There is always a last-minute move before the European transfer window slams shut at the end of August but the latest deal to be made involving a South Korean star came so late that it will actually take place at the start of 2010.
Ki Sung-yong has signed for Scotland titans Glasgow Celtic but will join the team next January.

This information comes directly from Marc Webber of the Vancouver Province.
September 1, 2009
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VANCOUVER — Before Monday, the United Soccer Leagues' Team Owners' Association was a relatively-unknown entity.

That changed when the group fired a salvo expressing "extreme disappointment" in Nike's decision to sell the USL to NuRock Soccer Holdings last week, and made public its desire to pursue "all league options for the 2010 season and beyond.

After what seemed like a really slow process when dealing with the city of Kansas City about the 3 Trails Development, things seem to be moving a lot faster with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and the development out at the Legends. Earlier today, after the story came out, the Unified Government called a special meeting to review the stadium complex.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) --
The Malaysian League may be privatised in 2011 if the problems that plagued contending teams continue to persist next year.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) secretary-general Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad cited the problems as financial woes (staff and players' salaries), dropped in the quality of the game and dwindling audience.

One Ashley out, one Ashley in Cheryl Cole has said she would consider a takeover bid for Newcastle United - if she had enough money. The Girls Aloud star's £10 million fortune is unlikely to meet owner Mike Ashley's valuation of the Magpies. And even allowing for hubby Ashley chipping in some of his £3.

Bulgarian shot stopper Nikolay Mihaylov almost joined Eredivisie giants PSV on deadline day. The Liverpool goalie, currently on loan at Twente, claims that the Eindhoven side made a last minute approach for him, but that the Tukkers refused to let go of him.
"Liverpool and PSV had already reached an agreement, but Twente coach Steve McClaren refused to let me leave," was Mihaylov quoted as saying by Bulgarian medium 24chasa.

Good deal all round?

AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur are negotiating a deal that would see Marek Jankulovski and Gareth Bale swap clubs.

The Rossoneri are willing to give the Spurs the Czech international plus an additional €5 million for the services of the Welsh starlet during the winter transfer window that opens in January.

Let's start by saying that Roberto Baronio isn't exactly a household name in Italian calcio. The casual fan may not even know who Roberto Baronio is or what position he plays (Baronio is a classic regista that plays in front of the defense and dictates the play. His passing skills are excellent, especially his long passing, and he is good at set pieces).

Is it just us, or does the club seem to offer Leo Messi a new and improved contract every year? His salary and buy-out clause continue to climb, keeping him satisfied and far from the groping fingers of other clubs (ahem, Man City); and now his extension is going up too.
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Leo just penned a new deal that keeps him on the club for a whole seven years more, until 2016 to be precise.

If you are Paul Hart - by far the bookies' favorite to become the first sacked manager in the Premier League this season - you would need a miracle to save Portsmouth from relegation at this point. Four games into the new season, Pompey are yet to scrap up a single point, which is a clear indicator of how the team roster was in desperate need of major bolstering on the final day of transfers.

A big story that broke late Friday was this one in The Times which stated the actual figure paid for Carlos Tevez was £47 million rather than the more widely reported (at the time of the transfer) £25 million:

Manchester City are paying an astonishing £47 million fee to Carlos Tévez's private "owners" in a move that obliterates the British transfer record.

Liverpool today announced a new shirt-sponsorship deal with Standard Charter, a multi-national banking group.The deal worth £20 million a year for four years will dwarf the £7.5 million a year that long-standing sponsors Carlsberg had been paying the club.Liverpool's Managing Director Christian Purslow said: ''This is a huge step forward for the club financially and that can only be helpful to create the conditions in which we can restart the stadium project.

English Premier League champions Manchester United received a huge windfall from last season's Premier League's broadcast rights, which saw the league pay out more than UK£1 billion for the first time.
United and Liverpool topped the list of earnings, with the Premier League champions collecting £51.

On the closing of the transfer window Marko Pantelic found a place in Amsterdam, where he will wear Ajax jersey in the next year. After it seemed that Serbian international will be forced to spend the next term in his former club Crvena Zvezda, Ajax management knocked on his door and they obviously made the right move by signing this excellent striker.

Chelsea have been sensationally banned from signing new players until January 2011 after being found guilty of tapping up the reserve team sensation Gael Kakuta from Lens when he was 16 year old player under contract with Lens. Chelsea are the next big club after AS Roma were banned for a transfer window for poaching Mexes
from Auxerre in 2004.

Welcome to another instalment of Thank Gooner it's Friday... where FTK gives his assessment of news and views that have impacted on Planet Gooner. This week appears less provocative than usual, but I'm sure that my ability to create controversy where none exists will change that. The week started with a 4 nil thrashing of Wigan with the prospect of extending our goal difference even more tomorrow with our trip to Fulham.