by Chinners » Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:19 am
Premier League transfers: club-by-club guide Bollox
Telegrpah Sport looks at what the Premier League clubs are planning ahead of next season.
Arsenal
What is the priority for the summer? A central defender (or two), striker – and depends on who is sold and needs to be replaced. Can they hold on to Cesc Fabregas…and do they want to?
How much is there to spend? Arsenal will spend this year – Arsene Wenger has already promised that – but the question is how much? Substantial funds are available.
Who might arrive? Gervinho, Wilian, Christopher Samba, Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Scott Parker, Mamadou Sakho, Karim Benzema.
Who might leave? Samir Nasri, Denilson, Gael Clichy, Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Eboue, Carlos Vela.
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Aston Villa
Priority for the summer? Finding the right manager to replace Gérard Houllier is paramount. The new man will have to persuade Stewart Downing to sign a new contract and find a replacement for goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
How much is there to spend? There should be funds available. Ashley Young’s proposed move to Manchester United should generate around £15m while Nigel Reo-Coker and John Carew have been moved on to free up the wage bill.
Who might arrive? West Ham’s Robert Green is high on a list which also includes Forest’s Lee Camp. Birmingham’s Ben Foster is another.
Who might leave? Young is a certainty while Downing’s future is also uncertain. Luke Young and Stephen Warnock may also decide to move on.
Back in action? Villa start in Hong Kong against Blackburn in the Barclays Asia Trophy on July 27.
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Blackburn Rovers
Priority for the summer? Rovers need to improve on a squad which almost went down last season.
How much is there to spend? Indian owners Venky’s will give Steve Kean up to £25m for transfers.
Who might arrive? Big names rather than value appears the rule of thumb. Joe Cole and Roque Santa Cruz are on the agenda, with Aberdeen reserve Myles Anderson arriving on a free transfer with Kean billing him as potentially the new Chris Smalling.
Who might leave? Defender Phil Jones will go if a club triggers his £16 m escape clause. Paul Robinson and Chris Samba could also be tempted away. Nikola Kalinic and Keith Andrews will be moved on.
Back in action? July 4 pre-season training before undertaking a tour of India and Hong Kong, where Blackburn will compete in the Barclays Asia Trophy.
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Bolton Wanderers
Priority for the summer? Holding onto England defender Gary Cahill.
How much is there to spend? Not a lot. Owen Coyle might have less than £10 m to spend unless he sells Cahill, who could bank between £15-20m for the club.
Who might arrive? If Cahill leaves, Jonny Evans and Wes Brown will be targets. Coyle is also keen to secure a permanent deal for Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge. Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams is another target.
Who might leave? Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) could be followed by Martin Petrov and Ali Al-Habsi. Joey O’Brien and Tamir Cohen have been released.
Back in action? Training on July 4 and then a 10-day tour of the United States.
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Chelsea
What is the priority for the summer? Appointing new manager plus a chief scout/ director of football – and then overhauling the squad to add young, attacking talent and creativity in midfield. Moving on 4-5 fringe players.
How much is there to spend? However much Roman Abramovich wants to spend big as he accepts the squad is ageing/ too small/ lacking in flair. Chelsea could easily spend more than £100m this summer.
Who might arrive? Romelu Lukaku, Neymar, Luka Modric, Alexis Sanchez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ante Vukusic, Gregory Van der Wiel.
Who might leave? Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka, Paulo Ferreira, Jeffrey Bruma, Salomon Kalou.
When are they back in action? The players return for pre-season training on July 4 and play in Arnhem five days later before games in Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.
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Everton
Priority for the summer? Goals. David Moyes has spent six years honing Everton and the majority of his most crucial players are settled, but he must cure his side’s inability to find the net.
How much is there to spend? If Moyes’s stated aim is clear, his method is not: the Scot is essentially reliant on what he can raise through sales.
Who might arrive? A move for Miroslav Klose has foundered, with a striker of the ilk of Jay Bothroyd or Danny Welbeck on loan more likely.
Who might leave? James Vaughan has already departed, but it is only the potential departure of Jack Rodwell, for around £25 m, to either of the Manchester clubs which keeps Evertonians awake at night.
Back in action? Everton’s first pre-season fixture is with Bury on July 15, before two games in the USA.
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Fulham
What is the priority for the summer? Having appointed a new manager he will identify his own priorities but Fulham are in the market for a new striker and central midfielder.
How much is there to spend? Talk of £20m has yet to materialize – Mark Hughes was certainly sceptical – but Martin Jol has already stated funds are available and he is after new players.
Who might arrive? Mounir El Hamdaoui, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Eidur Gudjohnsen
Who might leave? Eddie Johnson, Diomansy Kamara, John Pantsil, Stephen Kelly, Carlos Salcido.
When are they back in action? Fulham’s pre-season programme is determined by the Europa League. The players report back on June 23 and play their first game a week later.
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Liverpool
Priority for the summer? What Liverpool desire is encapsulated in the signing of Jordan Henderson: the club's owners want recruits who are young, native or experienced in the Premier League, and preferably all three.
How much is there to spend? If a club can afford to lavish 16 million on a position where they already possess substantial strength, then funds are not a problem. Spending could top £75 million.
Who might arrive? As well as Henderson, Kenny Dalglish covets Blackburn's Phil Jones, Connor Wickham of Ipswich, Newcastle's Jose Enrique, Roma goalkeeper Doni, Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing.
Who might leave? Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Alberto Aquilani, Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen, David Ngog, Fabio Aurelio, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Danny Wilson, Emiliano Insua, Philipp Degen, Nabil El Zhar.
When are they back in action? Liverpool leave for their pre-season tour of China and Malaysia on Jul 10, with fixtures due on Jul 13 and, in Kuala Lumpur, on Jul 17.
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Manchester City
Priority for the summer? Adding quality to Roberto Mancini’s squad ahead of Champions League campaign.
How much is there to spend? If Carlos Tévez leaves, the budget could be as much as £100m. If he stays, then more likely to be £50m.
Who might arrive? Hopes of signing Udinese’s Alexis Sanchez are fading, so attentions have turned to Napoli trio Marek Hamsik, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi. Could rival United for Wesley Sneijder and, if they get encouragement, will test Arsenal’s resolve over Cesc Fabregas.
Who might leave? Plenty of dead wood to be shifted this summer. Wayne Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Shay Given, Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz, Felipe Caicedo and Jo can all go. Out of contract Patrick Vieira set to leave too.
When are they back in action? Return to training on Jul 4, then head to USA for three-game tour before taking part in Dublin tournament at end of July. Face Manchester United in Community Shield.
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FC Cunts
Priority for the summer? Replace the retired Edwin van der Sar and Paul Scholes and find a creative midfielder with an eye for goal.
How much is there to spend? £50-60 million
Who might arrive? Atlético Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea will replace Van der Sar, while Ashley Young’s arrival from Aston Villa is imminent. Expect one of Wesley Sneijder or Luka Modric to arrive.
Who might leave? Expect Tomasz Kuszczak to leave, with Wes Brown also likely to be moved on. Darron Gibson, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans and Gabriel Obertan could also go, while Nani could be used as bait to land Sneijder from Inter.
When are they back in action? Pre-season training starts on July 4, followed by a three-week, five-game tour of the United States between Jul 11-31. Paul Scholes testimonial, prior to Community Shield clash with Manchester City, complete the summer itinerary.
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Newcastle United
Priority for the summer? Filling the void left by Andy Carroll with a top-notch striker and preparing for life without the highly influential Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan to avoid slipping into the lower reaches of the Premier League.
How much is there to spend? Alan Pardew is adamant that he will be able to spend the �35 million generated by Carroll's move to Liverpool although Kevin Keegan thinks otherwise.
Who might arrive? French internationals Johan Cabaye and Kevin Gameiro, Toon old boy Charles N'Zogbia and Swansea's Neil Taylor as Newcastle seek to invest in up-and-coming talent.
Who might leave? Expect Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Jose Enrique and Nile Ranger to say their farewells when suitable offers are submitted but Hatem Ben Arfa and Dan Gosling will be back from long-term injuries.
When are they back in action? Pre-season preparations begin in earnest with a three-match tour of America that kicks off against Sporting Club Kansas on July 20
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Norwich City
Priority for the summer? There is but one – assembling a squad good enough to stay in the Premier League.
How much is there to spend? In theory tens of millions but the reality is that owner Delia Smith has been stung before financially and will therefore be nothing but cautious. And that will be no problem for manager Paul Lambert, who has propelled the Canaries up the divisions with little fuss.
Who might arrive? Brighton winger Elliott Bennett is close to a £1.5 million move and Leeds midfielder Bradley Johnson has also been lined up. Expect a couple of experienced defenders and a goalkeeper to be recruited as well.
Who might leave? Lambert will move on as many fringe men as possible but keep the key men who achieved promotion.
When are they back in action? On July 16 against non-league neighbours Gorleston. A training camp in Germany follows ahead of more testing friendlies against Crystal Palace, Southend, Coventry and Real Zaragoza.
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Queens Park Rangers
Priority for the summer? Keeping Adel Taarabt is paramount, then bolstering the squad with quality through loans or bargain buys. Neil Warnock, the QPR manager, needs a striker in particular but would ideally strengthen throughout.
How much is there to spend? Despite the wealth of the club’s shareholders, a budget of £10-15 million is expected to be spent on players. Limited in terms of wages on offer as well.
Who might arrive? Craig Mackail-Smith from Peterborough United, Kyle Naughton from Tottenham Hotspur. Wayne Routledge also impressed while on loan from Newcastle United last season.
Robbie Keane and Marco Materazzi have also been linked with moves. Matthew Upson is available on a free following relegation with West Ham United.
Who might leave? Eight have already been released, including Pascal Chimbonda and Gavin Mahon, while Danny Shittu is out of contract. Fringe players, such as Fitz Hall or Patrick Agyemang, may depart if Warnock fills his 25-man squad.
Taarabt has attracted interest is guaranteed regular football at Loftus Road.
When are they back in action? Pre-season trips to Cornwall and Italy scheduled. The first team start preparations with a clash arranged for July 15 at Harrow Borough before making the trip to Cornwall.
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Stoke City
Priority for the summer? Establishing a squad capable of making an impression in the Europa League and continuing the progress Stoke have made under Tony Pulis in the last three years.
Pulis, the manager, is acutely aware he will need to recruit more quality if he is to make any progress in Europe and will be provided with substantial funds by chairman Peter Coates.
How much is there to spend? Coates remains one of the most sensible chairmen in the Premier League and will pay big money for the right players, as he proved with the record signing of Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland last summer.
Who might arrive? Craig Bellamy (Manchester City), Carlton Cole (West Ham), Mark Noble (West Ham), Liam Ridgewell (Birmingham), Cameron Jerome (Birmingham).
Who might leave? Asmir Begovic, Thomas Sorensen, Danny Collins, Dean Whitehead, Michael Tonge, Tom Soares
When are they back in action? Return to training on July 7, fly out to an Austrian training camp on July 8.
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Sunderland
Priority for the summer? Winning over fans disenchanted by the big-money sales of big-hitters Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson with box-office signings
How much is there to spend? It remains unclear whether Steve Bruce will get to spend the �24 million created by Darren Bent's departure as owner Ellis Short tries to balance the books.
Who might arrive? Peter Crouch, Demba Ba and Roger Johnson are both in Steve Bruce's sights but the former seems unlikely to want to head to Wearside which means David Ngog could end up spearheading the attack while Keiren Westwood will arrive as a backup goalkeeper.
Who might leave? There has been talk on Wearside that combative Lee Cattermole could follow Jordan Henderson to Liverpool and that Asamoah Gyan is interesting Tottenham while Craig Gordon could be off once he recovers from knee surgery.
When are they back in action? They begin the warm-up for the new campaign with a visit to Conference side York City on Wednesday, July 13.
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Swansea City
Priority for the summer? From the moment the Swans won the play-off final, the priority was to find a centre forward to replace Chelsea loanee Fabio Borini. Danny Graham appears to be on his way to the Liberty Stadium having agreed personal terms.
A major boost for Brendan Rogers who will now turn his attention to a centre half – possibly Matt Mills of Reading – and a left back and central midfielder
How much is there to spend? It is less than six years since Swansea were struggling to pay the electric bill at the Vetch Field. So, don’t expect chairman Huw Jenkins to waste his money. Three or four major signings and a handful of loanees is likely to be the order of the day. The boss will get £10 million to invest on new faces with £3.5 already spent on Graham
Who might arrive? Danny Graham from Watford (£3.5), Vicente (free), Sergio Conales from Real Madrid (loan), David Vaughan from Blackpool (free), Chris Humphrey from Motherwell (£1m), Matt Mills from Reading (£2.5m), Leroy Lita from Middlesbrough (£1m)
Who might leave? Neil Taylor is bound for Newcastle and one or two fringe players like Craig Beattie are likely to follow/ Bolton Wanderers are also keen to sign midfielder Darren Pratley who spent much of last season on the bench at the Libert Stadium.
When are they back in action? First week in July. Pre season games yet to be confirmed
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Tottenham Hotspur
What is the priority for the summer? Reducing the size of the first-team squad, moving on several high-paid fringe players such as David Bentley, at least one new striker, central midfielder, central defender, right-back. Spurs also want to promote a number of young players.
How much is there to spend? Chairman Daniel Levy runs a tight ship. But money is there - £35m was bid for Guiseppe Rossi in January – although he will want to generate funds.
Who might arrive? Pablo Osvaldo, Leandro Damiao, Scott Parker. Brad Friedel has already signed.
Who might leave? David Bentley, Robbie Keane, Sebastien Bassong, Wilson Palacios, Alan Hutton, Heurelho Gomes…can they hold on to Luka Modric?
When are they back in action? Club travels to South Africa on July 16.
West Bromwich Albion
Priority for the summer? Retaining all the key members of the playing staff which performed so well will be high on Roy Hodgson and Chairman Jeremy Peace’s to-do list.
The former Fulham manager does not believe he needs to make wholesale changes to his squad, but he wants to improve and will attempt to do so with fine-tuning, rather than an influx of new faces.
How much is there to spend?
It is the question all managers ask Peace every summer and invariably the answer is “not very much.” Peace likes to run a tight ship and will not break the habit of a lifetime by sanctioning lavish spending. Last summer Albion spent less than £10m on their return to the Premier League. Expect more of the same.
Who might arrive? Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima will leave Belgian side Lierse this summer and his likely destination is the Hawthorns.
Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak may also be offered a return to his former club. Hodgson is keen to be reunited with several of his Fulham old-boys. Liverpool’s Paul Konchesky, Zoltan Gera and Andy Johnson are all potential targets.
Who might leave? Goalkeeper Scott Carson is attracting interest from Turkish clubs, while Peter Odemwingie’s excellent first season, following his arrival from Lokomotiv Moscow has generated envious glances from Juventus and Arsenal. Chris Brunt is another who enjoyed an impressive season in the Premier League and may have other offers.
When are they back in action? Warm-up campaign begins with a tour to the west coast of America on July 12.
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Wigan Athletic
Priority for the summer? With Premier League survival assured, Roberto Martinez must look to add experience and proven class to his promising – but very raw side. Keeping hold of the likes of James McCarthy will also be crucial.
How much is there to spend? Not a vast amount, though Dave Whelan has always made available what he can. Martinez will not expect a fortune around £10 million but whatever he does receive will be bolstered by funds raised through sales.
Who might arrive? Martinez would love to make Ali Al-Habsi's loan move from Bolton permanent, while he is also believed to be examining a move for Sheffield United’s Stephen Quinn. Mauro Boselli may yet return from loan at Genoa.
Who might leave? Martinez privately accepts that Charles N'Zogbia will go should his £12 million valuation be matched with Juventus, Liverpool and Newcastle interested. Antolin Alcaraz, Hugo Rodallega and James McCarthy would also be sold if a premium fee is offered.
When are they back in action? Martinez’s team visit Boston United on Jul 23 and Colwyn Bay a week later, while they are also scheduled to tour Denmark in pre-season.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
Priority for the summer? The first phase of Wolves’s £50 million development of Molineux has already started, with the Stan Cullis Stand demolished.
The new stand, however, will not be completed until the start of the 2012/13 campaign. On the field, Mick McCarthy will be desperate to keep prize assets including Matt Jarvis and Kevin Doyle.
How much is there to spend? McCarthy was given around £20 million last summer and all the signs are that Steve Morgan, the chairman, will be equally generous this time around. McCarthy has already seen a £5 million bid for Roger Johnson, the Birmingham defender, rejected.
Who might arrive? Roger Johnson (Birmingham), Shane Long (Reading), Matt Mills (Reading), Andy Lonergan (Preston), Luke Chambers (Nottingham Forest), Billy Sharp (Doncaster), Daniel Ayala (Liverpool).
Who might leave? Steven Fletcher, Richard Stearman, Nenad Milijas, Steven Mouyokolo
When are they back in action? Wolves return to pre-season training on June 28 before a tour of Ireland.
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