We see it often, every summer and every January in fact. There are always a few huge transfers that fill a disproportionally large chunk of our nations press. You know the type of story that we like. Hugely famous, world class player rebels and demands a move. And they’re usually tens of millions of pounds involved as well, just to make it a slightly juicier story.
This summer, our three biggest transfer stories have managed to linger on with no resolution. So, with transfer deadline day fast approaching, what is likely to become of Wayne Rooney, Luis Suárez and Gareth Bale?
Wayne Rooney
With Rooney, one thing has always been clear. Manchester United are not interested in selling. From day one that has been the word coming out of Old Trafford and new manager David Moyes, and it’s easy to see why. As much as Rooney’s seemingly certain desire to leave could disrupt the dressing room if he was forced to stay against his will, this could be outweighed by United’s need to not help strengthen a rival.
In many people’s minds Chelsea have already moved ahead of United in the title picture and, by giving them Rooney, United could sink one more nail into their own coffin. The issue was complicated further as Chelsea travelled to United this past Monday to square off in a league game. A league game where Rooney was surprisingly given his first start of the season. His desire could not be questioned as he was easily the best performer on the night and this certainly will increase David Moyes’ need to keep the striker.
José Mourinho, as is his style, has been quick to pass comment on Rooney at every possible opportunity. This week he was quick to point out before the United game that he would be back in for Rooney once the game had passed. He has also mentioned how impressed he was with Rooney’s performance against his Chelsea side.
This could still go right down to the wire as both teams are taking a pretty firm stance. Chelsea seem to have Samuel Eto’o lined up as an alternative but don’t expect Mourinho, or Abramovich for that matter, to give up on their top transfer target without a fight.
Luis Suárez
It appears that Luis Suárez has finally made his mind up about his future. All summer he had seemed to have been plotting his escape from Anfield. It was the end of May when he first stated that he was determined to leave. However come August he folded faster than Superman on laundry day, apologising to his team mates and opening talks about a new contract.
It is quite possible that Suárez had a sudden change of heart as there was seemingly little interest in the troubled, albeit talented, striker. Only a select few clubs can afford to pay the kind of money that would make Liverpool part with their prized asset and it appears that none of these clubs wanted a player with Suárez’s sizeable baggage. But the madness that is transfer deadline day is full of surprises, so who knows?
Gareth Bale
And lastly, to the biggest transfer in the history of football...if it happens that is. Gareth Bale’s proposed move to Real Madrid is worth anywhere between £86million and £100million if the various press sources are to be believed. Even at its most modest estimate this would be a world record fee that eclipses the £80million that Real paid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
But this transfer saga has had enough twists and turns to rival anything that Hollywood produces. It seemed that Bale had little to no interest in a move this summer as last season drew to a close. But as the off-season has dragged on the Welshman has looked more and more like a man who wanted to leave for pastures new. Spurs too have seemingly had a change of heart. At first firm in their insistence that their star man would be going nowhere, Spurs softened their stance as the summer progressed and up until recently seemed more willing to do business.
As recently as this weekend Bale was told that he could say his goodbye’s to his colleagues in North London and set off for sunny Spain for a holiday. Now, just a few days later, Bale is back in London and expected at training by Spurs chairmen Daniel Levy who is apparently angered by Real Madrid’s premature building of a podium to be used to unveil Bale. This now has sparked (for seemingly the first time) anger from Bale who was ready and willing to call time on his Spurs career.
Daniel Levy has a habit of driving a hard bargain. History dictates that he will not pay a penny more than he wants to for a player he is signing. And, crucially, he will not accept a penny less for a player he is selling. High profile sales of Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov and Luka Modrić have proved this. He is also willing to bide his time with Spurs traditionally elbow deep in the very latest of the activity on transfer deadline day.
I suspect that Gareth Bale will very much still be a Spurs player when we wake up on September 2nd, transfer deadline day. But as the day moves forward and the Sky Sports News hype machine goes full steam ahead then this will almost certainly change. But expect this to only happen when Daniel Levy is satisfied with the deal he’s getting.
Transfer deadline day seems to have become one of football’s greatest spectacles. There are many others that could be in the mix on the day, the likes of Juan Mata, Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba to name a few. Plus a few more that none of us have even thought about. After all, that’s the fun of it.