Big Premier League Signings

First topic message reminder :

Here is a list of all the "big movers" to the PL this season. The table contains the player's name, club moved from and to and fee for so we can scrutinise them

[ [/td][/tr]

Player	From	To	Fee
Kevin de Bruyne	Genk (Belgium)	Chelsea	£6.7m
Olivier Giroud	Montpellier (France)	Arsenal	£13.2m
Eden Hazard	Lille (France)	Chelsea	£35.2m
Shinji Kagawa	Borussia Dortmund (Germany)	Manchester United	£13.2m
Marko Marin	Werder Bremen (Germany)	Chelsea	£8.6m
Lukas Podolski	Cologne (Germany)	Arsenal	£11.4m
Jan Vertonghen	Ajax (Netherlands)	Spurs	£7.5m

Any updates would be appreciated.

Other transfers that may/may not be interesting:

Gylfi Sigurdsson - Spurs
Jacob Butterfield - Norwich
Nick Powell - Manchester United
Romain Amalfitano - Newcastle
Steven Naismith - Everton

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/premier-league/transferuebersicht/wettbewerb_GB1.html

I'd really like him to join Arsenal, and considering his versatility he'd really help us

Its nice to when England cant play football we're still flooding the PL with foreigners...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Its nice to when England cant play football we're still flooding the PL with foreigners...

But England couldn't play football when there were a handful of players in the Prem/Div 1

We were a darn sight better than we are now....

GeordieFalcon wrote:We were a darn sight better than we are now....

Yes but the technical skills were appalling - they've improved a huge amount in the PL era (even though I dislike the PL for financial doping). And in the 80's/early90's England were getting to Quarters, occassional Semi's and sometimes not qualifying. I wouldn't say they are worse now...

Jordi Alba has signed for Barca

Mandzukic (?) has signed for Bayern

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Jordi Alba has signed for Barca

For £11.1 million, absolute bargain.

GeordieFalcon wrote:We were a darn sight better than we are now....

myth- we have been the same level for 40 odd years.

Jordi Alba looks a sensational signing for Barcelona. Alba & Alves attacking as the full backs either side is frightening. A returning David Villa will rejuvenate Barcelona next season and I fully expect them to challenge for that Champions League. Yes Mandzuckic has signed for Bayern

Eh, still not convinced they're that solid defensively. Abidal at least was a good defender.

Alves is Alves, I've never been convinced by the defending of Pique and Puyol is 34 now.

They're clearly sacrificing defence now. I imagine their defence will have Mascherano as centre-back most of the time next year as well.

The signing of Cesc really upset the balance I think. You can only play one way for a period of time before teams begin to adopt a common gameplan.

They still might go and snap up Javi Martinez from Bilbao as Puyol's long term replacement post Euro's. I think teams are working out how to play Barcelona but I still think they've got a long way to go. Chelsea were very lucky in that semi in both legs but you can definitely see that Xavi is no way near the same player he was. I think Iniesta playing wide left of the front three is also hurting both club & country as he's being picked up more easily whereas before David Villa would take the defender away leaving Iniesta to walk through.

While yes they were lucky, in the space of 8 days Barca lost the CL and La Liga to 2 defensively strong teams. Llorente would've been a good signing to give them an option B I thought, but they'd never adapt.

And Martinez is supposedly off to Bayern

Barcelona have "wasted" £40m signing players they used to have in Alba and Fabregas (I say wasted, you know what I mean). It might look a bargain at £11m but he was in the last year of his contract at Valencia.

Can't see Javi at Bayern until it happens. I thought/think he had/has Barcelona written all over him.

Bayern will play him in midfield, whereas Barca/Madrid want him at CB. His preference is DM I heard.

He's good wherever, be it CM, DM or CB. I definitely prefer him in midfield (although in my Euro thread I thought he'd start at CB beside Pique for Spain with Ramos at RB).

What does that mean for Bayern then?

-------------Neuer--------------
--Boateng--Dante--Badstuber--Alaba-
------Schweinsteiger--Martinez------
--Mandzukic------Kroos-----Muller--
-------------Gomez--------------

That's quite fearsome (if the transfers happen of course).

Defense could use some work, but otherwise yeah.

Bayern have been in as many CL finals as Barca have the last 5 years. Dunno why they always seem to be under the radar

Yeah, the thing that bugs me about the media is when they said that the Bayern players in the Germany squad might be down about the CL fina. Same thing happened in 2010.

Forgot about Lahm in that defence though!! Best FB in the world and I forget about him. He'd be at LB instead of Alaba I think. Very fearsome indeed.

Personally I'd swap him for Boateng at RB, who I don't really rate that highly

Though I'm a bit surprised Bayern didn't chase Hoilett on a free. I'd take him over Mueller anyday.

TSC wrote:He's good wherever, be it CM, DM or CB. I definitely prefer him in midfield (although in my Euro thread I thought he'd start at CB beside Pique for Spain with Ramos at RB).

What does that mean for Bayern then?

-------------Neuer--------------
--Boateng--Dante--Badstuber--Alaba-
------Schweinsteiger--Martinez------
--Mandzukic------Kroos-----Muller--
-------------Gomez--------------

That's quite fearsome (if the transfers happen of course).

Mandzukic AMR

"I will be leaving for Liverpool on 6 July," says the Slovakian's official website. "There is also speculation about my exit from Liverpool but I can say that there was no offer on the table yet and we didn't hold talks with any club."

-Skrtel

Reading between the lines, he never really denied he'd be interested in a move.

Who in their right mind would want Skrtel? Agger > Skrtel although he's horribly hit with injuries.

Muller has a great assist rate though. Poor season though. Forgot about Shaqiri too, Bayern have signed him.

He had a good season iirc.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Llorente would've been a good signing to give them an option B I thought, but they'd never adapt.

Llorente isn't as good as Ibrahimovic who is a similar kind of striker and that never worked out. Although there was obviously Ibrahimovic's attitude playing a part, Barcelona just aren't suited to playing with a big man up front.

TSC wrote:Who in their right mind would want Skrtel? Agger > Skrtel although he's horribly hit with injuries.

Because Skrtel has had a very good season, third best defence in the Premier League despite Liverpool's poor form.

Like I said, they'd never adapt. There were definately times last season they needed a plan B though.

Crimey wrote:

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Llorente would've been a good signing to give them an option B I thought, but they'd never adapt.

Llorente isn't as good as Ibrahimovic who is a similar kind of striker and that never worked out. Although there was obviously Ibrahimovic's attitude playing a part, Barcelona just aren't suited to playing with a big man up front.

Really? For me Llorente is a goal scoring/assist machine, I find Ibrahimovic to be incredibly lazy and living off the handful of fantastic goals he scored. Any Prem club that can afford Llorente's Andy Carroll sized price tag should jump on him now.

Small Time wrote:

Crimey wrote:

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Llorente would've been a good signing to give them an option B I thought, but they'd never adapt.

Llorente isn't as good as Ibrahimovic who is a similar kind of striker and that never worked out. Although there was obviously Ibrahimovic's attitude playing a part, Barcelona just aren't suited to playing with a big man up front.

Really? For me Llorente is a goal scoring/assist machine, I find Ibrahimovic to be incredibly lazy and living off the handful of fantastic goals he scored. Any Prem club that can afford Llorente's Andy Carroll sized price tag should jump on him now.

I do agree that Ibrahimovic is lazy, but I think the perception of him as poor is one that is common in England because of his habit of underperforming versus English sides. You have to go back to the 2006-7 season to see the last time he managed less than 20 goals in a season, and if you include Juventus' stripped titles, last year was the first year for I think 9 years where his team didn't win the league.

Llorente is a decent striker, but I don't think he has proven himself on the biggest stage yet. I've seen him go missing in games as well, such as the Europa League final.

If you want to talk about players going missing in games I think you need not look any further than Ibrahimovic.

While I understand the stats are almost second to none I'll argue that he's always (more or less) found himself on the side of the overwhelming favorites and never had to carry team (in fact be carried) Like Llorente did 2 seasons ago.

Who would you rather have at your Premiership club?

Small Time wrote:If you want to talk about players going missing in games I think you need not look any further than Ibrahimovic.

While I understand the stats are almost second to none I'll argue that he's always (more or less) found himself on the side of the overwhelming favorites and never had to carry team (in fact be carried) Like Llorente did 2 seasons ago.

Who would you rather have at your Premiership club?

I'd rather have Llorente, but that's more because he's younger and has a better attitude. On a footballing level I think Ibrahimovic is better. Llorente two seasons ago scored just 19 goals in 41 games. Hardly carrying the team.

I know Ibrahimovic can go missing in big games, that was my point, Llorente has also gone missing in big games and has worse statistics. He's also 27 and yet to move from Bilbao, Ibrahimovic had moved to Juventus by the age of 23. I know it's not conclusive proof, but it suggests to me that Llorente isn't as good as Ibrahimovic.

They are the kinds of strikers that are dependent on service though. Llorente has flourished in a team that can play short quick passes, though Bilbao do mix it up.

Ibra had a poor attitude at Barca, including tantrums at being moved aside os Messi could play through the middle.

Crimey wrote:

Small Time wrote:If you want to talk about players going missing in games I think you need not look any further than Ibrahimovic.

While I understand the stats are almost second to none I'll argue that he's always (more or less) found himself on the side of the overwhelming favorites and never had to carry team (in fact be carried) Like Llorente did 2 seasons ago.

Who would you rather have at your Premiership club?

I'd rather have Llorente, but that's more because he's younger and has a better attitude. On a footballing level I think Ibrahimovic is better. Llorente two seasons ago scored just 19 goals in 41 games. Hardly carrying the team.

I know Ibrahimovic can go missing in big games, that was my point, Llorente has also gone missing in big games and has worse statistics. He's also 27 and yet to move from Bilbao, Ibrahimovic had moved to Juventus by the age of 23. I know it's not conclusive proof, but it suggests to me that Llorente isn't as good as Ibrahimovic.

That just means he's a proud Basque.

Llorente brings more than goals and you know it. He's a big man that wins a lot of headers, is difficult to knock off the ball, has a great work ethic and isn't incredibly selfish....Ibrahimovic is difficult to knock off the ball granted (and a big man at 6ft 5) but his lack of work rate/team work is so abysmal I wouldn't have him anywhere near my squad. Strange he only seems to last 2-3 years at a club before moving on?

Don't think Llorente will ever move. Basque and proud I think, as was said.

Crimey wrote:

TSC wrote:Who in their right mind would want Skrtel? Agger > Skrtel although he's horribly hit with injuries.

Because Skrtel has had a very good season, third best defence in the Premier League despite Liverpool's poor form.

Skrtel did have a good season but I'd rather he left then Agger. If he goes we will get good money for him. He would be a lot easier to replace.

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

Crimey wrote:

TSC wrote:Who in their right mind would want Skrtel? Agger > Skrtel although he's horribly hit with injuries.

Because Skrtel has had a very good season, third best defence in the Premier League despite Liverpool's poor form.

Skrtel did have a good season but I'd rather he left then Agger. If he goes we will get good money for him. He would be a lot easier to replace.

I agree. I'd be gutted to see him leave though as he and Agger are a really good partnership, with Agger being the ball-playing defender and Skrtel the tougher, less-refined defender.

Anything else being done at the moment? It's all gone quiet since Giroud.

It'll pick up when Euro 2012 is over I expect.

Papers are pushing Jovetic to Chelsea but I haven't seen anything.

Slightly late, but the person that named their Bayern line up... surely you wouldnt take Mandzukic on the right over Robben or Ribery?

What a failure that Bayern team was Missed out all their best players:

-------------Neuer--------------
--Boateng--Dante--Badstuber--Lahm-
------Schweinsteiger--Martinez------
--Robben------Muller-------Ribery--
-------------Gomez--------------

And they have Kroos, Mandzukic, Shaqiri all in reserve. Things are looking up.

Kroos is better than Muller and Ribery/Robben are still on the verge of being replaced.

Not the finest season from either.

Different players, Muller and Kroos. I don't know if I said this or not but Muller's assist count is really high. Robben has signed a new contract and I can see Ribery going to Man City/PSG/Malaga. Absolutely nothing to back that up though, it's just a feeling.

Modric to Chelsea is picking up pace again, seen it in several different sources today.

----Ramires -- Modric----
Hulk-----Mata------Hazard
------------Torres------------

If we get that then I'll be ecstatic

Still don't really see it, wheres the midfield destroyer in all that.

Vedran Corluka has joined Locomotiv Moscow

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Vedran Corluka has joined Locomotiv Moscow

Spurs only have Kyle Walker at right back now, it's so odd. One long-term injury to Walker and they're in trouble.

Also seems to suggest that the new manager is already in place and said they're not bothered about Corluka.

I think bridges were already burned in that regard, and Corluka doesn't want to be a backup/maybe wants to play CB.

Finding a backup RB isn't the hardest problem to solve.