Newcastle future excites Woodgate

The exodus of talent from Leeds United AFC continued today when central defender Jonathan Woodgate joined Newcastle United FC in a €13.75m switch which made him the most expensive acquisition of January's transfer window.

Key signing
Despite carrying a thigh strain, the 23-year-old Woodgate passed a medical at St James' Park before finalising the deal. He joins a club currently sitting second in the Premiership, five points behind leaders Arsenal FC, and Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson believes Woodgate, a native of the north-east, will prove a key signing for the club for years to come.

Young and talented
Robson described Woodgate as "perfect for us". He added: "He is the right age for us, 23, in common with a lot of our really young players. We are trying to build for a long, successful, happy future. He is an England centre-half and that helps - we have a lot of foreign players here but we need a good mix." Woodgate will not be eligible for the UEFA Champions League having played for Leeds in the UEFA Cup.

'The right direction'
Woodgate himself said: "They've got a great young set of talented players and a great manager - and hopefully we'll bring trophies to the club. There are plenty of reasons for me to come here. The players, the manager and 55,000 supporters for each game. Leeds United, the staff and their fans are all I've known since I was 12 years old, but the lure of such a club and the chance of European football is the right direction I want for my career now."

Bravo loan
Woodgate follows Robbie Fowler, Lee Bowyer and Olivier Dacourt out of Elland Road and although Leeds have brought in Real Madrid CF defender Raúl Bravo on loan for the rest of the season, this latest departure has led to angry scenes at the home of the Yorkshire club, as fans seek answers as to the severity of the financial crisis gripping their club.

Ridsdale comments
The chairman of Leeds, Peter Ridsdale, responded by saying:  "We have lost £30m [€46m] over the last two seasons through not being in the [UEFA] Champions League. I have listened to offers we believed were right for the financial stability of the football club."

'A raw situation'
It remains to be seen whether Ridsdale can placate the disaffected Leeds manager, Terry Venables, who said today he would not make a "quick decision" about his own future at Elland Road. "I don't want to inflame the situation that is already raw enough," he told a news conference. "I was assured if Robbie Fowler went, Woodgate wouldn't go."