Woop, we've finally signed a permanent goalkeeper after 3 years of constant loanees. Allan McGregor, former Rangers goalkeeper, has signed a 3-year contract. £1.8 million from Besiktas.

Edited July 2, 201311 yr by Oliver

The effects of the new TV deal are really being felt with midtable teams spending a lot of money. Southampton, Norwich and West Ham would all feel pretty aggrieved to be dragged into a relegation scrap given I reckon Wanyama, Van Wolfswinkel and Carroll are all good signings. Swansea could do well if Bony and Shelvey fit in quickly.

Manchester United have made a £25m bid for Cesc Fabregas.

 

I hope he doesn't go there.

Pleased with our summer so far; dirge like Bardsley, Kilgallon, Bramble, McClean, Vaughan and Graham have all left or are on the verge of moves away, and we're signing some real quality. Little bit gutted about Mignolet leaving, but can't begrudge him the move as he's earned it; he had an outstanding 12/13 season and was the one of the main reasons we stayed up.

 

Giaccherini was confirmed today, massive coup for the club, and only £6.5m. Peruzzi's reportedly on his way for a medical tomorrow, and apparently there are a couple more deals in the pipeline. Exciting times indeed.

If Cesc goes to United... oh dear...I'd never dare to as much as like any of our players again. First RVP and now Cesc.

Edited July 21, 201311 yr by Horatio

Manchester City are going to win the league this season.

 

I have no idea what game Manchester United are playing, but it's not a good one. Their pre-season so far has been nothing short of shambolic. Mourinho has sensed it and called Moyes out already on Rooney. Chelsea will get Rooney it's only a matter of time. Understandably Manchester United want a marquee replacement signing, but you just know they're going to end up with Fellaini.

Man City should win the league, but they should've won it last season and never got close. I can't see Chelsea not improving and if ever there was a season for Arsenal to get closer this was it, but they've done nothing yet.

Man City should win the league, but they should've won it last season and never got close. I can't see Chelsea not improving and if ever there was a season for Arsenal to get closer this was it, but they've done nothing yet.

 

They stagnated last season, but can't see them having the same problems this year. Chelsea will push harder, but Mourinho's mind games look silly. Not sure what game he's playing within Chelsea, but he's eating David Moyes alive in the media.

 

Arsenal were just silly telling everyone they have money to spend. I can't see them getting Suarez, and they don't want to spend loads on Higauin. They certainly need a marquee signing to appease the fans, but like Manchester United I'm not sure they're going to get one.

 

I think Arsenal's problem is they don't really know where to strengthen. You look at Arsenal's team and there's no obvious position, Sagna underperformed last season and perhaps GK but Szczesny is still young enough and good enough. Their central defensive pairing is as good as any in the league now Wenger's realised Vermaelen shouldn't be in it, they conceded less than everyone apart from City and scored more than they did when they had van Persie. They do need more leadership and presence in the middle, but it's hard to say who they should sign there, no one really stands out. Fellaini perhaps? I wouldn't though.

We are not out of the frame either

 

Sandro nearing full fitness, Paulinho is a beast, Chadli has a great scoring record for a winger, Soldado is close to signing

 

 

I think Arsenal's problem is they don't really know where to strengthen. You look at Arsenal's team and there's no obvious position, Sagna underperformed last season and perhaps GK but Szczesny is still young enough and good enough. Their central defensive pairing is as good as any in the league now Wenger's realised Vermaelen shouldn't be in it, they conceded less than everyone apart from City and scored more than they did when they had van Persie. They do need more leadership and presence in the middle, but it's hard to say who they should sign there, no one really stands out. Fellaini perhaps? I wouldn't though.

 

They don't have that bad a squad at all. Giroud is a lot better than everyone will have you believe. Like you say it is the leadership and experience they need, but I'm not sure what type of players they need to sign to experience that. I think a lot of their problems are en-rooted in their own mentality. But to move on to the next stage they need to press harder. Going for the model Wenger's adopting now I'm not sure they are ever likely to challange for the title again for a while because their does seem to be a lack of young gems / players brought through due to the fans insistence of buying experienced players. Their needs to be a balance between the two, and they're quite some way off that.

We are not out of the frame either

 

Sandro nearing full fitness, Paulinho is a beast, Chadli has a great scoring record for a winger, Soldado is close to signing

 

Depends on whether you keep Bale. I think he's off personally. Zidane will push and push for him at Madrid.

 

Even if you sign Soldado I think you need another striker.

Depends on whether you keep Bale. I think he's off personally. Zidane will push and push for him at Madrid.

 

Even if you sign Soldado I think you need another striker.

 

No chance of Bale going IMHO

 

According to one of out top ITK's Real offered us Ozil and £35m, we rejected

 

If we got a player like Ozil as part of any Bale deal he would be an upgrade on Bale tbh

 

I am confident for the season, Paulinho and Chadli chip in with good number of goals and Soldado is better than Giroud I think

 

Get a decent LB we will be fighting for Top 3 i think

Will Martinez let Baines go as well as Fellaini? I doubt it, so that's another blow for United although Evra's hardly a liability.

 

If Bale goes then the top 4 will be miles clear, particularly if Arsenal can sign a holding midfielder and get the Higuain deal sorted - although I agree with Roo that Giroud's a good player, his confidence isn't quite there in front of goal and the front four changed so much they never really had time to build an understanding. He only got four assists in the league compared to nine in his last season for Montpellier, unless he's scoring twenty a season then that has to improve.

No chance of Bale going IMHO

 

According to one of out top ITK's Real offered us Ozil and £35m, we rejected

 

If we got a player like Ozil as part of any Bale deal he would be an upgrade on Bale tbh

 

I am confident for the season, Paulinho and Chadli chip in with good number of goals and Soldado is better than Giroud I think

 

Get a decent LB we will be fighting for Top 3 i think

 

I think he'll go as soon as Higauin goes. Just like how Suarez will end up there too. Zidane is too much of a fan. You're not far off being a very good side though, although I'm not sure how well all your players will fit in. Certainly looks like you're going for more of a straightforward 4-3-3 next season.

 

 

Will Martinez let Baines go as well as Fellaini? I doubt it, so that's another blow for United although Evra's hardly a liability.

 

If Bale goes then the top 4 will be miles clear, particularly if Arsenal can sign a holding midfielder and get the Higuain deal sorted - although I agree with Roo that Giroud's a good player, his confidence isn't quite there in front of goal and the front four changed so much they never really had time to build an understanding. He only got four assists in the league compared to nine in his last season for Montpellier, unless he's scoring twenty a season then that has to improve.

 

Of course he will! Everton are absolutely skint. They've signed half of Wigan's squad, and I dare say they've basically spent the Fellaini and Baines money already. I expect the latter might stay but the former will definitely be gone.

 

Arsenal don't have a player that will get them 20+ goals a season, but they have 3/4 that will comfortably get between 10-15. Giroud just got stick because he wasn't Van Persie. It's what Arsenal fans think they need, when they're better served spreading the goals across 4/5 players. Their pursuit of Suarez is opportunist, but he's probably the type of player they need, but they don't have enough money.

I think he'll go as soon as Higauin goes.

 

Don't see it tbh

 

Levy and AVB are both adamant, AVB publicly as recent as today, that Bale will not be sold under any circumstances

 

Levy is the toughest negotiator in world football probably and doesn't like losing face so unless Bale goes on strike, and there are no signs he will, then he will definitely stay

 

Plus Bale has recently signed a 7 figure deal to be the public face of BT Sport for their football coverage, not a sign of a man about to up sticks to La Liga, not to mention he is on the cover of the new FIFA game, not to mention fact he has recently become a father.

 

There has been nothing apart from Harry loving Spurs hating tabloids stirring the pot :)

Don't see it tbh

 

Levy and AVB are both adamant, AVB publicly as recent as today, that Bale will not be sold under any circumstances

 

Levy is the toughest negotiator in world football probably and doesn't like losing face so unless Bale goes on strike, and there are no signs he will, then he will definitely stay

 

Plus Bale has recently signed a 7 figure deal to be the public face of BT Sport for their football coverage, not a sign of a man about to up sticks to La Liga, not to mention he is on the cover of the new FIFA game, not to mention fact he has recently become a father.

 

There has been nothing apart from Harry loving Spurs hating tabloids stirring the pot :)

 

I'm not convinced. No-one in the club is going to come out and say he's going, would be terrible PR. As soon as Madrid get rid of Higauin we'll see what their next move is. They'll go for one of either Suarez/Bale and possibly both. I hope it is for Suarez. The thought of selling him to Arsenal is not a nice one.

Will Martinez let Baines go as well as Fellaini? I doubt it, so that's another blow for United although Evra's hardly a liability.

 

If Bale goes then the top 4 will be miles clear, particularly if Arsenal can sign a holding midfielder and get the Higuain deal sorted - although I agree with Roo that Giroud's a good player, his confidence isn't quite there in front of goal and the front four changed so much they never really had time to build an understanding. He only got four assists in the league compared to nine in his last season for Montpellier, unless he's scoring twenty a season then that has to improve.

 

I'd say he is. Our most consistently poor regular starter for the past two seasons. Far too many silly spare-of-the-moment decisions and goes wandering up the field far too often for a man with such deteriorating pace. I'd take Baines over him any day.

I'm not convinced. No-one in the club is going to come out and say he's going, would be terrible PR. As soon as Madrid get rid of Higauin we'll see what their next move is. They'll go for one of either Suarez/Bale and possibly both. I hope it is for Suarez. The thought of selling him to Arsenal is not a nice one.

 

We have no reason to sell though, we have plenty of money, not City/Chelsea levels but more than enough to have a good spending spree without the need to raise funds. There is no motive for Levy to cash in.

 

Plus Bale has 4 years left on his contract so no risk of doing a Bosman.

 

Levy has no reason to sell and Bale isn't trying to force a move, complete opppsite to the Modric/Berbatov situations, situations where Levy dug his heels in and was prepared to let the players rot in the reserves unless every last penny he wanted was paid.

The big question is where suarez will go at the end of the window!