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Taylor unimpressed by Alpay rumours

John Curtis
Thursday 01 August 2002 00:00 BST
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The Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor has hinted that Leeds United will have to come up with more than £6m if they want to try to sign the Turkish central defender Alpay Ozalan.

Taylor is mystified by reports linking Leeds' manager Terry Venables with a move for Alpay as a replacement for Rio Ferdinand, who has moved to Manchester United for £30m.

He has made it clear that the suggested estimation of 27-year-old Alpay's worth falls far short of his valuation of a player who shone for his country at the World Cup finals.

Alpay was named in the Fifa team of the tournament after helping Turkey reach the semi-finals. Taylor said: "It's news to me. There has been no contact with Leeds. They have just sold a player who was not in the World Cup Select XI for £30m and are now being linked with a player who was in that XI at a fraction of the price. The figures don't add up."

There has been constant summer speculation linking Alpay with a move away from Villa Park and he was quoted in the Turkish media as questioning his club's ambition.

But then in a Turkish television interview he claimed Taylor had spoken to him about becoming the new Villa captain in succession to Paul Merson, an idea that Merson himself endorsed at the weekend, should it help keep Alpay at the club.

Alpay only reported back for training on Monday after his summer exertions. He was not included in Villa's squad for last night's Intertoto Cup semi-final round tie with Lille in France.

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