Is this a joke?

Hull City have been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo.
The Barclays Premier League club have failed to land a number of strikers and are now ready to fight the likes of Roma in a bid to sign the 23-year-old Spaniard, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
The paper, which has well-placed sources at the Bernabeu, says Hull have made a ‘firm offer’ for Negredo which would include a buyback clause for the Spanish giants.

White hot: Alvaro Negredo plays against DC United on Real Madrid’s US tour
Real sold the player to Almeria last summer but brought him back on a similar buyback option for £4.25m purely with objective of selling him on at a higher price following an impressive season that saw him score 19 in 35 appearances. (Daily Mail)

So the Real Madrid man who at one time was touted as a potential partner for Fernando Torres could well be on his way to the KC Stadium, although the source below reckons Zenit St Petersburg could well be in for the striker, even though the Russian club have just sacked their boss.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is set to miss out on Real Madrid forward Alvaro Negredo after Zenit St Petersburg came in with a 15 million euro bid for the player nicknamed the ‘Beast of Vallecas.’ Spanish newspaper AS are reporting that an offer has been made with the Russian club willing to pay Negredo 3.5 million euros a year. (Sport.co.uk)

So Hull City can afford to bid for a £13m rated player even though they haven’t received a penny from player sales in two seasons and yet we are seemingly unable to buy unless we sell, how did this happen?

Let me make it perfectly clear. I am a big fan of Rafa and believe he knows what he is doing but I have some very big concerns that Tom Hicks and George Gillett are going to bleed the club dry and then leave setting the club back big time in the process!

Don’t forget to check out Online Football Manager!