I'm going to try and keep the board updated with all the transfers that happen in this transfer window! (Note: I did say try, so if I miss any please add) :D

Hargreaves completes Man Utd move

England midfielder Owen Hargreaves has sealed his move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United.

The 26-year-old, who is believed to have cost about £17m, has signed a four-year deal with United.

"It has been a long time coming - it was probably the worst-kept secret in football," he told the club website.

"I think it's great to finally reach a positive conclusion. Especially after all the time and energy that has been put in from everyone involved."

Hargreaves praised Bayern following a decade with the German giants.


I don't have any concrete aims, but you have got to win everything at United

Owen Hargreaves

"I would never have thought that I would move to Germany," he said.

"I am very happy that Bayern gave me such an opportunity. I wish them all the best. The last 10 years were a dream."

The midfielder won four Bundesliga titles with the club as well as the 2001 Champions League and World Club Championship.

However, his final season with Bayern was plagued by injury and ended in disappointment as the Munich side finished fourth in the Bundesliga and missed out on Champions League qualification.

Hargreaves sat out four months of the season because of a broken leg and went on to play in only nine league games.

The England international said he was hoping his move to Old Trafford would provide him with more honours.

"I set lots of targets over the last decade and I have also fulfilled them. I expect that to continue," he added.

"A new era is starting for me now and I hope to achieve even more. I don't have any concrete aims but you have got to win everything at United."

Other Transfers that have gone through

After turning down West Ham, Charlton striker Darren Bent opts to move to Spurs for a club record fee of £16.5m

After eight years at Arsenal, Thierry Henry leaves the club to join Barcelona in a transfer worth £16.1m

Joey Barton completes a £5.8m move from Manchester City to Newcastle after agreeing a five-year deal

Wales striker Robert Earnshaw moves back to the Premiership after £3.5m secures his move from Norwich to Derby

Middlesbrough agree terms to sign Turkish international Tuncay Sanli from Fenerbahce, pending a medical

Birmingham agree a £2.65m deal to sign Scotland striker Garry O'Connor from Lokomotiv Moscow

Having only joined Reading in January, Greg Halford makes a surprise move to Sunderland for a fee that could total £3m

Middlesbrough sign Jeremie Aliadiere from Arsenal to fill the gap left by Newcastle-bound Mark Viduka

Newcastle sell Scott Parker to West Ham for £7m with the England midfielder signing a five-year deal

Former England Under-21 left-back Jlloyd Samuel agrees a four-year deal with Bolton as his Aston Villa contract expires

Bolton also raid Villa to clinch the £1m signing of former England midfielder Gavin McCann

Manchester United also announce a deal to bring 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder Anderson to Old Trafford

Sporting Lisbon winger Nani also looks to be on the move to Old Trafford as Man Utd seek to build on their league success

Titus Bramble is released by Newcastle and Antoine Sibierski rejects a new deal at the club, with both men joining Wigan

They are joined by former Chelsea and Birmingham defender Mario Melchiot who returns to England from Rennes

Chelsea's recent tradition of big-money buys ends with the free transfer of midfielder Steve Sidwell from Reading

The Blues also net the services of Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro from Bayern Munich without having to pay a fee

Bolton's out-of-contract Israel defender Tal Ben Haim also heads to Stamford Bridge after signing a four-year contract

Spurs give teenager Gareth Bale the chance of Premiership football in a move from Southampton worth up to £10m

Interesting thread, MJN: keep up the good work! :xmas5

However,

I don't know what your source was, but although Aliadière has signed for Boro, he hasn't been brought in as a direct replacement for Viduka: he's a totally different player & certainly not an out-and-out striker. Tuncay appears to be cast more in the Viduka mould - & he's passed his medical... ;)

You can blame the bbc sports news for that stiry! :D

Hoping the Villa have Reo Coker anytime now! :ph43r:

Gudjohnsen cool on Magpies link

Fabregas not keen on Real & Barca

Nani & Anderson seal Man Utd move

Garcia set to make Atletico move

Magpies hope to seal Geremi deal

Garcia seals Atletico Madrid move

Garcia has completed his return to Spain
Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia has joined Atletico Madrid on a three-year contract, as striker Fernando Torres moves in the opposite direction.

The 29-year-old Spain international is believed to have signed for a fee in the region of £4m.

Garcia joined Liverpool from Barcelona in 2004 and helped the Reds win the Champions League but has been out injured since January this year.

He has played 121 games in three years for Liverpool, scoring 30 goals.


Garcia ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during January's extraordinary 6-3 Carling Cup defeat by Arsenal at Anfield.

Birmingham sign winger De Ridder


De Ridder was a key player for Holland at the recent Under-21 Championships
Birmingham have signed Dutch winger Daniel de Ridder on a free transfer from Spanish side Celta Vigo.

Amsterdam-born De Ridder, 23, was out of contract with Vigo and has agreed a three-year-deal with Birmingham.

Blues boss Steve Bruce said: "He had a bit of a problem last season with an injury but he did very well for Holland in the European Championship.

"He can play left side, right side, through the middle and off the front. We're delighted he has joined us."


Bruce added: "He is very, very versatile and he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.

"We have beaten off a bit of competition, from his hometown club Ajax in particular, so it was great to get him."

De Ridder was a key player for Holland during their recent Uefa Under-21 Championship triumph.

He started his career with Ajax, making his debut as a 19-year-old, before moving to Vigo in 2005.

De Ridder is City's fifth signing of the summer so far after Fabrice Muamba, Stuart Parnaby, Garry O'Connor and Olivier Kapo.

Arsenal exit was easy - Aliadiere

Aliadiere started only 19 senior games for Arsenal
New Middlesbrough signing Jeremie Aliadiere has said that leaving Arsenal after seven years was not a difficult decision to make.

"I needed to play for a club where I am going to play every week and show what I can do," Aliadiere, 24, told BBC Radio Cleveland.

"Middlesbrough play how I like to play. This is a good challenge for me and a big opportunity."

Aliadiere started only 19 senior games for the Gunners, scoring nine goals.


The French forward was unvieled at a press conference on Tuesday and becomes Boro's third signing this summer after the arrival of Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli and England defender Jonathan Woodgate.

"I've only been here for two days, but the club has made a good impression on me. The lads have really welcomed me," said Aliadiere.

"At Arsenal I trained with the best player in the world in Thierry Henry. I've learnt a lot from him, and that is why I am here.

"I'm here to help the team achieve things."

Arsenal snap up striker Da Silva

Eduardo is Arsenal's first signing since the departure of Thierry Henry
Arsenal have swooped to sign Croatian international striker Eduardo da Silva from Dinamo Zagreb.

The 24-year-old, who scored against England in a Euro 2008 qualifier in October, has signed a four-year contract at the Emirates Stadium.

Dinamo president Mirko Barisic claims the fee amounts to £16.25m but BBC Sport understands it is around £7.5m.

"I am sad to leave," said Da Silva. "But I'm happy too, since Arsenal are one of the biggest clubs in the world."

Da Silva is the first signing for Arsenal since the departure of Thierry Henry to Barcelona in June.

"We are delighted to have signed Eduardo Da Silva," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website.

"He has great qualities and will integrate very well into our style of football.


"He is a very good finisher and although he is predominantly a striker, he is a very adaptable player.

"I have known about him for a while but his performances against us in last year's Champions League really showed what a dangerous player he is.

"Da Silva is a pacy, intelligent player. Also, he is hardworking and has a very good team ethic to his game."

Henry's move to Spain had left Arsenal with Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor as the only senior strikers at the club.

Nicklas Bendtner is poised to make his presence felt next season after spending the last campaign on loan at Birmingham in the Championship, and now Da Silva will also press for a place.

Da Silva moved from Brazil to Croatia at 15 and took nationality at 22. He has scored seven international goals.

He scored at the Emirates when Arsenal beat Dinamo Zagreb 5-1 on aggregate in last season's Champions League third qualifying round.

And he finished the Croatian season with a record 34 goals.

His deal was completed on Tuesday, subject to the receipt of a work permit.

Will you be doing the Championship as well as the Premiership :soccer or don't we matter?

Something tells me it'll be up to you & the supporters of other Championship teams to make a go of it on this thread, H...! :idea

Who are they again? :rofl

ALL Transfers - July 2007 :footieplayer

3 July 2007

Nicky Bailey [Barnet - Southend] £175,000
Craig Beattie [Celtic - West Brom] £1.25m
Julien Brellier [Hearts - Norwich] Free
Darrell Clarke [Hartlepool - Salisbury] Free
Danny Coyne [Burnley - Tranmere] Free
Daniel de Ridder [Celta Vigo - Birmingham] Free
Luis Garcia [Liverpool - Atletico Madrid] Undisclosed
Geremi [Chelsea - Newcastle] Free
Danny Guthrie [Liverpool - Bolton] Season-long loan
Olly James [Tranmere - Forest Green] Free
Richard Kingston [Antalyaspor - Birmingham] Free
Jack Obersteller [Millwall - Tranmere] Free
Clive Platt [MK Dons - Colchester] £300,000
Chris Porter [Oldham - Motherwell] Free
Lee Ridley [Scunthorpe - Cheltenham] Free
Mark Roberts [Northwich - Accrington] Tribunal
Jonathan Smith [Morecambe - Forest Green] Free
Lee Thorpe [unattached - Brentford]
Darren Ward [Crystal Palace - Wolves] Undisclosed
Dominik Werling [Sakaryaspor - Barnsley] Free
Mark Yeates [Tottenham - Colchester] Undisclosed
Reto Ziegler [Tottenham - Sampdoria] Undisclosed

2 July 2007

# Anderson [FC Porto - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Steve Basham [Oxford - Exeter] Free
Tommy Black [Crystal Palace - Southend] Free
Robert Burch [Tottenham - Sheff Wed] Free
Giles Coke [Mansfield - Northampton] Tribunal
Barry Conlon [ Mansfield - Bradford] Free
Alan Connell [Hereford - Brentford] Free
Darren Currie [Ipswich - Luton] Free
Richard Garcia [Colchester - Hull] Free
Lee Grant [Derby - Sheff Wed] Free
Richard Hinds [Scunthorpe - Sheff Wed] Free
Sam Hird [Leeds - Doncaster] Free
Tomasz Kuszczak [West Brom - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Shelton Martis [Hibernian - West Brom] £50,000
# Nani [Sporting Lisbon - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Gunnar Nielsen [BK Frem Copenhagen - Blackburn] Undisclosed
Craig Pead [Walsall - Brentford] Free
Maceo Rigters [NAC Breda - Blackburn] Undisclosed
Simon Rusk [Boston - Northwich] Free
Eduardo da Silva [Dinamo Zagreb - Arsenal] Undisclosed
Neil Sullivan [Leeds - Doncaster] Free
Richard Sutton [Crewe - Stafford] Free
Peter Thorne [Norwich - Bradford] Free
Gavin Ward [Tranmere - Chester] Free

# Combined transfer fee for Anderson and Nani was £30m

1 July 2007

Marciano Bruma [Sparta Rotterdam - Barnsley] Free
Mark Convery [York - Cambridge Utd] Free
Julien Faubert [Bordeaux - West Ham] £6.1m
Owen Hargreaves [Bayern M - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Rene Howe [Kettering - Peterborough] Undisclosed
Andy Johnson [Leicester - Barnsley] Free
Arturo Lupoli [Arsenal - Fiorentina] Free
Jamie McGuire [Cammell Laird - Droylsden] Free

:soccer

You don't say! ;) I think I'm the only one anyway. :eek Although I see MJNet has ferreted some out. :clap
Dominik Werling [Sakaryaspor - Barnsley] Free
Marciano Bruma [Sparta Rotterdam - Barnsley] Free
Andy Johnson [Leicester - Barnsley] Free
Do you think Barnsley ain't got any money to spend? :rofl Time for some of Barnsley's famous sons/daughters to put their hands in their pockets.

* I think there are a few more to add to the Tykes :wub: list: I shall check the web site, and yes, before anyone comes back with a smart remark, they do have one. :tongueout

** Still raining at :tennis otherwise I'd have better things to do. ;)

Im a bit behind!! :o

Right... er... blimey... where to start!!

Nigel Reo Coker moved to Aston Villa for 8.5 million. Thats the BIG news outta the way, now for the rest.


:footieplayer


Bellamy completes West Ham move

Bellamy fell down the pecking order at Liverpool

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed that Craig Bellamy has completed a move to West Ham.

The Hammers are reported to have paid £8m for the Wales international on a four-year deal for £75,000 a week.

Benitez also confirmed the Reds have made an offer to sign West Ham's Yossi Benayoun which has been turned down.

"Any move for Benayoun to join us from West Ham will not be linked with the Bellamy sale. We have made an offer which has been rejected," Benitez said.

The Spaniard is however confident of landing the Israel midfielder next week.

We want to sign Benayoun, and I believe he wants to join us

He added: "He is a player I like and would want to sign, and I believe he wants to join us, but that deal will be separate now. We will have to wait and see what happens now next week."

West Ham had attempted to use Benayoun as a straight swap for Bellamy, but Liverpool consider him to be worth around £3.5m, and that offer has been rejected by the Hammers.

Bellamy has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield following boss Rafael Benitez's summer signings of Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin.

The Wales captain joined Liverpool from Blackburn for £6m in June 2006.

After starting his career with Norwich City, he has also had stints with Coventry City, Newcastle United, plus a loan spell at Celtic.

Bellamy scored nine goals in 42 appearances for the Reds.

But the addition of £20m signing Torres this week means Liverpool have five senior strikers on their books - with Bellamy, Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt and fellow new-boy Voronin making up the total.

6 July 2007

Pawel Abbott [Swansea - Darlington] £100,000
Leon Best [Southampton - Coventry] Tribunal
Gary Borrowdale [Crystal Palace - Coventry] Tribunal
Dorus De Vries [Dunfermline - Swansea City] Free
Freddy Eastwood [Southend - Wolves] £1.5m
Geremi [Chelsea - Newcastle] Free
Jerahl Hughes [Crystal Palace - Yeovil] Free
Michael Hughes [Crystal Palace - Coventry] Free
Shaun Newton [West Ham - Leicester] Free
Michael Oakes [Wolves - Cardiff] Free Lloyd Owusu [Brentford - Yeovil] Free
Rafael Schmitz [Lille - Birmingham] Season-long loan
Philip Turnbull [Hartlepool - York] Free
Andriy Voronin [Bayer Leverkusen - Liverpool] Free
Boudewijn Zenden [Liverpool - Marseille] Free

5 July 2007

Mark Allott [Chesterfield - Oldham] Undisclosed
Anthony Charles [Barnet - Aldershot] Free
Kieran Charnock [Northwich - Peterborough] Undisclosed
Paris Cowan-Hall [Rushden & Diamonds - Portsmouth] Undisclosed
Frederic Daquin [Dunfermline - Dundee] Free
Chris Davis [Shortwood Utd - Forest Green] Non-contract
Steven Davis [Aston Villa - Fulham] Undisclosed
Michael Flynn [Gillingham - Blackpool] Free
Paddy Gamble [Nott'm Forest - Stalybridge] Loan
Luke Guttridge [Leyton Orient - Colchester] Free
John Hills [Sheffield Wednesday - Blackpool] Free
Joe Jacobson [Cardiff - Bristol Rovers] Free
Younes Kaboul [Auxerre - Tottenham] Undisclosed
Matt Lockwood [Leyton Orient - Nott'm Forest] Undisclosed
Arnold Mvuemba [Rennes - Portsmouth] Undisclosed
Gary Naysmith [Everton - Sheffield United] £1m
Kevin Nicholls [Leeds - Preston] Undisclosed
Curtis Osano [Reading - Rushden & Diamonds] Work experience
Shane Paul [Cheltenham - Halesowen] Free
Nigel Reo-Coker [West Ham - Aston Villa] £8.5m
Callum Reynolds [Rushden & Diamonds - Portsmouth] Undisclosed
Lloyd Skinner [Brighton - Burgess Hill] Loan
Ryan Smith [Derby - Millwall] £150,000
Sean Thornton [Doncaster - Leyton Orient] Free
Gary Twigg [Airdrie Utd - Oxford Utd] Free
Ben Watson [Bognor Regis - Grays] Free
Andy Williams [Hereford - Bristol Rovers] Tribunal
Chris Winterton [Brighton - Burgess Hill] Loan

4 July 2007

Karl Broadhurst [Bournemouth - Hereford] Free
Jonathan Forte [Sheff Utd - Scunthorpe] Free
Jonathan Hayes [Reading - Leicester] Free
Jeff Hughes [Lincoln - Crystal Palace] Undisclosed
Phil Jagielka [Sheffield Utd - Everton] £4m
John McCombe [Huddersfield - Hereford] Free
Scott McNiven [Unattached - Farsley Celtic] Free
David Marshall [Celtic - Norwich] Undisclosed
Tyrone Mears [West Ham - Derby County] £1m
Martin Paterson [Stoke - Scunthorpe] Tribunal
Russell Perrett [Luton - Bournemouth] Free
Teddy Sheringham [unattached - Colchester]
Jake Sedemore [Kidderminster - Altrincham] Free
Kris Taylor [Walsall - Hereford] Free
Svetoslav Todorov [Portsmouth - Charlton] Free
Fernando Torres [Atletico Madrid - Liverpool] Undisclosed
Nicky Weaver [Man City - Charlton] Free
Richie Wellens [Oldham - Doncaster] Free
Myles Weston [Charlton - Notts County] Free
Mark Wilberforce [Scarborough - Farsley Celtic] Free
Richard Wright [Everton - West Ham] Free

3 July 2007

Nicky Bailey [Barnet - Southend] £175,000
Craig Beattie [Celtic - West Brom] £1.25m
Julien Brellier [Hearts - Norwich] Free
Darrell Clarke [Hartlepool - Salisbury] Free
Danny Coyne [Burnley - Tranmere] Free
Daniel de Ridder [Celta Vigo - Birmingham] Free
Luis Garcia [Liverpool - Atletico Madrid] Undisclosed
Geremi [Chelsea - Newcastle] Free
Danny Guthrie [Liverpool - Bolton] Season-long loan
Olly James [Tranmere - Forest Green] Free
Richard Kingston [Antalyaspor - Birmingham] Free
Michael Leary [Luton - Barnet] Free
Jack Obersteller [Millwall - Tranmere] Free
Clive Platt [MK Dons - Colchester] £300,000
Chris Porter [Oldham - Motherwell] Free
Lee Ridley [Scunthorpe - Cheltenham] Free
Mark Roberts [Northwich - Accrington] Tribunal
Jonathan Smith [Morecambe - Forest Green] Free
Lee Thorpe [unattached - Brentford]
Darren Ward [Crystal Palace - Wolves] Undisclosed
Dominik Werling [Sakaryaspor - Barnsley] Free
Mark Yeates [Tottenham - Colchester] Undisclosed
Reto Ziegler [Tottenham - Sampdoria] Undisclosed

2 July 2007

# Anderson [FC Porto - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Steve Basham [Oxford - Exeter] Free
Tommy Black [Crystal Palace - Southend] Free
Robert Burch [Tottenham - Sheff Wed] Free
Giles Coke [Mansfield - Northampton] Tribunal
Barry Conlon [ Mansfield - Bradford] Free
Alan Connell [Hereford - Brentford] Free
Darren Currie [Ipswich - Luton] Free
Richard Garcia [Colchester - Hull] Free
Lee Grant [Derby - Sheff Wed] Free
Richard Hinds [Scunthorpe - Sheff Wed] Free
Sam Hird [Leeds - Doncaster] Free
Tomasz Kuszczak [West Brom - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Shelton Martis [Hibernian - West Brom] £50,000
# Nani [Sporting Lisbon - Man Utd] Undisclosed
Gunnar Nielsen [BK Frem Copenhagen - Blackburn] Undisclosed
Craig Pead [Walsall - Brentford] Free
Maceo Rigters [NAC Breda - Blackburn] Undisclosed
Simon Rusk [Boston - Northwich] Free
Eduardo da Silva [Dinamo Zagreb - Arsenal] Undisclosed
Neil Sullivan [Leeds - Doncaster] Free
Richard Sutton [Crewe - Stafford] Free
Peter Thorne [Norwich - Bradford] Free
Gavin Ward [Tranmere - Chester] Free

# Combined transfer fee for Anderson and Nani was £30m

9 July 2007

Matthew Connolly [Arsenal - Colchester] Loan
Ryan Crowther [Stockport - Liverpool] Undisclosed
Danny Granville [Crystal Palace - Colchester] Free
Tommy Mooney [Wycombe - Walsall] Free
Kelly Youga [Charlton - Scunthorpe] Loan

Liverpool complete Babel transfer


Liverpool have completed the signing of Ajax's Ryan Babel in an £11.5m deal.

The 20-year-old Dutch striker has agreed a five-year contract as Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez continues a major overhaul of his squad.

"I listened to them and I got a great feeling about the club," said Babel. "I have made my choice with my heart and the coach has big plans for me."

Yossi Benayoun, a reported £5m signing from West Ham, was also unveiled by Liverpool on Friday.

Babel admitted it was a tough decision to leave Ajax, where he made his debut aged 17 in 2004 and scored five goals in 27 Eredivisie matches last season.

He said: "I have met Rafael Benitez and my conversation with him was the moment I knew the deal would get done.

"He is like the ideal father-in-law. He has a lot of football know-how and he told me that I would be challenging with six other players for four positions. I have a good feeling about things.

"I met Dirk Kuyt at training, who I knew from the national team. At that moment he did not feel like a rival but I suppose that is what will happen.

"It was very important how the coach spoke to me, how I would fit in his team. After that conversation I knew it was the right decision."

Babel was a member of the Dutch team that won the European Under-21 Championship in June and he has been capped 14 times by the full Dutch team.

Liverpool manager Benitez has also signed forwards Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin this summer.

13 July 2007

Ryan Babel [Ajax - Liverpool] £11.5m
Rolando Bianchi [Reggina - Manchester City] £8.8m
Stephen Clemence [Birmingham - Leicester] £1m
Michael Chopra [Cardiff - Sunderland] £5m
Graham Coughlan [Sheff Wed - Rotherham] Free
Paul Konchesky [West Ham - Fulham] £3.25m

12 July 2007

Chris Baird [Southampton - Fulham] £3.025m
Carl Baker [Southport - Morecambe] Undisclosed
Khalid Boulahrouz [Chelsea - Sevilla] Season-long loan
Yossi Benayoun [West Ham - Liverpool] Undisclosed
Ernie Cooksey [Boston - Grays Athletic] Free
Michael Chopra [Cardiff City - Sunderland] £5m
Adam Hammill [Liverpool - Southampton] Loan
Gary Holt [Nottingham Forest - Wycombe] Free
Andy Lindegaard [Yeovil - Cheltenham] Free
Michael McIndoe [Wolves - Bristol City] Undisclosed
Simon Royce [QPR - Gillingham] Free
Bacary Sagna [Auxerre - Arsenal] Undisclosed

11 July 2007

Chris Blackburn [Morecambe - Swindon] Free
Miguel Comminges [Reims - Swindon] Free
Harry Forrester [Watford - Aston Villa] Undisclosed
Emil Hallfredsson [Tottenham - Lyn-Oslo] Undisclosed
Michael Husbands [Port Vale - Macclesfield] Free
Lee McCulloch [Wigan - Rangers] £2.25m
Alex Meechan [Chester City - York City] Free
David Nugent [Preston - Portsmouth] Undisclosed
David Strihavka [Banik Ostrava - Norwich] Undisclosed
John Utaka [Rennes - Portsmouth] Undisclosed

10 July 2007

Craig Bellamy [Liverpool - West Ham] £7.5m
Marc Bircham [QPR - Yeovil] Free
Graham Branch [Burnley - Accrington] Free
Stephen Crainey [Leeds - Blackpool] Free
Julian Gray [Birmingham - Coventry] Free
Jason Koumas [West Brom - Wigan] £5.3m
Florent Malouda [Lyon - Chelsea] Undisclosed
David Pipe [Notts County - Bristol Rovers] £50,000
Michael Ricketts [Preston - Oldham] Free
Trevor Sinclair [Manchester City - Cardiff] Free
Efe Sodje [Southend - Gillingham] Free
Gary Taylor-Fletcher [Huddersfield - Blackpool] Undisclosed
Paolo Vernazza [Dagenham - Weymouth] Free
Steve Watson [West Brom - Sheffield Wednesday]Free
Glenn Wilson [Rushden and Diamonds - Crawley Town] Free Michael Welch [Accrington - Northwich Victoria] Free

This one's bang up to date! ;)

Gareth in new swoop

21st July 2007

Evening Gazette

GARETH Southgate’s search for a right-back is poised to bear fruit after agreeing a £2.5m fee with Charlton for Luke Young. Southgate has been keen to shore up the right side of Boro’s defence since the departures of Stuart Parnaby and Abel Xavier at the end of last season and is now set to fill the gap with the addition of Young. The 28-year-old will undergo a medical over the weekend before becoming Southgate’s fourth summer capture after snaring Jonathan Woodgate, Jeremie Aliadiere and Tuncay Sanli. Former England international Young will bring a wealth of experience to Boro after making 200 appearances for the Addicks, who he joined from Tottenham in a £4m deal in 2001.

Charlton boss Alan Pardew revealed that he would not prevent Young from signing for a Premiership club and the player is setting his sights on a return to the England fold with a fresh start back in the top flight. “I’ve got a lot of time for Luke and I appreciate he wants to play in the Premier League,” said Pardew. “If a decent club came in for him and I thought the fee was right, I would not stand in his way.”

Southgate’s summer spending will not end with Young’s arrival and he said he is making every effort to bring in more new faces ahead of the start of the new campaign. “There are other targets that we are looking to get and I’m sure that come the start of the season we will have strengthened the side even more,” he said. “There is lots of money being spent this summer but it doesn’t matter how much you spend, it’s how you spend it wisely. We will only know over the course of the season whether teams have spent their money wisely. Certainly, for our fans, I think they have to realise that we know what we want to do and who we want to bring in and it takes time to get those targets, but we are steadily progressing to where we want to be.”

All done and dusted! :hat

Young makes Middlesbrough switch

Young told Charlton he wanted to stay in the Premier League
Luke Young has completed his £2.5m move to Middlesbrough from Charlton.
The 28-year-old England right-back will be presented at a news conference on Friday after signing a four-year deal.

Young left Charlton with manager Alan Pardew's blessing after making more than 200 appearances for the Addicks before their relegation last season.

Pardew said: "I've got a lot of time for Luke and I appreciate he wants to play in the Premier League. There is no bad feeling."

Charlton paid Tottenham £3m for Young in 2001 and he went on to become a key player for the Addicks.

He made his international debut in a friendly against the USA in 2005 and now has seven caps.

Young, Boro's fourth summer signing, will link up with England colleague Jonathan Woodgate in Boro's defence this season.

Not sure how much good this is going to do Boro. God knows, though, they desperately need someone who can stick the ball in the back of the net...:

Middlesbrough finalise Mido move

Egyptian striker, Mido, has joined Middlesbrough from Spurs in a £6m move. The 24-year-old forward has signed a four-year contract with Boro after agreeing terms and passing a medical. Boro, who have lost their first two league games, have gained a work permit for Mido, who is in the squad for Saturday's game against Fulham.

"I played against him as a player and he always impressed me" said Boro boss Gareth Southgate. "He's got good technical ability - he's a goalscorer." Southgate added: "When you've got one of the best crossers of the ball in the league in Stewart Downing, you want someone like Mido who can head the ball."

Sunderland and Birmingham had also expressed an interest in Mido, who had fallen further down the pecking order at Spurs with the arrival of Darren Bent in a £16.5m move from Charlton this summer. Birmingham tried to revive a deal for Mido after their initial efforts failed in July because of stipulations in the contract. Sunderland manager Roy Keane may now opt to turn his attentions towards his former Manchester United team-mate, Andy Cole.

Mido, who has also played for Ajax, Marseille and Celta Vigo, joined Tottenham on loan from Italian Serie A side, Roma. He scored 11 goals in 27 league starts during the 18-month loan spell, prompting Spurs to make the move permanent.

Just in time

by Adam Steel, Evening Gazette

BORO overcame a late contract hitch to sign £5m midfielder Gary O’Neil just minutes before the transfer window slammed shut. The move for the Portsmouth man looked close to collapse as news broke at 8pm that he had failed his stringent medical at Boro’s Hurworth HQ. An MRI scan had revealed a minor problem related to a successful ankle operation O’Neil had earlier in the summer. “There were one or two minor medical problems,” admitted Pompey chief Peter Storrie.

But Boro and Pompey chiefs, and O’Neil’s agent, Johnny Mack, worked against the clock to renegotiate the deal and boss Gareth Southgate was able to confirm it had been completed as he left the building just before midnight. “I’m chuffed,” said the boss. “There was a slight problem but it has been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction.” Boro are believed to have restructured the four-year deal with a smaller fee in the region of £2.5m up front with the rest tied to appearances.

“I’m just glad it was all sorted out,” said O’Neil after signing. “Gareth Southgate has been brilliant. Coming to Middlesbrough is a big step forward and a big challenge for me. Obviously I can’t play against Birmingham, but then there are a few weeks to get to know the lads. I’m raring to go.”

Southgate will have hoped to have now finally solved his problem on the right. The Boro boss has been after O’Neil since he took the job. “He absolutely fits the type of person I want to bring into the club,” said Southgate. “He is experienced, even though he is 24, and someone I asked about this time last year. He became available for various reasons at Portsmouth and he is somebody I’ve been an admirer of for a long time. He is the right age for us, he has got talent. He is fit and brings energy and pace. He scores goals from midfield and is a good professional who has captained the side down there for a long period. “We are bringing in a few characters and leaders now.” O’Neil is set to make his debut at West Ham in a fortnight.

Boro also wrapped up a deal for Mohamed Shawky after the Egyptian midfielder sealed a £650,000 switch from Al Ahly. But Southgate decided against a swoop for another striker after showing interest in Georgios Samaras and Shola Ameobi, of Manchester City and Newcastle respectively. “The deals that we’ve done are the ones we wanted to do and I’m delighted with the investments we’ve made” he said. “I’ve had great backing from the chairman and obviously, we’ve tried to balance the books a bit as well, with a couple of players going out. So I think that there is a real improvement in the team. We’ve got real competition for places in most positions and that’s important. I know that long term the people that we’ve brought in will make this club much stronger.”

Southgate said he has had time to follow a more focused path in the transfer market than when he took the job. “I had a much clearer picture of what was needed this year and what we wanted to do and we’ve had to be patient to do most of it,” he said. “There is always the odd thunderbolt thrown in like the situation, with Yakubu joining Everton that is unexpected in terms of the timing of it. But management of any organisation is about dealing with knock-backs and setbacks and dealing with the unexpected and striding on to the long-term target.”

Southgate wished Jason Euell well, with the Jamaican international forward signing a two-year deal at Southampton after being told he was no longer in first-team plans. “He was a great character in the dressing room,” said Southgate. “We needed that sort of leadership and maturity at the time and I’m really grateful for what he did but it was important we gave him the opportunity to move on and organise the next couple of years of his career.”

Boro will continue to monitor former Everton full-back Alessandro Pistone. The Italian, on trial at Boro, is a free agent so can be signed outside of the transfer window.

Thank you for keeping this thread going in my absence. :soccer

Just heard Gary Cahill as gone on loan to Sheffield United.

Long time no see! :D

Valencia striker David Villa is poised to reject a move to Chelsea in favour of Arsenal. (The Sun)

West Ham face a battle with Plymouth and Manchester City for 20-year-old Barnet midfielder Albert Adomah. (Daily Mirror)

Welsh winger David Cotterill is likely to join Sheffield United after being told he can leave Wigan. (The Sun)

Newcastle defensive target Carlos Cuellar has insisted that he wants to stay at Rangers to "win trophies" but the Magpies are also looking at Derby midfielder Giles Barnes and Cardiff midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 17. (Daily Mirror)

Everton manager David Moyes hopes his American connections will give him the edge in the race to sign United States midfielder Michael Bradley, who plays for Dutch club Heerenveen. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is set to give Avram Grant a £100m summer transfer kitty, despite the Blues manager coming under fire from fans following Monday's draw with Wigan. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has vowed to spend in the summer, saying he is unafraid to pay big money for players he thinks are worth it. (Daily Star)

Derby look set to dump striker Robert Earnshaw and that could see him return to Cardiff. (The Sun)

Crystal Palace will bid £1m for Leeds striker Jermain Beckford in the new transfer window. (Various)

Wigan, Sunderland and Bolton are locked in a battle to sign Coventry youngsters Dan Fox and Scott Dann. (Daily Star)

Arsenal and Chelsea fear they could miss out on Villarreal defender Martin Caceres after Real Madrid opened talks with him. (Daily Mail)

The Gunners are also on the trail of Guimaraes' Algeria striker Kamel Ghilas. (Daily Mail)

Chris Innes has turned down the chance of signing for MLS side New York Bulls. (Daily Express)

Indeed! :eek Welcome back, MJN! :party

And according to London Lite, one of the London evening freebies yesterday, Spurs are keeping tabs on him, too!

There's a great long list of players likely to be on the move from Chelski in the summer, if a report in yesterday’s Times (subsequently confirmed in the evening freebies) on what it described as an Abramovich “fire sale” is to be believed: Steve Sidwell, Sheva, Tal Ben-Haim & Claudio Pizarro have apparently been told they can go (Ben-Haim is even quoted as saying he signed from Bolton last summer because of Mourinho & if he’d known Grant was going to take over, he’d have gone elsewhere!), while there are “question marks” over SWP, Carlo Cudicini, Florent Malouda & Juliano Belletti. The list goes on, but it then gets to the point where it’s difficult to tell fact from fiction…! :rofl

Frankly, I couldn't give a tinker's. I dislike Mourinho intensely, but he oozed personality, whereas Grant, as I remarked on the footie thread a while ago, has about as much as a piece of wet fish & he's clueless, so as far as I'm concerned, he deserves everything he has coming to him! :innocent :guns