BPL Transfers

2007-08 saw Manchester United edge past Chelsea on the last day of the season. The mouth watering finale to the season gave the fans the added boost to return to supporting their clubs. Fans in England and all over the world can't wait for the 16th of August, the day the much awaited 2008-09 BPL season kicks off. But with the transfer market open and the Italian and Spanish teams giving all that they have got to sign new players from England, do we have quality football to look forward to this year in the Barclays Premier League?

The biggest transfer racket of this year is the fight for Ronaldo, the Portuguese International, who deserves much credit for Manchester United's success in the Premier League and in Europe. Real Madrid are going all out for him and are well on their way to luring him to Spain. Chelsea's latest offer to Madrid for Robinho raises many repercussions. People suspect Abramovich assisting Real to raise cash for posting an attractive offer to Ronaldo.
Chelsea have their own worries about keeping players at Stamford Bridge with Drogba and Shevchenko looking certain for a move to Milan. Further Mourinho's already targeting some of his prized stars at Chelsea for a shift to Inter. Arsenal have already lost Flamini and left back, Bakary Sagna to AC Milan and the Italian club are firm favourites to return to form in the Champions' League this season.












Despite this apparent decline in the English teams, one should not under estimate their bench strength and their potential to add big names to their squad. Deco's already lined up to strengthen the central midfield at Chelsea and Manchester United are on the prowl for Berbatov. Liverpool have maintained a strong team and Arsene Wenger is well known for bringing out the best from average players. So don't rule out the Big Four out this Season!

Consider checking out all the transfers:
ARSENAL
In: Carlos Vela (recalled from loan spell, work permit approved), Aaron Ramsey (US$9.9m from Cardiff City).
Out: Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan, free), Jens Lehmann (Stuttgart, free).
Rumoured Targets: Samir Nasri (Marseille), Macros Senna (Villareal), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers), Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Raul Albiol (Valencia), Dani Guiza (Mallorca), Arda Turan (Galatasaray), Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg).

ASTON VILLA
In: Curtis Davies (undisclosed fee from West Brom)
Out: Luke Moore (US$5.9m to West Brom), Thomas Sorensen (released), Olof Mellberg (free to Juventus), Patrick Berger (free to Sparta Prague).
Rumoured Targets: Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Steven Sidwell (Chelsea), David Bentley (Blackburn), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Michael Dawson (Totenham), Pascal Chimbonda (Tottenham), Andy Johnson (Everton).

BLACKBURN ROVERS
In: Paul Ince (from MK Dons).
Out: Mark Hughes (mutual consent, Manchester City), Peter Enckelman (released), Stephane Henchoz (released), Bruno Berner (released).
Rumoured Targets: Hossam Ghaly & Aaron Lennon(Spurs), Michael Tonge (Sheffield United), Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool), Carlo Cudicini (Chelsea).

BOLTON WANDERERS
In: Fabrice Muamba (US$9.9m from Birmingham), Johan Elmander (US$21.8m from Toulouse)Out: Daniel Braaten (Toulouse), Ivan Campo, Stelios, Andranik (all released).Rumoured Targets: Sebastian Larssson (Birmingham), Emile Mpenza (Manchester City), Louis Saha (Man Utd), James Harper (Reading).

CHELSEA
In: Jose Bosingwa (US$32.1m from FC Porto), Deco (US$13.9m from Barcelona), Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Out: Avram Grant (sacked), (Rumoured) Andriy Shevchenko (Barcelona, loan)
Rumoured Targets: David Villa (Valencia), Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham), Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Athletico Madrid), Kaka (AC Milan), Robinho (Real Madrid), Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Bastien Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).

EVERTON:
Out: Lee Carsley (free to Birmingham), Darren Dennehy (free to Cardiff), Thomas Gravesen, Stefan Wessels (all released).
Rumoured Targets: Dudu (CSKA Moscow), Steven Sidwell (Chelsea), Edu (Valencia), Stephen Carr (free agent), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Joao Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Orlando Engelaar (FC Twente).

FULHAM
In: Mark Schwarzer (free from Middlesbrough), David Stockdale (undiclosed fee from Darlington), Zoltan Gera (free from West Brom), Andranik (free from Bolton).
Out:Rumoured Targets: Bernard Mendy (PSG), Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa), Paul Scharner (Wigan), Daniel Cousin (Rangers), Dave Kitson (Reading), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin).

HULL CITY
Out:Jay-Jay Okocha, David Livermore (both released).
Rumoured Targets: Frazier Campbell (Manchester United), Ivan Campo (free agent), Craig Fagan (Derby), Ryan Taylor (Wigan), Bernard Mendy (PSG), David Nugent (Portsmouth), Antti Niemi (Fulham), Magnus Troest (FC Midtjylland), Nicky Hunt (Bolton), Jason Koumas (Wigan), Marcus Bent (Charlton), Peter Halmosi (Plymouth), Anthony Gardner (Tottenham), Colin Kazim-Richards (Fenerbahce), Kris Boyd (Rangers), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton).

LIVERPOOL
In: Philipp Degen (free from Borussia Dortmund), Andrea Dossena (undisclosed from Udinese).
Out: Harry Kewell (released), John-Arne Riise (£4m to Roma), Antony La Tallec (free to Le Mans).
Rumoured Targets: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), David Bentley (Blackburn), Albert Riera (Espanyol), James Milner (Newcastle), Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Juninho (Lyon), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg).

MANCHESTER CITY
In: Mark Hughes (Blackburn Rovers), Jo (CSKA Moscow)
Out: Sven Goran Eriksson (sacked).Rumoured Targets: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Edu (Valencia), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna), David Bentley (Blackburn), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza).

MANCHESTER UNITED
Out: Gerard Pique (Barcelona).Rumoured Targets: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon), Antonio Valencia and Wilson Palacios (both Wigan), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg).

MIDDLESBROUGH
In: Marvin Emnes (US$6.4m from Sparta Rotterdam), Didier Digard (US$8m from Paris St-Germain)
Out: Mark Schwarzer (free to Fulham), Fabio Rochemback, Gaizka Mendieta and Lee Dong-gook (released), Jason Kennedy (free to Darlington).Rumoured Targets: James Beattie (Sheffield United), Alan Smith (Newcastle), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Jimmy Bullard (Fulham), James Harper (Reading).

NEWCASTLE UNITED
In: Jonas Qutierrez (Undisclosed)
Out: Peter Ramage (Released, QPR), Stephen Carr (released), David Rozehnal (US$5.7m to Lazio), Joey Barton (jailed).
Rumoured Targets: Shaun-Wright Phillips (Chelsea), Amara Diane (Paris St Germain), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Nicky Shorey (Reading), Carlos Cuellar (Rangers), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Pablo Aimar (Real Zaragoza), Nikola Zigic (Valencia), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Orlando Engelaar (FC Twente).

PORTSMOUTH
In: Glen Little (Reading, free transfer).
Rumoured Targets: Peter Crouch (Liverpool), James McFadden (Birmingham), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona), Nolberto Solano (free agent), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham).

STOKE CITY
Out: Dominic Matteo, Russell Hoult, Marlon Broomes and Adam Garrett (all released).Rumoured Targets: David Nugent (Portsmouth), Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa), Ibrahima Sonko (Reading), Martin Fulop (Sunderland), Abdeslam Ouaddou (Valenciennes), Patrik Berger (free agent), Lee McCulloch (Rangers), Anthony Gardner (Tottenham), Bouchaib El-Moubarki (Grenoble), Thomas Gravesen (Celtic).

SUNDERLAND
Out: Andy Cole, Ian Harte, Stanislav Varga and Stephen Wright (all released).Rumoured Targets: Stephen Ireland (Manchester City), Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Shaun Maloney (Aston Villa), Darren Bent (Tottenham), Carlton Cole (West Ham), Peter Luccin (Real Zaragoza), Andy Johnson (Everton).

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
In: Luka Modric (US$31.7m from Croatia Zagreb, subject to work permit), Giovani Dos Santos (initial US$9.3m from Barcelona), Heurelho Gomes (PSV).Out: Radek Cerny (Released, QPR)Rumoured Targets: John Bostock (Crystal Palace), Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Anton Ferdinand (West Ham), Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Carlos Kameni (Espanyol), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Diego Capel (Sevilla), David Bentley (Blackburn), Sergio Garcia (Real Zaragoza), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool).

WEST BROM
In: Luke Moore (US$9.3m from Aston Villa), Kim Do-heon (US$1.1m from Seongnam Ilhwa Shunma), Roman Bednar (US$4.9m from Hearts), Gianni Zuiverloon (US$6.4 from Heerenveen)Out: Zoltan Gera (free to Fulham), Martin Albrechtsen (free to Derby).Rumoured Targets: Ibrahima Sonko (Reading), Abdeslam Ouaddou (Valenciennes), Alex Song (Arsenal), Scott Carson (Liverpool), Adel Taarabt (Tottenham), Kevin Thomson (Rangers), Milan Baros (Lyon).

WEST HAM
In: Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (undisclose from HK Kopavogur). Out: Nolberto Solano (released).Rumoured Targets: El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Nicky Shorey (Reading), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona), James Harper (Reading), Kevin Doyle (Reading).

WIGAN
In: Daniel De Ridder (free from Birmingham).Out: Josip Skoko and Salomon Olembe (both released), Julius Aghahowa (Kayserispor)Rumoured Targets: Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham), Charles N'Zogbia (Newcastle), Amr Zaki (Zamalek), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), John Mensah (Rennes), Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Andrew Johnson (Everton).