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Saturday May 22, 2010

City to lead the way as EPL clubs go on buying frenzy

The Aftermatch - by Brian Martin

BARCELONA have already pulled off the transfer coup of the summer, with at least three months of the transfer window left.

David Villa’s sensational £35mil move to the Catalan giants this week after five seasons with Valencia has stunned the football world.

The 28-year-old has rattled in 36 goals in 55 games for Spain since making his debut in 2005 and is his country’s second highest goalscorer. His scoring prowess in La Liga has seen a host of English clubs coveting his signature, but Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola was quicker off the mark and has drawn first blood in the high-stakes transfer game.

But Guardiola isn’t content with improving Barcelona’s lethal strike force, he is now eyeing Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas. The Gunners captain was a product of the Barcelona academy and would relish a return to his home town club. His signature would be an even bigger coup than Villa’s, and would certainly see Barcelona installed as favourites to lift the 2011 Champion League title.

For now, the transfer shock waves are emanating from Spain, but how will Europe’s leading clubs, and in particular, the EPL clubs react to these new developments? Pretty quickly, I would hazard.

The world’s richest club, Man­chester City will likely be the EPL’s biggest spenders this summer. Manager Roberto Mancini, stung by his team’s failure to secure the fourth and final Champions League spot, will look to buy big to improve on the club’s fifth-place finish.

Mancini has already been publicly backed by owner Sheikh Mansoor Zayed Al Nahyan and with the club’s Middle East millions at his disposal, should theoretically be able to get any player he wants.

Biggest move to date: New signing David Villa giving the thumbs up on his arrival in Barcelona on Thursday. — AP

Newly-crowned EPL champions Chelsea are still flushed with chairman Roman Abramovich’s cash and are also likely to spend big this summer.

Ironically, both clubs are linked to Barcelona’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The striker had a less than stellar season, and following the arrival of Villa could be surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp.

City could do with Ibrahimovic to bolster their attack, but it’s not clear how the Swede will improve a Chelsea strike force that scored more than 100 goals last season!

It’s more likely that the Blues will go for the £25mil-rated James Milner. The Aston Villa midfielder could eventually replace Germany captain Michael Ballack in the centre at Stamford Bridge. Villa have already rejected a £20mil bid from City for Milner, and it’ll be interesting to see who wins the race for his signature.

Another English club that is likely to spend soon is Arsenal. It looks increasingly likely that their captain will leave, and Arsene Wenger will have the £35-£40mil from Fabregas’ sale plus an additional £20-£25mil to delve into the transfer market.

The Frenchman is famous for getting youngsters and bargain basement types and turning them into stars, but with the Gunners going five seasons empty-handed, he could be forced to make a mega-deal purchase to placate the angry Arsenal fans.

Will Alex Ferguson buy big? Not likely judging from his recent statements from the United States, where the Red Devils are touring. United chief executive David Gill has indicated funds are available to his manager to spend this summer, but Ferguson revealed he is happy with the balance of his squad.

The United manager has already signed rising Mexican star Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara and defender Chris Smalling from Fulham. But the Scot could be persuaded to make one more purchase, either a striker or a midfielder before August.

The players aren’t the only ones who are eyeing moves. As far as managers are concerned, there’s already serious talk that Inter Milan’s Jose Mourinho will leave for Real Madrid and Liverpool’s Rafa Benitez will depart for Inter.

Mourinho is currently the most sought-after manager in world football, and will decide his future after Inter’s Champions League final match with Bayern Munich today. Benitez, on the other hand, seems to be undecided over his future.

Liverpool have promised him funds, but his team’s regression last season as well as the possible departure of Fernando Torres could yet convince the Spaniard to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

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