Zero

seconded, but seems like Newcastle didn't fancy Italians?

8m + Emre is a good business, and if that's the end of Duff it's even better. However I wonder how expected to sign within 2 weeks=almost done.

Nah, I think it is intentional. With Everton and Aston Villa rising as their major contenders for the UEFA spot as well as potential top 4 teams, it is a good strategy to strengthen the squad by preventing other team from getting these promising stars, so that, say, Newcastle, would not threaten them in the next season. Wouldn't surprise me if Arda Turan is also being watched by Spurs. A very disgusting strategy though, I wonder how Ashley feel now.

Mario Gomez is even harder to sign then Veloso/Modric. One of the hottest prospect in the world and would easily cost over 25m. I don't think this will happen, or I don't want to. We couldn't afford to gamble so many money on just 1 star...and who is a bit injury prone.

Any possible acquisition from the Parma squad? Dessena?

Too good to be true.

Exactly, and that's the only worriness I have for Kazenga at this moment. This boy, even in the worst case, will be another Chopra, which in my opinion isn't quite bad as a youth product. Not fast enough to be a winger, better than Milner though. Personally I would like him to replace Emre in the first team and save us 60k ppw.

Technically very good which seems like his brother taught him something before, good vision and teamworking, I would have no problem to blood him next season because he is really excellent as a 17 years old player. However he probably couldn't make it because of lack of physical strength --- even worse than his brother. He isn't that fast too.

I think the reason why so many youngsters failed is because our first team coaches are too shit. It seems like they all progress well in reserves but they couldn't step over to the next level and make contributions in the first team. Together with the lack of improvement on some of our so called young prospects before (Dyer, Bramble), I do think it's the coaches that should be blamed, not the boys.

unless they bid 12m for Milner, which is impossible.

Top 4....should be Liverpool then.

Zarate doesn't worth more than 8m. Spend the money on Gomis first. He is a useful squad player but shouldn't be our main target this summer.

The news of departure of Smith is even better than the signing of Ronaldinho.

To be honest we need both of them. Wouldn't mind a 30m double swoop

I do think he can be the left back understudy for Enrique and save us some money this summer.

I think the answer is simple --- he doesn't look like a star.

Birmingham is the best example of how board changes can ruin a club.

So now which team qualifies through fair play?

to be honest 7m is a very tricky price, which makes the rumour sounds real.

Bernard again. Good riddence.

Errr....is that we still have a chance of making Intertoto if we got 2 yellow cards less than Man City?

Have a try on Carroll and Gomis then.

For the best of Newcastle, we should buy a top-quality CB and let Faye play as a midfielder. Faye is actually a top quality defensive midfielder but, unfortunately, just a decent CB.

tbh I think Smith is a bigger flop than Luque.

I would rather bet on a gem recognized by Wenger than pay Zoggy + 6m for a player that's proved to be very bad in positioning and regarded as a weakness in Arsenal's squad. Diaby is a good player but his positioning is really bad. It's like you can only play him in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation, on a free role like Geremi. It would be a disaster to put him into Butt's role. Zoggy + 6m for an upgraded Geremi? Doesn't worth it tbh. I would rather have Bendtner or even Merida. We need either a top class defensive midfielder to replace Butt, or a top class creative midfielder like van der Vaart to lead the midfield. Diaby is neither one of them.