Transfer Trolley Dash
Reported bids for Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Sporting Lisbon’s Marcos Rojo are hardly surprising considering Louis Van Gaal is looking at starting his first season in charge at Old Trafford with a back three of Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.
United badly needs experienced defensive reinforcement ahead of the new campaign, especially if the Dutch manager intends to deploy a 3-5-2 formation deployed during the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Luke Shaw’s recent injury allied with Patrice Evra’s transfer to Juventus leaves a gaping hole in the left back position whilst Ashley Young’s inconsistency suggests purchasing Dutch international Daley Blind would represent a useful signing ahead of the new campaign.
Jose Mourinho has already expressed contentment with this summer’s Stamford Bridge arrivals and why wouldn’t he with Cesc Fabregas, Mario Pasalic, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Didier Drogba set to bolster the Londoners title challenge.
Costa looks certain to lead the Mourinho’s attack in the Portuguese manager’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation but should injury befall the naturalised Spaniard then Chelsea are left with a currently injured Drogba or misfiring Fernando Torres as their only alternative attacking options.
Granted, the bulk of last season’s goals came from midfield with Eden Hazard, Andre Schurrle (rumoured to be moving on) and Oscar weighing in with a combined 30 league strikes.
Mourinho needs another striker despite their attacking prowess in the centre of the park and especially with Demba Ba moving to Besiktas and Samuel Eto’o seeking a new club. The decision to sell Romelu Lukaku looks stranger with each passing week.
Luis Suarez’s fire sale has resulted in eight new players joining the Anfield club’s already talented squad but a tentative enquiry about AS Monaco’s Radamel Falcao suggests Brendan Rodgers is keen to continue his spending ahead of the new season.
Daniel Sturridge, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini represent Liverpool’s current attacking options with Samuel Eto’o linked as a potential target after Falcao enquiries appeared to be ignored. PSG’s Ezequiel Lavezzi has filled transfer speculation column inches throughout the summer as a possible Liverpool target. He certainly fits the bill considering the Argentineans’ ability to float between midfield and attack as well as a keen eye for goal.
Signing a replacement for departed goalkeeper Pep Reina (Bayern Munich) appears to be of more pressing concern with another Argentine Sergio Romero likely to come in as Simon Mignolet’s understudy before the transfer window shuts.
One look at the ‘Transfers Out’ column on Southampton’s first team player listings and Ronald Koeman could be forgiven for asking what he has let himself in for at St Mary’s this season. Although overpriced, Shane Long looks a sensible piece of business for such an experienced international and Premier League goal-scorer. Another forward is needed however, if only to vie with Long and new arrival Graziano Pelle from Feyenoord for the two starting positions up front.
New goalkeeper Fraser Forster should settle a defence devoid of the talents of Luke Shaw and Djan Lovren but Koeman is well aware that he badly needs to bring in additional defenders if the Saints are to avoid a difficult start to the campaign.
Most pressingly, Koeman simply must hold on to Morgan Schneiderlin and James Ward-Prowse but the midfield duo appear likely to join the other twelve first-team squad members out of St Mary’s with Tottenham and Crystal Palace circling.
News that Tottenham are willing to listen for offers for up to eleven first team squad members three days before the start of the season will come as little shock to supporters accustomed to last minute wheeling and dealing in the transfer market.
It has been a relatively quiet summer by the North London club’s usual standards with sensible acquisitions of Ben Davies, Michel Vorm and Eric Dier in stark contrast to last year’s spending bonanza following Gareth Bale’s departure to the Santiago Bernabeu.
If Roberto Soldado departs then QPR’s Loic Remy appears a readymade replacement but new manager Mauricio Pochettino appears determined to push through a deal for unsettled Morgan Schneiderlin first before making any bids for a new striker.
Tottenham are hardly short midfield options with the likes of Eriksen, Paulinho, Lennon, Holtby and Dembélé still on the books so securing the services of Villareal centre back Mateo Musacchio and PSV Eindhoven’s flying winger Memphis Depay would represent good business ahead of transfer deadline day.
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