In the absence of live football during the close-season, the avid football fan is kept entertained by the bi-annual transfer merry-go-round where rumours of unlikely moves and bargain buys are rife as each team looks to build on the past season.

This summer has been no exception and certainly hasn't disappointed.

Valencia President Slams Door on Mata Speculation

Valencia president Manuel Llorente has recently put to bed any notions that Juan Mata may leave the club after the Spaniard insisted that the player is ‘not for sale at any price'. Liverpool were among the suitors vying for the player's signature, but will now have to look elsewhere after the latest admission.

A barely populated stadium in Denmark played host to England's opening group game of the 2011 U21 European Championship Sunday night. A difficult test awaited the players, pitted against tournament favorites Spain who, like England, boasted an...
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Images: Getty Images/Zimbio.

The dashing of expectation onto the rocks of reality is a pain that England fans have hardened themselves to in recent years. Whether it's the alleged inability of their players to observe marital propriety or managers' failure to well... manage; for most of the team's followers the whole shebang has been nothing less than heartbreaking in recent years.