Who are the "Big Five" linked to? Defoe, Torres, Sneijder, Villa?

Link Central:

Manchester United has been linked to...

Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) - $40 million
Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria) - $20 million
Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham) - no figure reported
Eidur Godjohnsen (Barcelona) - $16 million and starlet Gerard Pique
Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham) - no figure reported
Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax) - $20 million
Javier Saviola (Barcelona) - passing interest
Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) - $12 million


As you can see, Man Utd is looking for a strike partner that can work well with Wayne Rooney. The only domestic candidate seems to be Defoe who fell down the pecking order at Tottenham, behind Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov. That rumor has been a bit stronger than the Berbatov to Old Trafford possibility. Alan Smith could be on his way out and Anderson, Nani, and expensive Owen Hargreaves have already made the jump to Manchester. As far as strikers go and with the recent surgery that Louis Saha decided to have, another option Alex Ferguson has is to give Guiseppe Rossi a chance. Whatever is chosen, you can bet there will be more spending.

Chelsea has been linked to...

David Villa (Valencia) - $60 million
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) - $40 million
Carlos Tevez (West Ham United) - $60 million
Marko Pantelic (Hertha Berlin) - $5 million
Alex (PSV Eindhoven) - figure undisclosed
Daniel Alves (Sevilla) - figure undisclosed
Alexandre Pato (Internacional) - passing interest


After capturing Steve Sidwell, Claudio Pizarro, and now Isreali Tal Ben-Haim, Chelsea looks to find somebody to keep Dider Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko honest. Unfortunately, Villa has already said he wishes to stay at Valencia and where Carlos Tevez ends up is one big crap shoot. I expect him to move to Italy or Spain, not within the Premiership. Marko Pantelic is an interesting rumor as he is industrious and prolific everywhere he goes but can he withstand the Premiership and the competition of a strong Chelsea squad?

Arsenal has been linked to...

Samuel E'too (Barcelona) - $50 million
Ryan Babel (Ajax) - $12 million
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) - $40 million
David Trezeguet (Juventus) - figure undisclosed
Curtis Davies (West Bromwich Albion) - passing interest
Bakari Sagna (Auxerre) - passing interest


Clearly, every one and their mother is linked to the young Fernando Torres who has hit a two-year lull at Atletico Madrid. Samuel E'too is also heavily coveted by Rafa Benitez and Liverpool. The established young'un Ryan Babel is a recent development after his performances so far in the U-21 European Championship. All the transfer talk, however, has been a leaked rumor that Thierry Henry might be on his way to Barcelona and Nou Camp. Naaaaah.

Liverpool has been linked to...

Florent Malouda (Lyon) - $34 million
Yossi Benayoun (West Ham United) - $6 million
Simao (Benfica) -$24 million
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) - $40 million
Samuel E'too (Barcelona) - $50 million
Diego Forlan (Villareal) - $32 million


Rafa Benitez has already rid Anfield of Chilean Mark Gonzalez, long-time great Robbie Fowler (to the MLS?) and Bolo Zenden and he has stated that he plans on much roster turnover. Malouda is a great possibility and after 6 consecutive Ligue One championships with Olympique Lyonnais, he has issued a "come and get me" plea to Liverpool. There are some other Spanish young'un links (like Marc Crosas of Barcelona) that Benitez will most likely act on. Liverpool's cash will be concentrated on Malouda and, as it was released today, Isreali Yossi Benayoun.

Tottenham has been linked to...

Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona) - figure undisclosed
Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic) - $30 million
Wesley Sneijder (Ajax) - figure undisclosed
Leighton Baines (Wigan) - passing interest
Harry Kewell (Liverpool) - passing interest
Michael Owen (Newcastle) - passing interest
Nicky Shorey (Reading) - $10 million
Curtis Davies (West Bromwich Albion) - passing interest


The best link out of these is Sneijder as the Hotspur need someone to counter last year's loss of Michael Carrick. Didier Zokora was supposed to do that, but it hasn't worked out as of yet. Wesley Sneijder, however, is the heart of a great Ajax Amsterdam midfield and has been linked with Barcelona and Inter Milan in the past. Darren Bent is a goalscorer for a bad team - but why go for Bent when you have Berbatov and Keane (whose age is getting up there). Baines, Kewell, and Owen will most likely stay where they are but rumors have been thrown out there by English papers. Tottenham needs a playmaker because Aaron Lennon is too young and too inconsistent to do it. Also in Martin Jol's sights is a quality left back seen through links with Shorey of Madjeski Stadium and Leighton Baines of Wigan Athletic.

Other important links:

West Ham United has also been linked to Darren Bent for a heftier $36 million transfer fee. Apparently, it has been turned down by Bent, but not Charlton.

Newcastle has gotten Joey Barton and Mark Viduka, but new boss Sam Allardyce wants to keep adding. Preferably, with out-of-favor Frenchman Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona) and Turkish maestro Karadeniz Gokdeniz (Trabzonspor). Gokdeniz, a wing midfielder, would be a nice addition to an ailing Toon midfield. Kevin Nolan (Bolton) has also caught Big Sam's eye.

Portsmouth, with their hefty transfer kitty, is looking to have a second stint with Ayegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough). The price would be big at around $25 million because Southgate and M'brough know they can't lose both Yakubu and Viduka (who already left for Newcastle).

Middlesbrough is linked to probably the most cost-efficient transfer target of the bunch. Sanli Tuncay has been a rising star in Turkish football for several years now and finally Western Europe is taking notice. Tuncay is out of contract July 1st and Middlesbrough's interest could mean other front office's coming to their senses eventually.

Aston Villa is looking hard at Hamburg's Nigel De Jong. He had the "rising star" label pinned on him early at Ajax Amsterdam and made a quick move to HSV where some of his appeal shed a little. He still is an established Dutch international and a move could be the best thing for him, meaning Villa could come out winners with this possibility.