How certain do you think the Milito/Chivu deals are?

Interesting news for Mishale:

Birmingham have acquired Daniel de Ridder from Celta Vigo. De Ridder did quite well for the Netherlands U21s this summer.

Chivu is as good at LB as Nesta would be!

I don't think he's that bad. Anyway, you should have said "... as good as Kaladze as LB..." 

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...070703-1828.htm

It's official. Fernando Torres can be consider a Liverpool player now.
He passed the medical today and signs tomorrow.

Great signing for Liverpool, even still, they will be way off the pace.

Interesting news for Mishale:

Birmingham have acquired Daniel de Ridder from Celta Vigo. De Ridder did quite well for the Netherlands U21s this summer.

Yeah, they've finally decided to sign a player. 

FORMER England star Steve McManaman has been signed up as the public face for Carson Yeung's bid for a potential takeover of Birmingham City.

The ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid footballer was named today as a new executive director of Hong Kong-based Grandtop International Holdings.

McManaman is thought to be a close associate of Mr Yeung, who is bidding for a 29.9 per cent stake in Blues through Grandtop.

The Hong Kong firm announced today: "The Board of Directors of Grandtop International Holdings Ltd is pleased to announce that Mr Steve McManaman has been appointed as an executive director of the company with effect from July 2 2007.

Third. After O'Connor and Olivier Kapo. Steve Bruce wants at least another 5 new players.

Key word being 'player', to consider those two real footballers is a laugh. 

I don't really know what the Steve McManaman thing means, but anything to do with him is good, so I suppose it's a good thing, for Blues anyway

Kapo is a good player. Anyway, you will see how good they are after we will own Villa in every possible way

Sheffield United have failed in their attempts to be reinstated in the Premier League after an independent arbitration panel dismissed their claim of an unfair punishment handed out to West Ham United over the Carlos Tevez affair.

The Blades had called for a new disciplinary hearing against West Ham having argued that the £5.5million fine handed out in the spring was too lenient and that a points deduction was warranted after The Hammers were found guilty regarding the ownership of Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

A tribunal which was set up by The Premier League took place last month but a final verdict was delayed for two weeks while the decision was contemplated by a three-man panel headed by retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton.

United, along with Fulham, also claimed that Tevez, who was key to Alan Curbishley's side avoiding relegation on the final day of the season, should have been de-registered, but that too was rejected by the independent arbitration panel.

"The tribunal have found in favour of the FA Premier League on both issues and dismissed the claims of Sheffield United FC and Fulham FC," a statement from the panel read.

Sheffield United would not normally have been allowed to dispute other clubs' charges, but exceptional circumstances, with the Yorkshire club dropping back into the Championship, led to compassion and resulted in the setting up of the tribunal.

However, they have ultimately lost their fight and must now prepare for life in England's second tier, which begins on 11th August when Bryan Robson's side open the season at home to Colchester, while the hefty fine handed out to West Ham stands but they remain in the Premier League.

The panel's ruling states: "Ian Mill QC [representing Sheffield United] mounted a strong attack on the legality of the decision and the tribunal had much sympathy for Sheffield United's grievances.

"However the tribunal had to apply the principles of judicial review and determine whether the decision was irrational or perverse. This is a very strict test and is very difficult to satisfy.

"It concluded that it was impossible for this tribunal to find that the decision was irrational or perverse."

They had Dugarry and Pandiani in their strike force last time, now they have Gary O'Connor and Cameron Jerome, I'm really scared. 

In midfield they had Pennant, Savage, Gronkjaer and Dunn, now they have Kapo, De Ridder and Muamba, yet people still see it as a step forward. 

He's signed a 6-year-contract. The deal was worth £20m, not £27m.

Stupid Atlético !! I hope this is not the real fee...

That is what was announced... real fees are sometimes not given away for financial reasons...

I wonder whether or not Kurt will be happy, but BBC is reporting that Villa have bought Nigel Reo-Coker from West Ham for 8.5 million pounds.

I just read that Ranieri will NOT be putting in a bid for Lampard, this comes out after Lampards agent denied any contract offer at all, stating that he's not rejected anything from Chelsea.

I just notced Villa's pre-season starts in a few weeks.
First game vs Toronto FC at BMO Field on 25th July. Nice stadium

It's official, Fernando Torres is a Liverpool player.

He's signed a 6-year-contract. The deal was worth £20m, not £27m.

I wonder whether or not Kurt will be happy, but BBC is reporting that Villa have bought Nigel Reo-Coker from West Ham for 8.5 million pounds.

Reo-Coker is a good and young player. He'll feel no difference between West Ham and A.Villa - the kit is exactly the same and the clubs... no that big difference. 

Nice add anyway.

As for the clubs, he'll forget Tevez in a heart-beat playing with Gabbi. 

Is his phone working again now? 

Just read on a german forum that Aston Villa is interested in Phillip Lahm...have you heard of this Kurt or is it just the usual useless rumours?

Chelsea Confirm Malouda Agreement

Chelsea have announced that they have reached an agreement with Lyon over the transfer of French international Florent Malouda.

The winger will join up with the Premiership giants on their pre-season tour of the United States subject to completing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

Malouda, who is valued in the region of £13m, had been weighing up a move to either Chelsea of Liverpool for some team, but it seems that Jose Mourinho has won the race to sign the 27-year-old Lyon star.

"Chelsea can confirm it has agreed a fee with Olympique Lyonnais for the transfer of Florent Malouda," read a statement from Chelsea.

Malouda will follow Steve Sidwell, Claudio Pizarro and Tal Ben Haim in arriving at Stamford Bridge in what has been a busy summer for the Blues.

Meanwhile, it has also been announced today that former Israeli boss Avram Grant has been appointed the clubs Technical Director and will work alongside manager Jose Mourinho and youth development chief Frank Arnesen.

"Grant will be responsible for liaison on, and co-ordination of, football matters across the various areas of Chelsea," read a statement from Chelsea.

"He will also sit on the football club board and report to chief executive Peter Kenyon."

Just read on a german forum that Aston Villa is interested in Phillip Lahm...have you heard of this Kurt or is it just the usual useless rumours?

I've heard rumours linking us with him, but I don't know an awful lot about him, only that he's a full back. If he plays on the left it's nothing more than rumour, Freddie Bouma is irreplacable for us.

We do have a right back problem, so if he's a right back, then maybe it's real stuff.

He plays on both sides. Bayern would't let him go.

I don't think it's up to them. 

Villa have more power over Bayern in my opinion anyways, as most EPL teams do. It's where players want to be right now.

Look at Montella, from Roma to Fulham, just so he could play in our league. 

I haven't seen enough of Lahm to say I'd even want him yet. 

Please... Villa is light years behind Bayern. Why should he move from one of the biggest teams to mediocre team like Villa. If he'll move it would be to a 'big' team.

Montella?   He was a bench player.

Talking of money, Liverpool have offered £10m (E15m?) for Ajax's Ryan Babel, it's not April 1st today is it? 

Last time I checked it was Villa 1-0 Bayern. When they beat us, wait.. Score past us, I'll consider them better. 

I never said Villa were better anyways, as Tennie said, the EPL is where all the money is, and what do players want? Money.

Players nowadays would rather play for average EPL teams than top sides in weaker leagues. Benni McCarthy, John Carew and Obafemi Martins are the more recent examples of this. Regardless of Montella being a bench player, he has a VERY good scoring record for Roma.

A good buy. Now, they just need a good RB...

Average EPL teams can only mostly attract mediocre players who are not good enough to be in a top teams (like in examples that you gave). Villa with all their money have one world class player?  A good player with first team place at top club won't go to an average EPL team. Just look at who Villa signs and who Bayern signs (huge difference).

Chelsea was more than average some time ago... with Villa's money and the right management it could happen again...

Bayern have enough money too (just look at their signings). Do you think if you give player a choice between Villa and Bayern they would choose Villa? Of course not. Just look at the squad of the two teams. Completely different levels. And I don't even mantioning history and respect.

Average EPL teams can only mostly attract mediocre players who are not good enough to be in a top teams (like in examples that you gave). Villa with all their money have one world class player?  A good player with first team place at top club won't go to an average EPL team. Just look at who Villa signs and who Bayern signs (huge difference).

Maybe, if he was willing to spent on a club really crazy sums like Abramovich. So far he hasn't showed that.

Bayern are obviously better than Villa. 

Comparing the top team in Germany with the 6th/7th best team in England defies the point really. Now compare Bayerns signings with those of Chelsea/United, or even Liverpool. You'll see a huge difference.

As dst said, Chelsea were only just above our level about 5 years ago, in 5 years who knows what will happen to us? I doubt it will be anything close to what Chelsea have achieved, but Spurs and Villa will make Arsenal work for their CL place, that's for certain.
He bought the club with 3 days to go in last summers transfer window so he couldn't really spend but he's still done alright money-wise.
Stiliyan Petrov - £6.5m
Ashley Young - £9.65m
Nigel Reo-Coker - £8.5m
Shaun Maloney - £1m
Total of £25.65m and he's only REALLY had this january to spend. 

Comparing the top team in Germany with the 6th/7th best team in England defies the point really. Now compare Bayerns signings with those of Chelsea/United, or even Liverpool. You'll see a huge difference.

As dst said, Chelsea were only just above our level about 5 years ago, in 5 years who knows what will happen to us? I doubt it will be anything close to what Chelsea have achieved, but Spurs and Villa will make Arsenal work for their CL place, that's for certain.
He bought the club with 3 days to go in last summers transfer window so he couldn't really spend but he's still done alright money-wise.
Stiliyan Petrov - £6.5m
Ashley Young - £9.65m
Nigel Reo-Coker - £8.5m
Shaun Maloney - £1m
Total of £25.65m and he's only REALLY had this january to spend. 

I wasn't compering Bayern, money wise with the EPL 'big 3'. There is clearly a difference as there is a difference between Bayern and other english teams (other 17). Of couse, english top teams should be compered with top teams from Spain and Italy.

And what he did this transfer window so far? When Abramovich arrived, he trasformed the club on every level (not only players), and it's a huge investment that not even every loaded guy willing to make.

If United complete the Tevez deal, they'll spend more money than Italys big 4 put together this summer. 

Lerner's spending big behind the scenes, he's just built us a new £13m training complex. He also grew up in England and sports is in his blood, his dad owned the Cleveland Browns before him, now he owns two sports teams, we're in safe hands. Roman will pull the plug once he feels his investment in in jepordy. 

So ?...

Chelsea's one costs £30. Maybe he's improving the team, but it's not looking like he's not gonna make drastic changes in order to make Villa more than a 6th place candidate.

Chelsea's cost 20m, didn't it?