January Transfer Window 2014

First topic message reminder :

I'm gonna open this up now as I contemplate watching the shower of poop I'm about to watch.

What strong rumours have we heard? What do teams need? Where do you think the money will be spent?

I shall start you off with rumours surrounding Lambert maybe considering West Ham and similarly West Ham going to Spurs cap in hand to request a loan of Defoe or Adebayor (sources not so tight haha)

Windows slam shut, but how do they open?

West Ham look close to signing Heitinga and a striker. Hopefully the striker isn't the pboro lad Gordon, but more like Mike van Duinen or the £8m touted for Lambert.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:£8m touted for Lambert.

Truly shocking. £8m for Lambert at his age, nearly 32? Sounds like your preparing for the Championship. Lambert is only going to decline from this point onwards & how many goals has he scored, five or six this season.

What do you think of West Ham possibly getting Lambert Chris?

I hope we dont get Lambert, especially for £8m!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  However i would be happy with Heitinga we desperately need to tighten up our defence.

Heitinga looks to have chosen Newcastle as Pardew acts with his usual class to hijack the deal late on

Arsenal to sign Berbatov appears to be the main rumour of the day.

Sorry Arsene, but signing a lazy striker who will only turn up for 1 game in 7 or 8, really isn't the answer.

And Mata's off. Much more believeable that one - still hasn't played a full ninety minutes this season, I believe. Mourinho surely wouldn't sell him to United though, or any Premier League rival for that matter. Much more likely to sell overseas - PSG, perhaps?

Berba would be fine as a stop-gap Duty, The way Arsenal play he wouldn't need work rate really. It's all just pass & move and overplay until pass into the net which suits him down to the ground.

I think Heitinga is horrific. West Ham have done well to avoid getting him there.

8 Million for Lambert is madness. West Ham really need to go after Jermane Defoe IMO.

Jermain Defoe has agreed a deal with Toronto, well pretty much. He'll be off in March.

so we've missed out on defoe and heitinga    Love sacks!

I see we're being linked with an Ashley Young return.

Was a good player for us, dont know if I would have him back though.

Not a fan now, with his diving etc.

Lescott would be a good signing, wages would probably be an issue.

Berbatov has posted a link on his own facebook page stating how a move to arsenal could fire them to the title. I follow the account regularly and i'd say 9/10 berba posts things genuinely from himself as we would for our own pages. Seems a 'come and get me' plea to Arsenal.

With Heitinga turning West Ham down early doors, it looks to be a very frustrating window for us.

Names now linked include: Lescott, Ba (again), Borriello, Burdisso, Belfodil and some other foreign crud that won't adjust.

I personally would go for Bridcutt, McCormack, Shane Long and any centre back that is being misused by Everton and above. Maybe a sneaky enquiry for Rio

Long would be a decent signing, gives you something different and is available for probably around 5m. Better deal than Lambert for 8m!!!

Pilks linked with Villa today

Lambert for £8m would be ludicrous given his age, but some have the feeling that he'll score the goals that will keep us up, and is such worth the gamble. Relegation is no doomsday for me, annoying but id rather keep long term plans in mind.

We can buy Lambert, win the Championship then come back up and hes no use and its the same mess again

Danny Ings to leave Burnley for the Premiership, there replacement Ashley Barnes   

Sunderland close to signing Liam Bridcutt.

If Defoe's off to Toronto, then surely Defoe has little to no chance of making the World Cup squad?

Id take Ings too.

Well, some argue hes such a guarantee to be there as the sub/desperation striker that all he needs to do is stay fit. I think its a joke if he goes and is a sad way for him to end his career.

Liam wrote:Berbatov has posted a link on his own facebook page stating how a move to arsenal could fire them to the title. I follow the account regularly and i'd say 9/10 berba posts things genuinely from himself as we would for our own pages. Seems a 'come and get me' plea to Arsenal.

I honestly don't see how berbatov would help us maybe the 5 years ago version of himself. I mean I would rather play theo up top and play Rosicky, Cazorla, Wilshere, Flamini, and podolski in the midfield. He has done really well every time he has got the chance. I can't see Berbatov out scoring Theo in that role. Although at this point we may just need a body as Bendtner got hurt after scoring a huge goal for us and Giroud is dinged up as well. The problem with him is not only his age but his ego. Can he be happy playing for short spells every here and there and getting an odd start?

Olly wrote:Pilks linked with Villa today

Saw that Olly.

Has he played much this season?

westisbest wrote:

Olly wrote:Pilks linked with Villa today

Saw that Olly.

Has he played much this season?

Not really no. Injured till mid Jan anyways. Think he's played about 7/8 games. Shame

see de rossi's comments about man utd?   

NUFC in talks with Remy Cabella. Another Ben Arfa from what I've seen over the past two years.

Just heard Solskaer is going for Jonhy williams.


Tbh I dont care. He was a great little player in the championship- But little is the problem . Not quite ready for the PL yet.

Now if we can get Zaha back on loan and Cardiff stop the interest in him i am happy to sell them Johnny.

On the face of it it looks like a good move for the welsh lad. But the truth is he is a local palace fan through and through. Only plays for wales because his dad was born there, so will Johnny want to go to a team that isn't better than palace and has no real place in his heart?

Lacina Traore has said that he will join a Premier League side on loan if he doesnt make a permanent move to Monaco. That club is West Ham. Equally, he may join Monaco but then come to us on loan.

Nope

John wrote:see de rossi's comments about man utd?   

NUFC in talks with Remy Cabella. Another Ben Arfa from what I've seen over the past two years.

Sounds like another buy to sell for the business model.

Also "Put into context, it appears De Rossi’s words were intended as a celebration of his love for Roma rather than a slight on United."

yeah, think ben arfa's time on tyneside is coming to an end. just no consistency or desire to work might spell the end. there will be interest, maybe even liverpool or just abroad. cabella is looking at around £12m+ (which is steep) but HBA fee should pay for majority of that you would imagine.

Its a sound model to follow, Spurs' businessmen have made that club bigger than it deserves by doing similar.

Traore:

Probably no truth in this, but heard we were linked with Guidditi(sp).

Swedish forward at man city. 21 yrs of age.

Also Stephen Defour.

Liverpool will apparently complete the signing of Salah next week, Sterling will join Swansea on loan for the season.

DZ - he's an absolute bean-pole, basically if you provide no service, he's essentially useless. Newcastle handled him with ease when we played Anzhi in the Europa. Basically long balls banged into him is the only route with this guy. Strange that Monaco buy him but want to loan him, is that right? Strange, but then West Ham are in a dire situation now.

Hampo, that's very interesting. Sterling's been playing relatively well, shame to see him just discarded by Rodgers for Salah.

Funnily enough, his technique does seem surprisingly good for me. Clearly more talented than just his size, I'm quite excited by it. Hell, worst comes to worst we throw on Traore and Carroll together and bully the hell out of teams.

Seems that he wont play if Falcao is there so if Falcao stays then Traore goes out. Would suggest Falcao will be gone in the summer at least, which is no surprise.

Guidetti being linked to any lower table side, linked to us and Stoke too.

Salah is interesting, be odd to just throw Sterling aside.

Liverpool loaning out Sterling seems like a very very dumb move to me.

No chance nick.

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/152476-our-transfer-strategy-is-ongoing

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-wes-2985369

Think I might curl up in a ball and cry if we sold Wessi

Makes sense for both team (Villa) and player. Not too trusted by Hughton

I'd be very surprised if Sterling was loaned out now, think it's just the rumours surviving the early part of the season where he didn't play a lot. He's probably been the third best Liverpool payer since he's come into the side.

I want Liverpool to sign people, just not sure who or in what positions. Don't want to disrupt the balance of the squad, but injuries have started to take their toll. Think a new left back is a must, even if it's just another loan move or cheap stop-gap option. Enrique is back soon, he'd still be my first choice, but Rodgers doesn't have much faith in Cissokho and Flanagan is injured again. A new central midfielder might be a good move, but think Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson is the best three, and wouldn't want to spend big here, want to buy a squad players essentially. Another winger might be a good idea, Moses has struggled coming off of the bench and Sterling is the only other natural winger. Assaidi would have been good enough as a squad player, think he was underrated last year.

I think if Liverpool strengthen in sterlings area he should be loaned out for his benefit. I think its forward positive thinking over negative thinking(we wont play him much but we don't want a competitor to have him)

For England's long term benefit I hope more teams loan fringe players. I would love to see a larger loan quota allowed rather than just 2 from pl clubs to other pl clubs.

Sterling going nowhere apparently. Thought it was a non-starter really, given his form. Hampo stated it could happen, with Salah coming in from Basel, but I can't see it.

As long as he keeps playing then great. Good talent. I ddon't want to wee hm pushed out and only Getting the odd cameo.

I'm not a fan of loaning out promising players, in theory it's an excellent idea, but in practice those that are sent on loan very rarely make it at Liverpool. Now, of course it could be that they didn't show enough on loan to make it at Liverpool and wouldn't have whether they were loaned out or not, but I'm just not convinced that loaning Sterling out now would be best for him as he breaks into the first team.

What happens when he comes back and the competition for places is still the same? He has to break into the first team at some point, and think he has a better chance now in keeping up his form than he would going out on loan for six months and coming back to new players in front of him.

I think people forget Sterling has only just turned 19 and is still very raw, if he doesn't play every week I think that's okay, his development is coming along nicely, Rodgers has helped his progress immensely by taking him out of the first team last year at January. He doesn't want to much pressure on his shoulders, and he's making him improve his game rather than be content with just being fast. I've noticed a massive improvement in his passing, finishing, runs and crossing this year compared to last so I trust the club in its handling of Sterling who could be a fantastic talent rather than a typical English winger clone.

I look at it from an england POV. I understand why you wouldn't want to de strengthen your squad but it sickens me to see so much English talent bench warming.

Well you are right that he is in an OK place crimey. Compared to players like zaha he is being looked after.

But the irony is many of our talents have to be lucky to play. Look at Morrison. If he wasn't naughty he would only be a reserve player at united still rather than playing week in week out for west ham.

If zaha wasnt so good last season he would still be at palace playing every game possible

Yeah but those players are very young, England shouldn't have to rely on them at major competitions, it should be fine that they don't play every game, don't want them burning out young.

How can you burn out at a young age. They should be playing at the right clubs week in week out. Rather than getting wasted and then mid table teams bring foreign 25year olds instead because all the top clubs snatch up the english talent early yet never play them because games become ultra important.

Its like what supermarkets do when they buy up all the avaliabe land they can. Yet never build on it. They only buy to stop others building on the land.

OK let's look at the talents that came from palace.

Moses and zaha in recent years and neither playing. But would both be starting every game at mid pl teams.

Let's go back a few years to Wayne routledge. Good player. Got snapped up by totenham and got ruined. Is only now starting to fullfill his potential at Swansea 10 years on and is almost at the end of his carrer.

I bet every other fan of a lower level team can name players that have done the same.

Works in reverse too Mysti, some of the top teams are reluctant to loan players because they still don't play, we were lucky with Welbeck and Cleverly but not so lucky with others.