Man City, Sheffield Utd target Hoskins rejects Rotherham deal
tribalfooball.com - December 14, 2006
Will Hoskins has rejected a new contract offer from Rotherham United. The young forward, who is off contract in the summer, is being tracked by several Premiership clubs, including Sheffield United and Manchester City.
Rotherham boss Alan Knill said: "I'm disappointed because we feel that Will would be better off playing under a manager that trusts him, rather than going elsewhere and sitting on the bench.
"Will has been taking advice on this and he and his advisers have decided against what we put on the table. I don't think it has anything to do with money."
Wardle promises January spend
Mike Whalley
WARDLE: Funds availableCITY chairman John Wardle has vowed to give Stuart Pearce money to spend next month - regardless of when or if new investment comes in.
Wardle and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh are in talks with a potential investor regarding a possible £70m takeover, a move which could give Pearce a £30m transfer fund if the hush-hush talks with a mystery international businessman are successful.
The chairman and his ex-business partner David Makin have ploughed £20m of their own cash in the Blues, but have acknowledged that more money is needed to push the club towards the top of the Premiership. But Wardle has now indicated that Pearce will have some money to spend in the transfer window, regardless of how long negotiations take.
"We're a stable club now. We do need investment," Wardle said. "If it doesn't come straight away, OK, we'll continue on. We'll find something for Stuart in January.
"The aim then is to stay within the Premier League, hopefully start pushing for a European place, and we'll still look for further investment. It's got to be the right investment, it's got to be the right people. When it all goes together, then we're away and running."
Pearce is already drawing up two shopping lists for the January transfer window - one which would allow him a crack at that £30m transfer fund, and another made up of bargain-basement targets.
The manager's first aim is to bolster an attack which has struggled for goals.
Midfielder Joey Barton is the Blues' leading scorer this season with four goals - as many as the regular front two of Bernardo Corradi and Georgios Samaras have managed between them.
Speculation
Pearce has already declared his interest in Werder Bremen striker Ivan Klasnic, who may come within City's price range as he will be out of contract in the summer, while Southend's Freddy Eastwood and MK Dons' free-scoring frontman Izale McLeod have also attracted the manager's attention.
McLeod, 22, has hit 14 goals this season for an MK Dons side who are third in League Two, while Eastwood's spectacular free-kick winner against Manchester United in the Carling Cup brought his name to a much wider audience.
There has been plenty of speculation about the identity of the investor looking to get involved with City since Wardle revealed at last week's club AGM that talks were taking place.
Wardle and Mackintosh have both made it clear that talks with an investor are at an early stage, but the chairman is optimistic that the outcome will greatly benefit City.
He said: “We are talking, we’ll keep chipping away at it, and if it’s the best thing for Manchester City, then hopefully the outcome will happen.”
And the chairman reiterated that he would be happy to step aside if the investor’s plans were right for the club.
He said: “If investors turn up with the right money, and are the right people to take us forward, and to invest in the playing side, then I’m quite prepared to say: ‘Fine. I’ve had my time. Hopefully I’ve done the right thing .’
“I’d like to think I’ve put some stability into Manchester City during my tenancy, because it’s been Premier League throughout. It needs now another step forward; that is investment, that is to move the club forward into Europe and hopefully beyond there.”
This, above is absolutely brilliant. Now he can't go back on this surely....
As long as we get a poacher and maybe get in a reliable CB in case Distin goes, we can push on for Europe. I believe it.