Dover Player Retirements and Other Departures
-- We hit July 1st and for the first time that I can remember, we have no player retirements. We've gotten very young over the past few years and while I still have 36 year old
Wayne Rooney, he's still hanging around, at least for this year.
-- We also have ZERO player departures beyond
Paul Moses, who was a loanee. Two of our U18 players, MR
Matt Hewitt and GK
Garry Doyle have expired contracts but they are sticking around on a week-to-week basis.
-- We lose no "Dover favourites" for the first time in my recollection either.
Transfer Market Plans
-- I've already discussed this earlier but that was before we were given our budget for the year. I'm always looking for strikers and I've got an offer in on at least two of them right now - I have a huge surplus of strikers on the club right now but I'm actively trying to sell a number of the fringe players right now to bring down the squad size. If I bring in anyone substantial, there's a chance I'll have to sell one of my starter quality players.
-- We continue to need a goalkeeper but again, I have an offer that is accepted pending a work permit so I'm content to sit around and wait for a positive answer there.
-- I'd like to add starter quality backups to both wide midfield positions, one central midfielder and perhaps a left fullback. Also, if I see any reasonably priced U18 talent, I'll try to jump on it.
I continue to chase young English forward
Paul Moses - even after our battles last year when I accidentally sent him to the reserves and he stopped talking to me, it's looking like time has healed those wounds. Moses seems open to a move according to my scouts and when I praise his skills in the press, he reacts very positively. United is looking for way too much money but I may be able to work something out like last year, where I loan him in and get a reduced buyout rate because of it. If that doesn't work out, there is a young Argentine that has incredible promise as well. I've also placed a bid on a young German midfielder that looks to be on the move but I'll be battling against Barcelona for his services so I won't expect anything there. I've also placed a bid on a cultured striker that knows our new man up front, Chiquhino, VERY well. Nabbing him would definitely mean a likely exit for
Giorgos Gesios but it would unquestionably be a coup for the club if we secure his services.
World's Richest Club List
-- Real Madrid have moved past Barcelona to take over the top spot on the richest club list with a total value of £836 million. Barca are at £819 million, which is about £100 million LESS than last year. Arsenal are the top rated English club in 3rd place at £430 million. United are 6th at £393 million and City are 7th at £354 million. We make a HUGE JUMP on this year's list, going from 64th all the way up to 36th with a value of £102 million. Superb!!!
Transfer IN
-- We welcome two new players to Dover on Bosman signings completed while the transfer window was closed, with both players being promising young strikers. First, welcome Rogelio Garcia to Dover!
Garcia is a 21 year old Mexican who has great size and pace. I signed him on a free from Porto in Portugal, where he scored 11 goals in 13 games for the senior team as a 20 year old. I'd like to loan him out to an English team in order for him to learn the language.
-- Also, please welcome Orlando Scolari to Dover, also here on a Bosman signing!
Scolari is a 20 year old Argentina native and I nabbed him from Le Mans FC in France. He played for their feeder squad last year, scoring 9 goals in 16 matches. Scolari doesn't have the same size or speed of Garcia but he is a very talented young man as well. Like Garcia, I'm planning on loaning Scolari out for the season. Scolari comes to Dover with an estimated value of £4.5 million while Garcia comes valued at £5 million so these are two great free signings for us!