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Graphic: what to expect in the next five days of the transfer window
Shaun Wright-Phillips is expected to have a medical at Manchester City today before a proposed £8.5 million move from Chelsea. The England winger had been holding out for a transfer to Portsmouth, but with the South Coast club unable to raise the funds to do a permanent deal or sign him on loan, he was left with a choice of moving to City or Everton, who had offered a loan move for the player who has two years left on his contract.
Wright-Phillips wanted to stay at Stamford Bridge, but was told that he had little future because Chelsea were in the final stages of a deal to sign Robinho from Real Madrid.
City have been pursuing the 26-year-old for a couple of weeks and have been confident that they can persuade him to rejoin the club he left for £21 million three years ago. This was despite Wayne Lindsay, one of Wright-Phillips’s three agents, earlier saying that the player was not keen to move to the North West. “He [Wright-Phillips] doesn’t want to join either of them [City or Everton] and we are now discussing the next move to see what we do,” Lindsay said. “Because of all the problems there [at City] and the uncertainty surrounding the place, he is unsure."
Mark Hughes, the City manager, dismissed the agent’s claims as a negotiating tactic. “We are keen to bring him to the club,” Hughes said. “We hope it will happen. If it doesn’t, it wouldn’t be for a want of trying.”
Portsmouth have been keen to sign Wright-Phillips, but the club could not enter into a loan deal because they have already reached their quota of two temporary players.
City are also targeting Thiago Neves, the Fluminense midfield player who played for Brazil at the Beijing Olympics.
Decent bets
West Ham United have offered a trial to Marco Zoro, the Ivory Coast and Benfica centre back. The 24-year-old had endured a difficult time when he played for Messina, where he was subjected to racist abuse by opposition fans. During his four-year spell with the Italian club, which ended last year, he once threatened to walk off the pitch and on another occasion wanted the referee to abandon the match.
Roman Pavlyuchenko is expected to have a medical in the next 24 hours after Tottenham Hotspur agreed a fee of around £12.5 million with Spartak Moscow. The Russia forward, 26, has been offered a four-year contract. Valery Karpin, the Spartak general director, said that they could not refuse him the opportunity to move abroad. “We are happy with the offer,” Karpin said. “Footballers don’t get chances like this, just maybe only once in a lifetime. It will be good for Tottenham and for him.”
Everton are among the clubs interested in signing Kamil Zayatte, the Guinea defender, after the Young Boys defender had a trial at Goodison Park. Zayatte, 23, moved to the Swiss club from Lens last year. “I believe he impressed Everton,” Alain Baumann, the Young Boys general manager, said. “There are three other clubs from England and teams from Germany who are interested in Kamil.”
The Merseyside club are, however, not willing to meet Rennes’ £10 million valuation of Stéphane Mbia, the Cameroon midfield player.
Kanga Akalé is close to moving to Stoke City on loan. The Lens midfield player was on loan at Marseilles last season. “There are good chances it will happen,” Roger Boli, his agent, said. “German clubs are interested, but he is attracted by the Premier League.”
Dead certs
Everton have agreed a deal to sign Segundo Castillo from Red Star Belgrade, subject to a work permit. The 26-year-old defensive midfield player played for Ecuador in the World Cup Finals two years ago, appearing in their 1-0 defeat by England. He had a trial with Blackburn Rovers, but a deal could not be reached.
Lee Young Pyo has joined Borussia Dortmund from Tottenham for a nominal fee. The South Korea left back, who was out of contract at the end of this season, agreed a one-year deal with the German club.
Philippe Senderos, the defender, has joined AC Milan on loan from Arsenal. The Serie A side will pay £1.5 million and a further £6.5 million should Senderos complete a permanent move at the end of the season.
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