January 2009 Football Gossip
May I just take this opportunity to wish all Premier League fans a very happy and prosperous new year. I certainly hope to deliver you with great football news and welcome all comments about my footie blog going into 2009.
I absolutely love this time of year, the winter transfer window makes football journalists, forum members and club fans chin wag and speculate on who is coming/leaving all league clubs. So what's happening in the market....?
One of the most obvious transfer rumours linking Jermaine Defoe to his old club Tottenham Hotspur became stronger today when Tony Adams said that Defoe may have played his last game for Pompey. Defoe, loved by the Tottenham faithful has performed teriffically for Portsmouth but is strongly linked with Harry Redknapp who has managed the England international twice at West Ham United and Portsmouth. It was 12 months ago that Defoe went to Pompey, the move was underpinned by a Benjani exit to Manchester City.
Left-back wayne Bridge has agreed a move to cash rich Manchester City for an undisclosed fee which is rumoured to be up to £12m. The 28 year old has struggled to get into the first team at Chelsea with England international Ashley Cole taking the left flank slot full time. Bridge joined Chelsea 5 years ago and has been starved of first team action, so moving to Man City will be a great opportunity to get some first team football and put himself in front of England boss Fabio Cappelo on a more regular basis.
Manchester United have bought two Serbian players from Partizan Belgrade - Zoran Tosic (left winger) and Adem Ljajic (midefielder). Tosic will be straight into the Red Devil's squad and Adem Ljajic will be going straight back to Partizan Belgrade on loan.
Joe Kinnear is denying any sale of Shay Given. The 32 year old has recently been rumoured to be unhappy at St James Park, but the former Wimbledon and Notts Forest boss has ruled any depature out.
"He is our player and he is going to stay our player, it's as simple as that," said Kinnear.
West Ham United have 2 months left potentially until their ownership is in an insolvent position which will probably force Zola to sell players that he we would prefer to keep.
