Toon Target West Ham Striker

The Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail are the first of the papers to give credence to the rumour that Newcastle are after Dean Ashton. The Mail claim Ashton is 'out of favour' with Curbishley. Presumably this is 'out of favour' in the same way that Zamora has been 'out of favour', i.e. injured.

The Mirror claim Newcastle are prepared to bid £7 million. Which is shorthand for 'we have made this story up'. Ashton cost West Ham £7.25 million and his stock has risen considerably since then. Additionally West Ham are desperately short of forward options, therefore if Newcastle were about to prepare a bid for Ashton the sums being talked about would be at least double that.

The Mirror's main evidence for this non-story is the claim that 'Mirror Sport understands there has not yet been a bid for Ashton.'

We understand West Ham have not yet made a bid for 'out of favour' Ronaldinho. This probably means we are about to make a £3 million pound bid for the Barca star.