Four of the Spanish teams in Europe (València Villarreal, Atlético and Sevilla) are without shirt sponsors, after failing to agree deals. Nine Primera Liga teams will be without revenue from an official shirt sponsor for the coming season, with Malaga actually paying UNESCO for theirs. To give you an idea how bad things are financially in Spain, shirt sponsorship deals (per season) pay between €0.4 and €2m (except top two).

Strange. Sure he played most weeks.

And was superb.

I think the oddest football story I've seen this summer was the Ashley Madison, erm, "dating" agency offering €3m a year to sponsor Atlético's shirts - [url=http://www.soccerjerseysclub.com/ashley-madison-future-sponsor-of-atletico-de-madrid/can't find a better link than this right now[/url. Apparently when Atlético turned it down they offered the same to Sevilla, also turned down - the deals included extra payments if players were caught being unfaithful.



Makes for some nice looking football shirts though, I'd snap up the unbranded Atlético shirt if it wasn't for the belly.



edit = Bit more on the Ashley Madison thing and depth in [url=http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_9106_almost-half-of-la-liga-clubs-remain-without-shirt-sponsorship-deals.htmlthis article[/url.

Have you got this from the same place that builds Foster up to be a God too











I find this quite odd, the fact that a City fan is being criticised for thinking his 'keeper is better than Reina eventhough you're doing the same thing just the other way round? Why is it you're ok to think Reina is so good but City fans can't do the same for Hart?



Fan in thinking their players are better than other players shocker, surprised this isn't big on SSN

Coates on the way good signing.

Isn't the thing with athletico not having a shirt sponsor due to it being some form of anniversary? Either way, I am all for it, going to snap one up.

I think it's the 100-year anniversary of the red and white shirt but I'm not sure that's why there's no sponsor.



Diarra off to Spurs according to Spanish radio. Adebayor on loan too.

What will you do, quote me on another forum to get him on me?





I've been through it before with you, Iker is overrated. He's the darling of Spain because of what he represents in Madrid. He's a good goalie, but nothing more than that.



Someone who's also getting a mythical reputation is Lloris.

I agree about Lloris, bit of a flapper for me. Samir Handanovic has impressed when I've seen him. The two best keepers both play in Spain but Casillas shades it because of Miss Carbonero.

I assume you mean Ashley Young, he looked very promising at Watford, but as is the case immediately got a big price tag whacked on him



Obviously its early doors with Cleverley in the first team, but he looks tidy and comfortable with the style of football United are playing at the moment, that is all you can ask and judge him on at this point. I do think there are more robust midfields out there than United have faced so far this season, so whether the options United have in there are enough, or equipped to go all season, clearly we don't know.



Anderson appears to be in good shape, and has looked pretty good, I think and hope he'll benefit from an extended run and some faith being put in him

Cleverley was played out wide a lot of the time at Wigan as they had better central midfielders.

I don't know if they had better central midfielders but they definitely had more robust and solid central midfielders which is what they needed in their position at the wrong end of the table. Cleverley is very slight which is my worry about him. Good technically though. He was outstanding against Arsenal at home despite serious provocation from England's lord and saviour Jack Wilshere.

Never heard of him before Copa America and the rave reviews seemed to be more about his colleague at the back. From what I've read he seems a great prospect but I'd be interested on someone's opinion of him who has seen him play a bit. If he signs the word is that he won't be one for the future and will be challening straight away for a starting spot.

I backed them for the Copa mainly due to our little gem that plays for them, so watched most of the games in the early hours, they were pretty solid all round in defence but you wouldn't notice he was making his debut at that level he didn't look out of place at all, for someone so tall he stood up well pace wise and had some nice passing touches.

What about Buffon? Top drawer keeper.

I watched him too. He's got a resemblance of Hyypia - which I like. He's young, dominant, massive (at 6ft 6) and good in the air.



He's a good player who I'd welcome, sooner Coates than Scott Dann.

He doesn't appear to be dominant to me. I would rather sign Godin.







I reckon he is probably second best player in the world............behind Suarez

Nor me.



From what I have seen of Coates playing for Uruguay he swept up around Diego Lugano who did all the dirty work. I'm not saying he isn't a good prospect but he might have to change his game a bit to succeed in England.

Won plenty of headers and tackles etc in the games I saw him in, will fit in fine over here.



Not bad for 20yo

Is that not true of a quite a lot of foreign centre backs though?

Nasri to city confirmed. Great signing and a decent fee for Arsenal. city's squad is comfortably the strongest in the league (and was before this to be fair). Interesting to see how he fits them all in - suspect Adam Johnson will be warming a bench again.

Not really. Look at Vidic, Vermaelen, Kompany, etc. Even a player like Carvalho, who was originally deemed a bit soft, toughened up and got physical.



You get some centre halves, particularly younger ones, that come over and take a while to adjust, like Daniel Agger, but even he's toughened up and 'gets it' now.



I've not seen a lot of Coates, in fact, I only watched two of Uruguay's games and they were both on poor streams. It seems when you read his measurements and nationality, you instantly think big and fierce, but reading the thoughts of those that have seen him, they say he's not that quick, not that agile and not that dominant. Sounds a bit like Paletta who we signed a few years back, it never worked out for him, but hopefully it does for Coates if he comes. Either way, I'd rather see him than Kyrgiakos, and, if Coates doesn't instantly settle, we can move Kelly across, who is a beast.

And they're not even finished buying. Hasn't Mancini said he thinks there a bit thin in the middle of the park (you know, with only Barry, De Jong, Milner, Toure) and started praising De Rossi.

Mancini has FM12 before all of us, it's the only logical explanation.



Who's this Savic fella they've signed?