United take a look at Blues wide man

Jun 13 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United have identified Sebastian Larsson as a potential replacement for James Milner if he departs St James’s Park this summer.

But United will have to table a significant bid to test the resolve of Birmingham City, who remain adamant that their player of the season will not be leaving St Andrew’s in a post-relegation fire sale.

Birmingham have bristled at reports emanating from Sweden in the last few days that claim Newcastle have lodged a £4.2m bid for the right winger, but drew back from issuing an outright denial that United have firmed up their interest in a player currently on international duty at Euro 2008.

The Blues may have suffered a dismal season back in the top flight but Larsson’s performances on the right of midfield caught the eye of Newcastle’s scouts on the look-out for someone to fill the void that would be left if talks over Milner’s future result in him leaving Tyneside.

Although reinforcing the central spine of the team is Keegan’s priority, with a defender, midfielder and striker all required, United are looking at wide men – their £9m bid for exciting Turkey winger Arda is evidence of that.

Keegan ended the season playing without wingers in a system that relied heavily on the contributions of strikers Michael Owen and Mark Viduka but refused to be drawn on whether he would begin the next campaign playing in the same way.

Indeed, with Viduka struggling to be fit for the start of the season because of an Achilles injury and the Owen contract issue still to be resolved, the manager would be well advised to look at other permutations.

A return to a traditional 4-4-2 would require reinforcements and as a promising young player with Premier League pedigree, Larsson fills the criteria set out by both owner Mike Ashley and the manager. From a Birmingham perspective, a move for Larsson would not be welcomed and sources in the West Midlands have indicated that the club would not sell the 23-year-old unless they received an offer well in excess of the £4.2m bid reportedly lodged.

Manager Alex McLeish has issued a public dismissal of United’s interest and plans to build his promotion campaign around the Swedish international.

When asked about the player’s future in the wake of the interest from Newcastle, he said: “There’s no change (in Larsson’s status).

“We’ve made it clear what we feel about Seb and I believe he’s happy working with us. A year in the Championship is not a disaster for any player.” While Larsson may yet join Newcastle, one player definitely not returning to Tyneside this summer is former United winger Nolberto Solano.

The Peruvian has been released by West Ham United after just one season at Upton Park but, despite hoping to stay in England, he has insisted there is no chance of him rejoining the club he left a year ago for ‘family reasons’.

“I am looking for another club,” he said. “I hope to stay in England for another two years and after that, I will return to Peru. Everybody knows what I feel about Newcastle and those fans, but it would be difficult to ever return there. The reason I was forced to leave Newcastle was because of family reasons, and that situation has not changed. But one day, I might be back at Newcastle as manager.”

While Solano won’t be playing a part in Keegan’s first full season since returning to St James’s Park, he does think that the manager will oversee an improvement in fortunes. “I don’t really know Kevin Keegan, but when I saw him in action at Upton Park at the end of the season, I was very impressed with him,” he said.

“If there is one man who can turn things around at St James’s Park, then that man is Kevin Keegan. No matter where I am in the world, I will be hoping and praying that he does.”

United’s England Under-19 striker Andrew Carroll is interesting Derby County.