Waiting for That Other Shoe to Drop…

By: Matt | August 20th, 2008

As we wait for the seemingly inevitable bids to come rolling in over the next ten days, I offer up to you a few diversions. So, no KJH news after the break. You won’t have to look very hard for it elsewhere.

First, some good news:
> As mentioned in comments below, Jurgen Colin is officially gone. Sporting Gijon in Spain gave him a one-year deal. I dunno if they paid us, but I feel like maybe we should have paid them. If he can barely hack it at Ajax, good luck in Spain.

Ten days away from the opener, and still so many questions. Next week, we will have a season preview. Then, after the transfer window closes, we will have to re-write everything we previewed.
> NEC are preparing to make a bid for Leonardo. I am mixed about this one, but a transfer with a decent fee would be acceptable. Leonardo is versatile and a gifted attacker. I just wonder where his career would be without the injuries.
> Kennedy Bakircioglu is also supposedly being marked by several clubs, but the articles I see neglect to name any of them. References to mysterious “English” and “Spanish” clubs are less encouraging, but I can see this guy helping somebody out in those leagues. He’s not going to set the world on fire, but he is good with the ball. It is too bad that most of the interest in Ajax dead-weight has been focused on the not-quite-as-useless players like Kennedy and Leonardo. Doesn’t anybody need Luque?
And now some potentially not-so-good news:
> Urby Emanuelson may not have a clear-cut position on the pitch, but that has not kept the interest away. As he looks more and more like a midfielder, Urby is now getting attention from Bundesliga side HSV as well as Lyon. The figure being bandied about is disappointing to me, at least, and I would hope we hold on to him and see if it does not rise next summer. 6.5 million euros will look like a steal after he continues developing. I like him, and if he can break into a regular position from our stacked midfield, he will potentially be a true star.
> Jan Vertonghen looked good at the Olympics, and Thomas Vermaelen managed to make it through the tournament without a body cast (being suspended for the thrashing against Nigeria probably helped). But, of course, with all the attention comes all the rumored transfers. Vertonghen to has been floating around. I doubt it truly. He will be watched closely this season, but all these Olympic-inspired rumors are probably bunk.