Sounds like its just about a done deal. You envision him playing next to Matic in a 4-2-3-1?Snakebauer007 said:
2014 Summer Holiday Transfer News and Speculation
- Thread starter Vinho Tinto
- Start date
Yes against the mid and lower table sides definitely, but could also see a lot more 4-3-3 this season.AgentOrange said:
Looks like Juan Cuadrado may be leaving Fiorentina for Barca. I really like him but I'm not sure he's an upgrade over Sanchez, who it looks like he'd replace.
Miranda reveals today that he and his agent are considering offers from England and other Spanish clubs; he is presumably referring to United and Barca. Miranda also drops the bomb that he thinks Atletico should be willing to negotiate his buy-out clause with other clubs.
Atletico is now set to lose Courtois, Miranda, Filipe Luis, Tiago, Villa, and Costa. Yup, six starters from the team's dream season. I don't fret about Tiago and Villa -- I think their departures allow Atletico to play younger players who will contribute now and gain experience for the future. But, damn, this is a mass exodus.
Atletico is now set to lose Courtois, Miranda, Filipe Luis, Tiago, Villa, and Costa. Yup, six starters from the team's dream season. I don't fret about Tiago and Villa -- I think their departures allow Atletico to play younger players who will contribute now and gain experience for the future. But, damn, this is a mass exodus.
There are rumors that a Lukaku loan may be in the cards as part of a Costa transfer, so that gives Atlético another year to either find Costa's replacement or try to persuade Lukaku to stay permanently.
Straight from Barcelona's official site: Cesc to Chelsea.
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/detail/article/agreement-with-chelsea-for-the-transfer-of-cesc-fabregas
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/detail/article/agreement-with-chelsea-for-the-transfer-of-cesc-fabregas
Interesting how Mourinho will use Cesc after he dumped Mata and publicly crapped all over Hazard. Not saying they are the same player-- but Cesc seems to do a lot of the things that pissed Mournho off about the other 2.OilCanMDS said:
Balotelli to Arsenal rumors circulating, and his agent does the non-denial/denial dance.
http://www.espnfc.us/ac-milan/story/1888815/agent-fails-to-rule-out-mario-balotelli-move
http://www.espnfc.us/ac-milan/story/1888815/agent-fails-to-rule-out-mario-balotelli-move
Lots of buzz that Ander Herrera to Man United will actually happen. Mysterious trio of shady Spanish lawyers do not seem to be involved this time.
I havent seen much of him. Scouting reports tell me he's basically what United fans hoped Cleverley would be. An energetic midfielder thats not afraid to get stuck in and can make a pass. Finishing needs work but I don't think he'll play up the field where that will be an issue.
Also have been reading that this is someone that LVG wants and chose, not something that they're doing because of last year's fiasco.
Also have been reading that this is someone that LVG wants and chose, not something that they're doing because of last year's fiasco.
I've read basically the same thing. He apparently played mainly as a #10 for Bilbao last year but you have to think he'll be the box-to-box player in a midfield three under Van Gaal. I won't pretend to have an opinion on him or how he might adapt to the Premier League but he could be exactly the type of player you guys need.Zomp said:
Barca signed Claudio Bravo, the Chilean keeper, from Real Sociedad for 12M euros. He'll be a backup to ter Stegen.
Pete O'Rourke @SkySportsPeteO 30m
Porto have announced to the Portuguese stock exchange that Manchester City have signed their midfielder Fernando for €15million. #MCFC
Porto have announced to the Portuguese stock exchange that Manchester City have signed their midfielder Fernando for €15million. #MCFC
Phil Thompson tells Irish radio Alexis Sanchez to Liverpool is a done deal. I'll believe it when I see him holding up a shirt.
So Herrera was in Carrington yesterday for contract negotiations and a medical, but Bilbao have released a statement saying they have turned down United's bid for his buyout clause....
....okayyyyyyy....
....okayyyyyyy....
Now Bilbao's official website is saying Herrera paid the buy out clause himself (translation: United put the money in his account) and he is free to join United.
Why it makes a difference, I haven't a clue.
Why it makes a difference, I haven't a clue.
Assuming the valuations of these transfers are roughly legitimate, over the last three seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15) United will have a higher net spend in the transfer market than Chelsea or City.
Arsenal and a few other clubs were linked to him so I guess this is news, as he's clearly not going anywhere.
Hazard money for Shaw? I am no longer disappointed to miss out on him. Hopefully I won't change my tune in a couple of years.PedroSpecialK said:
Twitter Rumor so who knows how reliable but rumor is that LA Galaxy accepted a bid from West Ham for Omar Gonzalez.
https://twitter.com/DaiIyTelegram/statuses/483711763557666817
https://twitter.com/DaiIyTelegram/statuses/483711763557666817
This is a really interesting article I just came across that discusses the inflation of Premier League transfer fees over time, their link to TV money, and - most intriguingly - what the highest transfer fees in the Premier League have been if you adjust for "inflation" - ie, relative to an average transfer fee for a particular transfer window, which buys have actually been the highest. Its a little old (from last January) but the analysis is still perfectly relevant and really puts transfers like Shaw for 30M and Lallana for 25M in perspective. The whole article is worth reading but I'll also post the kicker graph, enumerating the top 100 Premier League transfers of all time in "inflation-adjusted" dollars.
One thing about Shaw and Lallana is they got the home grown players bump as well.
The UK doesn't produce enough BPL quality players to fill out the top squads, so players like Lallana and Shaw become massively valuable.
The UK doesn't produce enough BPL quality players to fill out the top squads, so players like Lallana and Shaw become massively valuable.
Some of the bigger stuff I've read today:
Kroos is off to Real Madrid, who would look to sell Khedira (possibly to Arsenal?)
James Rodriguez and Falcao are also targest of Real Madrid. If they sign one or both, Benzema and Di Maria could make way for them. There wouldn't be a shortage of suitors for Di Maria.
City are after a central defender. Mangala and Benatia are the names being mentioned.
Kroos is off to Real Madrid, who would look to sell Khedira (possibly to Arsenal?)
James Rodriguez and Falcao are also targest of Real Madrid. If they sign one or both, Benzema and Di Maria could make way for them. There wouldn't be a shortage of suitors for Di Maria.
City are after a central defender. Mangala and Benatia are the names being mentioned.
Zomp said:
Real Madrid and Di Maria have an odd relationship. There were rumors that Real Madrid were looking to move Di Maria during last year's transfer window because he was unhappy at the club. Ancelotti apparently convinced Di Maria to stay, and Di Maria ended up being an essential player during RM's Champions League title run. Now, there is talk that Di Maria does not feel valued by fans or the club, and wants to find a team that appreciates him. I'm sure it's all about money, which makes sense, but in the process we have to endure this soap-opera-like drama about Di Maria's feelings.
Zomp said:
Classic Madrid. Sell two players who are absolutely perfect for the system you play in, to get two bigger names who don't exactly fit the team as presently construed. Benzema is the quintessential support striker. What he offers in movement, passing and smarts enables both Bale and Ronaldo to shine coming from wider positions. Falcão is much more of a classic number 9, who would have to be fed by the other forwards in order to produce, taking away freedom of movement and goal scoring opportunities from them.
James is also a great player, but where does he play in Ancelotti's scheme? They can hardly find a place for Isco as is, why do they want another attacking midfielder who doesn't really play deep and hasn't ever been assigned any defensive responsibilities? Di Maria was arguably their best player in last season's stretch run, he addapted to a more central midfield position perfectly, and his pace/workrate is integral to the fast break counter attacking style Madrid tend to play against bigger clubs. I can understand getting Kroos, moving Modric a little deeper and having him just ping the ball all over the field. That makes sense, he could be a very good replacement for Xabi Alonso, whose recent performance hasn't really been great. But James and Falcão I don't get.
New reports coming in all over Germany-based internet reports about Kroos to Real Madrid needing just some details in contract talks.
Süddeutsche Zeitung, reporting Kroos feels underappreciated in Munich. I guess it´s he wanted more money than everyone else. When you see him play with regularity in each CL match, at the WC and his passing efficiency in short passes, diagonal balls, you can make a case for him being the best player, but when you have such a huge roster like Bayern, Barca, Real, i also see the clubs side of setting a bar and nobody earns above it, nobody, else you may destroy your teams wage bill.
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/toni-kroos-abschied-vom-fc-bayern-ende-einer-widerspruechlichen-beziehung-1.2031843
sport1 reports the same:
http://www.sport1.de/de/fussball/fussball_bundesliga/newspage_916983.html
They say Guardiola is okay with the sale, as he doesn´t want any more troubling contract talks in the season. He thinks Thiago will get it done (we already saw that last season, until he was injured) and Bayern looks out at the WC for a new guy.
I don´t know if this is just a bluff. But you can´t let a guy like Kroos go, that´s a joke. And as a player, i don´t know why you wanna leave Bayern (even to Real), there is no bigger chance to win anything anywhere else, he has more traveling to do and i don´t know if he will be a regular player there. A stable club situation would be staying at Bayern, play your 30 matches and contend for 3 titles for the next 5 to 10 years. Real? We saw what happened with Özil, when a new coach came along.
Süddeutsche Zeitung, reporting Kroos feels underappreciated in Munich. I guess it´s he wanted more money than everyone else. When you see him play with regularity in each CL match, at the WC and his passing efficiency in short passes, diagonal balls, you can make a case for him being the best player, but when you have such a huge roster like Bayern, Barca, Real, i also see the clubs side of setting a bar and nobody earns above it, nobody, else you may destroy your teams wage bill.
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/toni-kroos-abschied-vom-fc-bayern-ende-einer-widerspruechlichen-beziehung-1.2031843
sport1 reports the same:
http://www.sport1.de/de/fussball/fussball_bundesliga/newspage_916983.html
They say Guardiola is okay with the sale, as he doesn´t want any more troubling contract talks in the season. He thinks Thiago will get it done (we already saw that last season, until he was injured) and Bayern looks out at the WC for a new guy.
I don´t know if this is just a bluff. But you can´t let a guy like Kroos go, that´s a joke. And as a player, i don´t know why you wanna leave Bayern (even to Real), there is no bigger chance to win anything anywhere else, he has more traveling to do and i don´t know if he will be a regular player there. A stable club situation would be staying at Bayern, play your 30 matches and contend for 3 titles for the next 5 to 10 years. Real? We saw what happened with Özil, when a new coach came along.
Possibly the greatest rumor ever: Stoke City "lead race" for Ronaldinho
http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/07/stoke-city-lead-race-for-brazilian-cult-hero-ronaldinho-4789378/
http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/07/stoke-city-lead-race-for-brazilian-cult-hero-ronaldinho-4789378/
I love The Metro. Nothing they print is true, but it's fun for the three seconds before you check the source.
They had Klaas-Jan Huntelaar coming to Liverpool today, too.
They had Klaas-Jan Huntelaar coming to Liverpool today, too.
City buy Malaga GK Willy Caballero for 6M pounds. Was hoping he'd end up at Emirates, both because he has a cool name and because some people rate him very highly. I've seen speculation in a couple places that he could end up challenging Hart.
Turrable said:
LOL at Ronaldinho playing in the EPL. He's like five steps too slow in the Brazilian league at the moment. Hasn't played a single good match since about May, 2013.
He should move to Liga MX. Cuauhtemoc Blanco is still playing there.
Incidentally, Blanco retired from international football. Last month.
Incidentally, Blanco retired from international football. Last month.
Sammer says Bayern will sell Mandzukic to Atleti. Rumors have the deal around 18M euros, which is pretty good business for Atleti in my book.
Several reports today that Griezmann has turned down a new contract offer from Real Sociedad, suggesting he wants a move. He's signed through 2016 so Sociedad could keep him another year but it seems more likely that he'll end up moving this window. I imagine a lot of big clubs will be in for him.
Di Marzio says Juve are very close to closing a deal for Morata from Real Madrid, for a reported 18M euros with an option for Real to buy him back at roughly double that price in two years. I guess this is Juve's Plan B after losing out on Sanchez.
Several reports today that Griezmann has turned down a new contract offer from Real Sociedad, suggesting he wants a move. He's signed through 2016 so Sociedad could keep him another year but it seems more likely that he'll end up moving this window. I imagine a lot of big clubs will be in for him.
Di Marzio says Juve are very close to closing a deal for Morata from Real Madrid, for a reported 18M euros with an option for Real to buy him back at roughly double that price in two years. I guess this is Juve's Plan B after losing out on Sanchez.
Juve chose Juan Iturbe over Sanchez, possibly because of cost. Morata is more likely to play CF in a 4-3-3 or prima punta in the 3-5-2, so he's not a Sanchez alternative.
AgentOrange said:
Sanchez and Morata do not play the same position but they're both attackers and they're both costly so Plan B doesn't seem like a misnomer. Arsenal's Plan A was probably to sign a center forward as a direct replacement for Giroud, Plan B was to sign somebody like Sanchez, etc....
DLew On Roids said:
Eh. It was a ceremonial retirement. He last played any meaningful minutes four years ago in South Africa. And even then, he was already calcifying.
As for him returning to Liga MX, I can only imagine it's for similar reasons. Frankly, he looked like fossilized horse shit in that "retirement" friendly against Israel, so I doubt very seriously he'll be able to keep up with that level of competition (mid-tier though it may be).
Those adjusted transfer fees are fascinating. Chelsea get a lot of grief, correctly, for the money spent on the likes of Shevchenko & Torres even before adjustment but coming in at #9 - Shaun Wright-Phillips.
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS and no-one says a word?
Great piece of business by someone there. Who was it, by the way? Oh yes...
Paul Tomkins, if you don't know him, is a huge Liverpool fan who due to long-term illness spends his days analysing footie and producing really detailed statistical analysis of all sorts of topics, particularly around transfer fees. He's co-written a couple of books, one of which I had but found too hard-going as I'm not really a stats person (so WTF you doing here on SoSH then) so if that sort of thing floats your boat go check him out,
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS and no-one says a word?
Great piece of business by someone there. Who was it, by the way? Oh yes...
Paul Tomkins, if you don't know him, is a huge Liverpool fan who due to long-term illness spends his days analysing footie and producing really detailed statistical analysis of all sorts of topics, particularly around transfer fees. He's co-written a couple of books, one of which I had but found too hard-going as I'm not really a stats person (so WTF you doing here on SoSH then) so if that sort of thing floats your boat go check him out,
Bosoxen said:
Well, yeah. Kind of like how Sylvain Distin announced his international retirement recently. He has zero caps.
I think Andy Cole announced his international retirement to guffaws from the England press pack when he hadn't been capped in about two years.