With the likes of Berbatov and Robinho being signed within minutes of the transfer deadline last year the deadline has become quite an anticipated event.  Many football TV shows and websites run live deadline coverage, with up to the minute news.

This year it was a bit of an anti climate with none of the “big four” making any last minute moves and no real superstar players being signed.  As a United fan I was a bit disappointed, I know Sir Alex had said there would be no further signing this summer, but I had thought this might just be a ploy to throw others off his trail.  I think United could have really used at last one “game changing” player to come into the squad, and I’m starting to wonder if that Ronaldo money was really available, or if the Glazers are bleeding the club dry.

It seems Spurs did the best on deadline day with the signing of Nico Kranjcar.  I had previous mentioned that Kranjcar was unhappy at Portsmouth and only had 1 year left on his contract, so when Luca Modric broke his leg it’s no surprise the Harry Redknapp swooped in for Kranjcar’s signature.  I’m starting to worry that Spurs could be a real force to contend with this season.

Another of the more notable signings was Richard Dunne from Manchester City to Aston Villa.  I would say that for a bottom-half-of-the-table club trying to break into the top half, this would be a good signing.  But I thought Villa’s goal was to break into the top 4?  Manchester City would seem to be one of Villas direct rivals this season, so I can’t understand buying a player who has been pushed onto the bench of your rivals?  Maybe Martin O’Neil thinks he can get something better out of Dunne…I’m not so sure there’s anything extra to get…

Tottenham have just announced that Pascal Chimbonda will be switching teams again.  This will be his 5th transfer to a Premier League team in the last 4 years!  The latest destination on his tour of England is Blackburn, with Rovers reportedly ready to pay a £2million transfer fee.

It’s hardly surprising that another switch was on the card seeing as Tottenham now have Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left-back, who’s looking like a top class player, and also Gareth Bale as a backup.  It seems unlike that Chimbonda would get much game time at all.

All the moving around has got to take a toll on a player and it appears to have taken a toll on Chimbonda, who has seen both his first team appearances and transfer fees eroded.  In 2006 he was worth £4.5 million from Wigan to Tottenham, now his value has been cut in half.

2005–2006		Wigan Athletic
2006–2008		Tottenham Hotspur
2008–2009		Sunderland
2009–2009		Tottenham Hotspur
2009–????		Blackburn Rovers

It’s always worrying when transfer talk starts to consistently circulate about a key player.  And recently there have been numerous stories about Nemanja Vidic leaving Manchester United.  The most recent reported destination was Barcelona; AC Milan and Real Madrid have also been mentioned.

There have also been reports that Vidic’s wife is unhappy in Manchester; but I’m not sure how true this story can be if she managed to live in Moscow before coming to the UK.

Vidic has put the gossip to bed by clearly stating that he will be staying at United for at least this season.

United need Vidic for at least this season; they have some great prospects coming through with Johnny Evans already proving last season that he is a top level center back and ready for first team football.  The red devils also have Craig Cathcart and Johnny’s brother Corry Evans who also look like quality players, but still learning their trade.

There are always a few transfer rumors about top class players, it’s what sells newspapers, but the talk about Vidic does seem to be above average, and I have a feeling he will not be with United forever.