2011 Summer Transfer Window Thread

[Jimmy]

Berbatov to Newcastle for 7.5 million seems to be a pretty strong rumour.

[Lineker]

Peterborough United have accepted an offer from a Premier League side for striker Craig Mackail-Smith.

Noooooooo! Come to Watford! We're a family club!

[The Future]

It's looking like Berbatovs off god I hope he stays

I think that Newcastle move might actually happen, he's a Newcastle fan though he still has it in him to join a team thats competing for trophies.

[IAceI]

Is he actually a Newcastle fan as such? I thought he just thought Alan Shearer was a phenomenal striker and admired him (as any right thinking centre forward would)? Either way I'd be confused if Fergie let him go for £7.5m after his best Man Utd season. Surely someone on the continent will be willing to stump up a fair whack for him?

Alternatively they could keep their top goalscorer? Although I assume Rooney/Hernandez will be the preferred strikeforce.

EDIT: Got to assume the Mackail-Smith bid will be from a QPR/Norwich or perhaps a Wigan or the like. Think he's a quality player, not sure how likely he would be to cut it in the Premier League though - but worth a shot.

PS. Apparently Reading have stuck a £20m price-tag on Shane Long to ward off potential suitors.

Edited June 1, 2011 by IAceI

[Cadj]

Good to hear about Mackail-Smith moving up, if he gets regular playing time and gets some goals he'd be a great option for the Scotland team instead of Kenny Miller. Because I'm honestly fed up of him,

In fantastic Hearts transfer news, apparently the Zander Diamond deal is all but dead because his ankle is wrecked. Which is excellent news because he's fucking terrible.

[Matt]

Peterborough United have accepted an offer from a Premier League side for striker Craig Mackail-Smith.

Probably Everton or one of the promoted sides but I thought he was out of contract anyway :/

And yeah, £20m for Shane Long... so he'll join Fulham/Stoke/Bolton for about £3m then.

[IAceI]

Seems nailed on that it's Norwich apparently. At least they seem to crop up the most commonly out of the lot.

"Eurosport: BARCELONA: AS reports Barca are intent on signing at least five new players this summer. Some of the names mentioned are Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen, Milan's Thiago Silva and PSG's Mamadou Sakho. Defence is not the only priority though, with Cesc Fabregas remaining a target and Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi, Udinese's Alexis Sanchez and Fredi Kanoute of Sevilla all of interest."

What do people make of that? I know Puyol has his fitness concerns and Mascherano has been used at CB a bit - even in the CL final - but it seems weird seeing them linked with all these names. Do they have no depth and no one coming through at centre back? Heck, surely they could play a youngster alongside Pique and let Puyol play only in Europe and against Real Madrid and they'd probably still win.

Rossi has been great since he went to Villareal and everyone knows about Sanchez (would be a shame for Udinese to lose him after securing CL football). Also could this finally be the time Belgian Vertonghen makes it? Been a fan of his since seeing him play U21 football but he's never made the move from Ajax yet. Seems weird associating some of those names with Barcelona mind, especially if they were to make 5 big signings a team that gets a lot of media adulation for their cantera.

Meh, I'm bored at work and trying to make discussion out of very little, don't bite me head off or owt ¬_¬

[Lineker]

It doesn't particularly matter who they do or don't manage to bring in, they'll still win everything again.

[HailtotheYo]

Klose to Lazio ?

According to sport.co.uk, Wolves and Coventry are set to swap goalkeepers with Keiren Westwood heading to Molineux and Marcus Hahnemann heading in the other direction to the Ricoh Arena. Huh, interesting. But more reason to like Coventry.

[Twist]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article365647.ece

Sure, it's The Sun but everything I've ever heard about Berbs is he is a Newcastle fan and always wanted to play for Newcastle and wear the number nine. Fingers crossed.

[Benji]

Klose to Lazio ?

According to sport.co.uk, Wolves and Coventry are set to swap goalkeepers with Keiren Westwood heading to Molineux and Marcus Hahnemann heading in the other direction to the Ricoh Arena. Huh, interesting. But more reason to like Coventry.

Fuck. Was hoping Westwood was going to head our way to Leicester

[Starvinho]

Hopefully Berba will stay, we need him. He's a big man with a great touch and two brilliant feet, and even if he's not scoring he's important in the games where Herndanez's pace isn't working and we need someone to hold the ball up and link the play. I just think it would be pointless getting rid of him to go and buy someone else who'll take time to settle in.

[Ben E.]

Berbatov to Newcastle would be a fantastic bit of business, but if that 7.5 Million price tag is accurate then surely a team with European football would go in for him? I wouldn't be shocked to see him back at Tottenham for that price.

[Jimmy]

I think the whole thing's baffling, really. Berbatov has had his best season in the Prem and Sir Alex doesn't seem to like him at all. The snub for the champs league final basically seals it for me. They can't demand too much for him now he's only got one year on his contract left and United have made it pretty clear they don't really want him. 7.5 mil seems dirt cheap for a player of Berba's standard. I just want him to stay in England.

[Dynamite]

I really hope Berba stays. A move to Newcastle isn't good enough for him really, he deserves nothing short of Champions League football (admittedly we hardly give him the chances in the big games). The quotes coming from him today saying he wants to stay and fight for his place are great to see.

[Hobo]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article365647.ece

Sure, it's The Sun but everything I've ever heard about Berbs is he is a Newcastle fan and always wanted to play for Newcastle and wear the number nine. Fingers crossed.

If Newcastle were interested in signing Robbie Keane, he'd be saying the exact same thing. But then he always does.

[Twist]

To be fair, that article is from four years ago. I don't think it has anything to do with these rumours. >_<

[Summers]

Kinda does - as it's proof of his affection towards the club.

[Twist]

I meant more in the article isn't a result of these rumours than it not being relevant. I know it's relevant, that's why I posted it.

[Hobo]

To be fair, that article is from four years ago. I don't think it has anything to do with these rumours. >_<

I see I left out the part where I acknowledged Berbatov and his admiration for Alan Shearer, because I was too busy making a Robbie Keane joke.