BLUE'S WRIGHT MOVE
June 27, 2005
CHELSEA have whipped out a whopping 18 million ($55 million) cheque
to grab in-demand England striker Shaun Wright-Phillips.
According to three British newspapers, the Manchester City winger
has agreed a five-year deal worth 80,000-a-week and could be
unveiled at a press conference this week.
City manager Stuart Pearce will be thoroughly dismayed at the news
that his star man could be on his way after rebuffing approaches
from Arsenal and Liverpool for the 23-year-old son of Arsenal
legend and all-time top scorer Ian Wright.
But with the club currently about 62 million in debt, the latest
18m offer looks too tempting to turn down.
'He is a world-class player and we would be folly to let Shaun go,'
said Pearce last week.
'Credit to the kid, he has never come in and hinted that he wants
to leave.'
Wright-Phillips joined City in the summer of 1998 having been a
trainee at Nottingham Forest. He has played almost 150 games for
City.
But he, too, will be heart-broken with this latest news, say close
friends.
Wright-Phillips recently told The Sun newspaper: 'I am not thinking
of moving. It is my home, the fans have really taken to me.
'I went from the youth team to the first team and the fans
supported me all the way. I'm settled here.'
But Wright-Phillips also believes that moving to a higher-profile
club, with serious Europe ambitions, may be his ticket to further
stardom - and to build on his budding England career for the World
Cup Finals 2006.
'You can always get better and always improve, so that's what I
do,' he told The Guardian Online.
'I work on my whole game and learn from the people around me, who
I've benefited from tremendously, or the new players who come in to
the club.
'I'm always learning and you are never too old to stop learning new
things and improve your game.'
Chelsea may well be the right springboard for Wright-Phillips. - PA
Sport.
What do you think, guys?
