Summer Transfer Window Thread 2016

[Lineker]

The former England international Joe Cole said he is looking forward to a new challenge after signing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The 34-year-old, who joined Coventry on a free transfer from Aston Villa in January, will join the club in the North American Soccer League – a level below Major League Soccer (MLS) – when his contract expires in the summer.

[Lineker]

Mikel Arteta will be released by Arsenal at the end of the season.

[Moses Julep]

Apparently Hatem Ben Arfa is going to Barcelona? 

[stokeriño]

...To be a match steward?

[Gazz]

On 05/05/2016 at 11:20, Lineker said:

PL releases have begun. Obertan and Marveaux are gone from Newcastle.

and not a thing of value was lost.

Rafa's handed out the first new contract of his reign... to Paul Dummet. :/

[Benji]

4 hours ago, Lineker said:

The former England international Joe Cole said he is looking forward to a new challenge after signing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The 34-year-old, who joined Coventry on a free transfer from Aston Villa in January, will join the club in the North American Soccer League – a level below Major League Soccer (MLS) – when his contract expires in the summer.

Eh? How does that work? MLS doesn't have relegation does it?

[Hobo]

17 minutes ago, Benji said:

Eh? How does that work? MLS doesn't have relegation does it?

No relegation. Same as in other US sports. NASL is the highest level of the minor leagues

[Gazz]

No, but there are three levels to the US soccer 'pyramid'. NASL is more like a feeder league to the MLS. They can be 'promoted' as expansion teams though when the opportunity arises. That's the plan with the NY Cosmos and David Beckham's Miami team that's in the works I believe

[Hobo]

Miami would probably be like NYFC, for example, who just started up in the MLS. While you can get teams (Vancouver, Portland or Orlando for example) who previously had teams in lower divisions getting "promoted".

 

 

[Gazz]

The line up of managers in the NASL is amazing. Alessandro Nesta, Paul Dalglish and Leyton Orient legend Adrian Whitbread managing in Puerto Rico.

[Benji]

That seems so stupid, American leagues are daft.

[MDK]

18 minutes ago, Gazz said:

The line up of managers in the NASL is amazing. Alessandro Nesta, Paul Dalglish and Leyton Orient legend Adrian Whitbread managing in Puerto Rico.

Bloody hell, is that what he's up to? I reckon Sitts could do well in America.

 

17 minutes ago, Benji said:

That seems so stupid, American leagues are daft.

Yeah, I hate the idea that instead of getting punished for being last and getting relegated, you get rewarded with the first pick in the draft. I guess it keeps it even but whats the point? Blah. So instead of getting promoted into the top flight you can just buy your way in. Kinda like Bournemouth last season >_>

[Nerf]

Jordan Rossiter is off to Rangers

[Rafael]

Yeah, Ben Arfa's pretty much on the move to Barca. His representatives are in advanced conversations with the club.

[Arjen Robben]

Just seeing teams that have Kaka and Seb Hines in the same starting lineup is enough for me to love the MLS.

And yet never watch it.

[Lineker]

Virgil van Dijk has signed a new six-year deal at Southampton.

[Baddar]

The £25m bid West Ham are meant to be putting in for an English based player is said to be for Christian Benteke.

[Twist]

Liverpool should bite their hand off at that offer.

[DavidMarrio]

I'd be made up with 25 mil for him but I wouldn't want it to be another prem team. 

West ham will utilise him better than we have. He doesn't suit Jurgen's tactics especially when we have Origi, Sturridge and Ings. 

[Lineker]

Leicester City are interested in signing the Sporting forward Islam Slimani as the Premier League champions begin their preparations for the next campaign. Claudio Ranieri’s side has relied heavily on Jamie Vardy’s goals this season – the striker has scored more than a third of the team’s league total – and the club is looking to bring in two strikers for the new campaign.

Slimani, an Algeria international who was linked with a move to Leicester last summer, has had a tremendous season with Sporting, scoring 26 goals in 32 league games and his hard-working playing style and low-key personality would fit in well at Leicester.

The 27-year-old said recently that he was happy to stay at the club but Sporting could listen to offers in the region of £25m. Slimani, who has been at the club since 2013, has a contract until the summer of 2020. Leicester have not made an official bid for the striker yet.

The Premier League champions, meanwhile, have also watched the Pescara striker Gianluca Lapadula on several occasions this season. The 26-year-old has led Pescara’s promotion push from Serie B this season, scoring 24 goals in 38 games, but Leicester face competition from Juventus for the striker.