Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Saturday January 5 2008
Time: 10:59AM
UK time is: 20:27:32
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Villa Swoop For Newcastle Striker?
Jason Burt has a report in The Independent suggesting that Villa and Manchester City have both officially approached Newcastle United about the availability of Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins. The report also suggests that Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping a watching brief.
The Independent revealed last summer that the 23-year-old has a release clause of £13m in his contract and they claim that Villa are prepared to pay that to get him whilst the player prefers a move to Manchester City.
Apparently Newcastle would like to keep him and were yesterday deciding whether to play him v Stoke in the FA Cup thus cup tying him. Martins scored 11 Premiership goals last season (17 goals in total) and is their top scorer with 6 this season but reports suggest he - amongst many others - are fed up with Sam Allardyce and his tactics.
The report goes on to say that Martin O'Neill did want Peter Crouch but as Rafa Benitez has said no one is leaving in January, that move looks doubtful. They also link us with 20-year-old Paris St-Germain striker Loris Arnaud, who can leave on a free in the summer.
So far this season Martins has played 11 being replaced 9 times and coming on as a sub 6 times. He has 6 Prem goals and 1 league cup goal. He is also a very good boy as he has no red or yellow cards to his name!
This is currently being discussed in our forum (Click Here ) with mixed views!
BarosBarryBouma said, Strong, quick and eye for goal and (maybe) young... this seems like the most promising link of the transfer window so far to me... thoughts people? Adding, Not sure about that one. If Martins - as reported - has a release clause in his contract, they can't stop him leaving. Also, Allardyce will obviously want to make changes himself in the transfer window (most notably in defence I would of thought) and he may need to raise funds to do so. I wonder if we could do a double deal and rescue Milner at the same time..?
Wade_man_uk added, I'd love him at the Villa! If we could get him for £13 million I'd be well chuffed! With Spavin agreeing: in the words of a famous Geordie, 'i would love it, i would love it' if we signed martins...quality player ruined by Newcastle, the only reason he has no form is he spent most the start of the season sitting on the bench behind that loser Michael Owen, because Sam chose an English player over ability...imagine him and Gabby in the same side, with big John Carew...yes please!
So what do you think, good signing or not?
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Your Comments
Might do a poll after the man of the match one today asking who you would rather out of the strikers linked. Defoe, Crouch or Martins?!
The Fear
In fact, sod it, lets do it now and live a bit wild!
The Fear
Definitely Martins - power and pace. Would complement Gabby perfectly. Not interested in the slightest with Defoe - we might as well get Vassell back. Crouch - do like him, but I think we need goals, and Martins would be more prolific in our side at the moment. Crouch would encourage the long ball again, and why would be want to bypass Young or Barry?
CLVilla
Anybody but Crouch. just cant understand the fascination with him. Martins though is surely just another unsubstantiated rumour. A move from Newcastle to us or Citeh is surely just swopping like for like. Why would such a move appeal to him?
glensider
The a-z of links continues.
storagematt
I think kevin doyle is a more likely prospect. The B'ham Mail certaintly thinks so theyve got him as an almost dead cert on the back today.
villabikes29
Crouch, Defoe and now Martins, i really cant see any of them at Villa as we already have thier positions covered with the players we have. Yes we could do with a prolific goal scorer, but i don't see MON changing his 442 game play to accommodate any one of them. I'm with you Glensider on Crouch he had a hot spell at the end of last season but seems to now have put on his concrete boots and poor old Rafa knows this too hence the subs bench for most of this season.
Mutt_Man
Id take 13 mil for martins,cant see it happening I'd prefer Crouch.Doyle would be great or Gudjohnson.
Pking
If city is his first choice supposedly..... off to Eastlands then son. I only want players 100% committed to the Villa, and even misquoted comments, it doesn't was with me. Isn't he in African nations Cup anyway?
fatloser
He is off to the African Nations Cup but the Nigerian boss Vogts said they could delay sending him until next week after they play v Man Utd (I think that is what I read anyway!)
The Fear
Ok, 13 million but only if you take Marlon as well!
silkie villain
i'd prefer a big guy up front, as competition/cover for carew. so i'd prefer crouch or gudjohnson, who are both proven.
what will martins add that we haven't already got? if newcastle want our 13m let's get milner!
theno5shirt
benzema from lyon is who we should go for. he is a great prospect and already has great quality- not crouch i wouldn't be very happy with crouch to be honest- shaun wright phillips, not milner. milner isn't overly brilliant in my opinion,he isn't a toc
uch on young.
willowthevillian
What a bizarre poll. I voted for Martins and his percentage went down :-/ Just bad timing from me.......I hope.
Villain Of The North
I've just looked at his wiki page. I didn't realise he was such a short arse. Can I change my vote please, I'd like Gudjohnson.............mind you, if we could have both.....................................
Villain Of The North
martins would be class next to gabby, and imagine what oneill could do for his all round game. i think he could be the aggressive target man we have lacked for some time.
Stig
Whatever, whoever, we do desperately need an additional quality striker, someone to fire us into the top six.
glensider
Well he clearly dont like harewood, what was the point? be another wasted season if we dont capitise on the 1st half the season
krisvilla
personally i think that martins is a very good player, but im not sure where he would fit in. surely if we do sign him surely harewood will leave and moore is too good to be 4th choice so he should leave. carew is definately getting better but still needs to score more, but are martins and gabby not too similar and surely evryone would much rather have young gabriel.......................
oh yeh forgot maloney whom i think is underated and should start!
harkcombr
Martins please.
gwyllum18
benzema please! we need a right back most desperatley though. Melberg has done a deent job in that position ut the space that opens up on the right, expecially against tottenham could be capitalised on by a good right back. Surley you agree with me that melbergs crossing is simply awful.
villavillavilla
cant see the geordies allowing Martins to leave. They could still get dragged into an end of season relegation fight.
glensider
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