The 2012 Summer Transfer Window thread

[Summers]

Aquilani go bye bye.

Fiorentina have signed him says his agent.

Liverpool officially announce it:

Liverpool Football Club can today confirm that Alberto Aquilani has completed a permanent transfer to Serie A side Fiorentina.

The Italian midfielder joined Liverpool in 2009 but made just 28 first-team appearances having spent the last two seasons on loan in his homeland.

Everyone at the club would like to wish Alberto all the best for the future.

Shame. Obviously a classy player in there somewhere but it was never gonna work out for him. Will probably be remembered as Rafa's biggest flop but it's more complicated than that.

Any other club in that position over a player; you wouldn't say the bold bit.

[Hobo]

Well it's kind of strange that he got loaned out by Hodgson and KD tbh. He contributed a lot of assists in his few games. He could have been a good player but the last three managers didn't want him and he is quite injury prone.

If any word describes Liverpool since 2009 it's 'complicated'.

[TCO]

I'd have gone with shit.

[Nerf]

How do you know? You were dwelling in the Championship for half that time

[TCO]

Pfft, that season in the Championship was one of the best things that could've happened to the club!

[Hobo]

I'm pretty certain that if not for FSG, Liverpool would have spent a season in the Championship too. If not done a Leeds.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Fucking FSG

[Pesci]

Aquilani go bye bye.

Fiorentina have signed him says his agent.

Liverpool officially announce it:

Liverpool Football Club can today confirm that Alberto Aquilani has completed a permanent transfer to Serie A side Fiorentina.

The Italian midfielder joined Liverpool in 2009 but made just 28 first-team appearances having spent the last two seasons on loan in his homeland.

Everyone at the club would like to wish Alberto all the best for the future.

Shame. Obviously a classy player in there somewhere but it was never gonna work out for him. Will probably be remembered as Rafa's biggest flop but it's more complicated than that.

Any other club in that position over a player; you wouldn't say the bold bit.

Nah not at all. Firstly when we signed him he was only supposed to be injured for 4-8 weeks and kept getting re-injured, secondly Rafa's successors did their best to drive him away from the club (whether justifiably so or not) and thirdly I'm quite a fair neutral! Basically he didn't get a real sustained chance to prove his quality or settle in England - the closest he came to that was the second half of the first season he was there when he didn't look that bad at all. I think the word "flop" should be reserved for players who massively underperform. With Aquilani that wasn't ever the case.

[Colly]

He's the new Xisco.

[Crybaby Bunting]

I completely forgot about Xisco, considering he was always viewed as a makeweight between agents wouldn't that make him the original Bebe?

[Cymbols]

Shit, Xisco still plays for Newcastle?

[IAceI]

Xisco is a far better footballer than Bebe.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Shit, Xisco still plays for Newcastle?

I always thought he left after a decent loan spell but apparently not he's still here.

Which means that he must have signed a five year contract :/

[Pesci]

That cunt always scored like 3 headers a game against me on every version of FM he was relevant

[Crybaby Bunting]

FM08?

[The Future]

Xisco is a far better footballer than Bebe.

I'll have you know Bebe is absolutely tearing it up against mighty South African teams in pre season!.

I remember Xisco scoring on his debut but I don't think he ever played after that...bizzare.

[Pesci]

FM08?

Every game since then. I await his return from loan when I get past the first season on FM 2012 so he can make my defence cry.

[IAceI]

I don't necessarily think Bebe is a terrible footballer either, he could probably be a fairly decent player given some time. But Xisco was a pretty good striker in Spain before it just didn't work out for him at Newcastle, and the last few seasons have seen him pretty much decide to not really do much and get paid loads off Newcastle rather than commit to a new club yet.

I remember he was pretty decent for Deportivo de La Coruna before he came to England, where it just didn't really work out for him. I'd also be willing to give Bebe time, he may never be a Man Utd calibre player but a few years time he could probably make a living at a decent enough team in France/Portugal/wherever. Certainly not as terrible as some people think he is/want him to be.

[IAceI]

EDIT: Double post.

Edited August 4, 2012 by IAceI

[Colly]

That was my point on Xisco really, ignoring all the wacky contractual stuff he never really got a chance in England whatsoever. Barely played the first season, loaned out during the Championship one (rumour being he'd refused to play at that level, who knows? Played in Liga Segunda last year), assisted Carrolls hat trick goal v Villa then gone again. Maybe not a worldbeater but he looked neat and tidy, for me could do a decent job as an understudy for Cabaye in the advanced midfield role. Sadly probably never to be.