Bolton ‘preparing offer’ for Newcastle and Birmingham target, but Zola has the edge

 

Tuttosport continue pushing the future of Cheick Keita towards English football. First it was Newcastle United, with the Italian newspaper insisting Rafael Benitez’s side are keen on a deal.

Keita is a 20 year old fullback currently playing for Virtus Entella, a mid table Serie B club from the Genoa area who average just over 2000 fans a game.

It’s hard to believe Benitez gets his Newcastle scouts to watch Serie B games routinely, so it would be assumed someone is trying to generate English interest. That assumption is helped with Tuttosport also reporting Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers are keen on the player.

There would appear to be a somewhat random marketing campaign going on, with Keita linked to both Championship high-flying Newcastle United, and League One side Bolton. It’s even claimed by Tuttosport that Phil Parkinson’s Bolton are ‘preparing an offer’ for the player, but it’s not they, or Newcastle, who are the favourites.

Birmingham City are said to hold the advantage over Bolton and Newcastle, and we’d assume that’s entirely based upon them being managed by Gianfranco Zola.

Keita, born in Paris, has previously been linked with moves to France, and someone has been putting a real effort into trying to drum up interest.