Remember we got linked to this kid on a free when he left Valencia. It sounded pretty concrete after the window closed and then we just never bothered. I know the Portuguese league isn't quite top level but he' now scored roughly 100 goals in 100 games. Also appeared a handful of times for brazil. What a player he could have been for us.
The list is endless. Mendy flew over for talks and nearly signed a few years ago aswell before moving to Marseille. City recently paid 50m for him.
AJAX have refused to confirm that they have agreed a £6 million deal with Sunderland for the signature of Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Reports in Sweden claim Black Cats boss Peter Reid has turned his attention to the gifted 20-year-old as his protracted search for a striker goes on. After being snubbed by Robbie Keane, Rangers marksman Tore Andre Flo and Ibrahimovic have emerged as the main contenders as Reid desperately looks for a new striker before the August 31 deadline. Ibrahimovic arrived at the Amsterdam ArenA from Malmo with a big reputation but his undoubted talent has been shown in fits and spurts in Holland, and coach Ronald Koeman is now thought to be ready to part with the enigmatic attacker. An Ajax spokesman issued a "no comment" to planetfootball when questioned about the matter while the player's agent, Anders Carlsson, and Sunderland have been playing with a straight bat. The tall Swede refused to rule out a transfer to the Stadium of Light and may now ponder the move, although he has always maintained his happiness at Ajax. "At the moment the coach Ronald Koeman has said that it is 50-50 between me and Mido," Ibrahimovic told Expressen. "At the moment I am leaning in the direction of staying at Ajax, but you never know what will happen." The retirement of Niall Quinn last season has left Sunderland short of firepower up front and Reid wants a front-man to take some of the goalscoring burden off Kevin Phillips.
What could have been eh... Agent of Atalanta starlet Franck Kessie reveals summer move to Sunderland blocked by Premier League rules "I can confirm now. It was all done, but the transfer was not possible for a regulation of the Premier League," Atangana told Calciomercato when asked about a move to Sunderland. "He does not meet the 75% attendance for the national team for a single appearance. He has made four and would need five to be welcomed in the Premier League." AC Milan complete move to sign Franck Kessie on a two-year loan deal from Atalanta with the obligation to buy A statement on the club's website, read: "AC Milan announces the signing of Franck Kessie from Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, through to 2019. “The contract implies the player will join the club on a two-year loan period with the obligation to buy.” It is believed the transfer fee agreed between the two clubs for the player is in the region of £24.5million.
Jobs Cars Announcements SPORT FOOTBALL RUGBY CRICKET ATHLETICS BOXING MORE SPORT please log in to view this image VAN WAS NOT THE MAN FOR US! Published: 00:00Saturday 12 February 2000 SUNDERLAND tried and failed to sign Dutch goalscoring sensation Ruud van Nistelrooy three seasons ago, Peter Reid revealed today The PSV Eindhoven striker hit the headlines this week when it emerged that Chelsea are considering a mammoth 20million bid for the youngster dubbed "the new Marco van Basten". And Gianluca Vialli is ready to smash the 15million British transfer record set with the move of Alan Shearer from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United, in order to land the hugely talented 23-year-old. But had luck gone Peter Reids way, the youngster who went on to become Dutch Player of the Year last season would now be playing in the red and white stripes of Sunderland rather than the red and white of PSV Eindhoven. Reid said: "Hes a quality player and someone we were looking to buy three seasons ago when he was still something of an unknown. "It was just after we started back in the First Division. At the time he was playing for Heerenveen, and I think he was only 19. "Credit should go to Andy King who picked up on him while scouting. He looked an excellent young prospect and we wanted to bring him to the club. "But they quoted us 5million which at the time was just far too high a price for a player we could not be totally sure would be a success." The failure to clinch the signature of van Nistelrooy could hardly be said to have held back a Sunderland side which, spearheaded by Kevin Phillips, went on to finish the next two seasons as the highest goalscorers in English league football. But van Nistlerooy has not been idle either in the intervening three seasons. He eventually left Heerenveen for 4.7million to join PSV Eindhoven and his career has gone into orbit ever since. He has scored 57 goals in 52 games for PSV 31 of which were enough to have him crowned Dutch Player of the Year last season. So far he has scored 26 goals this season including three in six Champions League matches and such has been his form that the Dutch side have been in a position to contemptuously dismiss a recent 17.5million bid from Roma. The prospect of the 6ft 2ins van Nistlerooy and Phillips in the same side would be a mouth-watering prospect but on the swings and roundabouts of the transfer market it is often impossible to tell which signings might fail and which might succeed. Reid said: "Youve just got to be sensible about the whole thing and accept that deals dont always come off. "We thought enough of van Nistlerooy to want to bring him to Sunderland but there was no guarantee that he would turn out to be the player he has done just like there was no guarantee that Kevin Phillips would turn out to be the player he is." The Dutchman has expressed an interest in playing in the Premiership and says he would prefer to live in London. Chelsea are favourites to sign the striker followed by Arsenal, the consolation for Sunderland being that should he sign and continue his formidable goalscoring form, the Wearsiders will not have to face him on the pitch until next season! More From Sport Follow Us On Explore News Sport Sunderland AFC What's On Lifestyle Our Region More from the Sunderland Echo Announcements Buy a Photo Directory Jobs Homes Cars Dating Local Guide Public Notices Mobility Aids Reader Shop Must Read Read This Useful Links Contact Us Advertise My Business Advertise a Job Place your Ad Subscribe Readers Charter © 2018 Johnston Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Disclaimer Cookies Policy
It's not just players we've been linked with, but also some of the players we've actually had over the last say 10 years. We should never have ended up in the position we're in now. Malbranque, Cisse, Zenden, Bent, Mensah, Muntari, Mignolet, Sessegnon, Bendtner, Gordon, da Silva, Ki, Giaccherini, Alonso, Alvarez, Defoe, Pickford, Reveillierre, M'Vila, Gyan, Lens, Khazri. There must be more I've forgotten.
Where the frig is Borini and Khazri when we need them ?. they would have pissed all over the piss taking Boro yesterday.
They didn't when Boro won last April (both played that day). Borini and Khazri are almost certainly Premier league ability players but you need to let go of the idea of them turning it on for Sunderland, that isn't going to happen now - get rid and move on.
