However, it will be the signings of Champions League winning Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen and Republic of Ireland under-21 midfielder Marc Wilson that will have the supporters purring.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish signed three players — former Arsenal star Alexander Hleb, on a year’s loan from Barcelona, Spartak Moscow defender Martin Jiranek and Chile winger Jean Beausejour, who was outstanding at the World Cup.
German giants such as Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen kept their powder dry, but Schalke 04 reacted to their haul of no points from their first two matches by signing three players.
They signed Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, for 14 million euros from AC Milan, Spanish attacking midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado and 19-year-old French defender Nicolas Plestan. Jurado, will play alongside idol and former Real Madrid legend Raul.
“It’s a train that passes once in a lifetime and I couldn’t let it pass,” Jurado said. “It will be an honor to play with Raul.”
Also See: England’s Capello feeling the heat
RSS