A global journey…
It’s now December and the transfer window fast approaches. In January the world’s football managers will indulge in a flurry of spending that would put Britain’s bankers to shame. We can expect Chelsea, who have had their ban on making deals postponed, to break new records in an attempt to plan ahead, but with so many clubs in financial crisis who is going to get the best bargain?
Never a club in the past five years to even bother looking for a bargain, Chelsea have already admitted to setting up offers of over £40 million each to Atletico Madrid, for the young Argentinian forward Sergio “Kun” Aguero, and to Bayern Munich for French winger Frank Ribery, after a fruitless bidding war in the summer knocked his rating to unjustified dizzying heights.
In their search for a viable replacement for veteran goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar, Man Utd have abandoned the idea of signing 23 year old Igor Ikinfeev from Champions League group rivals CSKA Moscow, instead expressing new interest in German Manuel Neuer.
West Ham are insisting that they do not need to sell Matthew Upson despite being in a dangerous financial position. This will sting Liverpool, who have been trying to negotiate a reduced rate on the centre back to help ease their injury crisis.
The most interesting of Liverpool’s proposed signings, however, is one Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid. The centre forward has been popular there, scoring 64 goals in four seasons, but after the club’s attempt to sign every striker in football today he has found himself fifth in the team’s pecking order, behind players like Raul and Ronaldo. A player who can poach and finish anything in the box as clinically as Michael Owen once could would be a welcome addition to Liverpool, who need to end their dependence on Fernando Torres.
Van Nistelrooy has apparently snubbed Arsenal for a loan move to Liverpool, hinting that, at 33, he would be happy to be a substitute for Torres while still knowing that this would more than likely give him more time on the pitch than at Real. Increasing Benitez’ tactical options up front, and sticking it to their rivals Man Utd who signed Owen over the summer, this remains the most intriguing piece of gossip yet.
With Liverpool in financial crisis it seems that one loan move may be all they can afford. Rafa ensures the fans that he was promised a certain amount of money regardless of the their European standing, but one can’t help but feel that any funds promised thanks to a new sponsorship deal next year must be retracted, having missing out on over £20 million in Europe. This has left Arsenal, then, who have been snubbed by Van Nistelrooy, with the option of signing Liverpool’s other target Huntelaar.
Drastic times call for drastic measures, but it has been a while since we have heard such mouth-watering pieces of gossip. Also in the media’s game of Chinese whispers are mentions that one Arsenal legend, Patrick Viera, who has hinted at a desire to return to the Premier League and who was not given that option over he summer by his old club, may also be a target for Benitez who seeks to finish off filling in that Alonso-shaped hole in his midfield. While Rafa seems quietly interested, so does one Harry Redknapp, on the white side of north London. We hope to hear more on this as January approaches…
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