Shay Given to Villa for a reported 3.5 million pounds

superb replacement for friedel there and a great price too

have just been arguing with a blues fan via facebook chat as they think that we made a mistake getting given rather than foster hmmm i think not given is proven in the top flight simple .... looks like wigan have rejected a bid for charles n zogbia from villa .. but reports around birmingham today are we will be upping the bid :D

See I think foster got a great career ahead annoyed how he dismissed England as he wanted to 'concentrate' on club football!

But given is a awesome keeper and for 3.5mil thats a great price!

Ben Foster is one of the best shot stoppers in the English game, when he becomes all rounded and just perfects some of the basics, he'll be at a top club again!

yes nicko im not disputing that what im saying is the fact tha given is proven and its a greatcoup for villa for than price compare to i think 10 mil they was asking for foster who WILL be great meaning in the future :P

Given over Foster anyday, it's just a given imo!

Yeah Shay Given has been one of the best keepers in that country for yearrrrssss!

Manchester City are closing in on a deal to sign Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero, BBC Sport understands.

He's 28, hardly a promising youngster lol. I also think he is very average, maybe worse.

Fabregas I think will be going shortly but will he be starting in the barca squad if he does end up going Barcalona have got the 2 best midfielders in the world why would they need him ok iniesta is getting on but I don't know why hes needed

What you guys think?

i think busquets is carried by that team and fabregas is miles better

Busquets and Fabregas are completely different though.

Fabregas can't tackle his dinner, and Busquets cannot finish his breakfast.

They are still both incredible footballers at their jobs. Busquets breaks up the play, and Fabregas assists and scores.

Barca do not carry passengers, and Busquets is keeping Mascherano out of the side.

Busquets would walk into any side in the world right now. Shame that he is a diving, racist plank however.

Also Iniesta is not "getting on". He is only 27. (Younger than Ben Foster ) Xavi is 31 though.

Edited at 19:10 Tue 19/07/11 (BST)

lol it is xavi that is getting on but in a side like barca does heneed to be young and fit ? as they pass the ball around their opponents rather than run around and chase also that is what busquets does for them.. iniesta is one of the best players in the world at the moment certainly not getting on lol ... although fabregas would be a great addition to the squad do they need him with mascherano also on the payroll im not so sure.

Sorrrrrry yeah got mixed up with xavi and Iniesta on the age hmmm

I think he will be giving up a guaranteed first team place at Arsenal to be a (an amazing) super sub at Barca, he's got to much talent to ever be on a bench, it can't be for money surly he's on a big wack at Arsenal I don't know but I guess when the best footballing side in the world is intrested in you, it's not like you will can dismiss it

What would his price be though to go to there?

I reckon £40M will get him.

Basically he wants to go back "home".

He was a Barca boy, but Spanish Law states that players under the age of 18 cannot sign a professional contract.

Now in England, no such rule exists.

So basically what happens is clubs in England just take any player under the age of 18 from Spain they like, and that is what Arsenal did with Fabregas.

He was playing for nowt at Barca, then suddenly Arsenal offer him thousands of ££££s a week.

So Arsenal shouldn't feel to bad in making £40M profit on a player Barca didn't want to give them in the first place.

We have done this as well with Dani Pacheco and a few others, United have done it with Pique.

This is an old article but pretty much sums it up;

Arsenal seem to have come up with an ingenious way of signing players. The clever ploy, which Arsenal first exploited in 2003 with the capture of a certain Cesc Fabregas, is poaching Barcelona's brightest young talents before they have even stepped out of the gates of La Masia (Barcelona's football academy).

In addition to Fabregas, Arsenal have signed Fran Merida, now with Atletico Madrid, Ignasi Miquel and Jon Miguel Toral Harper who will join at the end of the season. Arsenal are also tracking 15 year old Xavi Quintilla .

These youngsters have all been schooled through Barcelona's renowned youth set up and Arsenal seem to be reaping the benefits.

Arsenal can quite rightly point out, that they aren't breaking any codes of conduct or laws with these signings.

The youngsters can't sign professional contracts in Spain until they are 18 years old, so all Arsenal have to do is pay a small compensation fee to Barca.

Arsenal have the luxury in this country of being able to open negotiations with players under the age of 18, as the age a player can sign a professional contract is 16.

Barcelona have been left incensed by the loss of their future starlets and Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has branded Arsenal's recent acquisition of Toral Harper as "legal but immoral"

Edited at 05:26 Wed 20/07/11 (BST)

Ahh it all makes sense now!

I don't blaim him then for wanting to go back home really,And you can't blaim him for wanting to leave barca in the first place when a huge footballing team offers you some money beyond your mildist imagination it's not like you willrefuse and think of the future, and maybe it is time for him to go back home!

40mil is a good price for the quality of play that you will get

REDS CLOSE TO MARCOS BUENO DEAL
Liverpool are close to reaching a successful conclusion to negotiations with Mexican rising star Marco Bueno, according to teenager's current club.

Reports are suggesting that Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish has invited the Under-17 World Cup winner to England for a 10-day trial.

If Bueno, who has been compared to Manchester United's Javier Hernandez, impresses during his time with Liverpool, the Premier League club are said to be ready to offer a five-year contract.

And Bueno's current employers, Pachuca, claim that Liverpool are determined to complete the deal this summer.

Pachuca vice-president Andres Fassi is quoted as saying: "We are conducting negotiations with Liverpool and possibly, on August 1, Marco Bueno will pay a visit to Liverpool.

"We have already practically closed negotiations with them. They want to buy 100 per cent of the rights."

I have to say, Ben Foster is Supreme compared to the second choice goalkeeper liverpool just signed, Doni is decent, but Ben Foster is a cracking keeper, and to be fair 28 is still young for a keeper, you all know whats coming now, look at VDS... Still undoubtedly could be playing football at United maybe for a few more years even and still manage to maintain his quality!

havent seen much of doni but i would hope foster is better as if doni is better than foster then doni shouldnt be at our club as a second keeper