HAMMERS FACE FIGHT OVER MIT
WEST HAM face competition from Bayer Leverkusen for £30million-rated Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Serbia star (below) has attracted interest from across Europe – and he features prominently on a long list of targets drawn up by the Hammers.
But Leverkusen have jumped to the front of the queue after opening talks to sign the 24-year-old, and West Ham will have to move quickly to beat the Germans.
The Hammers are currently working on a deal to bring in first-choice forward Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo. But the Spanish club are holding out for his £44m release clause, which is regarded too expensive.
However, the Irons are close to pulling off the £25m transfer of Villarreal midfielder Pablo Fornals. Homely Hornets buzzing for Craig DEFENDER Craig Cathcart has signed a new four-year contract with Watford.
The Northern Ireland international (above) joined the Hornets in 2014 when he left Blackpool.
“I feel at home, I’m comfortable and it’s a family club,”said the 30-year-old. “I enjoy coming here every day to work, it’s a nice atmosphere and when things are going well it’s even better.
“We had a great season and everything is looking positive. I’m delighted to stay.” WHEN Jonathan Woodgate is announced as Middlesbrough manager do not expect him to do keep-ups on the pitch.
“They made me do that when I signed for Real Madrid. I did three and tucked the ball under my arm! They are not my forte,” joked Woodgate about his Bernabeu unveiling in 2004.
Today is set to complete the journey from kid watching on the terraces of Ayresome Park, to club captain, via Leeds, Newcastle, Real Madrid and Spurs, to the job of reviving Boro from the dug-out.
It is the latest chapter in an eventful career including trophies, a huge defensive talent, court-room trouble at Leeds, and ultimately a star left unfulfilled by injuries.
He hopes to get off to a better start at Boro than he did in Madrid, when he scored an own goal and was sent off on his debut. “That’s a good trivia question...” is his response to that memory.
That first day at Real, after a £14million transfer from Newcastle, he said Zinedine Zidane walked past him and “thought I was a competition winner”.
Woodgate, 39, may seem an unlikely figure to emerge from the ranks of recently-retired players into such a high-profile job, competing at the top of the Championship.
But he has pursued his goal of being a boss with focus, and took the Teessiders’ under-16 team for sessions to get his UEFA B licence.
As his playing career ran down at Boro he said: “I love the game – I fall out with the missus as I watch too much at home. I want to stay in the game, be involved in more live football – even if you’re unable to do it being a player.
“I must have worked with 20 managers at club level and international level – people like Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Harry Redknapp to mention a few. I’ve had a football education.”
And the former England defender, who stopped playing in 2016, is desperate to succeed on home turf. “I want to be part of a set-up which gets my hometown club back to where it belongs,” he said.
Woodgate knows he must hit the ground running and he has the backing of chairman Steve Gibson.
Steve Round and Robbie Keane are mulling over joining him as coaches, with Leo Percovich likely to return as goalkeeper coach.
In his own words, Woodgate on each of his clubs...
“Champions League, UEFA Cup semifinals, challenging for the top three. Going for the championship.”
“UEFA Cup semi again. Up among the top three and four.” REAL MADRID: “Going for the title. Own goal and sent-off on debut. Finals and semi-finals.” “Fulfilled boyhood dream of captaining my local team. That was a real ambition of mine.”
“Won a cup. Played in another final against Man U. Champions League qualification?”
“Played in the UEFA Cup at Stoke.” AND OVERALL? “That doesn’t sound too bad does it? Could have been better if I’d won more!”