The Money Go Round

Premier teams are starting to splash their TV cash, some more than others.
Arsene Wenger is still struggling to open his wallet, while Brendan Rodgers is well on the way to blowing another £100m to try and get 4th place.
Chelsea are currently looking like a selling club, although with their overblown squad they need to offload a few bodies before they can find room for anyone new in the dressing room :)
The 3 promoted teams seem to be having different thoughts about how to compete, Bournemouth and Norwich are being careful while Watford are splashing the cash.

Here's the current state of play in the money-go-round

Summer Movers

I've just been trawling through all the footie websites and putting together my summer transfers list, still a long way to go but some big spending already.
All the Premier league teams have spent some money, but so far only a few World stars have arrived here.
Biggest single transfer - Raheem Sterling from Liverpool to Man City for £43.7m although that could rise to £49m with the add ons.
Biggest spenders so far - Man Utd £68.9m. Man City £58.4m, Liverpool £51m, West Ham?? £23.3m, Sunderland £22.2m.
Holding out for a bargain? - West Brom £1.5m, Norwich £3m, Everton £4.3m

Shocked that West Ham are splashing the cash, but the stakes are big this year.
Payet, Ogbonna and Obiang have good reputations but are hardly household names, if they all adapt quickly to the English game they could be inspired moves but only time will tell? shocked that Downing left to drop a division after his best season in years? maybe things aren't as rosy as they seem?

I suppose one of the better looking deals was James Milner's free to Liverpool, I'm not sure I rate him as an England player but did a very good job for City and could be a great signing for Liverpool where I'm sure he will be a regular. The thing that annoyed me over this was that it appears Milner was already on a £100k contract and turned down a considerable rise from City to go to Liverpool whereas Sterling was on about £30k and turned down a £100k offer, but only one of them was branded a money grabbing Judas?

The Closed Season

Summer, hot days, a few months break from Football ... Well not anymore :)

1st July and the Champions league and Europa cup have already kicked off for the season.
Congrats to Sweden for winning the European Under 21's (we won't mention England)

Even I have been watching the womens World cup and at least for one more day I can cheer England on :)
Obviously hoping for a win in tonight's semi final but I think we will struggle,England have a couple of really good players but the rest are average at best, and the defence need to realise they don't have time to take 3 touches to get the ball under control before playing it ... but fingers crossed.

The Copa America final is on Saturday Chile v Argentina, Chile are the home nation and the refs have been a bit too leniant with them so they have a chance, Argentina have a dream team so should take the title?

Those teams that bought players from Central America are going to get some knackered players back as the CONCACAF Gold cup kicks off in about a week.

West Ham kick off in the Europa league tomorrow against Lusitanos of Andorra the game has been switched due to the 2 biggest teams in Andorra being drawn at home, so I assume they only have room for one stadium? West Ham only returned for pre-season training on Monday so this might be harder than it should be?

The Transfer market is hotting up, Man United are being linked with every player you've ever heard of, Liverpool are being linked with every player you've never heard of :)

Arsenal have bought a new keeper despite Ospina being the star keeper in the Copa America, Chelsea fans have been wishing Cech well in his new venture with death threats?
A few big transfers done already with Depay to Man Utd, Firmino? to Liverpool, West Ham picking up a couple of foreigners I've never heard of, and Bournemouth have been shopping in Poundland for extra staff :)

The Premier league kicks off in 39 days so not longto wait :)