Transfer Talk: Tevez Saga Drawing to a Close, We Hope

By: Daryl | July 22nd, 2007

Tevez 10 We all know football transfers are crazy. But they don’t come any crazier than Carlos Tevez‘ long drawn out move from Manchester United to West Ham. The whole mess could get sorted out tomorrow when representatives from the English FA, the Premier League and FIFA will sit down over several very nice cups of coffee and figure out exactly what’s to be done. My uneducated guess is that Tevez will wind up at Manchester United and West Ham will be looking at a world of pain.

Whatever happens with Tevez, West Ham are partying like it’s 1999 and spending their transfer money all around town. Winger/pants model Freddie Ljungberg could be strutting his stuff at West Ham next season once his £3million transfer from Arsenal goes through. Ljungberg probably has a couple of good seasons left in him, and West Ham will be willing to pay him a small weekly fortune, so why not?

Less encouraging for West Ham fans Alan Curbishley is rather unwisely looking to bring Kieron Dyer from Newcastle to West Ham, reuniting the Newcastle United thug squad of Bellamy, Bowyer and Dyer. Didn’t West Ham used to be the nice family club that was everyone’s second team?

Freshly minted Birmingham City are all set to become Mido’s eighth club for a cost of £6million, and will splurge a further £10million to get Middlesbrough’s Yakubu. They’re also being linked with Juan Sebastian Veron - currently on a double loan from Chelsea to Inter to Indendientes - who’s also being linked with MLS, where he’d become DC United’s Designated Player. I’d like to see the guy finally prove himself in the Premiership, and playing for a smaller club where he’s the centre of attention may be just the ticket.

Newcastle are interested in Real Madrid’s Julio Baptista, who lit up the Copa America final with his goal for Brazil but disappeared in the Premiership with his lack of goals for Arsenal. My guess is he’ll be more settled in England if he stays another season, and The Beast will devour some defenders.

Werder Bremen are interested in Bolton’s Champions League hungry Nicolas Anelka, who will never learn to stop and smell the roses.

Arjen Robben still may or may not be going to Real Madrid. He’s still Chelsea’s best winger, when fit.

The “Zidanes y Pavones” era at Madrid is finally over, after Paco Pavón’s contract expired and he was allowed to join Real Zaragoza as a free agent.

Andres Iniesta could become the least popular man in Barcelona if Real Madrid’s attempted 60 milion euro capture of the attacking midfielder goes through.

Meanwhile Silvio Berlusconi is still trying to make the impossible happen, refusing to stop talking about activating Ronaldinho’s 125 million euro buyout clause to bring him to AC Milan. This would be a PR disaster for Barcelona, so I’m guessing it won’t happen. And when you have Kaka, do you really need Ronaldinho?