A round-up of other property news in brief
Benjani's loan move to Sunderland gets go ahead
ZIMBABWE striker Benjani Mwaruwari joined Sunderland from Manchester City on loan until the end of the season after the Premier League yesterday rubber-stamped the deal which that was held up on transfer deadline day in England.
The signing of the 31 year-old is a relief for Sunderland manager Steve Bruce whose side have tumbled to 13th in the league after a bright start.
“He’s a big, strong, powerful centre forward we’ve been tracking for a long time,” Bruce said. “I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring him to the club, he’ll bring another dimension to our striking options.”
Benjani arrived in English football at Portsmouth in 2006 before being signed by former City manager Sven Goran Eriksson for €8.6 million in 2008.
Agent not hot on Kewell treatment
BERNIE MANDIC, the agent of former Liverpool midfielder Harry Kewell, has criticised the club’s medical staff for their handling of the player.
The Australia international left Anfield for Galatasaray in the summer of 2008 after a disappointing five-year spell which was blighted by injuries.
“He lost three and a half years of his career at Liverpool because the guys over there in England had, quite literally, no idea what they were talking about,” Mandic told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I think it’s a disgrace, as I think it was a disgrace the way Harry was treated.”
Kewell is currently undergoing treatment in his homeland for a groin problem but Mandic claimed Benitez had even asked the player about his treatment in light of on-going concerns about Torres’ fitness.
Liverpool close in on Jovanovic deal
LIVERPOOL are closing in on a deal to sign Standard Liege striker Milan Jovanovic.
Sources at the club said last night that negotiations on a pre-contract agreement for the 28-year-old to join them in the summer are at an advanced stage.
The Serbia international is out of contract at the end of the season and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been tracking the player for some time.
Premier League rivals Birmingham and Serie A giants AC Milan were also believed to be interested in the former Lokomotiv Moscow forward.
Mido playing for €1,000 a week
MIDO is determined to show he can have a long-term future at West Ham after chairman David Sullivan revealed the Egypt striker has joined on a “token” wage.
The Hammers yesterday completed a deal to take the 26 year-old former Tottenham player on loan from Middlesbrough, on wages of £1,000 (€1,114) per week.
Gannon takes reins at Peterborough
FORMER Dundalk, Stockport County and Motherwell boss, Jim Gannon, is the latest man to be handed the managerial reins at Championship side Peterborough United, writes Emmet Malone.
The 41 year-old, whose playing career included a couple of stints in the League of Ireland, has been appointed to succeed Mark Cooper, who lasted less than three months at London Road having replaced Darren Ferguson, who had been dismissed in November despite having guided the club to back-to-back promotions in the previous two seasons.
Irish owner Darragh McAnthony has now turned to Gannon, who did well at Stockport and made a promising start to his time at Motherwell before falling out with several senior players and was eventually dismissed when he declined to sign a long term contract. His first game in charge of Peterborough will be against QPR this weekend.
