Goodwillie Blackburn bound for £2.8m

Rovers Return pays off! £2.8m Goodwillie Blackburn-bound as United cash in
By Peter Jardine

Last updated at 12:01 AM on 30th July 2011


David Goodwillie is
poised to complete a move to Blackburn Rovers in a deal
worth up to £2.8million.
The Tannadice side have been holding out over their star asset
but, after Blackburn had a bid of £1.8m rejected earlier,
boss Steve Kean returned to match
United’s asking price.
The deal is a remarkable piece of
business for United chairman Stephen Thompson.

Sportsmail
understands the club will receive £2m up front, with the possibility of another £800,000 in add-ons.

They have also negotiated a sell-on clause should Blackburn trade the striker in future.

Thompson, who has held firm to secure the price he wanted, was putting the finishing touches to the deal, which is expected to be completed soon.
Goodwillie will now be allowed to hold talks with the Ewood Park side and is likely to travel to Lancashire this morning to hold discussions with the club and undergo a medical.

The 22-year-old Scotland international’s preference has always been to head to England rather than sign for Rangers, who have had two offers rejected over the past week.

Trumped: Rangers boss McCoist has been beaten to Goodwillie's signature
Rangers boss Ally McCoist made the Stirling-born forward his top summer signing target, but the club refused to match United’s demands. Wigan, Blackpool and Cardiff were also keen to sign Goodwillie.
While frustrated to have lost his star asset, manager Houston was realistic enough to know that Goodwillie would move on.

He will be relieved that his advice to avoid the Old Firm cauldron and head south has been heeded by a player who has not had his problems to seek off the park.
Yet his departure will be felt in the Tannadice dressing room and strike partner Johnny Russell admits United feel they have a point to prove after watching so many top stars leave at the end of last season.

Russell is at the forefront of United’s new generation, which has been boosted by the arrivals of Willo Flood, John Rankin and Gary Mackay-Steven, and he revealed this current crop of players are determined to prove the doubters wrong.

New recruits: Flood (left) and Rankin have both joined United
‘With the players we lost in the summer, people are thinking we won’t be as good this season,’ said Russell. ‘But that just gives us a point to prove to everyone.

‘Losing the likes of Craig Conway, Morgaro Gomis, David Robertson and Prince Buaben obviously took a bit out of the squad.

'But the manager has brought in quality players and we have plenty of guys ready to step up.

‘Everyone has tipped Hearts to finish third but, on our day, we’re as good as them. We’ll be trying to prove that at Tynecastle on Sunday.’
Russell has been called up to the Scotland Under-21 squad to face Norway next month and revealed that his mother Patricia broke the good news to him after reading it on the internet.

‘I found out from my mum the other day; she had been on a website and saw it, so it was a nice surprise when she phoned up.

‘It’s always an honour to be picked for Scotland and it has given me a nice boost at the start of the season.’


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He could end up being the real deal but if we got a loose £2.8m then I would use it to fund Bellamys return, just my opinion but we need Bellamy to get us out of this division.

i think hel be another Kris Boyd

Ive forgotten him already

good business for dundee fair play IF it comes off

Could of had him for £2m - we will regret this one

Missing out on Goodwillie is gonna be MM's first big mistake.

Goodwillie is much better than Boyd.

People forget that Boyd found his feet at Forest and kept Earnshaw out of the Forest team.

Goodwillie will be another Steven Fletcher - Good enough to hold his own in the Prem.

I said on the official cmb that in the years that in the 50 years I have been watch in g the city, we made a mistake in selling Toshack when we going for promotion to the old 1st division, we gave Ramsey away, and now we have dropped a bollock in not signing Goodwillie.

There seems to be a hold up with the deal according to Sky

I don't see this as a mistake.

It's all down to risk assessment.

I know our finances are better than they were, but we're still recovering. If we were to blow £2m on Goodwillie, and something actually came of one of his court cases, then not only would we have egg on our faces, we would have also wasted a lot of money that could have gone on another quality player.

Obviously with the information we have now, it seems like a mistake, but from a business point of view, it wasn't a risk worth taking.