Whites suffer Bodde blow (From Leigh Journal)

Whites suffer Bodde blow

12:00pm Saturday 4th July 2009 in

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WANDERERS are ready to shelve their interest in Swansea City midfielder Ferrie Bodde after the Championship club rejected an improved £3.5million offer last night.

The Bolton News understands that Gary Megson made a final attempt to coax the Swans into parting with their Dutch playmaker but is now ready to turn his attention to other targets.

Swans chairman Huw Jenkins refused to publicly confirm the bid yesterday but it is understood that he is still holding out for £5m, despite the fact the 27-year-old has not played a competitive game since November after being sidelined with a serious knee injury.

Bodde flew back for talks with manager Paulo Sousa earlier this week, and reports in Wales suggest the club tried to convince him to stay at the Liberty Stadium until January to prove his fitness.

He has since returned to Holland to continue working with his private physio team and is due back in Wales on July 12 for further tests on the injury.

Prior to their latest bid, Wanderers had already been knocked back with an offer of £2.5m, which is thought to have included payments related to appearances.

That kind of structure does not appear to suit Swansea, who owe 50 per cent of the money they receive up front to Bodde’s former club Den Haag.

Wanderers assistant coach Chris Evans warned earlier this week that Megson and chairman Phil Gartside had established “acceptable values” for players on the manager’s target list, and would not dwell on any deal that started to stagnate.

It is now over a fortnight since news surfaced of Wanderers’ interest in the former Dutch Under-23 international, and last night’s setback could now force Megson to look elsewhere.

The Whites boss also hopes to tie up the £750,000 signing of West Brom’s Paul Robinson by early next week after talks between club chairmen Phil Gartside and Jeremy Peace went smoothly over the last couple of days.

Baggies chief Peace has said the club are under no pressure to sell their players following relegation from the Premier League but it is thought new manager Roberto Di Matteo has consented to the sale after the player’s recent comments declaring his wish to remain in the top flight.