Ok, 'tis the season to panic buy, I understand that. But how can Real Madrid pay £20M for Lassana Diarra? Are the completely insane?
Arsenal must surely replace Fabregas. Liverpool must surely look for 4/5 decent players.
And all this with the lenders looking to call in some money.
:-)
It seems that Redknapp will be the man with his finger on trigger during the transfer window. But I remember Totthenam's owner losing big money in one of the banks in the USofA. I wonder what funds will be available to Redknapp. He wants to buy a striker and they don't come cheap in January.
Not that it makes much difference, but Madrid haven't paid 20 million pounds for Diarra - it's 20 million euros. Still a hefty sum though. Diarra has been the subject of big profile moves before, but ends up moving on again a year later. Must be something about him that doesn't live up to potential. Can't stand Calderon though so I hope he's wasted his money.
;-D
I guess the team to watch in the EPL is Man City, who have spouted such names as Ribery, Podolski, Buffon. Does anyone really believe players of this standard would leave Champions League clubs to come to City who are looking at a relegation battle?
Well, these days it's almost 1£ = 1€. So Captain is not so wrong...
I do not see any player who's not desperate for a move going to City. They've got all the wrong boxes ticked, and relegation battle is the least important IMHO.
True enough. it was a pedantic point, Nvr. If you can call 4 or 5 million pedantic. Heh heh.
;-)
With the way football transfers work, structured payments et al, it's said to be estimated at about 15.5 million pounds, but with the world's finances in the state they are it could end up anywhere up to about 18 million.
The general opinion in the press I've read seems to be that anyone interested in going to City will want to wait until the summer now. No point in going to a team that will struggle to qualify for Europe now. If they do manage a revival, there'll be movement ready for the start of the next season but not in January. Would you move from a team that's still in the CL to City in a January move?
There are rumours that Arsenal might sign Given from Newcastle. He would be the best keeper Arsenal had in two decades.
There's something on the news today that Newcastle are livid that Given has commented he might consider leaving. Trying to force their hand, do you think?
As of the evening of 2nd Jan:
Man City are the favourites for Given's signature, but Kinnear has said he's going nowhere. Wenger has denied the interest, whatever that says.
;-)
And Steven Gerrard is in discussion about a transfer to Holloway.
;-D
City have a very decent keeper in Schmeichel II. They needen't look further. However, their current position on the table requires huge balls to hand over the shirt to a relatively inexperienced keeper.
Given must be fed up with relegation fight already. I'd be surprised if he signs for City.
Wayne Bridge signed for Man City...for £10 M...These Arabs don't know the value of a £.
Arshavin off to the Emirates, then. I can't help thinking there was a reason he attracted no serious offers during the summer. Maybe the top footballing brains weren't completely convinced about him? He wasn't the most impressive player in the Russian league by all accounts.
:-)
Makes sense that he's looking for a move now though. Zenit could only manage to qualify for Europa, instead of the hoped for Champions League campaign. Plus Gazprom who fund Zenit are obviously in the news at the moment saying that money is tight and cutting off fuel lines into central Europe until the gas bill's paid.
:-D
Arshavin's price tag was £20M last time I checked. How many times did Wenger pay that much for a 27 year old?
According to Beeb, Man City chases Kaka, ready to pay £100M to AC Milan and £500K to him.
This will break all the transfer records in history as far as I know. Nvr must be right about Arabs...
Not only break transfer records, but almost double it.
:-D
Anyone else just getting the impression this is just a PR stunt to raise City's profile? If Kaka is prepared to give up CL football, and settle for the Europa Cup (or probably no European compettition), he may well end up at City but not at these figures, surely?
In my view, Kaka isn't Robinho, who wasn't getting games at Real and forced a move because he thought he was off to Chelsea, but then moved purely for money instead.
For £500K a week, he might even consider playing in the Bluesquare. We're talking about £25M per annum here. This is almost quadruple of what he currently makes.
Man City sign Bellamy. Sort of interesting when whey were aiming Kaka. I fail to see what Bellamy has to offer for a Premiership club.
Cudicini off to Spurs. Interesting signing, Gomes seemed to be doing well after the arrival of Redknapp and Cudicini never seemed a convincing keeper to me.
