Source: Telegraph
Sol Campbell and Patrick Vieira signings reveal new Premier League trend
It also makes the bold claim that it attracts 'the top players from all over the globe'.[LNB]On the evidence of the past week, perhaps the words 'over 30' should be inserted somewhere into the sentence above. We are almost halfway through this January transfer window and the two biggest name arrivals have a combined age of 68. [LNB]Portsmouth FC close to Arab takeoverWith Sol Campbell and Patrick Vieira having completed just five full matches between them since the start of the season, a cynic might wonder whether Manchester City and Arsenal have become so desperate for silverware they are now also prioritising the annual summer Masters Football tournament. [LNB]What next? Saga to take on Barclays when the league's title sponsorship deal runs out in 2013 or perhaps just another Stan Collymore comeback? [LNB]The wider and serious point is whether we are witnessing the start of a new trend. Serie A was once the dominant European force and has gradually become something of a pre-retirement destination for ageing stars. Ronaldinho and David Beckham are just some of the distinguished names in Italy whose best days surely also came in the era of Campbell and Vieira. [LNB]Of course, Manchester City and Arsenal have clearly recruited Vieira and Campbell for the experience those players can bring to teams still learning how to win trophies. [LNB]However, it also further underlines the absence of emerging 'marquee' signings to England over the past year. Andrei Arshavin to Arsenal last January was the most recent. [LNB]Since then, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema have all moved to La Liga while question-marks persist over the spending power of each of the established 'big four'. [LNB]Huge debts would appear to be a constraining influence on Manchester United and Liverpool, Chelsea have been noticeably more conservative since paying £30million for Andrei Shevchenko in 2006 while Ars›ène Wenger at Arsenal continues to follow a policy of unerring prudence. [LNB]The crucial external factors remain the comparative weakness of the pound and a top tax rate that can be easily undercut by the leading Spanish clubs. [LNB]So could the tide really be turning on the Premier League? With David Villa, Franck Ribery, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Agüero all likely to be available, the next year will be instructive. [LNB]
