Newcastle United have had a £1.5M bid for Swedish winger Sebastian Larsson accepted by Birmingham City, but his club are still hoping he will sign a new contract with them.
Seb Larsson – Birmingham still apparently hopeful
The former Arsenal midfielder has repeatedly refused to sign a new deal at the club, as he probably looks to see if bigger clubs come in for him, and it seems that Newcastle, who were after the winger a few years back, are now back and keen to sign him.
Birmingham’s first team coach Peter Grant is still hopeful Larsson will remain at the club and sign a new contract with them, but that has to be very doubtful at this stage, although we suppose it could still happen.
This is what Grant said today:
“The manager Alex McLeish has spoken to Seb’s agent and it’s ongoing,” “I think Seb would obviously be keen to stay – and the club are looking for him to stay also.”
“But it’s down to him and his agent who is speaking to the club at the moment. That’s as far as it’s gone.”
“We’re not kidding ourselves on. We just hope that Seb wants to stay with us. I’m sure that’s the case and I think he’s proved that with his performances this season.”
“But, if he decides to move elsewhere, you can’t do anything about it. That’s the situation with the Bosman ruling now.”
“Sometimes the big players have the opportunity and the agents can make that happen.”
The Bosman ruling is simply that a player signs a contract with a club, and he can see out that contract, and then move onto another club on another contract, but of course in that case the first club doesn’t get a transfer fee for the player.
Newcastle were in a similar position with Steven Taylor, whose contract would have run out next June, but Steven finally decided to sign a new five and a half year deal with his home-town club, after contract negotiations lasted more than a year.
We think Seb Larsson is the player Alan Pardew is trying to sign right now, and have him at the club before he becomes cup-tied at Birmingham, although we suppose Newcastle could make that part of the deal, that Larsson doesn’t play in the FA Cup tomorrow.
Birmingham play at Milwall with a 1:30pm kick off, so it will be interesting to see if Seb is in the Birmingham line-up tomorrow.
We’ve been keen on Seb since Newcastle were first interested in the player, after Birmingham were relegated in 2008, and this season he’s played extremely well – which is of course why Birmingham still hope to keep the player.
If Newcastle can get Larsson he would be a great acquisition for the Tyneside club, and at a very decent price too.
Comments welcome.
60 comments so far
blaydonraces69
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:33 PM
Comment #41would be a fantatic piece of business by the club 1.5m is great value for money, glad to see pardew is looking for wide-men who can cross the ball cz atm we only have joey.
we should be looking for LB cover also as i think ferguon is too lightwieght. His best position should be on the wing.
colwell
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:34 PM
Comment #42I hope SSN are wrong but they say we are after Glenn whelan from stoke!
toonarmy21
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:37 PM
Comment #43I hope so too he’s shit
Toon XI
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:39 PM
Comment #44Colwell,
Heard that as well. Not sure why we would want Whelan.
colwell
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:46 PM
Comment #45Hopefully SSN are just making it up because they can`t find out who we are talking too. Glenn Whelan FFS!
Mac
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:48 PM
Comment #46Bentley having medical at Birmingham
sammydolan
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:49 PM
Comment #47The only reason Bruce has gone for Sulley Muntari is because he is best friends with Gyan….
chuck
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:50 PM
Comment #48For 1.5m. it`s a steal, and we need someone who can feed Carroll and score from dead ball set pieces a new Nobby, so to speak.
If you`r wondering why he`s not here already, hey! he`s testing the water, wants to see what his best option is.
Nowt wrong with that, is there ?
ToonKelaz
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:52 PM
Comment #49epic shout from before, bentley to brum
Toon1978
Jan 7, 2011 at 5:55 PM
Comment #50How the hell can we not compete with bloody Birmingham over Bentley?????? Glenn Whelan, i hope not. Rather not sign anyone at all.
colwell
Jan 7, 2011 at 6:00 PM
Comment #51Toon1978 my thoughts exactly! IF and its a big if we have bid etc for Larsson and he`s thinking about coming or staying I say we`l look somwhere else thanks, we want players that jump at the chance to play for us if not sod off!
Bentley is much better anyway IMO
cupiddstunt
Jan 7, 2011 at 6:56 PM
Comment #52Toon1978 what makes you think we cannot compete with Brum???
Has it not occurred to you that we might not after all be after Bentley, we may have made enquiries then decided that the conditions surrounding him were not favourable to us so have let it go.
If Brum want to pay through the nose for a player that is their choice but I for one would not want NUFC to go back down that road. NUFC has been down that road and done that and if it were not for the current owner we would STILL be paying bill.
Spuds valuation is way over the top for him, they grossly overpaid for him and now are trying to get some of that cash back by over valuing him again.
hayward223
Jan 7, 2011 at 6:57 PM
Comment #53Vinicinhos how are Ladislav Volesak, Maynor Figueroa, and Chris Baird good enough for Newcastle? None of them would get in our team. And why are people rating Larsson so highly? Poor player who is a bit like Raylor in terms of set pieces and crossing but cant actually play football. Bentley would have been a good signing, Muntari is excellant and better then most of our midfielders bar Barton and Tiote.
nufc7
Jan 7, 2011 at 7:01 PM
Comment #54we probably aren’t even in for larsson.. SSN are just picking up on rumours. i reckon we’ll sign someone random that we haven’t been linked with as is normally the case. wouldn’t complain if we did sign larsson though
Toon XI
Jan 7, 2011 at 7:03 PM
Comment #55If I recall correctly, Muntari is a bit of a horror show in the changing room. Didn’t he constantly cause issues at Pompey?
lewytoon
Jan 7, 2011 at 7:39 PM
Comment #56hey saw on ssn about an hour ago that bentley having medical at birmingham, maybe gettin larssons replacement??? also wheres craigcoosy for info?
Robby Bobson
Jan 7, 2011 at 8:36 PM
Comment #57Dont think Larsson would be a starter. He can put a decent cross in, but we hae Barton on the right so need someone who can run at players on the left and Jonas/HBA can do that.
Got alot of brummy mates and so been to a few blues games and he never runs at players.
But hes a decent player and 1.5 is a bargain. He has also played left back so could be cover for Jose as well.
nubirudi
Jan 7, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Comment #581.5 mil gbp is cheap indeed. But only an increased bid to 1.75 mil gbp would get us eirik huseklepp which is a far more innovative player than larsson!
I haven’t had such a feeling for a player since i recommended Hangeland in 2006 for Newcastle ..
Magpies-till-d3ath
Jan 7, 2011 at 8:51 PM
Comment #59Just heard about the Glenn Whelan and nearly sh*te myself! What will he ever do to Newcastle except bring them down the Table and even further down other tables.
Dondatta13
Jan 7, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Comment #60I dunno, its just a question really…
Has he got more playing minutes on the pitch in the EPL than Bentley?
Also a good age, cheap at that price. He will definitely make our squad (as a whole) stronger. EPL experience & quiet off the field.
I’d like to think that with a good coach and a few pointers from the other players he could learn/be encouraged to dribble past people before pinging balls into the box/danger area.
Id sign him…