Analysing the Transfer Gossip – 19th July: Part One

As we move in to the off-season an unprecedented amount of managerial movement around Europe will surely see an already frantic transfer market go in to overdrive. This will give plenty of opportunities for transfer rumour and gossip. So how much of it is realistic?

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Chelsea are prepared to make Wayne Rooney their highest-paid player despite the risk that it may unsettle other top players at Stamford Bridge.

Full story: London Evening Standard

What’s the story? I think it’s almost inevitable that the highest paid player in the country is going to cost a lot of money.Does it make sense? Dubious. If Chelsea were to somehow sign Rooney, and a Man United sale would be unprecedented for decades, is he immediately the star man? Does he deserve to be paid more than Frank Lampard, Petr Cech or Juan Mata?Is the price right? Even though I don’t think Man United would sell we have to try working out a number. I guess he must be actually worth £30-40m not the £20m nonsense. Plus they’d then have to pay him over £200k-a-week for five years. It’s an awful lot but it’s not as if Chelsea can’t afford it.Will it happen? 1/10 – Maybe I’m being lulled in by United’s words but if you look at their history, they do no sell to English clubs. Never mind their greatest challengers for the title in the coming years.

Tottenham are set to ignore any bids from Manchester United for 24-year-old forward Gareth Bale.

Full story: London Evening Standard

What’s the story? Spurs don’t feel under any pressure to sell Bale seeing as he has four years left on his contract and they are trying to surround him with players to get back in to the top four, or even a title push.Does it make sense? Yes. Spurs need to give themselves another season to try and get back to the Champions League. If they fail to do so next summer then they could have a tough time keeping Bale but for the time being they are doing everything they need to do to keep him.Is the price right? Real Madrid were supposedly going to bid £80m earlier in the summer but that turned out to be fantasy. There isn’t really a fee that could allow them to sell right now. They need to keep him and make a run for the top four, it’ll be more valuable to them in the long run.Will it happen? 2/10 – It might still do if Man United anti up enough money, but I think this is one to shelve for next year.

Manchester City have made a £25.8m bid for Benfica winger Eduardo Salvio, 23, but the Portuguese side are believed to want £34.4m for the Argentina international.

Full story: Independent

What’s the story? Like their countrymen Porto, Benfica are becoming a team that it takes a lot of money to get players from. City are clearly intent on adding depth in attack as the squad suffered last year through a lack of creativity and pace in attack.Does it make sense? To a degree, but the problem with City’s recruitment policy is that they are always going to have players that get disgruntled when they are not in the team. Assuming they signed Salvio they would have Salvio, David Silva, Jesus Navas, Steven Jovetic, Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo, Samir Nasri and James Milner to fit in to four spots, so at least four of those are on the bench every game. Can they juggle that?Is the price right? It’s very high, but then that doesn’t seem to bother City so it’s almost irrelevant.Will it happen? 7/10 – City have only missed out on Cavani this summer, so it’s safe to assume they’ll have a fair chance at getting him. They’ve over-payed for Fernandinho and Jovetic, so why not another?

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, 30, has been targeted by former boss Rafa Benitez, now in charge at Napoli.

Full story: Daily Express

What’s the story? I predicted this last month when Liverpool signed Simon Mignolet.Does it make sense? Yes. There’s no way Liverpool want to have Reina and Mignolet at the same time and Napoli badly need to upgrade on Morgan De Sanctis.Is the price right? Probably wouldn’t cost too much more than £6-7m. Napoli have money to spend and it would mean that Liverpool were only down £4m on getting Mignolet so it makes sense for them too.Will it happen? 10/10 – Napoli need a goalkeeper and Liverpool have a spare one. How can it not?

Sunderland are set to sign Velez Sarsfield full-back Gino Peruzzi, 21, for £5m as the Argentina defender arrives for a medical.

Full story: Daily Mail

What’s the story? Interesting. Reports in Argentina had said that Sunderland had missed out on him because they’d offered an insultingly low wage, but I guess they’ve got past that.Does it make sense? It probably does, but only if he adapts quickly. Di Canio seems to want to swap every single Sunderland player.Is the price right? Peruzzi is very highly-rated in Argentina so he will have the quality. Young South American defenders don’t have a long history of success in England so it’s difficult to predict whether he can, but it seems worth the money for the talent.Will it happen? 9/10 – We’ve been here once before so it could still fall through but I guess they’ve come to an agreement now.

For part two, click here: Analysing the Transfer Gossip – 19th July Part Two