Transfer Roulette: Predict where Franck Ribery, David Villa, Carlos Tevez and co. will end up next season

Ollie Irish

17th, June 2009

8 Comments

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Place your bets…
All bets are off on Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, but there are still many star names whose futures remain unclear. Join Pies for a game of Transfer Roulette:


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DAVID VILLA
Current club: Valencia CF
Valued at: £40m
Who wants him: Has been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The biggest clubs in the world, in other words.
Pies verdict: I think Madrid will keep their hands in their pockets this time, while Villa is reluctant to move to England, unless he can play under Rafa Benitez. But is a striker Liverpool’s priority? They were the top scorers in the league last season, after all. I bet on Barcelona, although Chelsea could make up Valencia’s mind with a silly-money bid. And don’t rule out a last-minute foray by Man City, just because they can.
Place your bet:

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FRANCK RIBERY
Current club: Bayern Munich
Valued at: £55m
Who wants him: Also wanted by the big boys: Chelsea, Real Madrid, Man Utd and Barcelona.
Pies verdict: Madrid and Barcelona don’t seem keen to spend upwards of £50m on Ribery (I think he’s overvalued too, by £10m at least), which leaves Man Utd and Chelsea as the most likely buyers. I get the feeling that Roman Abramovich has really set his sights on the Frenchman, and that’s where my bet goes.
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
Current club: Inter
Valued at: £30-35m (though Inter president Massimo Moratti values him at much more)
Who wants him: Linked with Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Pies verdict: Can’t see him going to Spain, and Chelsea’s interest smacks of scattergun desperation. Zlatan’s not going anywhere. Probably.
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SAMUEL ETO’O
Current club: Barcelona
Valued at: £20m (his huge wage demands would be more of an issue than his basic cost)
Who wants him: Reports have linked the Cameroonian to Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Inter and Man Utd.
Pies verdict: Can’t see Eto’o in the Premier League, unless Man City agree to pay his massive salary (he was rumoured to have asked City €1m a month). Milan could be a good fit, but I think he’ll end up staying at the Camp Nou.
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ALEXANDRE PATO
Current club: Milan
Valued at: £30m
Who wants him: Chelsea, Chelsea and Chelsea.
Pies verdict: The young Brazilian is almost certainly going to stay at Milan, despite some tabloid reports that claimed he was seriously considering a move to the Bridge.
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ANDREA PIRLO
Current club: Milan
Valued at: £25m
Who wants him: Chelsea, Chelsea and Chelsea.
Pies verdict: The Italian playmaker is wanted by Carlo Ancelotti, but it seems he’ll stay in Milan after all.
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KARIM BENZEMA
Current club: Lyon
Valued at: £30m
Who wants him: Man Utd, Inter, Milan and Barcelona have all been linked with the French striker.
Pies verdict: Man Utd seems to be at the top of the queue, but there’s a fairly good chance Benzema will stay in France for one more season.
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DAVID SILVA
Current club: Valencia CF
Valued at: £25m
Who wants him: Man Utd, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool
Pies verdict: Cash-poor Valencia don’t want to let both their star Davids go, and Silva is more likely to stay at the Mestalla. Rafa Benitez is keen on Silva though, and Fergie too. For £25m, Valencia would have to say yes. I predict he’ll end up at Liverpool.
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CARLOS TEVEZ
Current club: Man Utd (but owned by MSI)
Valued at: £25m
Who wants him: Man Utd, Man City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool: the usual suspects then.
Pies verdict: Carlitos seems hell-bent on thwarting United’s attempts to buy him, which leaves Man City in the box seat. However, the bookies think Tevez will go to Chelsea, and I could see that happening.
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MICHAEL OWEN
Current club: Newcastle United
Valued at: £5m (and £50-60,000 a week wages)
Who wants him: No one. But Owen’s agents, WMG, think they can use their fancy brochure to get one club to bite.
Pies verdict: The bookies have Aston Villa and Everton as the favourites to be Owen’s next club, but honestly, I have no idea where he’ll end up.
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