5m.

Tottenham have handed a trial to Lens forward Dagui Bakari after switching their attentions from team-mate Olivier Thomert. The North London club are keen on Thomert and they made a bid for him only for Lens to reject it. New Spurs boss Jacques Santini is keen to bolster his attacking options and has made a new striker one of his main priorities.

News and Runors sources

Sporting Life
BBC Sport
Sky Sports

[Edited on 29/7/04 by TRD]