Every year, once the season ends, the rumors really start buzzing around our heads like a dark swarm of thirsty mosquitoes. And where we should wisely swat the nasty beasts away, the depth of our summer football boredom makes us strip off our shirts, hold out our arms, and beg them to land. Give us something tangible, we ask them. But it is too early to bite, they insist.
I get sucked into it every season. This past month the inevitable buzzings over David Villa and Frank Ribéry really got me going. Imagine one of them in England? Or David Silva? Or Maxi Rodriguez? Who’s this Benzema dude? I know I know the name… IS ANYBODY GOING TO PRY ETO’O AWAY FROM BARCA EVER??
So my mind fills up with vague wisps of possibility.
But here we are, the transfer window opens. Rumors can start congealing. The flies can start landing.
Between now and the 31st of August, clubs will go from being linked to the most elusive players to really going after them. But will any of this talk turn into big name signings? We know deals have already been made, Barry, Valencia, Santa Cruz, Johnson… but who’s coming to England dammit?? I want some big continental guns to set foot in our league.
Will the market please make up it’s mind?
I have this feeling most of the links to these big names, these proven international stars are going to fizzle out. I can see Liverpool snagging a Valencia player, but not Villa. Maybe David Silva or Juan Mota (the other two of his countrymen Fernando Torres named as good Anfield targets after Spain’s 35-match unbeaten streak). I can see Ribéry staying put.
Though I’m still waiting for the rumors to start sticking to the ground, I have this feeling more of less proven players will be coming our way.Bigger gambles on players who have shown glimpses of brilliance in international matches worked fairly well in the last couple of windows. Looking for the next star. In these tough economic times spending £12m on a potential star and hoping he exlodes into being seems the route to ride for English clubs. Raiding the Russian league has already shown promise through the likes of Skrtel, Pavlyuchenko and Arshavin. Are there more gems hiding out at CSKA Moscow? At Zenit St Petersburg? Or will anyone go after some of the South African players who put up a great fight in the Confederations Cup? Will more sides follow Fulham’s lead of luring cheap Americans to England?
I’m still holding out hope for some fresh talent from Spain. Clubs like Valencia and Atlético Madrid are looking for funds. Valencia are in outright financial distress. Atlético are rumored to be hungry for cash to scoop up a new attacking midfielder. There’s plenty of talent to pillage. Go get ’em, gaffers.
In the end I’m just ready for something. Anything. I’ll take aging strikers on their way out. Diminutive midfielders who will crash against English defenses. Drunken, blind goalkeepers. Okay. Not really. But I’m eager for these rumor-insects to stop their buzzing. Land on something, you filthy beasts: sink those teeth in!
