Summer Transfers (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Roverbhoy
- Start date
Foxes let 13 go
Leicester City, relegated from the Premiership after just one season, have released 13 players as manager Micky Adams looks to rebuild in a bid to return to the top flight.
Adams ordered the cull as he looks to create a squad with a 'nice mix' of youth plus experience in key areas as the Foxes aim to make an immediate escape from the Nationwide First Division.
With the majority of those released approaching the twilight of their careers Adams is poised to bring in a host of new faces to entirely rebuild the squad after an arduous season further marred by allegations against certain players while on a training camp at La Manga in Spain.
The biggest name to leave the Walkers Stadium is midfielder Muzzy Izzet whose contract is up after more than 300 appearances.
The Turkey international has been linked with Portsmouth, Birmingham and Aston Villa after almost eight years with the club.
Also leaving the club are 35-year-old midfielder Steve Guppy, who won an England cap against Belgium in 1999 and defender Callum Davidson, whose broken cheekbone prompted the departure from the club of Dennis Wise.
Steffen Freund and Frank Sinclair, both of whom were caught up by the fallout over the incident in La Manga, will also leave.
The remaining players to be shown the door at the Walkers Stadium are journeyman forward Craig Hignett, defender Andy Impey, young midfielder Tommy Williamson, defenders Alan Rogers and Nicolas Priet, midfielders Junior Lewis and Billy McKinlay and 21-year-old goalkeeper Paul Murphy.
Matthew Jones, Keith Gillespie and Paul Brooker are available on free transfers.
The Foxes boss was philosophical about the clear-out while admitting he would like to have retained some of the players.
He told the club website: 'There are enough players left to form the nucleus of a strong side to give the fans hope and I can assure them there will be faces joining who will improve the club.
'The doom and gloom merchants may say that their favourites have gone but they are just going to have to accept it - just like I have to accept it.'
Adams also faces a battle to hold on to defender Riccardo Scimeca, who has attracted the interests of newly-promoted Norwich City.
Forward Paul Dickov, who scored 14 goals including the Foxes' last of the season at Highbury in their final day 2-1 defeat by champions Arsenal, has been linked with West Brom and Birmingham.
Adams is also hoping 13-goal forward Les Ferdinand will be at the Walkers Stadium next season after a make-or-break knee operation.
Adams will offer the veteran a new deal once he proves his fitness, while 22-year-old centre-half Matt Heath has signed a new two-year deal with the club.
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Poor bastards :down:
Leicester City, relegated from the Premiership after just one season, have released 13 players as manager Micky Adams looks to rebuild in a bid to return to the top flight.
Adams ordered the cull as he looks to create a squad with a 'nice mix' of youth plus experience in key areas as the Foxes aim to make an immediate escape from the Nationwide First Division.
With the majority of those released approaching the twilight of their careers Adams is poised to bring in a host of new faces to entirely rebuild the squad after an arduous season further marred by allegations against certain players while on a training camp at La Manga in Spain.
The biggest name to leave the Walkers Stadium is midfielder Muzzy Izzet whose contract is up after more than 300 appearances.
The Turkey international has been linked with Portsmouth, Birmingham and Aston Villa after almost eight years with the club.
Also leaving the club are 35-year-old midfielder Steve Guppy, who won an England cap against Belgium in 1999 and defender Callum Davidson, whose broken cheekbone prompted the departure from the club of Dennis Wise.
Steffen Freund and Frank Sinclair, both of whom were caught up by the fallout over the incident in La Manga, will also leave.
The remaining players to be shown the door at the Walkers Stadium are journeyman forward Craig Hignett, defender Andy Impey, young midfielder Tommy Williamson, defenders Alan Rogers and Nicolas Priet, midfielders Junior Lewis and Billy McKinlay and 21-year-old goalkeeper Paul Murphy.
Matthew Jones, Keith Gillespie and Paul Brooker are available on free transfers.
The Foxes boss was philosophical about the clear-out while admitting he would like to have retained some of the players.
He told the club website: 'There are enough players left to form the nucleus of a strong side to give the fans hope and I can assure them there will be faces joining who will improve the club.
'The doom and gloom merchants may say that their favourites have gone but they are just going to have to accept it - just like I have to accept it.'
Adams also faces a battle to hold on to defender Riccardo Scimeca, who has attracted the interests of newly-promoted Norwich City.
Forward Paul Dickov, who scored 14 goals including the Foxes' last of the season at Highbury in their final day 2-1 defeat by champions Arsenal, has been linked with West Brom and Birmingham.
Adams is also hoping 13-goal forward Les Ferdinand will be at the Walkers Stadium next season after a make-or-break knee operation.
Adams will offer the veteran a new deal once he proves his fitness, while 22-year-old centre-half Matt Heath has signed a new two-year deal with the club.
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Poor bastards :down:
Blues seal Heskey deal
sportinglife.com
Birmingham have clinched a £6.25million five-year deal to sign Emile Heskey from Liverpool.
The move had been mooted for several days but the paperwork of what is effectively a pre-contract deal has finally been completed and the England striker will officially join the St Andrews pay-roll on July 1.
Heskey is the first new player to be brought in as manager Steve Bruce prepares for next season, although released Leicester midfielder Muzzy Izzet is another expected to sign for Blues.
Bruce was delighted to have signed an international striker to bolster the forward line alongside Mikael Forssell, who has agreed to extend his loan spell from Chelsea for another season.
"This is an absolutely fantastic signing for the club," he told the club's website, www.bcfc.com.
"He is still only 26 years old, has 40 England caps to his name and will be representing his country at Euro 2004.
"To pull off a signing like this is quite remarkable and I am really excited to add Emile to the squad for next season.
"Hopefully, he will be the first of several high-profile signings that we will be making this summer."
Heskey said he was looking forward to getting back among the goals.
"I think Birmingham is a progressive and ambitious club and very much going in the right direction," he told the club's website, www.bcfc.com.
"But they are also building within a sensible framework without throwing money around and jeopardising the future of the club.
"I am keen to play as an out-and-out striker, which I haven't done since my second season at Liverpool, and Steve has made it clear that is the role that he sees for me.
"I am also looking forward to linking up with Mikael Forssell. I have been very impressed with what I have seen of him and I think we can create an effective partnership."
sportinglife.com
Birmingham have clinched a £6.25million five-year deal to sign Emile Heskey from Liverpool.
The move had been mooted for several days but the paperwork of what is effectively a pre-contract deal has finally been completed and the England striker will officially join the St Andrews pay-roll on July 1.
Heskey is the first new player to be brought in as manager Steve Bruce prepares for next season, although released Leicester midfielder Muzzy Izzet is another expected to sign for Blues.
Bruce was delighted to have signed an international striker to bolster the forward line alongside Mikael Forssell, who has agreed to extend his loan spell from Chelsea for another season.
"This is an absolutely fantastic signing for the club," he told the club's website, www.bcfc.com.
"He is still only 26 years old, has 40 England caps to his name and will be representing his country at Euro 2004.
"To pull off a signing like this is quite remarkable and I am really excited to add Emile to the squad for next season.
"Hopefully, he will be the first of several high-profile signings that we will be making this summer."
Heskey said he was looking forward to getting back among the goals.
"I think Birmingham is a progressive and ambitious club and very much going in the right direction," he told the club's website, www.bcfc.com.
"But they are also building within a sensible framework without throwing money around and jeopardising the future of the club.
"I am keen to play as an out-and-out striker, which I haven't done since my second season at Liverpool, and Steve has made it clear that is the role that he sees for me.
"I am also looking forward to linking up with Mikael Forssell. I have been very impressed with what I have seen of him and I think we can create an effective partnership."
Latest on this is that the Spanish Police can find no forensic evidence of any crime, and the victims have been exposed in newspapers as call girls (Allegedly). The papers think all charges against them will be dropped this week
He'll find a club - no problem
When you look at these names you see that they just weren't strong enough for the Premiership...good luck to them
He'll find a club - no problem
When you look at these names you see that they just weren't strong enough for the Premiership...good luck to them
hester United have reportedly agreed to terms with PSG's full-back Gabriel Heinze.
The well-travelled 26-year-old, who hails from Argentina, was reportedly topping Sir Alex Ferguson short-list of players to acquire.
Heinze, who has also played for Valladolid and Sporting Lisbon, holds a French passport and will not be considered a non EU player.
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The well-travelled 26-year-old, who hails from Argentina, was reportedly topping Sir Alex Ferguson short-list of players to acquire.
Heinze, who has also played for Valladolid and Sporting Lisbon, holds a French passport and will not be considered a non EU player.
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