NO WORK PERMIT FOR YAKUBU! haha!

[Hakka]

NO WORK PERMIT FOR YAKUBU

Middlesbrough new boy Aiyegbeni Yakubu is still to be awarded a work permit.

The 22-year-old Nigeria international is due to become a Boro player on Friday when he is expected to complete his £7.5million move from Portsmouth.

However, he has not played the required 75% of matches for his country in the last two years and therefore does not qualify automatically for a work permit.

The Teessiders, while not unduly concerned by the situation and were not commenting on the matter on Monday, are understood not to have made their application yet and are continuing to gather the relevant information before doing so.

Boro have requested a letter from the Nigerian Football Association to confirm that Yakubu would have played the required number of games had he not been involved in a dispute over a curfew infringement while on international duty.

They know that the initial application must fail because he does not meet the criteria, but they are now building up a case to support their appeal, which they are confident of winning.

The Teessiders have done that successfully in the past with Alen Boksic and Juninho, although a move for South African international Benni McCarthy failed when he was refused a permit.

There is no immediate urgency with the start of the new season more than six weeks away, although the Boro squad is due to report back for pre-season training next Monday and will fly out to the Algarve for a week two days later.

Meanwhile, the Teessiders were maintaining a silence too over claims that they have given midfielder Boudewijn Zenden a week to decide whether or not he wants to stay at the Riverside Stadium.

The 28-year-old Dutchman's one-year contract expires this week, and although he has been offered a lucrative new two-year deal, he is yet to accept it.

Zenden's father and agent, Pierre, has revealed Liverpool's interest in the former PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Chelsea player, while Benfica have also been linked with a move for him.

Boro believe the Portuguese side will struggle to match the terms they have offered him and are hopeful that, just as he did last summer, he will eventually agree to stay.

However, if he opts to move on, manager Steve McClaren will need to find a replacement, and with time running down, there is little doubt that he will want an answer soon.

Boro have been trailing Juventus' Stephen Appiah for some time, but they wanted him in addition to Zenden and are now starting to line up alternatives just in case.

[Traxx]

7.5 million??????? hahaha.

[Esox Lucius]

good player, 7.5 million notes sounds a bit over the top though

[jam]

Do you really think they wont pass it?



idiot

[jam]

good player, 7.5 million notes sounds a bit over the top though

To be fair if beatie is worth 6 million then yakubu is a snip.


Im also waiting to see why Liverpool paid so much for Cisse.

[Esox Lucius]

suppose, not knocking him, he is good & a good signing for boro, but i reckon you could have got him for cheaper.

im hoping beattie will come good, hopefully he will get in shape over the summer.

[jam]

nah we couldnt have coz macabi haffia(sp) owned half his contract so half the transfer fee had to go to them,similar thing happened with Ugo and westbrom.

[Hakka]

Do you really think they wont pass it?



idiot

I was just joking mate. Christ man, I don't really think he will not get a work permit, after all I've seen countless sales of non-eu players have to appeal for work permits. I'm just here to enjoy the chat's we have and you've always been one of the one's quickly ignore footballing facts and move to rival banter. I was just posting up other clubs footballing facts and thought I'd have a laugh with you lot to about it, being a rival fan.

lighten up mate... or if you want I will drop the banter forever if you really want.

[Hakka]

See that his work permit application has been rejected as expected... fingers crossed he will get it sealed next time round.

I had high hopes he would replace Craig Bellamy for us, he's very young and scores goals.

[Hakka]

Only worry I would have with Yakubu is that if a bigger team again, say a top 4 Italian or Spanish team came in for him, he'd want to leave like he did with Portsmouth.

[jam]

whoa whoa whoa keep ya knickers on,i wasn't kicking off i was mearly calling you an idiot,whats wrong with that?


Aye i always knew you were just looking for a bite so i gave you one.



idiot. ;)