City target Malbranque swoop

August 04, 2005

BID: Malbranque

MANCHESTER City have had a £4million bid for Steed Malbranque rejected by Fulham - but look set to launch a new, improved offer.

Blues boss Stuart Pearce has identified the Frenchman as the player he wants to provide the creative spark badly lacking in City's midfield in recent seasons.

And, with most of the cash from Shaun Wright-Phillips' £21million move to Chelsea still unspent, Pearce is unlikely to be deterred by Fulham's initial rebuff.

The indications are City will be back with a fresh, improved offer and Pearce is hopeful Malbranque could be available for Saturday's Thomas Cook Trophy clash with Olympiakos at Eastlands.

"I can confirm the club has had a substantial bid rejected by Fulham for French international midfielder Steed Malbranque," City communications chief Paul Tyrrell told City's official website

"It is disappointing that our offer has been turned down but we still retain a strong interest in the player."

Malbranque, 25, joined Fulham for £5million during the summer of 2001 after helping Lyon finish second in the French league.

With the Cottagers he has established himself as a lively midfielder with an abundance of attacking flair.

Malbranque has scored 38 goals in his four seasons with Fulham, as well as setting up countless others for his teammates.

He also led France to the final of the 2002 European Under-21 Championships in Switzerland and was an unused substitute for the senior side on one occasion last year.

City have already signed one player from Fulham this summer in former England striker Andy Cole.

Since then, Pearce has also captured Aston Villa's international hit-man Darius Vassell.

Should the new Blues chief complete the hat-trick by persuading Fulham to part with Malbranque, it would represent a significant stride forward in his development of the club since taking over from Kevin Keegan last March.

The 25-year-old has played in excess of 130 games for the Cottagers since moving to London from Lyon, where he started out as a trainee.

A neat, passing midfielder with an eye for goal, he is exactly what City have lacked since the retirement of Ali Benarbia and the departure of Eyal Berkovic following his row with Keegan.

Although Robbie Fowler has taken on some of the creative responsibilities, he is now injured and with Wright-Phillips and Nicolas Anelka both seeking alternative employment since last January, Pearce knows he needs someone to supply the chances for Cole, Vassell and Bradley Wright-Phillips to convert.

Would Malbranque be a good signing for City? Have your say.

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Aaron, Swinton (04/08/2005 at 08:52)

YES! He's an excellent attacking midfielder, exactly what we need. Why start bidding at 4M? Start at 3M and work up!!! He would be a great signing, just need another centrehalf and another midfielder....

Kev, Gt Moor (04/08/2005 at 08:54)

This is very encouraging news, Malbranque is just the type of player we have been crying out for, sod the cost, go get him Stuart

dylan, chelmsford (04/08/2005 at 08:55)

Malbranque would be a great signing even at 5million. I have long admired his vision and passing and he is already a proven force in the premiership.

I was bored last night and thought I would watch the magpies get thrashed but Emre looked like a great buy for under 3 million.

Andy, Mcr (04/08/2005 at 09:00)

Magnificent!!!! Just the type of news iv been waiting for!!! All i would like now is Damien Francis B#1.5m to add a bit of height and steel to the midfield whilst also adding goals and Huth from Chelski on loan until Jan...they owe us a favour, we didnt mess them around in the SWP saga after all did we!?! Wish we would show blobby Fowler the door i have a feeling he is all but finished now? Still wouldnt mind Henri Camara only for a cut price fee though? Failing any of these i would still like to see Romeo Castelan...come on Wardle open those purse strings and give us something to shout about!!!

mike taylor, heaton mersey (04/08/2005 at 09:06)

malbranque would be a great signing, fantastic passer of the ball,gets into goalscoring positions and averages 10 goals a season from midfield, just what we need! well done sp!!

Sheralyn Moran, Blackley (04/08/2005 at 09:06)

I would be pleased with the signing. Not sure I would want to pay much more than B#4 Mill not in today's market. But Lets face it if people think Pearce has got B#21 Mill to spend then the prices is going to go up. MEN he only got about B#10 Mill so that means he has about B#8 Mill left. That would leave us with B#4 Mill for Robbie Keane or Dean Ashton!!

The Kippax Kid, Irlam (04/08/2005 at 09:06)

Yes, Yes, Yes! Now that is what I am talking about. I have always liked Malbranque and he has always done me proud in the Fantasy Football! At 25 and very creative, he is exactly what we are after. I like the way SP produces these signings, no speculation, just Whoop, there it is! C.T.I.D.

Harry H, SK (04/08/2005 at 09:08)

Malbranque would be an excellent signing,a consistant performer in the Premier league and very intelligent with the ability to execute the pass,l aways have him in my dream team and he hasn,t let me down yet !

Tony, Manchester (04/08/2005 at 09:08)

I'm pleased about this transfer development. At the kind of money that we can offer, I believe Steed Malbranque can go a long way to giving us the creative flair that we have been so badly lacking. Chris Coleman baffles me though, last season he was bleating on about having to make wholesale changes at Fulham, but as Newcastle found out he wont sell any of his players unless he receives silly money, which in today's market is wholly unrealistic. Damien Francis still hasn't completed his move to Wigan by all accounts, so SP PLEASE PLEASE hijack this transfer at B#1.5m. If we could also get B#3m right-winger Romeo Castelan from Feyenoord, I believe we can look forward to this season with some optimism. On top of this I would still like to see another forward at CoMS, perhaps a loan deal with a view to a permanent transfer (Michael Owen Please), also we need to clear out the last of KK's deadwood, ie: Sommeil, Fowler & Sibierski, for me this would complete our rebuild for now.

Mark, Bali (04/08/2005 at 09:10)

Rather have Lampard but he will do

Eric Jonker, Zoetermeer, NL (04/08/2005 at 09:10)

Yes, definitely one of the better midfieldplayers in the PL. This would be a very good move. Let's see if City can pull this one off.

Greg, Manchester (04/08/2005 at 09:11)

Would be a cracking signing if we can get him. Only 25 years old, averages almost 10 goals a season from midfield, skilful, quick and probably as close as we are going to get to a suitable SWP replacement. Fingers crossed we can come to an agreement with him and Fulham. An encouraging news dya for a change!!

sean morton, fulham (04/08/2005 at 09:13)

As a fulham fan myself i can honestly say i am, A.angry we have yet again allowed one of our best players to leave, and B.to all you city fans, Steed is a class act, fantastic player, you will adore him.

lee, stockport (04/08/2005 at 09:16)

excellent, would be a great player for us, just what we need, well done s.p

Martin, Manchester (04/08/2005 at 09:17)

Yes. Sign him now. Top class player and I'm sure that with him and the addition of either another striker or a winger we'd be able to grab a European place.

Kevin Keegan, The Golf Course (04/08/2005 at 09:18)

Would Steed Malbranque make a good signing for City? Of course not. He's far too young and promising.

Bobster, Konstanz, Germany (04/08/2005 at 09:22)

Top player, we should do all we can to get him. Clearly SP is making moves behind the scenes and, as opposed to a lot of prem managers, seems to be talking directly to the clubs involved rather than leaking interest through agents and the gutter-press. Can all the people whinging about our apparent lack of transfer activity now please wrap up and stop boring us with their negative rants.

Carl, M/c (04/08/2005 at 09:22)

He is quality and still only 25. Get tthe deal done.

Rob, South Stand Blue (04/08/2005 at 09:23)

This has just confirmed to me that we have actually, finally!, got a manager who has got an idea of what we need!!! Think this also shows that SP is not going to spend our money on unproven players, he is after tried and tested Premiership Players who have performed to a high standard in the division. B#4million for a 25yr old playmaker with proven quality is a good bid, but i would be reluctant for CITY to go much higher than B#5-B#5.5mil? Need to save some back for January "just in case" but i personally don't think we will need to. CTID.

Stu, Glossop (04/08/2005 at 09:23)

Again, I trust SP!!! At least if we buy him it will stop scoring against us AGAIN!!! Looks like a good signing to me and he's only 25

Foggy, Town (04/08/2005 at 09:24)

Would be a spot on signing - goalscoring creative midfielder - central too..... just what the doctor ordered..... Wish people would get off BeePs back too saying he isnt good enough, his ten minute cameos totalled probably less than two games worth all season - needs some size but has tricky feet, pace, and anyone who has watched the reserves will agree, an eye for goal.... malbranque providing the through balls for him might be very nice indeed.... v ery much fancy vassell on the right too - cole and beep upfront, and if he doesnt work out, miller needs a try, hes certainly big enough... and why do people say croft is small all the time? (though willo actually does get smaller everytime we see him) maybe we should sign Hulk Hogan.....

marko, sweden (04/08/2005 at 09:26)

A top class player. Hope that we can get him for a suitable fee although 6 milj is maybe a little bit expensive. Hopefully Malbranque ain`t the last player SP signs to the coming campaign beacause i still think that we need that big, tall striker iB4ve been yelling about in my comments on this page. With Dunne out injured City starts to be a team of midgets.

Blue Mood, Arkham Asylum (04/08/2005 at 09:28)

Excellent signing. Can we have Robbie Keane as well please? Oh go on...please? All right, how about Castelen?

Neil Allen, Gibraltar (04/08/2005 at 09:29)

Yes Steed would be a fantastic acquisition to the club, he has got the vision and scoring ability we have lacked in that department since Foe and Ali both left (though for different reasons).

He is still only young and would give us a touch of class and maybe swing a tight close game City's way which would help us attract better players as well.

Go get him STU.

David Power, Atherton (04/08/2005 at 09:34)

for flair & midfeild add desparation, add MCFC we have limited options in this area. I do though belive that SM would be a good addition, he comes with a good track record and an eye for goal that is as good as any midfeilder in the Prem. I still would like to see a good combative M/F arrive....hello Michael Brown welcome back....

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