February 2009 Archives

Juan Carlos Menseguez and Youssouf Mulumbu.

They will be Albion's next two loan signings if all goes to plan.

The former is flying into the UK tonight, with a medical due tomorrow. The 9am pre-match press conference, by complete coincidence (I think not) has been moved to lunchtime. The club obviously don't want us to see something or someone.

Contrary to reports Menseguez will not be signing for £3.5million. It's likely to be a loan deal with a view to a permanent switch in the summer, assuming Albion (and player) want to.

What do we know about him? He currently plays for San Lorenzo. And he joined River Plate when he was FIVE. He's since played for German club Wolfsburg. But we mustn't hold that against him.

He comes to the Hawthorns with a reputation for being a tricky, fast and dynamic right-winger.

Mulumbu? Yes, it should finally happen.

Tony Mowbray isn't a betting man but he said that if he was then he would put money on Mulumbu signing on loan until the end of the campaign. Difference is that it won't necessarily be a permanent deal as he's just agreed a new deal. He'll come on loan until the rest of the season and then the two clubs will meet up for a chat to see where his future lies. Sounds like an excuse for Jeremy Peace and co to spend some more time in Paris. Or perhaps their president Charles Villeneuve fancies a trip to the Midlands for some reason or another.

Both Menseguez and Mulumbu are subject to all the usual paper work and medical checks being signed off.

What about Obodo? Well it's same old, same old. Most of it your know already from my previous reports.

He's still very much on the agenda. The trick is convincing Udinese to part with him before 5pm on Monday. It depends on whether Udinese want to cash in on a player who has spent a long time out through injury (which will reflect his value), loan him out for first-team experience to boost his fitness and confidence (which is where Albion come in) or stick by him, not least as they are in the Uefa Cup knockout stages.

There are other names drifting around. Whether anything will get done on Obodo or any other player between now and tea-time tomorrow remains to be seen.

I'm just glad someone has had the good sense to call time on it at 5pm on Monday night, as opposed to midnight. At least the fax machines have less chance of getting jammed...

*IN the event of bad weather, head to birminghammail.net for any news about Tuesday's game at Burnley. Turf Moor has undersoil heating - but whether it'll be enough remains to be seen...