Transfer Gossip...

This blog is something of a special request! A friend of mine asked me to include my thoughts on the subject, probably remembering the many times I have ranted that the people who get paid to make up this stuff should all be ashamed. After this I am planning to do an assessment of at least 5 Leagues from both the UK and Europe with some tips for next year included too. But, right now I'm going to assess this summers most likely stories and give my thoughts on some transfers I can see happening too, as well as likely successes of some that have already taken place.

The Big Ones that have already happened

David Silva to Manchester City
I really like this transfer. I think he is as big a name as City are likely to attract without the promise of Champions League football and is a signing more for footballing ability than marketing potential I think. Silva might have been overshadowed by the more famous David at Valencia (Villa!) for the past few seasons, but he was also hugely important to Valencia and was a regular for Spain before the World Cup. He is another of the little men that Spain are now famous for, but this one is a tougher customer than usual! He spent a season or 2 on loan at smaller clubs early in his career getting toughened up, in particular at Albacete. I think these experiences will bear him in good stead and if City can find a central striker who cares more than Adebayor then with Silva and Tevez behind I'm sure they can mount a challenge this year. Don't expect goals though, he's more of a provider than a scorer!

Lorient Kocielesny to Arsenal
This transfer seemed to go on for ages and showed Arsene Wenger's determination to get his man. I don't watch an awful lot of French Ligue 1, mostly due to it being utter toilet, but he has made a swift rise and looked very good from what I've seen and read. He was playing in Ligue 2 the season before last, then came up to Ligue 1 and again looked a very capable centre half. He bears similarities to last seasons success Thomas Vermaelen as he is also capable of playing football and putting in crunching challenges. This is an interesting one I think. Having one ball playing centre back is good, but 2 could become a liability. He is also only 24 and has 1 season of top flight European football behind him. Part of Vermaelen's settling in was probably due to having the experience of Billy Gallas next to him. Without any current experience in defence at Arsenal it could all go horribly wrong.

Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling to Manchester United
I have grouped these 2 together as they are both young players who no-one has seen a great deal of before. I also think that unless Ferguson can persuade someone to give him big money for Dimitar Berbatov then this will be the extent of their summer spending. I wouldn't give the red-nosed whiner 50p for him personally, he doesn't fit in at Man Utd at all and I'd use that to bargain a cut price deal. Saying that, Steve Bruce will no doubt steam in with a £40m offer if Ferguson asks him! Anyway, back to Smalling and Hernandez. I have very differing views on these 2. I think Hernandez looks a real prospect, he shone for Mexico in the World Cup and reminded me of Carlos Vela 2 years ago when everyone thought he was ready to make a breakthrough at Arsenal. He's small, quick and knows where the goal is. My worry would be that a player like that needs to play his way in and at a club the size of United he might not get that time. Smalling is not good enough in my opinion. I think Ferguson paid all that money (£10m!) on the back of 3 good games and he got torn apart by anyone with pace or tricks later in the campaign. He is only young, but he was playing non-league football 2 years ago and I think the learning curve will be far too steep for him to make it.

The Potential Moves

Fernando Torres to Manchester City/Chelsea
This one is looking increasingly likely as I write this, with various reports stating talks are now happening with regards to a move to Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea. With Torres making Darren Anderton look like a picture of health at the moment I think the jury is out on this move. I think it will happen due to Liverpool's finances and Abramovich's professed desire for a big name signing. If they can get him fit then Torres is one of the world's best, but he's no use to anyone if he's on the treatment table.

Mark Schwarzer to Arsenal
This is an interesting one as it looks likely to happen and goes against Arsene Wenger's usual policy. Signing a 38 year old looks dodgy in writing, but as a short term fix, Schwarzer fits the bill. With Scielzeny getting rave reviews at Brentford last year on loan, it looks like he'll be the latest young goalkeeper that Arsene will put his hopes on. At £4m Shwarzer might be expensive, but unless Wenger can attract someone like Joe Hart or Seb Frey then I think this would be a good purchase.

Joe Cole to Tottenham/Arsenal/Liverpool
This is only going one way! All roads lead to White Hart Lane for Mr Cole as none of the others seem at all serious about picking him up, even on a free. Harry 'Sloppy Chops' Redknapp twitched something about signing him onths ago and has gone about the transfer in his usual way. He says he likes the player, then states he is at another club so it would be rude to speculate (having already done so), states that he might have wages that are too high (but thats the chairmans decision), then says he will speak to him about how he always liked him. Then he will sign on huge wages, that aren't Harry's fault obviously (thats the chairmans decision) and when he flops it will be the chairmans fault, Harry never wanted him. I hate Redknapp and the ridiculous pandering to him in this nations media is appalling. Someone should really call him up on the bungs, the dodgy agents fees, the fact the media have never questioned the trail of bankruptcy he has left behind him at every club he's been at is shocking. Get me on TV, I'll do it!

The ones that will go on all summer...

Mario Balotelli to Arsenal/Man Utd/Man City/West Ham etc
I will categorically state now that this will not happen. It wont stop the papers repeating it all summer, but it isn't happening. Inter Milan have said he isn't going, he has said he's happy and they have a new manager who hasn't had time to fall out with the stroppy boy wonder yet! He is clearly a hell of a player when in the mood, sadly his frequent personality clashes with teammates, opposing players and managers mean he is yet to fulfil that potential. This is lazy journalism at its best, anyone taking this story to their editor should be handed their P45 and told never to darken that door again!

Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard to Real Madrid
Another one that should be immediately thrown in the bin, but sadly wont. Jose Mourinho is now manager of Real Madrid so the English media will once again link our 'world class' players with him. This is either due to sheer stupidity on the level of these players or the media's borderline homosexual obsession with Jose. Ashley Cole might happen so I'll leave that aside, he is the best left-back in the world and is not well liked in England, Jose signed him before, it all adds up. The other 2 don't. Whilst Madrid's transfer policy is somewhat mental this would really tae it up a notch if they signed either 'Lamps' of 'Stevie Me'. Both of them are over 30, both of them are vastly over-rated, as seen by the fact that even though they're apparently 'world class' there has never been a hint of a foreign club seriously considering buying them, and both of their clubs value them at stupidly high values. Neither of them have the technique to fit in in Spain and Madrid are already well staffed in central midfield. There's as much chance of this happening as there is of Cristiano Ronaldo not being a preening pr*ck.

A big name striker/midfielder coming to Manchester United
Another lazy one that comes up all the time. Just to make something clear straight away, Man Utd are broke. Skint. Up financial sh*t creek minus 1x paddle. So they will not be spending a shedload of money on one of the world's best players. Wesley Sneijder is the current flavour of the month. He would be valued at around £30m on the back of an amazing season and after spending that on Berbatov I would be extremely suprised if the Glazer's ever gave Ferguson that sort of money again. A waste of paper if ever there was one.

Some tips...
A few bookmakers will offer transfer betting in their football specials markets. You can get 17/20 on Betfair currently for James Milner to stay at Aston Villa, I'd take that. To value him at £30m is ridiculous when he's nothing more than a decent hard-working player and I can't see City paying it, and no-one else is interested. Skybet go around 10/11 that David Silva gets under 5.5 goals, and I like that too. Skybet also go 6/4 that Joe Cole goes to Tottenham, this is a bank job I think, it's basically a done deal!