Kev: Signings may not be stars

Mar 23 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

KEVIN KEEGAN last night insisted he, and he alone, will decide on Newcastle’s summer transfer targets.

But the United manager, while playing down the role of the directorial trio of Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere in drawing up the club’s close-season spending plans, has warned fans not to expect a glut of all-star signings.

For Keegan does not believe that Newcastle have a realistic chance of competing with the Premier League’s Big Four for elite players.

While Wise identifies talented youngsters and Vetere scouts more senior prospects, Keegan is adamant that he remains in charge of transfers at St James’s Park.

“The final say is 100 per cent mine, absolutely 100 per cent. Not even 99 per cent,” said Keegan.

“All that Dennis and Jeff are saying to me is: ‘We’ve gone to watch this player, we think you should get over to watch him.’ “

But Keegan added: “Very few of the players we’re looking at at the moment with regards to the future won’t be being looked at by other clubs as well.

“If you’ve got good players performing well in other leagues, do you think Man Utd don’t know about them and Liverpool don’t know? We’re all looking in the same areas.

“The good news is we’ve got a pretty good scouting system now and we’re watching a lot of games.

“But it will come down to finance and players’ choice and you’ve got to be realistic.

“If a top-class player elsewhere in the world has a chance to move to Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Juventus . . . they’re going to be the first choices for these players.

“We’ve got to accept that we may not get any of those players – yet – because we can’t offer them things the likes of Chelsea can, either financially or in terms of Champions League experience.”

Newcastle are close to bringing an American youngster spotted by Wise at a youth tournament in Dallas last week to Tyneside.