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Afternoon Roundup: Barry staying at Villa, Tottenham lands Bentley and Moyes squashes Ochoa rumor

Gareth_barry

Aston Villa fans can relax. Gareth Barry is staying put.

Aston Villa made it clear today that it has no plans to sell its captain, ending months of speculation about a potential move to Liverpool.

Barry looked like he might become a target for Arsenal, which still hasn’t found a replacement for Mathieu Flamini, but Aston Villa has stated its desire to keep Barry.

Tottenham set to announce Bentley signing

Just days after selling striker Robbie Keane to Liverpool, Tottenham is set to spend a good chunk of the $40.5 million sale of Keane to land Blackburn midfielder David Bentley. Tottenham is ready to spend about $25 million on Bentley, and in a twist that might upset Tottenham fans, $10 million of that money will apparently go to Arsenal, which holds a 40 percent sell-on clause after selling Bentley to Blackburn in 2006.

While it is a big signing, Bentley’s arrival does not address Tottenham’s need, which is replacing Keane as well as potentially Dimitar Berbatov.

Moyes squashes Ochoa to Everton rumor

If you were left a bit puzzled by recent reports that Everton was set to sign Mexican national team goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, you weren’t alone. Everton manager David Moyes but the rumor to rest, telling the Chicago Tribune’s Luis Arroyave that he had no intention if signing Ochoa.

The rumor didn’t make much sense at all. While Everton does need a back-up to U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, it wouldn’t have made much sense to sign a young talent like Ochoa, who is surely looking to sign somewhere to be a starter. Ochoa has a great future, and will wind up in Europe soon enough, but he wasn’t about to unseat Howard.

Everton is in Chicago tonight to take on the Chicago Fire.

Share your thoughts on these and any other stories that have developed this afternoon in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. Wow its funny people that don’t know nathan about soccer like these guy MIGHTY is trying to compare HOWARD AND MEMO OCHOA, AM SORRY BUT U OUT OF YOUR MIND HOWARD IS NOT NEAR OCHOA’S LEVEL NOT NEAR NOT EVEN CLOSE OPEN UR EYES MEN

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  2. AND, if Bent recovers a bit of form, they may be able to stand pat even without Berbatov. Bent only started 11 EPL games last year but came on as a sub for 17 games. He scored 6 goals. That’s a little thin. However, in earlier seasons, he was pushing a goal every other game so he COULD be a factor.

    Bentley has 13 goals in his last 96 EPL games.

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  3. Nicholas, I am assuming that Berbatov is leaving. He IS a top striker so if he stays, my statement is not accurate. I think Bentley is OK but nothing special given the strength of the rest of the team.

    No slam vs. Spurs, just making an observation.

    Regards,

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  4. I agree with Mig22 — Everton have it all to do if they hope to keep up with Tottenham and Villa this coming season. With the departure of Johnson and question marks hanging over the fitness of Cahill, there isn’t too much for them to be excited about as of yet.

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  5. dont even worry about bent, even though he is a good striker in his own right. berbs is probably gonna stay now and arshavin is coming next.

    coys

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  6. You gotta love the Totts raving about Darren Bent in the preseason. How many dollars per goal did he average last year? $10 million?

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  7. Nick, I think he was speaking as though the speculative transfers involving those two players went through. Which, if they did, would make that statement very accurate.

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  8. Hey Ives,

    a few of us at RPB would like to know what the Revs wanted for George Welcome and what his salary demands were. Do you know?

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  9. What part of Spurs have Bent and Berbatov equals no top flight strikers. Both are more prolific than most PL strikers, and regardless we have one maybe two people coming in.

    You’re not even paying attention.

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  10. Everton has seriously lagged behind Villa and Tottenham this off season. Then again, Tottenham will have no top flight strikers and Villa….well….they’re Villa. Poor Friedel will probably give up three goals per game and look great doing it.

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  11. oh and Bent has scored 7 goal in two games, he’ll be perfect in a 4-5-1, but we aren’t stopping with Bentley, Modric, Dos Santos, Gomes, Arshavin and Veloso… good times.

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  12. Hmmm…I wonder why Daniel Levy is hopping a plane to the US? Face to face talks with the Barcelona folks about Eto?

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  13. Wow. Vela with a hat trick the other day and today vs. Stutggart he had a the equalizing goal and an assist. Very impressive so far and with Dos Santos playing well at Tottenham it should be an interesting London Derby for the two young Mexicans.

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  14. I heard Spurs have this guy, Darren Bent. He scored 4 goals the other day and lit it up for Charlton two years ago.

    Maybe he could play forward?

    Spurs have had the best offseason so far of any of the Prem clubs, and to suggest otherwise is to likely ignore what’s gone on thus far.

    And Berbs is staying put.

    Reply

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