West Brom may grant Peter Odemwingie a London move after all

Peter Odemwingie’s future looks like it could lie at Selhurst Park as the emergency loan window opens, according to reports in  the Daily Mail.

Championship promotion chasers Crystal Palace are showing interest in West Brom’s forward, after he drove to QPR to try to force a move on deadline day; but these ill fated actions fell through, and subsequent disciplinary measures have been taken.

Palace are looking to loan the striker with the intention of a permanent deal at the end of the season, paying an initial fee, then a further payment if the Eagles are promoted to the Premier League this campaign.

Odemwingie, 31, has been criticised by Baggies chairmen, manager and fans for his actions on deadline day after the move collapsed. He also faced a barrage of abuse on Twitter, but has now accepted West Brom’s punishment and returned to training making him available for first team selection.

The move to South London may come down to whether the Nigerian would drop down a level to the Championship for the remainder of the season, while at the same time West Brom boss Steve Clarke has a difficult decision to make. Moving Odemwingie on, will leave him short of options, but keeping the striker at the Hawthorns may disrupt the dressing room, as the actions of the past couple of weeks hasn’t sat well with some members of the squad.

Another factor will be if Palace can afford his reported £39,000 a week wages, but they will want to spend some of the £15 million they recieved for Wilfried Zaha on a replacement. If they do achieve promotion, Odemwingie would give them valuable experience in their first season back in the Premier League.

The 31 year old has now apologised for the actions which Clarke described as “total lunacy”, and the manager has said he hasn’t played his last game for the Baggies. Now the apology has come, Odemwingie’s West Brom future might be saved, but if he has caused a rift too wide in the Hawthorn’s dressing room he maybe moving to London after all; just not to the club he first thought.

Why Danny Graham is worth all the fuss

Swansea’s Danny Graham is about to take the central role in a bidding war as Queens Park Rangers join the battle to sign him in the January transfer window.

Sunderland, Norwich, Aston Villa and Reading have already showed interest in the 27 year old who has been on the rough end of Miguel Michu’s run of excellent form, starting just 10 league games this season.

According to the Daily Mail Harry Redknapp is considering a £4 million bid for the forward but it is Sunderland who are the favourites to sign the Englishman.

Last season Graham was one of the main men at the Liberty Stadium but has fallen out of favour with the emergence of the Spaniard, but has still managed to bag himself six goals in all competitions.

The striker still has a lot to offer for a mid table side that plays his style of football. He wouldn’t fit into a club that plays a direct game, but with the ball played into his feet, Graham will be effective for the manager.

The Gateshead born player showed how valuable he was to the Swans when his late goal against Arsenal kept them in the FA Cup and there is one thing for sure, the 27 year old knows where the goal is.

The majority of clubs chasing Graham are in trouble at the bottom of the table or trying to stay out of the relegation battle and he could be just the player they need. He will give a 100%, cares about both the team and individual performance, which is what Redknapp  is unsure some players at Loftus Road are committed to. With the lack of goals at QPR, he should match up well with Adel Taarabt  if he did make the move.

His statistics from last season show what Graham can do when he is getting regular football in the Premier League. In 32 league starts he found the back of the net 12 times, which is a smart return for a team in their first season back in the top flight, helping the Swans secure their Premier League status.

It’s not just his goal scoring, he’s confident on the ball, dictating play, and taking a huge role in the play in the final third.

For £4 million, Graham is worth all the attention he is getting at the moment from a number of clubs. With passion, pride and a sense of knowing where the goal is, he is made up of the qualities clubs and managers in the bottom half of the table want, so it’s no surprise there may be a bidding war about to start.

Redknapp determined to shake up QPR

Some managers might have watched the match in the stands at Old Trafford on Sunday and thought of ways to get out of their new job, but Harry Redknapp was planning ways to get his adopted QPR side out of trouble.

Redknapp has taken over at Loftus Road with the side rock bottom, with just four points from 13 games and are currently win less, but the  new gaffer believes can over turn the toughest test of his life.

“We’ve got to do better to give ourselves any chance of getting out of this mess,” he told the Metro.

“I need 11 people with ability to put effort in. If they don’t they’re not going to play and i’ll get 11 people who do. I’ve got no time for people who lose the ball and stand their with the hands in the air,” he continued.

Mark Hughes’ successor is looking to shake things up and with the money he believes is available to from chairmen Tony Fernandez, will be looking to add players to the already expensive squad in January will getting rid of the players not showing the heart to beat the drop.

Five that Redknapp will be looking to join him at Lofus Road are;

David Beckham is one of those players who is on the mind of the new gaffer after he leaves LA Galaxy on 1st December. Beckham has already stated he wants a new challenge and this would certainly be one of those. He has had contact with Redknapp over working together last January and Redknapp confirms they have been in touch this time as well.

“I got a lovely text from David the other night, just wishing me luck here,” he told the Metro. “To have him at any football club would be a great influence on the club, but we’ve not discussed anything.”

Beckham would bring a much needed heart, grit and passion to the club, and Harry would be looking for him to lead from the front with his captain traits and pull them out of the mire. This would only be done on a six month deal, because the former England captain wouldn’t risk being stuck in the Championship next season, if disaster does happen, but there will be a lot offers coming Beckham’s way from England, France, and the rest of the world.

Michael Dawson is a player that Redknapp will be hoping to be runited with at Loftus Park. Dawson has only started one league game at White Hart Lane this season and players like the centre back don’t enjoy sitting on the bench receiving their pay cheque. The England international nearly joined QPR in the summer but turned them down, but with the added attraction of his old manager at the helm, he might be persuaded on a loan deal. It’s a deal that will be a must for QPR if they have a chance of survival, conceding 26 goals so far this season, only Southampton conceding more.

Christophe Berra could also be someone who Redknapp looks to sure up the defence. The Scotsman is out of contract at Molinuex at the end of the season, so who could be lined up for a cheap transfer, but Sky Sports understands that Stoke, Swansea and Wigan are interested in the 27 year old. The only problem with this move is that Berra handed in transfer request to Wolves in the summer and was put on the transfer list, would he be willing to risk dropping back down into the Championship?

With the injures that Redknapp has inherited; Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson both out, the 65 year old will be looking to strengthen his forward line and Darren Bent could be the target. Bent has fallen out of favour at Villa Park after arriving at the club for £24 million, and has hinted he is unhappy at the club. Bent has experience with Redknapp, playing under him at White Hart Lane in Harry’s first season in North London. This would also be on a loan deal if Bent still sees himself as an England player as he would have to stay in the premier league next season to achieve that.

Yoan Gouffran is in a similar position as Berra at his current club Bordeaux, out of contract next summer, and QPR have sent scouts to watch the striker in action. The French club will be looking to sell the player rather than lose him on a free, meaning they might be able to get the 26 year old Frenchman at a discounted rate.