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No Edmilson...for now, anyway


Dave

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http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1188155,00.html

 

Transfer Talk: Ed Not Heading For Toon

 

SAM Allardyce has confirmed that Brazilian star Edmilson is one player who will not be arriving at St.James' Park in January.

 

The 31-year-old has not kicked a ball for club side Barcelona this term having undergone knee surgey during the summer.

 

But, while Big Sam will not be making a move for Edmilson in the New Year, the Toon boss admits that he still hopes to bring the 42-times capped defender to Tyneside when his contract at the Nou Camp expires at the end of the season.

 

"I am afraid Edmilson is now not an option for us in January," said Allardyce.

 

"He has not played at all this season and it would be too much of a risk to bring him here next month.

 

"But I will certainly be interested in going for him in the summer."

 

The Magpies manager also revealed that Edmilson, who can also operate in a defensive midfield role, is big friends with United's Brazilian centre-back Claudio Cacapa.

 

"From what I can gather Claudio Cacapa and Edmilson are big mates and would like to play together in the same side," Sam told the Evening Chronicle.

 

Meanwhile, Edmilson, who is currently continuing his rehabilitaion back in Brazil, has confirmed that this season will be his last with the Spanish giants.

 

"I am training hard to get physically fit and will be until the end of my contract. This will be my last season at Barcelona."

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i'd be disappointed in sam if he is still looking at Edmilson next summer. i'm hoping the transfer window just gone was a one-off, we had to get bodies in to fill the squad, we only had one senior centre-half for instance so we had to get 3 more in even if not all of them were top-class. now we have squad depth we should be going after top players who can improve our first XI and be with the club for a number of years, not 32 year old injury-prone squad fillers coming for one last throw of the dice.

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Olivers view:

 

NEWCASTLE United have decided NOT to go to Barcelona and sign their central defender Edmilson in the January transfer window.

Edmilson

 

But Sam Allardyce admitted today that he still hopes to bring the Brazilian international defender, who can also operate as a holding midfield player, to St James’s Park when his contract at the Nou Camp expires at the end of the season.

 

And I get the impression that Big Sam likes the idea of linking Edmilson with fellow Brazilian international Claudio Capaca in his back four at United.

 

The Chronicle revealed on June 28 that the 31-year-old Edmilson was a United target, even though he had been laid low with a bad knee injury which saw him go under the surgeon’s knife in Barcelona.

 

Indeed, within 24 hours of our revelation, Allardyce and his UK and Europe scouting co-coordinator Paul Montgomery both went out to Barcelona and met Edmilson, his wife and agent.

 

But the man who is tipped to be Brazil’s captain in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa has still not returned to the Barcelona first- team picture as his injury has taken longer to heal than expected.

 

Allardyce’s policy on transfers has always been to keep his cards close to his chest until the deals are all done and dusted, but he is aware of talk saying that Edmilson is a January transfer target for him.

 

And in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle he told me today: “I am afraid Edmilson is now not an option for us in January.

 

“He has not played at all this season and it would be too much of a risk to bring him here next month. But I will be certainly interested in going for him in the summer.”

 

Allardyce has received criticism from some quarters for the way United play and the idea of two Samba-style Brazilians in his side seems to appeal to him.

 

In fact he adds: “Yes. From what I can gather Claudio Cacapa and Edmilson are big mates and would like to play together in the same side.”

 

Allardyce knows that he will have competition for Edmilson once he is fit, none more so than from European top dogs AC Milan. But my information is that the 31-year-old was impressed that Allardyce and Montgomery took the trouble to go out to Spain and talk to him and that he would not be against a move to St James’s Park.

 

Speaking from Brazil Edmilson says: “I am training hard to get physically fit and will be until the end of my contract. This will be my last season at Barcelona.”

 

Meanwhile, with the opening of the January transfer deadline rapidly approaching, Allardyce accepts that United are going to be linked with some weird and not so wonderful players.

 

At the weekend both FC Copenhagen defender Brede Hangeland and Steaua Bucharest centre-half Dorian Goian were said to be on their way to Tyneside in January.

 

But big Sam insists: “Hangeland is not on our radar and, while I had a look at Goian in the summer, he is not for us.”

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Classic Oliver insight there.

 

And I get the impression that Big Sam likes the idea of linking Edmilson with fellow Brazilian international Claudio Capaca in his back four at United.

 

Where'd he get that idea?

 

I will be certainly interested in going for him in the summer...Claudio Cacapa and Edmilson are big mates and would like to play together in the same side.

 

Maybe that?

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