It looks like schuster wants ball possessos to install his ideology, he is desperate for possession. It makes me wonder if the german is going to assemble a team similar to spain (with three ball handlers) or have a couple good substitutes he may come in too expensive to be subsitutes!

CR is still our bet and Man U’s interest in signing tevez and berbatov perhaps (some mention also villa) show a clearer opportunity for CR to arrive at the bernabeu. Usually teams that win CL tounraments do not spend too much the following season which is opposite to what we are witnissing….

I am hoping that nothing happens, because the longer this drags out, the less our chance of replacing him before January with a quality player. I feel that HSV are willing to go into the season with VDV and snap up one of the CL spots in the Bundesliga and then let him walk, hoping that they make more from qualifying for the CL than they would with VDV’s transfer. A big gamble, to be sure, but in that case everybody wins–VDV gets a fat payday because he carried a side like HSV to the CL on his back, and HSV gets the CL money. And if they don’t make it, he will likely be viewed as having failed to carry them to the CL and his value on the market will be zip anyway, so the club doesn’t lose a lot of money in that case.

first, a quibble: the amount he can go for next summer is €1.5m, not €1m. still WAY less than vdv is worth, but hey. and as for that clause hamstringing our negotiations, i’m not too worried about that. he’s a good enough player, and enough clubs will be interested in him, that i don’t think it’ll be hard for us to get people to bid more than they “have to” for his services. barca may realize that life post-ronaldinho is a bit tougher than anticipated, and decide to buy another marquee playmaker; or chelsea may start to worry about ballack’s age and try to find a replacement; or any number of other teams may decide they want him (like real!).

an important thing to bear in mind, though, is that part of our deal with ajax when we got vdv from them was that whatever amount we eventually sold him for, they’d get 20%. so we’d only keep four fifths of that €6m, which honestly is less than he’s worth to us in a season — especially if, without him, we don’t make the UEFA cup. our club’s stated asking price is €20m, which seems fair, and is no doubt negotiable.

my guess, and probably most people’s guess, is that discussions will continue at the emirates cup the weekend of august 2, which both real and hsv are playing at (along with juve and arsenal). i’d be a little surprised if we let him go for €10m, but i can see €15m happening pretty easily.

as for the question of how he fits in at real, i’m a little unsure, too. is guti your usual playmaker? where does sneijder usually play? i agree with you that vdv wouldn’t be ideally placed on a wing.

and finally, even if this deal does go through, fine — you can have rafael. BUT DON’T YOU DARE TAKE OUR SYLVIE!!