New deal concludes long tale of Taylor

Jul 5 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United have ended one of 2008’s long-running sagas but another continues to rumble on.

After almost a year of negotiations, defender Steven Taylor has signed a new three-year contract but rumours about the future ownership of the club persist.

United have done nothing to hide their dissatisfaction at the constant speculation about a possible buy-out, but the stories simply refuse to go away.

What can be said with certainty, though, is Taylor (pictured) will be at St James’s Park next season after putting pen to paper on a deal which runs until 2011.

Born in Greenwich, the 22-year-old was brought up in Whitley Bay and is one of the few Magpies supporters in the first-team squad.

Having been with the club since the age of nine, he had long maintained he wanted to stay but was anxious for parity on pay with the likes of James Milner and Charles N’Zogbia.

“I am thrilled to have signed this new contract,” said Taylor. “Newcastle United is my hometown club and the only team I’ve ever wanted to play for.

“I can’t wait to get back into pre-season training next week and get stuck into the Premier League campaign next month.”

Taylor’s improved terms are believed to have trebled his wages to around £35,000 a week.

He is the captain of England Under-21s and seen by some as a future Magpies skipper, but with negotiations dragging on there was an increasing fear the coming season might have been his last.

Taylor’s old deal was due to expire in 12 months, making him free to leave for a small compensation fee. West Ham United were reportedly interested in adding him to their collection of former Magpies players.

Negotiations began under Kevin Keegan’s predecessor Sam Allardyce but were broken off and the former Wycombe Wanderers loanee publicly voiced his frustration at the lack of activity.

“The longer it goes without any feedback, the more concerned I’m becoming,” he was quoted as saying in March. “For it to have dragged on this long is a joke.”

But after replacing his dad, Alf, with a new

agent in April, the matter has finally been resolved.

Taylor remains rough around the edges but is a key part of Keegan’s plans having starting 34 games last term and the manager made plain months ago that resolving his contract dispute was a priority.

United are extremely annoyed that no matter how many denials they issue, stories about owner Mike Ashley looking to sell up continue.

They were quick to refute the latest rumours, about United being offered to an American consortium for £420m.

“These reports are absolute nonsense and we are growing increasingly tired about having to respond to stories of this nature,” said a club spokesman on behalf of managing director Derek Llambias.

Meanwhile, Amara Diané appears to have ruled out a move to St James’s Park by stating his desire to join Qatar club Al-Rayyan.

Qatar’s league is not known for the quality of its football but is renowned for the generosity of its wages and that seems to be influencing the Paris-Saint Germain’s striker choice of his next club.

“I have given my word to go to Qatar,” he said.

“From now I want to ensure my family’s financial future. And only a Qatari club can permit me to do it.”

Norwegian midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred is the latest to be linked with a move to Tyneside. The 21-year-old Rosenborg player is also said to be interesting Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Arsenal but is a boyhood Magpies fan.

Bologna-bound right-back Dyego Coelho says Newcastle were interested in signing him until he chose Serie A under pressure from his wife.

An Italian newspaper asked the 25-year-old if Newcastle and Celtic, where he was on trial in January, had been interested.

“True, but I wanted to play in your country and, I will not hide, my wife strongly wanted to move to Italy,” said the once-capped Brazilian, who is leaving Atlético Mineiro for Europe.

Meanwhile, it appears that both Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield and Spain’s Real Mallorca are seeking compensation after midfielder Jonas Gutierrez joined Newcastle this week.

Gutierrez, half of whose economic rights were owned by each club, bought out his contract to enable him to join Newcastle as a free agent under rently-apporved Fifa rules which allow players under the age of 28 to do so. However, Velez – who are seeking “four to five million euros (£3.3m to £4.1m)” according to president Alvaro Balestrini – and Mallorca argue that they should be compensated and are likely to seek help from the world governing body.

Gutierrez had been on loan at Mallorca from Velez.