Duff joins the Toon Army

Newcastle has completed the signing of Damien Duff from Chelsea on Saturday.

Duff signed a five-year contract at St James' Park, with a deal believed to be worth £10million. As the fees and personal terms have already been agreed upon, the last hurdle was the medical which he cleared while the first team were on their way back from Norway after beating Lillestrom in a UEFA Cup qualifying round tie.

You can almost feel the joy from Roeder as he waxed lyrical about Duff. "I can't tell you how pleased I am about getting a player of that quality. I would think it will excite our fans as well. I played for Newcastle - admittedly a long time ago - but we had the likes of Chrissy Waddle playing in that team that I played in and (the fans) love ball-players who can go past players and get crosses in and Damien is that type of player."

This is not the only signing though as they want to get more players in. Says Roeder: "You can only do one (transfer) at a time, let's get Damien into the club first and hopefully that will be done by Monday afternoon for sure, then we can start talking about the next player. But we've got a list of players now that we want to start working our way through."

Now, the question is why didn't Tottenham pursue this transfer right to the end? Duff has the right skills and is a natural winger who can complement Tottenham on the left while Aaron Lennon struts his stuff on the right. Martin Jol is also an excellent coach who has transformed Tottenham from a non-performer to serious title contender (Soccer Pundit still remember their last match with Arsenal where they outplayed the Gunners until that goal by Henry and Edgar Davids got send off deprived them of a victory).

Jol should take the credit for instilling the stability and consistency in the team as well as unleashing the potential of uncut diamonds like Carrick and Lennon. In terms of development as a player, the right career choice for Duff should be Tottenham at this point of time (no disrespect to Newcastle).

But let's take a look at the career history of Duff. Here is a player who is plagued by serious injuries throughout his career and may not last the full season without spending time in the treatment room and missing crucial matches. That will not fit in with the kind of stability Tottenham is looking for. So Jol and Co. should be applauded for accessing the situation, sticking to a tight fiscal policy and not rushing into hasty decisions. Duff may be a good player but not as good a buy to justify £10million.

Newcastle is a bit desperate right now as Alan Shearer has retired and Owen has wasted no time in reporting back at the treatment room (that injury could take up half a season and the next half limping his way back to form). At least he will now have a buddy in Duff while he recuperates.

What Newcastle really needs to target are top-notch strikers since they lost Shearer, Owen and Bellamy. Who is going to get to the end of all the quality crosses, Roeder?? The next important thing is to fix the leaky defence if they want people to take them seriously. You can put Buffon in goal for you and he will still appear like a fool with no decent defenders in front of him.

So Duff, despite what your good friends (Scott Parker, Shay Given and Steven Carr) may have advised you on Newcastle's future or your agents on better financial terms, Soccer Pundit feels that this is not a wise move and where Champions League is concerned, it is almost a foregone conclusion that Newcastle will not be taking part unless the top 4 teams falter....

Barca sign Zambrotta and Thuram

More transfers from Juventus....

The latest news is that Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta and France defender Lilian Thuram have moved to Barcelona. Zambrotta, 29, has agreed a four-year contract while 34-year-old Thuram has negotiated a two-year deal. Spanish media have reported that Barca will pay 14 million euros (£11million) for the Italian and five million for the Frenchman.

Zambrotta (58 caps) is versatile and can play on either side of the defence while Thuram (121 caps) can play in the centre of defence or right back. Both have won four league titles with Juventus and are key members of the team.

Their addition will no doubt boost the Barcelona defence and is a strong indication of their desire to hold on to the Primera Liga title despite Real Madrid's challenge.

Real Madrid sign Cannavaro and Emerson

Real Madrid announced they had agreed a fee with Juventus to take Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson to the Bernabeu. The duo are currently on holiday but it is believed they have negotiated two-year deals (estimated to be worth 20 million euros) with further one-year options.

The arrivals of Cannavaro, 32, and Emerson, 30, represent a major coup for Madrid and are definitely good news for their fans. Both were highly coveted by top European clubs but still the lure of playing for Real Madrid proved to be irresistable. The presence of former Juventus coach Fabio Capello as the coach of Real Madrid may also be a strong pull factor.

Under the new president Ramon Calderon, who came to power earlier this month, the days of the galacticos are over and they have now place emphasis on buying solid players rather than those who can delight the fans. In the past, it has been pointed out that the defence needs more cover but Madrid's management insisted on buying strikers like Owen and Robinho. They have paid the price for this policy with two barren seasons.

On paper, the impressive credentials of these two players should strengthen Real Madrid's fragile backline. Cannavaro was the outstanding defender at the World Cup while Emerson's best position is patrolling in front of the back four. Barcelona's stranglehold on the championship will be tested severely this coming season.

Meanwhile, the exodus from Juventus may just get worse. The court ruling has condemned them into Serie B next season and with a 30-point deficit, effectively meaning they will spend at least two seasons outside the top flight. The future of players like Buffon, Nedved, del Pierro, Vieira, Luca Toni will be known very shortly...

United's troubles continues

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Manchester United have turned down a bid from Real Madrid for Ruud van Nistelrooy as they have not given an acceptable valuation.

There is no agreement with Real Madrid and Manchester United over Ruud,' said Ferguson. 'We have refused their offer. He remains a Manchester United player.' The door is not shut on Real though as a deal can still be reached if they bid nearer to United's £15million valuation than the current £10million it is believed they have bid.

With Van Nistelrooy's short-term future still undecided and interest in Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres making little progress, Ferguson may stick with his current strikeforce. Soccer Pundit feels that the strike department is still competitive if van Nistelrooy sticks around, however, how much of an effect their personal feud will have on United's championship aspiration will be difficult to predict.

Meanwhile, the search for an additional midfielder remains futile as they failed to get Michael Carrick. 'We are trying to sign another central midfielder,' said Ferguson. 'We have made a bid for Michael Carrick but they (Tottenham) turned it down.'

Ferguson did not elaborate on the Carrick issue but he did hint at a possible bid for Patrick Vieira should he receive confirmation the former Arsenal man wishes to leave scandal-hit Juventus, who are now bound for the depths of Serie B. 'We have to see what Juventus are planning for their players,' said Ferguson. 'Vieira, (Fabio) Cannavaro and (Gianluca) Buffon are all top players and there are question marks about where they are going next season.'

Soccer Pundit feels that the midfield is indeed a great concern to their title challenge. Since the departure of Roy Keane halfway through the last season and his successor Liam Miller has not lived up to his billing (and is slated to leave), they have not found a dominant and inspirational midfielder to drive the team forward. At least, Arsenal has Cesc Fabregas waiting in the wings when Patrick Vieira was sold to Juventus.

Soccer Pundit has a look at their squad list and is very worried at their lack of depth. Currently, they have Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Chris Eagles, David Jones, Liam Miller, Paul Scoles, Jonathan Evans, Park ji-Sung, Kieran Richardson, Darren Fletcher, Ritchie Jones and a converted midfielder Alan Smith.

Besides the veterans who can hold their own against Chelsea's power-packed midfield, more than half of them are budding youngsters and do not yet possess the big-stage experience. It has become more critical than ever to bring top-rated midfielders to Old Trafford, otherwise this could be the first season where United may find itself languishing in mid-table since the '90s...

Giggs happy with return of players

Ryan Giggs believes the return of three of the club's star players will be like having a trio of new signings on board. Well, that is scant consolation, really, since Manchester United has had little luck in the transfer market so far and Ruud van Nistelrooy's imminent departure has created a gaping hole upfront for them.

It is true that the trio, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Paul Scholes and Gabriel Heinze are all great and proven players and their return from the long injuries will help to strengthen the team but with no influx of young talents, they will find it tough going if they were to compete on all fronts for domestic and European titles. The task is even more daunting when core playes like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Solskjaer are all on the wrong side of thirty and could not possibly play in every match.

Solskjaer, who has endured an injury-plagued past two years, scored twice during the 4-0 thrashing of Orlando Pirates at the weekend. The injury had threatened to end the 33-year-old's career but after his glorious return, Giggs expects big things from the striker in the coming season. "It's just what he needed. He wants to score and that's what he has done," the Welshman added. "I hope this season he'll be a major part of the team."

Meanwhile, the transfer saga of their major target, Fernando Torres who is thought to be the man to fill van Nistelrooy's shoes, is far from settled. Although the Spanish World Cup star has a £41million buyout clause in his contract with Atletico Madrid, United officials are confident they can land the 22-year-old for far less. The exact funds Ferguson has available are not likely to be established until an agreement is reached with Real Madrid over a fee for Van Nistelrooy.

The problem is Torres himself has not indicated a desire to come to Old Trafford, instead he continues to insist that he will not be going anywhere. As for Cristiano Ronaldo, his future plan is as yet unknown even though recent events suggest that he is likely to stay. Soccer Pundit feels that his loyalty to Manchester United is still questionable even if he stays.

Furthermore, will he be able to turn in the the kind of sterling performances exhibited at the World Cup with his unwelcome status in England? If yes, Manchester United can heave a sigh of relief even if no major talent arrives but if not, Alex Ferguson could be facing another managerial crisis, probably his last...

Singer Cheryl Tweedy marries Ashley Cole

The World Cup fever has barely simmered down when Ashely Cole and Cheryl Tweedy (of Girls Aloud Fame) has decided to tie the knot at a chapel at a Hertfordshire stately home. Congratulations to Tweedy for becoming Mrs Cole.

The couple successfully managed to distract the media by arranging for staff at two different venues to confirm that each setting was the wedding location. But the location of the nuptials was eventually leaked when a bystander spotted Tweedy outside the Holy Trinity Chapel at Wrotham Park in Barnet, Hertfordshire, draped in a sheet, with only her silver shoes on show.

Her fiancé Cole was later seen in the vicinity of the chapel, wearing a silver suit. According to reports, the couple signed an exclusive deal, reported to be worth £1m, with OK! magazine for the wedding photos.

Meanwhile, Ashley Cole's future at Arsenal appears a bit shaky when he announced recently that the Gunners used him as a scapegoat over the 'tapping-up' affair with Premiership champions Chelsea. He shot off the criticism while promoting his new book.

"Arsenal hung me out to dry, using me as a scapegoat to get back at Chelsea. The board `rewarded' me with an insult and threw years of loyalty back in my face. I'll reveal the shattering truth about who fed me to the sharks. It changed my view forever on the club I regarded as family.'

Arsene Wenger insists he wants Cole to stay at the club. It remains to be seen if Wenger means what he said as team morale is bound to be affected with Cole's continued presence. Contrast this situation with Jaap Stam's conflict years back with Alex Ferguson due to his autobiography, and the end result was Stam being 'thrown' out of the club before he even knew what hit him. However, Soccer Pundit feels that Arsenal may keep him for at least one more season due to their lack of better candidates to fill the left-back role.

Benitez Dismisses Bellamy "Risk"

Rafael Benitez believes playing for Liverpool will tame controversial Wales striker Craig Bellamy. Yeah, right.

Even though Benitez is aware of Bellamy's reputation for off-field trouble, he still believes that the future is very bright. Soccer Pundit hopes so but is not convinced that the club's goal famine is about to stop with the arrival of Bellamy. They have their talismatic midfielder Steven Gerrad to thank for the club's considerable success so far but Soccer Pundit is sure that Gerrad will not be happy with the quality of talents bought in to bolster the team.

In the last season, Liverpool has such a dismal record of goals scored by its strikers that valuable points were dropped for matches which should have been won. That ultimately cost them the title even though their consistency in the final stretch allowed them to secure a Champions League spot comfortably. For that, Benitez should get the credit.

There is no doubt of Bellamy's talent (from his time at Newcastle where he forged a formidable partnership with Alan Shearer). He has the speed to beat defenders and score goals and his aggression in chasing half chances will give Liverpool somthing extra (but that could also be a potential red-card liability).

If playing under the tutelage of Benitez can make him a more matured and less volatile player, then the 6.5 million pounds will be well-spent, otherwise, Liverpool will spend the new season exactly where they left off, i.e chasing behind the forerunner Chelsea and possibly ManU and Arsenal...