January transfer window

Pyjamarama

He'd do great at hull imo. He's not the worst player ever but he's not top 4 material.

NaiveMelodies

Report today in the Daily Mirror suggest Arsenal and City have hijacked uniteds bid for tosic..
I will be fuming if we let Wenger nick another target from under our noses.

Can't see someone like Tosic being the kind of player City would be going for either, i.e. not a proven superstar.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/724/premier-league/2009/01/01/1036163/arsenal-manchester-city-to-beat-manchester-united-in-race-for-to

Mr.Nice Guy

According to The Sun, Mark Hughes has a £100m kitty and wants to make a £10m bid for Shay Given.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2084437.ece

I don't think Newcastle would turn down a bid that large.

Charlie

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

According to The Sun, Mark Hughes has a £100m kitty and wants to make a £10m bid for Shay Given.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2084437.ece

I don't think Newcastle would turn down a bid that large.

From MA's point of view, that would be very bad timing. With his recent announcement of staying put, and moving forward 'together', selling Shay to City for whatever amount would be like taking a stick to a hornets nest.

If Shay wants a move to one of the 'Big 4' in order to win something, most fans would respect his decision. However, if Shay is sold to anyone outside of the Big 4, then I would imagine that the sh/t will hit the fan again, and there could be protests outside SJP.

Basically;

If Shay wants a move to better his carear, then so be it.

If MA wants to sell him, to line his pockets, then buck up Fat Lad, because that's eaxctly the kind of stunt that will de-stabilise things again.

Pepe LeFrits

Toure's been rather **** for a year now though. I love the guy but Gallas and Djourou are better than him at the moment.

Helix

charlie mchugh wrote: »

If Shay wants a move to one of the 'Big 4' in order to win something, most fans would respect his decision. However, if Shay is sold to anyone outside of the Big 4, then I would imagine that the sh/t will hit the fan again,

not gonna happen, but what would happen if given joined villa?

Charlie

Helix wrote: »

not gonna happen, but what would happen if given joined villa?

Now don't lynch me for this, but as it's not quite the Big 4 move, i'm not sure if every fan would give their blessing, but I would think that the majority would recognize that he would be moving to a club that are in a great position to win something, and on the cusp of Champions League football.

For most, that would be enough for Shay to leave, and still be held in high regard by the vast majority of us.

Spuds on the otherhand, :mad:

ShaneU

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4730761,00.html

Man city close to signing Wayne Bridge

Pyjamarama

Are Villa in for a keeper in January?? Friedel has done alright surely...

Helix

thatll be a super signing

Helix

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Are Villa in for a keeper in January?? Friedel has done alright surely...

no no

purely hypothetical

we've got 2 very able keepers

ecoli

Harry looks to be getting his man with Pompey agreeing Defoe to go back to Spurs if they get the right money........
Also with Podolski unable to get regular football he looking to go bak to Cologne but could he resist the premiership as many may see him as a good signing for cheap

Mr.Nice Guy

It's going to be brilliant as transfer deadline day draws nearer. Here's a funny clip of Jason Manford talking about his experience of the last one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTrfuzfqApk

Dave!

Any teams interested in Jussi Jaaskelainen? Bolton are a good team, but Jussi is on great form lately, maybe he could move up a bit. Arsenal fans don't seem too fond of Almunia, maybe he could head to London. Though he has been at the team for over a decade...

Xavi6

Bridge expected at the COMS tomorrow to discuss terms. Fee supposedly £12 million.

DSB

Jaysus City are getting fairly ripped off cause of their money. Chelsea got him for 5 million less than that and hes only second choice over there.

Xavi6

DSB wrote: »

Jaysus City are getting fairly ripped off cause of their money. Chelsea got him for 5 million less than that and hes only second choice over there.

The fee really isn't a big deal. It might be slightly OTT but I don't think anyone at the club will be losing any sleep over it.

Like 90% of other deals it won't be the full amount up front anyway.

DSB

Xavi6 wrote: »

The fee really isn't a big deal. It might be slightly OTT but I don't think anyone at the club will be losing any sleep over it.

Like 90% of other deals it won't be the full amount up front anyway.

I'd have said it was about double what he is worth.

Xavi6

DSB wrote: »

I'd have said it was about double what he is worth.

Quite probably, but again, it doesn't matter.

slingerz

would be a great move for Bridge. I think he kinda left himself down by going to chelsea to compete with Cole. He was always going to be second choice and never got a consistent spell at the first choice left back. Great signing for Man City if it comes off too

invincibleirish

Don't think £12m is over priced at all, given transfer inflation in the recession proof PL. Good signing i think.

Who's next?

Xavi6

slingerz wrote: »

would be a great move for Bridge. I think he kinda left himself down by going to chelsea to compete with Cole. He was always going to be second choice and never got a consistent spell at the first choice left back. Great signing for Man City if it comes off too

To be fair to Bridge, Cole wasn't at Chelsea when he joined.

Mr.Nice Guy

I think Bridge will be a good signing for City assuming it goes through but damn Chelsea have got a very nice deal there. I wouldn't rate him at double figures personally.

OPENROAD

A summary of the first day of the transfer window, how many hours left until it closes

http://www.skysports.com/football/transfer_clockwatch/0,,14896,00.html

22:31 is good

DenMan

If anything it is money Abramovich is getting back after years of investment. I am sure he will be happy. Chelsea as a club, squad wise, will not be. Scolari will most certainly not be a happy man.

invincibleirish

Bridge cost £10m according to some http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jan/02/manchester-city-wayne-bridge

Also looks like Shay has finally thrown the towel in

Dejected Given says he wants a move from Newcastle

The Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given has shocked the club and its fans by issuing a statement saying he is dismayed at the direction the team is heading both on and off the pitch and that he is considering his fu ture at St James' Park.

The notice, issued through his solicitor, Michael Kennedy, came four days after he left the pitch at St James' visibly upset after Liverpool had routed Joe *Kinnear's side 5–1, a scoreline that might have been doubled but for Given's man-of-the-match heroics.

In the statement, Kennedy said: "Shay is very despondent following the very poor performance last weekend. It was the lowest point of his football career and a performance he would not wish to be repeated. When he signed a five-year contract in 2006 it was on the basis that the club would challenge for major honours. But on the present evidence all that he can see ahead with the turmoil on and off the pitch is a battle for survival.

"Having served the club loyally for over 11 years, Shay feels compelled to consider his position in the light of the interest being expressed in him by Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham."

Manchester City have the money to pay Newcastle the £8m fee he would probably command and Arsenal have long been linked with the Irish international but, if he is to leave St James' Park, White Hart Lane looks the likeliest destination. The Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, has been a long-time admirer of the goalkeeper and would welcome the opportunity to replace Heurelho Gomes.

The one consolation Newcastle have is that in Steve Harper, who has understudied Given for more than a decade and was preferred to him in the 1999 FA Cup final, they possess a ready-made short-term replacement. But the exit of a man who looked likely to break the record number of appearances for Newcastle, held by another goalkeeper, Jimmy Lawrence, would imperil a club that has been slowly clawing its way to safety under Kinnear.

Another member of a defence made up of a mish-mash of signings from several managers, left-back Charles N'Zogbia, has indicated he is ready to quit Tyneside.

Given, who was brought to Newcastle by Kenny Dalglish from Blackburn for £1.5m in 1997, has long been dissatisfied with the direction the club has been taking. Three years ago he said: "I do not want to hang up my gloves and wonder what might have been. I don't want to finish my career without having won a trophy." Since then he has been through four more managers and has seen Newcastle slide towards an expensive and sometimes comic irrelevance.

Last year Given calculated that during his time there Newcastle had spent £62m on defenders alone, and that though he liked to think he had "Newcastle in the blood" he sometimes wondered privately whether he had stayed too long. Last night, he gave his public answer.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jan/02/newcastleunited-transfer-window

N'Zogbia apparently wants out as well, linked to Villa.

Dave!

Wow, that's a surprise!

Smegball

Bridge and Given would be a great start in the window anyways.

ShaneU

Given should have left years ago.

invincibleirish wrote: »

Bridge cost £10 according to some http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jan/02/manchester-city-wayne-bridge

£10! That's a bargain in anyone's book

Bounty Hunter

Unfortunatley despite being linked again recently I would think Arsenal arent too likely to sign him as they need reinforcements elsewhere more immediatley and Almunia is their captain atm afterall. Shay however could be part of the all new Man City make a packet and be competing for CL next season. As a goalkeepr he isnt all that old and could have a very interesting next few years at the City of Manchester stadium.

He deserves it (the money and the move to a club on the up) too and id say the Newcastle fans will still think fondley of him and tbh most of them have been "dismayed at the direction the team is heading both on and off the pitch" for the past few seasons.

Bounty Hunter

didnt believe the City fan i know telling me about given earlier, but he did say to me that Given, RSC and Bridge will have all signed for City within the next 10days to 2 weeks.

Mr.Nice Guy

Wow very surprised to hear that statement from Kennedy via Given. Looks like there's a good chance he'll be on his way. Guess now we'll see if Wenger is genuinely interested or not.

eagle eye

If Given is going to move at this stage of his career he should go for money and possible success, so City is the right place for him. I'm hearing from Ewood that RSC is on the way out, and that big Sam is happy to sell him for big bucks. I cannot get a name but apparently he has somebody lined up already.

As for Wayne Bridge he would be a great signing for City, it would be a massive improvement for City if they were to get those two and nobody else although I think they need a top class central defensive midfielder. I don't think they have anyone who can play that position properly. I have to admit that it looked like Kompany would be the man, but he seems very inconsistent over the last couple of games. Its hard for Hughes right now trying to mould a team with new players coming in all the time and the pressure is certainly on him now with the new owners.

Xavi6

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/valencia-will-sell-villa-if-city-offer-is-exorbitant-1220951.html

Valencia will sell Villa if City offer is 'exorbitant'

La Liga club's financial problems signals opportunity for England's nouveau riche

By Pete Jensen in Barcelona
Friday, 2 January 2009

As the rest of the Premier League waits for Manchester City to open their cheque book, Valencia have admitted that their precarious financial situation means that they would be forced to consider any offer for David Villa, one of City's potentially most expensive targets, in the January transfer window.

Valencia's sporting vice-president, Fernando Gomez Colomer, refused to rule out a sale. He said: "Whatever offer comes in we will have to study it although the idea is not to have to sell David Villa or David Silva. It would have to be an exorbitant offer."

City's ambitions for the remainder of this season will be measured largely by which striker they buy this month. A Jermain Defoe or a Craig Bellamy would be expected to pull them clear of any relegation battle but signing the winner of the Golden Boot at Euro 2008 would signal their intentions of moving to another level. Having scored over a 100 goals for Valencia in just over four and a half seasons, Villa is the club's prized asset but they remain in severe financial difficulties having been denied any more credit by their bank, Bancaja. They are still unable to close a deal on the sale of the site of their Mestalla stadium and are supposed to be moving to a new stadium on the outskirts of the city next year. Sale of land for apartments at the Mestalla was supposed to finance the new stadium.

"We will fight to give the club the economic stability that it needs. Right now that is the most important thing - more than any kind of sporting success," said the club's president, Vicente Soriano.

Valencia have in the past fended off interest in Villa from Chelsea and Liverpool, aided by the striker's preference for staying in Spain. They were also on the brink of accepting a bid from Manchester United for Silva last summer. The versatile left-sided attacker rejected the chance to move to Old Trafford because, like Villa, he wanted to remain in La Liga.

Ultimately, Valencia's need to cash in on players this month may depend on whether or not they are successful in selling their current stadium and gaining an advance on the estimated €300m (£289m) price. Soriano says that he has a buyer, but the purchasing company does not want to want to pay up front for land they will not be able to use until summer 2010 when Valencia finally move into their new stadium.

jesus_thats_gre

The last thing that city should be worry about in the next 5 months is someone like Villa. As already been proven conclusively, signing a 35+ million attacking player counts for very little when you can't defend..

mike65

Anyway we want him (one day, eh? )

thusspakeblixa

eagle eye wrote: »

I think they need a top class central defensive midfielder. I don't think they have anyone who can play that position properly..

Maybe if they'd look what they already have.
Gelson Fernandes is young and was very solid during Euro 2008 for Switzerland.
I reckon they should give him his chance before forking out millions on another defensive midfielder

Frisbee

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4731970,00.html

My God I hope this is mind games...

Trampas

Defoe is missing training today due to been sick and sounds like he will miss the match the weekend

thusspakeblixa

Frisbee wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4731970,00.html

My God I hope this is mind games...

That was in the Irish Times the other day too...
Then again so was a report on further investment by that Russian fella, so I don't know what to believe

Draupnir

Xavi6 wrote: »

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/valencia-will-sell-villa-if-city-offer-is-exorbitant-1220951.html

That would quite simply be the worst signing that City could make right now, spend your cash on defenders and a holding midfielder. If you can stop other teams scoring then even Jo (maybe not Jo) will do the trick up front.

At this stage, City need to make sure they don't get relegated. Losing 4-3 every time Villa scores a hattrick won't keep you in the Premier League.

Still, I'd love to see him in the league, great striker.

Draupnir

Frisbee wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4731970,00.html

My God I hope this is mind games...

If that is genuine, with Fabregas injured, Arsenal could end up way down the table. You never should have sold Diarra.

DenMan

Trampas wrote: »

Defoe is missing training today due to been sick and sounds like he will miss the match the weekend

Is that a way for clubs to sell a player at a higher fee, knowing he will not be cup tied and available to play for his new team? Assuming of course Defoe is not injured and normally would have been available for selection.

L'prof

Draupnir wrote: »

You never should have sold Diarra.

We had no choice, he was never going to straight into the team and then after 6 months he forced his way out, no point in having a player there bearing a grudge...look at Flamini!

Xavi6

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

Maybe if they'd look what they already have.
Gelson Fernandes is young and was very solid during Euro 2008 for Switzerland.
I reckon they should give him his chance before forking out millions on another defensive midfielder

Fernandes has been given his chance and he's shite. Seriously.

MementoMori

Look like Bridge off to Citeh - cant see there being an issue with medical or terms if a fee has been agreed. Undisclosed but would imagine it wasn't that cheap - heard figures of £9m and £12m being bandied about somewhere. Anyone heard any rumours?

Chelsea = Citeh's feeder club?

Hughes: Bridge fee agreed Print

Manchester City have agreed an undisclosed fee with Chelsea for defender Wayne Bridge, City boss Mark Hughes has said.

Chelsea confirmed earlier today they had given the Eastlands club permission to speak to the England left-back over a possible move.

Hughes revealed he was optimistic of concluding the deal in the next 24 hours.

He said: “My understanding is the clubs have agreed a fee.

“We need to speak to the boy and try to agree personal terms.

“If we can do that hopefully Wayne will be a Manchester City player, that’s the aim.

“Wayne will probably travel to Manchester this evening and hopefully negotiations will go well and he can have a medical tomorrow.”

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhsncwqlgbsn/

L'prof

MementoMori wrote: »

Look like Bridge off to Citeh - cant see there being an issue with medical or terms if a fee has been agreed. Undisclosed but would imagine it wasn't that cheap - heard figures of £9m and £12m being bandied about somewhere. Anyone heard any rumours?

Chelsea = Citeh's feeder club?



http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhsncwqlgbsn/

BBC Sport wrote:

Bridge is currently suffering an injury which will keep him out of Chelsea's FA Cup third-round match against Southend United on Saturday.

If he's injured, how can he pass a medical? I know clubs sign injured players these days, but thn what do they actually check for when doing these medicals?

Xavi6

He's 'injured' alright :rolleyes:

We just told them we didn't want him cup tied I bet.

Wonder will Given be 'injured' too this weekend.

L'prof

Xavi6 wrote: »

He's 'injured' alright :rolleyes:

We just told them we didn't want him cup tied I bet.

Wonder will Given be 'injured' too this weekend.

He may or may not be, depends on how soon after he signs that he plays I suppose! Toure, Eduardo, Rosicky, Fabregas, Walcott are all injured...we'd be fúcked if we sold all them!

Draupnir

Bridge is a great signing for City, the signing also shows that City aren't going to be as stupid with their cash as some expected.

Didn't Bridge arrive at Chelsea in the early Ranieri days, when the money was just coming into Chelsea? Spooky similarity to the way City are currently set up and their status at the minute. Could be an omen!