Village Idiot

Doesn't look like you're signing old players, but there is a list of free transfers in Marca today, with some decent names: Vicente M. Diarra Hargreaves Legrottaglie Tamudo Asier Del Horno Oleguer Jarosik Could do worse than Diarra if you need cover for Tiote. Some other experienced backups in that list.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/08/01/2599849/manchester-citys-mario-balotelli-admits-he-is-unhappy-in-england-

We are now European champions at senior, U21 and U19 level

You'll probably resort to a loan or two, I'd imagine.

Just seen that Víctor Vázquez ended up in Club Brugge and has scored on his league debut. He should be a star in that league.

I have never considered Barton a grafter at all. I think people tend to get carried away by his aggressive personality and apply it to his style as a footballer, plus the odd flying tackle, but he's never been a ball-winning player. His strengths lie elsewhere.

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Jeffren to Sporting CP for €5m, confirmed.

2-3 Another one in the bag.

Class indeed. Messi and Romário turned up at a charity match in the other day, playing uptop together. There are some highlights around the web. What are the search keywords ? "Messi Romario" worked for me.

And Paul Scholes.

I really doubt that the appearance fees of two players make that much of a difference for even the lowliest clubs, when you are already paying 16 players in the squad. And if they do, the club's fucked up already, 5 subs or 7.

Yes, one. He also scored at least four during the warm-up shootout. Gotta add those too.

Class indeed. Messi and Romário turned up at a charity match in the other day, playing uptop together. There are some highlights around the web.

1 Barcelona 1,522,913 80,153 2 Real Madrid 1,344,000 70,736 3 Atlético Madrid 849,000 44,684 4 Valencia 790,395 41,599 5 Sevilla FC 684,000 36,000 6 Athletic Bilbao 680,500 35,815 7 Espanyol 527,000 27,736 8 Real Zaragoza 467,000 25,944 9 Real Sociedad 480,500 25,289 10 Málaga 457,500 24,078 11 Deportivo La Coruña 427,000 22,473 12 Hercules 410,500 21,605 13 Sporting Gijon 391,500 20,605 14 Villarreal 353,500 18,605 15 Osasuna 323,000 17,000 16 Levante 311,000 16,368 17 Racing Santander 309,000 16,263 18 Mallorca 269,500 14,184 19 Almeria 230,500 12,131 20 Getafe 211,500 11,131 Maybe when I have time I'll calculate the % compared to stadium capacity. Surprisingly, Madrid's attendance has fallen by a few thousand since Florentino came back, despise ushering the neo-Galáctico era.

Really? that seems cheap for a player like Diarra. They want rid that bad? He barely played last season, Mou doesn't fancy him. He's been training away from the squad so they want rid bad. I'm with Mou on this actually, Lass is overrated, one of these players that people love because he runs a lot and puts a bunch of "hero tackles" but he's actually always losing his position on the pitch and compromising the shape of the team.

Madrid would laugh all the way to the bank if you gave them €12m for Lass.

http://s4.as.com/prom/201107/pro_photo1312131219.jpg

I can't really see Real Madrid getting rid of Benzema/Higuaín this window. Agreeing to buy a player in two years is also a pretty weird deal. Player values might change wildly, or they could no longer need him. Doesn't make much sense really. The Lass part I can see though, RM have quite a bit of deadwood to get rid of.

What a goal by Monreal (probably he didn't mean that). Seems he injured himself scoring it though.

Aye, compare group G to group I. Belorrusia/Finland/Georga will be cursing their luck.

Yes. Some people talk about CL but I don't think they'll be there just yet. Too many good teams (Valencia, Atlético, Sevilla, Villarreal) competing for two places. They have accrued €60m-ish net spending this summer, beating both Barça and Madrid so far. Not sure how they'll meet the FFP when they start getting enforced. Although it looks they'll build a new stadium which will come with some hefty naming rights sponsorship.

Sorry, should have explained better. Mascherano took a pay cut regarding the wages in our pay scale, not Liverpool's. And Cesc will do the same, not regarding the wages he is receiving at Arsenal (that said, he's not on much less money to what we pay to our starting CMs). This still reduces the financial cost of the whole signing, which enables us to use that wage money in the transfer fee. Di María did that for Real Madrid too.

Man, Málaga are playing great, Cazorla pulling the strings and unlucky to not have scored yet. They'll be great to watch this season.

I love the dude because he's a legend for us, but how come biggish clubs still employ Ronald Koeman? He's been a complete failure in pretty much every team he's managed, alienating players left and centre.