Deadline day in the European transfer window is upon us, making today one of the busiest and wildest days of the year.
There have already been a number of moves completed or announced, and there should still be plenty more surprises and signings before the day ends.
American fans will want to know about American payers and today we should find out where Clint Dempsey will land after a dramatic summer with Fulham that should see him leave the club. Today should also see U.S. men's national team captain Carlos Bocanegra make a move away from Rangers.
SBI will look to keep you updated on today's transfer proceedings throughout the day so stay tuned here for steady updates.
Let's get started (and please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and updates in the comments section below):
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1:27pm- Okay guys, we'll be switching over to a CoverItLive chat for the rest of the transfer window beginning at 1:30pm. We'll continue to track all of the latest happenings during this already-chaotic deadline day and as always, you're free to send us your questions and comments.
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1:24pm- Reports surfacing out of Italy saying that Luca Toni has re-joined Fiorentina. No word on how many years the deal is for.
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1:14pm- Malaga have reportedly signed Argentina striker Javier Saviola, formerly of Real Madrid and Barcelona, today. They are also being linked with a move to sign Roque Santa Cruz. Looks like they are trying to stockpile some talent for their Champions League campaign.
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1:00pm- Reports out of Portugal are saying Onyewu is undergoing medical with Spain's Malaga. No word on if the deal is a loan or a transfer, but Malaga are in the Champions League this season.
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12:41pm- SkySports is reporting that Tottenham and Liverpool have both made bids to acquire Dempsey. Which team would you rather see him land on? One would have to think Liverpool would give him better chance of more playing time, but Tottenham was qualified for Champions League last season until Chelsea won and demoted the Spurs to Europa League.
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12:24pm- Nicklas Bendtner has joined Juventus on a season-long loan from Arsenal. The deal comes with an option to buy at the end of the current campaign.
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12:11pm- Swansea City have confirmed that they have signed Valencia winger Pablo Hernandez on a three-year deal. Transfer fee was an estimated $8.8 million.
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11:55am- Another cause for concern for U.S. men's national team fans: No word, not even a report or a rumor, about Oguchi Onyewu today. He has not dressed at all for Sporting CP this season.
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11:30am– Things are starting to slow down a bit. Well, at least from that frantic pace that we had earlier, but there should still be more moves in the works.
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11:16am– Another move from earlier this morning: AC Milan signed Nigel de Jong from Manchester City. Three-year deal. Attackers everywhere in the EPL breathed a sigh of relief.
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11:02am- The rich get richer. Manchester City signed winger Scott Sinclair from Swansea City earlier today. The transfer fee agreed upon was an estimated $9.5 million. Are Manchester City trying to create a FIFA13 Ultimate Team?
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10:56am- Reports out there swirling that Spanish second division side Racing Santander are eyeing Carlos Bocanegra, but there has been nothing out there saying he has made a move from Rangers. Not yet, anyway.
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10:51am- A Clint Dempsey update: Aston Villa have reportedly jumped in the race to sign the U.S. men's national team striker. The Villans do have Eric Lichaj and Brad Guzan, but they are far from a Champions League team.
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10:45am- After spending two decades with Juventus, Alessandro Del Piero is set to sign with Sydney FC in Australia. The 37-year-old is reportedly set to sign a six-month deal worth $2 million. Are you wishing MLS would have signed him?
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10:38am- Earlier today, Hamburg SV reacquired midfielder Rafael van der Vaart. Tottenham Hotspur received an estimated $16.3 million for him from Hamburg.
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10:30am- The Cottagers have formally announced another acquisition, signing Kieran Richardson from Sunderland on a three-year deal. The transfer fee was undisclosed.
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10:25am- Fulham have made a huge signing, acquiring Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United. Berbatov has signed a two-year deal with the club after being deemed surplus to requirements for the Reds. Are the Cottagers thinking he will be Clint Dempsey's replacement?
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10:19am- Mexican international and one of U.S. men's national team fans' most disliked players, Giovani Dos Santos, has moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Mallorca in Spain with the hopes that he will finally put an end to his club woes. Dos Santos agreed to a four-year deal and he should see the field more regularly than during his time with Spurs.
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10:15am– Manchester City have signed Brazilian fullback Maicon from Inter Milan for $5 million. Another physical defender with tools to add to an already-dynamic attack.
Whoah….
Here is some shock news as Tottenham Hotspur pull another surprise on deadline day. Sky Sports sources understand Clint Dempsey has signed for the White Hart Lane club.
by Peter Fraser 1:31 PM
It’s a crime that no MLS team would pay Del Piero $2 million.
This deal has been on again off again for months and it’s led to £4 million…I still don’t think Liverpool or the FSG is serious about bringing Clint to LFC
HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA
Clint’s not going to Arsenal, Manure, spuds, and now not even Livertool!!!!
HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA
The deal with Santander is a loan. Which means he has not been sold and could return to the Rangers when they move up a division. It make sense in a weird way. Most teams send there players out to be “seasoned”, But Bocanegra is loaned out so his team can gain some “seasoning” in the lower Scottish divisions LOL.
HAHA HAHA HAHAA
and it could be that Liverpool is just saying that to test Fulham’s resolve. Standard negotiating tactic. I am certain Fulham do not want Clint anymore and if they don’t sell him in 115 minutes now for 4 million, they have an unhappy player who in January signs a free contract as a free agent and Fulham gets not 1 cent. It ain’t over till it’s over, but, yeah, fat lady is preparing to sing
Things can still happen, and that is only an unofficial news report so we still don’t know for sure.
I would be so mad if I was a Liverpool fan right now. All they’ve done is offload players and have done nothing but play around with bringing attacking players in.
Dempsey would be better off staying put considering the talent Fulham has brought in. They’ll probably finish better than Liverpool this season.
28 EPL (2010/2011 season) goals from LFCs current squad and they’re so cheas as to bid £4 million for Dempsey who scored 17! Pathetic evaluation.
Time for Man U or Arsenal to swoop in–but they better make it quick
Hot of the press:
Sky sources understand Liverpool do not expect to make any signings this evening. Liverpool’s bid for Fulham’s Clint Dempsey was £4million and the club have refused to offer higher. Aston Villa bid £5m plus £2m add-ons. Stay with us for the full story.
The deal was done in USD. $4 million.
As of now Liverpools squad scored 28 EPL goals last season…Clint scored 17. 4£ is way to low. Not sure if Clint playing for LFC is gonna be worth it.
I ran across an old BBC Sport story that says Fulham paid £2 million for Clint in 2007.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/6249567.stm
What are you talking about? You serious think Lennon and Bale should play in the midfield of a 4-3-3? That’s insane. They are WINGERS!!
Oh, and AVB has been playing a 4-2-3-1.
Walker – Vert – Gallas — Assou
Livermore — Sandro
Lennon –Van Der Vart — Bale
Adebayor
Good point, yet they’re (seemingly) still low-balling for Deuce. Sad state of affairs for Mr. Dempsey.
Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez, Craig Bellamy, Alberto Aquilani, Fabio Aurelio and Carroll who have all been cut from the wage bill since the end of last season.
Adam is set to join Stoke City in a £4m deal with Spearing poised to move to Bolton on loan.
Even using conservative estimates Liverpool will have recouped in transfer fees and made savings on wages in excess of £20m since Rodgers took over.
No it is a loan.
Santa Cruz was a purchase.
I have no idea just reporting what I heard.
For a total of 5 signings today…
Oh and it was just confirmed that it is a loan.
How did Malaga sign him? Since they finacial situation is disastrous right now. I have a feeling it is a loan like the Santa Cruz and Romeu signings.
Onyewu is at Malaga and now on a Champion’s League team.
Dempsey to Liverpool???
Not true! We will know in 3.5 hours! 🙂
Yes, reported to be less than the $7M valuation. Maybe it is posturing and LFC will come up.
Ugh. That’s all the world needs. More United supporters.
What do these comments mean? City have had a pretty modest transfer window compared to many rivals. Offloaded Johnson (10 million pounds), DeJong (3.5 million pounds), Adebayor (5 million pounds), Santa Cruz, Savic. Acquired Garcia (probably) for 20 million pounds, Rodwell for 15 million pounds, Nastasic for 13 mil pounds, Sinclair for 6 million pounds, Maicon for 5 million pounds and a third GK (Richard Wright) for free. Their bargaining tactics failed badly, so they ended up selling players last-minute at bargain-basement prices to free up wages, but they can no longer be accused of trying to build a fantasy team at this rate.
Maybe they’ve accepted Spurs offer instead… You never know
Yeah because they are low balling them big time…I hope he goes to Spurs…less than impressed with Liverpool over the past month in the way they have handled this…
And AVB likes 4-3-3
Disagree. Lennon & Bale have enough speed to backtrack. Bale has played LB before. Deuce is an excellent backtracker.
You think they will make Concacaaf Champions League next year?
Fulham rejects bid from Liverpool 🙁
Dempsey back to New England! Nothing else seems to be panning out.
Those players couldn’t play a 4-3-3. That looks like a 4-1-3-2 to me with someone like Sandro used to bust up any breaks. That’s a team I wouldn’t start, but maybe be out there in the last 10 mins of a game where you need a goal, and are willing to risk everything for it.
being good enough is not the question…I think because of the bad blood and the fact that Fulham has already found his replacement.
Sounds like your brain needs new windshield wipers…
Yes, arrogance in a manager is such a negative trait. That arrogant Mourinho guy never amounted to anything special did he? 😉
So a 4-3-3 at Spurs with a front line of Adebayor, Defoe & Deuce with Lennon & Bale on the midfield wings? That’s some firepower.
Adebayor, Clint,Dembele, Bale, Moutinho, Parker is a very top 4 attack/mid. Hope it happens over downhill Liverpool
I was responding to this post by Ives:
11:55am- Another cause for concern for U.S. men’s national team fans: No word, not even a report or a rumor, about Oguchi Onyewu today. He has not dressed at all for Sporting CP this season.
It’s unclear to me how Dempsey could have possibly handled this worse.
I don’t agree with my fellow Fulham fans that we’re better without Dempsey, but why are you calling anyone who disagreres with you a “troll” and “pathetic?” It doesn’t become you to use such petty insults, biff.
Liverpool would be great, if Clint could nail down a starting spot. But I do have some concerns about that. Rodgers does seem to be focusing on the youngsters–and he not afraid to bench or get rid of players he does not want as we have seen this past week. That said, Liverpool have scored hardly any goals thus far and if Clint could come and do it, which we know he can, then he could quickly turn into a hero. And I would love to see him team up with Luis Suarez and Nuri Sahin and new kid Raheem Sterling.
I was previously not hoping at all for a move to Tottenham. But after seeing the players they have brought in, including Clint’s buddy Moussa Dembele, I think I could get real excited about Tottenham. And we still might see Arsenal and Man U. join in the bidding war. Man U would be my last choice, and any of the other three would be fantastic.
Jol bungled nothing. The only people who think Fulham mishandled the situation are American fans whose loyalty to a top American player blinds them to the fact that Dempsey is at fault. Instead of honoring his contact he tried to force his way out, and there were no offers. What exactly has Fulham done wrong here?
Stop hoping for him to have a good club career? I also pull for Jay Demeritt and would be happy to see John Bornstein suceed at the club level. It doesn’t mean I want them called up for a Cup qualifier. There is no reason to bash on the players doing their best from one day to the next. Your beef is with Nat team coaches not Gooch.
Are you talking about Liverpool or Tottenham? Sorry, you are talking about his old club, Fulham. Yeah, Clint ain’t good enough to play there–right!