Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[Dave]

Dimitar Berbatov on a free?

Don't be ridiculous

Go and get Lee Holden and NRC back from Bolton.

I've been saying for ages that our first signing if Bolton go down should be Holden. Exactly the sort of midfielder we need. Lee would also be fantastic.

Reo-Coker. Meh. Perfect for a team with aspirations of getting out of lower mid-table. So yeah, why not.

[tomd2103]

If we're discussing whether to have Gabby and Bent or Ireland and Bent then it's the latter option every time.

Ireland is a player we should be building a team around. Selling him would be suicidal; regardless of his wage. In a proper team with a proper manager, Gabby, Bent and Ireland would fit into the same team anyway.

I agree he is talented, but I'm sorry, you don't build your team around a player who can only manage 16 league appearances in a season and seems to only play when he feels like it.  He is only really effective in the hole and to be honest Robbie Keane was better than him in that position when he was with us.  If the rumours are true that the wage bill needs to come down further, then he should be one who goes.       

[Matt C]

And so it begins...

Liverpool are lining up a bid for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 28, who is nearing a return to fitness.

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2012/05/06/liverpool-line-up-move-for-aston-villa-striker-darren-bent/

[OzVilla]

Assuming KKK can overcome the fact that he's black, Bent to Klanfield is something I can really see happening. 

We've got to make sure that we stitch them up for a much as possible. 

I'd take 28 mill + Carroll.

[ozzjim]

I think Ireland, in every game since Chelsea that I have seen and he has played, has been exceptional. I would also bet a large amount that had we got Bent fit, and played Ireland behind him, Bent would have scored a lot of goals in the run in. Look at the way Ireland has slipped in Weimann, Heskey and even Gabby in the last few weeks. Truth is Bent is 100 times more likely to stick those away.

My biggest fear is Liverpool do come in, offer 15million for Bent, we bit with Eck claiming we need the cash to rebuild, and then we are left relying on Gabby to score the goals, which he won't.

[spangley1812]

We need to go to Man City and ask to loan John Guidetti for all of next season

[eastie]

I fully expect whoever takes over as manager to sell bent in order ro raise transfer funds- bent must be feeling frustrated since his supply line was sold last summer.

[Wiggz]

I think Ireland, in every game since Chelsea that I have seen and he has played, has been exceptional. I would also bet a large amount that had we got Bent fit, and played Ireland behind him, Bent would have scored a lot of goals in the run in. Look at the way Ireland has slipped in Weimann, Heskey and even Gabby in the last few weeks. Truth is Bent is 100 times more likely to stick those away.

My biggest fear is Liverpool do come in, offer 15million for Bent, we bit with Eck claiming we need the cash to rebuild, and then we are left relying on Gabby to score the goals, which he won't.

Wow, I can't believe it...a post, on a forum, I 100% agree with.

Only one small caveat for me....Gabby could score the goals but not up front on his own.

[Irish villain]

I spent about ten mins trying to post about the areas we need to strengthen and had made diagrams of our first team/squad to help me make the point. But it's actually too taxing. We have a phenomenal job on our hands this summer. It could take £30m just to ensure we avoid relegation.

The squad is too small and inexperienced. We need to sign a central midfielder of PL quality. New PL quality left back and centre back are the absolute very minimum we need to stand still defensively. Preferably, I'd buy in a whole new back line or try to slot Clark alongside whatever centre back is bought. A new winger would give us an extra option.

I can't even think of players we could get. I'd like Dyer from Swansea or Hoillet as our new winger. I'd avoid Dann or Johnson as our new centre back. We need a bit of astute dealing. We need to hope the rebuild starts right away.

It's going to be a long road back to top half respectability.

[Ads]

And we sell Bent for 15 million because...

[olaftab]

And so it begins...

Liverpool are lining up a bid for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 28, who is nearing a return to fitness.

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2012/05/06/liverpool-line-up-move-for-aston-villa-striker-darren-bent/

Domestically that is biggest rumour people can talk up. Liverpool are a basket case and so are we at the moment so the obvious  thing to go for is this. However I can't see it if KK stays in place. He is too stubborn to admit Carroll was a mistake and in any case they have paid far too much for him and as incompetent as Paul Faulkner is he is not going to accept a straight swap.

[OzVilla]

15 million would be a derisory offer.  With 'The Mighty Reds YNWA''s recent record of spending money and the desperation for a genuine striker that's not even remotely close to what it would take.

If Carroll was worth 35 mill then Bent (now in his prime at 28 yrs old) is worth 45 mill.

Better still money plus Carroll - and that still means more that what we paid for him.  Anything less and they can get lost.

[Clampy]

I don't think Liverpool will sell Carroll. He was superb in the Cup Final and i think they'll hope he'll push on from that. It's the best i've seen him play since he scored 3 past us up at Newcastle last season.

[ROBBO]

There are a couple of the younger ones that may make it such as Herd but we have quite a few that have had plenty of chances to make their mark and failed such as Delfonso and Bannon. They are not kids anymore and need to be moved on along with most of the seniors. A massive investment is needed but i don't think Randy is up for it.

[OCD]

Newcastle have shown that if you know the foreign leagues inside out you can totally rebuild a squad without spending mega money. We just have to hope our fledgling scouting network is up for it. Holman looks like a good start.