The Wembley Turf is again the topic of discussion in the press after Gary Taylor-Fletcher scorer for Blackpool in the weekends play-off final, said that the Wembley pitch could wreck their hopes of appearing at the World Cup finals. It is getting in a worse state and any one of the England players could get injuried with an ankle or leg injury. Let’s hope they take it easy and pray for no injuries.

Here are a round up of some links discussing it:

Guardian
Telegraph
TheSun
TheSoccerRoom

After a poor finish in the Premier League Ramos has begun ringing the changes in the Spurs squad, moving on those not in his plans and those that do not want to be at the club.

Everyone in football knew that the majority of the transfers would not happen until the European Championships were over. However Ramos got in ahead of the game and made a bold move buying Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb, luckily the midfielder made it through the competition unscathed and may have inflated his price tag which was already a club record.

Ramos brought in two goalkeepers in Ranieri and the Brazilian Gomes who helped put the Spaniard’s side out of last seasons UEFA Cup. These arrivals signalled the end of Paul Robinson’s reign and he was offloaded to Blackburn Rovers. Ramos continued to reduce his wage bill buy getting rid of a number of players signed by Martin Jol. Sunderland manager Roy Keane was only too happy to avail of the services of players like Chimbonda, Tainio and Malbranque who had helped Spurs to two top five finishes in the last three seasons.

The biggest coup for Ramos though was the rapid and unexpected sale of the clubs biggest earner Robbie Keane. A player who in the euphoria of the Carling Cup celebrations said he would be happy to stay at the club for as long as he was wanted there. Just a few months on and the whiff of interest from Liverpool and he was ready to head up the M6 to Anfield. The irishman’s departure has made way for Darren Bent to come out of the shadows and stake a claim for a first team place. An opportunity he has grabbed with both hands scoring seven goals in two recent friendlies.

There have been a few more other high profile arrivals at White Hart Lane, Mexican youngster Giovani dos Santos moved from La Liga giants Barcelona for the benefit of his career on the advice of former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry.

John Bostock arrived amid controversy after a tribunal decided the fee to be paid to Crystal Palace should be just £700,000. A decision that angered disgruntled Palace chairman Simon Jordan, who has since vowed to leave football and find suitable new ownership for the Championship side.

The most recent arrival was that of David Bentley, who made it clear after the departure of Mark Hughes from Blackburn Rovers for the managers job at Manchester City, that his future lay elsewhere. Spurs won his services with a £15m bid that could rise to £17m depending on his success. The bitter pill for Spurs fans is that a large share of the £15m will be finding its way to Arsene Wenger’s transfer kitty, due to a clause in the players original sale from Arsenal to Rovers.

There will more than likely be more movement in and out of the Spurs dressing room with Dimitar Berbatov indicating that he would like to move to Manchester United, although Spurs would prefer him to stay or move to another league. Should he leave Spurs have been linked to a number or potential replacements including Andrei Arshavin who has allegedly agreed personal terms with the club.

Will Ramos be able to get all these new players to work well enough to improve on last years poor league position? Will he continue to have his midas touch for trophies? Given a full preseason will he be able to win yet another UEFA cup?

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has given his management team till the close of the Transfer Window to secure the services of the World’s most flamboyant player. Even though his buy out clause is reportedly £85m, the Russian businessman has allegedly met with the players advisors.

Barca Could Pay The Cost Of Increasing Taxes

Ronaldinho is due to naturalised and awarded Spanish nationality as he has been resident in Spain for five years. Naturalisation is usually what most Brazilian players look for when they join clubs in Spain and Portugal, however they do not earn as much as Ronaldinho, his naturalisation would see him lose his overseas status with the Tax Man, almost doubling his tax bill to the Spanish government.

His reluctance to pay this level of tax and the recent arrival of Thierry Henry who has reignited his friendship with Eto’o, and there is no love lost between the African and the Brazilian. All of these factors could be the cause of the increased interest from Stamford Bridge.

Having lost his legal action with Manchester United and the Premier League halting his move to Liverpool. Argentinean defender Gabriel Heinze has left England to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The £8 million deal will see the defender line up alongside World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro in the Madrid defence, he has been drafted in to replace Bernabeu legend Roberto Carlos.

Sir Alex Ferguson Calls For Investigation In To Liverpool Involvement In The Transfer

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has wished Heinze well at his new club, in the press conference ahead of this weekend’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur. However he has said that United will be investigating Liverpool’s involvement in unsettling one of the players who helped United win back the Premiership last season.

Robben Wanted To Leave Chelsea

Arjen Robben could not wait to leave Stamford Bridge, he cited the management’s lack of confidence due to his injuries as the main reason for his willingness to leave. However just as important to him was the fact that he had won everything in English football during his three years at Chelsea. He has signed a deal that will keep him in the Spanish capital for five years.

Having spent big this summer Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol looks intent on trimming his wage bill. So far the Dutchman has signed five new players and had a couple return from loan spells, which would have significantly increase the wage bill as would the improved contracts offered to key players during the closed season. However so far only fringe players have left the Lane.

There appear to be plenty of suiters for some of the higher paid squad players Mido and Ghaly were both linked with moves to Birmingham, which would have delighted the Spurs backroom staff. Much needed revenue for players that would miss a large portion of the season while on duty at the African Cup of Nations that takes place in the middle of the season. However Mido’s deal broke down over personal terms, and Ghaly was almost a Birmingham City player but was sent packing when he allegedly complained about the training and the Blues squad.

Danny Murphy is another player who could move to new pastures, he has been blighted by injury and off the issues and has not managed to make the impact that was expected of a ‘Champions League’ player. He has also been linked to a midlands club that play in Blue, as well as a move Wigan, which he may prefer as it would take him closer to his North West roots.

The new board at Sunderland have sanctioned the highest transfer fee for a goal keeper in Britain, the nine million pound deal is more than a million more than Manchester United paid for French World Cup and European Championship winner Fabian Barthez.

Gordon has signed a contract that ties him to the Black Cats for five years. Manager Roy Keane will hope that this huge financial investment will pay off over the course of the season, and that Gordon will make the important saves to score the points that justify his price tag. Gordon may feature at the Stadium of Light on Saturday where he will play against his England counterpart Paul Robinson, although the Spurs front line might put the Scotsman under more pressure than the Sunderland strikers will put Robinson under.

Wigan fans will be devastated to see last season’s player of the year leave just five days before the beginning of the new season. Baines will make the short trip across Lancashire to Goodison Park in Merseyside.

Baines made sure not to burn any bridges on his departure from the JJB Stadium, he thanked the Wigan fans for all their support, when he told them just how difficult his decision was to leave behind all his friends. The England Under 21 international has spent more than quarter of his life at the club.

The £5 million deal will see the much fancied defender become a toffee in time for the start of the new Premier League season. Much will be expected of new signings Baines and Jagielka for the new season as Everton push for Europe.

The recruitment policy to acquire outstanding young talent is being followed closely by Martin Jol and his team. So far this summer Spurs have made Adel Taarabt (18) a permanent signing after his successful loan spell. They have also brought in youngsters Danny Rose (17), Younes Kaboul (21), Darren Bent (23) and Gareth Bale (18) in the current transfer window.

Boateng leaves Hertha Berlin to join the youth revolution at White Hart Lane having turned down UEFA Cup holders Sevilla to join the Londoners. At his unveiling he told the press the he “watched the Premier League regularly in Germany, it’s the most famous league in the world”

Martin Jol beamed at the press conference about his latest signing “He is regarded as one of the biggest talents, we recognised this and went in for him”

After a few weeks of tracking Tottenham Hotspur’s Egyptian duo Birmingham city manager Steve Bruce has signed Hossam Ghaly. The deal for his fellow countryman Mido looks as though it may fall through as they parties can not agree personal terms. Ghaly has agreed and will join the Blues subject to receiving a work permit.

The 25 year-old will be glad to have a new home after his very public outburst in the penultimate game of last season at home to Blackburn. Ghaly threw his shirt to the ground in front of Martin Jol in a packed White Hart Lane, having been substituted just half an hour after being brought on from the bench.

The Egyptian international’s first game for his new club will be against Chelsea on the 12th of August. Ghaly has a good record against the London Blues he scored against them at Stamford Bridge in the 3-3 draw in the FA Cup quarter final.

The mass exodus of the ‘Big Names’ from the Emirates Stadium continues just weeks after the departure of Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg has left to join West Ham for a nominal fee that could rise to around £3million, the same fee that Arsenal paid for him seven years ago when they bought him from Halmstads.

The 30 year-old Swede said his decision was made easy after Thierry henry left for Barca. Ljungberg also said that the ambition of the Irons board was greater than the board at the Emirates Stadium.

Ljungberg has not been in the best form, of late he has been injured more often than he has been fit. A player of his stature will bring something to the restructured squad and as a rotational player he could be kept fit enough to contribute enough to help guide the side to success. Being an international captain and a regular in the champions league should demonstrate he has the composure and talent that the claret and blue lacked at times last season.