By AVI CREDITOR
Manchester City has signed the outside midfielder that it has long coveted.
No, it's not Landon Donovan.
City agreed to terms with Valencia on an £30 million transfer fee for Spain international David Silva, making him the second superstar to bolt Los Che this offseason. David Villa had already left to sign with Barcelona.
Silva, 24, will reportedly sign a four-year contract that will keep him at Eastlands through 2014. He joins Germany defender Jerome Boateng as major summer acquisitions by the Citizens, who continue to re-tool in an attempt to crack the Premier League's upper echelon. Silva was one of the higher-profile names on the transfer market, as Chelsea and Real Madrid were among his other suitors.
Here are a few more stories to get you through this World Cup-less day:
BRAZIL MIDFIELD IN CRISIS
Brazil's midfield depth will be tested in its quarterfinal match against the Netherlands, as Elano has been ruled out and the statuses of Felipe Melo and Julio Baptista are very much in question as all three are nursing injuries.
Elano, who absorbed a hard tackle against the Ivory Coast and has a bone bruise in his ankle, was forced to leave training Tuesday and has been ruled out for the upcoming match by Brazil's team doctor.
Felipe Melo, who hurt his ankle against Portugal, is doubtful for the game against the Dutch, and Julio Baptista is also battling an injury ahead of Friday's contest. All three players missed the Selecao's last game against Chile.
Making matters worse for Dunga, Ramires is suspended for the match against the Dutch after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament against Chile. The healthy/non-suspended midfielders remaining on Brazil's roster are Gilberto Silva, Kaka, Josue and Kleberson, though defender Dani Alves has been used as a right-side midfielder in the last two matches.
NIGERIAN NATIONAL TEAM SUSPENDED BY PRESIDENT
The president of Nigeria has suspended its national team from international competition for two years as a result of its poor showing in the World Cup. An adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan told Reuters that the country's federation will not participate in competitions over that time period "to enable Nigeria to reorganise (sic) its football."
Nigeria finished last in Group B with a draw and two losses.
HODGSON TAKING OVER AT LIVERPOOL
Roy Hodgson is reportedly going to be introduced as Liverpool's new manager on Wednesday, replacing the ousted Rafa Benitez at Anfield.
Hodgson, who guided Fulham to the Europa League final last season, inherits a Liverpool team in flux. Yossi Benayoun left to sign with Chelsea, and Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres have all been rumored to be heading elsewhere.
Hodgson, who had been at Craven Cottage since 2007, will sign a two-year deal with Liverpool.
UNIVISION SETS RECORD
Sunday's Mexico-Argentina World Cup match was the most-watched program on a Spanish-speaking network in the United States, according to the Nielsen Co. Almost 9.4 million viewers watched the game on Univision, setting the new standard.
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Do you think adding Silva makes Manchester City a contender for the Premier League title? How do you think the injuries affect Brazil's chances against the Dutch? Think Sepp Blatter and FIFA are going to welcome Nigeria's government interference? What do you think Hodgson-to-Liverpool means for Clint Dempsey?
Share your thoughts below.
DOn’t understand Nigeria’s move. So you do bad in world cup and instead of taking steps forward to figure out the better players, coach, etc. You regress by taking yourself out of playing international games. Huh?? how does that make the team any better?
This is why African teams tend to play beneath their talent. Idiotic bureaucracies running their lives, firing successful coaches on the eves of tourniments.
Yeah, don’t let them play for two years. THAT will be make them a better team.
I usually side against FIFA and Sepp’s little dictatorship but even I say FIFA should step in.
I thought government can’t interfere with national soccer organizations.
I think the same thing. EPL teams have too much at stake to trust an American w/o European experience. If all else is equal, I would imagine an EPL club would chose a Brit over a Yank almost every time; less distraction, controversy, team’s not at risk from critics, fans, etc…
No. It would have to be a championship team.
Bradley deserves a shot to manage a club in Europe. But will an EPL club be the first to pull the trigger and hire an American coach? I don’t think so.
Dude looks like old Ronoldo. This is the best news since saturday
Everton’s Assitant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Steve Tashjian.
Sven needs a serious break…
La Liga is the 2nd joke of a league in Europe behind the EPL. Same stuff, different year. I cut my teeth watching La Liga and it’s a shame.
Totally agree, Brandon. Toss in Everton who had top 3 points in the second half of last season, and you’ve got a really competitive top 7, which makes it much more fun to follow.
It’s a much better direction than La Liga with 2 super teams and a lot of mediocrity below them.
Sevilla is the best chance for another team to threaten. As for Valencia, I can’t believe they hadn’t sold off their pieces last year. They are supposedly keeping Mata, though.
Perhaps you are thinking of the guy that worked with Klinsi, and went to Munich with him?
The latest Dempsey rumor is that Napoli is interested…
And that Donovan is going to be asked to be on “Dancing with the Stars”…
Hodgsen is ok – at least he’s got international experience and could handle the ego’s.
Bob Bradley to Fulham. You heard it here last.
Pedigree means everything in world football. It’s why Spain never wins anything and the Dutch always fall on their own sword.
What I am tired of is clubs with billionaire owners and no salary cap pushing everyone else down the ladder. Spurs finishing 4th is a revelation but I bet they finish 10th this season.
Now we have Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and maybe Liverpool. So great, we get 5 rich teams for the top 5 spots. Your Everton, Aston Villa, insert up and comer here, get pushed even farther down the chain.
The EPL is joke.
I think the likely hood of Bob Bradley managing Fulham is pretty close to 0%. My guess is Sven or Mark Hughs
What I hate about the Silva move is it brings La Liga one step closer to being Scotland 2.0
Does any team other than Madrid or Barca have the clout to keep their stars? The rest of the league is sinking fast.
There is an American strength coach at one of the EPL sides (I think, I know somewhere in Europe, not sure exactly) but that is not a “football coach” per say.
I think it originated on this side of the pond on a twitter comment by someone just wondering out loud…
I thought this might be in there too… CD9 pics of pre-season training for sochaux.
that scary is gnarly — http://www.fcsochaux.fr/fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1834&Itemid=106
Yes. And at least 2 have a shot at making it to the Semis.
Boring, perhaps. Effective, definitely. That’s all Dunga cares about.
They’re also going to need an attacking mid (Donovan?) and also a center/defensive mid (Bradley?).
Not necessarily. Nigeria could simply decline to enter competitions — they aren’t obligated to do so by FIFA rules. Still, FIFA may be taking a close look at the situation…
I noted a few mentions of Bob Bradley to Fulham. I’m just wondering if this is actually a feasible thing? Clearly it would still be a rumor, but is it a rumor that originated on this feed on SBI or somewhere slightly more tapped in to the Fulham hierarchy? Along those lines, are there any American coaches who ply their trade in a major market like England? I don’t recall hearing of any.
FYI, Silva doesn’t play on the outside. For Valencia, he lined up underneath Villa as a central playmaker. For Spain, he is ostensibly a winger, but drifts into the center quite a bit. You’ll notice Spain’s width problems in the World Cup, due to Iniesta and Silva (when he played) being fake outside mids. LD likes to drift inside too, but he’s much more of a true winger.
Wow. I had no idea.
Nigeria’s president’s decision to suspend the team is a perfect example of why all the African teams in the WC except Ghana crashed out. Jonathan Wilson on CNNSI wrote a good piece about African soccer; corruption, lack of creative players, and unrealistic expectations.
I agree. He never seemed to be one of Roy’s guys. Roy seemed to be high on players he brought in himself but reserved in his praise for players he inherited. Though I think sometimes Roy talked up some players publicially, like Zamora, to boost there egos while some players like Dempsey I think feed more off from being ignored.
God, this Brazil team is so boring. I love Brazil and I’ve been there 3 times but I hate this team. Hup Holland!!
Actually very common in Nigeria…names like Prosper, Patience, Hopeful etc…
I think people are over emphasizing Roys love for Clint… Roy actually does not think that highly of Clint…never has
Well, this will be the opportunity to see which players Hodgson really valued. Last season, he kept talking up Zamora. I think he was trying to sell him at his peak value, kind of like Jimmy Bullard. As for Clint, Roy was mostly quiet. I think he was hiding Clint so as not to lose him. Now, we’ll see. Most likely he won’t take anyone, but we’ll see.
It is already reported he will try to take Hangeland. They will need another striker there for sure and a midfield playmaker. I am not sure Dempsey would fit there. Despite getting a lot of playing time I never got the sense he was one of Hodgson’s favorites. Certainly at the beginning Hodgson bought Gera to replace Dempsey.
Seriously? No one has commented yet that Nigeria’s president is named Goodluck Jonathan?
FIFA would do something about this,like they banned Togo for leaving the African Cup of Nations after they got shot at.
I thought that Liverpool needed a change after last year’s miserable season and Benitez’s leaving was the answer to that. But to bring on Roy Hodgson? Am I the only one who is worried?
Dempsey & Hangeland are two players from Fulham that could really help out Liverpool the most.
Tired? If anything I think City and Spurs are exactly what the Premier League needed.
What was tired was seeing ManUre, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal at the top 4 every season.
I love the pedigree of winning argument as well. The Saints clearly fell back on their championship tradition to win the Super Bowl last season.
Pedigree means nothing.
1. wow to nigeria
2. dempsey to liverpool unless bob shows up @ fulham
— I think it would be great for the USSF for bob to make it at Fulham
3. Brazil still wins world cup…or some other south american nation (anyone realize everyone in that confederation made it to the 2nd round)
Oh, I don’t know, maybe because Dempsey is one of Fulham’s best players. He is extremely strong on the ball and has consitently shown his ability to shine in big games.
Nothing against Etuhu, I’m certainly not saying he’s Fulham’s _only_ good player!
And why would Hodgsen take Dempsey over ANY other player from Fulham?
I would take Ethutu
Man City is already so tired.
No pedigree of winning anything and this will continue. Silva is going to get run over in England.
Poor Man Utd. Can they ever catch a break?
Damn you, Erich! Okay fine. You heard it here second.
You heard it here first: Dempsey to follow Hodgson to Liverpool. (EJ to stay behind.)
Bob Bradley to Fulham? Dempsey to Liverpool?
Ugh..I read the first line of the headline and was jumping up and down thinking Silva was coming to Manchester United…what a disappointment.