The Premiership transfer window is full of nonsense, but some nonsense is more interesting that the other nonsense. Here’s our thoughts on some of that more interesting nonsense… if you have any thoughts, pop em in the comments.
The Ashley Young saga rumbles on with Watford accepting Villa’s £8 million rising to £ 9.65 million offer.
CaughtOffside Says: We all know Young wants a move to Spurs, so it all depends which comes fastest: Martin Jol making a decent offer or February 1st. If it’s the latter then Young may be tempted to wear claret and blue as the deadline approaches. It should allow Martin O’Neill to get back to the 4-3-3 that worked so well until Luke Moore got injured, a nice deal for Villa if they’re adopting Chelsea’s “price is no object” approach.
Celta Vigo are eyeing up Mido
CaughtOffside Says: This could be the move that frees up enough room for Spurs to make a decent Ashley Young bid, which could save us from typing any more Ashley Young stories.
Lucas Neill will be leaving comfortable mid-table Blackburn and joining the West Ham relegation dogfight, and will be getting £50,000 every week to do so.
CaughtOffside Says: Money talks, and Liverpool may regret balking at paying Neill £30,000 a week the next time the lose 6-3. Exactly the kind of player West Ham need at the back.
Fabio Rochemback is so keen on a move to Sporting Lisbon that he’s refusing to play for Middlesbrough ever again.
CaughtOffside Says: Player strikes never end well, this one won’t either. Strangely, this is like the 7th time a Brazilian has done this at Boro. You’d think it was a very unpleasant place to live if you’re from South America or something…
Wayne Routledge is trapped in a war of attrition between Fulham and Spurs. Spurs still want £3million to make his loan deal permanent, Fulham want to pay £2 million. Spurs are threatening to recall him from loan just to prove a point, Chris Coleman is refusing to “have his pants pulled down over the fee.â€
CaughtOffside Says: Once all the posturing and bizarre euphemisms are over, these two will meet somewhere in the middle. Even if Routledge is inconsistent, another true wide player will help the squad immensely.
Tal Ben Haim’s move from Bolton to Chelsea is off, because Chelsea can’t meet Bolton’s valuation.
CaughtOffside Says: Our spellcheck was fine with that sentence, but our realitycheck refused to accept it. Good work by Big Sam if he succeeds in keeping his defender though.
Jermain Pennant is being linked with a move to Watford from Liverpool.
CaughtOffside Says: Never quite good enough to hold down a place at a big team, but always too good for the smaller teams – which means he should really be at Tottenham. We’d pity him if he wasn’t so well paid and an ex-convict.
Wigan are after Fulham’s Papa Bouba Dioup, and will pay about £5 million.
CaughtOffside Says: We love The Wardrobe, and think he should be moving up the Premiership table, not down. If West Ham want a player to add some fight to their midfield, we’re shocked that they aren’t involved here.
Middlesbrough are set to offload Massimo Maccarone, possibly to Siena, and replace him with Arsenal’s Jeremie Aliadiere.
CaughtOffside Says: We feel for Maccarone, his career got caught in a Bermuda Triangle at the Riverside. And if Aliadiere can get some first team footy then we say go for it. Isn’t he like 30 now?