2013/2014 English Premier League Thread

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

United confirm the deal on their website.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...juan-mata.aspx


OH YES!!!!!

You should be excited, its an amazing bit of business. I think this is Jose tipping his hat to Fergie and throwing United a huge boost.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

Absolutely. People wonder why players always want to come and play in England and its the fact that the wages are substantially higher.

I'd love to know what Bayern promised to pay Lewandowski. I'm betting £120K/wk. How much would Chelsea pay? Or United?

What's the problem with German club finances, considering Germany is one of the strongest European economies?

Or is the argument, they don't overspend frivolously?

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

You should be excited, its an amazing bit of business. I think this is Jose tipping his hat to Fergie and throwing United a huge boost.

You think so? Fergie insulted him in his book....

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Locke

You should be excited, its an amazing bit of business. I think this is Jose tipping his hat to Fergie and throwing United a huge boost.

it's a similar feeling to the RvP deal ... from "lol yeah right" over "they won't really sell to us, will they? That's stupid" to "Hell yes!" in only a few days. Sceptic until the end, especially after the disappointing summer window. Never thought yet another rival would sell a player with such quality to United, especially Chelsea ... and especially Jose, I had a troubling feeling he'd fool us, drag this out until Jan 31 and then just say "lol no"

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

What's the problem with German club finances, considering Germany is one of the strongest European economies.

Thats just it, there is no problem. The German clubs just dont overpay.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

What's the problem with German club finances, considering Germany is one of the strongest European economies?

Or is the argument, they don't overspend frivolously?

German clubs have no oil sugardaddies. Bayern is obviously a top club of the world with world class financial management, but others have no chance competing ... Dortmund was almost bankrupt only six or seven years ago. Wolfsburg has a lot of money, but other than that ... Schalke and Leverkusen are stable financially, but they can't compete for really expensive signings.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

You think so? Fergie insulted him in his book....

I dont know what to tell you. Mata is an amazing player and I dont think £40M is a massive overpayment. I think United are stealing a player here and that this deal will be looked at similarly to Arsenal's purchase of Ozil. Mata may not be as good as Ozil, but I think he's substantially better than any of United's alternatives and any other available players.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats just it, there is no problem. The German clubs just dont overpay.

I think overpay is a bit too general

premier league tv money is more than Bundesliga and La Liga combined, and attendence/prices are higher too

[cam_wmh]

Happy to welcome another Spaniard

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by scottish_flame

Did he actually say that? What a c***

I may watch his first game against spurs

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/ho...-aviv-part-ii/

In the end Salah did turn up in Israel, despite telling reporters before the match:

In my thoughts I am going to play in Palestine and not Israel, and I am also going to score and win there. The Zionist flag won’t be shown in the Champions League.

[Matty81]

Mata deal is good for both teams, 37 million pounds is a lot and I think chelsea has to be pleased to almost double their money, man u needed this type of player and some good pr imo and while they maybe paid a little much, I think they were always going to have to overpay a bit to get a player from chelsea, they had the money to spend and got a good player.

To me they really need to reinforce their backline still though, vidic, ferdinand and evra have all looked ready to head out to pasture to me this year.

[Bagor]

Can someone explain this to me?

So basically if United had approached Mata they could be done for tapping up (get that bit) but would have been refused permission by Chelsea to talk to him?

I fail to see what role the third parties had here. Surely it's as simple as if Chelsea wanted to sell him to United they would have and if they didn't want to they wouldn't have?

Manchester United’s highly unusual use of intermediaries to conclude the Juan Mata deal may have stemmed from their strained relations with Chelsea after last summer’s dispute over Wayne Rooney.


United are likely to have been turned down flat, had they called Chelsea asking for permission to speak to Mata, after being made aware of his desire to leave west London. Though the details of how the deal has been done are yet to emerge, the possible sequence of events is that Mata instructed his agent to find him a new club, United were made aware through a third party, but then needed an intermediary of their own to begin discussions.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...a-9081709.html

We don't want to talk to you but we'll talk to your representives?

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Can someone explain this to me?

So basically if United had approached Mata they could be done for tapping up (get that bit) but would have been refused permission by Chelsea to talk to him?

I fail to see what role the third parties had here. Surely it's as simple as if Chelsea wanted to sell him to United they would have and if they didn't want to they wouldn't have?

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...a-9081709.html

We don't want to talk to you but we'll talk to your representives?

Seems silly if you ask me.


Speaking of silly, the Messi to PSG rumours are nagging away again.
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/l...e-messi-012514

Imagine if it happened? 250 million? I'd love .. LOVE to see them explain that Financial Fair Play, on top of their already exponential spending over the past few years.

[Matty81]

Any man u fans here have any insight - I don't understand why zaha turned his back on a loan to palace, a club that completely developed him in croyden where he was raised, to go to one of their relegation rivals, cardiff.

[cheevers]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Any man u fans here have any insight - I don't understand why zaha turned his back on a loan to palace, a club that completely developed him in croyden where he was raised, to go to one of their relegation rivals, cardiff.

Not a united fan but probably because Palace is a hole. Well done Mr. Zaha.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Any man u fans here have any insight - I don't understand why zaha turned his back on a loan to palace, a club that completely developed him in croyden where he was raised, to go to one of their relegation rivals, cardiff.

Cardiff is probably a better fit for him right now, as he'll probably step right into the lineup on the left side. Also they have Solskjaer on the bench ... under Ferguson, I guess Zaha would have gone to Palace and Fergie's old pal Pulis.

Also, I read that Cardiff apparently pays a loan fee of 1.5m ... I doubt Palace would have paid that.

[devo22]

Beside Zaha, United also sell Fabio to Cardiff it seems. Pretty strong connection between United and Solskjaer obviously ... Cardiff also have young Mats Mœller-Dæhli, who was sold by United to Molde last year and who has now made the switch from Molde to Cardiff alongside Ole. United still have a buy-back clause for Mœller-Dæhli ... who knows, maybe he'll make the switch to United alongside Ole in a few years

[d_phaneuf]

I think it's United just having a history of loaning to 'their' guys

Sunderland always used to get loans when Steve Bruce was there

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by cheevers

Not a united fan but probably because Palace is a hole. Well done Mr. Zaha.

I really don't know the club so am honestly asking why is it a hole? Sell hurst park looks a bit crap but not like pittodrie decaying bad. Or do you mean south London?

I am not English and really have no club but palace won me over for this season anyway, after holloway left I've been loving the way they've scrapped for wins.

Also they seem to me to be one of the biggest potential clubs out there if they could stay up for a few seasons and build a bigger ground and better squad, croyden is huge population wise. Unlike the stokes, wigans and swanseas of the world where staying up for a while and drawing 25k is their ceiling, they strike me as a potential big club (admittedly a long ways away).

But like I said not knowing England I never knew it was a crappy area or club.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Or do you mean south London?

Most beautiful part of London, probably the whole of England if I'm not being so modest...