England Under-19 captain Jermaine Jenas has today completed his £5m move to Premiership title challengers Newcastle United. The 18-year-old agreed personal terms with the Tyneside club on Friday after Nottingham Forest accepted the Magpies' offer for the rising young star. The transfer was subject to a medical, the results of which were received this morning, allowing the deal to go through.
Jenas' arrival could not come at a better time for manager Bobby Robson as the club face the prospect of having to do without star player Kieron Dyer who is ruled out for up to eight weeks with a stress fracture of the foot. Jenas' transfer takes Robson's spending spree since the end of last season to £21million after his recruitment of Laurent Robert, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Elliott over the past ten months.
Robson says it will be his replacement as Newcastle manager that will see the best of Jenas. “I bought this kid for the next manager. I see him as part of this club in the extreme long-term. He’s got good legs, he’s got energy and he’s got youth on his side. He’s not the finished article but I have a wonderful feel about him,” said Robson.
“I don’t spend that kind of money unless I’ve seen the play and I have had him watched by a lot of people. I’m confident we will make him a first-class player in the long term at Newcastle so we’ve bought a real steal,” he added.
Jenas himself sees the move as a dream come true, and is looking forward to making his mark: “Newcastle are second in the table, winning games and hopefully I’ll be able to be part of them winning championships and medals. You hope to play with one of the top teams in the Premiership. It’s a dream coming to a club as big as Newcastle – it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to starting. It’s hard to believe, I’m here now and looking forward to starting performing.”
Filed by Amanda Fennelly & Tom Grealis
