The Inevitable Summer Transfer Market Topic

[Sam]

Exactly, Owen would be a good signing if a club was wise about how they dealt with his contract rather than just paying him £90k straight out. He really could go to any Premiership club although you would think he would end up at a upper mid table club.

[El Dandy]

8 Goals in 27 games. Erm that may be good enough for Newcastle (well, not really since they got relegated) but it certainly isn't good enough to entice Fergie

[Crybaby Bunting]

Chelsea have just signed a Middlesbrough goalkeeper on a free, that came out of the blue.

I'm just feeling sorry for Ancelotti, we all remember what happened the last time a few frees were signed ¬_¬

[alldaws1]

Chelsea have just signed a Middlesbrough goalkeeper on a free, that came out of the blue.

It's been rumoured for the last week or so. An odd move though, yeah.

I think Aston Villa fans breathed a sigh of relief when the club denied reports linking them with a £3.5m move for Titus Bramble

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

What's with all the Owen hate? The man is still a proven Premiership goalscorer. Yes he's a bit crocked, but whats to say he won't have an injury free season next year?

Owen scored 8 Premiership goals in 27 games for Newcastle. Thats about 1 in 3. He doesn;t have the pace he used to, but his positioning and awareness are still sharp.

To sugest Sherringham or Dennis fucking Irwin would be better choices is retarded.

No, you're retarded.

To even consider Owen having an injury free season is close to laughable. Impossible? No, not fucking far from it though. And you'll find that nearly every goal he scored last season could of been scored by a ninety year old one legged man. His awareness is pretty damn shocking actually and the majority of games he played last season he was almost anonymous, so it was like Newcastle playing with ten men. I don't hate him what so ever, if anything I'm more gutted. He once had potential to be world class and for whatever reason, it got thrown away.

I really cant see any way back for the guy, unless a club makes a huge mistake and brings him in. Hull or Stoke sounds fine, but anybody above that would just seem crazy if you ask me. I don't see how he's really better than any of the lower league strikers any more, because he lacks in just about every single department nowadays. It actually amazes me that people still even rate the guy after him being shit for years on end.

[MGW]

What's with all the Owen hate? The man is still a proven Premiership goalscorer. Yes he's a bit crocked, but whats to say he won't have an injury free season next year?

Owen scored 8 Premiership goals in 27 games for Newcastle. Thats about 1 in 3. He doesn;t have the pace he used to, but his positioning and awareness are still sharp.

To sugest Sherringham or Dennis fucking Irwin would be better choices is retarded.

No, you're retarded.

To even consider Owen having an injury free season is close to laughable. Impossible? No, not fucking far from it though. And you'll find that nearly every goal he scored last season could of been scored by a ninety year old one legged man. His awareness is pretty damn shocking actually and the majority of games he played last season he was almost anonymous, so it was like Newcastle playing with ten men. I don't hate him what so ever, if anything I'm more gutted. He once had potential to be world class and for whatever reason, it got thrown away.

I really cant see any way back for the guy, unless a club makes a huge mistake and brings him in. Hull or Stoke sounds fine, but anybody above that would just seem crazy if you ask me. I don't see how he's really better than any of the lower league strikers any more, because he lacks in just about every single department nowadays. It actually amazes me that people still even rate the guy after him being shit for years on end.

No, No I'm not retarded, just have a different view to you. Owen is still very much Premiership quality. United quality? mabie not, but certainly a lot better than you're making out. Not better than lower league strikers is just plain stupid to say, Michale Owen would be a fantastic signing for not just Hull or Stoke, but Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan or someone around that level. I'd bet he'd even be decent at Villa or Everton.

And I never called you retarded, just the sugestion that Irwin would be better than Owen.

And SuperTabs, if one in 3 isn't good enough for Fergie, why exactly is Berbatov still playing. 9 in 31 games, hardly any better than Owen

[Thomas]

You're not retarded mate, it would be a good signing for Man United. Would've been a better one for Everton though . Sky Sports News are now saying Owens reps have just made contact with United.

[Crybaby Bunting]

The story would have more weight if it was Uniteds representatives meeting with Owen, this seems more like Owen is going to a bunch of clubs and saying "Did you get my brochure? Surely you'd want to sign me if I'm here in the flesh, what, no? I guess I'll have to go to a Premier League club with AMBITION!"

EDIT: Oh btw, Ribery said that his stance is Real or nothing, Bayern say that this means he isn't going anywhere. Can a top level player PLEASE HAND IN A TRANSFER REQUEST to stop so much bullshit being passed around.

Edited July 2, 2009 by The General

[TCO]

How is a 29 year old player, who, in the run in of last season was 2nd choice for a team that got relegated, who isn't even near the England national squad, who can't string 5 games together without getting injured and demands ludicrous wages a good signing for one of the best teams in the world? There are over 20 strikers who are a better option for United at this moment.

[Lord Nibbler]

How is a 29 year old player, who, in the run in of last season was 2nd choice for a team that got relegated

He played more minutes than any other striker in the Newcastle squad.

who can't string 5 games together without getting injured

27 league games last season.

and demands ludicrous wages a good signing for one of the best teams in the world?

Pure speculation. There's no way United are going to be paying him extravagant wages.

There are over 20 strikers who are a better option for United at this moment.

For free?

I don't remember people bitching this much when we brought in 36-year-old Henrik Larsson. In fact, some people were calling Fergie a genius. He played his part, and Owen would do the same thing. Sames goes for Fowler's return to Liverpool. He'll have a medical, and if the medical staff are confident that he's not going to break his leg as soon as he kicks a ball, I hope we sign him.

Edited July 2, 2009 by Lord Nibbler

[TCO]

How is a 29 year old player, who, in the run in of last season was 2nd choice for a team that got relegated

He played more minutes than any other striker in the Newcastle squad.

Bolded for emphasis.

27 league games last season.

I'd like to know how many of them were 90 mins and 5 minute sub apperances. I know he didn't play more than half an hour in both Aston Villa games for a fact, for example.

Pure speculation. There's no way United are going to be paying him extravagant wages.

He will demand high wages, he's not going to take a big drop and anything more than £35,000 is too much.

For free?

Yeah, because United one of the most profitable clubs on the planet, who just recieved £80,000,000 for 1 player need to sign players on free transfers to strenghten their squad.

Edited July 2, 2009 by The Cool One

[Clawson]

Id rather have Danny Dichio than Michael Owen

Well yeah....that's because Dichio is God.

[Lord Nibbler]

How is a 29 year old player, who, in the run in of last season was 2nd choice for a team that got relegated

He played more minutes than any other striker in the Newcastle squad.

Bolded for emphasis.

Of the eight games Newcastle played in April and May, he was only dropped for one. He started as many games as Martins, and more than any other Newcastle forward. That's not "second choice".

27 league games last season.

I'd like to know how many of them were 90 mins and 5 minute sub apperances. I know he didn't play more than half an hour in both Aston Villa games for a fact, for example.

Like I said, played more minutes than any of his strike partners. Also played more than Torres, Drogba, Adebayor or Carew.

Pure speculation. There's no way United are going to be paying him extravagant wages.

He will demand high wages, he's not going to take a big drop and anything more than £35,000 is too much.

£40,000 was the figure I read.

For free?

Yeah, because United one of the most profitable clubs on the planet, who just recieved £80,000,000 for 1 player need to sign players on free transfers to strenghten their squad.

But there's no point in spending a big chunk of that £80m on a striker if he's going to be third choice. We saw how well that worked out with Tevez. Benzema is a good enough player that we could have changed our system to accommodate him, and who would have been a long-term acquisition. Since he's off the market and there aren't any other world class attacking prospects available (unless Aguero is available) we're betting off reinforcing elsewhere. Another winger, a goalscoring midfielder, etc. I'd rather sign Owen on a free than spend £15m on someone like Nilmar or Luis Fabiano who, if we don't get any major injuries to Rooney or Berbatov, will only feature sporadically.

There is no down side. At worst, he spends 12 months on the treatment table and we're out a couple of million quid. That's nothing. At best, he scores a few goals off the bench or when one of the first choice strikers is out.

[Crybaby Bunting]

This is the thing with Man United, they see people who they admire for a long time and wonder why people start taking them away from them. Huntelaar was one of them and now Benzema is another, you'd think they didn't know that they're not going to be there on the market forever.

I see Aguero going down the EXACT same route in the near future. Probably not to Madrid, but to a club that tables a solid bid and shows more than just interest.

I mean come on, £30m for Benzema isn't over the top compared to how much Ferguson was willing to spend on Tevez, all he needed to do was make the bid and it'd have worked.

[Zaz]

Chelsea have just signed a Middlesbrough goalkeeper on a free, that came out of the blue.

I'm just feeling sorry for Ancelotti, we all remember what happened the last time a few frees were signed ¬_¬

Brad Jones?

Sees it's Turnbull

Didn't Jones cement himself as first choice last year because Turnbull put in some very poor performances? Weird signing, but he'd hardly get any game time unless Cech breaks his head again.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Owen to have a full medical today apparently, seems it's hugely likely the switch to United is actually going to happen. I'm just shocked really. I've said enough on the situation and the player himself, but yeah, he's possibly the last person I ever expected us to sign. Good luck with reviving the Owen/Rooney partnership Fergie (Y)

[El Dandy]

:'( *sigh* Well, I'm just speechless. Owen to United.

[The Quasi Juice]

Manchester United will make a £16m move for Sevilla's 28-year-old Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano, but face competition from AC Milan.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Hmm, interesting. He never really impressed me until I saw him play at the Confederations Cup. He certainly is a real goal-getter and might actually work at Man U. I think he'll choose Milan over Man Utd though

Chelsea are the only club to have submitted a formal bid, of about £40m, for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery - but the French international wants to join Real Madrid.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

If this is true, Ribery is a douchebag. He wants to be the centre of attention like Ronaldo and Kaka.

[Liam]

I'm glad that at least some people are talking sense, Owen for free to Man United could be an excellent move, and at worst, if it doesn't pay off, they don't really lose that much from it.

As for those who talk about the injuries, all it should take potentially is a change in training regime, or fitness regime, and he could potentially go through the majority of the season. Woodgate is a perfect example of a player who has been handled well after a long term injury, and you'd assume that Man U have the staff/physios to make it happen. They are just going to have to nurture him somewhat, but its possible. A fit Owen is a goalscorer, and whilst he has lost that yard of pace that truly made him dangerous, he knows where the goal is, and once fit, will score goals. As was already stated, his Newcastle tenure wasn't great, but his goal ratio overall was pretty good, for a guy who was either crocked or returning from being crocked half the time.

[Whisper]

I'm glad that at least some people are talking sense, Owen for free to Man United could be an excellent move, and at worst, if it doesn't pay off, they don't really lose that much from it.

As for those who talk about the injuries, all it should take potentially is a change in training regime, or fitness regime, and he could potentially go through the majority of the season. Woodgate is a perfect example of a player who has been handled well after a long term injury, and you'd assume that Man U have the staff/physios to make it happen. They are just going to have to nurture him somewhat, but its possible. A fit Owen is a goalscorer, and whilst he has lost that yard of pace that truly made him dangerous, he knows where the goal is, and once fit, will score goals. As was already stated, his Newcastle tenure wasn't great, but his goal ratio overall was pretty good, for a guy who was either crocked or returning from being crocked half the time.

This. Exactly this.

I really can't understand all the negativity about Owen. It's costing us nothing. Nothing. It's a risk free transfer. The worst case scenario is he is injured all season and never plays. In which case we lose nothing. People seem to forget that he is a natural goalscorer and England's top goal scorer in recent times. In fact, had the guy stayed clear of injury it's a fair bet that he would've gone on to break the England goal scoring record. Fact is, he knows where the goal is. If a chance falls to him in the box, he usually puts it away. People are slating his goalscoring record at Newcastle. 1 in 3 at a bottom 3 club? Yes please. Owen will be 3rd choice, coming on off the bench, and will get far more goalscoring opportunities than at Newcastle. We're actually in a no lose situation here. Quit whining because we're not bidding £50 million on the latest flavour of the month. It's boring. But of course, everyone knows better than Fergie right? It's not like he's the most succesfull manager of all time or anything.

Saying all that, I'm relatively certain it won't be our last piece of business this summer and that all the United fans slating Fergie and the club's transfer policy, will be eating their words come August.

Edited July 3, 2009 by Whisper in the Wind