Busy week for one club

Last updated : 09 June 2002 By Tony Scholes

Arjan De Zeeuw
Harry Redknapp who picked the players for Graham Rix is now changing the squad since taking over and he announced the signing of four new player on Thursday of this week, three permanent signings and one player on a year's loan.

Only one transfer fee was paid out initially and that was £100,000 to Bournemouth for 22 year-old midfielder Richard Hughes. The Scottish born player started his career with Arsenal but since moving to Dean Court has played over 130 league games for Bournemouth.

He is joined at Fratton Park by two second division players on Bosman signings, two players who their previous clubs were keen to retain. They are Matthew Taylor a 20 year-old defender from Luton who has played just under 130 league games for his only club and Wigan Athletic midfielder Arjan De Zeeuw.

Dutchman De Zeeuw was at Barnsley for four years, a £250,000 from Telstar but moved to Wigan three years ago. He was a member of the side that chased and failed to win promotion in successive season. At 32 he has now moved back into the First Division. There will be no fee for De Zeeuw but with Taylor under the age of 24 a fee will be set by a tribunal.

Finally they have signed Cameroon striker Vincent Pericard on a season's loan from Italian Seria A giants Juventus. Pericard has played just one first team game for Juventus, as a substitute against Arsenal in a Champions League game earlier this year in Turin. Pompey tried but failed to secure a permanent move for the 19 year-old. He is very much part of the long term plans at Juventus.

The remaining 23 clubs in the division made no signings at all this week although new Coventry boss Gary McAllister agreed to sign Middlesbrough's Dean Gordon although the transfer will not go through until next month.