Transfers, actual and rumoured - In & Out.

[Samarkand]

As the season winds down, the new game will be endless speculation about who's in and out. Gerrard to Chelsea? Owen to return? Smicer gone? Biscan? Rather than playing fantasy football, let's try and keep this to actual news and rumours - though rumours usually end up being fantasy football anyway.

But, to begin, according to The Fiver, Aimar is rumoured to be on his way in this summer.

[Big Dave]

I would think we only need him if Stevie goes...

[Albert Stubbins]

Good thread to get going. I am very interested in hearing about potential incoming players. Big Dave got the ball rolling with Quedrue this morning. And now Aimar is rumoured. Only Rosicky has attracted my attention in the past year.

When I reviewed the squad depth chart, I saw that I had marked 19 out of the 42 to be moved on. I don't think Benitez will be so ruthless, and since that time, some players like Biscan may have done enough to stick around. The question is do they want to. Some like Traore and Hyypia have been vocal in saying they want to stay, others like Biscan and Baros have been rather mum in recent weeks. Others still like Diarra want regular football. Much rests on Gerrard's loyalty.

Still, I think Benitez will move the following players on this season...(and I think there is about 15 Million plus coming in if he does)

.........................Dudek.................... ...........
.........................Luzi..................... .............
.........................Harrison................. ...........

Otsemebor.....Hyypia.....Medjani......Vignal

Partridge........Hamann....Biscan......._______
Foy............... Diao.........Smicer....

....................Baros......Diouf.............. ........
....................Mellor

That's 16. I had Josemi, Pellegrino, Traore and Warnock moving on in my initial analysis, but I think Benitez will give Josemi another chance to hang around as a back up to Finnan, and I think he wants Pellegrino to coach whomever he brings at centre half. I think he will keep Traore and Warnock for their utility, and that he will expect Diarra for training in August and size him up during the preseason games.

[Samarkand]

he will expect Diarra for training in August

June 27th......

[Big Dave]

I'm not sure Rafa will get rid of Sami, but it's possible if Roma come with 3mm.

As you say, Djimi and Igor are borderline right now. He might keep them around for squad players, but I expect any serious offer for either would be accepted.

As for Diarra, he has publicly expressed the desire to stay at Lens. While his performances there have been top drawer, could we convince him to come back and play at a top level, in competition with Stevie (Pablo) and Xabi?

We will see, but it ought to be an interesting summer.

[rcinsanered1974]

Why get rid of Sami? He's been solid with Carra.

[Albert Stubbins]

SOLIDLY 5th PLACE!!!

[Flying Pig]

Good thread to get going. I am very interested in hearing about potential incoming players. Big Dave got the ball rolling with Quedrue this morning. And now Aimar is rumoured. Only Rosicky has attracted my attention in the past year.

When I reviewed the squad depth chart, I saw that I had marked 19 out of the 42 to be moved on. I don't think Benitez will be so ruthless, and since that time, some players like Biscan may have done enough to stick around. The question is do they want to. Some like Traore and Hyypia have been vocal in saying they want to stay, others like Biscan and Baros have been rather mum in recent weeks. Others still like Diarra want regular football. Much rests on Gerrard's loyalty.

Still, I think Benitez will move the following players on this season...(and I think there is about 15 Million plus coming in if he does)

.........................Dudek.................... ...........
.........................Luzi..................... .............
.........................Harrison................. ...........

Otsemebor.....Hyypia.....Medjani......Vignal

Partridge........Hamann....Biscan......._______
Foy............... Diao.........Smicer....

....................Baros......Diouf.............. ........
....................Mellor

That's 16. I had Josemi, Pellegrino, Traore and Warnock moving on in my initial analysis, but I think Benitez will give Josemi another chance to hang around as a back up to Finnan, and I think he wants Pellegrino to coach whomever he brings at centre half. I think he will keep Traore and Warnock for their utility, and that he will expect Diarra for training in August and size him up during the preseason games.

Dont forget Martin Petrov, the great Bulgarian left winger, now playing for Wolfsburg

But surely we need to be concerned about the new Eufa rules about 6/8 (I think) homegrown players in the squad. This would seem to be a major blow to Benitez's long term strategy....

[Sandgrounder]

Sami clearly lacks pace, and each season this is going to get worse. If Roma really want to pay a fee for him, I think we have to bite their hands off.

This is not to say that he hasn't been a great servant to the club; that his loyalty to and passion for the club have not been outstanding, and his recent declaration that he wants to stay and is not interested in the transfer wasn't touching.

One of Shankly's first lessons was that these decisions have to be cold-hearted and that when a player's time has come there is no room for compassion.

Of course, he can only leave if we get one or two new central defenders in first (one of whom might be Traore).

[Sandgrounder]

But surely we need to be concerned about the new Eufa rules about 6/8 (I think) homegrown players in the squad. This would seem to be a major blow to Benitez's long term strategy....

Carra, Warnock, Carson, Kirkland has that covered for the first couple of seasons. You just need to give squad numbers to a few Academy lads - they don't need to displace full-blooded Spaniards from the field of play or the bench.