All the latest transfer rumours – August 10
Arsenal fans are kicking up a ruckus over Chelsea’s public statement that they are not willing to increase their offer for Ashley Cole.
I’m all for raking Londoners (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, it’s all the same to me) over coals but how they decided that Arsenal hold the upper hand here, I don’t know. Discussion continues here, the latest transfer rumours are below.
Today’s headlines are all about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 16.7 mil move from Juventus to Inter Milan. We covered this in an earlier article today but on a broader perspective, the availability of Martins and Adriano (despite Inter Milan’s rejections) will interest a host of European clubs. Bayern Munich have been after a striker and while the Bundesliga has lost its charm Bayern may have the money to test Inter.
Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United are all looking for strikers, although the Spurs have denied any interest in Martins and are instead being constantly linked with Mido. How will Defoe will feel about that? Newcastle are reportedly still after Kuyt but could be tempted to bid, although the only thing they have to offer is a guaranteed starting place.
With Manchester United – well, we don’t know if we have the money, but either prospect is enticing (although neither of them have stellar goal-scoring records). More on United’s quest for a striker here.
French sources are claiming that Manchester United have made an official bid for Diarra, now that they are clear of how much Real Madrid are interested and what Lyon are asking. If true, it goes well with what Ferguson said last week about United looking at players other than Senna as well.
Us United fans have been praying for that statement to be true for the whole week, so I’ll take that rumour as hope for now.
Diarra could fetch for at least 15 mil, more likely 20. With Madrid already spending a lot of money, United might be able to edge them out by offering more for Diarra. Still speculation for now, but the next couple of days will be very interesting.
The Reyes saga is nearing a close with Mijatovic in London to hammer out a deal with Arsenal. Expect this to be over by the end of the week. Rumours are that Arsenal have offered Cole to Madrid as well, though nothing can be confirmed. Capello’s obviously fond of Reyes though – solves his left-side problems and allows him to dispose of Cassano or Ronaldo.
Portsmouth – the mini-Chelsea – are on a roll, with David James supposed to be their next signing after Sol Campbell. James has told his club that he wants to head on south for family reasons, and Portsmouth are ready to help him out.
What’s interesting about this is the pattern Harry Redknapp is following – he’s chasing difficult, out of favour players (Anelka, Campbell, James – well, at least internationally) who are getting old, but most of all, players who haven’t fulfilled their potential. Whether he’ll be able to mould this motley crew into a surviving side, I don’t know but it’s a positive step for sure.
Oh and…any ideas who will buy Tim Howard next year? The Sun has reported that Kuszczak was in Manchester United for a medical and that the deal was done. If so, Howard is on his way out next year, so let’s hope he impresses Moyes enough for him to buy the American stopper.
Topics: Arsenal, Chelsea, English Premier League, Football Transfers, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Real Madrid
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Yet again, another little dig at Newcastle. Give over!
August 10th, 2006 @ 17:54Ben – I was honestly going to say ‘fervent crowd support’ but that would have been worse
Until you guys clear the InterToto and get into the UEFA cup, all you really do have to offer is a starting berth.
August 10th, 2006 @ 17:57If I had mentioned wages, you guys would have attacked me still
Like I said, CL is a big jump for any club outside the top four this year, regardless of who you buy (even if you get Kuyt, Martins, Gravesen and Bridge).
August 10th, 2006 @ 18:13> Until you guys clear the InterToto and get into the UEFA cup…
What an ignorant comment. Newcastle beat Lillestrom in the InterToto on 22nd July and play the first leg of the Uefa Cup tonight in Latvia against the might of FK Ventspils!
Do you think they won’t progress to the 1st round proper in which they will be top-seeded?
If you hafd any credibility, you’d have lost it. No change there.
August 10th, 2006 @ 18:56wonderful…you forget that you guys lost in the semi-finals of the qualifying stage last year. So yes, anything is possible.
I believe that Newcastle will get into UEFA, but nothing’s a sure bet, now is it? Unless you’re blindly optimistic.
Then again, I understand where you’re coming from. If I was a Newcastle fan I’d snap at anyone doubting my team getting throu— oh wait, Manchester United automatically qualified for the Champions League
August 10th, 2006 @ 19:29Another uneducated snide at NUFC. Except this is a worse effort than some have managed. NUFC of course can offer a salary that is second only to Chelsea. Their wages have always exceeded other top clubs. Also, there will be European football in the offing. It’s not the Champions league but we’ll have to settle for that next year! Don’t be surprised if both Kuyt and Martins are wearing black and white next year. Along with Gravesen and Bridge. A season to look forward to i feel.
August 10th, 2006 @ 18:10Newcastle are already in the Uefa Cup. Can you not read what’s written? They won through to it 3 weeks ago.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/fixtures?league=uefa.uefa&cc=5739
They play in the Uefa Cup tonight, as shown.
August 10th, 2006 @ 22:24Wonderful – we’re arguing on technicalities, right?
UEFA cup ‘qualifying round’.
Just like Liverpool and Arsenal still have to finish their qualification rounds before they can really say they are in the Champions League (although its academic for Arsenal)…oh well, what’s the point of arguing…
August 11th, 2006 @ 00:05Fair enough, I was wrong to say that Newcastle are still in the InterToto Cup. They’re in the second qualfying round of the UEFA cup and 1-0 up in the first leg, courtesy of a Titus Bramble goal.
Technicalities be damned.
August 11th, 2006 @ 02:21You haven’t finished apologising yet, having admitted you were completely wrong and completely out of date on your facts.
So, when you said Newcastle have nothing to offer Kuyt but a starting place, you omitted the fact they’re a home leg away from being 1st seeds in the 1st round proper of the Uefa Cup, ahead of holders Seville.
Have you seen the old tat competing in that competition? It’s virtually a rock-solid guarantee of 7 European games from this point forward if they don’t go far, and more if they get though that group stage.
Some advice. Research you article. Throwaway comments will be ripped in the manner they deserve to be. Shoddy work, without any question.
August 11th, 2006 @ 04:08Sid,
I think you mistook my apology as a confirmation of some grandoise notion that Newcastle are actually a successful club.
To answer what you said:
1) My comment about ‘Newcastle being able to offer but a starting place’ was not just about Kuyt, but about Martins and Adriano as well. And, as I mentioned in previous comments, there’s also money and amazing fan support to consider.
2) If you’re talking about Kuyt, he has the option of going to Liverpool and the big difference between Liverpool and Newcastle here is that at Newcastle he will be guaranteed a starting place whereas at Liverpool he’ll have to fight it our with Bellamy, Crouch and Fowler. And we’re not even talking about European football yet (since you have all your facts straight, I don’t need to remind you that Liverpool are in the same position as Newcastle, albeit with a shot at the Champions League and not the UEFA Cup)
3) If you’re talking about Adriano and Martins, then it’s the same thing, except that now Newcastle are competing with 2 clubs (counting Inter and Manchester United), both of whom can offer CL, high wages and fantastic fans. What they cant offer is a guaranteed starting place, which Newcastle can.
Far from being a throwaway comment, this was well-judged based on my understanding of the transfer situation. You may disagree with it, but accusing me of shoddy work is just a childish excuse for trying to prove that Newcastle can offer something big.
I put my hand up and said that yes, I got my facts on InterToto wrong (the rules were changed for this year onwards). How about you stop being a twat and actually read what I’m writing?
August 11th, 2006 @ 04:23I read very well, thanks. Your throwaway remarks, whatever players you were talking about, were in relation to Newcastle.
- You were wrong about Newcastle’s position.
- You were wrong about the InterToto competition which completed three weeks ago (lets have no talk about rule-changes last year – this year’s started and finished in its entirety already).
- And you didn’t know 2 matches of the the Uefa Cup round with Newcastle in it were played on Tuesday with the entire balance of 1st leg matches including Newcastle were completing later on the day of the article.
Do you realise Newcastle are the highest Uefa-ranked team in the entire competition? Of teams in QR2 or those already into the 1st round proper? The highest of all.
When it’s so clear how much you don’t know, this is why your credibility is shot and the rest of what you write isn’t worth a jot. My only problem is I read what you wrote and came to the only conclusion available.
Nothing to offer but a guaranteed 1st team place? Pah!
August 11th, 2006 @ 06:08Ahmed, I think you are overestemating the likes of Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Sure, Martins and Kuyt are better than Luque and Ameobi, so in that sense they have no problem getting starting berth at Newcastle. But remember, Man Utd have no Nistelrooy to partner Rooney anymore, Arsenal have no one of the same stature as Henry, and Liverpool strikers are no competition for Martins or Kuyt as proven 20-goal a season strikers, what more in the Dutch and Italian leagues. So, they will get into the first team in any of the top teams except Chelsea.
August 11th, 2006 @ 18:31Lee – I’m sure that you’re aware of Arsenal’s first choice pairing – Henry and van Persie. If either of those two come, they will have to fight for a first team place with van Persie, who is in excellent form. Nothing guaranteed.
About United – same thing with Saha. Excellent form in the Premiership, and his linkup play with Rooney is exactly what United need (even though I liked Ruud more). Nothing guaranteed.
Liverpool play with a 4-5-1 – Crouch and Bellamy are already there, do you think Kuyt will be first choice immediately? Not with the love Benitez has shown Crouch.
Sid – Mate, I understand what you’re saying, but you’re not reading me right.
When you COMPARE what Newcastle have to offer against what other teams have to offer, the only thing Newcastle have an ADVANTAGE in is a first team place.
UEFA Cup vs Champions League – is it really that hard to understand?
Highest rankings in the UEFA Cup dont count for shit when the other teams are offering Champions League places.
You want to argue about this, go ahead and keep bitchin’, but apart from one thing that I got wrong, everything else has been spot on, so suck it up.
Doesn’t change the fact that I still respect Newcastle – Newcastle fans, well that’s a different story.
August 11th, 2006 @ 18:40Luque and Ameobi especially played well in the friendlies against Dutch Champion PSV Eindhoven and Champions League semifinalist Villareal, and those teams already beefed up their starting sides. So nothing guaranteed at Newcastle either.
August 11th, 2006 @ 18:47Ahmed, Ferguson actually said he is still looking for Nistelrooy’s replacement, and poor Benitez said he is still looking for a top striker (Kuyt his long-term target) after Liverpool v poor results in the friendlies. Wenger, well he definitely wants anybody if Arsenal got any money left to spend after buiding their white-elephant AG.
August 11th, 2006 @ 19:00Newcastle….. so much wasted money over the last few years. So little to show for it. Fair enough, you have more to offer than say Man City or Middlesbrough, but players like Martins and Kuyt would look at the premiership and see 4 teams. Newcastle isnt one of them. With all the deadweight from previous managers in the squad, it’ll be a year or two till you are challenging Arsenal/Spurs. Which is a shame, because I am quite fond of Newcastle.
August 12th, 2006 @ 05:11Wenger must see reasons with Thiery Henry.This is not the time to depart Ashley Cole.The Veira departure last season cost the club so much.Wenger must not allow what happened last season to repeat it self.He needs to buy players inatead of selling.
August 14th, 2006 @ 18:38Chris, Newcastle have averaged over 10 points more than Spurs every season since the conception of the Premiership. Last season was the first time they were above us for ages and only the second time in 10 years. Newcastle have never missed out on a player to Spurs because they simply don’t have the pulling power of Newcastle.
As for Martins, it seems a fee has been agreed for £10.9 million. Could be unveiled as early as Monday. Your facts just don’t add up. 52,000 every week. 30,000 for a pre season friendly and 20,000 to greet a new player. Bigger than Tottenham in every way i’m afraid. We’ll see who has the best season. My money is firmly on Newcastle.
August 20th, 2006 @ 19:49