Done Deals

Memphis Depay

I know that this deal has technically been done for over a month now but Manchester United officially announced its completion over the weekend. Depay will be able to team back up with his former Dutch National Team manager Louis Van Gaal at the Theater of Dreams and United fans will have high hopes for the player that some call “The Dutch Ronaldo.” Personally, I love this signing because it shows that the Red Devils are still major players when it comes to signing big names, and Depay will also bring another great attacking option for a team that now appears to be lacking in scoring threats.

Steve Ulreich

Bayern Munich added Stuttgart’s Sven Ulreich to their roster on Tuesday. The 26-year-old keeper will immediately step into the number two position with the recent exit of Pepe Reina from the squad, but playing time will be extremely limited for the young German keeper. The move to Munich will provide Ulreich with the invaluable opportunity to work with arguably the world’s best goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for however long he stays with his new club, and at just 26, Ulreich still has plenty of gas left in the tank to fight for first team football later on in his career.

Andoni Iraola

Many New York City FC fans expected the club to sign a European veteran this summer, but I doubt that many thought that player would be Athetlic Bilbao’s Andoni Iraola. Iraola leaves La Liga after 12 years with Bilbao and has defended against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on a regular basis over the past several seasons. This experienced of a player is few and far between in Major League Soccer and NYCFC can use all the help they can get as they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Getting Traction

Roberto Firmino

After a very successful 10-goal season with TSG Hoffenheim, Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino’s agent has confirmed to media outlets that his client will be plying his trade in the Premier League next season. Many believe that Firmino will join one of the two Manchester clubs, with United the more reported side as of now. Manchester City have a wide array of top notch forwards at their disposal already with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, and Wilfried Bony on the roster. United, on the other hand, are in dire need of a striker with Wayne Rooney the only returning player that showed any good form up front last campaign. It will cost a pretty penny to bring the Brazilian to England, and I think this cost will put United out of the running and see City swoop in to make the deal.

David De Gea

David de Gea, United keeper

Oh say it ain’t so. As has been reported for virtually the entire transfer window, it looks as if Manchester United’s best player of last season, David De Gea, will leave Old Trafford for Real Madrid. Several media outlets reported that the Spanish giants made an initial bid of just €13 million and were promptly denied by the Red Devils. Tuesday, however, pictures began circulating of a presentation stage being erected at the Santiago Bernebeu and that does not bode well for United fans. Louis Van Gaal has already reassured the United faithful that the club have a list of replacements should De Gea leave, and it’s looking more and more likely that our Spanish savior will leave us in the coming weeks.

Crazy Rumors

Juan Cuadrado to Leave Chelsea

This specific rumor seems crazy to me because I don’t think that you spend over €20 million on a player and then sell them the next transfer window. Granted, Cuadrado did not have as big of an impact on Chelsea’s final run that some fans expected, but remember how difficult the transition to the more physical play of the Premier League can be on a skill player like the Colombian winger. With that being said, I do believe that if Cuadrado doesn’t have a season that reflects his hefty price tag in 2015-16, then he will be sold next summer, but there’s no way the club should sell him now.

Harry Kane for £50 million

Kane scores for Tottenham

Call me old fashioned but I feel like a player needs to have more than one great season to earn such a high asking price. Harry Kane proved to be the savior of White Hart Lane last season scoring 30 goals in all competitions, and even earned captain’s honors for the closing part of the season. The 21-year-old has been a lifelong Spurs player and even if an offer came in, I think it would be very difficult for Kane to leave his boyhood club at such a young age, and I don’t think that any club will be willing to make such a large investment on a still somewhat unproven talent. Should Kane come just close to his tally from last season in the coming campaign, then these big money rumors will make more sense but right now I think any club would be foolish to spend so much money on him given the other strikers on the market.

 

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