Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Baggies fail in defender move
Tuesday 19th August 2008, 12:36PM BST.
Albion’s bid to land defender Nunes looks doomed after the Portuguese star agreed a new contract at Real Mallorca.
The La Liga club have moved quickly to head off another potential Albion raid, by offering their vice-captain a new three-year deal.
Mallorca have inserted a new release clause of 15 million Euros, around £11.8m, in Nunes’ agreement to prevent him following high-profile team mates out of the club.
Albion had wanted to Nunes to follow Mallorca team-mate Borja Valero to the Hawthorns, with the midfielder expected to complete a club record £4.75m move this week.
But Nunes has expressed his desire to stay with Mallorca to the Spanish media. The signing of a new contract appears to have ended any speculation surrounding his future.
The 31-year-old was the latest targeted by Baggies boss Tony Mowbray as the final piece of defensive jigsaw for the Premier League.
It appears Mowbray will now have to turn his attentions to alternative targets. He still wants another centre-back to compete with summer signing Abdoulaye Meite, youngster Leon Barnett and the experienced Neil Clement.
A new striker is also near the top of Mowbray’s shopping list and another Mallorca player, Oscar Trejo, remains a wanted man.
While talks are ongoing between the clubs over the 20-year-old Argentine, the signals from the Spanish island suggest a deal will not be as easy as the looming Valero transfer.
Trejo appears open to persuasion but he seems to favour staying at Mallorca.
In midfield, Mowbray hopes to wrap up Valero’s arrival and the signing of Charlton midfielder Zheng Zhi before the end of the transfer window.
Albion are in talks with the Addicks over the China captain. Charlton manager Alan Pardew has admitted the £2m-rated Zheng’s departure is highly likely.
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
No great loss at 31, I’d rather spend £5M on a decent young centre back.
After a shaky start I thought Barnet did ok at the emirates, no need to panic, yet :)
Report abuse
I understand his old clause was £8 million – and thats just too much !
If we get valero then that will be a major coup – and he is the best footballer of the three players mentioned. Don’t know as much about Trejo but reports are that he is a decent player.
If we also add Zheng then he will add extra bite to the midfield…. and who knows who else is on the ToMo radar.
Report abuse
Barnett and Meite were excellent on Sat and I couldn’t see us paying that sort of cash anyway. After the first 20 mins we looked solid against an excellent Arsenal team. Zoovi back will also help. Boing Boing.
Report abuse
Does this Valero signing ring a bell to you! does it bring memories of the Mac whatever his name and more recently Bougherra fiasco. If yes then we’re on the same wavelength. Just hoping this time it will eventually materialise. Every day we’re linked to this fella and were’re gonna sign him today and he’s had a medical but still no signature its already Tueasday … yesterday they said blah blah blah….. can any body fetch him a pen please.
Report abuse
Another defender. TM loves signing defenders like Mick loves the forwards.
You have already signed a few good defenders so surely a striker should be priority.
Report abuse
A bit of sensationalism i think here and in other media outlets! I would expect we fancied bringing in this guy and asked about his release value and then forgot about him and moved on when it was a lot!
I am with no 4 here. I am getting sick of checking for news on Valero being confirmed! He was having a medical yesterday and now its Tuesday afternoon. The longer you leave the bloke alone in a hotel room in a strange country the less chance he will sign i would think!! Sort it out Albion and get some urgency, have we not learnt anything from the others!
SBG
Report abuse
Just with the names being linked with our club sends waves of excitment down my spine,when we have our perfect eleven on the field of play then we can get Boinging, the futures bright the futures blue and white. By the way did anyone else think that the Emirates Stadium is the best yet,makes Old Trafford look so ancient.
Report abuse
I think Kevin Keegan is trying to sign players
with the worst ever hair cuts,so hopefully Valero
wont be going there.
Report abuse
Andrew – got to agree mate.
I watched the Newcastle / ManUre game and it was like looking through my football sticker book from the 78 world cup.
I aint seen that many perms and bad barnetts in ages…
Report abuse
valeros in the bag, now for the next player.
Report abuse
we will have to go in for jody craddock instead aye boing boing
Report abuse
I watched the Arsenal match on a big TV pub screen so the only way I could assess Barnett was by his colour! But then, was it Meite? Well most of the time, it was Barnett. This kid is progressing fantastically and he’s got the best ‘Head-On-A-Stick’ to teach him. How did Luton get TWO of the best young Centre Backs around?
Report abuse
Nunes? To old for price,need some class forwards not another difender,at least 2 strikers ,the kid from Mallorca to start with would be class.
Report abuse