Stade Malherbe Caen: Summer activities 2013

With the Champions League win and new stadium plans in fresh memory we got word of our awaiting transfer budget.

With the expectations of winning the league set without me asking for it and a rather measly budget I had the options to work with. Either stay with the team I’ve got and maybe just do some minor adjustments with the little money I’ve got. Or maybe sell of one or two expensive players. I’ve already got Barcelona lurking around for Eden Hazard and his price is around the 18M £ line and I could get a few more millions for his name tag, Especially from Barcelona.

Andrea Consigli had already ben set for Stade Malherbe Caen for quite some time and he’ll be my new Keeper as long as he plays well. Diego Alves is reliable and I’ll keep him just in case Consigli doesn’t work out. I’ll let Alves play all the cup games at least. Thebeaux as shown his lack of benchwarming affection so he’ll leave.

Negotiations went extremely well with Barcelona. Their last bid for Eden Hazard was a staggering 38M £ so I had to accept. I had to splash the cash last season for his signature but I’m in need of the money and seeing as he doubled his value in just 1 season it was a clear decision. Marcq also left the club for Sevilla, bringing in another 5 M £.

I then had the pleasant job of finding a replacement for Hazard and also start looking at better options for my Rightback, Defensive midfield position and some youngster to fill out the squad. I chose to opt for a great young left winger and a more experienced one to offload. In came Òscar Vila(3M-buy out clause) and Michel Bastos(Free). 

I wanted to refreshen at the back and that’s why I let Ignashevich, Marcq, Eggert Jonsson and Artur Boka leave. I bought Lars Saalbach a young austrian central defender who I had high hopes for. Camilo Zúñiga, a colombian right back (I seem to have a fondness for colombians). I also loaned Amadou Gueye from Man.Utd, a fantastic young leftback/central defender.

For the midfielder department we needed a new DMC who could stand up and hold the team togheter even in the fiercest of battles. Tottenham had been on Siam Heerens tail and even though I wanted to keep him it was hard to see his face when i rejected the offers that came for him. So I had to let him sign for Tottenham and i got 8M £ for him which was pleasing. In his place i bought Maxime Gonalons who was playing his trade for Birmingham but he is a former Lyon player. He and Ignacio Camacho will battle for the DMC but Camacho will also get his fair share of playing time on the assisting MC position next to Roddy or Verratti.

Figueroa was growing a few grey hairs so I decided to bring in an understudy, or possibly a wonderkid. I  had a few on my mind.. like Lukaku. But Anderlecht just won’t sell! I chose Daniel Villalva from River instead and got him for about 15,5M £.

He might seem a bit expensive but I feel rather confident that he’ll follow in the footsteps of Figueroa who has been a fantastic goalscorer for our club. He’s fast and agile. Good ‘off the ball’-movement and composure and satisfying finishing and a good first touch on the ball. All the requirements for a great forward.

I’ll show you the Pre-season matches and the first real game for July. The Champions Trophy ( it’s probably the French cup winners vs. Ligue 1 champions. But I’m not sure)

Another penalty win and what can I say. Ana, It’s probably stinging for you to see my luck when you only seem to bring bad fortune into this penalty lottery. I still haven’t figured out why I keep coming out with a good result but it’s probably not down to who I pick to take the penalties. I’m more for the Morale issue if there’s anything that can weigh in your favor.