[Standaman]

They're definitely leagues we shouldn't rule out but traditionally Japanese players haven't faired that well in England, the real exceptions being Yoshida at Soton and Okazaki at Leicester...maybe Kagawa for Man Utd.
 Our very own Inamoto was hardly a success, although he was unlucky that Megson left soon after signing him.

I remember being very excited by us signing Inamoto based on nothing more than his appearances in 2002 World Cup. I don't think he was ever really fit didn't he have quite a bad injury at Arsenal the year before he joined us?

[Baggies]

They're definitely leagues we shouldn't rule out but traditionally Japanese players haven't faired that well in England, the real exceptions being Yoshida at Soton and Okazaki at Leicester...maybe Kagawa for Man Utd.
 Our very own Inamoto was hardly a success, although he was unlucky that Megson left soon after signing him.

From the K League we have had Park Ji Seung, Son Heung Min, Lee Young Pyo,  Lee Chung Yong sand Ki Sung Yeung.

Shunsuke Nakamura from Celtic was also easily good enough for a lower top flight team at one point.

It's worth considering as the talent is only increasing.

[TheJacko2000]

Fee Agreed. Ben White from Brighton and Hove to Arsenal for £50 million. 

And the carousel begins to turn...

[Baggies]

A few people are arguing this is a perfectly reasonable fee and that at 23, White has lots of potential to become one of England’s best centre backs, but a lot of it seems to be based on the fact he is good on the ball and not that much on his ability to defend.

I’m happy enough as it pushes another English defender towards a top side and in contention for England, but Brighton must be laughing to get £50m, while still having Dunk, Webster and Veltman in their ranks.

[alex1]

Fee Agreed. Ben White from Brighton and Hove to Arsenal for £50 million. 

And the carousel begins to turn...

If he'd been our player, Arsenal would probably have got him for £15 mllion.

[Standaman]

I don't think White move is good for club nor player the only people happy with this will be BHA. Bottom line here is that Arsenal are paying too much for a player I don't think they know what to do with. Arsenal's ability to pay too much money for the player that isn't quiet right for them is remarkable.

[baggies_24]

I don't think White move is good for club nor player the only people happy with this will be BHA. Bottom line here is that Arsenal are paying too much for a player I don't think they know what to do with. Arsenal's ability to pay too much money for the player that isn't quiet right for them is remarkable.

Mmm I’m not sure it’s a steep price to pay yes, but I can see him fitting Arteta’s system well he’s a solid defender who’s brilliant with the ball at his feet. He does need someone next to him who will be willing to do the dirty side of defending I think Gabriel & White both have the potential to be a very good cb pairing for the next 10 years.

[hardtobeat]

White can also play DM with Xhaka rumoured to be leaving he could have been  bought  to fill that role.

[johnny Cash]

Looks a decent player and was talked up a lot in the England squad despite being the one who missed the 23 a lot. Hes done nothing to justify a £50m tag though.

For years Arsenal have needed to go and buy a proper solid centre half and time and time again they fail to do so.

[LiamTheBaggie]

£50m - this from the club who pleaded poverty during the pandemic and accessed Government funding. Makes you feel sick.

White may be a good player but Brighton have pulled their pants down on this one.

[Standaman]

If Arsenal played with 3 at the back and the plan was slotting White into the right side of that 3 then I would be a lot more sanguine about the move. There are some widely acknowledged flaws on the defensive side of White's game and while there is no way you should be trying to hide a £50m defender at least it gives him the best platform to succeed in the short term and improve over time.

The fee is not White's fault and it is a little unfair to always start the discussion by referencing it but the fee says "best Centre Back that has moved this window" At this point he might not be 5th but he is comfortably the most expensive.   

[SmethDan]

£50m - this from the club who pleaded poverty during the pandemic and accessed Government funding. Makes you feel sick.............

Arsenal used to have a reputation for being classy operators. It appears the more money they have access to the less shame they feel.

I have slightly more time for Arsenal than Barcelona. Slightly.

Very tacky outfit these days as exampled by the attempted breakaway especially given their current standing in the Premier League.

[Standaman]

Thought I'd write something about a few of the transfers that have caught my eye. The White and Sancho deals haven't gone official yet so I will refrain from comment.

Spain Springs into Life

Atletico Madrid take over the mantle of Spains big spenders by taking Rodrigo De Paul from Udenise for a fee of over £34m. Good player and very much for the here and now but 4 year contract at the age of 27 not going to get better typical big Spanish Club signing e.g. not totally rubbish but Meh... and what are going to do in 3 year's time when he is post peak usable and earning a ton of money?

Matt Ryan leaves these shores to join Real Sociedad on a free.

Villareal continue to gear up for the Champions League campaign buying Centre Forward Boulaye Dia from Stade Reims £10m

The Italian Job

Depending on which reports you wish believe Anderson has left West Ham to join Lazio for nothing or a bit over £2m. Given that he cost West Ham £30m when they bought him from Lazio you have to think somebody in Rome has just got the gold back. Anderson comes with a slightly faded showing ambition badge from 2018 as fond memento of his time in London

Rui Patrício moves from Wolves to Roma where Mendes client Jose Mourinho is manager for £10m and is replaced by Jose Sa for £7m from Olympicas and I bet you can't guess who his agent is.

Inter spent some of the £50m they received from PSG on triggering the buy back clause for Zinho Vanheusden who was at Standard Liege an up and coming Centre Half who I'd expect to see in the Belgium squad at the World Cup.   

Meanwhile in France the Novae Riche get busy

PSG snap up Gianluigi Donnarumma on a free from Milan. 5 year deal north of €25m a year plus signing on bonus. Fee free but not free.

You really have to dislike the smart and rich in football. Stade Rennais are owned by François-Henri Pinault who might be France's richest man and therefore can carry on as per normal regardless of the carnage going on elsewhere and normal here is identifying and buying another exciting young talent Kamaldeen Sulemana from Nordsjaelland for £13.5m.

Calvin Stengs moves from AZ to Nice for £13m. It must be nice for Nice being owned by Jim Ratcliffe and able to buy talent like the rising Dutch winger when most clubs are selling the family silver to stay afloat.
 
Follow the Money

Talking of Nice they have sold central midfielder Pierre Lees Melou for £5m to Premier League newcomers Norwich. Now I think it's two years too late for him to step into the Premier League but Norwich have only given him a two year deal which are probably the last 2 peak years he has left but this is a very good signing. Certainly adds something to them.

Norwich have now pretty much spent the the Bunenda money. They have paid the fees for 5 recruits. The fees that have paid Burnley, Southampton and Nice has been spent and some more besides but the money that has been exported to Greece and Germany has not been spent least ways not on fees.

The Long and Winding Road

Luan Peres 27 year old Brazilian left footed Centre Back with a career path that looks more erratic than a drunken spider dipped in ink making there way across sheet of paper is on the move again. At 20 Laun is playing for tiny Portuguesa in his native Brazil, then between June 2016 and May 2017 he is traded 3 times Portuguesa to Santa Cruz then to Red Bull Brasil then to Ituano.

As far as I can make out he never plays for Ituano but is loaned out to Ponte Preta and the following season to Fluminense for two months and there catches the eye of Club Brugge who buy him for £400k in July 2018. Things don't work out for him in Belgium and 12 months on he is back in Brazil with Santos on loan and 18 months latter joins permanently for £2.25m and lives happily ever after until the transfer window opens and he now moves to Marseille for over £4m.

At 27 he has just over 160 senior appearances he might not be much of a footballer but boy can he pack a suitcase.

Championship Corner

QPR continue to assemble a decent squad without much fuss latest recruit to the West London outfit is promising young full back Sam McCullam on loan from Norwich 

Next week things will really start to ramp up.

[gerry m]

£50m - this from the club who pleaded poverty during the pandemic and accessed Government funding. Makes you feel sick.

White may be a good player but Brighton have pulled their pants down on this one.

Yes 100% correct. Brighton's owner must be laughing his socks off!

[SmethDan]

There's got to be someone at the Treasury clever enough to raise a case for the return of funds from clubs who've subsequently gone on a spending splurge.

[WBArgo]

Yes 100% correct. Brighton's owner must be laughing his socks off!

Yes, he's a very clever and astute businessman.

Legally Arsenal should have to pay that money back. Disgusting.

[zippyandbungle]

There's got to be someone at the Treasury clever enough to raise a case for the return of funds from clubs who've subsequently gone on a spending splurge.

100%
Maybe fans should start to make some noise?

[Baggies]

Marc Guehi moves from Chelsea to Palace for £20m. Palace are having a great window so far, although £20m plus a sell on fee in Chelsea's favour feels slightly steep considering he hasn't made a first team appearance. I am really excited by him though, a genuine contender for England starting centre back at the World Cup or the next Euros.

That will however mean Chelsea have sold both of their promising academy centre halves this window in Guehi and Tomori. Surely they were worth more game time.

[Standaman]

The whole academy model at Chelsea is about developing players for profit i.e. developing them to the point where they can be sold. Occasionally players will almost by accident make it into the Chelsea first team e.g. Mount.

Historically they have made some blunders e.g. Lukaku and De Bruyne although they made significant profits on both players but both have subsequently gone on to be world class players and be traded for significantly bigger fees. However they have got smarter in at least securing a share of any future fees or in many instances like Marc Guehi having some sort of buy back option.

It would be interesting to do a where are they now feature on the Chelsea academy products across the last decade I do remember a few next big things that have bombed along the way.     

[johnny Cash]

Marc Guehi moves from Chelsea to Palace for £20m. Palace are having a great window so far, although £20m plus a sell on fee in Chelsea's favour feels slightly steep considering he hasn't made a first team appearance. I am really excited by him though, a genuine contender for England starting centre back at the World Cup or the next Euros.

That will however mean Chelsea have sold both of their promising academy centre halves this window in Guehi and Tomori. Surely they were worth more game time.

I thought Olise for £8m was a great signing by palace. I think he also had time at Chelsea.

However as much as they’ve exciting young players, they still have some aging ones and some distinctly average. If the kids don’t hit the ground running they could get dragged into the battle although I don’t think they’ll drop.

[gazberg]

Middlesborough to sign Martin Payero after passing his medical. £6m quid where they got that money from? Anyone know if he's any good?

[Baggies]

Loosely an Argentina international (well, in their mixed Olympic team which will in effect be an U23 side). Not a bad gamble but loads of Argentines have come over and done little.

Gibson may have put more money in, they are looking at a few more South Americans, but their first 4 signings have all been championship journeymen.

[gazberg]

Loosely an Argentina international (well, in their mixed Olympic team which will in effect be an U23 side). Not a bad gamble but loads of Argentines have come over and done little.

Gibson may have put more money in, they are looking at a few more South Americans, but their first 4 signings have all been championship journeymen.

Thanks Baggies!

[Baggies]

The whole academy model at Chelsea is about developing players for profit i.e. developing them to the point where they can be sold. Occasionally players will almost by accident make it into the Chelsea first team e.g. Mount.

Historically they have made some blunders e.g. Lukaku and De Bruyne although they made significant profits on both players but both have subsequently gone on to be world class players and be traded for significantly bigger fees. However they have got smarter in at least securing a share of any future fees or in many instances like Marc Guehi having some sort of buy back option.

It would be interesting to do a where are they now feature on the Chelsea academy products across the last decade I do remember a few next big things that have bombed along the way.   

While they will still make a fair whack, it does seem players are wising up to it.

3 of their top academy kids have refused to sign contracts this summer. The very highly rated Lewis Bate is bring tracked by Leeds (who have form for stockpiling youngsters, not quite sure what the end game is there). Tino Livramento who seems to have been Chelsea academy's golden boy for a while looks likely to follow Tariq Lamptey to Brighton (I really miss Dan Ashworth), while Myles Peart-Harris is also expected to move to another prem side this summer.

More and more youngsters are getting wise to the fact that there is little point hanging around big clubs academies aged 18/19 when you could earn a bumper 5 year 40 grand a week contract at a club that will give you a better development path.

[Baggies]

Following on from the above, Myles Peart-Harris is going to Brentford. Funny how it's always the best run clubs who get these deals.