The Inevitable Summer Transfer Market Topic

[METALMAN]

I am laughing almost as much at Frederic Kanouté being in 17th place.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Torres to Man Utd? That'd be beautiful! It's been reported in a few other places too.

I think he'd fit in really well for Man Utd alongside Rooney.

[Hobo]

Yeah... If Man Yoo wouldn't sell us Heinze I don't somehow think we'd sell them Torres unless they want to blow all that 80million plus Wayne Rooney or something.

I'll eat my hat if that happens.

Also an official Liverpool statement:

"Despite repeated media speculation on the futures of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, Liverpool has received no official approach or offer from any club regarding the players.

"Neither is for sale and furthermore Liverpool has no interest in the long list of Spanish based players being linked with a move to Anfield as part of any deal."

Edited June 14, 2009 by Lord Hobington

[Crybaby Bunting]

The way that statement is worded looks like Liverpool will be focussing on English based talent in the coming years, so it's pretty likely Glen Johnson IS in negotiations with Liverpool

[therockbox]

According to a couple of usually reliable Liverpool journalists, Alonso wants to go but we're not selling him for anything less than a ridiculous offer (certainly not the insulting £25m figure the Daily Mail is convinced about). Probably be closer to £40-£50m.

[Adam]

That statement is an encouraging one for Liverpool fans, especially as all these Spanish players they've been reportedly chasing (Silva, Villa etc) would cost loads. Plus it does seem to suggest that Benitez will be moving for some home players, so maybe the Johnson 'in negotiations with a big four club' is Liverpool and not Chelsea. I really don't think Liverpool need to add too many players to become an outfit capable of winning the title. If they keep all of their best players and bring in Johnson, Tuncay, Distin and one other big money signing, maybe a winger, then they'll be more than capable of overhauling Man Utd.

[therockbox]

If we sign Johnson he'd be our 'big' signing. Wouldn't be too fussed with that if we could get Distin and Tuncay as well (although those seem to have gone quiet after the original reports).

[Matt]

Johnson would be a quality signing for Liverpool.

And Torres to scum, lol. Yeah right. Unlike Ronaldo, Torres doesn't want to leave and thus Liverpool don't have to accept any offer for him.

[Grounded Wingman]

When do the home-grown regulations come in? I would think that Liverpool are a bit short on that front (from the first team squad I think it's only Gerrard, Carragher and, in a year, Insua), which will mean more English developed players will need to be signed, unless there are players waiting to come through the ranks.

[therockbox]

The 6+5 rule? I didn't think FIFA had voted on that yet.

[Matt]

The 6+5 rule? I didn't think FIFA had voted on that yet.

Ummm yeah I think so, I'm pretty sure next season (10/11) is going to be 4+7, and then the next year it'll be be 5+6 and then 6+5.

[therockbox]

I thought it had come in as well, but found this the other day.

[Adam]

I remember everyone talking about it on here, but I don't remember any official announcement that it had gone through yet either.

[Crybaby Bunting]

That's pretty interesting, I was under the impression that it would be the teams fault for not preparing for this rule if they couldn't field the correct amount of player... but completely forgot about the rights of a foreign player who could effectively be forced out of the club under these measures, which could result in a loss of earnings over a period of time.

What the guy said in that report is pretty much true, it may sound right if the Premier League was full of amateur clubs, but the second that money is involved it becomes no different from employing only white people in a business. Effectively forcing out players based on their nationality may have been implied in the past, but now there is a ruling about it there could be big money in suing a club for attempting to sell a player for not being English.

Plus it'd be the harshest measures in Europe, which, considering that the EPL has been long billed as the most interesting of the leagues, could drastically affect everyone as soon as broadcasters begin to realise it isn't worth it to pay stupid money for football.

Another question that could be raised though is, 'If teams have sold foreign players to clubs on a loss and bought home-grown players expensively to pad out their squads under these measures, if the measures don't come into function could these teams sue for being unable to project the long term future of the league?'

[Matt]

To be honest, I don't think that matters, it doesn't limit the number of foreigners that can be employed by the club, the EU will bitch about it until the cows come home, but it'll happen. Also SSN were talking about it the other week, and they weren't referring to it as "possible" either, they were talking about it as though it's set in stone.

[EddieG]

It's easily avoided, I've had this arguement a million times with my stepdad.

There's no limit on how many foreigners are signed, it's about how many of them can play.

[Matt]

I just said that

[EddieG]

I know, I'm confirming your point.

[TheArsenal]

It also means clubs need to get players young. The rule says that if a player has played or a club for three years before his 21st birthday then he is considered "home-grown" by the club - just like in Football Manager.

Therefore, Cesc Fabregas is a home-grown player for Arsenal and in the 6+5 rule, he doesn't count as a "foreign player". So clubs can field 11 foreigners, as long as they've been at the club for those three years before turning 21.

[Matt]

I'm pretty sure they have to not have played for their country at senior level too, could be wrong on that though.