The Daily Mirror is reporting that Newcastle could make a move for Middlebrough’s Rhys Williams.
Rhys Williams – 23 year-old 6′ 2″ Middlesbrough defender/midfielder
The Australian is a versatile player who can play at center-back, defensive midfielder and right-back.
Rhys has also recently played as an attacking midfielder for Middlesbrough.
Newcastle need to bring in a central defender in January, since Steven Taylor is out with an Achilles injury, probably for the rest of the season, although there’s a chance Steven could return by late April.
The 23-year-old Williams stands 6’2″ tall and has only 18 months left on his contract with the Teesside club, and could be signed for a reasonable fee next month, with the fee said to be around £3M.
It is believed he is stalling on signing a new contract, and the interest of Newcastle United will probably make him stall even more.
The Perth-born player joined Middlesbrough back in 2007, and he had a loan spell at Burnley in 2009 under then manager Owen Coyle, where he played 17 times in the Championship.
Rhys has played 66 times for Middlesbrough with five goals and five assists, and it seems to us he would be a reasonable buy for Newcastle.
But of course, there will be questions about whether he can make the step up to the Premier League.
He made only one appearance in Middlesbrough’s relegation season of 2008-2009.
In the summer, Rhys was linked with potential moves to Liverpool and also Bolton Wanderers, where his former Burnley manager Owen Coyle is the current manager.
Rhys’ mother comes from Mubai, India (formerly Bombay), and his father was born in Kent, England and so he was eligible to represent Australia, England, India, or Wales.
He played 10 times for the Wales U21 side but he has since opted to represent Australia at the full International level, the country of his birth.
Williams earned his first call-up for the full Australian side for the June 2009 World Cup qualifiers, and so far has 9 caps for the Socceroos.
We have no idea if there is any truth in this report.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
51 comments so far
WWJBD
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Comment #4112,000 pounds for a striker 7 leagues below us? How we have fallen.
We also can’t rate him that well as even with suchs a tiny price we didn’t go in with a trail offer for him until the 11th hour
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2011 at 8:58 AM
Comment #42Toon in spain,
I dont really spend any time criticising players,but from your name I take it you’re in spain and dont get much opportunity to go to games,the feeling of dread and dissapointment that fills the Gallowgate when its realised that Perch is starting or coming on or starting is like a bunch of those death eaters from the Harry potter films has just invaded the place.
OoAhDembaBa
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Comment #43I’m Austalian and seen him play for the national side quite a few times as well as for Middlesbrough. He’d be good for a back up, he’s versatile can play across the backline and can even play holding midfield.
Watched an interview that was showed over here and he’d even started a game behind the strikers which he did get an assist. The quality runs in the family, I used to play against hes brothers who are both my age, twins. Onces a CB playing for Burnley – Aryn Williams and the others a winger Ryan Williams playing for Portsmouth. Ryan is the better out of the two, a lot of pace
hugenufcfan
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:08 AM
Comment #44Ed, you’re being too kind when you say he’s eligible to play for India.
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:31 AM
Comment #45Much rather this guy than Tomkins. He really is very classy and has shades of a young Woodgate about him and being an aussie can look after himself. really hope it’s true.
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:34 AM
Comment #46WWJBD
Smalling from Maidstone united to England international in one year. The list is endless and we’re be sick if he went somewhere else and was very successful. Demba BA came on a free, it’s not necessarily the price tag it’s how good are our scouts and if they can bring another rabbit out of the hat for peanuts, bring it on.
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:37 AM
Comment #47Jail
Come back when you’ve read the club’s audited accounts for the last 5 years.
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Comment #48catchy
it may go to partly service a 130M interest free loan
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Comment #49jail for ashley
some player just dont inspire confidence, at a live match you get to see there whole game, not just the mistakes they make on tv
thebionicMAG
Dec 29, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Comment #50The Jason Prior deal will collapse when Ashley haggles over the 12 grand asking fee…
tooninspain
Dec 29, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Comment #51Jail For Ashley
I don’t see the relevance of where I happen to be. I was commenting on futile criticism. It doesn’t matter what a person does for a living, whether a footballer or a factory worker, if all he/she gets is criticism all of the time, then their performance suffers. I can’t imagine you would respond too well at work if all you got was siht all the time. Perch certainly wouldn’t be in my starting eleven, but as long as he’s wearing that black & white shirt, then I’ll support him.