Will This Be the Summer That the English Teams Spend Big Again?

So on reflection, the English clubs have a bit to do next season. Last year still riding high on the notion of the Big Four and English Superiority, I felt that the big teams rested on their laurels somewhat, assuming that their place at the top was secure for a little longer. (some of you disagreed, but there you go).

Will they bounce back this year and spend a bit of money? More pertinently, can they afford to?

Man United apparently are too poor for David Villa, so that rules them out of some big spending. But at least they won’t lose their best player this summer.

Liverpool are staring at a season out of the Champiopns League, and can’t really afford to spend to get them back (unless a big takeover goes through). So as it stands, they are looking at selling not buying.

But it does depend, of course, on who makes the Champions League. Both Spurs and Manchester City will spend money of course, but one of them will probably spend a fair bit more than the other.

Roberto Mancini has already eyed up Fernando Torres, which would be a perfect message for everyone else that City really are in business. But Mancini has admitted that Torres would be nuts to come if City don’t make the Champions League.

It seems an unrealistic transfer anyway – but if City are offering top level football and Liverpool aren’t, it might not be such a big surprise to see him go.

City can only go sideways if they don’t make the Champions League. They can buy the Mercenary, the crazy, the slightly less talented, but if they do want a Kaká, a Terry or a Torres, they need the Champions League. With that, players would have a real reason to go with them.

Spurs meanwhile are managed by Harry Redknapp, and he’s not exactly financially prudent. He’s likely to go after a different type of plater than Mancini, but nonetheless he may well spend big if Spurs make the Champions League. The big match between those two on May 5 may have massive implications.

Arsenal meanwhile have the money, but never seem to have the inclination, although Arsene Wenger has spoke about actually bringing in one or two players over the summer. It would be good to really put a spine in a team that can pass forever. The big player they’re looking at losing over the summer is the temperamental Gallas, so that gives Wenger a chance to rebuild.

Lastly, Chelsea, who are sitting on top of the league. I still think they need a couple of rejuvenating signings in the mix, but we’ve got mixed messages from them on the subject. Upon exiting the Champions League they announced they would be back in the market rebuilding over the summer, but since Carlo has said he has faith in the players he had.

He doesn’t need to knock the team through and start again, but a few players on big money contracts are coming to the end of their time, and probably will be let go, allowing them to go and look for a few players to make things fresh ready for next season.

Of course a big factor could be the World Cup, where a players value can be inflated or deflated drastically. I’m sure a few stars of the tournament will sign over here and elsewhere, and it’ll be interesting to see it played out.

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Category: Transfers and Speculation