Karl-Heinz Rumour Mill

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by Kiko

They have more than made up for it this summer. Cover will come from the likes of Ben Haim, Sidwell, Pizarro etc. Much stronger squad this season and i can see them winning it this season.

I would disagree here. They have signed some average squad players, I would put sidwell on a par with say Richardson or Darren Fletcher. Average Premiership players IMO.

The Arfrican Nations Cup is in January and has a far bigger effect on Chelsea's team than United.

Drogba, Kalou, Diarra, Essien, Obi-Wan Kenobi will all be missing and Pizarro will need a rest prior to the start of the new season as he's only just finished the Copa America.

I say United have strengthened more than Chelsea and I rate their chances more highly.

[rcgills]

Real Madrid want to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Star)

Blimey, check the Daily Star with their finger on the pulse

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Originally Posted by all_funkt_up

I would disagree here. They have signed some average squad players, I would put sidwell on a par with say Richardson or Darren Fletcher. Average Premiership players IMO.

The Arfrican Nations Cup is in January and has a far bigger effect on Chelsea's team than United.

Drogba, Kalou, Diarra, Essien, Obi-Wan Kenobi will all be missing and Pizarro will need a rest prior to the start of the new season as he's only just finished the Copa America.

I say United have strengthened more than Chelsea and I rate their chances more highly.

No chance with Richardson. He doesnt even match upto Sidwell or Fletcher.

Sidwell looked good every game i seen of him and for his age he still has bags of potential. He proved to Chelsea he could do the business against them by twice putting in man of the match performances home and away to them.

Ben Haim has always been a solid performer in the EPL who consistently plays well.

Pizarro may be tired but im sure Jose will give him a rest at the beginning of the season knowing that the African mob depart mid season.

Im interested to see how Shevchenko performs. He had a bad season by his standards where everything looked bad....his touch, his finishing, lacking pace etc etc.

Drogba was the same in his first season and look what he went onto do last season. I wonder if Shevchenko can do the same.

[christianu]

Drogba was never the same, people always make this mistake.

Drogba was a fantastic team player, creating goals, running his ass off and was key to the team winning two league titles in a row! He just didnt score "enough" goals.

Shevchenko was more of a hindrance to the team.

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by christianu

Drogba was never the same, people always make this mistake.

Drogba was a fantastic team player, creating goals, running his ass off and was key to the team winning two league titles in a row! He just didnt score "enough" goals.

Shevchenko was more of a hindrance to the team.

Agreed.

Drogba was a little grafter. He was running about like a headless chicken some of the time, but the enthusiasm and dynamism was there. Shevchenko showed (for me) neither an abundance of skill, the desire to put himself about nor a great desire to succeed.

Basically there are no plus points to go off. Whereas with Drogba, the only thing that lacked was being clinical infront of goal and making the right choice in and around the box.

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Well from what i remember whenever i seen him the similarities to Shevchenko were all there in terms of finishing, touch etc with his work rate the only difference.

Shevchenko didnt do too bad under circumstances imo. When Drogba came it was when Chelsea were at their most fluentest with Robben, Duff causing mayhem down the wings. Joe Cole pulling the creative strings also.

Shevchenko didnt get anything like this after Jose changing his teams play with being more direct which obviously would help Drogba last season more.

Another one is Ballack we should be expecting more from. He is like another new signing such was the surprisingly below par performances he put in.

If Chelsea can get the best out of these two then they have two players who only 2 or 3 seasons ago were right up there with the worlds best players.

[all_funkt_up]

Newcastle have emerged as rivals to Liverpool in the race to sign Manchester United Gabriel Heinze. (Daily Star)

Can see this as being a go-er in my eyes. Cant see the lad moving to Liverpool and Newcastle are the ideal club for him. They will make him a ridiculous wage offer and he will enjoy it here. Newcastle will pay above the going rate in wages and transfer fee, they always do.

They are also desparate for a couple of decent left backs. Heinze can cover for centre back as well and I think he will do well up here.

New Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is to make Swede Christian Wilhelmsson his first signing. (Various)

Seen him play in the CL a few times for Anderlecht, wasnt really that impresse. Never stood out for me.

Chelsea Arjen Robben's lawyer is in Spain to hold talks with Real Madrid, who still want to sign the winger. (The Sun)

Liverpool are set to sign Ajax winger Ryan Babel after returning with a £13.5m bid on Monday night on the back of having a £10m offer rejected. (The Sun)

Fiorentina are ready to sign Freddie Ljungberg from Arsenal for £5.5m. (The Guardian)

Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas will turn his back on a £27m move to Real Madrid, even though he is a top target for new Madrid boss Bernd Schuster. (Daily Star)

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is ready to make an £8m bid for Spurs striker Jermain Defoe. (Daily Star)

Arsenal are poised to launch a £13m bid for Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins this week. (The Independent)

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes wants Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth will complete the signing of Preston striker David Nugent on Tuesday. (Various)

Chelsea misfit Khalid Boulahrouz is poised to join Seville in a half-price £3.5m deal. (Daily Mirror)

Everton are mulling over the possibility of making a bid for £6m-rated Wigan defender Leighton Baines. (Daily Express)

Celtic have rejected a £1.5m approach from Fulham for left-back Lee Naylor. (Daily Mail)

St Etienne have launched a bid for Sochaux midfielder Guirane N'Daw after Celtic had an offer of £2.2m rejected. (Daily Express)

Celtic target Rod Fanni has been told by Nice that he is not for sale unless clubs meet their £3.4m valuation. (The Herald)

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson is ready to offer Celtic £3m for midfielder Thomas Gravesen. (Daily Mirror)

Gretna have signed 19-year-old goalkeeper Nathan Wright from Darlington. (Various)

Leicester look set to land a £2m double swoop to sign Stephen Clemence and DJ Campbell from Birmingham. (Daily Star)

Leeds striker Robbie Blake is in talks with Burnley about a £500,000 return to Turf Moor. (Various)

[blatt1]

Karl-Heinz, the germans sai "Kalle" to Karl-Heinz

[all_funkt_up]

Manchester City have reached a preliminary agreement with Reggina to sign striker Rolando Bianchi for £8.8m, according to the Italian club.
Reggina expect the 24-year-old to complete his move to City on Wednesday.

Bianchi would become new City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson's first signing since he took charge of the club.

Interesting, not a player I have seen much of and not is he one that I have heard touted around this close season. Him and Corradi up front with Stavros Samaras on the bench. Now that's a front line to striker fear into defences the length and bredth of the country.

[all_funkt_up]

I see Bellers has today signed for the 'Ammers. I presume he was reading Lucas Neill's paper though when he looked at the league table:

"I wanted to make sure that, if I left Liverpool, it would be to a club that is going to be pushing for Europe," Bellamy said.....

Has Bellamy just joined the same West Ham that narrowly avoided relegation last season? Maybe he lives in a parallel universe.

[all_funkt_up]

This Ryan Babbel feller gets more expensive by the day:

Liverpool will have to pay £13.5m for 20-year-old Ajax winger Ryan Babel.
Ajax technical director Martin van Geel says talks have taken place between the two clubs, but no fee has been agreed.

"Liverpool are willing to pay a huge sum for Ryan," he said. "We have told them what we want, and that's 20m euros (£13.5m). That is our price."

£6mil last week, then £10m and now around £13.5m

Funk my monk!

[all_funkt_up]

Liverpool close in on Babel and Benayoun
Jul 10 2007 by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL hope to tie up their double swoop for Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun within the next 24 hours.

Hmmmmm

[all_funkt_up]

I see it hasnt taken Madrid long to delve into the transfer market. Apparently they've signed Pepe from Porto for 30m Euro and Saviola on a freebie.

Presumably then Quaresma wont be going anywhere as Porto dont 'need' to sell now their coffers are overflowing. Anyone know about this Pepe lad then? Thats an awful lot of wonga on a defender isnt it.

[rcgills]

They've also signed Metzelder from Dortmund.

[Bigkegman]

How much for Bellamy ???

Not got a quid sign but 7.5million - wtf