England
Coentrao For Cole At Chelsea?
According to the Sun, Chelsea will make a move for Benfica and Portugal left back Fabio Coentrao if Ashley Cole leaves the club this summer.
Analysis: With the World Cup coming to a close and preseasons getting into full swing soon, it shouldn’t be long before we see where Cole’s future lies. Jose Mourinho wants him at Real Madrid, and given the opportunity and the point he’s at in his career and in his personal life, the time might be right for such a move.
Blues To Bid For Pazzini?
Chelsea are set to make a €22m bid for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini. However, Sampdoria have already rejected a large offer from Juventus, and Sampdoria’s president has stated that he wouldn’t sell the 25-year-old for €100m. (Goal.com)
Analysis: I don’t know about him being worth more than €100m, but Pazzini’s really developed into a top striker over the last year and a half after his move to Sampdoria, and he’s only going to get better. I see him leaving next summer if Samp don’t follow up last season’s top-four finish with another one, but we’ll see what transpires this summer, if anything.
Spurs Ready To Pounce For Pienaar
With South African midfielder Steven Pienaar still locked in a contract dispute with Everton, Tottenham could seize upon the opportunity and make a move. However, Everton’s £15m valuation of Pienaar could be a problem. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: If there’s still no real progress in the situation as the end of the transfer window approaches, Pienaar will be up for grabs for a fair amount less than £15m, if Everton aren’t overly confident by then that they can get him wrapped up sometime during the season. Patience, patience.
Liverpool To Swoop For Scharner?
The agent of former Wigan man Paul Scharner says that Liverpool could be an option for the versatile Austrian, who’s available on a free transfer. (The Sun)
Analysis: Scharner may not be an ideal signing for Liverpool fans, but it doesn’t hurt to have someone who can slot in at multiple positions when you think about injuries and how many games Liverpool will play over the course of the season, with the league plus three cup competitions in the cards.
Newcastle Sign Gosling
Newcastle have signed former Everton starlet Dan Gosling on a four-year deal worth 5.5m. Due to Everton not submitting a contract offer in writing before the Premier League’s deadline, Gosling was able to not only leave the club for free but also to pen a deal worth 10k more per week than what he would have earned had he remained at Goodison Park. (The Mirror)
Analysis: Gosling’s amount of appearances for Everton may have been minimal, but with his potential, this one’s going to sting for a while for David Moyes. With his versatility to play in multiple areas in midfield and defense, he has the chance to step in and immediately have a key role for Newcastle, so Everton will have a good chance to see just how much of an ‘administrative error’ their oversight was.
Baggies To Bag N’Gog
West Bromwich Albion are set to land Liverpool striker David N’Gog on a season-long loan deal that will include an option to buy outright. (The Mirror)
Analysis: N’Gog made more than 30 appearances for Liverpool last season and scored eight goals in all competitions, and with that decent return, there’s a good chance he would’ve been in line to contribute regularly this season. However, this is a good move for him, as he’ll benefit from starting a lot more regularly. With West Brom not being shy about attacking, I can easily N’Gog flourishing and playing a large part in helping the Baggies avoid another quick relegation.
Spain
Atletico After Almunia
With Arsenal set to sign Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer sometime this week, Atletico Madrid could be in line to make a move for Manuel Almunia. (Goal.com)
Analysis: Atletico have two top young keepers in David de Gea and Sergio Asenjo, so they’re not starved for talent in that position. Even if Asenjo happens to leave this summer (on loan or permanently) in order to earn more first-team opportunities, there’s still the matter of displacing de Gea, so if Almunia wants regular starts, this might not be his best choice. However, it’d be good for de Gea if he has an experienced keeper like Almunia to push him and to learn from.
Italy
Fiorentina In For Insua And Misimovic
According to Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, Fiorentina have been in talks with the club to sign defender Emiliano Insua. The Mirror)
Analysis: Insua was one of the fixtures of Liverpool’s back line last season, with only Jamie Carragher (37) logging more league starts than his 30, and getting that kind of experience is only good for the 21-year-old’s development. A sale would raise some helpful funds, but Liverpool would do well to keep him, both with his potential and a need for quality defensive depth in mind.
Fiorentina are also set to make a bid of €5m for VfL Wolfsburg star Zvjezdan Misimovic. (Goal.com)
Analysis: As much as Wolfsburg are holding out for a sizable offer for Edin Dzeko, I’d like to think that they wouldn’t let an equally important player go for peanuts. Sure, he’s 28, but he’s worth at least €10m or more when you consider how many goals he’s going to have a part in, whether by scoring them himself, or as he has done so well for Wolfsburg the last couple of seasons (Bundesliga leader in assists in each of the last two seasons), setting them up.
Palermo Make Lucas Bid
Liverpool have turned down Palermo’s £5m bid for midfielder Lucas, with Liverpool looking for at least £8m for the 23-year-old. However, the two sides are still in talks, and a deal could be struck soon. (The Sun)
Analysis: Like Insua, Lucas has gradually become more and more of an important player for Liverpool in his time there and was a fixture in the starting lineup last season (41 starts in 45 appearances in all competitions). He’s taken his share of flak, but he’s still young, and he stands to have a bright future ahead of him at a club on the way up in Palermo.
France
PSG Swoop For Nene
Paris Saint-Germain have signed Portuguese winger Nene from AS Monaco. The 28-year-old was Monaco’s leading scorer last season with 14 goals, which placed him in a tie for fifth in the Ligue 1 scoring charts. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: Mevlut Erding was PSG’s only consistent scorer last season, but with Nene in the fold and Guillaume Hoarau fit again after being limited to only 17 league starts last season due to injury, PSG should have the firepower to make a significant move up the table.
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