Jones $$ for W Connection.
T&T Express Reports.[/size]
Should Kenwyne Jones move to either Sunderland or Derby County in the English Premier League, his former club W Connection stand to land a large part of the reported £5 million transfer fee expected to change hands with his current employers Southampton FC.
This was revealed yesterday by Southamption manager George Burley in an interview with the Daily Echo in England.
According to the Echo, the Saints are considering a formal offer for Jones, but Burley won't be handed all the money if the T&T striker is sold. That's because Jones' former Caribbean club stand to benefit from a substantial sign-on clause inserted in the contract when Saints signed him in the summer of 2004.
Burley has also confirmed that Southampton will not see all the money from Jones' move, with W Connection receiving a substantial sum as part of a sell-on clause.
Burley said: "One or two things are on-going at the moment so it's something we're looking at. There are offers for him and we are considering one offer at the moment and we'll see how that progresses. We've got a situation where there is a sell-on from his old club which will be paid to them. If it does get done, we'll be looking to try and reinvest the money that we can."
Southampton paid W Connection around £100,000 for Jones back in May 2004 when Paul Sturrock was in charge and the striker was just 19. But part of the deal was to insert a sell-on clause in case of a situation as now applies when Jones could later be sold for a large fee, expected to be at least £5 million.
Burley confirmed to the Echo that Jones, who handed in a transfer request last Friday and refused to play against Stoke last weekend, could be sold within days.
The manager also revealed the club are considering an offer for the player, with Premiership pair Derby and Sunderland believed to be the front runners for his signature.
Derby, though, are also keen on signing Pompey striker David Nugent. If a deal is to be struck, Burley is keen for the business to be concluded as soon as possible so he can get on with reinvesting the money back into his squad before the transfer window closes at midnight on Friday.
Jones in Sunderland talks.
By: Mark Buckingham (Skysports).
Saints give permission for talks
Roy Keane will hold talks with Kenwyne Jones on Wednesday in an attempt to convince the striker to move to Sunderland. Jones has already been the subject of a failed bid from Derby County and has asked to leave Southampton.
He refused to play in last weekend's Championship game with Stoke City and seems set to move on before the close of the transfer window.
Sunderland have been granted permission to speak to Trinidad & Tobago international Jones, along with Stoke defender Danny Higginbotham.
And, after seeing his side beaten 3-0 at Luton Town in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, Keane is aware of the need to add a physical edge to his team.
Stronger.
"We've been given permission to speak to them, so we'll to try and speak to Danny and Kenwyne today (Wednesday)," the Sunderland boss told the club's official website.
"Forgetting about tonight's performance, we knew that we need strengthening.
"Our team, physically, is not the biggest and we need players in who are stronger and tougher to get through a game, and hopefully these couple of players can do that, and maybe a couple more.
"We need a stronger squad and that showed - it's there for everyone to see and we're under no illusions that it's a massive challenge ahead."
