The Return Of The Transfer Talk

Last updated : 18 December 2008 By Jim Bonner
It's late December, it's that exciting time of year again. No, it's not Christmas but it's Fratton Faithful transfer speculation time!

We all know about Lassana Diarra's situation but there have been more rumours and developments. Tony Adams has been assured that he will have every penny of the Diarra money to spend once he's sold but it may not be Real Madrid he is sold to.

Mark Hughes is still hoping to bring the French midfielder to Manchester City but given what Diarra has said about how no other club matters when Real Madrid are interested, it looks almost certain he will be leaving for the Bernabeu.

However, Diarra isn't the only key player to be leaving Fratton Park if the words of Lauren are to be believed. He has stated in an interview that Jermain Defoe will be returning to Tottenham and Glen Johnson will leave. He also says that "the economic situation is very bad and we are aware of it."

I am hoping that these claims are just sour grapes from a player who is out in the Pompey wilderness, but then why would a professional footballer say something like this if it wasn't true? It worries me a bit...

Saying that, Defoe can't leave in January (though could in February due to the extension of the transfer window, depending on when his move was made permanent). Lauren has also said he is moving on in January to either Greece or Turkey but seeing as most fans had forgotten he was here, I doubt he'd be missed too much.

The transfer rumours haven't just been about players leaving the club though, as a former Pompey player has been linked with a move back to Fratton Park.

Gary O'Neil is rumoured to be unsettled in Middlesbrough and wants to return south, with Adams rumoured to want him back at Fratton Park. I'm not sure if O'Neil is the type of player we should be looking at if we want to improve the first team, but he's useful in a relegation battle and is much better on the right than Utaka is.

So if all these rumours are true then we will be without Diarra, Defoe and Johnson by the time spring arrives but we'd have Gary O'Neil back. That's not good business but you all know as well as I do that this is just speculation and while it may be true, there will just as much that isn't and there'll be a lot more to come.

So don't expect a quiet January!