United bid for Geremi
Jun 27 2007
by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle
NEWCASTLE United are in talks to bring Cameroon international Geremi to St James? Park from Chelsea.
That was the word from West London today as things begin to hot up both on and off the field for United.
With Joey Barton and Mark Viduka already in the bag, Sam Allardyce is now clearly concentrating on his defence, with Geremi looking set to join Czech Republic defender David Rozehnal at St James? Park.
A source close to Chelsea told me today: ?Geremi is out of contract at Stamford Bridge and we understand that he is talking to several clubs, including Newcastle United.
?From what we can gather he loved his time up in the North East with Middlesbrough, and Newcastle seem to be favourites for his signature.?
The versatile 28-year-old ? his full name is Geremi Sorele Nijtap Fotso ? has been a Cameroon international since 1996.
He can operate both in midfield and defence and is equally at home on either flank ? a big plus for United boss Allardyce.
Allardyce has always favoured big, strong players and, unlike Emre, Geremi comes into this category.
Indeed while Emre has continually pledged his future to United, I am not certain the Turkish international will still be at St James? Park at the start of the season.
But Allardyce is obviously hoping Geremi will. Although he began his career as a right-winger, Geremi has played both in midfield and at full-back for Jose Mourinho at Chelsea ? and on both sides of the field.
He was part of the Cameroon team which won the Olympic title in 2000 and played for his country in the World Cup two years later. He has played for Paraguay?s Cerro Porteno, Genclerbirligi in Turkey and Real Madrid before moving to Middlesbrough on loan.
And he will be remembered by United fans for grabbing the only goal of the game with a header on the night Middlesbrough beat Sir Bobby Robson?s side at the Riverside Stadium in March 2003.
He was Middlesbrough?s Player of the Season that year and in the summer Claudio Ranieri paid Real Madrid £6m to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Geremi was not a Mourinho regular last season but at the same time he still figured 28 times, including coming on as substitute in the Champions League semi-final second-leg defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on May 1.
If Geremi does sign for United the ticket office will find themselves under pressure because he has 17 brothers and a sister.
