The Inevitable Summer Transfer Market Topic

[Guest Ringmaster]

Villa will replace Huntelaar it seems.

Real is suddenly removing all the Dutch players basically which is just absolutely ludicrous:

30 or so million for Sneijder

30 for Robben

20/25 or so for Huntelaar

15 for Van der Vaart

14 for Royston Drenthe (which was a stupid move anyway)

=======================================

So that's around 110 million euro, just gone after 1 season.

Matt, that means they're changing their tactic.

All these turned out shit though .

Okay, a little harsh but not far off. Snejder was really quite good, in fact I'd go so far to say that if he wasn't dead most of the season Madrid maaaay have gotten somewhere. Robben is pretty much a cripple though yes, the potential is still there (in fact anyone remember the early years at Chelsea when he was a monster? Memories!). They can't rely on him. VDV has been particularly dreadful, there's a reason he was linked to another club only WEEKS after joining Real Madrid. Huntelaar is good back up but nowhere near as good as made otu to be and lol, Drenthe. Terrible waste of money, the whole lot.

Robben had his little set-backs at the start of this season but found some kind of wonder doctor and ever since he has played a lot of games for his standard. He's a phenom, he gets past players easier than Ronaldo. Did you see him against Scotland couple of months ago? Insane. VDV played really well at the start but then got injured and Sneijder played on his position for a while even though they don't even play in the same position VDV played the last couple of matches for Real from the start though and did pretty well. He played Holland's last two matches from the start and did amazing, he really has class. Huntelaar doesn't really fit Real, I always thought he would go to an English club like RVN did. However, he still scored like 6 goals in 5 games when he got a starting spot. Drenthe is indeed shit; when he got bought he hadn't even played a full season yet at the highest level, goes to show how shit Real's scouting is.

Drenthe was an insanely strange buy, an above-average u21 tournament and they paid that much, ridiculous. Great on FM though

VDV, while he did play above-averagely in the last games but really, Madrid had nothing to play for and they lost most those games. Seems to me like a player who can't do well at a huge club and would do well at, say, Arsenal. In fact, he'd be a great buy for them.

And I love Robben (minus the diving bastardization), but, he manages, tops, about 25 games a season and that's not something that a team like Madrid can rely on if they expect to make it to the QC of the CL . At 8 mil, though, I can see dozens of teams fight it off for him.

Also, add me to the Valencia doubters. He's a good player who hasn't done shit since January, then again Wigan did lose their driving force then. But, yeah, he'd be good at Villa, Everton, Spurs, one of those teams, certainly not a top four club and certainly not at anything over 8 million.

Edited June 12, 2009 by Ringmaster

[Lord Nibbler]

Glen Johnson is off, presumably back to Chelsea/Liverpool, and it looks like Albiol is the new Real Madrid CB.

Edited June 13, 2009 by Lord Nibbler

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Ugh Sunderland want Robbie Keane for £15mil....Are we likely to let him go? I hope not cos he was pretty decent on his return. In fact after he was made captain we really solidified as a team.

Bent's probably going there anyway for £10mil and I'd rather have Keane than trying to get an injured 32 year old Van Nistelrooy.

Keane and Defoe can work, especially when our midfield and wings set up is geared around fast breaks, overlapping and low balls into the box. We don't need a big target man, just a small fox like Defoe. Especially as Keane/Defoe/Modric is beautiful.

[stokeriño]

I don't get why Chelsea are being linked with Johnson. Unless Bosingwa and/or Ivanovic leave we're completely fine for right-backs.

[IAceI]

Robbie Keane won't move to Sunderland, I can't see him wanting to come up north to play for us.

Bent perhaps but Keane, not as likely.

[alldaws1]

Yeah I doubt the Sunderland story has much truth behind it and if it does I still doubt both Spurs selling him again and him wanting to go to be honest. Selling Bent I wouldn't be surprised by but those rumours were before Bruce took over so I'm not sure whether they're still looking into him.

Ideally I'd like to keep all four of our strikers, we can't keep chopping and changing every season. I don't see Keane or Defoe leaving again and if we can only keep one of the other two I'd rather it be Pavlyuchenko. I think Van Nistelrooy would be a good fit as well and it would be an absolute bargain if we can get him for the money being talked about.

Also, WBA have agreed a £2m compensation package with Celtic for Tony Mowbray. Hopefully it doesn't spark a player exodus (beyond the likes of Brunt leaving which seem inevitable) otherwise I think they could have real trouble getting back up straight away.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

They're playing up the Quinn Irish connection. Blah.

[Matt]

Keano won't leave, he's learnt his lesson. Not fussed about Bent, but I hope Pav stays with you next season, he could be a real asset if he hits good form and an attacking line of Keane, Defoe, Modric, Lennon and Pavlyuchenko is borderline world class.

Now, get a replacement for Ledley King and a decent left back and we could see Spurs push on this year.

[alldaws1]

No, no 'replacement' for Ledley. Someone to play when he's not fit, yes. When he plays he's usually fantastic so he's always going to be first choice with Woodgate if fit. We do have too many injury prone centre backs though. King obviously, Woodgate has had injury problems in the past although he did pretty well to avoid them this past season and even Michael Dawson has had his fair share of injuries while he's been with us. With Rocha gone (like he would play anyway), it leaves us thin at CB and I'd much prefer bringing in a proper CB rather than having to slot Corluka, Chimbonda or Zokora in the middle all the time.

I think we only need a LB if we can get a really good one. Assou-Ekotto had a fairly good season and I wouldn't be totally against starting him again. If we can get a great LB though, we could shift Bale into a LM role because he's much better on the left of midfield than in defence.

[Zaz]

Spurs have got plenty of cover at centre back. King and Woodgate would be our starting pair, Dawson is excellent as well and Corluka is just as good there as he is on the right, where we've also got plenty of cover (Hutton, Gunter, Smith). Then we have Dervite and people like Zokora and Huddlestone who can do a decent job there. It'll actually be pretty hard to fit King, Woodgate, Dawson, Corluka and Hutton all into the one team, all are good enough to be starting every game.

[Matt]

No, Spurs need a top quality centre back. In the heart of any defence you need consistency - it's vital, Ledley King, as good as he is, cannot offer you that. King will be best served as back up for if one of Woodgate and a new CB get injured. LB is more personal opinion I guess, I don't think Assou-Ekotto will be good enough for you if you want to challenge for a top 6 place.

Edit: That's not to say King and Woody aren't top quality CBs by the way, they are, but you need another is what I should've said.

Edited June 14, 2009 by --Matt--

[Colossus]

Aly Cissokho, Left Back from FC Porto, has just been signed by AC Milan. Quite a jump. Last season, he was on the 2nd French Division

[MGW]

Portsmouth have accepted a bid for Glen Johnson, aparently between 15 and 18 million

Link

Probably from Chelsea, but hopefully it's us. And with Pompey oweing us £7 million from the Crouch deal, that would mean we're paying at most £11 million.

I also read somewhere else we're linked with a 5 million move for Micah Richards. I'd be happy with either to be honest

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I hope we use Corluka as first choice right back again this next season. For me he's better than Hutton and even though he's pretty slow his interplay with Lennon at times is top notch.

I actually wouldn't have a problem if our starting eleven didn't change over the summer with:

Gomes, Corluka, BAE, Woodgate, King, Palacios, Lennon, Jenas/Modric, Modric/O'Hara, Keane, Defoe.

With a bench of Cudicini, Dawson, Hutton, Huddlestone/Zokora, Bale, Pav....

That's a top quality team there and they showed it. We'd have finished borderline fourth/fifth this season just going on the form after Redknapp took over.

Edited June 14, 2009 by SexyHamster

[Zaz]

No, Spurs need a top quality centre back. In the heart of any defence you need consistency - it's vital, Ledley King, as good as he is, cannot offer you that. King will be best served as back up for if one of Woodgate and a new CB get injured. LB is more personal opinion I guess, I don't think Assou-Ekotto will be good enough for you if you want to challenge for a top 6 place.

Edit: That's not to say King and Woody aren't top quality CBs by the way, they are, but you need another is what I should've said.

Dawson is also top quality! Future captain

[therockbox]

There won't be a more ridiculous transfer story this summer.

I'm loving the press at the moment, they seem to be trying to link everyone with everyone knowing that something will stick.

[therockbox]

Mind you, 10 minutes later I see this:

MICHAEL OWEN has sent a glossy 34- page brochure about HIMSELF to eight Premier League clubs in a desperate attempt to find a new team for next season.

It is believed to be the first time in Premier League history that a player has produced his own prospectus to prompt a transfer.

The one-time golden boy of English football and former European Footballer of the Year has been reduced to hawking himself around after suffering the ignominy of relegation with Newcastle.

The brochure - circulated by Owen's management company Wasserman Media Group - has been sent to eight top-flight clubs, including Aston Villa, Everton, Portsmouth and West Ham.

In it, WMG boast about the benefits of signing the ex-England striker, his clean-cut image, commercial value and goalscoring prowess and include a medical report.

The brochure rivals any produced by top-end estate agents to advertise multi-million mansions.

Just imagine, folks - For Sale: A magnificent, luxury two-legged footballer, set on a picturesque plot in the North East of England.

Backs on to racecourse (at every opportunity). High maintenance, but must be seen to be appreciated. £80,000 per week, or nearest offer, subject to contract.

But WMG have dropped a brick in trying to allay fears about the 29-year-old's injury-prone record.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/3595...ut-HIMSELF.html

Karma, Michael

[Scott McFly]

Why would his management put a picture of him being treated and presumably missing a goal on the front when that's the image you're trying to avoid

I hope he can stay healthy and find a club though, he's still a great player when on form.

[therockbox]

The 'cover' is fake but I'd put money on the story being real. It's a World Cup year so that's when Mickey usually starts scurrying around trying to secure an England place. Thankfully we've now got a manager who isn't completely starstruck.

[TCO]

I wonder if he put his £100,000 wage demands in small print at the end. I detest Micahel Owen. He did nothing but bad for us at Newcastle with his constant injuries and ludicrous wages. The fact that he always put England first pissed me off too. He's finished, he can no longer hack it in the Premier League. If he wanted to stay and play in the Championship, I honestly wouldn't take him.

Look who's earning less than him on this list. Torres FFS!

http://www.futebolfinance.com/en/os-50-mai...tebol-20082009/