One does not expect to find the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in a team that is relegated to the Championship; one certainly does not expect to find him still at the same club at the start of the following season. Is Scott Parker out of sight and out of mind in the second tier.
A model professional and very much a part of Fabio Capello’s plans, a richly deserved move to an elite Premier League side appears as elusive as ever, with rumours and speculation dissipating in recent weeks. The postponement of England’s friendly with Holland couldn’t have come at a worse time for Parker, denied the chance to provide a gentle reminder of his abilities on the international stage. There is a good chance that interest will be reignited during the frenzy of transfer activity in the days leading up to the closure of the transfer window, because there are certainly plenty of sides with a vacancy for a combative central midfielder.
Arsenal leap off the page; with Cesc Fabregas finally removed from the equation and Samir Nasri likely to follow, midfield recruitment is sure to be Arsene Wenger’s priority in the coming weeks. Arsenal have been lacking a tenacious central midfielder since the days of Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira and a player like Parker alongside Fabregas and Nasri would surely have enhanced their chances of silverware in recent years. Parker has been assigned the role of Jack Wilshere’s bodyguard for England and impressed in the win over Wales, the same vacancy would appear to exist at Arsenal, where his experience would be an added bonus.
Harry Redknapp has expressed an interest, as you would expect, shedding light on the negatives involved in securing Parker’s services in the process. “If you take into account the fee of around £8m, signing on fees and wages you’re talking about a £30m deal. There is no way the club would sanction a deal for a 30-year-old who would have no resale value at the end of his contract.” It is a valid point and a sizeable stumbling block, but Redknapp is likely to move on Wilson Palacios and will appreciate that he is shopping for a specialist position with a lack of suitable candidates, do not rule out revived interest in the near future.
Aston Villa were believed to be preparing a £7m bid at one point and Chelsea have been linked with a loan move. Manchester United would certainly benefit more bite in midfield and security in front of their back four, despite a relative stroll to the league title, Barcelona exploited their deficiencies in this area and Paul Scholes has also departed since then.
West Ham will need all the help they can get if they are to secure a rapid return to the Premier League, although it is unlikely that they would begrudge their perennial Hammer of the Year a move should it materialise. Having plied his trade for the majority of his career amongst the likes of Charlton, Newcastle and West Ham, Scott Parker will be keen to return to the upper echelons of the Premier League as soon as possible, especially with the European Championships fast approaching.
