Transfers

[Guest Boyo]

Martin Keown has signed for Leicester, and Raymundo Parlour looks to be leaving for Middlesboro.

 

Wenger has stated one more person will be joining us, maybe two. A lot of the Arsenal youth will be given a chance this season.

 

Legend has it Johnny Woodgate, Lucio or Ayala will be joining Sol Campbell in central defence. But I doubt it, Arsenal have been heavily linked with Hatem Trabelsi, the Tunisian right-back from Ajax.

 

Wenger wants a defence consisting of Cole, Campbell, Kolo and Trabelsi, with Lauren being shifted into the "Ray Parlour jack-of-all-trades" role.

 

Cheers!

[Guest Alan]

Well yesterday Didier Drogba joined Chelsea for the small sum of £24 million, which broke Chelsea's previous spending record. And to add to it today according to BBC.co.uk they have landed Tiago from Benfica for a reported £10 million. I think Roman has been ripped off slightly with Drogba, £24 million is far too much, maybe around the £12-14 million mark would have been more suitable? Tiago is a very good signing and will add something special to the chelski midfield.

 

My beloved West Ham have offloaded Connolly to Leicester, and we buy Sheringham? And there is more development on the rumours of rebrov joining us, he has been training with us and is close to coming on a free transfer. I am not sure whether to jump for joy or cry in terror!

[Guest Nicole]

Marcio Amoroso from Dortmund (striker) and Darren Anderton are both supposed to be signing for blues on a one year deal this week. Good cover if we have another injury crisis I spose.

[Guest harlow]

I think Rebrov will be a good buy for div 1, scored goals in the champ cup.

Pards has got a grand plan to get us up, thats why we got rid of Connolly.

Edited July 21, 2004 by Alan

[Guest The Crippler]

Well our new signings seemed to have settled in quite well so far - we gubbed Roma 4-1 last night with all our goals coming from our new signings Rae, Prso and Novo. Early days of course and it was only a friendly but it's encouraging that they are settling in well.

[Evil Gringo 279]

First Team's Pre-Season Schedule

 

Date Opponents Venue

July 25th Bayern Munich Soldier Field, Chicago

July 28th Glasgow Celtic Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

July 31st AC Milan Giants Stadium, New York City

August 3rd PSV Eindhoven Old Trafford

August 5th Urawa Red Diamonds Old Trafford

 

Thats Man Utd's pre-season schedule... so until the 25th I have no way of gauging how well the lads he's brought in are doing... although it seems we already have a battle brewing over the Olympics and the usage of Heinze, Kleberson and Forlan...

 

Can't wait till the Community Shield when Smith lines up against Arsenal... should be fireworks!

[Guest Russ]

Martin Keown has signed for Leicester, and Raymundo Parlour looks to be leaving for Middlesboro.

 

Wenger has stated one more person will be joining us, maybe two. A lot of the Arsenal youth will be given a chance this season.

 

Legend has it Johnny Woodgate, Lucio or Ayala will be joining Sol Campbell in central defence. But I doubt it, Arsenal have been heavily linked with Hatem Trabelsi, the Tunisian right-back from Ajax.

 

Wenger wants a defence consisting of Cole, Campbell, Kolo and Trabelsi, with Lauren being shifted into the "Ray Parlour jack-of-all-trades" role.

 

Cheers!

 

I can't see Lucio signing for Arsenal seeing as how he's now been picked up by Bayern. That's right, Bayern Munich signing a player who had a good season with another Bundesliga team. I'm as shocked as you are. :)

[Guest Jung]

Kluivert signed with Newcastle today, wot u guys reckon about that, good signing?

 

Question is, will he play first team, considering they got Shearer and Bellamy?

[Guest Wolverine]

I think Newcastle will start with Shearer and Kluivert up front. Shearer retires at the end of this season so he'll probably be a regular in the first-team, and Kluivert will probably start the season in the team based on his reputation. Bellamy gives Newcastle an extra dimension with his pace so he has a good claim to be in there. Seeing Newcastle are getting rid of midfielders (Speed, Viana) and they haven't bought any replacements, they could be planning to play 4-3-3 or maybe play Bellamy in the hole behind the front two.

[Guest Jung]

Wouldn't Dyer tho, play that role? They have a fair few midfielders, Milner, Bowyer, Robert, Dyer, Jenas and Nicky Butt probably coming in, I'd wonder if he'd be in the first team

[Guest Nicole]

I don't think we'd see Shearer starting every game tbh. Newcastle have got to look to the future of the club, and need to start making partnerships now. The more bellamy plays with Kluivert, the better in my opinion, even though Kluivert has only signed for a year.

[Guest Jung]

I believe he has signed for 3 years. Personally I think Shearer will play with Kluivert first half of the season, then we can see what happens.

[K.J 71]

Kluivert has signed for 3 years, originally it was a one year loan with an option to buy at the end, but it was all made pemanent at the last minute.

 

Any of the United fans getting MUTV for the couple of months pre-season, I did last season and really enjoyed the US Tour, and seeing Cristiano Ronaldo tear our defence to shreds against Lisbon.

 

This year though the Vodafone Cup games are on Sky, so I'm not sure whether to fork out for 3 games in the US.

[Evil Gringo 279]

All I know is that I as a defender would hate to play against any combo of Kluivert, Shearer and Bellemy let alone that tricky swine Dyer playing in the hole....

 

As a United fan I'd hate to see Nicky go to any club as he can still play a huge role in the team as Keane isn't getting any younger and will be gone in a year or two... How do you replace the new 'Captain Marvel'?

[Guest Void]

I am not too pleased with the Fulham transfer story as of late. We sell Sean Davis and we buy Andy Cole. Great. Then Gary Speed turns us down, not that we needed him anyway as we have 2 of the best midfielders in the 'Ship.

[Guest Wolverine]

It looks like Fulham have signed Radzinski though, he'll be a good signing. I am absolutely certain that Everton are going down unless they get their act together quickly. Rooney knows this and that's why he's stalling on singing a new contract. He loves the club and wants to sign but he knows Everton are in decline.

 

They have sold two of their best players, Radzinski and Unsworth and with the proceeds they have bought Tim Cahill. Cahill is a decent player but he is not worth £2 million in today's market. From what I've heard Everton have a small transfer budget and I think that was a mistake by Moyes. If he wanted a good, cheap creative midfield player he should have moved in January when Nobby Solano was available for £1.5 million (we got him instead, hehe)

 

Also, if Rooney leaves, who have Everton got in attack? They have Duncan Ferguson and Kevin Campbell. Both of them are past their peak and neither of them played well last season. Those would be Everton's only two recognised strikers if Rooney leaves and I don't see a lot of goals from that partnership.

 

Looking at their squad, I don't think Everton have what it takes to stay in the Premiership this season. Their defence is weak, their midfield is weak and if Rooney goes their strikeforce is weak. In fact, even if Rooney stays Everton are in for a long, hard struggle against relegation this season.

[BRM 220]

I'm fairly happy with what stevie Coterill has benn able to do for us he's brought in players in the areas that really needed strengthing, John mcgreal from ipswich seems to have been a graet player for Ipswitch, David Duff from Cheltham is a northern ireland international who has already played under Coterill and he's at a good age. Danny Coyne is a quality keeper who played number 2 to ian walker last season he's come to Burnley to help his international chances and boy am i glad. Hyde from watford is a player i don't know to much about but he's a midfielder at a good age. We've also signed up frank Sinclair who does come with a bit of baggage but is a battled hardned defender the sort of player we have missed really. So all in all i'm fairly happy, we could do with a few loan signings to bulk up the squad maybe a few player to add some width, and hopefully some of the kids will come through as we have plenty of good talent.

[Guest Boyo]

Arsenal have splashed out on 20 years old Marseilles midfielder Mathieu Flamini, a hard-working, tough-tackling central midfielder to replace Ray Parlour.

 

Arsenal have spent a small amount buying Arturo Lupoli, a 17 years old striker from Parma.

 

They are on the verge of signing Hatem Trabelsi, a classy rightback from Ajax.

 

And, today, it appears we are after Portugese superstar Maniche!! The stupid arsehole tabloids are now convinced that Vieira is leaving because we are linked with left-footed tidy midfielder Maniche - conveniently ignoring the fact that our current left-footed tidy midfielder, Edu, has stated that he wants to go to Barcelona.

 

On a "not sure if it's true" kinda story...about Man Utd...it appears that Tim Howard has let it slip, in an interview on Fox TV News that he is very excited about the firepower that Man Utd will have next season. van Nistelrooy, Saha, Smith AND Wayne Rooney.

 

Yup...he allegedly said on live USA TV that Wayne Rooney was a Man Utd player!

 

Cheers!

[Guest Jung]

If Man Utd buy Wayne Rooney, what exactly is the point? They may as well sell Smith or Saha then, cause I'm sure neither of them would wanna sit on the bench all season. And also apparantly Everton wanna get Mark Van Bommell, although I can't see him going, then again Norwich bought Helveg so u never know...

[Guest Russ]

If Man Utd buy Wayne Rooney' date=' what exactly is the point? They may as well sell Smith or Saha then, cause I'm sure neither of them would wanna sit on the bench all season.[/quote']

 

Agreed. I'd be a lot more inclined to buy into this "Rooney for Man Utd" talk if they hadn't gone and picked up Smith at the start of the summer.

 

It's all down to the media anyway. They got it spot on a couple of years back with their coverage of Rio going to Man Utd. Now it seems that every summer has got to have it's own transfer saga story, even if it means creating one out of nothing. If Viera and Rooney end up at Real Madrid and Man Utd respectivly, before the start of the season, I'll be extremely surprised.

[Guest Boyo]

The thing that PISSES me off greatly about the Vieira to Real Madrid story is that there is absolutely ZERO evidence to suggest that he is going. There are no quotes, no photos, no evidence unearthed. Like Wenger said in a brief interview yesterday; it's like someone in the media is just willing the Arsenal squad to break up because every year, I mean EVERY YEAR, there are stories of Vieira, Pires, Sol, Henry, Ash Cole etc etc...leaving.

 

Consider the evidence, rather long-winded, but stick with it...:

 

1. Last summer Vieira signs a 3 years contract extension with Arsenal, stating that he believes he can win "trophies" (ie: Champions League) with them.

2. Last January, ITV cameras spot Arsenal scouts in the Porto crowd, they state to ITV that they are watching Maniche. No-one's ever heard of this guy before and he has a so-so game

3. Edu complains that he doesn't feel trusted to do the job at Arsenal, despite his good form. He may have a point...

4. Arsenal win the league, remaining undefeated. :D

5. Maniche has a very good Euro 2004

6. Real Madrid President states he will be buying another expensive Galactico, he promptly goes out and buys centre-back Walter Samuel from Roma for £15m

7. Story circulates that Real Madrid are lining up a bid for Vieira

8. Real Madrid manager, Camacho, says although he admires Vieira as a player he is not in the market for him. In fact, the two players he is after are Emerson, of Roma, and Ricardo Carvalho of Porto

9. Story circulates that Real Madrid are lining up a £30m bid for Vieira, Camacho denies this, stating the only midfielder he is after is Emerson of Roma

10. Vieira's agent, Steve Kuttner, says Real Madrid have not contacted Vieira, Arsenal, or himself regarding a move for Vieira

11. Story circulates that Real Madrid are lining up a £24m bid for Vieira, Real President Perez states he has no intention of buying Vieira when the manager has stated he wants someone else

12. Story circulates that Vieira is top of Real Madrid's shopping list. Camacho denies this, stating that Ricardo Carvalho and Emerson are top of his shopping list.

13. Real Madrid bid £12m (approx) for Ricardo Carvalho, sparking off a bidding war between them and Chelsea, AC Milan and Juventus

14. Edu states he would like to play for Barcelona

15. Emerson of Roma becomes involved in a contractual dispute with Roma

16. Vieira joins up with the Arsenal squad in Austria

17. Arsenal are linked with Maniche, Maniche's agent confirms the interest. Maniche is going to be Vieira's replacement

18. News of the World run a story claiming (get this...) that Vieira is leaving, Sol Campbell is leaving, Edu is leaving, Henry and Pires have fallen out and Glenn Hoddle is joining the backroom staff. Arsenal are "in crisis".

19.Real Madrid appear to be favourites now to land Ricardo Carvalho. Chelsea have pulled out of the bidding war, and Milan have too. Juventus are still in the hunt for him but they cannot match Real Madrid's offer

20. Real Madrid manager Camacho when asked (by the Spanish press) how his bid for Roma's Emerson is coming on - remember, he is having a contractual dispute of some sort - says that it may take until the last day of the summer transfer window, but he is determined to get the last player that he wants

21. British press run a story saying that Camacho has been quoted saying: "it may take until the last day of the summer transfer window but I am determined to get the last player that i want". - They claim this player is Patrick Vieira.

22. Patrick Vieira has written the foreword in the new Official Arsenal book, looking back at last season's achievements and the coming season. In it he writes that he looks forward to (hopefully) winning some trophies. Papers are convinced that this is a sign that Vieira is leaving Arsenal because he never confirmed (in the OFFICIAL ARSENAL BOOK) with which club exactly he wants to win trophies with.

 

Cheers!

[Guest Jung]

Hehe yeah I see what you mean Boyo, it is pretty ridiculous, I imagine Viera will stay at least for this season, as we all know he and Arsenal want to conquer the Champions League. I imagine he will stay, Rooney I think may go in January or at the end of the season, I mean Everton haven't really bought anyone but have sold some of their better players, and are prime candidates for relegation. So whether any of the stuff now is true, I'm pretty sure Rooney wouldn't wanna play for a first division or 17th finishing team, next season.