Bèbè to Besiktas - it appears that the unknown Portuguese striker will spend next season playing football in Turkey, he is going out there on loan obviously to give him some much needed first team action in a competitive league. A year in Turkey will do the striker a world of good, he is never going to get a chance in the current Manchester United squad - I make him out to be their seventh choice striker, so logically he doesn't get many opportunities. The games he was given went poorly, he failed to impress even against non-league Crawley Town. Ferguson or someone on the Manchester United scouting team saw something they liked about the young striker and the club shelled out a reported fee of around £7million, the same sum of money that they signed Hernandez for that same summer. Here is a video of Bèbè scoring a lovely goal for the Manchester United reserve team.
Javier Pastore is leaving Palermo, his destination of yet is unsure but the clubs rumoured to be in for the Argentine midfield maestro are Chelsea and Real Madrid. Personally, I'd love to see what Pastore could do in England and also I couldn't see him getting into the Madrid team, could you? They already have vast quality in the midfield area with Alonso, Khedira, Ozil, Kaka, Lassana Diarra, Canales, Gago and not mention the two new signings already this summer - Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop. Where would he fit in? Chelsea also are desperate for some real good young talent to bolster their squad and Pastore might just be the man for the job.
Mentioning Real Madrid's midfield and how hard it is to get into, Sergio Canales has attracted interest from top european clubs; rightly so. The young Spaniard is a very talented footballer and the likes of Villarreal, Schalke and Wolfsburg are all interested in his services.
Swansea are in talks with Marcos Senna over a possible move to the Liberty Stadium, Senna is out of contract and newly promoted Swansea are looking to add some real quality and experience into their team.
It also appears Liverpool are eyeing up every player in the world at the moment - the media are linking them with many names. Some of which we believe to be true are Charlie Adam, Stuart Downing and Gael Clichy.
We've had a busy start - rumours and deals have been flying around all over the place. We always said it was going to be a busy summer for a lot of the bigger teams in the Premier League and today it has all really kicked off.
We'll start with the official news, Sunderland have agreed to sell their young starlet Jordan Henderson to Liverpool for £20million. The deal also involves David N'Gog going in the other direction on top of the large transfer fee. The deal was struck earlier on today, Henderson is set to discuss personal terms and have his medical on Wednesday. Sunderland wanted to keep Henderson but he was keen on leaving and the club did not stand in the way of the deal, plus £20million pounds is a very large sum of money. I think Sunderland and Steve Bruce will do good with that money in the transfer kitty. Overall - Decent signing, did they really need Henderson? £20million seems an inflated price for the youngster - ★★★☆☆
This deal seems as good as done - Phil Jones to Manchester United. They beat off stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal to the young man's signature. The reported fee is somewhere in the region of £16million. I presume Ferguson's long term idea is to have Smalling and Jones together at centre half? Vidic and Ferdinand are no spring chickens. He is also more than capable of playing in the centre of midfield - this may well be where he starts to get games. Jones looks a strong purchase, he really is one for the future. I have always spoken of my admiration for the guy, a real talented footballer and all interviews I have seen and read he comes across as a nice guy. I can't see him moving on from Manchester United if he is getting game time. Being only 19 years old he has a good 10+ years to offer his new employers. Also for new owners Venky's this is a great big of business... They paid £23million for a 99.9% stake in the club and now are on their way to taking back £16million only on one player, not bad going. Overall a good signing for United; young, strong and talented - ★★★★☆
Arsenal make their first signing in what has been promised to be a busy transfer window. Their signing is that of lesser known youngster Carl Jenkinson from Charlton Athletic. The 19 year old right back and his family are Arsenal fans and when the club declared interest he was very eager to move. Arsene Wenger is arguably the best manager in world who can sign an unknown player and really make them a star. Hopefully for Arsenal that is going to happen, a young right back by trade but who can also play all the way along the back line will help stabilise that fragile defence of last season. Arsenal are signing the young man on a free but it is believed that around £1million compensation will be paid to Charlton Athletic. I wouldn't expect to see Jenkinson in the first team for a little while but he could very well be Bacary Sagna's replacement in the future as Arsenal do not have any real talent coming through in that position. Overall a potentially good signing for the gunners, only time will tell. From what Charlton manager Chris Powell has had to say he sounds like a very good player and they are sad to lose him. One for the future but no real impact to Arsenal as a club - ★☆☆☆☆
Transfer Rumours
Talk in both England and Italy is that Chelsea lead the race for Inter Milan's talisman Wesley Sneijder, he has reportedly told close friends that he wants to embark on a new challenge. Manchester United along with Manchester City will be battling Chelsea for his signature. Inter Milan's manager Leonardo has his eyes on Chelsea's Ramires, will the young brazilian be used as bait to lure Inter into talks with them instead of their rivals? There is also talk of Inter chasing young Gatson Ramirez - virtually unknown to the masses in England but in Italy he has made quite an impression. The skilful midfield player maker has tricks for days as well as a few goals up his sleeve. Here is a classic video compilation for those of you who are interested.
Chelsea officials are in Belgium at the moment trying to negotiate a deal for young winger Kevin De Bruyne after an initial bid of around £5.3million was knocked back. Lassana Diarra has come out and said IF he was to leave Madrid it would only be for a return to the Premier League, Tottenham and Liverpool are rumoured to be interested in the French holding midfielder. Napoli are playing in Europe next season, they are trying to strengthen their squad with the addition of Domenico Criscito but face competition from Inter. Gohan Inler's agent has come out and said his man is close to a move to Napoli, a real talent and has been a target for many top clubs in the past. An Inler-Hamsik midfield pairing in Europe could be something beautiful. Reports in Italy say that Roma are after Barcelona golden boy Bojan Krkic and Luis Enrique who is now the manager at the Italian club could be the swinging factor? I personally can't see him leaving but who knows?
Gervinho is a name that will most likely feature in every single transfer rumour column at least once a week this summer - the striker told Sky Sports today that he is on his way to England but tells L'Équipe that he is undecided. He is creating the speculation all on his own. I have a feeling Lille will sell the front man, especially as he would probably have a large price tag on him. Word from Catalunya Ràdio in Spain is that Fabregas' agent has come out and said a verbal agreement with Rosell, the president of Barcelona, has been made - He says this Friday they are meeting to discuss a strategy to get Arsenal to agree to sell him. The reported fee is near 40million€. Everyone in England is waiting for the official statement from Manchester United to confirm their signing of Ashley Young, it seems to be just a matter of time. What is interesting is that Juventus see this as an opportunity to swoop in and try to steal one of United's current wingers - Luis Nani. I personally think that Nani has had the best season of his career but there is still more to come, he would be foolish to move if the offer ever comes about. I'm sure the signing of Young will plant a seed of doubt into his head, towards the end of the season he wasn't getting as much game time as he wished. Shakthar Donetsk are reportedly in for Arsenal's want away midfielder, Denilson. Part of this deal is that Arsenal have to pay £4million plus Denilson for their quick-footed pacey Brazilian winger Willian - I don't know how much truth there is to this rumour but I do know that Arsenal need to get rid of Denilson along with a few other players this summer. News just in - Sunderland have offered £12million for Wes Brown, Darren Gibson and an unnamed third player, who could it be? Wellbeck? O'Shea? The deal has come about hours after the confirmation of Henderson's big money move to Merseyside.
We're hearing noises that Tom's favourite footballer is making a move to White Hart Lane. Harry is at it again, wheeling and dealing his way to a £3million transfer for Joe Cole. They worked together at West Ham and he has always been a fan of his, Tottenham were after the trickster last summer when he was available on a free transfer but he obviously ended up at Liverpool. His stay there was a nightmare, he was blighted by injury and general poor performances. Will his fortunes change if he moves back to London? Harry must think so.
Cole is also on a reportedly stupidly high wage, will he be expecting similar wages at Spurs? He is not a player that can demand £90,000 a week... To me, he is pushing his luck at £40,000. If he was on these high wages at Liverpool no wonder why they are happy to let him leave, they wouldn't actually be making any money on Cole, 10 months on those wages would have cost Liverpool £3.6million.
There is no doubt that Joe Cole will be part of the larger squad, he will be in that starting line-up vary rarely. Niko Kranjcar joined Spurs and was a fringe player and now is on his way out due to his lack of first team football. I think he is a better footballer than Cole, Steven Pienaar is also there and he possesses a high level of ability than the London born trickster. This leaves me thinking that Cole will be the fourth choice winger in the club, will he get many games? I've always stressed that Tottenham do need more quality regarding the depth of their team if they are to compete in europe, is Joe Cole the quality that they are in need of?
Maybe I'm totally mistaken, Harry could very well bring out the best in Joe Cole and many people as well as myself will be left eating our own words. Nevertheless a £3million pound signing in the transfer market is an extremely good bargain, the transfer fee is not a large sum so even if he flops Tottenham won't be left red-faced.
After realising that both Tom's and my goals of the season came from Bolton I thought it would be fitting to write up a little piece on the man that made this all possible. He has his team playing positive, attractive and fluid football.
We both have been a huge fan of this character since he has been in the Premier League. From getting the best out of his teams to being so active within the club he actually plays with the reserve team from time to time, just to reassert his status as the bossman and let everyone know he still has 'it'.
Owen Coyle, take a bow. Taking over at Bolton has shown just what a great manager he is; they are now genuinely a strong team and people don't have a bad word to say about the club. He is still a young manager, only 44 years of age. Hard to believe he is only a few years older than Brad Friedel and Edwin Van Der Sar! Coyle gets his teams playing good, attractive football. He was a God at Burnley during his time there and he has won over the hearts of Bolton fans since his arrival. A season and a half in charge of the team from the north west and he has taken them from relegation contenders to a solid side in the top half of the table and guided this team to a FA Cup semi-final this season. They have become a fearless side who know no bounds, great signings along with such a strong team bond and spirit has brought them the success that they deserve.
I'm sure most people will have seen this but here is a quick reminder of what the man can do. This is that goal he scored for Burnley reserves not so long ago. The man just oozes class.
Easy now rudebois, it's apparently now my turn to take you throw my favourite parts of the wonderful season we've had. I apologise for the lateness, I've been ill, poor me.
Game of the season:
Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal
I wanted to disagree with Dan, I really did, just to make things a little bit more interesting. I tried to convince myself that the Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal was better, or that Man Utd and Everton's draw was more worthy, but alas I could not. The first North London Derby of the season may have had a more enjoyable result for us Spurs fans, but the second was just sensational from start to finish. Great goals, midfield displays as good as any all season and, in a game that meant everything, not a single player on either team could be accused of not giving it their all. Football at its best.
.
Goal of the season:
Mark Davies v Blackpool (skip 2 mins into the video)
Many have been quick to hand this award to the Rooney overhead kick. I have three main problems with this. Firstly it came from a bad cross, secondly it came off his shin and thirdly it's Wayne Rooney and I don't like Wayne Rooney. If it was merely the spectacular I was looking for here I would have picked Gareth Bale's volley against Stoke, at least as hard to execute as Rooney's and for my money more aesthetically pleasing. Instead I savour the team goals and have chosen one which at first glance one would assume had been scored by Barcelona, not Bolton. Stylish, slick, samba football - it's just like watching Brazil.
Djibril Cissé Award for Worst Hair:
Benoît Pierre David Assou-Ekotto
There were a few contenders this year. Aaron Lennon's refusal to grow up and take those silly lines out of his hair and eyebrows makes him a key contender. Joey Barton's Hitler 'Tache & Side Parting combo was just as tragic. In the end it was a straight race between two North London rivals but Alex 'I dyed my hair so my son could tell who I was on the TV' Song narrowly lost out to everyone's favourite pineapple-haired defender.
Signing of the Season:
Cheick Ismael Tioté
Hernandez and Odemwingie may have scored key goals for their respective teams. Van der Vaart may have saved the blushes of Tottenham's faltering strikeforce. But Newcastle, in their first season back in the Premier League, never looked liked going down and for my money there is one man who can take the credit for this. You can point to Carroll, Nolan and Barton but without Tioté they would have no platform on which to play. He epitomises Newcastle's stability this year, oh and he scores 35-yard screaming volleys.
Flop of the Season:
Joe Cole
I won't spend much time here. I don't like him as a player, I never have done. I was delighted when I discovered he had chosen Liverpool over Spurs. Merely a playground trickster who brings little to nothing to a team, and this year finally got shown up for being just that.
Player of the Season:
Luka Modric
An honourable mention for Vidic, a rock for Man Utd even when they looked poor, but for me there is only one man who deserves this title. You can label me biased if you please but anyone who truly understands football will know that the little Croatian is the best player to grace the premier league in a long time. He can completely dictate a match, has strength one would not expect and just makes the game seem beautiful again. Some may point to his stats - three goals and three assists in the league - but they do not even begin to tell the story of this man. In fact Xavi has the same amount of goals and only seven assists in La Liga this season, and that is who Modric is - he is the Xavi of the Premier Leage, no exaggeration. He may not have the last pass before a goal but he is in some way responsible for most goal-scoring opportunities that come Spurs' way. After Barca won The Champions League a discussion amongst many well-respected football writers ended with the conclusion that Modric is the only central midfielder in the world who could play for Barcelona and not make them worse, high praise indeed. One of the best players I have ever seen and a worthy winner for me this year.
