Big transfer Day apparently
Bullard becomes Hull's record signing Bullard is heading for Hull, confirms Hodgson
30-year-old has already passed medical
'I thank Jimmy for the year of work'
guardian.co.uk, Friday 23 January 2009 14.11 GMT
Jimmy Bullard has moved to Hull for £5m. Photograph: Joe Giddens/EMPICS Sport/PA Photos
Fulham's manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed that Jimmy Bullard has joind Hull after agreeing personal terms. The midfielder, who underwent a medical today , is moving for a fee believed to be £5m.
The 30-year-old opted for the move once negotiations over a new contract at Fulham broke down due to his wage demands and the length of the deal.
"It's disappointing to lose Jimmy," Hodgson said. "We said all along that we'd like to keep all of our players but the possibility of Jimmy leaving has been there all the time. He's been seeking the type of contract we couldn't give him.
"I congratulate Hull and Jimmy on getting the contract he wanted. There's still some paperwork to be completed. But my understanding is Jimmy has agreed a contract which just needs finalising.
"It wasn't just wage demands prompting Jimmy to go, but the length of contract too. He's 31 this year and we didn't feel able to provide him with the contract he wanted. The transfer fee that has been negotiated is suitable for a player of his age. I thank Jimmy for the year of work he did under me."
Aston Villa agree £3.5m fee with Wigan for HeskeyStriker set to be reunited with Martin O'Neill
'I have kept an eye on Emile's career'Mark Tallentire
guardian.co.uk, Friday 23 January 2009 14.14 GMT
Emile Heskey could make his debut against Doncaster in the FA Cup. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar
Aston Villa have confirmed they have agreed a £3.5m fee with Wigan Athletic for Emile Heskey, who is due to arrive at the Midlands club's training ground today to discuss personal terms. They envisage no problems subject to the 31-year-old forward passing a medical.
The deal would mean Heskey once again linking up with Martin O'Neill, under whom he made his name at Leicester City. Villa's manager has always been grateful to Heskey, out of contract at Wigan this summer, for signing a new deal shortly before moving to Liverpool in March 2000.
"It would be very difficult not to support someone who was brilliant for you," O'Neill said. "He was a young kid at Leicester and was fantastic. We were desperately disappointed when he moved but he said he wanted to go and play with Michael Owen at Liverpool, but he did his part for Leicester.
"He signed a new contract and we eventually got £11m for him when he could easily have gone and played abroad for a year, because of his age and the rules at that time, and we wouldn't have got any money. He played fairly by Leicester."
On the down side for O'Neill, Villa's key defender Martin Laursen will be out of action for two months after undergoing surgery in his right knee, not the left one which has given him problems previously. His absence means Zat Knight and Carlos Cuéllar will be battling for a place in the back four alongside Curtis Davies.