Which Club has Made the Best Summer Signing So Far? Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Hull, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Stoke, Sunderland, Tottenham, West Brom, West Ham & Wigan Fans Have Your Say!
The Premier League transfer race is in full swing now that Euro 2008 has been and gone but still only a small number of signings have been concluded. The latest arrival to the Premier League was Manchester City’s new expensive Brazilian hitman Jo. He became Mark Hughes first signing since taking the reigns at Eastlands and may have solved the club’s striking problems of last season in one swoop.
Bolton also made a big summer signing by bringing in the Swedish international striker Johan Elmander. He joined for a club record transfer fee from French club Toulouse and will be hoping to fill the void left by Nicolas Anelka’s departure to Chelsea. The signing of Fabrice Muamba from Birmingham may also prove to be a masterstroke as it injects youthful athleticism into an ageing midfield.
Spurs have arguably been the busiest of the Premier League clubs as they’ve signed the Croatian Euro 2008 star Luka Modric and the exciting young Mexican Giovani Dos Santos. They are also expected to unveil the Brazilian shot-stopper Heurelho Gomes within the next week so they are proving to be major players in the transfer market this summer.
Luiz Felipe Scolari has also picked up 2 new recruits from his Portuguese squad to help his transition into the Chelsea job. Jose Bosingwa and Deco are both attacking players even though one of them is a defender. These signings may well herald a new offensive outlook about to take grip at Stamford Bridge.
Kevin Keegan signed his first player of the summer with the arrival of Argentine right-winger Jonas Gutierrez whilst the promoted sides Hull and West Brom brought in new recruits in Craig Fagan and Dutch defender Gianni Zuiverloon.
So which of these signings so far do you think is the best bit of business? Vote and then give your reasons why.
Tags: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Euro 2008, Hull, Liverpool, Man City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Premier League, Stoke, Sunderland, Tottenham, West Brom, West Ham
July 3rd, 2008 at 09:41
It’s obviously Modric, young, gifted and cheaper byt about £5m than we would have paid after Euro 2008
July 3rd, 2008 at 09:42
Jo will finally give us some attacking star quality to go with our excellent midfield and defence….exciting times!
July 3rd, 2008 at 09:51
As a Villa fan im sorry to say it has to Moderic! That geezer is going in my dream team for sure.
July 3rd, 2008 at 09:56
Luka Modric, by far the best signing, Jo who just joined Citeh will be interesting, Spurs were linked with him for a while, but we went cold on the idea dont know why.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:01
remember the name MODRIC!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:05
Sorry Citizen Smith, is that the same ‘excellent’ defence that shipped 8 goals against a hapless Boro team at the end of last season???
I’m a Spurs fan, but even if I wasn’t I’d have to go with Modric. Deco was useful in Euro 2008 and I expect him to have a good season.
Giovanni is young so we’ll have to see how he adapts, but the rest… not anything stand out. I guess Jo must be decent to pay £18m but haven’t seen him!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:08
No it wasn’t, none of the usual back 4 was playing apart from Dunne who was red carded!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:11
Errr… Corluka? Sun Jihai (while not 1st choice any more has played loads of 1st team games)???
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:17
who voted for the newcastle bloke? he is crap!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:19
Corluka was playing out of positio and is a full-back and no sun jihai is not first choice. When Dunne was sent-off we had no recognised centre-half in the side. It was 0-0 at the time!
Corluka Richards Dunne Ball is first choice
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:22
Ball played that game, Corluka played that game and Dunne played that game. You could have had 8 men out there and still shouldn’t have lost 8-1.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:24
Ok so we got turned over 8-1 but forgive me if i am incorrect but didn’t we finish higher than you??? Plus didn’t we beat you to Petrov and Corluka…yeah you are so great!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:32
david silva is yet to come,……………….he will be the brightest of the brights…
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:39
Ha ha… I love the way you turned it into a Spurs slating. I was in no way slating your team, just your inaccurate statement. I liked watching City last season. They were impressive, infact as impressive as they were 1st half of the season, they were equally poor second half. I think you’ll find yourselves in a better position next year than you found yourselves in May.
Spurs had a bad league season, I admit that. We did not play well at all on a regular enough basis and I hope we change that. I think as long as we can keep hold of our strike force, which currently looks unlikely, or bring in a strong replacement strike team, then we’ll be among the top 6 this season, maybe further… yes I am a Spurs fan who lives in hope.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:41
Scouser!!!!
Liverpool are having a hard time tying down Barry!
You honestly think you have the cash to buy Silva and Keane
My mate is a die hard Liverpool fan and he told me your accounts are shocking and the club is literally owned by the bank!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:16
in fairness - it was 0-0 for about 10 mins as Dunne was sent off early doors - it was a bad day at the office not helped by Franks behaviour - i hope Citeh join us in the top 6 next season - everton and villa bore me!!!!! you only got petrov coz he is a mercenary! you offered him lots more money and despite his best mate (berba) bein in london he chose Citeh - he loves the coin not the club!! like all pro footballers!
sorry but had to make these pointless statements!
Modric for the sake of this forum!! COYS!!!!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:34
I love the way all these city fans come out and say how great this guy is and how they have class up front! None of them have even seen him play, I have a couple of times and I think 6m would have been expensive! If he was not Brazilian £3m would have been the price as he is not even the best striker at his club, as you saw in the Euro’s pavlyuchenko is class and has by far outscored Jo the past few seasons!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:53
Ossie, first of all get your facts straight, he was not at the same club as Pavlyuchenko, idiot. Second of all Jo finished joint top scorer in Russia last year having missed half the season. In future if you don’t know what you are talking about keep your opinions to yourself.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:20
Cannot understand how people can vote for Modric over Deco after watching the Euros, Deco pulled all the strings in the Portugese midfield whereas Modric rarely played anything other than a 5-10yd simple pass - i know Deco is older but when you consider how much each player cost i would go for Deco every time.
I’m not a Chelsea fan but I actually think they have signed the two best so far, Deco and Bosingwa.
Mind you, all of the signings above are unproven in the EPL so who knows who’ll be the best buy at the end of the season!
July 3rd, 2008 at 13:14
FIRST I WANT TO SAY OLI THE SPURS FAN HANDLED HIMSELF WELL AND COULD HAVE BAD TALKED CITY IN RETURN TO WHAT CITIZEN SMITH WAS SAYING OBVIOUSLY A PROPER FOOTY FAN AT THE SAME TIME IM A CITY FAN AND ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE ONE OF THE BEST DEFENCES IN THE LEAGUE FACT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR 8-1 EVEN IF WE HAD STRIKERS IN DEFENCE,THE TEAM FELL APART. AS FOR CITIZEN SMITH SAYING WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT MIDFIELD THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE IT NEEDS MEGA IMPROVEMENT. AS FOR THE BEST SIGNING ITS ANY1′S GUESS IF THERE NEW TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE BUT MODRIC IS DECENT AND I WOULD WATCH OUT FOR NEWCASTLES NEW SIGNING JONAS GUTIERREZ I HAVE SEEN HIM ALOT LOOKS GOOD.
July 3rd, 2008 at 14:45
Harry Kewell is moving to Hull city, you heard it here first.
July 3rd, 2008 at 15:36
im sorry guys but im a portsmouth fan and i think west brom have definatley made the best signing so far. I believe the lad they have signed is gd enough 2 play 4 the big 4.
July 3rd, 2008 at 16:14
Why are people saying that Jonas is rubbish? Anyone that’s actually seen him says he’s a great player, including Gerry Armstrong who’s an ‘expert’ on La Liga football, and said he was one of, if not THE best wingers in La Liga last season, and that’s with the likes of Robinho and Robben for competition.
July 3rd, 2008 at 16:19
Jo is a beast but at £18m cannot be the best signing, same sort of thing for modric, Deco is the best £8m - he may be old but he is one of the best in his position… let’s hope he gets injured :P.
July 3rd, 2008 at 20:51
its gotta be deco all the way he is world classs nd im xited for wat they miyt achieve next season. i think blackburn have made a fantastic signing in gettin paul ince as i think he is the type of manager players will love to play for, almost keegan-esque. big things frm blackburn if they can hold onto bently nd pederson nd santa cruz,
July 4th, 2008 at 12:13
Also concerning Jonas, NUFC have got him for as much as it cost to buy out the rest of his contract, thought to be 780k. Additional costs are thought to make the final cost for him at around 2 million, which is a steal for a full Argentinian international.
What’s this I hear? Man City have paid 18 million pounds for Jo, who scored a few goals in the Russian league, and as far as I know, isn’t exactly a feature in the Brazilian national squad…
July 4th, 2008 at 14:55
HEY BEN WHY YOU PICKING OUT JO’S TRANSFER FEE WHEN IT WAS UNDISCLOSED YOU DONT KNOW WHAT HE COST SO SCRUB THAT COMMENT,IF YOU WANA HAVE A GO AT CITY - WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OVER PAYING LETS TALK ABOUT 6 MILLION FOR A MAN ON HIS WAY TO PRISON THATS WHY CITY CAN AFFORD TO OVER PAY BECAUSE WE GET 6 MILLION FOR BOG STANDARD MIDFIELDERS OFF CLUBS WHO THINK THEY HAVE A DIVINE RIGHT TO WIN THINGS WHEN THEY DONT IF DESERVEING TO WIN THINGS WENT ON HOW MANY FANS TURNED UP LIKE NEWCASTLE FANS THINK YOU STILL WOULDNT BE TOP OF THE TREE. FOR THE RECORD I AM ALSO A FAN OF YOUR NEW SIGNING AND WANTED CITY TO SIGN HIM FOR OUR RIGHT HAND SIDE , KEEP CITY OUT OF YOUR DEBATE WHEN ITS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM.
July 4th, 2008 at 16:41
Wow, calm down mate, and turn off the caps lock, it is really annoying…
I wasn’t having a go at City, I was just questioning people who have voted for Jo as the best summer signing, partly as he hasn’t even played yet, and partly as he cost so much. Yes I know the fee was officially “undisclosed” but on a few sites they’ve said the price has been around 18 million, or they said it was a new record transfer fee for the club, so I don’t think I will scrub that comment.
And about your comments on Joey Barton, he wasn’t on his way to jail when we bought him, was he. And he’s not exactly bog standard, he used to be the driving force in City’s midfield, they only sold him cause of the fight with Dabo.
So why don’t you keep Newcastle out of your debate when this was never about clubs, it was about the people they’re signing, I just said that voting for Jo as the best summer signing is a bit premature if you’re basing it on performances, and certainly a bit off if you’re basing your vote on value for money.
July 4th, 2008 at 21:27
JOEY BARTON WAS ON HIS WAY DOWN WHEN YOU BOUGHT HIM LIKE YOU SAID WE SOLD HIM BECAUSE HE ATTACKED SOMEONE AND WAS CHARGED WITH IT, AS FOR HIM BEING BOG STANDARD HE IS TRUST ME AND THE DRIVING FORCE I DONT THINK SO IM ACTUALLY A CITY FAN AND INCASE YOU DIDNT NOTICE WE WERE CRAP WHEN BARTON PLAYED PLUS HE USED TO TAKE EVERY SET PIECE AND THEY WERE ALL CRAP ASK ANY CITY FAN. AS FOR JO PEOPLE CAN VOTE WHO THEY WANT AND IF YOU SAY YOU HAVENT VOTED FOR JONAS YOUD BE LYING AS FOR HIS PERFORMANCES 44 IN 77 ISNT HALF BAD AND HES ONLY 21 YOU DONT GET BARGAINS LIKE 15 MILLION POUND ALAN SHEARERS THESE DAYS YOU HAVE TO PAY TOP WHACK. THE REASON I GOT ANGRY ABOUT MENTIONING JO IS BECAUSE EVERYONE SEEMS TO WANT TO HAVE A POP SINCE WE GOT A BIT OF MONEY BUT NEVER DO I HEAR THINGS ABOUT CHELSEA PAYING TO MUCH WHO ONLY GET PLAYERS BECAUSE OF MONEY, CITY FANS DESERVE THAT MONEY WE ARENT GLORY HUNTERS BUT SINCE WE GOT IT PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE A POP LIKE YOU SAYING WE PAID TO MUCH HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU DONT BECAUSE HE HASNT PLAYED YET SAY WE PAYED TO MUCH WHEN AND IF HE FLOPS.
July 5th, 2008 at 19:52
Alan Shearer wasn’t a bargain at 15 million, that was a new transfer record, idiot. Prices have increased as clubs have more money to spend, Alan Shearer was bought over 10 years ago, of course prices are going to be different now.
How can you say that Barton wasn’t the driving force in City’s midfield? He was your top scorer in the 2006/07 season, and he’s not even a striker for god’s sake, it’s not often you see that happening (bar Cristiano Ronaldo). He was also high in the ranks for assists at Man City, proving that he was an important player while he was there. You just won’t accept that and make up rubbish, cause you have no idea what you’re talking about and are just influenced by the media.
And yet again, I’m not having a go at City’s new spending power as displayed by their signing of Jo, I was just saying it may be unfounded to vote for him as the best summer signing because he hasn’t proved that he’s worth 18 million quid yet, and that’s a hefty price-tag to live up to. I know that people can vote for who they like, but most people tend to vote for whoever their club has signed.
I admit, I voted for Jonas, but then look at the transfer itself. He bought out the remainder of his contract, Newcastle reimburse that money to him, there’s a signing fee, and then we’ve got ourselves a 24 (well, it’s his 25th birthday today) year-old Argentinian international. Surely that’s a great signing, mainly due to the value for money factor.
If City had managed to get Jo for 10 million or less, I would’ve thought “Hey, that’s a pretty good deal for such a promising player” but I just think that 18 million is paying slightly over the odds. But as I’ve said before, this is all based on the fact that he hasn’t proven himself yet. If he does manage to prove himself in the Premier League this coming season, then I’ll admit that I was wrong to have doubts, but at the moment nothing has been done to dispel my doubts.
July 5th, 2008 at 20:33
FIRST OF ALL DONT CALL ME AN IDIOT INTERNET TOUGH GUY I HAVENT GOT PERSONAL WITH YOU ONLY ABOUT YOUR COMMENTS. WHEN I SAY SHEARER WAS A BARGAIN I MEAN HE WAS A YOUNG PROVEN STRIKER AT THIS LEVEL AT THE TIME AND THEN WHAT HE DID WHILST AT NEWCASTLE WAS BRILLIANT WHICH IS WHY I LOOSELY REFER TO 15 MILLION AS A BARGAIN. AS FOR BARTON BEING TOP SCORER HE ONLY SCORED 7 THATS NOT A DRIVING FORCE’S GOAL TALLY AS FOR HIM BEING HIGH IN ASSISTS HE WASNT PLUS IF HE WAS TOP SCORER WITH 7 WHO WAS HE ASSISTING? AN ASSIST ONLY COUNTS WHEN YOU SCORE FROM IT. YOU DEFEND HIM NOW BUT YOU WILL SEE ALL HE HAS TO HIS GAME IS NO FEAR I GO TO EVERY HOME AND AWAY GAME SO I ACTUALLY KNOW. IM NOT INFLUENCED BY THE MEDIA I HAVE MY OWN OPINION JUST LIKE YOU EXCEPT MY OPINION ABOUT BARTON IS WORTH MORE THAN YOURS AS I WATCHED HIM EVERY SINGLE GAME OF HIS CITY CAREER AND SOME OF HIS NEWCASTLE ONE TOO, YOUR RIGHT IF YOU SAY HE WAS ONE OF OUR BETTER PLAYERS BUT LOOK WHO WE HAD PLAYING FOR US WE WERE SHIT THEY MADE HIM LOOK GOOD YOU WILL SEE.
July 6th, 2008 at 07:39
You can be top scorer and still have loads of assists…if you have 10 assists, they could be to 8 different players, meaning the most scored by any of them due to the assists is 2. Barton could still be top scorer and get 10 assists.
How was I being an “internet tough guy”, I didn’t threaten you, I just insulted you, because I thought what you’d said was pretty stupid, saying Shearer’s purchase was a bargain, when at the time it was a transfer record. I’ll apologise, as you’ve shown what you meant by “bargain”, and I’ll agree with you there, for what Shearer gave us, 15 million pounds was definitely a bargain.
Joey Barton was a driving force in YOUR midfield at the time, proven by the fact that he was top scorer. Just cause he didn’t score many doesn’t detract from that, the whole team didn’t score many, so he was obviously one of the best players in your team.
Also I see you’ve stopped arguing with my points about Jo and Jonas, is that a bit of admittance showing itself?
July 6th, 2008 at 13:09
I WASNT REALLY ARGUING ABOUT THE JO THING JUST THAT YOU SEEM TO SAY IT WAS TO MUCH WITHOUT SEEING WHAT HE DOES FIRST AND I THOUGHT IT WAS UNJUST. AS FOR JONAS IF YOU LOOK AT MY FIRST COMMENT BEFORE WE GOT INTO THIS DEBATE YOU WILL SEE WHAT I THINK OF HIM. AS FOR BARTON I WILL AGREE TO DISAGREE IF YOU WILL - JUST READ NEWCASTLES FANS WANT HIM SACKED SO SAYS SOMEONE FROM THE SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION AND PEOPLE WILL GIVE SEASON TICKETS UP IF HE STAYS WHAT ABOUT YOU? NICE DEBATE BY THE WAY
July 6th, 2008 at 19:42
I was just saying about the Jo transfer that saying he is the signing of the summer is going a but far. I’m not saying he won’t be a good signing, but I think there have been better signings than him so far.
And I know that you rate Jonas, that’s another reason why I think he’s a good buy this summer, especially at the price we got him for.
I’m not saying I endorse Barton’s actions, my main argument is that he was a good player while at Man City. You were the one who brought Barton into this in the first place, saying he was “bog-standard”, I was just trying to prove that he isn’t bog-standard.
I can’t give up my season ticket, seeing as I live in Bangkok, but I do get to watch all the matches on TV
And yes this has been a good debate, it would be more enjoyable if you stopped typing in caps
July 6th, 2008 at 21:07
Bangkok any news about city leaking from there? and has frank got to stay in the country again or is that false?
July 7th, 2008 at 09:03
Glad you finally turned the caps lock off
I’m guessing you’re talking about Thaksin Shinawatra there, and no there hasn’t been any news of him. He probably won’t go to jail, but for what he’s done he really deserves to.
Or do you mean someone else when you say Frank, cause I really can’t think who you’d mean…
July 7th, 2008 at 12:15
I meant Thaskin.
July 7th, 2008 at 19:57
Modric seems a decent buy,however i have to agree with my blue brother”GAGA”-people are defo having a pop at City cos we have a few quid these days-green eyed monster im afraid