THE KING AND MEGA RICH STARS

New players, new managers and at some clubs new owners, new chairman and new fans, the cheque book time is over as clubs face new challenge on the pitch. Over the past three months clubs have been busy adding, rebuilding and setting targets for the new campaigns which at many clubs can only be seen through at a cost of millions if winning of trophies is the realistic target.

The Catalan based football club  Barcelona dominated the end of last season  winning La liga, the king’s cup and Europe’s  clubs most prestigious competition the UEFA  champions league, becoming the   first club to bank a treble in Spanish football history. Enjoying success and ruling the world with faith on a vast majority of home grown players, Barcelona’s summer only saw the arrival of few new faces with Zaltan Ibrahimovic joining and Samuel Eto’o their most feared striker leaving for Inter Milan as part of the deal. However over in Madrid, at Real Madrid where Raul is still the king, diminishing in success and lack of attractive football prompted changes in the club hierarchy.

Trusted and a proven accomplished businessman, Florentino Perez returned with refined approaches that promises the return of attractive football and trophies at the Bernabeu. His arrival accompanied by his loyalists and club’s old boys saw changes in the coaching staffs and the arrival of eight new players to help Real Madrid course of emulating their arch rival Barcelona fc most importantly by winning their tenth European trophy. Having tasted success as a president and a star signing in his galacticos era, Perez wasted no time in delivering his first signing of the new challenge in the Brazilian kaka, a world cup winner decorated with loads of individual honours and a great future ahead. The fee surpassed world record 78 million euro he once paid for the Frenchman Zinedine Zidane who is currently part of his advisory team. How ever it was Ronaldo’s arrival in Madrid from Manchester that attracted all and glued many around the world to the Bernabeu.

The Portuguese international whose arrival was imminent when he expressed his desire to quit old Trafford and Carrington for Valdebebas to fulfil his childhood dream became the most expensive player in the world when Florentino Perez paid £80millions to acquire his service, maintaining real Madrid status as the king of transfer record breaker possibly for decades ahead. Many more signings and big money players followed to bring the total spending at £ 219.8million, but whether money will buy success for the hungry and desperate real Madrid only time will tell.

In England and Premier league,  departures have evidently disturbed starting with Newcastle united relegations to Coca Cola  Championship, Ronaldo to Spain and then Xavi Alonso adios to anfield was just as disappointing as could Adebayor’s departure to the Gunners. Manchester city shook the entire premier league making serious bid and signing quality players, possibly some of the best and trusted players in the league.

Although many experts and pundits have tipped Mark Hughes man for the top four finish this season, the league look wide open as Chelsea looks to be the most serious threat in all competitions eve though Tottenham hotspurs looks well equipped and equally balance in all departments surprises are part of the game just as their arch rival Arsenal showed against Everton boasting only one new acquisition.

The best players come at a price and to achieve every club needs resources. Certainly Barcelona is still the team to beat but whether their striking force without Et’o will still be the same and dominate as usual so far so good as young Pedro and company take on responsibilities.

Raul showed his class and why he is still the king and indispensable at the Bernabeu with a goal in La liga’s opening week, but whether Manchester City will finish in the top three and compete in the champions League next season, Robinho and company are still unbeaten but the season is yet to heat up.