The 2012 Summer Transfer Window thread

[Summers]

shocked jussi was benched at bolton.

[9 to 5]

Hey, Olsson is a good player. But laughable at full back. Much better as an out and out winger.

[Adam]

Jaaskelainin could probably secure a Premier League deal, he's always been an excellent keeper. Bogdan is very good too though so not too surprised Coyle opted to put him in with Jussi getting older.

My Chelsea-supporting mate told me about Olsson on the last day of the season, I'm not sure it'd be a great move when they still have Cole and Bertrand. Dembele could be a useful utility/rotation player though.

Olsson played on the left wing when I saw him at Everton in January, and he was easily the best player on the pitch.

[stokeriño]

Can't see where Olsson would fit in at all. Unless Cole is about to die on his feet (no signs of which so far) then we're absolutely sorted for left-back, even in the event of Bertrand stepping up as Cole winds his career down. Plus we've still got Patrick van Aanholt lurking around somewhere... And as for the wide-left position further forward...yeah, no chance. Any number of Mata, Hazard, Malouda (if still here), Marin, De Bruyne, Ramires or Sturridge could fill that spot, and Olsson would only improve on a handful of those.

[Lineker]

Alan Smith is set to permanently join MK Dons. Talk about a wage drop!

[Lineker]

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has said he can take no satisfaction in his club's Champions League and FA Cup triumphs because he did not play a significant part in them.

The Belgium international joined Chelsea from Anderlecht in August for £20m but has made just four starts.

The 19-year-old also admitted he could be forced out on loan next season.

"I don't like people talking to me about the Champions League. It wasn't me, but my team that won," he said.

"When [salomon] Kalou put the cup on my lap in the bus I asked him to take it away immediately. I didn't want to touch it because just as with the Champions League I had no part in it at all," he told De Standaard newspaper.

"Chelsea really wanted me last summer and paid a lot for me but after a while I thought, are you just throwing money around?"

Lukaku, who is yet to score for the Blues, will seek talks with the new Chelsea boss before deciding on his future.

"During the conversation with the manager I will see whether he's serious about me or not. If not, I will go away on loan. I have to play," he added.

[Dingle]

It's fair enough really. He's got ability and he's hungry, so unless RDM (or whoever) decides to play him more regularly (as a back up to Torres?) then I think a loan would be the best move for him. Much better than sitting on the bench and playing sporadically.

[Matt]

He couldn't have expected to be a regular feature, surely? But then again I did expect to see a bit more of him than we did, so I can understand him being disappointed. Might be good for him to go on loan to Reading or someone until January, at least.

[Jimmy]

I certainly expected to see him a little more than he was used. He was coming off being the star at Anderlecht where he had played in the Champions League before, so I can understand his disappointment. If he does go out on loan, hopefully it's to an English club and not somewhere in Europe.

[Matticus]

He couldn't have expected to be a regular feature, surely? But then again I did expect to see a bit more of him than we did, so I can understand him being disappointed. Might be good for him to go on loan to Reading or someone until January, at least.

Ill take him!

[IAceI]

I'd have Romelu Lukaku at Sunderland, we need a big man with Bendtner gone and even though he is quite raw it seems it would be worth a go at least. Would prefer that to Kevin Davies at least.

[stokeriño]

Yeah, if we get Hulk a Premier League loan for Rom would be lovely.

Provided they actually use him - poor Josh at Swansea.

[Lineker]

Rangers' top players will be available on cut-price deals from Friday under clauses in their contracts, as they revert to their full salaries.

The squad agreed to cuts of up to 75% at the beginning of March, as administrators Duff & Phelps sought to avoid sweeping redundancies.

In exchange, several players insisted on minimum release clauses.

It means players like Steven Naismith, one of Rangers' prize assets, could be sold for £2m.

Others who have similar clauses include Steven Whittaker (around £850,000) and team captain Steve Davis, who would be available for in the region of £1.65m.

Kyle Lafferty, who has just a year left on his contract, can go for about £500,000, with Maurice Edu even cheaper at just £300,000.

Scotland international goalkeeper Allan McGregor and the Romanian defender Dorin Goian have also negotiated release clauses.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has voiced his desire to hold on to his key players, though the decision is likely to be taken out of his hands.

Prospective owner Charles Green's plans for the squad are unclear, but any revenue from player sales, under Duff & Phelps' proposal of a company voluntary arrangement, would go to the company for the benefit of Green's Sevco takeover vehicle, rather than to creditors.

Only money already owed to the club for previous transfers will go into the creditors' pot through the CVA.

While any bids matching the players' clauses must automatically be accepted, it does not follow that the player will necessarily leave Rangers.

It gives them the right to speak to a bidding club, but it remains possible the players involved could stay with the club.

The clauses run for the remainder of the players' existing contracts, but with salaries again to be paid in full, the administrators and Green must deal with a disparity between income and outlay.

The CVA proposal estimated a shortfall of around £3m, which it is expected will be met by Sevco through either transfer fees or season ticket revenue.

If that revenue is insufficient to meet what are known as the CVA trading costs, the administrators will fund the shortfall from the £8.3m loan from Green's consortium and that figure will subsequently be deducted from the creditors' pot.

[Berober]

Chelsea have agreed a fee of £38m for the Porto striker Hulk and the deal is ready to be closed. The figure has been brokered by facilitators working on behalf on each club and, with the Brazil international's personal terms not expected to be an obstacle, it merely remains for the directors on both sides to sign the relevant paperwork.

The Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, as ever, will reserve the right to renegotiate until the last minute yet there is a confidence, not least on Hulk's part, that there will be no glitches, after what has been a lengthy process, and that he will get the move that he has craved, subject to a medical.

Porto have been happy to push the line about Hulk's release clause being €100m and although the Guardian has now learned that the figure is €60m [£48m], the Portuguese club have been forced to accept less, not least because only Chelsea have been willing to make a competitive offer. The release clause was never going to be binding. Porto had wanted no less than £40m but Chelsea have haggled them down.

The fee, however, represents an eye-watering outlay and, on the back of the £32m deal that Chelsea have put into place for the Lille attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, it is a serious statement of intent from Abramovich, who still does not have a permanent manager.

Roberto Di Matteo, the Champions League-winning interim coach, remains in the dark about his future, with his Stamford Bridge contract set to expire at the end of June. Abramovich has a frosty relationship with Di Matteo and it is clear that he is exploring other options, with the former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola his ideal candidate. Guardiola says that he needs a break from the game.

Abramovich, with the help of his influential technical director, Michael Emenalo, is calling the shots and the Russian drove the capture of Hazard, a player who stands to inject greater fantasy into Chelsea's game. Hulk is also considered a player to excite the crowd, a powerful and clinical presence, who can play as the centre-forward or off the right, where he is likely to feature for Chelsea.

Ron Gourlay, the club's chief executive, made it clear last Wednesday that Fernando Torres would start next season as the team's No9. Abramovich made it a personal mission to sign the Spain striker in January of last year from Liverpool for £50m and despite Torres's poor goals return – he has 12 in 67 appearances for the club – the owner is determined to see him prosper. "Fernando Torres is the man that we will go forward with and Fernando Torres will score us the goals," Gourlay said.

Torres's principal competition last season came from Didier Drogba but the 34-year-old has left the club as a free agent and he is ready to sign a contract at Shanghai Shenhua that is worth €300,000 a week after tax, which would make him one of the highest paid players in world football. The current leader is the Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who takes home €423,000 a week after tax at Anzhi Makhachkala.

John Terry, the Chelsea captain, has been banned by Uefa for three European club matches over his red card against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. Terry had to sit out Chelsea's win in the final against Bayern Munich and will miss the Super Cup match against Europa League winners Atlético Madrid in August, plus Chelsea's first Champions League group-stage match in September.

Chelsea's moves for Hulk and Hazard are a big part of the plan to rejuvenate a squad that lagged 25 points off the Premier League title pace. Along with Drogba, José Bosingwa and Salomon Kalou have been released while the club are open to offers for Florent Malouda and Michael Essien, both of whom have one year to run on their contracts. Chelsea have also added the young wingers Marko Marin from Werder Bremen and Kevin de Bruyne from Genk, each for £7m fees.

Hulk, 25, has been in Chelsea's sights all season. His record is outstanding – 57 goals in 91 games in the past two seasons – and there is the belief that he can improve at Stamford Bridge. Neither Hulk nor Hazard have allowed the uncertainty over the managerial position at Chelsea to deflect them. Together with the Spaniard Juan Mata, they stand to form a potent trio behind Torres.

[Dingle]

Okay, I'm already excited for next season now. Fuck the people who have issues with "splashing the cash", Hulk, Mata, Torres and Hazard are an awe-inspiring attack force.

[stokeriño]

For some reason I imagine Hulk and Hazard as a wrestling tag team, with Hulk the powerhouse and Hazard the cocky trickster.

Give them a cliche name like Double Jeopardy and you're set.

[GoN_]

I think Chelsea is paying too much for Hulk, but if the guy evolves a little bit in his style of playing he will be a star there.

[brenchill]

Chelsea are going to have one hell of an attacking line-up at this rate. I fancy them for the title.

[stokeriño]

Unless we get Guardiola trying to force us to play tiki-taka like some godawful Barca-lite (see: Arsenal).

[Lineker]

Welp.