Owen Hargreaves's asking price - £34m. A jawdropping figure for someone that no English club would have paid a couple of million for a year ago. However, Man U is so keen to have him and with Hargreaves eager to make a heroe's welcome to a country that detested him, I don't see what can stop him now.
So here is Bayern losing another quality player, it must make the Bundesliga despair of attracting overseas talent. With Hargreaves, those pundits (including me, wink wink), will have to rethink their prediction that Man U would slide down the table.
Chelsea just signed Khalid Bouhlarouz, one of those dour Dutch defenders with a reputation for tough tackles and not averse to playing a bit dirty now and then. Remember Bouhlarouz's open spike tackle of Ronaldo, that led him writhing on the ground, with a deep thigh wound. He could not continue the game. Ronaldo was questionable for Portugal's game against England. Jose Mourinho is not waiting for Cole anymore. Arsenal's encounter with Chelsea promises to be bitter with the Cole saga. Look for the Gunners to beat up on the Blues, deservedly so.
Arsenal have to go for Curtis Davies, woo him, dangle fruit baskets, treat him to a year's supply of unlimited Belgian chocolates, promise him a personal brewery. They should just jettison Ashley Cole as soon as possible and let that disgruntled player go to whichever club in the Serie wants him.
I can't understand Mourinho's move to buy Bouhlarouz. His level is much lower than the rest team.