Transfer Rumour Mill - Summer 2011

[Keegan]

Flying wide-man Humphrey has been earning rave reviews this term and his performances have alerted a number of clubs in England and Scotland.

Scouts from Premier League and Championship clubs have been flocking to Fir Park to cast an eye over the 22-year-old.

It is believed representatives from Liverpool, Bolton and Birmingham have been alerted to the former West Brom trainee's performances in recent weeks.

More here: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11781_6853517,00.html

[Natasha Whittam]

This is a forum for comment and banter, not links to Sky Sports.

[Keegan]

I asked you a question in another thread - kindly respond accordingly. Thank you.

[bolton78]

This is a forum for comment and banter, not links to Sky Sports.

and also anything related to transfer gossip etc,so carry on and ignore the wum

[azreal88]

All pace and no product....sign him up!

[DLH]

Scored again last night.

[aspull white]

What do you make of the speculation that Mouriniho wants to loan Pablo Sarabia to us next season. I had never heard of him so i had a look on youtube and saw the highlights of his only first team appearance. He came on for Ronaldo in a champions league match and appeared to play well.

Please, let this one be true.

[Chris Rabz]

Never heard of him but going off that description sounds no better than Danny Braaten.

[aspull white]

Have a look for yourself.
Coyle has said let me use your younger players and he will give them first team football.

lets just say he shows a little promise and i dont mean like Vaz Te.

You dont need to be a scout to see this lad will be good.

[DaveBWFC]

If he looks good on YouTube lets get him signed up. He plays for Real Madrid aswell so must be ace.

[aspull white]

your wit knows no bounds.

[Chris Rabz]

I'm not saying he is poor or anything, I haven't seen the lad. But a couple of Internet clips isn't enough to convince me to sign anyone, that's all. If we're to pay wages to someone I want him to be worth them - or at least worth them relative to football.

[DaveBWFC]

your wit knows no bounds.

Which video on YouTube did you watch? I've just watched him against Auxerre and can't really see what you see in him. Except he plays for Real Madrid so must be ace.

[Keegan]

Arsene had apparently been eyeing Sarabia up and he does have an eye for young talent, that suggests he may be better than Braaten.

I've been reading up on Sarabia and came across this:

Spurs, meanwhile, are said to be putting together a package (for Gary Cahill) that includes cash and cast-offs such as Robbie Keane and Alan Hutton.

Read more: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/76363,sport,football,transfer-talk-pablo-sarabia-latest-young-star-on-arsenal-transfer-radar#ixzz1IxmPb3I3

Anyone interested in seeing Robbie Keane and Alan Hutton line up for us next season?

[xmiles]

No and no, largely because I would rather see Coyle given some money to spend than take other club's cast-offs.

[Chris Rabz]

Keane wouldn't be a bad guy to have on the bench. It would mean the end for Blake but Keane is a decent striker still, despite his age. I'll leave this discussion though for when the season's over.

[DaveBWFC]

Keane wouldn't be a bad guy to have on the bench.

He'd be a fúcking expensive guy to have on the bench.

[Le God]

Alan Hutton would be brilliant; huge upgrade for us.

Keane... errr no thanks.

[Darequam]

I see no reason to bring in keane if k davies can't be benched.
To round it up, i think i'll take a deal of ( cash + Dos Santos & Huton)

[londonwanderer]

I think we want the young lad from Real on a permanent deal, he is out of contract at the end of the season.

[Keegan]

If he's as good as Wenger seems to think he is, it would be no surprise if Mourinho wants to loan him and we want to buy him. I like Coyle's way of thinking, though - top young talent that gets to play first team football. If they progress as expected, we will have a great team in a few years, with the expected sales of a couple that may potentially outgrow us giving us pocketfuls of cash. Nice.

[azreal88]

Coyle certainly has work to do in the summer.  We are lacking all over the pitch (after taking into account those leaving and those under-performing) and he'll have to sort it out on a shoe-string.  The advantage is that Coyle has them up at the right end and he can build from a base of confident players who clearly are a tight-knit unit.

Cahill is almost certain to leave.  Elmander will be gone.  Sturridge is a loan.  Our left wing isn't good enough if we want to progress.  We need another option in midfield and someone to put pressure on the right.  We also lack numbers at the back.

As ever with Bolton, it'll be interesting.  Replacing Cahill is the big one, along with finding a striker.  We need a centre back with some pace, so that we don't drop too deep and create space between the midfield and defence.  Fast defenders with quality are both rare and expensive.  As are goal scorers with a bit of pace.

Coyle's doing a great job though, so I'm looking forward to him forming his own squad.

[londonwanderer]

I think we have the advantage of some really good players coming through. Alonso looks to be getting to grips with the league and I think he opens up a lot of space for Petrov.
We have Vela coming through and although he will only be 18 next year I think there is a very real chance of him going straight into the first team squad rather than out on loan. Ward can offer competition on the wing. I hope we keep rodrigo as he looks very promising.
I would love to keep Sturridge, but it might be a strech, although definitely worth a try, especially if Chelsea keep Drogba or Anelka or both, failing that anyone fancy Anelka back?
I think the idea is to play Knight and Wheater together if Cahill goes and perhaps bring Conelly through, but I agree another central defender would be a priority if he went and with the concern about a lack of pace there without him.

[azreal88]

//I think we have the advantage of some really good players coming through.//

I certainly hope that is true.  We have some who look promising, though next season may be too soon for them to be having an impact.  Ward may well come into the squad next season and provide cover/competition.  If Connolly has improved his attitude then he has the makings of a decent player, but I don't think Connolly, Knight and Wheater constitute a Premier League 'roster'.

Rodrigo or Sturridge staying we can't really talk about yet, so we'd just be guessing.  If we were able to keep Sturridge it would be a minor miracle.  I don't think Nic would come back.

//I think the idea is to play Knight and Wheater together//

I genuinely think that would be an error over the course of a season.  We'd be forced too deep, due to the lack of pace, and in a 4-4-2 it leaves too many gaps when you play that way.

I haven't seen the reserves enough lately to say whether any can step-up next season.  If one or two can that's brilliant.

[jimbo_bwfc]

Interesting side point, Collymore just slipped it out on Talksport that Klasnic's agent has been mouthing off that he'll be off if he doesn't start playing games.

To be fair, Collymore's love-in with Klasnic is crazy. He's always questioning Coyle for not starting him, pretty much every week he goes on about how much he loves Klasnic and Elmander and how they'd walk into the Villa team (who he supports).