Kowalski Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Aberdeen are closing in on French defender miller ready to get on board with old firm in plan to go it alone on tv deal By Michael Gannon in austria Published: 15/07/2009 Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee is ready to make Benin international defender Reda Johnson his first signing at Pittodrie. McGhee has been impressed by the 21-year-old central defender, who has played for French club Amiens as well as for the West African republic. Johnson has shown up well at Aberdeen’s Austrian training camp in Obertraun this week and McGhee will take a closer look after being given permission to field the player in this Saturday's friendly match against 1860 Munich. Johnson, who was born in France but was capped by Benin in Febuary against Algeria, is keen to leave Amiens, who were relegated to the French Third Division last season. But his club are hoping to receive a fee, which could scupper Aberdeen's chances. McGhee said: "We have been impressed with him so far and we have been encouraged to explore what it will take to to bring him to our club. I have received an e-mail from his agent tonight so dialogue has started, but we will not push the button on anything until after we have seen him in action. "I am still trying to establish whether or not we can get permission to play the other players so we will have to wait and see." McGhee has also been looking at German forward Marcus Steegmann and Polish defender Jakub Dziolka, but he is awaiting clearance to have them available for the weekend. While the Dons struggle to finance new arrivals, Aberdeen director of football Willie Miller is ready to get on board with the Old Firm's plans to go it alone on a new television deal, if it is to benefit the entire SPL. Miller also urged caution from the league about the offer from prospective broadcasters ESPN and Sky – much smaller than the original offer from doomed broadcaster Setanta – as acceptance could inflict further damage on Scotland's already fragile game. Sky and ESPN have offered the SPL £65million over five years, around half the amount in the deal agreed with Setanta. But Celtic and Rangers are reported to be considering buying the rights themselves and then selling them on to a broadcaster. The matter is not on the agenda for the SPL's annual meeting at Hampden tomorrow, but will be discussed by the 12 clubs. Gothenburg Great Miller, who joined up with the Dons playing squad and management at their Austria training camp on Monday evening, said: “I do not know a lot about the Old Firm's plans yet. I don’t think they will just look out for themselves. I think everyone is looking for the best deal for Scottish football. “Obviously they are not happy with the current situation – no one in Scottish football is. If they think they can find a way to help Scottish football, then great. “Whatever we end up with, we are going to have to cope. It is easier said than done when you have expectations at the club and a new management team who are looking to bring players in. “What ESPN or Sky have to understand is if the deal is a lot lower, it is going to effect the product they are going to show. From the broadcasters’ point of view it does not make sense to screw Scottish football into the ground by making it difficult to bring in the types of players who will bring in big crowds. “You just hope they look at that and they come up with a realistic deal. The new deal will effect everyone's budget and the clubs will have to cut their cloth accordingly. “It is a trying time for Scottish football with the television deal up in the air. Most clubs factored the old deal into their budgets.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrant Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Smashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtS Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Aberdeen are closing in on French defender we will not push the button on anything until after we have seen him in action. But his club are hoping to receive a fee, which could scupper Aberdeen's chances. "Closing in" my arse. Meanwhile, Dundee United have completed their move for Scotland International defender Andy Webster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_min Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 A french defender? I'm excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizer Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Johnson has shown up well at Aberdeen’s Austrian training camp in Obertraun this week I thought it was Sone Vidal in the pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 "Closing in" my arse. Meanwhile, Dundee United have completed their move for Scotland International defender Andy Webster. I hear you Cts. They are also linked with a forward from Velez Sarsfield. I was impressed with Sandaza last season as well, a bit rough around the edges but very direct and real handful for defenders. He was signed from Valencia. We are taking players on trial from lower league's in Europe.... but, on the other hand, we did finish above them regardless of Levein's apparent nouse in the transfer market. We just have to give McGhee the benefit of the doubt. Gone are the days of swooping for the likes of Charlie Nicholas from Arsenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtS Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Totally agree mate, this is not a swipe at McGhee, but it is a gripe at our club. Utd can't afford top signings either but at least they're being creative and filling the gaps in their squad with good quality players. I first heard about Webster yesterday and it's a done deal today. We'll be reading pish like this P&J article for the next three weeks, until we eventually sign some non-league European dude none of us have ever heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyBiscuit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 It is a possibility that McGhee didn't want Webster. Again, "good, quality players" is clearly subjective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Thinking about Webster. Would we really want to go down the road of helping rehabilitate a rival club's player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Webster was a good quality player but when on loan at Bristol last season he was barely fit enough to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyBiscuit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Webster was a good quality player but when on loan at Bristol last season he was barely fit enough to play. The guy's hardly kicked a ball for years. United are taking a gamble. If we took a gamble and it failed (on Jamie Smith for example) the club would be crucified for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlg1903 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Its also very likely that the only reason webster was prepared to go to utd would be to work with levein again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Padre™ Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 McGhee only wants this guy on loan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandaldinho Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 oh my god! the usual sh1te! players leave, no-one brought in apart from a couple of loan signings... give it 10 years, we'll have no first team, just 11 kids and 11 loan signings! this global recession SUCKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reekie_Red Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Being perfectly honest, how many of us had heard of Roberto Bisconti, Marcus Heikkinen or Arild Stavrum when they joined the Dons? I'm confident McGhee will get the right men in the right timescale. I'd rather he took his time and got the right player rather than press the panic button and sign any old Bryan Prunty or Leon Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrant Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Being perfectly honest, how many of us had heard of Roberto Bisconti, Marcus Heikkinen or Arild Stavrum when they joined the Dons? I'm confident McGhee will get the right men in the right timescale. I'd rather he took his time and got the right player rather than press the panic button and sign any old Bryan Prunty or Leon Mike. Fair shout. You never know. McGhee might unearth a gem! Let's not get on his back yet, eh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
️ Come on you Reds! ️
️ Come on you Reds! ️
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