City and Fenerbahce agree £7m fee for outcast Anelka

Gordon Tynan
Friday 28 January 2005 01:00 GMT
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Nicolas Anelka is close to completing his move from Manchester City to Fenerbahce. City are believed to have accepted an offer in the region of £7m following a day of negotiations. Anelka is now on his way to Istanbul to discuss personal terms with the Turkish club.

Nicolas Anelka is close to completing his move from Manchester City to Fenerbahce. City are believed to have accepted an offer in the region of £7m following a day of negotiations. Anelka is now on his way to Istanbul to discuss personal terms with the Turkish club.

A spokesman for City said: "Manchester City and Fenerbahce have agreed a fee for the transfer of Nicolas Anelka. The club will make no further comment until the transfer is complete."

The 25-year-old has not played for City since New Year's Day and it recently became evident he had no part to play in Kevin Keegan's future plans. Anelka joined City for £13m from Paris St-Germain in July 2002.

Keegan has added to his squad by completing the signing of the Dutch midfielder, Kiki Musampa, on a six-month loan from Atletico Madrid, and also agreed to send Christian Negouai out on loan to Coventry for a month. The 27-year-old will be in the squad for the FA Cup tie against Newcastle this weekend.

The Brazil midfielder Edu hopes to complete his move to Valencia from Arsenal in the next two days. Reports in Spain suggest he has already agreed a pre-contract with the club.

"I am willing to make every effort for Valencia," Edu was reported as saying. "I want this to finish as soon as possible, because I do not want to spend the rest of the season without playing a single minute."

Tottenham have reached a pre-contract agreement with the Auxerre midfielder, Teemu Tainio. The 25-year-old Finn will join up in the summer once his contract with the French club has expired.

Anthony Le Tallec has returned to Liverpool after a loan spell at St Etienne. The forward's return will give Rafael Benitez another striking option, with Djibril Cissé and Florent Sinama-Pongolle on the injured list.

The Villarreal goalkeeper Pepe Reina said he is "excited" about the prospect of a move to Anfield. Reina has been instrumental in his side's rise to seventh in La Liga.

Benitez is thought to be an admirer of the former Barcelona goalkeeper, who said: "Everyone would be excited by the chance of playing for a big club, although I would not say I am at a small club. There are comments and rumours, but from there to possible truths, there is a long way."

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