04/19/24
June 13, 2007
Euro transfer speculation gathers pace: Notwithstanding the American men's leap back into the FIFA top 20, the real action is the European version of the Hot Stove league. Beckham is definitely going to LA and ManUtd have signed Hargreaves (finally!), Nani and Anderson. And Chelsea splashed out for Steve Sidwell and got Pizaro on a free.
But let's speculate about what might still happen! All the big names seem to want Carlos Tevez, who might cost upwards of GBP30M. Henry to Barca along side or in place of Eto'o? Saviola seems certain to leave the Neu Camp and master blaster Roberto Carlos has left the Galacticos for Fehnerbache. Drogba to Milan or Crouch to Juve for Trezeguet? Will Tottenham sell their best scoring player, big man Berbatov, and will Gabriele Heinz give up on the Premiership. Most important of all, will Rafa Benitez get his mooted big wallet from Gillette and Hicks? You tell me.
posted by billsaysthis to fantasy at 05:09 PM - 18 comments
I read somewhere yesterday that Inter is making a big push for Tevez and that is where he would like to go because there are already 8 or so Argentines there. The price I saw bandied about there was about 25 million pounds. In what is likely a pretty sure sign that Tevez is gone (not that there was really any doubt), it looks like West Ham have signed Darren Bent at 17 million pounds.
posted by holden at 10:55 AM on June 14, 2007
West Ham and Spurs are supposedly squabling over Darren Bent with the transfer fee apparently as high as £18,000,000 now. Hopefully the two continue to argue and drive the price up, because Ipswich has a 20% sell on clause on Bent, so £18m would nett a cool £3.6m for the Town.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:58 AM on June 14, 2007
Here's an article about escalating wages in the Premiership. Interesting for me from an American perspective because the weekly wages thing always throws me off -- salaries for all the major American sports are typically given as annual amounts. According to the linked article, average annual wages in the Premiership are about £676,000 (just north of $1.35MM). By contrast, the average MLB salary for 2006 was $2.7MM, while I believe the NBA now averages over $5MM and the NFL is around $1.4MM.
posted by holden at 12:32 PM on June 14, 2007
Looks like Bent has rejected the move to West Ham..
posted by blarp at 09:13 PM on June 14, 2007
Tal Ben Haim signed for Chelsea--does he think he's the answer for them at right back? At least his club and country colors are the same now.
posted by billsaysthis at 09:57 PM on June 14, 2007
At last count, Inter now have about 12 injury prone and temperamental international strikers to fill 2 positions. That will make any rotational policy as easy as herding cats. At least his club and country colors are the same now If you don't mind the difference in shading, that is. Chelsea were about one decent defender short last year - Essien is too good a midfielder to be playing at the back. Could be a good pick up.
posted by owlhouse at 12:36 AM on June 15, 2007
Have Liverpool bought anyone yet?
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:12 AM on June 16, 2007
The Beeb knows what lurks in the hearts of fantasy managers, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6733191.stm. Liverpool: Ins: Andrey Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen, free), Kristian Nemeth & Andras Simon (both MTK Hungariam, undisclosed). Outs: Robbie Fowler (released), Florent Sinama Pongolle (Recreativo Huelva, £2.7m).
posted by billsaysthis at 12:04 PM on June 16, 2007
Voronin, Nemeth and Simon play what positions?
posted by worldcup2002 at 07:28 PM on June 17, 2007
All strikers I think, though Nemeth and Simon are only kids.
posted by squealy at 07:25 AM on June 18, 2007
The BBC are reporting striker "Thierry Henry joins Barcelona." A four year deal, with Arsenal picking up £16m for the French player.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:27 PM on June 22, 2007
Who will be up front for the Gunners this year? Henry, Baptista, even Aliadiere are gone leaving Adebayor, Theo Walcott and Nicholas Bendtner as the only true forwards on the squad. Maybe the £16m will be going to Charlton in a late swoop for Darren Bent, cutting out Tottenham?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:32 PM on June 22, 2007
You're forgetting probably the best forward left on the team; Robin van Persie. They also still own Jose Antonio Reyes and although it's likely Reyes won't come back from Spain, there's still a chance he'll be in red and white next season. If not, the money will add to Henry's fee to help them pick up someone else. Though, even given the age difference, a world in which Darren Bent costs more than Thierry Henry is seriously messed up.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:30 AM on June 23, 2007
Some speculation that Arsenal will go after Martins. Hopefully they offer him an armored car.
posted by yerfatma at 07:00 AM on June 23, 2007
Both Owen and Martins have buy-out clauses in their contracts that Fat Sam is none too happy about, so it wouldn't surprise me to see one or other leave.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 08:47 AM on June 23, 2007
Van Persie is a terrific player who needs to show he can make it through a whole season without missing major time from injury. Plus I think he does best as left wing rather than striker, even though Wenger seems to think otherwise. Looking elsewhere in London, rumors say that Abramovich and Mourinho haven't been able to overcome their compulsion to spend huge sums every summer and will bid £18m bid for 17-year-old Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato. I saw Pato in the recent friendly vs. Switzerland and he seemed interesting One wonders, though, how well yet another front line player expecting significant playing time will fit into the Chelsea locker room. I mean the team will carry over Drogba, Shevchenko, Kalou and Ben Sahar and have already signed Pizarro, plus Robben is sometimes sent out as a striker as well.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:18 AM on June 24, 2007
Van Persie is a terrific player who needs to show he can make it through a whole season without missing major time from injury Perhaps if he could quit the Slide On Knees, Previously-Injured Feet Flexed Backwards celebration, things would improve.
posted by yerfatma at 04:50 PM on June 24, 2007
But the big news is that Sunderland have landed Halford, and now are looking at Smith ;)