Does ‘Sparky’ hold the key to Smith’s Everton future? …
Does strike legend Mark Hughes hold the key to making Alan Smith’s Everton dream come true?
The Blackburn boss has emerged as the likely key player in a complex transfer merryground which could see Smith starting the next campaign at Goodison Park.
It is believed that United and Middlesbrough have agreed a fee of £6 million for the England striker. Nevertheless, according to the Mirror, Smith wants a move to a higher profile club, if indeed, he is forced to leave United this summer.
“Smith has rejected Middlesbrough and will hold out for a switch to a top-six club,” the newspaper reported. “The England striker was offered the option of a £6million transfer to Boro but has stalled on the move for more than a month because he does not want to sacrifice his United career.”
Last season’s top four can be ruled out for reasons of impracticality (Liverpool) and plainly, for a lack of need (the others). That leaves Spurs and Everton.
Martin Jol collects English players with the passion of an obsessive but Smith’s arrival looks like a non-starter given that the Spurs boss will struggle to find room in the team for Berbatov, Keane, Bent and Defoe, if the England striker remains at White Hart Lane.
Smith’s reported preference thus sounds like a ‘come and get me plea’ to Everton. Manager David Moyes is said to be ready to sell James Beattie in a straight cash deal to raise the funds necessary to deploy an all-England partnership of Smith and Andy Johnson.
Off-loading Beattie for £4 million should be nigh on impossible, given the attacker’s decline since his Southampton days. Curiously, Blackburn boss Hughes is interested and is believed to be willing to offer Jason Roberts plus cash, in a bid to detach Beattie from Goodison pies. Middlesbrough are also interested in Beattie if they cannot tempt Smith to Teeside.
As argued elsewhere in these pages, United might do well to keep Smith for another year given the attacking variety he could offer Sir Alex. However, it is understood that the club wants rid and Smith has United’s tour of Asia to impress would-be buyers.
The Yorkshireman must now trust in Sparky to ensure that the road from Asia leads to Merseyside.
