In the Championship - Ridsdale and Fowler

Last updated : 23 July 2007 By Tony Scholes
Robbie Fowler - back with Peter Ridsdale
Fowler was released by Liverpool at the end of last season and had a lot of offers to consider. It really does take some believing that he's chosen to go to Cardiff, brought in presumably as a replacement for a former Newcastle striker that has now gone to RK Sunderland.

It's all about the club's ambition according to Fowler but it might just have something to do with the fact that they are paying him a wage way beyond what anyone else at the club is earning, and potentially way beyond what anyone else in the league is earning. It might even be enough for him to invest in some property in South Wales.

Fowler to Cardiff, and it really did look as though he might go to Leicester. They offered him a packet but when they missed out Milan Mandaric claimed to have not been that bothered. I am struggling to come to terms with logic of offering a player a supposed £22,000 per week when you are not bothered about signing him.

Mandaric is keen to sign more players and in the last week they've paid £2.1 million for DJ Campbell from Birmingham. Yes, you have read that correctly, they have paid a staggering £2.1 million for a player with limited experience, certainly at this level. He's signing number twelve and the new owner says he wants four more to make up a team and a subs bench. It isn't difficult to work out what the players who are still there from last season must be thinking.

It hasn't been the busiest of weeks for completing transfers although Ipswich completed the two deals we reported a week ago, goalkeeper Neil Alexander from Cardiff and Tommy Miller who has been released by RK Sunderland. Miller shouldn't have any problem finding Portman Road, it is his third spell with the club.

It's not all good news for Ipswich. They turned down an offer from Hull for Alan Lee but the player has now snubbed a new contract offer that could leave them looking to cash in ahead of his last year. Hull are desperate to bring in a striker. They were expected to sign Christian Nade from Sheffield United but the deal collapsed. They've looked at Andy Cole and are also interested in Cork's Roy O'Donovan.

Darius Henderson - wanted by Preston
If they do pursue O'Donovan they could well have some competition with a number of other clubs interested including Watford. One Watford striker looks to be on the way out after they look to have agreed a fee with Preston for Darius Henderson. North End, currently on the west coast of America are still looking for a replacement for David Nugent.

Sheffield United are keen on Henderson too. Bryan Robson added to his squad this week by completing the transfer of Aston Villa's Lee Hendrie. He can't get rid of Ahmed Fathi so easily though. He's told him to find a new club but the Egyptian who cost £700,000 in January has snubbed a move back to his home country.

Across this city in Owlerton they have just about mopped up from the floods and Hillsborough should be ready for the first game in two weeks time. Life is chaotic at Wednesday right now with news that a proposed takeover has collapsed and current chairman Dave Allen has blamed a supporters group because they didn't want to sell their shares.

On the field, they might be without Wade Small for the start of the season after the player was ludicrously sent off in a friendly in Holland but they could just have Patrick Kluivert in their squad, he's been invited for a trial.

Preston meanwhile are also keen on midfielder David Thompson, but so are Charlton, Norwich, Stoke and West Brom. At Charlton it is has been the departure door that's been busy this week. Dennis Rommedahl completed a £680,000 move to Ajax whilst they have accepted an offer from Middlesbrough for England right back Luke Young although the deal is still to go through.

Black Country rivals West Brom and Wolves have both strengthened their squads. The Baggies splashed out £600,000 for Filipe Teixeira from Academica de Coimbre but Mick McCarthy shopped a little closer to home. He went to his former club RK Sunderland to sign striker Stephen Elliott on a three year deal. It's the second time he's signed him, McCarthy took him to the Stadium of Light from Manchester City three years ago.

Teixeira is now at the Hawthorns but Curtis Davies still wants out. He resigned as captain and has now asked the club to reduce their asking price for him to give him a chance of getting a new club. Albion have placed an incredible £10 million on his head.

Lee Cook - sold to Fulham
Both Norwich and QPR have sold a player and then gone shopping at Chelsea to bring a player in on loan. Norwich sold Dickson Etuhu to RK Sunderland for £1.5 million whilst QPR netted £2.5 million for winger Lee Cook. Last season QPR had both Jimmy Smith and Michael Mancienne on loan from Chelsea. They've got Mancienne back but Smith has for the coming season joined Norwich on loan.

They are League One Leeds now but they still make news in this league. It emerged last week that Rob Kozluk turned them down before moving to Barnsley from Sheffield United. He said he had no problem with League One Leeds, but did have a problem with Dennis Wise. Join the club Rob.

Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins has said that any deal for Jermaine Beckford from the League One club is some way off. He's one of the few players left at Elland Road, who knows this is one striker they might be able to keep.

Elsewhere the Legend claims to be close to signing Benfica defender Jose Fonte, brother of Arsenal youngster Rui and Gregory Vignal could be ready to sign a one year loan deal at Southampton. That'll go down well with him making the short trip from Pompey.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has been linked with Ipswich's Gavin Williams but has said he's not interested. Ian Holloway is playing down his interest in Linfield's Peter Thompson but Bristol City do look set to make an offer for Swansea's Lee Trundle. Bristol City meanwhile have rubbished talk of an imminent takeover.

I bet the fans are getting excited at Colchester ahead of the new season. They've lost what appears to be half of their side and now they are looking at Kevin Lisbie and MTK Hungaria defender Bela Balogh who are both on trial.

Coventry's pre-season game against Juventus is off. It seems as though Claudio Ranieri wasn't so keen and pulled the plug on it much to the annoyance of former Claret Paul Fletcher. At least they've arranged another game for Iain Dowie to take a look at his six trialists.

They'll need them because they only have 36 players. Last heard they were building a new extended dressing room area just to get them all in. This is what Operation Premiership is all about.

This time next week we'll be in Austria, maybe it will be us headlining again in a week's time with new additions to the squad.