Sol Campbell will agree a one-year Newcastle United deal

Jul 28 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

SOL Campbell will be unveiled as Newcastle United’s third summer signing this morning on a one-year deal.

The highly-decorated former England international has been persuaded to sign for United over Arsenal by the promise of first-team football, a prospect that has been greatly enhanced by Steven Taylor’s shoulder injury.

The veteran defender was undergoing a medical yesterday evening after reaching a verbal agreement with United – with a 12-month contract due to be signed this morning.

Campbell will add authority and vast Premier League experience to United’s squad and while he may not be at the very peak of his powers, he finished last season at Arsenal as one of their most consistent performers and Arsene Wenger was keen to bring him back.

The Gunners believed they had as good as re-signed Campbell last week but his friendship with Hughton and United number two Colin Calderwood was key to a deal that was mainly motivated by the prospect of regular first-team football.

The club were staying tight-lipped about the deal yesterday, but The Journal understands there has been no offer of the captaincy to entice him to United.

Campbell will command instant respect in the dressing room but the influential Kevin Nolan is favourite to land the skipper’s armband, even if Hughton insists no decision on that honour has been taken.

The signing of Campbell is not the last of United’s business either – with Newcastle’s interest in St Etienne defender Yohan Benalouane not yet over according

to French sources. Hughton is pressing for further cover at the back as well as looking to add reinforcements up front.

The Journal also understands that despite denials, United are involved in discussions with Marseille about midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa and are hopeful of brokering a deal for the 23-year-old France international before the season starts.

That would tie in with the latest claims from Marseille’s sporting director Jose Anigo that Newcastle are one of “four or five” clubs interested in him.

Signing a player of Campbell’s (pictured left) stature will provide a fillip for United supporters, who feared that the club’s transfer business this summer would be unspectacular.

Despite a high-profile wedding this summer, Campbell has kept himself physically fit during the close season and retains genuine England aspirations.

And even if he does not fit in with the Mike Ashley blueprint of taking players under the age of 25 with significant sell-on value, he has the kind of Premier League know-how that United believe is required to survive their first season back in the top flight.

On a busy day at St James’ Park, the club also confirmed the appointment of Peter Beardsley as the club’s new reserve-team coach.

The United legend will be assisted by Steve Stone as Newcastle opt to promote from within to fill the vacancy left by Alan Thompson, who left for Celtic last month.

Both had been working for the club’s Academy and have been charged with the task of helping the club’s young players make the step from reserve-team football into the first team.

Beardsley said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me and one that I am thrilled to have been given. I can’t wait to get cracking with what I know are a very talented set of players.”

Meanwhile, Everton have hit back at claims from Dan Gosling’s agent that they were prepared to let him go this summer.

Former Darlington boss David Hodgson, who advises Gosling, had said that the club had assumed his serious injury would make him unattractive to potential suitors and that they had been deliberately tardy negotiating a deal with him – claims Everton strongly denied.

A club statement read: “Both claims are ludicrous, totally without substance and grossly misleading.”