Newcastle fine Hamann for Arsenal claims

Newcastle United have fined German midfielder Dietmar Hamann £30,000 after comments last week about a possible transfer to Arsenal.

Hamann claimed he wanted to leave United and play for Arsenal after the London club made a £7 million bid to sign him. He claimed that any bid over £6 million would allow him to leave under the terms of the four year contract he signed with Newcastle last summer after a move from Bayern Munich for £5 million.

Newcastle have said Hamann signed a contract to play for them and cannot complain about other clauses in his deal if the club do not want to sell him.