Ancona give Allardyce an escape clause over Jardel

Alan Nixon
Monday 19 January 2004 01:00 GMT
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Bolton's Brazilian striker Mario Jardel was in negotiations with Ancona yesterday over a move to Serie A's bottom side in a deal that could save the Lancashire club up to £400,000.

Jardel has been allowed to negotiate a loan move to Ancona that would see the Italian club pay his wages for the remainder of the season, but the former Golden Boot-winner has yet to agree terms, despite Ancona's claims that a deal has been done. The Spanish sides Espanyol and Murcia remain interested should the deal fall through.

The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, needs the money for new signings and hopes to bring in two players. He has pulled out of signing the African defender Kodjo Afanou after one training session because the Togo international, who made his name at Bordeaux, did not measure up to the fitness levels required by Allardyce. Michael Gray is likely to join on loan from Sunderland this week, but Allardyce is still looking for a centre-back.

The French striker Sylvain Wiltord is still in contract talks with Arsenal, but now admits thathe is considering a move in the summer.

"The ideal would be to stay here because it is rare to find such a good set-up," Wiltord said. "But before I was saying 'Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal', now I am saying that maybe there is life after Arsenal.

"Under the new rules I am already free to sign a pre-contract with another club for next season," he added. "There have been calls, but I prefer to finish my contract and then make my choice."

Wiltord also revealed he wanted a four-year deal with Arsenal, but that the club was offering only two.

"My first wish is to stay here," he said. "The talks about extending my deal have not ended. I wanted four more years and they were offering two. I thought we would split the difference and agree three years but nothing has happened. I will speak with the coach about it."

Wiltord has been linked with Paris St-Germain but will not move to the French side during the transfer window because his fellow Arsenal striker, Nwankwo Kanu, is playing in the African Nations Cup with Nigeria. But the Frenchman said: "Everyone knows I would like to play for PSG at some stage in my career."

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