"Fergie Eyes Up Martins" writes Custis in The Sun

[Skirge]

On the other hand why would Fergie bid that much for Martins when he may be able to get Owen for around the same price, yeah okay Owens get out of jail card has ran out now, or so says Fred anyway, so no £9mill offer would get him..

I know we can refuse an offer for Owen and cannot refuse a £13mill offer for Martins, but I think Owen would ask to leave if Fergie did bid for him.

 

This in todays Journal but I wonder what Anal will have to say about it in todays Chron..

 

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/journalsport/tm_headline=martins-going-nowhere%26method=full%26objectid=19674941%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

Martins going nowhere

Aug 23 2007

by Paul Gilder, The Journal

 

SAM Allardyce will not encourage Sir Alex Ferguson to pursue his interest in Obafemi Martins after insisting he has no doubt the sought-after striker will remain at St James’s Park beyond next week’s transfer deadline.

 

But the Newcastle manager last night admitted he will be relieved to reach September 1, having been forced to reiterate his determination to keep his first-team squad intact. Allardyce has been frustrated in his bid to add to his seven summer signings in recent days and, with his attempts to strike a deal for Abdoulaye Faye understood to have encountered complications, the 52-year-old is keen to retain his most important players.

 

Martins is among several strikers attracting attention from Manchester United. But having confirmed that no club has attempted to activate the £13m release clause in the Nigerian’s contract this summer, Allardyce last night warned that an offer from Old Trafford would not be welcomed. “We all know the situation regarding the clause in Obafemi’s contract, but no one has enquired about activating it since I’ve been here,” said a manager who will be relying on the 22-year-old to spearhead his side’s attack at Middlesbrough this weekend.

 

“We’ve had a massive amount of speculation all summer, all through June, July and August, but not one football club has made contact with us saying, ‘We’re going to activate the clause’. Manchester United are the same, they’ve made no contact whatsoever and he’s still a Newcastle player.”

 

Arsenal and Juventus are among the clubs to have courted Martins this summer. But although he would be powerless to prevent the former Inter Milan attacker from leaving were a £13m offer to be tabled, that Manchester United are rumoured to be preparing a bid does not perturb the Magpies manager.

 

“There has been speculation about Obafemi Martins every week since I joined Newcastle and he’s still here,” said Allardyce, who considers Ferguson a close friend. “I’ve had no contact from any football club either in this country or any country. The only way he wouldn’t be a Newcastle player (beyond next week) is if someone activates that clause. But no one has.”

 

A club activating a clause that United officials are attempting to have removed from the striker’s contract would also have to persuade Martins to leave St James’s

 

Park. Glenn Roeder’s biggest signing last week underlined his contentment in the North-East and is understood to have enjoyed working under Allardyce.

 

Still, a move to the Premier League champions would hold obvious appeal – with Ferguson keen to strengthen his strike force given Wayne Rooney’s injury. In that regard, the transfer window’s closure on August 31 cannot come soon enough.

 

“It will be a source of comfort and relief because, from a manager’s point of view, it means that no-one can take your player any more,” said a manager who will have no such qualms about losing Albert Luque, who continues to attract interest from several clubs in Spain and Holland. “We’ve had two players in that position, but I think by the end of the window, both of them will still be with us.”

 

Michael Owen is the other player to have had a well-publicised release clause included in his contract, although the loophole that would have allowed the England striker to leave the club for £9m expired last month and the 27-year-old seems certain to remain at St James’s Park. Newcastle are keen to offload Luque, though, and a player whose representatives have this week held detailed negotiations with Spain’s Real Betis is still a target for Dutch clubs PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Feyenoord.

 

The stumbling block is the Spaniard’s personal terms. Financial matters have also held up Allardyce’s attempts to recruit Faye from Bolton. The African’s arrival appeared imminent when a £2m fee was agreed and Faye travelled to the North-East last week but the two clubs are understood to have been unable to reach a compromise regarding the structure of the deal.

 

The delays he has encountered will concern a manager who remains keen to strengthen his defence. “Sadly there’s no movement on the transfer front,” added Allardyce, who has also seen his interest in Barcelona’s Juliano Belletti come to nothing as yet. “I’m hoping we’ll get one in this week and I’ll keep hoping. But I’m pleased with the squad we’ve got.”