Summer Transfer Window Thread 2015

[TCO]

Yedlin looks like a poor-man's Kyle Walker. It's amazing what a good half in the World Cup can get you and even then he did nothing but be really, really fast.

[Jimmy]

Yedlin looks like a poor-man's Kyle Walker. It's amazing what a good half in the World Cup can get you and even then he did nothing but be really, really fast.

Think we signed him for £3-4 mil? Surely well worth the gamble, especially on what he did at a young age. He keeps doing well for the international team, so it's not like his price is going to drop. Definitely makes sense in basically every way.

[Adam]

Doncaster have signed Andy Williams from Swindon on a free transfer. 22 goals in League One this season, third top scorer in the division. 28 years old and doesn't cost a fee as Swindon couldn't afford to give him a new deal. Absolutely fantastic signing, for a change.

[Lineker]

West Brom have agreed a £1.5m fee for Wigan's James McLean.

[Matt]

Good, we were linked with him but I didn't want him. Certainly not for that money and the wages he was after

[Rich]

Simon Kjaer has turned down Liverpool

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11686604/Liverpool-target-Simon-Kjaer-rejects-Anfield-because-he-wants-trophies.html

[stokeriño]

"It's not a secret that my family are Liverpool fans, and a move to Liverpool would make my family happy.

"Liverpool wanted me, but I want championships, I want to win trophies. Fenerbahce's goals this season are big, and it was explained to me very well."

Low blow...

[EddieG]

That's like going to Celtic to win a league title.

[Rich]

It's like going somewhere to win trophies rather than somewhere you don't think it's possible.

[Kaney]

That's like going to Celtic to win a league title.

Do Celtic face any less challenge to win a league title than Bayern do?

[Nerf]

Simon Kjaer has turned down Liverpool

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11686604/Liverpool-target-Simon-Kjaer-rejects-Anfield-because-he-wants-trophies.html

Those quotes already got refuted a day or two ago. Somebody, I think Metro, pulled the quotes from a fake Facebook page

[brenchill]

That's like going to Celtic to win a league title.

Do Celtic face any less challenge to win a league title than Bayern do?

Probably not in today's game. It's a shame really because the German league used to be competitive with Dortmund, Bremen, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Schalke all looking pretty good.

[Dan]

That's like going to Celtic to win a league title.

Do Celtic face any less challenge to win a league title than Bayern do?

Probably not in today's game. It's a shame really because the German league used to be competitive with Dortmund, Bremen, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Schalke all looking pretty good.

Schalke 04 and Schalke 05?

[TCO]

Bundesliga is no less thrilling than finding out which of Man United, Man City or Chelsea will spend big the best in the summer to win the league any given year.

[Colly]

A three horse race is better than a one horse race. It's a race for a start.

[TCO]

Eh, there's a much higher chance of a team having a freak season and pipping Bayern to the post than there'll ever be in the Premier League. Dortmund, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg have all won the Bundesliga in the past 10 years. Same with Ligue 1, PSG will more than likely piss it but there's always the possibility that someone like Montpellier could jump up the table and win it as a once off again!

I'm just not overly excited at seeing one of the exact same 3, maybe 4 teams challenge at the top for the rest of my lifetime.

Liverpool's occasional bottling of it, I am OK with though!

Edited June 20, 2015 by TCO

[Jimmy]

Liverpool finished 2nd last year and were so close to winning it. It's not like Arsenal are that far off a title challenge, then we have always have an interesting race for top 4. Haven't we had 3 different winners in the last three years? Id say that's pretty exciting.

[Dan]

If we focus on the "top 6" leagues in Europe based on current UEFA coefficient:

Spain

Barcelona | Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid | Barcelona | Real Madrid

Barcelona | Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid | Barcelona | Valencia

Barcelona | Real Madrid | Valencia

Different number of winners = 3, Different number of runners-up = 3, Different number of third placed = 3

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 4

England

Chelsea | Manchester City | Arsenal

Manchester City | Liverpool | Chelsea

Manchester United | Manchester City | Chelsea

Manchester City | Manchester United | Arsenal

Manchester United | Chelsea | Manchester City

Different number of winners = 3, Different number of runners-up = 4, Different number of third placed = 3

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 5

Germany

Bayern Munich | Wolfsburg | Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bayern Munich | Borussia Dortmund | Schalke 04

Bayern Munich | Borussia Dortmund | Bayer Leverkusen

Borussia Dortmund | Bayern Munich | Schalke 04

Borussia Dortmund | Bayer Leverkusen | Bayern Munich

Different number of winners = 2, Different number of runners-up = 3, Different number of third placed = 4

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 6

Italy

Juventus | Roma | Lazio

Juventus | Roma | Napoli

Juventus | Napoli | AC Milan

Juventus | AC Milan | Udinese

AC Milan | Inter Milan | Napoli

Different number of winners = 2, Different number of runners-up = 4, Different number of third placed = 4

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 7

Portugal

Benfica | Porto | Sporting CP

Benfica | Sporting CP | Porto

Porto | Benfica | Pacos de Ferreira

Porto | Benfica | Braga

Porto | Benfica | Sporting CP

Different number of winners = 2, Different number of runners-up = 3, Different number of third placed = 4

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 5

France

PSG | Lyon | Monaco

PSG | Monaco | Lille

PSG | Marseille | Lyon

Montpellier | PSG | Lille

Lille | Marseille | Lyon

Different number of winners = 3, Different number of runners-up = 4, Different number of third placed = 3

Total number of different teams to finish in top 3 over the last 5 seasons: 6

The Spanish league is the most "boring" with only 4 teams breaking into the top 3 over the last 5 years, ignoring 1 season the top has been a Real/Barca lockup. Surprisingly England hasn't had the same 1/2 (in order) in the last 5 years, the French league is the only other league to do this.

Germany, Italy, Porgual and France have all had teams win the title 3 years in a row during the past 5 years, Juventus have won the title 4 years in a row in Italy and don't look like stopping that run next year.

All leagues are pretty similar though, if you want a league where you know who is going to win but the other 2 places are a lottery then Italy, France and Germany are great for that, If you want a real 2 horse race then Spain and Portugal are the best. I'd say England is the most "well rounded" league in the top 6, no real one-team domination and the top 3 places change plenty.

[brenchill]

I thought jthnumbers had hit the Sports Bar for a moment there reading that.

[DavidMarrio]

LEAN!!!