Albion’s Pablo Ibanez chase hots up
Tuesday 25th May 2010, 9:59AM BST.
Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo has targeted a strengthened ‘spine’ to his team as the Baggies continued talking to Spain international Pablo Ibanez.
The Baggies are interested strongly in the 28-year-old Atletico Madrid centre-back, who is available on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract in the Spanish capital.
Ibanez appears to match the summer recruitment blueprint laid down by head coach Di Matteo.
The Italian said: “I would like to make us a little bit stronger in defence, so that we have a better chance of winning games.
“Ideally I would like to strengthen the spine of the team if possible.
“I think the spine holds everything together.”
Ibanez, who has 23 caps for Spain and stands at 6ft 3in tall, has emerged as one of the Baggies’ prime targets, although reports in Spain that he has agreed a three-year deal at the Hawthorns are premature.
The former Albacete man, who was a regular starter for Spain in the 2006 World Cup, is keen for a fresh challenge to kick-start his career after a difficult two years that have seen him fall down the Atletico pecking order.
Before his loss of form the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus had been strongly linked with him.
Albion are also keeping close tabs on Stoke striker James Beattie, with the 32-year-old hoping to negotiate his exit from the Britannia Stadium after falling out of favour with boss Tony Pulis.
In addition, the Baggies are awaiting news from former loanee Steven Reid, who is mulling over offers from the Hawthorns and Celtic.
They are targeting a new goalkeeper with former Sunderland man Marton Fulop, who is now a free agent, known to be on the radar. Sheffield Wednesday shot-stopper Lee Grant has also been watched several times.
Di Matteo is keen to add vital top-level experience to his promotion-winning squad, but is reluctant to put a figure on the number of new faces targeted.
He said: “In theory it is easy to say I would like this many players and I would like him, him and him.
“But in practice it doesn’t work like that. We haven’t got an exact figure. I know exactly who I would like and we are working towards those targets.
“We will have to see how it pans out.”
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Pablo Ibanez sounds like a good move.If Villa go in for Robbie Keane,we should move for John Carew.If RDM wants to continue with the 4-5-1,he whould make a fantastic target man.He also knows how to put the ball in the net.Boing Boing
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carew a bit far fetched i think. if you look at target men the only realistic link weve had is beattie. other realistic forwards jason roberts, mido, benni mcarthy. the only way well get good strikers from premier league is if they fall out of favour with there own team.
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I actually don’t think the prospect of Carew playing for Albion is that far fetched; don’t forget we had an agreement to sign him back in the Megson era, from which time he’s only moved on once (to Villa).
Chris Eagles and Kieran Richardson are both realistic and could really add something to our squad, especially seeing as not all of our other midfield options can guarantee 100% fitness over a full season.
Bring on the Wanderers :)
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beattie is not the answer,troublesome,injury prone and does not score many.he would be a backwards step.
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What intrigues me is how we will accomodate new signings. If we can only name a 25 man squad for the Premier League next season we need to seriously start thinking about getting rid of the dead wood. Barnett, Moore, Meite, and and a few others will need to be moved on to make room. Dont know about anybody else but ive heard hardly any rumours regarding our players heading out the exit door?
In theory if we havent moved some of these players on come the start of the season do we have to leave them in the reserves until loan/permanent moves can be sorted?
Firesale comes to mind, but in truth this will be the same for many other clubs and we could see a hell of a lot of transfer activity late summer as clubs panick. Could also work in our favour of course!!
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Just read this on another site.. but is nothing like what he is saying on the official site!!
Newcastle are interested in West Brom’s Youssuf Mulumbu as the midfielder stalls on a new two year contract offer at the Hawthorns.
DR Congo international Mulumbu, 23, made 44 appearances for Albion last season but has just one year to run on his present deal and is considering his options.
Changing his Toon: West Brom star Youssuf Mulumbu could join Newcastle
Mulumbu said: ‘I’ve got a year left on my contract. There are other clubs interested, notably Newcastle, who are really keen and my agent has been in contact with them. There are also some Italian clubs.’
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good point with carew, but he is likely to command a transfer fee far in excess of what we can afford\are willing to pay. As we know with Albion it is likely we will look abroad for players anyway. we already have our british quota for our squad. Mulumbu is about as likely to leave as jermaine jenas coming to us. just glad to be linked with so many quality players. news on definite signing. but strong rumours of a return for curtis davies i hear.
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So no new signings yet but Wolves have already got Stephen Ward signed up on a new long term deal…. we are getting behind !
TRBH – i think any decent player with a year left on his contract starts to look around (or his agent does) but if we do ok next season i see no reason why he would leave.
Strange for us not to have a years option on him – JP normally gets that in – but no need to panic – lets see what happens.
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We can’t afford Carew’s wages, simply as. Pleased to see that we are being linked with players with bags of Premiership experience, but there must be dozens of players who are happy to be squad players rather than move to Albion and (possibly) be involved in a relegation struggle.
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8 Happy.
6 is TRBB not me but I was about to answer him anyway.
I saw that on another site where it also said that he stalled on signing for us when we got relegated and he’d been on loan. I know for a fact that is a load of ballcocks. Mulumbu was so keen to sign for us that he reported back for pre season training before he was actually our player. I’d believe the article on the official site if I was you, a lot of mischief making going on.
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Happy & TRBH…..I agree dont think he has even thought of leaving but saw it so I posted it ..
agents just play the game reminding the club he only has a year left and could leave on a free blah blah blah…. obviously reading between the lines is he will sign a new contract but wants a vastly improved contract
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one for sir terry baggie.
why o why do you always go on about the wolves are you jealous my friend, and always live in the past , an can i say sir terry please please please stop makin a fool ov yourself because most of the rubbish wat comes out your mouth is wrong , are yu tired of living in the shadow or summat number 1 fact we did sell out against you every time in the play offs an fa cup and if you notice we have had bigger average gate attendances in the last 4 years than the boggies we also have a bigger transfer record fee than yours an yes it was 6.5 not 8.5 like you said an doyle scored 9 not 6 get these simple facts rite mate please . we have stayed up 1 out of 2 in prem you have stayed up 1 out of 4 c,mon mate stop living in Albion land an how the hell you claim we only went up was because of a sugger daddy il never know my word 100,000 k signings an i think how whole sqaud on our buyin value is like 19 million when yours is quite clearly more , just a word of advice shut up or get ya facts rite an concentrate on your own team . utw!
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6. Another one eyeing the exit door already, we made him the player he has become and wants out, what is the real reason that we have this problem so often? We have a huge turnover of players.
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11 TRBB.
On workrate and application alone, can’t argue that he’s earned it. I think fans should have more of a say in football and the first rule change should be to allow them to vote on one agent a week to be stood against a wall and be shot. Step forward Willie McKay. There may be a few honourable exceptions. I hear Jack Rodwell has just signed a long term contract with Everton, well done to the lad and his agent. But these types are too rare.
In Jeremy we trust.
PS As an old technophobe can one of you young whizz kids like Cyril explain what this login with facebook means.
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Yo guys!
This would be a great signing for us, especially if he rediscovers his previous form! Great to see us being linked with so many quality players, just hoping that we actually manage to sign a few of them … or at least a couple ;)
Just a quick note on the whole Mulumbu story, can’t see any truth in it myself to be honest. I seem to remembers his representatives stating that he wouldn’t return when we were relegated – yet the lad turned up to pre-season when he wasn’t even our player!
Fingers crossed, hoping for an interesting season!
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Warren.
Your mate BrummieRobWolves is at it again over on the other side. He’s having a go at his fellow Wolves fans for moaning about Stephen Ward. Lists 8 young players they have and ‘most’ of them are internationals. Actually 3 out of the 8 are internationals. Interesting use of the word most. Still, at least none of the 8 are Guardeloupians.
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We have Dorrens and Mulumbu and Brunt.
We technically already have Valero.
The only one we need to pay for would be Stephen Ireland and we suddenly have a world class and youngish midfield 5.
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TRBH, the facebook login means that if you press it the post on this site gets put onto facebook, hope thats some use.
Lets get Ibanez he will be perfect for Olsson and lets get beattie he has experience up front and if anyone can sort him out RDM can BOING BOING!
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12 – oh dear someone’s gettig a bit wound up aren’t they!!
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14RBH. Delighted that 18Cannock answered your query as I avoid Facebook like it has a disease. My kids and grandchild post and invite. Here we don’t. My technology is more use in the practical side of computing, assembly of computers, system installing, fault finding, etc. I’ve just rebuilt the power supply in youngest daughter’s monitor and haven’t lost my touch yet in spite of finger fattening and needing extra lights to see detail. Far more fun for me. Keeping them FAST is my specialty.
Mulumbu would be silly to move on just now. He’ll have more chance to show up in our team as he had become a fixture. If he deserves more money, he’ll get it and Newcastle aren’t flush.
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(8)
Happy,I thought TAMAS was a new signing?.
(9)
The first player ALBION have gone for has signed for us. Not bad EH?.
(11)
TRBB, We have a two tier wage structure. One for the Premiership and one for the Chammpionship. Wages will be adjusted accordingly, So they will rise anyway.
(12)
I also reply to dingle posters on our site. You see it isn’t hard to live in the shadow of a “Ten quid” club,now is it?. SIX and half million for a
player who’s job is scoring goals and he manages
NINE, must be the RIP-off of the century, bar none. ALBION have had four seasons in the PREMIER
SHIP to wanderers two, we have double your experience of PREMIERSHIP football. You’ve had
JACK HAYWARD to finance you for years, if we’d
had someone like him who knows where we’d be. But
all you lot could do was hound him out of the CUSTARD-BOWL after all he did for you lot. So when you tear a strip off “SIR TERRY” you are
deriding a far better person than you are dingle.
By the way I’ve a eight-year old grand-daughter
that can spell better than you. You lot down LOW-HILL-CITY take some educating.
(13)
You’re jumping the gun, mate.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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18 Cannock.
Thanks for that.
20 Cyril.
It’s good to know that despite your technical knowledge it somehow sounds as if your laptop is built out of bits of sticky tape and old cathode ray tubes.
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This Mulumbu business,I read recently that Newcastle are so much in debt that the Manager has been told he won’t have any money for new signings.If this is true,and Mulumbu’s Agent is trying to fix up a deal with the Toon,I would suggest Youssuf should do himself a favour and get someone to represent him who actually knows what he’s doing.If it’s not true,then maybe we should do what we all know-treat these stories as idle gossip and wait for something more concrete,like an official quote?
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12 thats told me aint it,you dident sell out against us in the play offs,infact on the day of the game at the moll they where offering home tickets bogoff in the paper,as for the cup,yes you did sell out but only cause they threw a free pie n pint in,you even whinged about that,as for the past,yes i enjoy talking about it,as we have got a great past and a great future, you my friend have neither,i know it says doyle scored 9 goals in the record books but two where deffo offside and one was handball so shouldent count,so im right when i say 6,can you please show me the post where i said you only went up cause you had a sugar daddy i cant recall saying that,though jack hayward did save you with his cash,so yes you had a sugar daddy,yes i know most of your squad(yes thats how you spell squad)cost 100k and it shows,when you go to school tomorrow ask the nice teacher if you can have some one to one spelling lessons,theres a good boy,aye boing boing UTB
concentrate on the words,
AND
OF
WHAT
YOU
RIGHT
I`LL
ps i know you love me really,
pps i wow b tekin yur advice
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12, and sugar, aye boing boing
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12,you may have a slightly bigger home attendance but you would expect that with you being a city,(voted 5th worst in the world)we are also sorrounded by 2 premier clubs that are also bigger than you, our away support is far superior to yours we sell out every away game,before you got promoted your average gate was 12,423, aye boing boing
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In the sky sports best fans in the league table,we finished 18th just below stoke city and newcastle,wolfs finished 67th just below chesterfield and stockport,aye boing boing
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12 wilfyboy ,, you wunt beat our terry on facts and figures.so be a good boy and run along back to play school ,and stop coming on our pages unless you really want to be a baggie and got no wilfy freinds on the other side ,god i go away for abit come back and find all these wolfies on our pages whats going on boys.are thay really that interested in the mighty stripes..looking forward to the big derby games in the prem and six lovely points off the dingles will be great….GONE UP IN STYLE THE DI MATTEO WAY ,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES..
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12.
I think you will find Sir Terry is right on this one. I remember reading the article in the E&S that Wolves didn’t sell out for the play off game and they’re hardly known for putting out anti Wolves propaganda are they?
Yes you have a bigger ground, if that makes you a bigger club and that’s the reason you’ve had a better average than us, once we sell out at 26,000 which has happened numerous times we simply can’t get any more in.
The reason you have a bigger ground is down to Sir Jack pumping money into your club until he had to stop and sell the club for £10 because it had bled him dry. Does that not make him a sugar daddy? Steve Morgan has come in as SD MkII.
You came on to attack Sir Terry but unfortunately ended up in this pointless which club is bigger argument. Well I’ll tell you something, my Dad’s bigger than yours so knock it on the head or he’ll be round there.
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22RBH. No laptops here mate. Can’t stand ‘em.
Electronic handbags! I will admit to having more than a few desktops though and a spares mountain in my shed, none of them state-of-the-art, esoteric machines, bu’ they werk dow ‘em?
Sir Terence, that deluge of verbiage was somewhat out of character dear chap. Your one-liners are usually the equivalent to an accurate uppercut beautifully delivered.
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4.5 million for valero does nothing an then wants out even when they get to them prem so i think that’s the rip off mate
wheres my yo yo gone
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31,you,l have the school board man after you ye boing boing
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30,sorry Cyril it was late and id been on the guiness aye boing boing hic
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Come in late on these comments lads,been down the beach all week, no 13 although I think Sir Terry often sounds like Competitive Dad from the FastShow,when he said you owe it all to your sugar daddy Jack[Mr Cheque Book]Hayward,how can you argue? get the pictures from the Dingle’s paper offices of your ground before Jack decided to spend his pension on you,I think it was under the brothers who owned the corner shops when 3 sides of the ground were condemned,I’m not sure if you were in the old 4th division,without Jack you would never have come back from that and just to show how sad you really are ,one of your first boasts when this pathetic your down we’re up contest started was you scored more goals than us,sad very sad I had to reply yes but we had more corners,as for the attendances,we are in the middle of the Villa,Blues,Walsall and yourselves so competition is fierce,your catchment area is far greater. no13 This is the modern game alot of crap is started by agents for one reason only,money but don’t turn on the player you don’t know his real thoughts,I agree with no21 you’r jumping the gun,as for signing Ibanaz he could be a great signing but could also help Valero to settle if he comes back and vice-versa.
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