The 2015 summer transfer window is well under way, with a few top players making moves to pastures new. Clubs such as Inter Milan and Arsenal have already had a busy window.

Which major clubs cracked our list? Are there any surprise clubs that didn’t make the cut?

Watch Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe and Ryan Bailey as they rank the top clubs that have made moves thus far in the transfer window. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1LLStOJ
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Liverpool have already brought in a host of new players and the summer transfer window has barely opened.

Southampton‘s Nathaniel Clyne is their latest confirmed signing, and he joins Roberto Firmino, Danny Ings, James Milner, Joe Gomez and Adam Bogdan as new recruits at Anfield, per BBC Sport.

The Reds now need to start offloading some dead wood, and Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva could seemingly be the first to depart.

According to MailOnline’s Sami Mokbel, Liverpool are willing to listen to offers for the 28-year-old defensive midfielder, who arrived at Anfield in 2007.

Serie A giants Inter Milan are set to go in for Lucas as they look to bolster their midfield and have been in contact with Liverpool, though they have yet to make a bid, per Italian outlet Tuttosport (h/t talkSPORT’s Jack Austin). 

Inter were reportedly interested in signing Lucas back in January for £7 million, per the Mirror‘s David Maddock, but the switch never materialised. 

With Reds boss Brendan Rodgers clearly set on re-building his underperforming squad from last season, Lucas may very well be let go, having not played a huge role in 2014-15, starting 16 league games, per WhoScored.

However, Liverpool should not be too hasty in letting the Brazil international go, as he has been a consistent performer for them since he arrived in the Premier League, per Opta:

As a combative midfielder, he could still be a huge asset for Liverpool as they are not overrun with such players.

Furthermore, if Rodgers is eager to shift a few non-essential players, underwhelming strike trio Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini should surely be the first to go. 

In an attempt to bolster their poor attacking unit, Liverpool have long been linked with a move for Aston Villa‘s Christian Benteke. 

Anfield insider Graham Beecroft on talkSPORT recently suggested the Belgian is on the verge of a move to Anfield.

Villa are apparently refusing to budge on Benteke’s fee and will accept no less than the striker’s £32.5 million release clause, per Laurie Whitwell in the Daily Mail. 

While very expensive, Liverpool should be able to meet such a fee, especially as they are likely to make a significant sum from the sale of Raheem Sterling, per Bleacher Report’s Graham Ruthven:

However, according to James Whaling in the Mirror, Villa reportedly remain defiant in their bid to keep Benteke and have thus included him in their kit launch teaser: 

The Midlands club would, of course, love to keep the 24-year-old for another season, but in all likelihood, he will not be donning a Villa shirt next season.

Villa are quite right to refuse to budge on their asking price, though, and the Reds will surely have to meet it, as they need a top-quality striker.

With Luis Suarez gone and Daniel Sturridge injured for much of the season, Liverpool were catastrophically short on strikers in 2014-15 and dropped out of the Premier League elite.

Benteke could solve that problem, but the Reds will have to cough up the cash, as Villa are not going to let him go quietly. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1FSrnNF
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Two seasons ago, Xherdan Shaqiri was a Champions League-winning winger with Bayern Munich, viewed by many as the heir to the throne of Die Roten’s flanks should Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben cede their power. After half a season at Inter Milan, the highly touted 23-year-old now finds himself at the dawn of an exciting career in the Premier League. With Stoke. Seriously, Stoke. 

The BBC confirm that the Potters have had a £12 million fee accepted by Internazionale, a piece of business that has left the good folks of Staffordshire in shock… 

The move has aroused curiosity and confusion from fans all across Twitter, who are puzzled as to why the Swiss starlet would be heading to such an unexpected locale… 

The move seems perplexing, but a popular betting firm appear to have solved the mystery…

Shaqiri may have seen the aesthetically pleasing Britannia Stadium on television, but some suspect he may be in for a shock when he realises his new home is a little lacking in glamour…  

Many were also quick to note the apparent step down a move from Bayern and Inter to Stoke represents… 

A great deal of football fans—who had apparently never heard of Shaqiri—appeared to confuse the Swiss star with a pop performer whose hips only tell the truth… 

Colombian pop star confusion aside, many were quick to note that the sale of such a high-profile young player to a team like Stoke is indicative of the financial muscle Sky’s recent multibillion-pound TV rights deal afforded England’s top sides… 

So thanks to the excessive valuation of TV rights, it looks as if Shaqiri will be plying his trade at the Britannia, allowing him to fulfil one of his main career goals. 

He’ll surely need to pop a thank you card to Rupert Murdoch in the post.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1H0cih0
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Inter Milan have announced the signing of Atletico Madrid defender Miranda, and the Brazilian centre-back is set to play a key role in helping the Nerazzurri return to the Champions League.

The defender, who started all four of Brazil’s games in the 2015 Copa America, enjoyed four trophy-laden seasons with Atletico, and his experience and quality are just what Inter need to fire them up the table.

Miranda is the latest signing in an impressive summer window for Inter, who have already captured the highly sought-after defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia and defender Jeison Murillo.

The Italian outfit confirmed his acquisition on their official website and Twitter feed:

Per Lancenet (h/t AS), the Brazilian recently praised his new team ahead of the move: “I can say that Inter Milan is a great team in international football and hopefully again they will be one of the best teams in Europe.”

With Miranda joining their other signings, Inter are sure to improve next season.

According to Squawka, Miranda won 49 per cent of his tackles and 59 per cent of his headed duels in La Liga last season and was Atletico‘s sixth-highest rated player.

As WhoScored.com notes, the Brazilian is often an effective last line of defence ahead of the goalkeeper:

The 30-year-old’s ability to remain cool under pressure and win the ball in such circumstances comes as excellent news for Inter’s error-prone defence.

Last year, the Guardian‘s Sid Lowe described Miranda as “an astonishing bit of business,” and Inter have done well to secure his signature in the face of interest from Manchester United and Chelsea, per Matt Law of the Telegraph.

As the likes of Hugo Campagnaro and Nemanja Vidic approach the twilight of their careers at 35 and 33 respectively, Miranda’s presence and the potential of a partnership with Murillo can rejuvenate the side, which conceded 48 goals in Serie A last season.

Having played over 100 times for Atletico across La Liga and in the Champions League, Miranda is a player of vast experience but remains young enough to have a positive impact on Roberto Mancini’s back line for several years.

The Nerazzurri will be hoping to add yet more quality to their squad throughout the summer, most likely in forward areas having already added defensive players to the squad.

However, thanks to Miranda’s addition, along with their other signings, Inter already have what they need to make serious improvements and contest a Champions League place next season.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1H0240b
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Internazionale have completed the signing of Brazilian defender Miranda from Atletico Madrid, the club announced on Wednesday. 

The Nerazzurri’s official Twitter feed posted the following image on Tuesday, showing the 30-year-old set to undergo a medical with the Serie A giants:

Miranda joins Inter with a reputation as one of the very best central defenders in the game. Alongside Diego Godin, he forged an often impenetrable defensive partnership for Atletico, helping the Rojiblancos to secure an historic league title in the 2013-14 season.

His winning goal in the final of the 2013 Copa del Rey against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, the first time Atleti had beaten their illustrious neighbours in 14 years, will also ensure the defender will forever be etched into Vicente Calderon folklore.

Losing the Brazilian will be a blow for Atletico, but it’s tremendous news for Inter. As noted here by BT Sport’s James Horncastle, the club have made some ambitious moves in the transfer market this summer already:

After some major disappointments in recent seasons, a malaise has gripped the San Siro. But Roberto Mancini has been allowed to splash the cash this summer, and the acquisition of players like Miranda, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Jeison Murillo should awaken this fanbase from their melancholic state.

The purchase of the Brazilian could be the most important made by the club this summer. Inter are an institution renowned for placing an onus on defensive solidity, and while that trait has been scarce as of late, Miranda is the type of player that’ll re-establish some sturdy foundations with his robust, dynamic brand of defensive play. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1C9V8im
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J