Football Spy: Stunner for Sam as Stu swoops for pounds 1m Stelios.Byline: By Alan Nixon Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce swooped for Bolton's Greek star Stelios Giannakopoulos Stylianos Giannakopoulos (Greek: Στυλιανός Γιαννακόπουλος), popularly known as Stelios in a dramatic pounds 1m raid last night. Pearce agreed a fee and quickly thrashed out terms on a pounds 25,000-a-week contract for the Wanderers star who has been angling to move for weeks. The City chief sees Stelios as an ideal right-sided replacement for Shaun Wright-Phillips Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips (born 25 October 1981 in Greenwich, London) is an English football player of Jamaican and Grenadian descent. He is the adopted son of the famous player Ian Wright, the half-brother of fellow player Bradley Wright-Phillips and brother to the upcoming , turning to him after Fulham's Steed Malbranque Steed Malbranque (born January 6 1980 in Mouscron, Belgium) is a Belgian-born French footballer, currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur. Lyon He was a trainee at Lyon between the years of 1995-97 during which time he won the Under-15 championship twice, the Under-17 Cup refused to move. Stelios had seemed destined for Liverpool, who courted him during the close season but ultimately would not offer him the deal - or the guarantee of first-team football - that he wanted. While Liverpool hesitated, City moved in decisively for the Euro 2004 winner who was a hit in Bolton's run to Europe last season. Pearce has had a tough first summer in management after losing Wright-Phillips to Chelsea. But Stelios's signing will be a solid start to the season. The Greek's departure is a big blow to Bolton who had offered him a huge salary hike. Bolton boss Sam Allardyce could re-invest the cash on Southampton wide-man Fabrice Fernandes. CAPTION(S): CITY BOUND: Stelios is set to leave Bolton |
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