Summer Transfer Window 2013 - What To Expect (Part 2)

Welcome to part of my look at this summer’s transfer movers and shakers. I’m going to kick this part of with a look at the 3 promoted teams.

It has become popular in recent seasons to as soon as the teams get promoted to predict a struggle but this year I genuinely think that the 3 teams coming up could be in trouble, as they all look painfully short of quality. None of the 3 will probably try and break the bank as they will be more than happy to bank the TV money and the parachute payments should they go down, so expect them so gives chances to the players who got them into the promised land. But, as far as the business they will try and do, Cardiff desperately need a striker. They may have won the Championship last season but their top scorer finished with 8 goals and that just isn’t going to be enough in the top flight. Steve Bruce over at Hull will be key. He has been known to pull in some great bargain buys in the past, most notably at Wigan so if he can do the same again they will definitely be keeping an eye on. And as for Crystal Palace they are facing a struggle. The one hope for them is that they can Zaha back on loan for one more year but that can’t be guaranteed and attracting players to a team that seems destined for relegation will prove a challenge.

But for me 2 clubs above the others in the top flight are going to be very interesting to watch over the coming months and those 2 clubs are Spurs and Liverpool. Both made improvements last year and with the right investment they could make a few waves next season. I’ll have a look at Spurs 1 first.

It might be a bit of a bold statement but I really think aren’t that far away from having a team capable of challenging for the title. They a great goalkeeper, a good defence, a good midfield (Scott Parker not withstanding) and one of the best players in the league in Gareth Bale. I think what they really need to push them onto the next level is a 25 goal per season striker, because let’s be honest Adebayor just isn’t cutting it and Defoe although a good player can’t always be relied upon to get you a goal in the big games. Leandro Damio seems the obvious choice, but I don’t think it would do any harm to test the water around Lewandoski at Dortmund, stranger things have happened. And obviously keeping hold of Bale (I think they will) is very important. But most importantly for the love of God sell Scott ‘Scotty’ Parker!

Now Liverpool didn’t really pull up any trees in the 1^st season under Brendan Rodgers, but there were definitely signs of progress. Personally I think they would have performed better had Brendan given his wife her coat back… honestly what the hell was that all about? I digress; they signed some decent young players and started playing some decent football although they were at times shockingly inconsistent. Coutinho has looked good since coming into the team and as much as he looks a bit of an arrogant plonker Sturridge has also played well. The big question over the summer is Suarez now that he has said that he wants to go. Personally I don’t think it would be much of a disaster if he went for the right money, he is talented but he has started to become a bit of a liability. A new central midfielder is needed, and the management must really have their fingers crossed over the signing of Kolo Toure who has been less than inspiring at Man City in recent times. I can’t pretend that I know about Aspas so will have to give him the benefit of the doubt. And as of today it seems to they are close to agreeing a deal to sign Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet for around £10 million, could Reina be on the move? So with these signings and maybe a couple more and if the likes of Allen and Borini can step up nest season they could be an outside bet to get into the Champions League places.