Transfer Talk: Too Sexy for their Shirts and their Teams

By: Bob | January 9th, 2007

It is that time of year again when the rumors are hot and heavy and fiction becomes reality. We’ll do our best to help you stay on top of all the latest, greatest and lamest winter transfer window news. Here are some Grade A nibbles from the football transfer world today.

Could we have seen Freddie Ljunberg wearing Calvin Kleins and no shirt for the last time at Arsenal? West Ham evidently has a bead on the sexy Swede which is all well and good if you think £7m is the right price for a guy whose pecs have been more impressive than his play these past few months. Ajax Dutch international left winger Ryan Babel could be Ljunberg’s replacement on the field, but not in the hearts of so many.

Speaking of metrosexuals, Real Madrid sporting director Pedja Mijatovic (I have no idea how he looks without a shirt) has done us all a favor by telling David Beckham to make up his fucking mind already. Tired of reading about Becks moving to MLS, Serie A and a runway in Milan, Real Madrid has said next week is when we will get the final word on Mr. Posh’s future. Expect a lot of rumors in the next few days like ones saying the LA Galaxy have an offer on the table.

The transfer market apparently extends to the managerial ranks these days. The fun rumor that never grows old is that Jose Mourinho is going to leave Chelsea at the end of the year to go coach Real Madrid, while Fabio Capello is going to leave Real Madrid to go manage Chelsea. Don’t hold your breath that either of those things will happen.

Waiting for Newcastle United to make a move this transfer period? You might have to wait a bit longer as they try to decide whether buying a dinged up Darren Bent from Charlton is really a smart move. Meanwhile, Aaron Lennon will be dressed in black and white for the next five and a half years.

It might be addition by subtraction for Newcastle if they can trick PSV Eindhoven into taking striker Albert Luque. Labeled as a “misfit,” “flop,” and “malcontent,” Luque sounds like a charming fellow who could probably benefit from a change of scenery or at least benefit from hanging out with the agent for striker Obafemi Martins, who is trying to push Chelsea to sign the back flipping Nigerian.

Juventus is drooling over Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze who also has the misfortune of being linked to PSG in France.

Sheffield United have decided Preston striker David Nugent isn’t worth his weight in gold and that he is “outrageously overpriced” unlike the man with cat scratch fever.

Liverpool have tabled a moved for Hamilton 16-year-old Jamie McCarthy, preferring to wait until he has a driver’s license and/or reaches puberty, but they might also still have the offer out there. The fog of war is often clearer than the fog of transfer talk. Liverpool also are interested in Italy under-21 keeper Daniele Padelli who keeps the bench warm at Serie B club Crotone.

Roma are closing in on Nantes midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson who you might recall had one of the worst haircuts at the World Cup. If that isn’t exciting enough, there is word that they are also interested in taking Adriano off of Inter Milan’s hands. Haven’t they noticed that Adriano has done nothing this season?

Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua said thanks, but no thanks to PSV Eindhoven’s offer to take midfielder Sun Xiang on loan for six months. As part of their explanation for rejecting the move, the club offered up the Chinese proverb, “You can’t see the Sun through the transfer window clouds” or something like that.

There is an excess of talented players in Brazil and as part of the latest global trade agreements they are required by law to ship their players to foreign lands. Three Brazilians have signed on to play with the Kashima Antlers in Japan while two Brazilian strikers, Washington dos Santos and Godofredo Netto, will do their tour of duty with the Cameroon club Canon Yaounde. Brazilians playing in Cameroon. Think about that.