A lot of strikers swapped teams today, but Robbie Keane's move to Liverpool grabs the headlines. Keane moves from Tottenham for £20.3 million, but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy did not "regard it as a transfer deal." It was hard for Keane to turn down better wages and Champions League football(soccer), but he was never really for sale. In a time where contracts are worth as much as the paper they're signed on, once Liverpool made their interest clear it was only a matter of time. Benitez had claimed they were priced out of David Villa, so it is interesting they would spend so much on a 28 year old striker. Keane is proven in the Prem, and scored 23 times in all competitions last season, but he is not exactly the guy you would picture to replace Crouch. He is great with his feet and can play ticky-tacky, but it is quite surprising that Benitez wouldn't cough up another £5 million on Villa or find a cheaper foreign player. There have been a lot of theories that the Big 4 sign players from the sides below them to hurt the other teams as much as better themselves, and this would be an interesting example. Keane is a great player, but Liverpool have a squad of them and it will be interesting to see where he fits. Darren Bent scored 4 goals in an exhibition match and should fill in for Keane quite well. 
In other striker news, Andrew Johnson will take his creppy bald head to Craven Cottage next year, as Fulham have signed the striker on a reported £12 million pound deal. Johnson made his name for a prolific season with relegated Crystal Palace, and while he has shone at times for Everton his time with the Toffees could not really be called a success. That's what £12 million gets these days, in a reversal of beer prices a domestic is pricier than an import. It is a definite upgrade for Fulham, and a partnership of him and Zamora should help the Cottagers in their battle to avoid relegation. Diouf, who was a striker at some point, is the latest acquisition by Sunderland. There are tempestuous players and then there is El-Hadji Diouf. Quite often he recedes from the game, with his only contribution a stupid foul, but when he springs to life he can singlehandedly change the outcome of a game. He is definitely a wildcard in the Sunderland squad, and if anybody can control him it will be Roy Keane.
In other news, the signing of Muntari seems to spell the end of Inter's interest in Lampard. At least for now.
One Liners
- Arsenal puts up 10, in meaningless pre-season game
- Aston Villa lost Bouma in Intertoto victory, O'Neill looking to 'Naylor' replacement(that joke may or may not work)
- Barton out of jail, teammates and teenagers everywhere cower in fear
- Fabregas denies Madrid link, apparently he's the one Arsenal player who doesn't want to leave
- Scolari wants four trophies, will settle for one of Ronaldo's ex-gf's
