GOOD RIDDANCE

[c0rrine.livejournal.com]

THE 2009 SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW IS

CLOSED

and just in case Florentino Perez can't understand English,
LA VENTANA DE TRANSFERENCIAS DEL 2009 ESTA CERRADA!!!

We've cried tears, we've jumped off some cliffs, we've sent death threats to Perez and we've broken our fingers from constantly refreshing BBC text. Us North Americans were rubbing our eyes and pinching ourselves when we saw the Ronaldo saga reported on our local news. A soccer player? On American TV? What? Then later that evening, Paris Hilton and Cristiano Ronaldo hooked up and a pandemic was expected to start. But somehow we made it!

The season has started for all the major leagues, yet I still can't grasp that all those transfers, swap deals and Sergio's green pants actually happened. It's September, which means a new beginning for not only soccer, but for a bunch of us with our academic commitments and stuff. But let's take one last look back on the most chaotic transfer window in history, so we can tell ours kids in the future. When we're WAGs of course.

Real Madrid's re-elected president creates an instant impact by signing Milan's goldenboy, making him the first of many to come of his second round of Galaticos. The Brazilian who once pledged his future to the Rossoneris departs with fellow Milan icons Paolo Maldini and Carlo Ancelotti. After several years of glory with Manchester United, the "world's best player" joins his (mother's) dream club at a record-smashing transfer fee. Bought from Sporting CP for just £12.2m, the Portuguese winger was sold for more than 6 times the price Fergie originally signed him for. This year, he looks for the new challenge of not only reproducing his success in England with Los Blancos, but to resist the beaches, discos and designer shops in the beautiful Iberian peninsula. Almost offloaded by his coach the summer before, Alonso bounced back with his best season in a Liverpool shirt. After missing the league title by a hair, the Basque player then insisted on making a return to Spain and joined the Madrid giants after weeks of tireless rumours and speculation. Alonso was an Anfield favourite and a vital part of Liverpool's famous night in Istanbul where the Reds won their 5th European cup. Lyon's rising star Karim Benzema leaves his childhood club to join the new era of Perez's Galaticos. The French striker was closely linked with many clubs, such as Manchester United but opted to join his "dream club" where he'll become part of Madrid's revamped attack-line. Skeptics will wonder if the newcomer will fit into team, but hes already been spotted holding Gucci bags. Seems like he's making good progress to me. Serie A icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic, known for his goal-scoring abilities, egotistic personality, and schnoz, leaves Italy to have a better shot at the Champions League title with newly crowned winners FC Barcelona. He arrives in Spain, replacing Samuel Eto'o in an exuberant swap deal to form a new attack line with superstars Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi. Eto'o was a crucial player during his 5 years defending the Barca crest - best known for scoring two important goals in two CL finals for the Catalan giants. However, with only one year left on his contract and barely staying with the club the summer before, The Cameroonian (valued at €20m by the club) was offloaded to Inter Milan in a swap move that brought Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Camp Nou. Commonly known as a "fan favourite" during his time at Old Trafford, Carlos Tevez made a controversial move to neighbouring rivals Manchester City - and well, became a fan favourite no more. After the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov, The Argentine saw more time on the bench and eventually fell out with coach Alex Ferguson. He defends his move arguing that his new club will ensure the playing time needed for the World Cup, while others will suggest it was for more selfish reasons. The 6'3 forward from Togo leaves the Gunners after four years, 47 goals, and series of sexy dance moves, but also departs on a bad impression by deciding to join league competitors Manchester City. His arrival to the club will see him form a part of the "City Revolution" - a project that started after the Arab takeover in the summer of 2008. Despite a few spells of injury, the Dutch playmaker was arguably Madrid's most feared player during their 08/09 season. Madrid coach Pellegrini insisted on keeping the player, but it was clear that Robben was not apart of Florentino's project, and the winger was sold to Bayern Munich in the final days of the transfer window. There, he'll join Franck Ribery where an intriguing partnership awaits. In the midst of Florentino's crazy spending, one has to remember that the best things in life are free! Even though Fergie swooped this player on a £0 pricetag, this transfer caused its fair share of upstir and drama to add to this summer's chaotic transfer window. Michael Owen, bred as a red and best remembered for his performances in a Liverpool shirt, joined arch-rivals Manchester United after a poor spell at Real Madrid and Newcastle. After many years of criticism, Owen sees this as his last opportunity to revive his career and also his final audition for Fabio Capelo's team. Well, we don't hear any Valencia fans complaining, but this was probably the biggest cockblock of the season. Valencia missed a CL spot by just a hair, their financial situation was not looking any better and it seemed like their star players would have to be sacrificed. Negotiations between El Guaje and Barcelona went on all summer, the highly trusted Goal.com told us he already had an agreement with Real Madrid... then BAM! Their president told us that Valencia's number 7 was to remain Valencia's #7.

Gareth Barry: £12m, Aston Villa to Manchester City Grew up as a Villa player, captained the team, left to "win trophies" and joined a club that wasn't competing in CL Glen Johnson: £18m, Portsmouth to Liverpool The England international impressed for both country and club and was voted the PFA rightback of 2008/2009. This attracted him to several top PL clubs, but was eventually signed by Liverpool Alvaro Arbeloa: €4m, Liverpool to Real Madrid Was dependable but never too flashy. Had one year left on his contract, and with Johnson being Liverpool's big signing of the season, Fly Boy was just a phonecall away from rejoining his childhood club. Alberto Aquilani: £20m, Roma to Liverpool Arrived as a replacement for newly departed Xabi Alonso. Started his career with Roma and highly rated in Italy despite being injury prone during his time with the Italian club. Raul Albiol: €15m, Valencia to Real Madrid Spanish international, born in Valencia and played with Valencia since childhood. Left after Florentino's re-election to strengthen Madrid's defense. Antonio Valencia: £16m, Wigan to Manchester United The Ecuadorian winger arrived in England in 2006 at Wigan Athletic, and was signed by Man United after a few impressive seasons in the Premier League. Kolo Toure: £16m, Arsenal to Manchester City Spent 7 years with Arsenal and was the last player (unless you count Clichy) from Arsenal's famous invincible year. Joleon Lescott: £22-£24m, Everton to Manchester City Important part of Everton's defense, but his departure was inevitable after the player handed in a transfer request. Mario Gomez: €30m, Stuttgart to Bayern Munich Always a Stuttgart favourite, but shocked his fans by making a record transfer to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after almost 10 years with the club. Felipe Melo: €20.5m, Fiorentina to Juventus The midfielder had a successful stint with Brazil at the Confederations Cup, and was then linked to several top clubs including Arsenal, but went to Juventus. Lucio: Undisclosed, Bayern Munich to Inter Milan Spent nearly a decade in Germany and was part of the Leverkusen squad that was defeated by Real Madrid in the 2002 CL final. Vice captained Bayern, and was Captain of the Brazil side that recently won the Confed Cup, but the centerback now has a new challenge in Italy with Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan. Diego: €24.5, Werder Bremen to Juventus The Brazilian playmaker was a key part of Bremen over the years, and was important to Bremen's UEFA Cup campaign, even though he was unable to play in the final. He joins Juventus with fellow Brazilian Felipe Melo. Wesley Sneijder: €15m, Real Madrid to Inter Milan A Dutch-favourite but was not considered as part of Florentino's project and was sold to Inter Milan, where he is expected to add strength to their midfield. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: €15m, Real Madrid to AC Milan Highly rated dutch-striker who was an emergency buy from Real Madrid in the 2009 winter transfer window. Milan who lost key players this summer, bought the striker to strengthen their weakened squad. Peter Crouch: Around £10m, Portsmouth to Tottenham The Premier League's tallest striker leaves the struggling Portsmouth side and returns to London to reunite with his childhood club

Cannavaro - Free, Real Madrid to Juventus Podolski - €10m, Bayern Munich to FC Köln Zhirkov - £18m, CSKA Moscow to Chelsea Roque Santa Cruz - £17.5m, Blackburn to Manchester City Sami Hyypia - Free, Liverpool to Bayern Leverkusen Nilmar - £11m, Internacional to Villarreal Milito - Undisclosed, Genoa to Inter Milan Miguel Torres - €2m, Real Madrid to Getafe Sylvinho - Free, FC Barcelona to Manchester City Gooch - Free, Standard Liege to AC Milan Negredo - €15m, Real Madrid to Sevilla Maxwell - €4.5m, Inter Milan to FC Barcelona Chyngrnsky - €25m, Shahktar to FC Barcelona Morientes - Free, Valencia to Marseille Gudjohnsen - €2.5m, FC Barcelona to AS Monaco Juninho - €2.5m, Lyon to Al-Gharafa Heitinga - £6.2m, Atletico Madrid to Everton Keirrison - €14m, Palmeiras to FC Barcelona (loaned to Benfica) Saviola - €5m, Real Madrid to Benfica Salgado - Free, Real Madrid to Blackburn Rovers Ivica Olic - Free, Hamburg to Bayern Munich Vermaelen - £10m, Ajax to Arsenal Shevchenko - Free, Chelsea to Dynamo Kiev Pennant - Free, Liverpool to Real Zaragoza Niko Kranjcar - £2.5m Portsmouth to Tottenham Elano - £8m, Manchester City to Galatasaray

let me know if i left out an important signing :)

Comments

[lieslies.livejournal.com]

i know it seems like it was ages ago. it pretty much wrapped up around the confed cup but it was pretty tense in the weeks leading up to it