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We're a business week away from the close of the transfer window, so I thought I'd throw together some predictions. Your comments are very, very welcome.
Selling
Etienne Capoue - Daniel Levy is playing hardball over the fee because that's what Daniel Levy does, but if Tim Sherwood has indicated clearly that he does not see Capoue as part of his plans and will not be playing him in less than dire circumstances, there's no reason for Levy to reject a bid of what Spurs paid for him this summer. Inevitably, that's probably what Napoli will end up paying. His agent and Napoli have been too insistent about this for Levy to haggle over half a million Euros. I can't imagine Capoue's representatives would be this insistent unless Sherwood told him to GTFO.
Loaning
Lewis Holtby - I'd be surprised if the club was concerned with what Holtby's girlfriend posted on Instagram. He doesn't appear to be in current first team plans at all, but he's still very young and isn't going to fetch a great price if he's sold right now. The argument that loaning him out helps our rivals is ridiculous; there's no way a £40m transfer hinges on a loan from another team. Hopefully he tears it up at Schalke, comes back and tears it up for us.
Staying
Gylfi Sigurdsson - Tim Sherwood has shown a willingness to use him in multiple positions. He's not fighting for a World Cup place. He wouldn't fetch a big fee right now. He has enough Premier League experience that a loan isn't going to be a huge boost for him.
Nacer Chadli - Like Sigurdsson, he's also been given chances in a variety of positions. He is fighting for a World Cup place, but a loan isn't going to see him establish himself as Belgium's starter ahead of Eden Hazard. He's their backup left winger with or without playing time in the second half of this season.
Jan Vertonghen/Vlad Chiriches - Get the eff out with these stupid rumors.
No clue
Erik Lamela - Even though this is a post about guesses, I can't even fathom a guess about what's going to happen with Erik Lamela. I could see him getting loaned to a Serie A club, loaned to a Premier League club, thrown into the starting lineup or thrown in the Under-21s. My preference is to play him. It's concerning that two straight managers seem to think very little of his current ability.
Not buying
Domenico Berardi - Juventus are going to cast off two, if not all three of Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella and Sebastian Giovinco over the next two windows, leading to Berardi getting a place with the team. I would be stunned if he was sold.
Ibrahim Afellay - He hasn't played in over a year. He hasn't played in a Barca shirt in over two years. He's available on a free this summer. Why would we pay money for him, again?
Bernard - lol.
Steven Defour - Doesn't start every game for Porto, also linked to Aston Villa and Fulham. Was always a dumb link.
Anyone who costs more than £15m - And that's me hedging. Doubt we buy anyone in the eight figures.
Buying
Fredy Guarin - I'm not a fan, but there's plenty of smoke here and has been for a long time. He doesn't want to be at Inter anymore and Walter Mazzarri doesn't want him. I have a feeling that Erick Thohir calling off the Vucinic swap was more about him not wanting to pay Vucinic's wages than it was about wanting to keep Guarin. He'd probably cost exactly as much as we get for Capoue.
A really cheap striker - Possibly Dimitar Berbatov. Probably not Vucinic. I'm in favor of playing more 4-3-3 and/or giving Harry Kane playing time over bringing in a striker. Though I'll never complain about #BERBAROTICA.
Anyone who has played left back at some point in their career - Please? If there is a god, this would be a really nice time for him/her/it to prove their existence.
