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Latics set price tag for O’Grady
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date online: 07 January 2010
ATHLETIC have named their price for striker Chris O’Grady — now it is up to Rochdale to match it.
The long-running saga over the striker’s future is set to reach a conclusion late next week. O’Grady, who has enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell at the Coca-Cola League Two side, is down to return to Boundary Park after the Spotland outfit’s home game against Port Vale on Saturday, January 16.
Rochdale manager Keith Hill has made no secret of the fact that he is desperate to keep hold of a player who has scored 12 goals in 21 games, striking up a very useful partnership with Chris Dagnall in the process.
But an extension to the current loan is out of the question as far as Athletic are concerned and though negotiations have taken place with Rochdale officials over a permanent move for O’Grady, no deal has yet been struck.
Athletic are not revealing the figure they are looking for but it is likely to approach six figures, particularly given the rumoured competition for his signature from Championship sides Scunthorpe, Derby and Peterborough.
That sum could be a stretch for Rochdale, who may need to sell before funding the purchase of a player who was deemed surplus to Athletic manager Dave Penney’s requirements earlier this season.
O’Grady, who joined Athletic from Rotherham in May 2008 for a fee of around £30,000, has not registered a goal for the club in that time and spent last season on loan at Bury, Bradford and Stockport.
With Pawel Abbott not yet at full fitness following his return from hernia surgery, Penney is likely to be on the lookout for striking reinforcements following Paul Heffernan’s return to Doncaster after a loan spell at Boundary Park.
But a rumoured move for Blackpool striker Daniel Nardiello is unlikely to come off at this stage, with the striker set to feature for the Championship side this weekend.
The 27-year-old former Manchester United trainee was sent on loan to Bury earlier this season to build up his fitness and impressed for the League Two side, scoring four times in six games.
Comments
Latics dont sell players they give them away.
some spare studs and a couple of floodlight bulbs
For a club losing £50k / month - I dont think we can really afford to be too choosy, plus from the limited chances he has been given - he didnt look that great.. So if he cuts it at league 2 level - then let him stay at Dale. If championships sides are after him then its a bargaining point, but if he isnt good enough for us then championship level would be slightly ambituous.
Doom gloom and more doom. O'Grady has done well and was never given a chance, ond in my opinion ruined by Sheridan. If the lad comes back the "clowns" will be on his back, so the best thing to do is let him go. Good luck Chris
We have to give Rochdale £125k to take him off our books . . . bite their hands off!
"Athletic are not revealing the figure"
No, they never do.
Seems to me that we should retain O'Grady and sign Dagnall.
Then get shut of the crocks.
if the fee is right, let the lad go! feel sorry for him- never had a decent run in the latics team. and like usual, when he was with the club, the boo-boys were on is back.
how apt, another undisclosed fee. O'grady is div 1 standard pity the rest of OAFC and management are not! except the odd players who do not really want to be here....not naming any names!
Seems to me that we should retain O'Grady and sign Dagnall.
Then get shut of the crocks.
Heard from a reliable dale fan that the deal is worth 95,000 which has already been done. Good luck to O'Grady as he has never been given a proper chance at Latics as he's always put out on loan. Maybe he will haunt us next season if we are still in League 1.
'rumoured competition for his signature from Championship sides Scunthorpe, Derby and Peterborough'
Great reporting, just stick in some message board rumours with absolutely no substance, as per the Taylor article earlier in the week. Leeds 'seem set to bid' for him - says who?
Lazy lazy lazy Chron. I suppose if you regurgitate every rumour you hear eventually one will prove to be right.
'I think that anything more than Latics paid is a profit'.
How did you work that one out!!!!!
Have Your Say
£125,000
By oafc-fan @ 07/01/2010 12:12:06