The Inevitable Summer Transfer Market Topic

[TCO]

He's got nothing anymore simple as, when a player relies on pace as much as he did, when he lost it, this was bound to happen. The most he'll give you is an odd goal when the ball breaks to him 6 yards out and you'd find alot more players who are willing to do that for a much less wages. He's living on reputation alone and if he gets more than 10 Premier League goals next seaon I'll be amazed. He's delusional if he thinks he's getting back into the England team too, considering how well the 21s are doing.

[IAceI]

He's got pretty good positioning and is deceptively good in the air for his height.

I'd like to see him at Stoke or Hull, I don't have to hate him anymore if he does.

And this whole "there above his current team thing when referencing Stoke, Hull, Burnley, Wolves" etc. will never get old!

[El Dandy]

Owen is practically finished and really if Stoke or Hull manage to sign him, he should only be offered 'Pay as you Play' due to his injury history. I reckon he'll only be a bit player anyway. Maybe a season in The Championship would have done him so good?

[Captain Kirk]

If Owen keeps fit I'm guessing he will get at least 15 next season.

[MGW]

Owen got 10 goals last year in a small amount of games for Newcastle. He's not the player he once was, but he can still cut it no doubt about it. He's gonna have to take a huge wage cut if he wants to stay in the Premiership, because the clubs who can afford the big wages just aren't interested. I still love Owen, despite the way he left us for Madrid, and would love to see him back in the Premier league fully fit and scoring goals.

[stokeriño]

0925 BST - Chelsea seem set to miss out on Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery, who is only interested in going to Real Madrid, and also AC Milan's Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato, who says he is part of Milan and the club decides his life.

Full story: The Times

0930 BST - Another player not interested in going to Stamford Bridge is Milan's Andrea Pirlo. Despite Milan president Silvio Berlusconi hinting he could leave, the player's agent says "We are not worried by Berlusconi's comment. He is a Milan player, he is under contract and he honours contracts." (Press Association)

The first lot we already knew, but now the player/player's agent has actually said it rather than just 'some media source'. The Pirlo one is midly surprising, given that the media were unusually optimistic about it last week.

Oh well. Story of the summer, it seems: no one wants to go to Chelsea.

Except Daniel Sturridge...

[Adam]

Well, I'm sure if you asked him, Michael Owen would WANT to come to Chelsea.

[stokeriño]

Inter Milan's Argentine international centre-half Nicolas Burdisso has denied reports he could be on his way to Chelsea as part of a swap deal.

Now they're denying it before I've even heard the rumours in the first place.

[9 to 5]

Owen's goal average at Newcastle was better than RSC's at Blackburn, yet one is written off and the other gets a £18m move.

Get Owen fit enough for a good run in any team and he will score goals.

[Pesci]

Owen isn't finished. When he plays, he scores goals. You can talk about his abilities and how they've gone as if he's some kind of player on FM, but his games/goals ratio is still great. If he's willing to sign a pay as you play contract, he'll be a good asset to any club. If he just wants a full time contract then yeah, probably going to be a huge waste of money in the long run. They'll just have to be patient and not play him every game. Look how much benefit Ledley King has been when used on a lighter schedule.

[9 to 5]

If Owen gets 10-15 goals in the Premiership next season that has to be considered a success seeing how low the total was for Anelka (18 or 19 iirc) to top the league scoring charts.

[alldaws1]

AC Milan have turned down a "monster offer" from an unnamed English club for teenage striker Alexandre Pato.

From BBC Sport. Also saw it on Sky Sports News. Going by the recent rumours you'd expect it to be Chelsea but it doesn't look like he's going anywhere. They say he's under contract until 2012 and will be getting an extension.

[IAceI]

Is it just me or does there seem to be a real unwillingness for teams to sell to the Premiership? Everyone seems to want to stay in or move to Spain or Italy.

I also love the hypocrisy you get from these teams, how do people not scoff when Real Madrid say "Villa is under contract at Valencia so we will honour that and let him be. We can not talk to him."

Whereas they relentlessly stalked Ronaldo and spoke to him, only through the tabloids with "HEY RONALDO COME TO US" via The Sun.

It urks me, maybe I'm biased but it seems no one wants to sell to the Premiership at the minute.

[stokeriño]

Everyone seems to want to stay in or move to Spain or Italy.

Is anyone going to Italy other than Chelsea's "WE LOVE YOOOUU JOSE!" contingent?

Edited June 25, 2009 by stokeriño

[R.W.]

Yeah, this window is just Real Madrid buying every player in Europe isn't it.

Or does it just feel that way?

[IAceI]

Everyone seems to want to stay in or move to Spain or Italy.

Is anyone going to Italy other than Chelsea's "WE LOVE YOOOUU JOSE!" contingent?

"stay in or move to"

Stay in Italy, move to Spain. Mostly.

[9 to 5]

Where would you rather live, England or Spain? Yeah, exactly.

[stokeriño]

Ah, missed the word "stay". >_>

Of course, it's really only the players from the Milan clubs who are noted as 'staying', since they're the ones being linked with every club under the sun.

I should get a list of Inter Milan's squad and tick off every player's name when they're rumoured to be linked with someone, and see how few are left on the list by the end of the window.

Where would you rather live, England or Spain? Yeah, exactly.

England. But then I am really crap at coping with high temperatures...

Edited June 25, 2009 by stokeriño

[Clawson]

Yeah, this window is just Real Madrid buying every player in Europe isn't it.

Or does it just feel that way?

Yeah and its doubly annoying after everybody in Europe spend last transfer window complaining about how City were ruining football. And now with Madrid doing it, everybody is all "oh they're giving money for other transfers, GOOD NEWZ 4 FUTBALLZ LOLZ".

Cunts.

[IAceI]

Same, I sweat like a bitch.

But I'd go where I think was right for my career. But of course La Liga is now the top dog since Real have all this money and Barca won the CL. People very quickly forgot 3 of the 4 semi finalists were, in fact, English.

Yeah I'd probably rather play in the Premiership.

But living in Spain would be quite nice I guess, but it's a job as well, not a holiday.