Posted by Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc is a target for Newcastle United.
The Sunday Mirror says Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear is ready to turn to Celtic’s controversial Boruc if Manchester City lure his “untouchable” keeper Shay Given away with a £12million bid.
Kinnear has told Mike Ashley that Given, 32, must stay and urged the Toon owner to do everything in his power to keep the unsettled No.1.
But Kinnear is realistic enough to know Ashley having banked £12m for James Milner in August’s transfer window could well do the same again if City offer the same cash.
And having already confirmed an interest in Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson, Kinnear is looking across the Old Firm divide towards Boruc as a contingency plan should Republic of Ireland star Given be lured to Eastlands.
With Boruc on under half of Given’s £50,000-a-week salary, it’s an attractive prospect.
This is a very poorly researched story. Artur Boruc has stated REPEATEDLY over the last 3 seasons that he will only sign for a team that has aspirations to win the Champions League. He already plays in it every season with Celtic and will not sign for a team that cannot reach the latter stages of the tournament. If it were AC Milan interested again, or Arsenal Celtic fans may be worried. But although Newcastle have money, are in a competitive league and have a sizeable support, they will never play in the Champions League during Artur Boruc’s playing career. This is not a petulant assumption, it’s fact.
I would wager any financial sum against the journalist who penned this, that Boruc WILL NOT sign for Newcastle. He will only go to Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Arsenal or Man Yoo. No-one else.
We are of course in the silly season that is the January transfer window so I may forgive the story on that basis