2014 Summer Transfer Window Thread

[GSC]

First topic message reminder :

Who really cares?

[kingraf]

Yeah, €29m for Khedira. Think he'll do alright at Arsenal, won't miss him one jot, though.

[Ent]

Arsenal going big this year.

Wengers last tilt at the big time?

Still need a centre half and 2 fullbacks imo.

[Guest]

Yeah, you sense this will be his last contract & last push for glory in the next two to three years, before retirement. Khedira is what they've needed, strong presence in the middle, will be key in the tough away games especially, although there is much more to his game in my opinion. Top CB's are tough to find & will they only be back-up to Per & Laurent.

[Ent]

Don't think Per and Laurent are good enough to challenge for CL and PL - which is surely the plan.

Easy enough clearing the odd ball when you have possession for 60+ % of games but they fell apart and showed their true forms when under any pressure last season.

Khedira will help but they need some class back there if they are going to be successful imo.

[GSC]

Per and Koscielny are more than functional for a PL challenge. I'd be more concerned with the FBs

[Dolphin Ziggler]

As good as anyone in the league, it's just that the defences in this league aren't top notch

[GSC]

Backup is a priority though. Vermaelen isn't good enough for a backup role. Someone like Ashley Williams would do a job as a 3rd CB for cheap.

[kingraf]

Liverpool apparently looking into £40m for Benzema, which is what we paid for him. Possibility, but I doubt it

[jbeadlesbigrighthand]

Per and Koscielny are more than functional for a PL challenge. I'd be more concerned with the FBs

Arsenal are an interesting one. They've already axed so many from a squad that wasn't the deepest to start with. Then there's talk of each of Vermaelen, Arteta and Cazorla leaving. I equally wouldn't be surprised to see Podolski move on for more game time after a WC win (albeit one he did nothing in).

Without anyone leaving they currently need a right-back and a DM (at the very minimum). Add in any departures, and they may need to up that to include another DM, a CB and an attacking midfielder. Particularly if you assume Walcott, Wilshere, Diaby are all likely to miss large chunks of the season through injury.

In general, CBs seem to be a problem position for a lot of clubs: Man Utd need a couple, Arsenal and Chelsea both lack depth, Man City are looking and Liverpool need to fix their defence.

[kingraf]

Mirror reporting that di Maria snubbed Paris, and wants some Premier League footie, with the caveat that they're in the Champs League...

He might just stay, you know.

[LastDamnation]

Liverpool apparently looking into £40m for Benzema, which is what we paid for him. Possibility, but I doubt it

I thought benzema had renewed?

[Guest]

It hasn't been confirmed as of yet, its on the table apparently, waiting to be signed. Seeing as Morata has left, doubtful that Benzema would also depart.

Not sure if its been said, but as expected, Toni Kroos joins Real Madrid.

Newcastle looking to wrap up Janmaat in next two days for around £5m. Nice work Alan Van Der Pardew.

[Nakatomi Plaza]

Atletico Madrid have signed Benfica keeper Jan Oblak. Looks like Keylor Navas will be replacing him.

[NickisBHAFC]

Liverpool shouldn't spend 40 mill on Benzema not worth it

[Fernando]

Vidal to United is off according to the Mail, Van Gaal pulls plug on £32m deal for Juventus star as Old Trafford boss looks elsewhere.

In other news GSC - I took your advice on Cavani - Put £5 on was 15/1 had a peek on oddschecker and now he's down to 3/1   

[The Special Juan]

If he doesn't sign Vidal but signs Di Maria then it's very much #VanGaalOut

[Fernando]

He's excuse will be Anderson > Vidal

Surprised it's taking long to wrap Debuchy he was supposed to be done before Alexis    Maybe Toon fled once they knew Jenkinson was heading their way   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

That took a long time, even tongue in cheek.

Other things to round up today. Mail think Ki of Swansea is merely moments away from being a Villa player (which would be a top notch signing). Enner Valencia likely to be unveiled tomorrow. Markovic looks done to Liverpool. Vermaelen stories back on, Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodríguez also an option but depends on his Spanish announce table duties.

[Guest]

We`re just waiting for Janmaat, then Debuchy will be given green light.

I see LVG bailing......again.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

And a twitter rumour

Norwich have accepted a bid from QPR for Leroy Fer.

[Fernando]

And a twitter rumour

Norwich have accepted a bid from QPR for Leroy Fer.

Well Olly's going to cry himself to sleep tonight knowing their only decent player is joining QPR.

[Gerry SA]

The Vidal transfer off story is a farce.

No comments from either club, player or agents.

Typical DM writing up rubbish.

[Gerry SA]

Seeing the rumours of Cavani, Di Maria, Hummels and Reus.

I know Manchester United are loaded with sponsorship cash, they signing even 2/3 of those big names would be a statement of intent.

Cavani in and Rooney out would be the ideal situation.

Hummels for Kagawa again the ideal situation.

And I'd rather have Marco Reus over Angel Di Maria.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'm not too fussed about Fer either way, one I expected to leave once relegation was confirmed. Struggled without a winter break, niggly injuries ruined a promising season 

Don't think he'll end up at QPR though, would imagine he will go abroad. Think that rumor is pretty much twitter making up things

[Fernando]

Bebe is off to Benfica....somehow   

Bebe > Zaha

[Hammersmith harrier]

We're not loaded with sponsorship money yet Gerry, most of the deals we've signed start from next season but a combined £128mil a year for shirt sponsorship is staggering. Were FFP taken seriously we'd blow every other English team out of the water but alas it isn't.

Having pulled the plug on the Kroos deal any delay in signings will lead papers to jump to the assumption that LVG has done the same again but who knows, most of what's in the papers is just fallacy.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Sounds like we're also after Antonio Rudiger

[Hammersmith harrier]

Apparently Bebe played quite well last season for Pacos.

[Fernando]

It would be hilarious if Bebe turned out to be a good player after all. Probably be top scorer for Benfica next year and move to Spain for 30m   

[Hammersmith harrier]

Quieroz seemed to rate him highly so you never know, looked crap everytime I saw him play for us.

[Guest]

I weren't buying into any Vidal rumours anyways. Although the rumours I read it wasn't LVG pulling the plug as such, but the two clubs couldn't reach an agreement on the fee and we'll choose to look elsewhere. Anyhow I'm sure we'll know more over the coming days

seen the Vermalean rumours have started again, the only interest LVG has in him is a back up at both CB and LB he wouldn't be a starter, still poor splashing out £10m for a player who'll be injured after a couple of games and only has 12 months on his current deal, although suppose losing Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra it'll add some experience to a pretty young defence. Would love Hummels, but he'd deserve to be playing in Europe this year

Di Maria is a very good play, but would have always been deemed a luxury signing as opposed to a necessity with the central midfield and defence the obvious strengthening areas in the squad. Plus in that position if there was even so much of a hint that Reus was available from Dortmund, I'd go for him over Di Maria. Neither would happen though

[Gerry SA]

I agree the MUFC aren't loaded with the sponsors cash this season, but it gives the possibly of gaining loans from banks to buy players, as everyone knows there's £750m ready to be cashed.

But that aside, the vermaelen deal looks to be close to collapse. Wenger wants a player in exchange. Not being funny with vermaelen isn't worth swapping with either Jones or Smalling.

And I'd rather Bruno Martins Indi over vermaelen

[Gerry SA]

My view on Bebe.

The lad was very raw when he arrived at Old Trafford. But he showed a few signs of having that X factor.

He has blistering pace. And after a breakthrough season in Portugal, he's now got the vision and awareness to create and score goals.

It's unfortunate it didn't work out for him at Old Trafford, yet he could turn out to be another Diego Forlan and flourish after he moves on.

Good luck to the lad.

[Lowlandbrit]

And I'd rather Bruno Martins Indi over vermaelen

Martins Indi is going to Porto.

And I know they've got a lot of money to spend and a desire to get back to the top quickly, but I can't see LvG wanting a team full of big money superstars. Everywhere he's gone, he's shown he likes bringing through young players he can control. If nobody breaks through next season, something's been going very wrong at Carrington.

[GSC]

Well with Vidal he'll only have spent a cool 100m so far

[Gerry SA]

Liverpool eyeing up Marco Reus for a cool £45m and Karim Benzema for a not too shabby £40m.

Benzema is over priced for my liking.
Reus is a fantastic player

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Liverpool eyeing up Marco Reus for a cool £45m and Karim Benzema for a not too shabby £40m.

Benzema is over priced for my liking.
Reus is a fantastic player

Never in a million years though!   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Janmaat looks nailed for the Toon then.

[Guest]

 Think we've done a good job so far this summer. With the Cabaye money, we've basically got in De Jong, Janmaat & Cabella. Plus we have Colback. We still need the striker, which is essentially the difference maker in this league & therefore still the most important deal to be done. I'd love Remy back but think we will miss out.

[Guest]

Just to add to that, it will apparently cost us £15m to sign Remy. The £8m release clause was to protect Remy, if QPR were relegated but now they are back in the EPL, the contract states that only top 4 clubs can sign him for £8m, positions 5th & 6th from last year can sign him for £11m & for anyone else, including Newcastle - will have to pay £15m. That's what I've read. If true, then we have no chance. Most likely we will go for Emmanuel Rivière or Demba Ba.

[Ent]

Getting Ba back would be a good signing.

Ship looks to have steadied with the signings and retaining colocini, thinks were looking grim at the end of last season.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

There was never a worry with the Toon

[Ent]

Terrible form, terrible performances, colocinni looking to leave, rents loan ending, worries about Ashley loosening the purse strings.

I'd say there was cause for alarm.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Only for drama queens

[Guest]

Agree with my fellow Newcastle United fan Dolphin Ziggler, never had any worries. It was the annoying cry babies, like Lumbering Jack on here, who kept saying the club was a joke & wouldn't spend a penny this summer. Me & Dolphin Ziggler are the real fans, the real people & we kept the faith that the money would be spent & it has. We're both looking forward to a good season ahead.   

[westisbest]

On a side note John.

Our first home game is against the Toon.

Its on BT at 1245.(just in case you didn't know).

[Ent]

BA away to Besiktas apparently

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Nice to see that the Toon stick to their roots with council housing on the training ground.

[GSC]

Thats Mike Ashleys outhouse, funded by Cabaye

[Hero]

BA away to Besiktas apparently

Besiktas play at Macc Town's ground twice in the coming week, going along to watch them v FC Mainz next Wednesday.

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