If this story is true, you can call off the league right now, because West Ham have just pulled off the two greatest transfers in history. I'll repeat - Carlos Tevez AND Javier Mascherano will join West Ham United on a season-long loan from Corinthians. This is most probably a means for them to show how they'd adapt to the English game without big clubs taking multi-million dollar gambles on them. Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been stung in the past by signing talented South American players who did not adapt to the pace and physicality of the English game - namely Veron, Kléberson and Crespo - so this is a huge opportunity for them to run the rule over these guys over the course of the season. Of course, the disadvantage from United's point of view is that if they perform as everyone expects, Chelsea will probably price everyone out of the market by offering something astronomical. Anyway, I'm going to start planning for next season, because West Ham will win the quadruple.
Story first seen on SoccerLens.
Update: SoccerNet is carrying the story too, so it must be true.
Update 2: Gurpreet writes in to ask why United didn't sign Mascherano and Tevez on loan deals themselves. Simple answer - we missed a trick somewhere, surely. I cannot see any reason why Corinthians would have a problem with loaning them to Manchester United, so this is most probably a massive faux pas on the club's part, especially considering the state of the Hargreaves transfer and our paucity of quality central midfielders.
State of the Game has an interesting conspiracy theory about the whole matter. It may seem like pure speculation at this point, but Roman's links to Corinthians' owners are well-documented, and this may be a way to acclimatise the players to London. Of course, I hope this is untrue, and that United will have a chance to sign them next summer, but the financial power clearly lies with Chelsea these days and they will stop at nothing to get their men, like the John Obi Mikel saga (which ended with Manchester United having to part with a player they had signed legally. Of course, the law goes out the window when Chelsea want a player) and the current Ashley Cole controversy.
Update 3: Wtf? The deals are permanent. Something very strange is happening.
Story first seen on SoccerLens.
Update: SoccerNet is carrying the story too, so it must be true.
Update 2: Gurpreet writes in to ask why United didn't sign Mascherano and Tevez on loan deals themselves. Simple answer - we missed a trick somewhere, surely. I cannot see any reason why Corinthians would have a problem with loaning them to Manchester United, so this is most probably a massive faux pas on the club's part, especially considering the state of the Hargreaves transfer and our paucity of quality central midfielders.
State of the Game has an interesting conspiracy theory about the whole matter. It may seem like pure speculation at this point, but Roman's links to Corinthians' owners are well-documented, and this may be a way to acclimatise the players to London. Of course, I hope this is untrue, and that United will have a chance to sign them next summer, but the financial power clearly lies with Chelsea these days and they will stop at nothing to get their men, like the John Obi Mikel saga (which ended with Manchester United having to part with a player they had signed legally. Of course, the law goes out the window when Chelsea want a player) and the current Ashley Cole controversy.
Update 3: Wtf? The deals are permanent. Something very strange is happening.
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