Newcastle United have agreed terms with Manchester United for the transfer of the midfielder Nicky Butt to St James’ Park. A fee of about £4-million is believed to have been agreed and Butt will end his long association with Old Trafford in the next fortnight.
Another Newcastle recruit is Leeds’ James Milner. The fee for the 18-year-old is said to be £3,2-million and he, too, is expected to be in the Newcastle party that sets off for the Far East later this month.
A third Newcastle target is James Beattie of Southampton and initial discussions are said to have been fruitful. The fee may be as high as £7-million for Beattie and the Saints are considering purchasing Crewe Alexandra’s Dean Ashton as a replacement.
Newcastle are not as wealthy as they once were but they have not spent a large sum of money on a player since they signed Jonathan Woodgate for £9-million from Leeds 18 months ago.
Nor would all the money have to be paid up front. Newcastle could get the trio for an outlay during the close season of just £7-million.
However, uncertainty continues to surround Sir Bobby Robson’s status as manager. Robson had wanted a striker and a defender, preferably a right-back, but it now appears that Newcastle will ask Kieron Dyer if he would like to start the season in that position.
The England midfielder has made occasional appearances there, notably in his debut for England under Kevin Keegan, but it is unlikely Dyer would savour the role at St James’. Aaron Hughes is the current right-back, with Darren Ambrose on the right of midfield.
Butt signed professionally for Manchester United on his 18th birthday in 1993 and was a regular in Sir Alex Ferguson’s team as it won seven championships in 11 years.
But last season Butt was a peripheral figure as Phil Neville effectively replaced him as a holding midfielder. Butt rejected the opportunity to join Birmingham in January, preferring to see out the season at Old Trafford.
It has been predicted that Butt’s arrival would hasten the departure of Gary Speed from Newcastle, but Speed is keen to stay and fight for his place.
Meanwhile, manager Steve Bruce has ended speculation linking him with a return to Manchester United by signing a new five-year contract at Birmingham City.
Bruce guided Birmingham to 10th place in the Premiership last season and has already been active in the transfer market during the summer, beefing up his squad to mount a European challenge next season.
His success at St Andrews had led to rumours suggesting he will succeed Ferguson at United, the club for whom he played more than 300 games during the 1980s and 1990s. —