Newcastle, Birmingham, Fiorentina to fight it out

By European Football
March 7 2005

According to the Italian press a summer battle between Newcastle, Birmingham and Fiorentina for Deportivo La Coruna striker Walter Pandiani is on the cards. Pandiani is of course currently on loan at Birmingham, but they have no automatic right to buy, which will of course complicate matters a bit.

The press believe that Newcastle have made the opening gambit by offering 2 million for the player, which has been rejected by Depor president Augusto Caesar Lendoiro, who is happy to wait for the bidding to hot up.

Fiorentina may have an advantage in all this, as the player has expressed a preference in the past to play in Italy, but his start in the Premiership has impressed many and if he is happy enough with life in England, he could want to stay. It would just be a matter of where.

Strangely, even though he is currently at Birmingham, where you would have thought they would have an advantage in getting him to stay, the Italian press believe it is practically a two horse race between, Newcastle and Fiorentina for his permanent signature.