Update On The 'Thorn In Our Side'

Last updated : 09 July 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

The 2002 World Cup winner flew into England to hold talks with Hull chairman Paul Duffen and manager Phil Brown last week, and terms were agreed in principle on a one-year deal to make Juninho the club's highest-paid player.

But Duffen has now pulled the plug on the move and hinted Juninho's arrival could have disrupted the harmony within Brown's squad.

That has provoked an furious response from Juninho's agent, Jonathan Hassall, who feels Duffen may have courted the Brazilian's services in order to publicise a club which he bought last month from Adam Pearson.

Hassall said: "We just feel that he's a new guy who has come into football and used Juninho to publicise Hull but then backtracked on what he's said.

"He wanted a World Cup star and the publicity it has created has got Hull on radio, television and in the newspapers.

"The interest he's created has been frightening but I fear he has just been used as a marketing tool.

"We are dealing with a player who's played 50 times for the best footballing nation in the world.

"But I spoke to Phil Brown last night and he said that his chairman (Duffen) has gone on radio saying that the deal was off - although he's not had the decency to get in touch with me.

"Looking at it, it looks like he just kept us dangling, milked the publicity and then pulled the plug."

"Juninho agreed to a one-year deal and he was prepared to uproot his family from Brazil to come Hull."

'Thorn In Newcastle's Side' Set For Amazing Return

By Nu Mad Saturday 7th July 2007

I'm sure Kevin Keegan would agree that former Middlesbrough star Juninho was indeed a "thorn in his side" everytime the little Brazilian played against the Toon.

Juninho is today set to make a decision over whether to join Coca-Cola Championship club Hull City!

The Tigers have offered the 34-year-old World Cup winner a contract and he has spent the past few days back in Brazil mulling over the proposal.

Initial talks between the two parties last week were described as "very positive" by the player's agent but further issues still have to be overcome.

Jonathan Hassall, the player's agent: "There are a couple of minor points that we're still talking to Hull about, but they're nothing to do with money. We're
hoping for a final conclusion either way by the end of the day."

The former Brazil midfielder made more than 100 appearances for Middlesbrough in three separate spells with the club, and was part of the national squad which won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

He last appeared in British football during an unsuccessful season with Celtic in 2004-05, during which he made just nine league starts and is currently a free agent following his departure from Brazilian side Flamengo in May.