Top Five Summer 2008 EPL Transfers
The Big Moves Ahead of the 2008/09 English Premier League Season.
Robbie Keane
Having just passed a century of goals for Tottenham Hotspur, the enigmatic Irishman Keane has made the switch to the north-west, joining Champions League hopefuls Liverpool for an eyebrow-raising £20.3m. Putting the reason for his decision to move down to his boyhood love of the Merseyside club, Keane dons the number 7 shirt, made famous by messrs Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish in their prime. If he can link up with Fernando Torres well, Liverpool will be over the moon as the pounds translate into Premier League points.
David Bentley
Despite having previously played for Arsenal whilst a youth-team player, the £15m fee that has been exchanged between Blackburn and Tottenham fulfills a life-long dream for David Bentley. Having performed brilliantly in the English Premier League over the last two seasons, Bentley is looking to cement his place not just in the White Hart Lane outfit's starting XI, but in Fabio Capello's starting line-up for England too. Should Spurs manager Juande Ramos get the best out of the explosive talent Bentley brings to the right-wing, it could be money very well spent.
Peter Crouch
Paving the way financially for Liverpool to purchase Robbie Keane was the departure of prolific beanpole, Peter Crouch. Having played for both Portsmouth and Aston Villa before, both his old clubs were rumoured to be interested in the popular Anfield hitman. But Harry Redknapp has a happy knack of getting his man, and having linked Crouch up with the small, quick Jermain Defoe, Pompey chimes will soon be ringing if the England duo can hit it off at Fratton Park.
Aaron Ramsey
With a clutch of large clubs reportedly interested in the talented 17-year-old, inclusing Manchester United and Everton, Arsene Wenger has captured the Cardiff winger's signature for just £5m. Having excelled in the team from the Championship and their run to the 2008 F.A.Cup Final, Aaron Ramsey looks to have a bright future ahead of him, for club and country. But whether the Welsh whizz-kid can settle into a disrupted midfield following the departures of Hleb and Flamini may prove to be the decisive factor in his first season in Englands highest division.
Deco
With Barcelona precipitating a Catalan cull, one of the highest-profile departures from La Liga was Chelsea's gain. Costing just £8m, previous Champions League winner Deco joins the swelling ranks of Luis Felipe Scolari's midfield-heavy squad at Stamford Bridge. How Deco will manage to cement a place in the central midfield which features West-London terrace favourite Frank Lampard as well as German Michael Ballack is anyone's guess. But what isn't in doubt is the ability on the ball that the Portguese maestro has. Both for Porto and Barcelona, Deco has taken teams without drive and direction to the Champions League final and won the cup. If he can repeat that trick for Chelsea, both his manager and billionaire owner Roman Abramovich will be rubbing their hands with glee.
