Morning all, no shortage of material despite the fact the season has ended, so let's crack on into it.

Yesterday, Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis said the club had sufficient funds to invest this summer, qualifying that with the usual:

As always we'll only do this on our timescale, on the basis of our manager's assessments and not those of the media.

Manchester United forked out £30m for Dimitar Berbatov after Daniel Levy stuck to the asking price we didn't want to pay. The downside for us was we had to pay over the odds for a player Sir Alex Ferguson really wanted, whilst Tottenham had a load of money in the bank but couldn't do anything with it given the deal was concluded at midnight on the transfer deadline day.

"Psst, wanna join me at Barca". Emirates skipper safe from Nou Camp advances....or maybe not!

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In an interesting turn of events Barcelona have decided to try a bit of reverse psychology rather than attempt to once again unsettle the Emirates captain.

Tor-Kristian Karlsen has given his frank opinion of Bebe during his match for Portugal's U-21 against England's U-21, where, it has to be said, Tom Cleverley was one of England's best players.

Karlsen is a top Norwegian football consultant where transfers and scouting are concerned, particularly focussed on Dutch football.

AC Milan's very old men are sauntering around a training pitch in the hills near Lake Como. A grey man in a blue suit and blue trenchcoat gazes down at them, smoking a cigarette. Surely this smoker can't be the head of football's best medical team?

But it is. Jean Pierre Meersseman, Belgian director of the Milan Lab, may have discovered the secret of eternal youth.

The latest somewhat dubious rumours doing the rounds and Rafa has no plans to leave Anfield.

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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been tipped to leave Anfield in the summer by a number of Sunday newspapers today.

Gerrard was in the stands yesterday for Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Stoke but is now considering a summer departure following the disastrous campaign so far.

Arsene Wenger is surely more determined than ever to bring in some striking talent to the Emirates before the transfer window shuts.

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed he has considered moves for David Villa and Marouane Chamakh.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted making "regrettable mistakes" during his six-year tenure at Anfield.
The Spaniard has come under pressure this season as the Reds struggle to finish in the Premier League's top four and secure a Champions League place.
When asked if he had made mistakes, without specifying, he replied: "Every manager makes mistakes," before adding he had "sometimes" made "big mistakes".

Emirates boss ready to splash the cash.

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ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has been given the green light for a major summer spending spree.

After yet another trophy-less season, chairman Peter Hill-Wood revealed more money "than for a long, long time" was available for Wenger thought to be around £25-£30m.

COS contributor Donovan Ried conducts an end of season Anfield autopsy.

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May of us have our own views on where this season when wrong. Here's mine

Let me take you back to the end of last season.....

We had a good season in which we ran the old rivals Man Utd close to the Premier League title; and it was time to start making plans for next season.

Emirates boss ready to splash the cash for Stamford Bridge contract rebel, Goodison Park defender, Craven Cottage veteran and unknown Ligue 1 defender.

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Eastlands striker apparently open to Old Trafford move.

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Manchester United given green light to make shock move for Robinho as the Brazilian is rumoured to be interested in joining the Old Trafford club.

Insert mean joke about his breaking the news to Craig Bellamy here. Manchester City's position as the most powerful spenders in English football was reaffirmed today when they flexed their financial muscle to sign David Silva, the Spain midfielder, for a fee in the region of £25m-30m. Silva has agreed a four-year contract despite initial reservations about leaving Valencia for a club that had

Will Arsenal finally cave in to Barcelona's persistence on Cesc Fabregas, or will another summer come and go with Cesc where he's been since September 2003?

Yesterday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger did his best to put a stop to the incessant speculation about Cesc's future, saying,

'I fully expect Cesc to be an Arsenal player this season.

Name Sergio Oliveira
Age 18
Nationality Portugal
Club Porto
Position Forward
The 18-year-old is the youngest player to have donned the colours of the Dragons. He featured in a cup game against Sertanense at the tail end of 2009 and impressed.

Q: What has led to the current crisis at Liverpool?
A: The current Liverpool board, led by independent chairman Martin Broughton (who is also chairman of British Airways), have accepted a £300m offer to buy the club from Red Sox Franchise owners, New England Sports Venture.

Following a rush of newspaper speculation in November, it all went very quiet on the Chelsea transfer gossip front.
Until Friday that was, when the Telegraph kick-started the Aguero gossip again with the suggestion that Chelsea have made a bid of £30m to Atletico for his services. The Daily Express joined the party yesterday, suggesting that the Argentine's club had offered him to Chelsea for that figure under the proviso that he could stay with them on loan until the end of the season.

Following a rush of newspaper speculation in November, it all went very quiet on the Chelsea transfer gossip front.
Until Friday that was, when the Telegraph kick-started the Aguero gossip again with the suggestion that Chelsea have made a bid of £30m to Atletico for his services. The Daily Express joined the party yesterday, suggesting that the Argentine's club had offered him to Chelsea for that figure under the proviso that he could stay with them on loan until the end of the season.

So the missing Egyptian midfielder Mohammed Shawky resurfaced just long enough to put to paper on a transfer to Turkish side Kayserispor. Shawky had not made a single appearance for Boro this season, under either manager, sitting on the bench for the FA Cup defeat to Man City was the closest he came.

It feels like the Africa Cup of Nations only just got started, but we're at the semi-final stage already. Big big names like Cote d'Ivoire and Cameroon are out and on the way home. Your awesome foursome playing for a place in the final are: Ghana, Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria.

Luckily for neutrals, the draw has the two North African teams playing each other in a rematch of 2009's dramatic World Cup 2010 playoff (which I'm sure no one needs reminding that Algeria won), and the two West African teams playing each other.

Manchester City are prepared to use both Emmanuel Adebayor and Stephen Ireland as bait, in an £80 million package to take Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to Eastlands.
According to the News of the World, despite not qualifying for the Champions League next season, City hope to acquire the Liverpool pair in their bid to crack the top-four and launch an outside title challenge.

It would seem that our top target this summer is Edin Dzeko and it's easy to see why. Aged 24, the Wolfsburg striker was the top scorer in the Budesliga last season, was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 2009 and was second top scorer to Wayne Rooney in the UEFA qualifying section of the World Cup, despite playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

By Ollie Irish

"See ya... wouldn't want to be ya."

If, as reported by smug tosser Guillem Balague, Cesc Fabregas has told Arsene Wenger that he wants away to Barcelona, how much cash should Arsenal hold out for? A straight fee, or cash plus one Barcelona player.

By Ollie Irish

Manchester City's £20million bid for Aston Villa and England midfielder James Milner has been instantly rejected by the Midlands club.

City launched their initial bid on Wednesday night and it took almost no time for a Villa spokesman to respond: "We have received an offer from Manchester City for James Milner and this has been firmly rejected.

Could Chelsea be in for James Milner and get him right under the noses of Man City?
Summertime madness and mayhem is upon us and the rumour mill is in full swing already. We all know by now that Citeh made a £25m bid for James Milner and that was turned down by Villa. There is little doubt that moneybags Citeh will come in for Milner again with an improved offer (£30m) but it seems as though this story could take a massive turn.

The Barcelona president Joan Laporta says that his club won't pay more than £30m for the Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, despite the Gunners valuation for the player being quoted at least twice that figure. Because Fabregas has publicly stated that he wants to join the Spanish giants, Laporta believes that Arsenal will have to [.

The Barcelona president Joan Laporta doesn't sound so confident of landing Cesc Fabregas in this transfer window any more, or else he is testing Arsenal's resolve to see how far they will push it. The Spanish giants have set out their stall at £30m, which was guaranteed to be refused by Arsenal, and are now pleading [.

Joan Oliver, Barca's CEO says that they have tabled a firm and serious offer in writing to Arsenal for the transfer of Cesc Fabregas.

Oliver admits that the next move belongs to Arsenal.

"You know that the player has expressed his desire to play for the club and the club wants him to come too.

I know some Arsenal fans were a bit troubled by the comments made by P-Diddy H to the W Dawgzizzle when he suggested Cesc wouldn't get in the Barcelona team.

I wonder then what Barcelona fans would make of the comments made by Joan Laporta, High Chief of Cunt, when he said of Cesc:

Offering €35 million for a player like him is a fair market price.

After weeks of speculation about his future it has been confirmed today that Michael Ballack will be leaving Chelsea when his contract expires July 1st. Ballack has been at Chelsea for four years now and finally added the Premier League title to his FA Cup & Carling Cup winners medals.

Amongst the ongoing rumors that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is still determined to tempt Manchester United with a mammoth £80m offer for Wayne Rooney plus another £30m for Nemanja Vidic,...
Continue to the full story

Stumble and snap. Those were our # 8′s last two actions of last season as a tear to his cruciate ligament curtailing an indifferent season for him.

Back in the summer of 2007, when we signed him and Nani in a double deal worth a combined £30m I was uncontrollably excited by the prospect of both rising stars.

Earlier today, Internazionale president Massimo Moratti revealed that we have expressed an interest in signing the World Player of the Year candidate Wesley Sneijder. He also said he didn't look into our interest because he's afraid he will be tempted into selling him. In my opinion, this is the signal for us to go and sign him.

All of a sudden United have found themselves making—would you believe it—headline news in the transfer market. And what's more, we have actually put in a bid—reported at around £29m—for Wesley Sneijder.

Inter president, Massimo Moratti, has confirmed this.

Moratti has also moved to say that he intends to keep Sneijder at the club longer, by opening contract talks with the Dutchman.

One of the top names on Manchester City's extensive summer transfer list is Aston Villa midfielder James Milner, and while their attempts to land the England man have fallen short thus far, the saga could soon be over.

In speaking to Sky Sports News, Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill revealed that Milner has already admitted that Milner has stated his wishes to leave, and O'Neill admitted that Milner's wish could be granted if City can improve their initial offer.

Former Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini could soon be reunited with one of his former players, if the price is right.

According to reports last night, talks are ongoing between Manchester City and Inter Milan over the sale of promising striker Mario Balotelli.

In speaking to Sky Sports 24, Inter president Massimo Moratti said of the discussions, "At this moment there are contacts with Manchester City, we must find an agreement that satisfies both us and them.

Yesterday I had a short conversation on Twitter with EPL Talk's very own Laurence McKenna that went something like this:

lozcast: Mascherano = £25m? Milner = £25m+? Discuss

JesseChula: @lozcast Milner=versatile, can play either wing or in the middle, young. Masch=solid, likes to kick people.

IN:

CRIS: Cris and OL finally came to a happy medium and our captain has penned a new two year deal. No word on any other numbers, yet the contract should pay somewhat less than his old deal, which was a whopping 4,2M€ per year, the fourth highest in L1.

The Chelsea Daily Drivel is a daily update of all the stories concerning our club, the rumours, the opinions and more....
So here is the latest from around the web on Monday 26th July/Tuesday 27th July 2010 including: Mancienne to move?, Chelsea after ex-Barcelona sports chief Begiristain?

Following on from an article on this very site which I respectfully disagreed with, it seems to me that Revisionism is prevalent in modern football. Whether it be a defence mechanism to cope with loss or the delusion that things can and will only get better it worries me that legacy's can be lost in the haze.