Albion News

KANU OFF TO GUNNERS RIVALS

Albion striker Nwankwo Kanu has been linked with a move away from the club with Tottenham Hotspur apparently interested in taking the former Arsenal man to White Hart Lane on a free transfer.

Kanu has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave the club on a free transfer if he takes the option to do so. Albion would welcome having the strikers? wages off the wage bill as he is rumoured to be on over £24,000 a week.

Kanu had said that he would stay if the club and him could come to some kind of arrangement but Albion may have no choice but to off load the striker with his wage demands being to high for the Coca-Cola Championship.

ELLINGTON LINKED WITH RETURN TO THE JJB

Nathan Ellington has also been linked with a move away from The Hawthorns with his former club Wigan apparently showing an interest in taking the striker back to the JJB Stadium.

His former manager Paul Jewell said, ‘It is no secret that I am a big fan of his, so far it has not gone that well for him at West Brom.

‘But I have not been in contact with his agent or the club.’

Bryan Robson came out and backed his striker to make an impact next season, Robson said, ‘I signed him because I think he will score a lot of goals for us,

‘He can be a massive plus for us in The Championship.’

Ellington better not let the door hit him on the way out if this move does happen; the Albion fans have been less than happy with what they have seen of him so far. In the club’s fight for survival the striker decided that he didn’t want to go through the pain barrier for the cause. Not much commitment when he has played and no way was he worth the £3 million we paid for him.

CHAPLOW TO SUPPORT BAGGIES PROMOTION BID

Another player linked with a move to Wigan was young midfielder Richard Chaplow. The midfielder spent the final three months of last season on loan at Southampton and impressed in his time there.

Chaplow has today rubbished the rumours and pledged his commitment to the Baggies promotion push next season.

Chaplow said, ‘I’ve never thought about walking away. I want to play my football here at Albion. I have things to prove,’ he said.

‘The Wigan link is a surprise. I can’t see how you can be linked with a club riding high in the Premiership if you haven’t been playing at that level. It’s all talk with no substance.

‘I want to be a West Brom player and I think the gaffer wants me here too. I have spoken to him briefly since I came back here but he was pleased with what I achieved.’

I think that Chaplow will play a very important part next season and I hope he gets a chance to prove his quality. He has already proved himself in this division and could be a match winner for us.

LATEST ON BAGGIES TARGETS

Albion have also started to be linked with a number of players, Cameron Jerome at Cardiff, John Hartson at Celtic, Bruno N’Gotty who was released by Bolton at the end of the season and Stoke striker Sanbegou Bangoura.

We have apparently had a bid turned down for Jerome and are continuing our interest in the striker. The Welsh side have until the end of May to take up an option on Jason Koumas who spent the season on-loan at Ninian Park.

BIG DAVE HOPES ALBION STAND STRONG

Former Baggies hero Darren ‘BIG DAVE’ Moore has urged his former club to stand strong and resist all offers for highly rated defender Curtis Davies.

The Derby man said, ‘I’ve said from day one that Curtis had the makings to be one of the top centre halves.

‘He has been a great signing for the club and I’m not surprised that he is so highly-rated.

‘I don’t think spending another year in the Championship will harm Curtis but the problem is that clubs may be looking at him more now.

‘I just hope Albion are big and bold enough to resist any offers for him. But you have to concede that if Curtis wants to fulfil his international ambitions and play in Europe then he may well get those opportunities and they will be hard for him to turn down.

‘I hope for West Bromwich Albion’s sake he stays where he is but the reality is he is good enough to play at the very highest level.’

INAMOTO AND KUSZCZAK BOOK PLACES AT THE WORLD CUP

Finishing on some great news for Junichi Inamoto and Tomasz Kuszczak, both players being called up by their countries to play in this summers World Cup finals in Germany.

Inamoto will travel to the finals with Japan and after earning his first cap in the last week star keeper Kuszczak will finish off an impressive domestic season with a place in the Polish World Cup Squad.

Congratulations to both players and best of luck in Germany.