2011 Summer Transfer Window Thread

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I'd certainly like Berbatov to stay, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him go. I wonder where he really would fit in next season. Rooney is a guranteed starter and Hernandez seems to have made himself one as well. Add that to Owen, Welbeck returning as well as Macheda, who SAF clearly wants to give a shot in the upcoming season. Also plus that on to any possible buy in the market in terms of the attack.

Really, I'm just not sure where Berbatov fits in anymore, which is slightly crazy after he's just had a bloody great season. He's won me over, so I really would like him to stay, but there we go. I wouldn't be too fussed with him going to Newcastle, if he is to leave, I'd like him to stay in the PL. Though I could see him fitting in well at Bayern.

[Matt]

If I were Berbatov I'd be demanding to leave (well, I wouldn't have signed in the first place, but that's a different matter ), Premier League joint top scorer, club top scorer and he couldn't even get on the bench for the Champions League final. If Rooney wasn't English, I can't see how anyone would play him before Berbatov (I get the workrate aspect but you can afford one "lazy" player in a team) and I'm surprised Whiskeynose has done, nevermind picking Michael Owen over him.

[Gazz]

I'm not sure if I'm happy with Berba potentially joining Newcastle. You can't argue with his finishing ability and goalscoring record. I question whether he has the grapefruits and work ethic for a mid table / possible relegation scrap? Or is he just going to stand around, shrugging his shoulders and complaining that he's not getting the service he got at Spurs and Man Utd?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

If I were Berbatov I'd be demanding to leave (well, I wouldn't have signed in the first place, but that's a different matter ), Premier League joint top scorer, club top scorer and he couldn't even get on the bench for the Champions League final. If Rooney wasn't English, I can't see how anyone would play him before Berbatov (I get the workrate aspect but you can afford one "lazy" player in a team) and I'm surprised Whiskeynose has done, nevermind picking Michael Owen over him.

You cant see how anybody would play Rooney, the best striker at the club, ahead of Berbatov? It's got fuck all to do with him being English. Rooney had a poor start to the season and eventually picked himself up. Outstanding passing, unbelievable workrate and a player who can actually carry the team when they're sometimes not performing. He's on a different level to Berbatov. That's no disrespect to Berbatov, who I think is clearly a bloody good player and has had his best season, but I'd pick Rooney all day long over him whether he was from England or Iraq to be quite frank.

I've no clue why Berbatov wasn't on the bench for that game. Whether there was a bust up or what, nobody but those guys actually know. Bust up or not though, I wouldn't of started him and really, I don't see how he could of even made a change to that game. Hernandez was right for that match, problem was he couldn't do any damage what so ever because he had close to no service.

[Baddar]

Fergie said pre-match that he felt he had no choice but to name three midfielders on the bench - how Owen got in ahead of Berba is anyone's guess. Maybe he felt that if we needed a goal late on, he could be the man to get it. When we needed two, I guess he just couldn't see it happening.

I want Berba to stay though. His hold-up play is terrific, and although Nani claimed a lot of assists last season, I wouldn't be surprised if quite a lot of them came because of Berbatov's play in the build up to it.

If Macheda left, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

[Dynamite]

I expect Macheda will be loaned out to a Premier League club this season to get some experience in the way Welbeck and Diouf have been.

[Matt]

If I were Berbatov I'd be demanding to leave (well, I wouldn't have signed in the first place, but that's a different matter ), Premier League joint top scorer, club top scorer and he couldn't even get on the bench for the Champions League final. If Rooney wasn't English, I can't see how anyone would play him before Berbatov (I get the workrate aspect but you can afford one "lazy" player in a team) and I'm surprised Whiskeynose has done, nevermind picking Michael Owen over him.

You cant see how anybody would play Rooney, the best striker at the club, ahead of Berbatov? It's got fuck all to do with him being English. Rooney had a poor start to the season and eventually picked himself up. Outstanding passing, unbelievable workrate and a player who can actually carry the team when they're sometimes not performing. He's on a different level to Berbatov. That's no disrespect to Berbatov, who I think is clearly a bloody good player and has had his best season, but I'd pick Rooney all day long over him whether he was from England or Iraq to be quite frank.

I've no clue why Berbatov wasn't on the bench for that game. Whether there was a bust up or what, nobody but those guys actually know. Bust up or not though, I wouldn't of started him and really, I don't see how he could of even made a change to that game. Hernandez was right for that match, problem was he couldn't do any damage what so ever because he had close to no service.

Barring the middle part of last season (i.e. until his injury), I've never thought Rooney to be anything better than good with the ability to score an occasional "wondergoal". I'll give you that during that spell his ability to pull away from a player and make space for himself was second to none but yeah, on the whole (as in average form throughout their career) I'd rather have quite a few Premiership strikers than Rooney - Berbatov and Hernandez among them, albeit Hernandez isn't the finished article yet.

[EddieG]

Malaga have signed Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

[IAceI]

Malaga really need to prove they are worth the money invested in them. For the amount of backing they have their performance last season was shocking and the owners will want to see marked improvement immediately. Signing RVN will ensure them goals and money back in t-shirt sales so it makes sense. Still don't think any amount of money will make them massively competitive anytime soon but would be nice to see a shake up nearer the top for a change (except for Bilbao, they need to remain awesome).

[EddieG]

If we can keep the form up from the second half of the season, we'll definitely be challenging for a European spot. We were dead last for a long time and ended up finishing 11th.

[Matt]

Not particularly transfer gossip more of a rant about our fans' opinion on transfer policy.

Firstly, the idea that we sell any decent player we get is absolutely farcical, we had lots of opportunities to sell Beckford and we didn't, the only time I can think of us selling one of our top players recently was Delph and a combination of his talent (and thus desire to play in the Premier League) and the money we were offered made it unreasonable to try and keep hold of him. Despite this, people seem convinced that we'll be losing Snodgrass, Gradel, Schmeichel and Becchio (who signed a 3 1/2 year deal in January) because Bates wants to cash in.

Secondly, this ridiculous mentality that, if we sell him, we're going to get £5-6million for Kasper Schmeichel, he's a good goalkeeper and could almost certainly play for a bottom half Premier League side but he's still very raw and has one year left on his deal, no club in their right minds would be willing to pay more than about £3m for him and a some of that would probably be appearance/success based.

Finally, people are saying that we need to spend lots of money this summer to go up (I've seen £10m mentioned by a couple of people). This was a team that came 7th last season and the reasons we weren't higher was A) Grayson's refusal to rotate players and try different formations when things weren't going well and B) our lack of a midfielder that could win the ball and give a simple pass and a lack of a commanding centre half. Grayson tends to learn from his mistakes and towards the end of the season he did start experimenting tactics and rotating players and there's the possibility that, if he can fully regain fitness and form, Kisnorbo could easily be our commanding centre half. I was thinking the other day, we need 6 players maximum - a reserve goalkeeper, a left and right back (either as first choice or cover, because Parker and Connolly can be improved on but are capable), a commanding centre back (for if Kisnorbo can't find fitness/form or as cover), a ball winning midfielder and ideally a versatile player that can cover a few positions if need be. That is, of course, assuming we don't sell anyone and don't need to replace them. Of the roles I listed, very few of them would command large transfer fees to get them at a good Championship standard.

Rant over.

[IAceI]

There is trying to find that fine balance between a player under contract and being able to sell them for a profit later on. Do you squeeze the player for every penny you can get or do you hold onto them and let them walk at the end for a free? Not to mention the big boys hardly play fair and when a Premier League team targets a player from Championship/League One they'll often wrangle for the lowest deal (hardly unfair on their account) but also making sure the player stamps his feet enough to encourage the move with little fuss.

I'd imagine one of the reasons Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn't been signed quite yet is because Southampton want top dollar for him and any Premier League team knows that he won't immediately improve their side so why not negotiate as much as possible, if it goes on too long Southampton won't end up seeing a penny for him so this whole smoke and mirrors £12m for him is obviously going to come down to probably a few million at best.

In regards to Kasper, good goalkeeper he may be but like you say £5-6m for him? Unlikely. I'd also wager a lot of the lower Premier League teams who get quoted that will also be looking to speak to Keiran Westwood who will be on a free. Makes sense to look towards Westwood for nothing than trying to negotiate down a rather high transfer fee. (Although I dislike this a bit because Carlisle will probably have a sell-on clause in Westwood's contract - which I'd hope given then sold him for buttons - and I suppose they won't see a penny from it in the end if he moves on a free?)

Finally - you expect too much common sense from football fans, especially ones who support Leeds. Football gets much easier when you just assume everyone is a moron from the off, and then you can be pleasantly surprised when someone can tell you who got relegated from the Championship this season (I set my standards low for my friends, adjust accordingly..)

[Lineker]

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

Hahnemann has just been released.

[Starvinho]

Swansea make £3million bid for Danny Graham according to SSN.

[Summers]

Friedel is a Spurs player.

[Plubby]

Friedel to Spurs now official:

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/friedel-agrees-move-030611.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=friedel-agrees-move-030611

...Wow, dude's old.

EDIT: Dammit Summ, Sarnath'd.

[Summers]

He's 40 and has a two year deal. Crazy. :| Now with Cudicini, Gomes and Brad... will Brad's 275 consecutive league games come to an end?

[Starvinho]

Big gamble for Spurs, especially if they see him as their new #1. At 40 he could break down with an injury at anytime and that could be his top level football days over. But if he stays fit and plays like he has done for the last 10 years then Spurs have just got themselves one of the best keepers in the league.

[Summers]

His reflexes aren't what they used to be, and he's become afraid to come out and collect and he lacks the ability to command his area. His age is catching up to him. Hell of a risk by Spurs.

[Matt]

I think it's a great signing, he'll be first choice this season while the scouts try and find a top quality younger goalkeeper who can replace him, he's not quite what he used to be, but he's better than Gomes and it's better than splashing out on a new keeper and hoping he turns out good.