The new Premier League season is just weeks away and is set to be more competitive than previous seasons. Has your club splashed out millions to strengthen its squad or has it been quiet in the market? We take a look at the transfer activity of all 20 Premier League clubs.
Arsenal:-
Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh completed his long awaited transfer to Arsenal this summer, while Gunners boss Wenger has also swooped for young French defender Laurent Koscielny.
Francis Coquelin has been loaned to Koscielny’s former club Lorient while Croatian striker Eduardo has left the Emirates for Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk.
However all Arsenal fans can heave a huge sigh of relief- Cesc Fabregas has not left the club, despite all the photos of him in a Barca shirt after Spain’s World Cup victory floating around the internet.
Aston Villa:-
Despite only narrowly missing out on the Champions League last season, Villa have been quiet in the market. There has been no major player signed, but Stephen Colloran has left for Coventry City. Boss Martin O’Neill also faces a tough fight to keep James Milner at the club in light of interest from big spending Man City.
Birmingham City:-
Villa’s neighbours Birmingham have only made two signings- goalkeeper Ben Foster from Man United, and Spanish midfielder Enric Valles from NAC. Tall striker Nikola Zigic has left for Valencia, while Gary McSheffrey has joined Coventry City.
Blackburn Rovers:-
Funds are limited at Ewood Park and Rovers boss Sam Allardyce must sell players to buy new ones. So far nobody of note has arrived at Blackburn this summer.
Blackpool:-
Premiership new boys Blackpool have a new kit maker in the form of Carbrini and a new shirt sponsor in Wonga but the Seasiders need to bring in personnel if they want to avoid an immediate return to the Championship next season.
Bolton Wanderers:-
Trotters boss Owen Coyle first raided old club Burnley for Robbie Blake and then landed Martin Petrov from Man City and Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid. Three decent signings at the Reebok, one must say.
Chelsea:-
The Blues have allowed Joe Cole and Michael Ballack to leave the club. Their only signing has been Yossi Benayoun from arch rivals Liverpool.
Everton:-
David Moyes has strengthened his forward line by bringing in Jermaine Beckford, Joao Silva and Magaye Gueye. Polish keeper Jan Mucha has been signed as a back up to Tim Howard.
Fulham:-
Last season’s Europa League finalists Fulham lost their manager Roy Hodgson to Liverpool, but have found a more than decent replacement at Mark Hughes. Hughes did not do all that badly at Man City, and was a great hit at Blackburn, a club not quite unlike Fulham.
Jonathan Greening and Philippe Senderos have been the Cottagers’ only signing of the summer.
Liverpool:-
Liverpool’s lack of squad depth was badly exposed last season, when they could only finish a poor seventh in the league. They will not play Champions League football this season. New manager Roy Hodgson has already begun the rebuilding process. Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson have been brought in, while Fabio Aurelio has been released.
The big question lies as to whether the Reds will be able to hang on to Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres this summer. It currently looks like Torres will stay, but Mascherano is set to follow in Xabi Alonso’s footsteps by leaving Liverpool for a foreign club, with Italian giants Inter named as the most possible destination.
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