[Drew9]

KEEGAN GOES FOR SAVIOLA
Newcastle aim to land Real Madrid playmaker on loan


TARGET MAN - Javier Saviola

By AIDAN MAGEE, 16/08/2008

NEWCASTLE will launch a raid for Real Madrid star Javier Saviola to give boss Kevin Keegan the boost he has been demanding.

Toon chiefs have been plotting to bring the World Cup star to St James's Park for a week and are now ready to sign him on a season-long loan.


The Argentina playmaker, 26, is just the kind of quality signing Keegan has wanted after a summer of off-field turbulence.


Saviola is out of favour at Real, with his agent making it clear he would relish a change of scenery with an eye on a permanent move.


Newcastle's extensive Spanish contacts under Dennis Wise and Tony Jiminez put them in pole position to pull off the kind of coup the Toon Army have longed for.


Keegan has been forced to admit his squad is desperately thin — and Saviola is one of the most extravagantly talented stars to come out of Argentina in the last 10 years.


He was even ear-marked as heir apparent to Diego Maradona's crown as a teenager. Although he never quite lived up the hype, he is still the darling of the Argentina fans.


Saviola played just 16 games for Real last season, scoring three goals. Known as El Conejito or the Little Rabbit, he was named as one of FIFA's 100 greatest living players in 2005.



For me Javier Saviola has been a leathal finisher and an explosive talent, but has never been at the right club at thr right time, going to Newcastle will only continue his up and down career in my opinion. He's a real talent but needs stability and im sure if he got a run of games at just about any club he would get you goals, so what do you guys think of him? could he handle the Premier league or do you think he'd flop? Im not saying he's a good target for United but he's astill a classy player and amazingly is still only 26

 

[abojodeh]

another short striker for newcastle

 

[VaVa]

Top player...... same kinda player as Tevez imo

 

[Zense_United]

he's old and short

 

[piazza]

Good players don't just become bad players...unless they sign for Newcastle.

 

[jerrakos]

he's old and short

he's not that old, he is 26.

 

[piazza]

he's not that old, he is 26.

Which makes him younger than Dimitar.

 

[jerrakos]

would prefer berba than saviola

 

[piazza]

would prefer berba than saviola

Me too, just adding to your point on his age.

 

[Lucky7]

News of the World claims Toon boss Kevin Keegan, having recently acquired Fabricio Coloccini from Deportivo La Coruna, has singled out Saviola as his next prime target.

Formerly billed as the greatest talent of his generation, the 26-year-old has slid into the wilderness over the past few seasons. His once-glittering Barcelona career had dwindled into mediocrity when he moved to the Bernabeu on a free transfer last summer.

The ex-River Plate star has fared no better since switching allegiances, however. He made just 17 La Liga appearances last term and failed to really challenge the likes of Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy for a starting place.

Another change of scene could thus be on the cards for Saviola, and the Magpies are reportedly eager to land him on a season-long loan.

The Tyneside club are in need of attacking reinforcements given the fitness concerns of Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka.

Keegan has been chasing flair players all summer with little success, missing out on the likes of Pablo Aimar and Luka Modric. Hence, he is doubly determined to land a player of Saviola's calibre before the end of August.

Newcastle are hoping to tie up a deal during the week.

Toon to snare Saviola

 

[Drew9]

he's old and short

What a ridiculous comment, Tevez, Zola, Maradonna, Rooney, Aimar, Modric, Giovani Dos Santos, Deco, Carlos Vela i could indeed go on, im my opinion the players i have named have amazing ability and great technique that bigger players simply dont have, and as for the comment he's too old well when your 26 your comming into your prime aren't you so ... basically the comment was awfully off the mark.

 

[Lucky7]

Madrid Eager To Squeeze The Rabbit Out

Saviola, nicknamed the Rabbit, made little impact during his time at Barcelona and he has made even less of a contribution with the Catalans’ arch rivals, Real Madrid, since joining them last season.

The capital giants are believed to be rather desperate to off load the pint-sized striker for two reasons. One of the main concerns is that the 26 year old signed a four year contract with Los Merengues when he swapped the Camp Nou for the Bernabéu on a free transfer.

That contract is believed to be worth €3 million per season and with still three years left, the Madrid board are understandably less than reluctant to keep on paying the wages of someone who only spent 400 minutes on the football pitch last season.

Coach Bernd Schuster has already made it known that the former River Plate man does not fit into his plans for the new season, despite the German’s desperation to have a back-up striker in the squad for Raúl and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

And the arrival of that new striker could now depend on whether or not the club can ship out Saviola, who took over the Number 9 jersey vacated by Roberto Soldado, as he currently occupies one of the 25 places allocated to each team in the league. That, ofcourse, is the second reason why Los Blancos are so eager to release him.

Premiership side Newcastle United are rumoured to be interested in the 1.68m tall forward, but the player himself revealed to Madrid’s official website that he has not yet heard anything official from Newcastle or from any other club.

Goal.com