What may have otherwise been a quiet day in transfer news and rumors was made just a little bit livelier by the news that Michael Owen was on his way to Manchester United.

Along with looking over the official word in today’s roundup and seeing him among the new additions to our summer transfer lists, you can catch Ahmed’s reaction on the Owen signing, and the SL forum has a spirited Owen-centric discussion going.

That was the biggest news of the day by far, but they’re not the only club around that’s searching for a new striker, and with that in mind, this morning’s roundup is striker heavy.

England

Owen Signs For Manchester United

Michael Owen has signed for Manchester United on a two-year deal. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Newcastle striker went to United’s training ground for his medical on Friday, and the deal was sealed shortly after Owen passed his medical. (ManUtd.com)

Analysis: Bargain or bust? We’ll find out.

Sunderland Join Race For Chamakh

Sunderland have become the latest Premier League club to be linked with Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: I imagine if Arsenal come in for him, that he’d jump at a move to the Emirates. But that all depends on Emmanuel Adebayor and whether he moves to AC Milan, and that may not be as likely as it looked recently. Sunderland would no doubt have to sell Chamakh on their ambition though, and that could well be a stumbling block.

Blackburn Trial For Vieri

Veteran Italian striker Christian Vieri is set to join up with Blackburn for a ten-day trial. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: His best days are well behind him, but it can’t hurt to see if he still has something left in the tank.

Stoke To Make Benjani Bid

Stoke are set to make a £5m bid for Manchester City striker Benjani. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Things haven’t exactly panned out for Benjani since he moved to City last year, and with their desire to load up on strikers this summer, his future is pretty bleak there. But he has proven that he can score goals in the Premier League, and Stoke do need to add to their front line. However, it might be better to try to land him on loan initially if they can to avoid making such a sizable investment up front.

Birmingham After Aliadiere

Birmingham City are interested in signing Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Aliadiere won’t exactly light it up, but he would add Premier League experience to the squad, and that’s never a bad thing when you’re a newly-promoted side.

Italy

AC Milan Bid For Fabiano

According to the agent of Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, AC Milan have made an official bid for his client, and he has set a timeline of two to three weeks for a deal to be struck by the two sides. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Manchester United have been linked with a move for Fabiano, but if they’re not looking to seriously pursue an expensive forward, that would give AC Milan a pretty clear run at landing him. He helped his value with a fantastic Confederations Cup performance, but it shouldn’t be an issue for Milan to find an extra few million from somewhere.

Udinese Sign Corradi And Orellana

Udinese have added a couple of new strikers, landing former Manchester City man Bernardo Corradi on a free from Reggina (Goal.com) and signing Fabian Orellana from Chilean side Audax Italiano (Tribal Football).

Analysis: After selling Fabio Quagliarella to Napoli, Udinese needed to add some more firepower, and along with getting a promising young talent in Orellana, they get a proven, experienced striker in the 32-year-old Corradi, who netted 10 times last season for Reggina.

Germany

Bayern Still Interested In Bosingwa

Bayern Munich’s interest in Chelsea right back Jose Bosingwa has not waned, despite having not yet reached Chelsea’s valuation of the Portugal international. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said that he’s remained in contact with Chelsea and that the possibility of signing Bosingwa still remains open. (ESPN Soccernet)

Analysis: They might have to wait a while to land him, if they’re able to at all. Chelsea won’t let him go unless they get a new right back, and with Glen Johnson off the list, the top target looks to be Inter Milan’s Maicon. But, Maicon could either go to Real Madrid or stay at Inter, and if either one of those things happen, then Bayern might well come up empty-handed.

Portugal

Braga Get Possebon On Loan

Manchester United midfielder Rodrigo Possebon will spend next season on loan at Portuguese side Sporting Braga. (ManUtd.com)

Analysis: Possebon’s prospects at Manchester United are still bright, but this is an excellent move for him. He will be able to earn some experience for a quality side in a quality league, and he’ll also get some European experience as well, with Braga once again playing in the Europa League.

It’s official - Manchester United have signed the 29 year old, former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker and free agent Michael Owen on a two year contract.

The whole world is talking about it, and barring a dramatic setback on the doctor’s table (he’s too short on all accounts, gaffer), Michael Owen should sign for Manchester United on a free transfer in the next few days.

The purported move brings with it ridicule, surprise, anger and more ridicule disguised as laughter - surely United are not left to scrape the bottom of the barrel with an over-the-hill striker no one wants?

But who decides that Michael Owen is ‘finished’? The folks at Newcastle (who despite their best efforts couldn’t put together a midfield good enough to supply him with anything at all)? The folks at Liverpool (who sorely missed Owen until they signed Torres)? The folks at Real Madrid (where he had a better goals to minutes ratio than any other Madrid player)? The fans? The press? The same people who heaped unrealistic expectations on him to ’save’ Newcastle, then rounded on him when he couldn’t?

On the other hand, this could be the bargain of the season if Owen goes on to score 15 goals and like Larsson, Solskjaer and Blanc before him, provides the team with the experience off the pitch that they need? For all of Manchester United’s awesome play over the last three years, you can’t help but notice that their most prolific striker has just left the building and Owen, for better or for worse, is still a better ‘finisher’ than Rooney and gives a different option to the team than Berbatov.

Reports suggest that Owen will be on a limited, basic salary plus a heavy bonuses for playing games and scoring goals. And as some people have already pointed out, his injury record at Newcastle has been more a case of mismanagement than the player being ‘injury-prone’ - and at United he will get the time and attention he needs to get back to full fitness. At least we know he’s mentally stronger than one Louis Saha.

The outstanding fan favourite for this summer was Karim Benzema, but that boy has had his mind set to go to Real Madrid since last summer. Huntelaar is another fan favourite, and there have been reports that United have made an offer for the player, but so far there has been little to suggest that United would move for him - indeed they had the time and reason to move for him last summer but didn’t do so.

So if Benzema isn’t available and Huntelaar isn’t in the picture, who else would you pick? Aguero? Unproven and outrageously expensive, and lacks the height and clinical finishing that United are looking for. In fact apart from Torres and Benzema you’d be hard-pressed to find a quality striker sharing the same attributes - pace, height, good finishing and excellent temperament on the pitch.

Ferguson has made a habit of avoiding buying ‘trophy’ players for the sake of it (that’s Madrid’s job - remember van der Vaart?) - he sticks to the plan and before the summer started he would have highlighted the players United needed and also the backup plan in case United didn’t get their men.

Like it or not, Michael Owen is part of the backup plan. It doesn’t work in the man’s favour that he’s been trashed by the press for the last year or so, but he’s younger than Larsson and Solskjaer were when they played at United as ’support’ strikers and he’s bound to do as good a job, if not better (remember, those two were lauded for their influence on the younger players).

Here’s what it comes down to - there’s an expectation in the media that United will make a big signing to compensate for the departure of Ronaldo and Tevez. However, this team isn’t built on knee-jerk signings but bringing in players that genuinely improve the team and are able to grow as players during their time at United. We’re not always going to get our way with transfers (taxes, weather and Real Madrid will see to that) but we can still bring in quality players that can help us win more titles.

This summer seems to have shades of 06/07 - when United lost Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid and only signed Michael Carrick to shore up a weakened midfield. Carrick has since then grown into the sort of player Ferguson can build his whole midfield around. Owen isn’t a glamour signing, and he’s not going to be a starter either, but he does improve the squad, and however insane that sounds, a fit Owen is a better bet for scoring a goal than a fit Carlos Tevez.

Having said that, I hope Ferguson signs someone else as well.

Bonus #1: The Michael Owen brochure.
Bonus#2: Sir Alex: If I don’t end Michael Owen’s career for good, who will?

Talk about being handed a career lifeline. Instead of getting one last go in the Premier League with Everton, Aston Villa, or Hull City, former Liverpool star Michael Owen is reportedly getting the golden opportunity of golden opportunities to get his last hurrah at the top.

If you’re one of the people who hit up your favorite sportsbook and bet on Owen to land at Manchester United before the odds were slashed yesterday, then you’re looking like a genius right now, though you might need to hold off on your celebrations until everything’s official and we can add him to our summer transfer lists.

Of course, there’s a lot more news to talk about besides Owen’s potential return to the northwest, and we’ve got the Owen news and much more in this morning’s roundup.

England

Owen To Ink Manchester United Deal

After Manchester United ‘missed out’ on Lyon’s Karim Benzema, there were, as expected, many stories on Thursday devoted to United’s striker search.

Well, it looks like United are going to land a high-profile forward.

Villa? (Tribal Football)

Aguero? (The Mirror)

Huntelaar? (Tribal Football)

Fabiano? (Tribal Football)

Maybe, maybe, maybe, and maybe, but if one of them does come to Old Trafford, they’ll be coming in the door after none other than Michael Owen - if the former Liverpool star passes his medical, that is.

Analysis: Some are going to say that United are being desperate after losing Ronaldo and Tevez and missing out on Benzema, but this is a move that makes perfect sense. To say the least, you can do a lot worse than Owen, even if he is injury-prone and nearing 30. If Owen can stay and take advantage of a golden opportunity, it’ll pay dividends for both parties. Owen can earn an extended contract past the initial one-year deal, and United could come out saving a lot of money.

If it works, Sir Alex Ferguson will look like a genius. If it doesn’t, then it’ll be an opportunity missed for Owen, but it won’t cost United financially. Besides, this doesn’t exactly rule them out of the hunt for another scoring option, because United still do have a hole to fill, and it could well put United’s focus now on Aguero, who’d fill more of a support role for Rooney/Owen/Berbatov. At any rate, this is a low-risk move for someone who, despite the unflattering injury history, is a proven commodity in the Premier League and in Europe.

Chelsea Reject Man City’s Terry Bid

Chelsea have rejected Manchester City’s £30m bid for club and England captain John Terry. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Well hey, no harm in trying, right?

Spurs Must Pay Up For Bastos

If Tottenham want to land Lille star Michel Bastos, they’re going to have to pay £12m to land the 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Judging by the way he played last season, when he scored 14 league goals and assisted on 11 more, he’s well worth the £12m.

Everton Move For Dempsey?

Everton could make a move for Fulham forward Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has a year left o his current contract, and he’s turned down Fulham’s offer of a new two-year deal. (The Sun)

Analysis: Dempsey showed just what he’s capable of in scoring three goals in his last three matches at the Confederations Cup, and that performance might have pushed his value up some if Fulham do open up the possibility of selling him this summer. But with him shaping up to be a big part of Fulham’s plans once again, I think they’ll try to hold on to him and do their best to work out a new deal.

Aston Villa Linked With Berg

Aston Villa are the latest club to be linked with FC Groningen striker Marcus Berg. The 22-year-old Swede could be available for £8.5m. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Villa do need to add some scoring options, and Groningen’s asking price for Berg is well within their budget.

Birmingham Make Vieira Offer

Birmingham have made a final offer of £100k per week to Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira. (The Sun)

Analysis: The money’s nice, but at this point in his career, I’m not sure Vieira would be all that interested in playing for a club in the bottom half of the Premier League.

Wigan Sign Thomas

Wigan have signed Honduran midfielder Hendry Thomas from Deportivo Olimpia on a three-year deal. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: If the successes of bringing Wilson Palacios and Maynor Figueroa to Wigan are any indication, then this one will be another job well done for Wigan.

Sunderland Eye Hunt and Suazo

Sunderland are eying moves for Reading star Stephen Hunt and Moterrey’s Chilean striker Humberto Suazo. (The Sun)

Analysis: With Tottenham reportedly looking for way too much for Darren Bent, Suazo could be a cheaper but equally as productive (or more productive) option. He’s basically scored for fun wherever he’s been the last several years, and Sunderland could certainly use someone with that kind of eye for goal. It’d also be good to add someone who could set up opportunities for him, and that’s where Hunt comes in. Might be more of a battle for Hunt, with Everton also having been linked with him, but that’s what acting quickly is for.

Spain

Ribery Pleads For Real Move

It’s not as if it was a big secret already, but Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery has a Real Madrid move in his sights. Unfortunately, Bayern don’t feel the same way about a Real move that Ribery does, and if words from general manager Uli Hoeness (Sky Sports) don’t emphasize it enough, then Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s words (Sky Sports) should pour even more cold water on Ribery’s hopes.

Analysis: He’ll end up there eventually. Is another big, big-money signing in the cards for Real this summer? That might be asking a little much, but hopefully he has the patience to wait it out until next summer.

France

Lyon Want Van Nistelrooy

Lyon are eying Real Madrid’s Ruud van Nistelrooy as an option to replace the recently-departed Karim Benzema. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Wouldn’t be a bad move for van Nistelrooy, because I think he could tear it up in Ligue 1 if he comes back well from his injury. But as is the case with Huntelaar and Wesley Sneijder, he may want to stay and be a part of Real’s new-look team, even if they don’t exactly want/need him around.

Germany

Ba Out, Ruiz In At Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim forward Demba Ba , and the club could look to replace him with KAA Gent hit-man Bryan Ruiz. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Not easy to replace a scorer like Mario Gomez, but Ba showed he knows his way around goal by netting 14 times in his first Bundesliga campaign last season. Ruiz won’t have to worry about shouldering the scoring load all of next season, with Vedad Ibisevic set to return after his season was ended by a knee injury in January and attackers Carlos Eduardo and Sejad Salihovic capable of chipping with goals on a regular basis.

France

Rennes To Land Bangoura

Rennes are set to land Dynamo Kiev forward Ismael Bangoura. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Rennes needed to add a forward this summer after not having a lot in the way of real firepower last season, and they’re filling that need well with Bangoura. He was one of the leading scorers in the Ukrainian Premier League each of the past two seasons, but before that, he was one of the leading scorers in Ligue 1 in the 2006/07 season, when he scored 12 goals for Le Mans.

Turkey

Galatasaray Sign Keita

Galatasaray have signed Lyon flop Abdul Kader Keita for €9m. (BBC Sport)

Analysis: Big loss for Lyon in the end, but at least they were able to get a little more than half of what they wasted on him.

Greece

Panathinaikos Offer Cruz

Panathinaikos are set to make offer former Inter Milan striker Julio Cruz a contract worth €3.5m per year. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Cruz spent the last nine seasons in Italy, and he could see the appeal in a new challenge at this point in his career. But in the end, I think he’ll ink with either Fiorentina or Napoli.

Cristiano Ronaldo has polarised opinions like few others before him - as a global icon his popularity is matched by few other footballers (David Beckham comes to mind) and on the pitch he dazzles and frustrates in equal measures. Unrealistic expectations? Unfulfilled ability?

What’s certain is that he has been, over the last 3 years, the best player at Manchester United and his impact in his 6 years at the Old Trafford is unquestionable. He had a guiding hand in all 3 league titles and in our 2 Champions League finals and 1 semi-final appearance in the last three years, and he leaves the club as a modern-day legend - even if he didn’t stay long enough to be considered an all-time United legend.

Here’s the official tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, courtesy of MUTV and YouTube:

Good luck at Real Madrid, CR - we’ll miss you.

Well how’s that for starting July with a bang? The start of a new month and the official first day of the summer transfer window brought another big-money signing for Real Madrid.

Real have been the biggest spenders by far this summer, and they’ll likely come out on top in that list when all’s said and done, but they aren’t the only club out there spending big or trying to spend big.

Of course, in the end, it’s not about how much you spend, but the return you get on your investment, and those who spend small may well get more return on their investment than those who are doing the biggest spending.

Whether it’s spending big or spending small, you can find out all the specifics in today’s roundup, and you can also catch all of the latest confirmed signings in our summer transfer lists.

Spain

Real Agree Benzema Deal

Real Madrid have sealed their third big-money signing of the summer, landing Lyon star Karim Benzema for a initial fee of £29.7 (35m euros) (ESPN Soccernet). The 21-year-old France international striker has agreed a six-year deal with Real, and the value of the deal could rise to £34.8m (41m euros) based on incentives. (RealMadrid.com)

Analysis: No surprise here, in the end. He’d been linked as a prime target for Manchester United, but he’d stated that his dream destination was Real Madrid, and Lyon worked to make it happen for him. Another big signing for Real, another big cash windfall for Lyon.

Barcelona To Bid For Mascherano

Barcelona are set to make a £25m bid for Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano. (The Mirror)

Analysis: The giant cash windfall would be lovely, but it’s highly unlikely that Liverpool will sell both Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, so either Barcelona or Real Madrid will come away disappointed.

England

United Target Gignac And Bid For Kacar?

United may have missed out on Benzema, but they could very well still sign a French striker, as they’re being linked with Toulouse star Andre-Pierre Gignac. Gignac led Ligue 1 with 24 goals, and his excellent season helped the 23-year-old earn his first three caps for the French national team. (Goal.com)

Analysis: He’d be one of the cheaper striker options still available to United, but he may be someone that United don’t go after unless one of the other options proves to be a little too costly.

Manchester United could be set to make an £8m bid for Hertha Berlin star Gojko Kacar. (The Sun)

Analysis: Kacar’s versatility as a defender and a midfielder and his abilities as a threat in attack and on set pieces make him an attractive prospect, and he’s shown that he’s got the talent and potential to compete at the highest level. He’s not someone that Hertha would like to lose, especially since they signed him only last summer, but if United come in with a sizable offer (might have to be a little more than 8m), it’d be too hard to turn it down.

Tottenham After Loach

Tottenham could be set to make a £6m move for Watford keeper Scott Loach. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: The future of Gomes hasn’t exactly been painted as secure thus far this summer, but the signing of Loach would mean he’d be around for at least one more season, since it’s pretty likely that Loach would be used as a #2 for at least a little while.

Villa Interested In Senderos

Aston Villa are interested in Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Villa do need to pick up another center back after the retirement of Martin Laursen, and Senderos would bring Premier League, European, and international experience to Villa’s back line for a relatively inexpensive price.

Wolves Sign Surman

Wolves have signed Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman for £1.2m. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Now that they’ve addressed the midfield and the attack, along with adding a proven Premier League goalkeeper, it’s time for Wolves to bolster the defense, which was their weakest link last season.

Burnley Sign Edgar

Burnley have signed Newcastle defender David Edgar on a free transfer. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Wolves and Birmingham may have spent more thus far, but Burnley have done very well this week, adding a talented young striker in Steven Fletcher and bolstering their defense with two players that have Premier League experience in Edgar and Tyrone Mears.

Ipswich To Sign Martin

Ipswich are set to sign Manchester United starlet Lee Martin for £2m. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Another United academy product that may not have broken through at Old Trafford but has the potential to be a success elsewhere. Martin has Championship experience from stints with Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, and Stoke City, and he could jump and have an immediate impact for Ipswich like Chris Eagles did for Burnley last season.

Italy

Genoa Target Demirel

Genoa could make a move for Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel. The 27-year-old, who has 54 caps for Turkey, is available on a free transfer after his contract with Fenerbahce expired. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Genoa are in the market for a new keeper, with Rubinho’s contract expiring, and landing an established, quality goalkeeper in Demirel would be a very, very impressive signing.

France

Marseille To Land Lucho

Marseille are set to land Porto star Lucho Gonzalez. The Argentine international playmaker will cost Marseille 18m euros initially, and the deal could rise to 24m euros based on his performances. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Safe to say that they’ve got the Ligue 1 title and a European run in their sights, after suffering disappointment in the league (pipped at the end by Bordeaux) and in Europe (lost to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Cup quarters).

Turkey

Besiktas Interested In Mutu?

Besiktas are interested in Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: They have Champions League football to offer him, but I can’t say I see him leaving Fiorentina for a step back when he’s still very much at the top of his game.

Well that was quite a month, wasn’t it? We’re already at the end of June, believe it or not, and it was quite the busy month in the transfers world.

Many pounds and euros have exchanged hands around Europe already, and it’s no surprise that the month ends with a couple more new signings to add to our summer transfer lists.

What does July hold in store for us? This evening’s roundup provides a few hints.

England

United Sign Valencia

Manchester United have completed the signing of Wigan winger Antonio Valencia for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old Ecuadorian has penned a four-year deal with United. (ManUtd.com)

Analysis: Like I said, I was going to wait on the official word before saying anything more about Valencia, and there the official word is. Who’s next? Aguero? Benzema? Villa?

Alonso’s Future To Be Resolved Next Month

The future of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to be ironed out over the next few weeks, as the Real Madrid target has reportedly told his agent to resolve his situation by the time he’d be set to rejoin Liverpool on July 19. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: I don’t see him leaving Liverpool unless Real offer big, big money, and I mean more than the £20-£25m that they’re reportedly willing to pay.

Spurs In Again For Bellamy?

The Guardian reckons that Harry Redknapp could revive his interest in Craig Bellamy if he can successfully offload Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Bellamy was a prime target for Tottenham in January, but the Welsh striker moved from West Ham to Manchester City instead.

Analysis: With City signing Roque Santa Cruz and reportedly close on Carlos Tevez (and possibly not out of it for Samuel Eto’o), Bellamy might find opportunities hard to come by at City next season, so a move isn’t out of the question. But do Tottenham fans really want him?

Atletico Pushing Maxi To Tottenham?

The Daily Mail says that Atletico Madrid are looking persuade winger Maxi Rodriguez to move to Tottenham. The Argentine’s contract runs out next summer, and Atletico are also looking for cash to help fund a deal for £12m Argentine starlet Eduardo Salvio, who’s also drawing interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Porto (Tribal Football).

Analysis: Understandable from a business standpoint that Atletico would prefer to sell him now and get a nice fee for him instead of losing him for nothing next summer, but it looks like they’re going to have to push him pretty hard to convince him to move. Stay for the good of the club, leave for the good of the club?

Villa To Bid For Garcia

Aston Villa are set to make a £5m bid for Espanyol forward Luis Garcia. (Goal.com)

Analysis: After being a consistent double-digit scorer the previous last several seasons, Garcia scored only five times all of last season, so Espanyol are likely going to get a little less for him this summer than they would have last summer had they sold him to Tottenham. But if he can find his pre-2008/09 form at Villa, he could be a bargain.

Fulham Bid For Uche

Fulham have made a £2m bid for Almeria midfielder/forward Kalu Uche. The Nigeria international scored eight league goals in 17 starts (27 appearances) for Almeria last season. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Almeria’s technical secretary recently said that Uche, who’s also been linked with Tottenham, won’t be going anywhere unless a big offer comes in for him, so it’d appear that Fulham would have to significantly increase their bid to get him.

Italy

Inter Move For Cissokho

After Porto defender Aly Cissokho failed to get a move to AC Milan, Inter Milan could be set to swoop in and make a bid for the 21-year-old. (Goal.com)

Analysis: It’s a shame that he wasn’t able to land his move to AC Milan, but it looks like he’s going to land on his feet.

France

M’Bia Prefers Marseille

Everton have made an offer of €12m for Rennes midfielder Stephane M’Bia (Goal.com), but though their offer is superior to Marseille’s, the Cameroon international is said to favor a Marseille move, due to the opportunity to play in the Champions League and work with Didier Deschamps (Sky Sports).

Analysis: Can’t fault him for wanting Champions League football, but Everton certainly aren’t going to give up on him.

Ukraine

Shevchenko Offered Kiev Return

Dynamo Kiev have made an offer to bring Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko where he starred in the late 90s before moving on to AC Milan. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Wouldn’t be a bad opportunity, considering that Dynamo would offer him Champions League football. But he may well prefer the bigger payday that could await in Qatar, or Roma or Monaco could be a lot more appealing with his wife and family in mind.

Cristiano Ronaldo will finally complete his world record £80m move from Manchester United to Real Madrid on 1 July after agreeing a six-year deal with the Spanish side.

Ronaldo joined Manchester United just over six years ago in 2003, he joined a United side that consisted of Roy Keane, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville, Tim Howard, Mikael Silvestre and Quinton Fortune, all of which have since moved on to pastures new. There is a clear contrast though, they were all easily replaced, and weren’t sold for the staggering sum of £80million, but then again none of them were world player of the year.
 
He came to the attention of the club after United played his then team Sporting Lisbon in a pre-season friendly, and were beaten 3-1. After the game, the Manchester United players were so impressed by this kid Ronaldo, that they begged Fergie to sign him.
 
At just 18 he was bought for the sum of £12million, becoming Manchester United’s first-ever Portuguese player. Who knew that six years on the Premiership champions would be making a profit of £68million on him, not a bad return from ‘the mob he (Fergie) wouldn’t sell a virus to’?
 
Real Madrid came up with the trump card of £80million, after 2 years of courting for Ronaldo’s signature, this was an offer Manchester United simply could not refuse. United in turn accepted the offer on June 11th, but it was once he returned from his holidays in the US on Friday (26th June) that the deal was finally confirmed. As Real Madrid’s official website announced “The player will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons. He will be presented on July 6th at the Santiago Bernabeu.”

After joining United he requested the number 28 shirt, the same number that he wore at Sporting, but was entrusted with the number 7 shirt, a shirt which was worn by United legends such as George Best, Eric Cantona, and David Beckham. He certainly lived up to all the expectations and filled the void left behind by David Beckham, his predecessor.

Not only did he live up to the expectations, he surpassed them, and etched his name into Manchester United history and will be remembered forever by the fans as he moves on to play for the club he has dreamed of playing for since he was a boy.
Before his death George Best said ‘There have been a few players described as the new George Best over the years, but this is the first time it’s been a compliment to me’

In his first season at United, he made an instant impact, picking up his first piece of silverware in the form of the FA Cup. From then on his career just got bigger and better, and in 2007, he became the first man since Andy Gray to win PFA Players Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards. United also won their first title in four years, but the best was yet to come.
 
It was in the 2007-08 season, that Ronaldo excelled beyond belief, scoring 42 goals, setting a new club single-season scoring record by a midfielder and thus topped George Best’s forty-year-old total of 32 goals in the 1967-68 season, and fell just four short of Denis Law’s team-record mark of 46 in the 1963-64 season. Ronaldo was rewarded, by becoming the first winger to win the 2007-08 European Golden Shoe, finishing eight points ahead of Mallorca’s Dani Güiza.
 
He was also part of the United side that won the Champions League, beating Chelsea in that dramatic penalty shoot-out, to win their first European crown since that treble winning season of 1999. Ronaldo was on form that night scoring a fantastic header.

He was rewarded for this fine form, by being named FIFA World Player of the Year, and winning the Ballon d’Or as the European Player of the Year. During his time over Manchester United, he has won many of these individual awards, along with, three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two league cups, a Community Shield, the Champions League and the FIFA World Club Championship.

Ronaldo is not far short of irreplaceable in my view, scoring 68 goals in the last two seasons for Manchester United, but he’s not just a goal scorer, he’s a free-kick taker, playmaker, penalty taker, and can play in any attacking role that he gets on the field.
 
It certainly looks like Manchester United will start two men short next season, with Carlos Tevez also leaving the club. As a United fan I would question Ferguson on this whole Tevez saga, but, I have to say he has made the right decision to sell Ronaldo, irreplaceable or not, £80m was just too good to turn his nose up at, even if it was from that mob.
 
‘Nothing can stop him. Probably the only way to do it is to kill him.’ - Former team-mate Patrice Evra on Ronaldo in 2007.
 
While it’s easy to look at his moments of brilliance, they can nearly all be cancelled out by his moments of petulance, pure arrogance, and lack of respect for others. He’s too much cock of his own walk at times. RTE pundit and self-confessed Ronaldo basher Eamon Dunphy referred to him once as ‘the modern day brat’, due to his diving.
 
Probably one of the most remembered moments will be ‘Winkergate’ after team mate Wayne Rooney was sent-off when England faced Portugal in a World Cup Quarter Final in 2006, for stamping on Portugal’s defender Ricardo Carvalho. It was speculated in the press that Ronaldo was involved in getting Rooney sent-off as he was seen winking to the Portuguese bench after the red card was shown, but this rumour turned out to be untrue. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop the English media unsettling Ronaldo, who considered leaving United after this.

‘When they get back to the training ground, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rooney doesn’t stick one on him.’ Said BBC Pundit turned manager Alan Shearer at the time of the incident.

There were also many incidents of diving, and in particular, this petulant sulk after being substituted in the Manchester derby, which he somehow could not believe. He threw away the tracksuit top, and retreated to the stand, and held his head in his hand for the remainder of the game. This was certainly not his finest hour.

Since Florentino Perez returned as club president of Real Madrid on June 1st, the Spaniard has brought in Brazilian playmaker Kaka for a then world record £56m, Ronaldo for a new world record £80m, before signing centre-back Raul Albiol from Valencia for £12m, to bring the total spend, so far, for the summer to £148m.

What is he leaving behind though? A team that who very nearly completed a clean sweep last season. Winning the World Club Championship, Carling Cup and their third Premier League title in a row, equalling Liverpool’s record of 18 league titles, they also came painstakingly close to reaching the FA Cup final, but the amount of fixtures they had to endure proved to be too much, and this was shown in the Champions League Final where they were outclassed by Barcelona. Little did we know that would be his last game for Manchester United.

In contrast, what did Real Madrid win last season? Nothing. As Barcelona, had their clean sweep, becoming the first ever Spanish side to complete the treble, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

It has to be said all eyes will be on Real Madrid next season, as they will have to justify this spending by producing the goods on the field, and equalling, the success of their Catalan counterparts.

‘We have to do in one year what we would normally do in three’ - says Club President Florentino Perez.
Can they do it? Well it remains to be seen; money doesn’t buy you trophies, this is certainly true in the case of Chelsea who have yet to win the Champions League in the Abramovich era.

Real Madrid have not won the Champions League since 2002, the Copa del Rey since 2004, and La Liga since 2008, and with the beginning of the Perez’s third era at the club they are facing an uphill battle, even though they now have one of the most expensive sides in the world.

Farewell Ronaldo, you said you wanted to go to Madrid, but did you have to go via Paris?

Sunday may have been a rest day for many, but in case you didn’t know already, there’s never a break when it comes to transfer news and rumors, especially in the summer.

While there was plenty of intriguing transfer speculation making the rounds on Sunday (and not just in England), a couple of new signings also went through, and you can find those new moves in our updated summer transfer lists. We may have another to report this evening, regarding a certain Wigan winger and a long-awaited, short-distance move to another club in the Greater Manchester area, but since I’ve said ‘almost’ on that one numerous times already, the next tidbit I post on it will be when it’s official.

There are also a few missed tidbits from Saturday and a couple from bright and early today, so there’s no shortage of news and rumors to get you going this morning.

England

Arsenal Jump In For Ribery And Benzema

Arsenal could be in the thick of the hunt for Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery, with the Gunners being linked with a £30m + Nicklas Bendtner bid for the French star. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Not really going to take a lot of stock into this one. Everything that Bayern have said about Ribery, and everything about Ribery’s potential destinations don’t really lend much positive to Arsenal being a serious contender for his services. But hey, you never know.

Arsenal are also being linked with a possible move for Lyon striker Karim Benzema, with the Gunners potentially lining up a move for the French star if Emmanuel Adebayor leaves for AC Milan (which is looking all the more likely…but more on that below). (News of the World)

Analysis: It’s hard for me to see Adebayor fetching nearly as much as he would have last summer, and unless Arsenal make another big sale or two (Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy maybe), that could limit such a big investment. Even if the money was there, you have to wonder with both Ribery and Benzema whether or not Arsene would spend that much on one player.

Hleb To Make Arsenal Return?

Alexander Hleb is being linked with a return to Arsenal after an unsuccessful debut season with Barcelona. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: You can never say never about something happening, but think about this: If he was tired of London, why would he go back?

City Make ‘Stratospheric’ Eto’o Offer

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that Manchester City have made a ’stratospheric’ offer for striker Samuel Eto’o that would make Eto’o the highest-paid player in the world. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: With City signing Roque Santa Cruz and going hard after Eto’o, should Carlos Tevez be second-guessing a move there? Formidable front line they stand to have, but there won’t be enough starts and balls to go around for everyone to be happy, if you throw Craig Bellamy and Robinho into the mix.

United Move For Gordon?

Manchester United are being linked with a move for Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: United have been linked with a move for a new keeper throughout the summer, and with a couple of foreign targets either unavailable or perhaps too costly, maybe Gordon could be viewed as a cheaper alternative.

Villa After Borowski

Aston Villa are after Bayern Munich midfielder Tim Borowski. (News of the World)

Analysis: The likeliest destination for Borowski seems to be former club Werder Bremen, but at 29, he might see this as his best opportunity to test himself abroad.

Blackburn To Sign N’Zonzi

Blackburn have agreed a deal to sign French midfielder Steven N’Zonzi from Amiens. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Nice to get some more talent for the future, and he could well be one of those lower league diamonds in the rough. But with money in the coffers from the sale of Roque Santa Cruz, they need to look at making some buys that will help them move back on up the table immediately.

Sunderland To Sign Campbell And Bid For Davis

Sunderland could be set to beat Hull for Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell. (The People)

Analysis: The chance to go back to a familiar environment at Hull may well not be able to match Sunderland’s future potential (and perhaps a little more stability), not to mention a likely superior contract offer. It’d be pretty unfortunate for Hull to miss out on him though, considering that it seemed like a formality that he’d sign for Hull.

Steve Bruce could also soon make a £5m bid for Rangers midfielder Steven Davis. (News of the World)

Analysis: It’ll likely take a nice amount more than that for Rangers to be tempted to part with Davis, considering that 5m would represent a paltry £2m profit on someone who was one of the keys of their title run last season.

Spain

Barcelona Bid For Luis Filipe

Barcelona have tabled an opening bid of £6m for Deportivo La Coruna star Luis Filipe, which is £2m short of what Depor reportedly want for the 23-year-old wing back. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Shouldn’t be a problem to stump up the other couple mil it’ll take to get Depor to sell. When they do, they’ll make a pretty decent profit on him, which will soften the blow of losing one of their top players from last season.

Villarreal Interested In Pavlyuchenko

Villarreal are interested in Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. (The Mirror)

Analysis: If Tottenham’s asking price is nearer to the £9m that’s been mentioned in past reports than to the £14m they paid for him last summer, or if Spurs would be interested in negotiating a loan-first deal, then this is one that could go through.

Italy

Fiorentina Interested In Cruz

Fiorentina are interested in veteran Argentine striker Julio Cruz. The 34-year-old is available for free due to his contract not being renewed by Inter Milan. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Cruz has had a lot of success in Serie A over the last several seasons with Bologna and Inter, and he also has a lot of experience in Europe.

Napoli In Again For Pellissier

Napoli have made a new bid of €5m plus goalkeeper Matteo Gianello and left back Luigi Vitale. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Chievo have said previously that Pellissier isn’t for sale, but the new offer could prove to be tempting. In the end, it could well be better for Pellissier to stay with Chievo through at least the World Cup. If he moves to Napoli or Fiorentina, he could well be fighting for opportunities with multiple strikers, which could hamper his chances of being in Marcelo Lippi’s consideration for a place in the World Cup squad. But if he stays where he’s the star man and has another fantastic season, it could net him more opportunities with the national team (he scored on his Italy debut recently) and a chance to cement a ticket to South Africa.

Germany

Dzeko Staying At Wolfsburg

Wolfsburg have decided that striker Edin Dzeko will be staying at the club. Dzeko has been heavily linked with AC Milan this summer, but Wolfsburg are intent on keeping him for the time being. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Dzeko staying at Wolfsburg is good news for Arsenal, since that bumps Emmanuel Adebayor up on AC Milan’s list. However, for Wolfsburg, this may not turn out too well if Dzeko’s the type to let his unhappiness about not being able to get the move he wants affect his play.

M’Gladbach Sign Arango

Borussia Monchengladbach have signed Mallorca star Juan Arango for €3.6m. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Great signing for M’Gladbach. After losing Alexander Baumjohann and Marko Marin, who combined for 10 goals and 17 assists in all competitions last season, they needed to land a new playmaker, and they got a top one in Arango.

France

PSG Close On Erding

Paris Saint-Germain are set to sign Sochaux striker Mevlut Erding for a fee reportedly in the region of €10m. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Does this mean that they’re ready to sell Guillaume Hoarau to Lyon? If they do hold on to Hoarau, the addition of Erding will certainly make PSG a lot more frightening in front of goal than they were last season, which will do wonders for their hopes to qualify for Europe.

Lille Agree Landreau Fee

Lille have agreed a fee of €2m for PSG goalkeeper Mickael Landreau. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: No worries for PSG though, as they’ve already lined up former Lyon keeper Gregory Coupet as a replacement.

Portugal

Sporting Sign Fernandez

Sporting have signed Villarreal attacking midfielder Matias Fernandez for €4.5m. The Chile international has signed a four-year deal. (PortuGOAL.net)

Analysis: Villarreal took a sizable loss on Fernandez, and he may not have fulfilled the expectations that the club may have had for him, but this move could well be a bargain for Sporting.

Greece

Olympiakos To Make Owen Offer

Olympiakos could be set to make an offer for Michael Owen, and their wage package could be superior to those that may be offered to him by the likes of Everton, Aston Villa, and Hull. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Certainly could be a tempting offer, not only for the money but because of the chance to play in the Champions League again. But, I’m inclined to believe that he’ll end up staying in the Premier League and that Everton will be the team to beat if they make a concrete offer.

Turkey

Fenerbahce Bid For Vargas

Fenerbahce have offered Fiorentina €13m for defender Juan Manuel Vargas. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: If Fener meet Fiorentina’s €15m asking price, the offer might be a little hard to turn down, but tempting Vargas to take what might be considered a backwards step could be difficult.

The big news of the weekend thus far is the completion of the formality that was Cristiano Ronaldo’s world-record £80m transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid. In case you hadn’t heard though, Ronaldo has signed a six-year deal with Real, and he’ll officially be unveiled as a Real player on July 6.

But, that’s not the only transfer news from the weekend thus far. With the sale of Ronaldo, United have quite the sizable summer transfer kitty, and a chunk of it could be spent on a 5′7” Argentine forward (but not one who can’t seem to leave well enough alone).

Of course, if you want all the specifics, you have to keep on reading, so hop to it! And just so you know, the summer transfers lists are all up-to-date with the latest signings, including Ronaldo’s move to Real and many other recently completed moves.

England

United In Contract Talks With Aguero?

According to Marca, Manchester United have been in discussions with the representatives of Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero to see (Tribal Football)

Analysis: The obstacle with any move for Aguero would seem to be the fee (or perhaps rival interest from Chelsea). I think we’ll find out within the next week or so how serious this one is, but it’d seem that United are going to have to pay and club record and then some if they want to get him.

Tottenham Bid For Obinna

Tottenham have made a £6m bid for Inter Milan striker Victor Obinna. The Nigeria international nearly moved to Everton last season, but he was unable to get a work permit. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Obinna wasn’t able to get a work permit for a loan move to Everton last summer, but his chances could be a lot better this time around after representing Nigeria in the Olypmics last summer and making appearances for Nigeria in their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Tottenham Put £18m Price Tag On Bent

Tottenham have placed an £18m price tag on striker Darren Bent, who has been strongly linked with a move to Sunderland.

While a sale of Bent might not be as imminent as it appeared, midfielder Tom Huddlestone will be on his way out soon, as Tottenham have accepted three bids of £8.5m for the 22-year-old. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Bent won’t be leaving for that price in the end, but come on. I can understand that Levy doesn’t want to take a big loss on someone that cost 16.75m only two summers ago, but I can’t say

As for Huddlestone, I’d have to put my money on him signing with Villa, since they’ve been the name most prominently linked with him this summer, but it certainly won’t be Everton, as they’ve ruled themselves out of the running.

Fulham Interested In Jo

Fulham are interested in Manchester City striker Jo. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Jo didn’t have the best of spells at Manchester City last season, and with City signing Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tevez (and perhaps Samuel Eto’o) on the way to City, his future at the club rates as slim to none. But he did have more success at Everton in his loan spell, and he did prove that he can hold his own in the Premier League.

Bolton’s Bodde Bid Rejected

Swansea have rejected a £2.5m bid from Bolton for midfielder Ferrie Bodde. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Swansea’s asking price is reportedly double that, and I’m not sure I see Bolton splashing out that much for him. Even if the bid is improved to 3-4m, that might not be enough, because Swansea no doubt fancy their chances to make a run at promotion next season, and losing Bodde would be detrimental (as was his injury layoff last season) to those hopes.

Burnley Bid For Fletcher

Burnley have made a club-record £2.75m bid for Hibs striker Steven Fletcher. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Can’t hurt to try, but that falls a little short of what Hibs want for Fletcher.

Spain

Barcelona Close On Kerrison

Barcelona are close to a £12m deal for highly-rated Palmeiras striker Kerrison. After he signs, the 20-year-old could be used to help sweeten Barcelona’s move for Valencia striker David Villa. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Being able to get a free-scoring forward like Kerrison could certainly soften the blow of losing Villa. No telling how much they’d have to shell out for a permanent deal if Barca send him out to Valencia on an extended loan deal, but there could be some sort of ‘we sold you David Villa’ discount in there, no?

Italy

AC Milan Make Adebayor Approach

AC Milan have made an approach for Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Yes, they can have him, provided they can convince Edin Dzeko to get red and black colored hearts out of his eyes to join up with Arsenal as Adebayor’s replacement. Or hey, how about signing Adebayor and Dzeko and loaning Dzeko to Arsenal for next season?

All Dzeko-related moves aside, Adebayor doesn’t need to be at Arsenal next season, that much is true. As I said recently, the amount of interest this summer isn’t nearly what it was last summer, so Arsenal best cross their fingers and hope that AC Milan make a serious bid to sign him.

Portugal

Benfica To Sign Saviola

Benfica have reached an agreement with Real Madrid for striker Javier Saviola to sign the Argentine striker for €5m. (Goal.com)

Analysis: This is a good move for Benfica even if Blackburn target Oscar Cardozo moves this summer. Saviola has had some rough times over the last few seasons, but he’s only 27, and I think he’s still got plenty of goals left in the tank.

Not too many days are going to go by this summer without at least one Manchester club being mentioned in the transfer news and rumors headlines, and on many days, you can expect to see both United and City in the news.

One of those days is today, as City are being linked with that one, that one, that one, and that other one. All the same, United are being linked (again) with this guy, this guy, this guy, and that guy. And speaking of United, there’s a nice little summer contest going on at The Republik of Mancunia, where you can win a RoM t-shirt.

Safe to say though, that the transfer world doesn’t (fully) revolve around Manchester, and there’s plenty of other transfer tidbits to whet your appetite if you’re a fan of other clubs or other leagues. And hey, we also have a couple of new signings to add to our summer transfer lists, which is a nice way to finish off the week.

England

United To Use Nani To Sweeten Valencia Deal?

Manchester United could use Nani as bait to help beat Real Madrid for Wigan winger Antonio Valencia. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Throwing in a ready-made new starting winger would certainly eliminate the need to have to spend any funds on someone new, but I wonder how much cash they’d include in such a bid. That could well tip the scales if Real come in with a cash offer that trumps United’s total offer.

United Track Mariga

Manchester United are also keeping tabs on Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Bolstering the midfield is every bit as important as adding more firepower, and though Mariga’s not exactly the biggest of names, United (usually) know quality when they see it.

Manchester City Make Offer For Maicon

Manchester City are set to offer €22m and midfielder Elano for Inter Milan right back Maicon. (Goal.com)

Analysis: If he prefers a move to someone playing in the Champions League, that would give Chelsea or Real Madrid the edge.

Everton And West Ham Make Keita Approaches

Everton and West Ham have made contact with Lyon about forward flop Abdul Kader Keita. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Keita didn’t quite work out at Lyon, but if he comes to the Premier League and shows the kind of form that earned him the move in the first place, he could be a low-risk, high-reward signing.

Fulham Interested In Sidwell And Altidore

Fulham are interested in Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Sidwell only started 11 league games last season, but I don’t see him leaving Villa this summer. If he’s fit, he can play a big part for the club next season.

The Cottagers could also look to make a loan move for Villarreal forward Jozy Altidore. (Various)

Analysis: Altidore didn’t really make much of a splash in his first season in Spain, and though spending the season on loan with a Spanish club could be better for him in terms of getting acclimated to the Spanish game and the culture even further, Fulham’s an opportunity worth jumping at.

Stoke After Martins

Stoke City are the latest club to be linked with Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins, as the club could make a £5m move for the Nigeria star. (Daily Star)

Analysis: Stoke could be an excellent opportunity for Martins, and they have the funds to land him. But the likes of Everton and Aston Villa offer up European football, which could give them an edge if they come in for him.

Bolton To Bid For Fletcher

Bolton will make a £4m bid for Hibs striker Steven Fletcher. (Daily Express)

Analysis: I still think he may well hold out for a move to Celtic, but if they land Marc-Antoine Fortune, that could give Bolton and Wigan a free run at Fletcher.

Middlesbrough Sign Yeates

Middlesbrough have signed Colchester winger Mark Yeates for an undisclosed fee. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Yeates had a solid season in the Championship with Colchester in 2007/08, scoring eight goals, so he should have no problem being able to fit in well for Boro.

Italy

Serie A Return For Toni?

Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni has revealed that he’s held talks with both Inter Milan and AC Milan. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: With Bayern signing Ivica Olic and Mario Gomez, things stand to get a little tight in Bayern’s front line next season. The odd man out would seem to be Toni, so it’ll be no surprise if he moves to one of the Milan clubs in the coming weeks.

AC Milan Move For Andre Santos

AC Milan are in serious discussions over a move for Corinthians defender Andre Santos. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: He’s certainly helped his value at the Confederations Cup, where he’s started Brazil’s last three games after making his national team debut as a late sub in their opener against Egypt.

Napoli Sign Zuniga

Napoli have signed Siena right back Juan Camilo Zuniga for €8.5m. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Napoli’s busy summer continues, and methinks they’re not done spending yet either. All that spending best result in a much higher finish next season, otherwise some heads will be rolling.

France

Marseille Make Run At M’Bia

Marseille are attempting snatch longtime Everton target Stephane M’Bia by making a 7.7m bid for the Rennes midfielder. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: M’Bia seems to have a hankering for the Premier League, but he could be swayed by the prospect of Champions League football with Marseille. I think this one’s going to drag out for a while longer though, if the last year is any indication.

Greece

Liverpool Accept Pana’s Leto Offer

Liverpool have accepted Panathiniakos’ £3m offer for winger Sebastian Leto. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: The experience that Leto gained at Olympiakos last season will no doubt prove helpful with Panathinaikos, and with Djibril Cisse (and perhaps Royston Drenthe and/or more Real Madrid fringe players) joining up for next season, Olympiakos’ run of dominance is going to be under serious threat.