Third club enter race for Woodgate

[BillShankly]

Tottenham and Newcastle target Jonathan Woodgate has a third destination to pick from after Middlesbrough accepted a bid from an unnamed club.

Tottenham were thought to be favourites ahead of Newcastle to sign the 28-year-old but Boro chief executive Keith Lamb has revealed they have also accepted an offer from another, as yet unnamed side.

"We've agreed a fee with Tottenham and as far as I'm aware he went down at the weekend to have a medical and we're just waiting to see," said Lamb.

"We agreed a fee with Tottenham, Newcastle and another club but we left it up to Jonathan, he could stay or go."

Woodgate is one of Middlesbrough's prize assets but the player has been troubled by injuries in the last few years and Lamb said Gareth Southgate was happy to let the player go providing his valuation - believed to be around £8million - was met.

"We've got an abundance of centre-backs and with the emergence of David Wheater and with Robert Huth back and Emanuel Pogatetz, Gareth felt he could let one of them go," Lamb told talkSPORT.

[Fabregas_hero]

yer he can let 1 go although boro are only 2 points out of relegation zone

[pires7]

it was Arsenal apparently

[ozzie owl]

it was Arsenal apparently

Woodgate,wrong nationality for Arsenal.

[pires7]

it was Arsenal apparently

Woodgate,wrong nationality for Arsenal.

we can offer champions league + potential to revive his national team aspirations! So if it's true I would expect him to come to us.

[BillShankly]

Arsenal enter Woodgate race

Arsenal have stepped into the race to sign Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate.

The 28-year-old had looked set to sign for north London rivals Tottenham, after snubbing a move back to Newcastle.

But the lure of the Emirates stadium - and Champions League football - may prove too much for the former Real Madrid player.

Middlesbrough confirmed that all three clubs linked with the England international had a agreed a fee.

Despite being one of the Teesside clubs most prized assets, the player has been troubled by injuries in the last few years and Boro chief executive Keith Lamb said manager Gareth Southgate was happy to let the player go providing his valuation - believed to be around £8 million - was met.

He said: "We've got an abundance of centre-backs and with the emergence of David Wheater and with Robert Huth back and Emanuel Pogatetz, Gareth felt he could let one of them go."

The sale of Woodgate would be a major financial boost for the club who are on the verge on clinching a club record transfer with the signing of Heerenveen striker Afonso Alves.

The Brazilian has been linked with a move to the Riverside for a number of weeks but it was held up by a dispute between the player's club and fellow Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, who had claimed they already had an agreement to the sign the 26-year-old.

Alves is likely to cost Boro £10 million-plus but the transfer is subject to the granting of a work permit.

However Stewart Downing, another Boro player linked with a move to Spurs, will be going nowhere, Lamb said.

"I think there's every chance we will conclude the Alves deal within the next 24 hours.

"(But) Stewart is staying. He's under contract and we don't want him to leave, he's very much part of our plans for the future," he added.

[BillShankly]

why would he wanna move to arsenal, he would have to learn french for starters and possibly be third choice.

[pires7]

Wenger has just denied the story

[delfino_1936]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

[BillShankly]

done and dusted.

chose spurs over arsenal.

[delfino_1936]

done and dusted.

chose spurs over arsenal.

Arsenal weren't even in the race apparently.

Wenger said he made no contact at all with Boro or Woodgate.

Great sources you got

[ozzie owl]

Tottenham and Newcastle target Jonathan Woodgate has a third destination to pick from after Middlesbrough accepted a bid from an unnamed club.

Tottenham were thought to be favourites ahead of Newcastle to sign the 28-year-old but Boro chief executive Keith Lamb has revealed they have also accepted an offer from another, as yet unnamed side.

"We've agreed a fee with Tottenham and as far as I'm aware he went down at the weekend to have a medical and we're just waiting to see," said Lamb.

"We agreed a fee with Tottenham, Newcastle and another club but we left it up to Jonathan, he could stay or go."

Woodgate is one of Middlesbrough's prize assets but the player has been troubled by injuries in the last few years and Lamb said Gareth Southgate was happy to let the player go providing his valuation - believed to be around £8million - was met.

"We've got an abundance of centre-backs and with the emergence of David Wheater and with Robert Huth back and Emanuel Pogatetz, Gareth felt he could let one of them go," Lamb told talkSPORT.

Signed for Spurs.

[BillShankly]

done and dusted.

chose spurs over arsenal.

Arsenal weren't even in the race apparently.

Wenger said he made no contact at all with Boro or Woodgate.

Great sources you got

Wenger also said he didnt see Adebayor headbutt Bendtner.

Hes a real truthful fella.

[delfino_1936]

done and dusted.

chose spurs over arsenal.

Arsenal weren't even in the race apparently.

Wenger said he made no contact at all with Boro or Woodgate.

Great sources you got

Wenger also said he didnt see Adebayor headbutt Bendtner.

Hes a real truthful fella.

it was off the ball, when people watch football they watch the game and where the ball is. It was off the ball so he probably on saw the after marth.

geez your annoying

[Piola]

last time I checked Woodgate was the wrong colour for Arsenal.
will fit in at the whites of Tottenham

[King Ledley]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

[delfino_1936]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

[King Ledley]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

We'll he speaks a bit of Spanish, but i'm pretty sure he doesn't speak any French so while the Arsenal players are croaking to each other.... he will lost and asking himself what he got himself into

[King Ledley]

Woodgate completes Tottenham move

England and Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate has agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur, the London Premier League club said on Monday.

'We are delighted to announce we have reached agreement with Middlesbrough for the transfer of Jonathan Woodgate,' the club said in a statement on their website.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but Woodgate was at the club's training ground on Monday to finalise details of the transfer.

Woodgate, whose career has been blighted by injury, had made it clear he wanted to leave Boro, his home-town team he joined from Real Madrid for £7 million ($13.88 million) last year - around half what the Spanish club paid Newcastle United for him in 2004.

The 28-year-old made his name at Leeds United when they were a real force under David O'Leary but, after moving to Newcastle in 2003, he has made only 81 league appearances for Newcastle, Real and Middlesbrough, who he initially joined on loan.

He won the first of six England caps in 1999 and his sixth last year.

Despite his class on the ball, excellent anticipation and pace, his stop-start club career has meant he has never been able to establish an international career.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate, himself a former England centre back, said he did not try to prevent the transfer when it became obvious Woodgate wanted to move.

'You're looking for everyone at your club to want to be here and be part of it,' Southgate told the club's website.

'We were then asking a question a Jonathan - do you want to be here and be part of what we want to do or do you want to head off?

'It seems he wanted to head off.'

Woodgate is likely to form an impressive central defensive partnership with Ledley King, though Michael Dawson will hope to keep him on the sidelines.

[delfino_1936]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

We'll he speaks a bit of Spanish, but i'm pretty sure he doesn't speak any French so while the Arsenal players are croaking to each other.... he will lost and asking himself what he got himself into

man that's terrible. croaking to each other. Oh geez, never knew a spud fan could go so low.

We never wanted him in the first place so have him. Many better defenders than him all over the world.

[King Ledley]

Wenger has just denied the story

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

We'll he speaks a bit of Spanish, but i'm pretty sure he doesn't speak any French so while the Arsenal players are croaking to each other.... he will lost and asking himself what he got himself into

man that's terrible. croaking to each other. Oh geez, never knew a spud fan could go so low.

We never wanted him in the first place so have him. Many better defenders than him all over the world.

Shut up Rigoni you dreamer

[delfino_1936]

we need to get him. Toure could be out for a bit and we need stability at the back. he'd do well for us i think

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

We'll he speaks a bit of Spanish, but i'm pretty sure he doesn't speak any French so while the Arsenal players are croaking to each other.... he will lost and asking himself what he got himself into

man that's terrible. croaking to each other. Oh geez, never knew a spud fan could go so low.

We never wanted him in the first place so have him. Many better defenders than him all over the world.

Shut up Rigoni you dreamer

look who's talking.

you said that woodgate would realise what a mistake he made if he signed for us.

hahaha he doesn't have anything to look forward to apart from 2 Uefa Cup ties.

[King Ledley]

You have this to say after i asked you at training what you think of him and i quote you "He would be a DESCENT SIGNING".

yeh and would be a decent signing for us had we got him cause he could cover Kolo and William.

Spuds will be lucky to get a good 10/15 games left in the season

We'll he speaks a bit of Spanish, but i'm pretty sure he doesn't speak any French so while the Arsenal players are croaking to each other.... he will lost and asking himself what he got himself into

man that's terrible. croaking to each other. Oh geez, never knew a spud fan could go so low.

We never wanted him in the first place so have him. Many better defenders than him all over the world.

Shut up Rigoni you dreamer

look who's talking.

you said that woodgate would realise what a mistake he made if he signed for us.

hahaha he doesn't have anything to look forward to apart from 2 Uefa Cup ties.

i doubt only 2

[pires7]

what better a way to get the Spurs deal through, at the price Borough want than for his manager to leak a story that Spur's rivals are interested in signing him!

[delfino_1936]

what better a way to get the Spurs deal through, at the price Borough want than for his manager to leak a story that Spur's rivals are interested in signing him!

he's done really well actually, thinking about it

[TDGv2]

what better a way to get the Spurs deal through, at the price Borough want than for his manager to leak a story that Spur's rivals are interested in signing him!

Except that we bought him at the same price Newcastle offered

[ozzie owl]

Once King is fully fit Dawson will probably have to sit on the bench.

[TDGv2]

Dawson only plays well when he has someone experienced alongside him. While King's been injured, he's been woeful. I think the rationale behind bringing in Woodgate is not only are he and King a very tidy centre back pairing, but when the inevetable injury hits either of King or Woodgate, there'll be someone experienced for Dawson to play alongside.

Hope this doesn't mean the end for Kaboul. He's been good in patches and is young enough to learn and adapt to the premier league. Plenty of ability and promise in him, so hope he sticks around. Got a feeling it might be Dawson that's off.

[SPURS18]

Couldnt agree with you more TDGv2 Dawson seems to lack experience, confidence and leadership at the back when King is injured. i think we need a new keeper too Robinson looks like hes had his day