Expensive Summer Ahead?

It’s coming to the business end of the season and as promotion, relegation, cup winners and league champions are decided, many clubs have already turned their attention to who they can bring in to improve their fortunes next campaign and get rid of those bench warmers who are weighing them down.

Chelsea -  Busy end to the season

Podolski

Arsene Wenger has been, perhaps surprisingly, the early mover in the market. The Frenchman is often said to be reluctant to spend big, looking instead to bring in players for cheaper at a young age, but he has already secured the signing of Lukas Podolski from Cologne and reports today suggest a move worth nearly £20million is to soon be concluded for French midfielder Yann M’Vila from Ligue 1 club Rennes. So with Wenger keen to get business done early and appearing rather more generous with his cash than in previous summers, will this set a trend for a high spending summer? Well, Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie is hot property at the moment, scoring his 30th league goal of the season this weekend the PFA Player of the Year tops Roberto Mancini’s wish list, City are likely to be the only club with the riches to prize him away from the Emirates. With this in mind, potential league champions City, will have an excess of attacking options on their books. Sergio Aguero has been the clubs talisman this year and Carlos Tevez has produced a comeback capable of rivalling that of Paul Scholes across Manchester, if Van Persie was to arrive it would look as if Edin Dzeko could be the one to depart, the Bosnian has contributed 13 league goals this season, but a majority of those came early on in the season. Mario Balotelli has also contributed 13 league goals to City’s title challenge, but his attitude and temperament has been called into question on more than one occasion.

Hazard - Doing a Bale in England next season?

Manchester United look set to miss out on silverware this season, Fergusons mix of youthful exuberance and ageing experience have taken the league to a final day decider, but they came up short in the Champions League and domestic cups. Giggs and Scholes will most likely stay for one more season and this could help the likes of Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck continue in their promising development whilst Phil Jones and Johnny Evans have already put in some very strong performances with Ferdinand and Vidic absent for large parts of this campaign. Fergie seems set for at least one big-money move though and with names like Modric and Sneijder being mentioned in several gossip columns it appears to be a central midfielder wanted at Old Trafford. Eden Hazard could fit the bill, Fergie would have to spend big to fend off the competition for the talented playmaker.

Back in the capital, Harry Redknapp has said Tottenham need to be ‘bold’ in the transfer market this summer, after missing out on the England job he can now focus on strengthening his squad at White Hart Lane. Emmanuel Adebayor has lead the line for the Lilywhites, but is on loan from Manchester City and his wages could prove to be a stumbling block in this move, but on a reported £180,000 a week at the Etihad it is likely the Togolese forward would have to take a wage cut wherever he ends up. ‘Arry is keen to hold onto both Modric and Bale, with chairman Daniel Levy saying Welsh winger Bale is worth at least £40million, Levy has taken strides to warn off surprise interest from Barcelona for French centre back Younes Kaboul, slapping a £24million price tag on defensive lynchpin, since returning from Portsmouth, Kaboul has becoming perhaps Spurs’ most valuable centre back. Redknapps first ‘bold’ move could be to bring in Jan Vertonghen from Ajax, the defender who is also club captain at league champions Ajax, has just been named Eredivisie player of the year.

Over in West London, Chelsea look set to miss out on Champions League Football next season unless they can win in the Allianz Arena, the managerial situation could depend on this result, Roberto Di Matteo surely can’t be overlooked for the role if the Blues win, but whoever is in charge next year, their spending will rely on how interested owner Abramovich still is in his Chelsea project.

At the bottom end of the league, some players will have done enough to earn themselves a spot in the Premier League next year, whether their teams survive or not. Wolves are already down, but Matt Jarvis and Steven Fletcher have given a good account of themselves and deserve to strut their stuff in the top flight. Likewise over at Blackburn, striker Yakubu has kept Rovers survival hopes alive with his goals, often accompanied by good performances from Canadian Junior Hoilett.

No doubt Euro 2012 will throw some relatively unknown talents into the limelight and with the Olympics and arrival of Team GB, everyone in the country will be taking a keener interest in the competition which could showcase some of the world’s most promising youngsters. Europe’s biggest clubs, the likes of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona will surely venture into the transfer market and their moves could well have a say on what happens with the Premier League big spenders, Paris Saint-Germain should not be underestimated with their spending power, the lure of the French capital has already attracted some sizeable captures and of course with Juventus clinching the Serie A title, the Milanese clubs will not be shy in spending their way back to the top.

This is just an early feeler of what may be to come, the speculation surrounding players and clubs, who’s moving, where to and for how much is sure to keep us all hooked during the off season as always, feel free to comment with any gossip at any level, lets the debates begin...