The Great Summer Sale

No, I am not talking about the Great Singapore Sale. It is the activity that takes place after the end of the soccer season in Europe that intrigues and excites us soccer fans.

With the European leagues close to an end, or ended for most, the attention now shifts from the soccer pitches to the tabloids and soccer grapevine. Yes, it’s the season-end sale, but without the discounts. The rumour mill is at its busiest now as every available, want-away, unwanted, promising, sought-after, and disgruntled football player is being linked with almost every other club.

With the English Premiership clubs growing richer with all the TV broadcasting and sponsorship money (while we pay more for soccer channel on cable), club managers can now draw up shopping lists and pass them on to their chairmans to draw on their best negotiation skills and opportunistic timing to capture the necessary talents to either push their case for premiership glory, an European spot, or for some, a chance to avoid relegation.

To some soccer fans, the transfer season is even better than the actual game. Very true. If you had played ‘Championship Manager’ before, you’ll know that the wheeling and dealing to bring the unspotted talents and the best players to your club can be more exciting than the actual matches itself. But of course, those games didn’t quite have the visuals to showcase the excitement on the pitch, and those flashing commentaries (of the CM3 era) or the 2-D moving spots(of the CM 2001 and beyond era) can’t quite match a live game.

And what a way to start the summer sale; Manchester United who are often caught in long protracted transfer talks for their targets, has swooped in on three young talents. HARGREAVES. NANI. ANDERSON ABREU. These are the names that will feature prominently in the future. Promising young players who will have to prove themselves to be fit to be called successors to Keane, Giggs and Scholes. As a fan, I am delighted. Can’t wait to see Nani and Anderson in action, especially alongside Ronaldo. Opposing teams will now have three young attacking midfielders, with mazy dribbling skills, running at them with great speed.

Here’s a peek at what you can expect. Nani, the back-flipping star and Anderson, the braided samba star.

And the best part is, Man Utd is not done yet. Now let’s see who the rest of the clubs bring in. The Summer Sale can only get better.