Yes, the fee is high, but it was never going to happen for any less. The transfer market is crazy these days.

Trezeguet doesn’t move. Any formation that Pep plays is going to need a mobile forward – kind of like the slightly crazy one we’ve already got.

The question now is, how well will they all work as a team? I believe that Henry and Abidal will be much better this year, and Toure will improve as well, now that all are settled into La Liga. You could see the improvement in the first two as the season was winding down. Toure was full-on man, as always, even with the back.

Presuming nothing else happens, it’s easy to see a starting XI of Abidal, Alves, Caceres and Puyol, with Valdes in goal, with a midfield of Xavi, Keita and Yaya, and a front line of Messi, Henry and Iniesta. Keita pushes up to present a cannon long shot and ball control and passing, and off we go.

We have Pique to come off the bench, along with the kids and the likes of Oleguer, Sylvinho, etc. I like it.

Now, are there any more signings, what if Ronaldinho stays, do we go for Hleb still, and what about this damn Trezeguet rumor that just won’t go away?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/aug/15/newsstory.chelsea

Sevilla’s right back Daniel Alves will become a Chelsea player today. The Brazilian international has already agreed to terms and will swap Spanish football for Stamford Bridge.

Stamina, speed, durability, and youth. I don’t think he’s all that temperamental. He also has the knack for getting under opposing players’ skin, which I like. He defends AND attacks.

He costs what he costs, I say. He’s fast enough to mark the likes of Ronaldo, as was Zambrotta (who marked him off the freakin’ pitch in Champions League), but he’s also offensive-minded enough to make Ronaldo’s nonexistent defense a liability, should we cross paths with Man U (or if those Evil Empire rumors are true).

He’s a for-real difference maker, and I say get the deal done. Then, we would HAVE to get Hleb for cheap, if we’re still serious about that. I’d still rather have Moutinho, but Hleb would be most excellent. Not sure he’d start, but he would definitely give us an excellent second player at almost any midfield position.

€29million straight up, €3million in incentives/performance-based additions, and 30% of Navarro’s final price (estimated at €10million, so €3million for FCB). If all that plays out and the extra 3million is tacked on, Alves’ total price would be €35million, which is far, far too much.

€29million is taking us to the cleaners, but €6million on top of that just means Ingla, Txiki, and Laporta have their heads up their asses. What is Dani Alves, at right back, going to do so effectively that he is worth 3 times more than almost every other right back in the world? for €35million you could get 3 very solid, very competent, very trustworthy individuals, or one temperamental Brazilian. Pick your poison, I guess.

Caceres is a really good hardworking defender (very gattuso like as far as workrate and commitment goes).

Gio is going and may he rot in the premiership. And i hope he never comes back. Integrating youth players into the senior team is a tricky issue. With players maturing so fast these days, We see 18-19 year old superstars being the pillars of teams. So good youth players obviously want to play for first team.

Lastly, I havent seen a lot of Mancini, but wasnt he an attacking player? So how is he replacing Zambrotta? More of a ronaldinho replacement right? I do remember that goal he scored against Lyon last year.