Summer of 2008’s Transfer Sagas
MOST Premiership and European sides have now begun the long process and arduous task of pre season training in preparation for the beginning of another long ten-month slog to try and win themselves some silverware.
Despite the season being just around the corner, for one reason or another the transfer market seems yet to have got into full swing. The European Championships meant many teams halted their summer spending sprees in case a star was unearthed at the tournament and many expected major transfers to be completed in the month of July.
Despite an exciting tournament where many teams and players showed their qualities the market appears to be at a standstill with many rumours which circulated at the end of last season yet to come to fruition. Many predict that it will just take one major move will to have a domino effect and lead to players across the country-swapping clubs.
In a bid to look at the moves which have been long expected to take place for a long period of time but have yet to be completed, here are a starting eleven of transfers which might set the market into full swing……
Despite the season being just around the corner, for one reason or another the transfer market seems yet to have got into full swing. The European Championships meant many teams halted their summer spending sprees in case a star was unearthed at the tournament and many expected major transfers to be completed in the month of July.
Despite an exciting tournament where many teams and players showed their qualities the market appears to be at a standstill with many rumours which circulated at the end of last season yet to come to fruition. Many predict that it will just take one major move will to have a domino effect and lead to players across the country-swapping clubs.
In a bid to look at the moves which have been long expected to take place for a long period of time but have yet to be completed, here are a starting eleven of transfers which might set the market into full swing……
Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid
The talk of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Real Madrid has been circulating since his role in the sending off of Wayne Rooney at the 2006 World Cup but since declaring he wished to move because of the backlash he may suffer, the Portuguese forward has kept his head down and become one of the best players in the world. The main reason for the continuation of the ‘saga’ is Ronaldo’s apparent refusal to rule the move out himself. A series of mixed messages have been spouted from the players mouth with his apparent non committal either way. Ankle surgery after Euro 2008 has only further extended the talk of Ronaldo leaving as the players continues to refuse to speak about his intentions.
With rumours circulating that Real are putting together a bumper deal, Utd continue to deny that their prize asset is for sale but the departure of Carlos Queroz, who seemed to have a strong bond with Ronaldo, and after recent comments by Sepp Blatter about Ronaldo being ‘held at the club against his will’ only time will really tell whether the future world players of the year will be following the likes of David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy in high price deals from Manchester to Madrid.
Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan
Summer at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium has been rather unusual, especially after a season of major progress in 2007/08. After leading the league for long periods of time last season the Gunners will be looking to mount another title challenge after leading the way for so long. Though many must expect it by now after year of tight budgeting, Arsene Wenger spoken out for the first time in defence of his transfer strategy of spending very little money; this is despite the fact that the club have spent more on two players than they have in recent times. It appears though that even the arrivals of Aaron Ramsey and Samir Nasri have not covered the gap left by the loss their player of the season Matheiu Flamini. Another player who looks like he could be following his former French compatriot to the Milan is striker Emmanuel Adebayor who inspired Arsenal with his goals last season.
Despite assurances at the start of the summer that he wished to remain in North London it appears that contract talks have not been forthcoming for the Togolese striker and he now seeks a more financially sound offer elsewhere with the Italian giants hoping to lure him in to get themselves back into the Champions League.
Gareth Barry to Liverpool
The Aston Villa captains rise to the status as England regular has largely led to him becoming a wanted man and after years of loyalty to Villa it appears that he will be leaving having been lured by the prestige of Champions League football.
Barry stated his willingness to leave at the start of the summer and was apparently unhappy that his manager chose to work for the BBC at he European Championships rather than attempt to get his unhappy player to try and stay. For his comments to the News of the World, Barry was banished from the cubs training ground and told not to return for two weeks by his manager. Sadly for Barry although Liverpool have declared their interest in the player, the midfielder is currently in limbo with Villa holding out for a fee of £18m and Rafa Benitez so far having three bids below that mark rejected by the Birmingham outfit who want full value for a player who helped inspire them to European football last campaign.
Frank Lampard to Inter Milan
Wherever Jose Mourinho was going to land, there was always going to be an opportunity for him to link up with Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard once more. Under the Portuguese manager at Chelsea, the former West Ham player became the star many believed he had the potential to be and the player himself accepts that this was thanks in part to some excellent guidance from a top class coach. Lampard had a tough year in 2008, playing a bit part role in Chelsea Championship chase thanks to injury and then missing out of the European Championships thanks to England’s failure to qualify. Though it is harsh to say that his career needs a revamp because of one tough year at the London club it is clear that the player would like a new challenge if the opportunity presented itself. Lampard’s potential move has however been speeded up thanks to the club failing to agree an appropriate extension to his contract which runs out in 2009 and in July when Mourinho was confirmed as coach of the Italian Champions he made it clear that the England midfielder was his top target. With time running out on his contract, Inter are hoping to negotiate a cut-price fee but have so far failed with two bids for the player. New Chelsea manager Luis Felipe Scolari has stated his intention to keep Lampard part of his plans though if a contract extension cannot be agreed to his current deal then a free transfer move for Lampard, a free agent in January, would be beyond his control.
Ronaldinho to Manchester City
In one of the more audacious transfer moves of the summer, a change of manager has not prevented the saga of Ronaldinho joining Manchester City rumbling on. Outspoken chairman Taksin Shinawatra launched a move to the Brazilian at the end of the last campaign and with Barcelona allowing the playmaker to move on it has been a straight fight between the blues and AC Milan. Milan’s move for the former world player of the year could be dependent on their chase for Adebayor as they have ruled out signing both players and with the player looking to leave for pastures new he has left the door open for City to swoop in and pay him millions to play in the Premiership.
Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United
It is amazing to think that one of the most talked about moves of the last twelve months has been largely not discussed in the run up to the new season. Largely due to the talk of Ronaldo staying or going and their successes last season, little has been said about how United might look to improve for the coming campaign. One player who Ferguson has openly admitted he admires is Dimitar Berbatov who even during a great first season in England was discussed as a potential target for Manchester United. Berbatov’s agent has done little to dampen speculation by confirming United’s interest in the player and also his client’s desperation to leave White Hart Lane to play Champions League Football. The fee for the Bulgarian could well prove a stumbling block however as Spurs are holding out for £30 million with Manchester United being more willing to pay around £15million for his services.
Alexander Hleb to Barcelona
As one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers last season, the apparent discontent of the Belarusian at Arsenal appears to come from the clubs rigid wage structure as well as his inability to adjust to the busy life of a Londoner. The murmurs of discontent reported in the media have been constantly denied by the player but even before the season was out Hleb’s agent was making noises that his client was unhappy in London and would prefer a quieter life somewhere else. Immediately the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona were linked with the quiet little paradise of Milan also on offer to the midfielder. Despite playing a major part in Arsenal’s title challenge last season, Hleb has complained at not being played in his favourite position last season and also was reported to have described Cesc Fabregas as ‘greedy’, both claims he stringently denied and also refuting those of his agent Arsene Wenger is sure to want to know whether the player wants to stay or whether his unhappiness will mean that the club are forced to cash in on him.
Robinho to Chelsea
Perhaps not as much of a ‘saga’ as some of the others which have been discussed over the summer months but after it was first reported that Chelsea were very much interested in the player, the media seem to be hyping up Robinho joining up with former Brazil manager Scolari at Chelsea. One tabloid paper reported that the London club had offered a world record fee for the player, a claim which was denied by Chelsea themselves, but they did little to shelve their interest in a player who has confirmed that he would like to stay at Madrid and has already ruled himself out of a transfer which could see him coming to England as a makeweight in any potential deal for Cristiano Ronaldo. Whether Scolari can persuade the striker to come to the Bridge to play a role in the Chelsea rotation system remains to be seen as the Brazilian was very much a part of the successful Real Madrid team of last season.
Andrei Arshavin to Chelsea
Even before the little Russian midfielder starred as part of his national teams run to the semi final, the Zenit St Petersberg star had been long rumoured as a target to his countryman Roman Abrahmovic. After some great performances in Euro 2008, Arshavin told his club he wished to leave with Barcelona his chosen destination. The Spanish outfit appear to be unwilling to pay the clubs asking price of £20 million however and Chelsea could yet make a move should Frank Lampard exit. Having already brought in the creativity of Deco and with changes afoot then Arshavin could be joining the Premiership club to prove that he has what it takes to play in the Champions League.
Xabi Alonso to Juventus
With Liverpool chasing Gareth Barry, one player who may be surplus to requirement at Anfield is Xabi Alonso. Despite being one of the most consistent performers and a fan favourite in a Liverpool team which finished fourth last season, Alonso has been linked with Juventus since the last campaign ended. The Spanish midfielder refused to talk about his future during the European Championships but after helping Spain win the trophy he stated his delight at being linked with a club of the stature of the Italian giants. In recent weeks the trail on Alonso seems to have gone cold however after the Old Lady signed Christian Poulsen from Sevilla and former team mate of Alonso’s at Liverpool Mohammed Sissoko declared that his former colleague was more than happy to remain at Anfield.
Andrei Shevchenko to AC Milan
Probably one of the longest running transfer sagas is Chelsea misfit Shevchenko returning to the city where he made his reputation, Milan. Since his seemingly unhappy arrival from AC last summer, Shevchenko has been constantly linked with a return with his former club saying they would be more than happy to see him return to their team. With Ronaldo injured and Filippo Inzaghi coming to the end of his career, Carlo Ancelotti has twice offered the player a way back to the Italian giants to end his miserable spell at Chelsea but it appears that is wages with the club are a major stumbling block and a loan deal seems more likely. Since Luis Scolari took over, Sampdoria have also been linked with a move for the striker but it appears that with Drogba unhappy with the Blues, the Ukrainian may get more first team opportunities during the 2008/09 campaign.
The talk of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Real Madrid has been circulating since his role in the sending off of Wayne Rooney at the 2006 World Cup but since declaring he wished to move because of the backlash he may suffer, the Portuguese forward has kept his head down and become one of the best players in the world. The main reason for the continuation of the ‘saga’ is Ronaldo’s apparent refusal to rule the move out himself. A series of mixed messages have been spouted from the players mouth with his apparent non committal either way. Ankle surgery after Euro 2008 has only further extended the talk of Ronaldo leaving as the players continues to refuse to speak about his intentions.
With rumours circulating that Real are putting together a bumper deal, Utd continue to deny that their prize asset is for sale but the departure of Carlos Queroz, who seemed to have a strong bond with Ronaldo, and after recent comments by Sepp Blatter about Ronaldo being ‘held at the club against his will’ only time will really tell whether the future world players of the year will be following the likes of David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy in high price deals from Manchester to Madrid.
Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan
Summer at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium has been rather unusual, especially after a season of major progress in 2007/08. After leading the league for long periods of time last season the Gunners will be looking to mount another title challenge after leading the way for so long. Though many must expect it by now after year of tight budgeting, Arsene Wenger spoken out for the first time in defence of his transfer strategy of spending very little money; this is despite the fact that the club have spent more on two players than they have in recent times. It appears though that even the arrivals of Aaron Ramsey and Samir Nasri have not covered the gap left by the loss their player of the season Matheiu Flamini. Another player who looks like he could be following his former French compatriot to the Milan is striker Emmanuel Adebayor who inspired Arsenal with his goals last season.
Despite assurances at the start of the summer that he wished to remain in North London it appears that contract talks have not been forthcoming for the Togolese striker and he now seeks a more financially sound offer elsewhere with the Italian giants hoping to lure him in to get themselves back into the Champions League.
Gareth Barry to Liverpool
The Aston Villa captains rise to the status as England regular has largely led to him becoming a wanted man and after years of loyalty to Villa it appears that he will be leaving having been lured by the prestige of Champions League football.
Barry stated his willingness to leave at the start of the summer and was apparently unhappy that his manager chose to work for the BBC at he European Championships rather than attempt to get his unhappy player to try and stay. For his comments to the News of the World, Barry was banished from the cubs training ground and told not to return for two weeks by his manager. Sadly for Barry although Liverpool have declared their interest in the player, the midfielder is currently in limbo with Villa holding out for a fee of £18m and Rafa Benitez so far having three bids below that mark rejected by the Birmingham outfit who want full value for a player who helped inspire them to European football last campaign.
Frank Lampard to Inter Milan
Wherever Jose Mourinho was going to land, there was always going to be an opportunity for him to link up with Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard once more. Under the Portuguese manager at Chelsea, the former West Ham player became the star many believed he had the potential to be and the player himself accepts that this was thanks in part to some excellent guidance from a top class coach. Lampard had a tough year in 2008, playing a bit part role in Chelsea Championship chase thanks to injury and then missing out of the European Championships thanks to England’s failure to qualify. Though it is harsh to say that his career needs a revamp because of one tough year at the London club it is clear that the player would like a new challenge if the opportunity presented itself. Lampard’s potential move has however been speeded up thanks to the club failing to agree an appropriate extension to his contract which runs out in 2009 and in July when Mourinho was confirmed as coach of the Italian Champions he made it clear that the England midfielder was his top target. With time running out on his contract, Inter are hoping to negotiate a cut-price fee but have so far failed with two bids for the player. New Chelsea manager Luis Felipe Scolari has stated his intention to keep Lampard part of his plans though if a contract extension cannot be agreed to his current deal then a free transfer move for Lampard, a free agent in January, would be beyond his control.
Ronaldinho to Manchester City
In one of the more audacious transfer moves of the summer, a change of manager has not prevented the saga of Ronaldinho joining Manchester City rumbling on. Outspoken chairman Taksin Shinawatra launched a move to the Brazilian at the end of the last campaign and with Barcelona allowing the playmaker to move on it has been a straight fight between the blues and AC Milan. Milan’s move for the former world player of the year could be dependent on their chase for Adebayor as they have ruled out signing both players and with the player looking to leave for pastures new he has left the door open for City to swoop in and pay him millions to play in the Premiership.
Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United
It is amazing to think that one of the most talked about moves of the last twelve months has been largely not discussed in the run up to the new season. Largely due to the talk of Ronaldo staying or going and their successes last season, little has been said about how United might look to improve for the coming campaign. One player who Ferguson has openly admitted he admires is Dimitar Berbatov who even during a great first season in England was discussed as a potential target for Manchester United. Berbatov’s agent has done little to dampen speculation by confirming United’s interest in the player and also his client’s desperation to leave White Hart Lane to play Champions League Football. The fee for the Bulgarian could well prove a stumbling block however as Spurs are holding out for £30 million with Manchester United being more willing to pay around £15million for his services.
Alexander Hleb to Barcelona
As one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers last season, the apparent discontent of the Belarusian at Arsenal appears to come from the clubs rigid wage structure as well as his inability to adjust to the busy life of a Londoner. The murmurs of discontent reported in the media have been constantly denied by the player but even before the season was out Hleb’s agent was making noises that his client was unhappy in London and would prefer a quieter life somewhere else. Immediately the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona were linked with the quiet little paradise of Milan also on offer to the midfielder. Despite playing a major part in Arsenal’s title challenge last season, Hleb has complained at not being played in his favourite position last season and also was reported to have described Cesc Fabregas as ‘greedy’, both claims he stringently denied and also refuting those of his agent Arsene Wenger is sure to want to know whether the player wants to stay or whether his unhappiness will mean that the club are forced to cash in on him.
Robinho to Chelsea
Perhaps not as much of a ‘saga’ as some of the others which have been discussed over the summer months but after it was first reported that Chelsea were very much interested in the player, the media seem to be hyping up Robinho joining up with former Brazil manager Scolari at Chelsea. One tabloid paper reported that the London club had offered a world record fee for the player, a claim which was denied by Chelsea themselves, but they did little to shelve their interest in a player who has confirmed that he would like to stay at Madrid and has already ruled himself out of a transfer which could see him coming to England as a makeweight in any potential deal for Cristiano Ronaldo. Whether Scolari can persuade the striker to come to the Bridge to play a role in the Chelsea rotation system remains to be seen as the Brazilian was very much a part of the successful Real Madrid team of last season.
Andrei Arshavin to Chelsea
Even before the little Russian midfielder starred as part of his national teams run to the semi final, the Zenit St Petersberg star had been long rumoured as a target to his countryman Roman Abrahmovic. After some great performances in Euro 2008, Arshavin told his club he wished to leave with Barcelona his chosen destination. The Spanish outfit appear to be unwilling to pay the clubs asking price of £20 million however and Chelsea could yet make a move should Frank Lampard exit. Having already brought in the creativity of Deco and with changes afoot then Arshavin could be joining the Premiership club to prove that he has what it takes to play in the Champions League.
Xabi Alonso to Juventus
With Liverpool chasing Gareth Barry, one player who may be surplus to requirement at Anfield is Xabi Alonso. Despite being one of the most consistent performers and a fan favourite in a Liverpool team which finished fourth last season, Alonso has been linked with Juventus since the last campaign ended. The Spanish midfielder refused to talk about his future during the European Championships but after helping Spain win the trophy he stated his delight at being linked with a club of the stature of the Italian giants. In recent weeks the trail on Alonso seems to have gone cold however after the Old Lady signed Christian Poulsen from Sevilla and former team mate of Alonso’s at Liverpool Mohammed Sissoko declared that his former colleague was more than happy to remain at Anfield.
Andrei Shevchenko to AC Milan
Probably one of the longest running transfer sagas is Chelsea misfit Shevchenko returning to the city where he made his reputation, Milan. Since his seemingly unhappy arrival from AC last summer, Shevchenko has been constantly linked with a return with his former club saying they would be more than happy to see him return to their team. With Ronaldo injured and Filippo Inzaghi coming to the end of his career, Carlo Ancelotti has twice offered the player a way back to the Italian giants to end his miserable spell at Chelsea but it appears that is wages with the club are a major stumbling block and a loan deal seems more likely. Since Luis Scolari took over, Sampdoria have also been linked with a move for the striker but it appears that with Drogba unhappy with the Blues, the Ukrainian may get more first team opportunities during the 2008/09 campaign.