Target On: Transfers in Europe

Italy: the main transfer story in Italy is quite honestly the Zlatan Ibrahimovic debacle at AC Milan. The player has been controversial after every signing, and there have been a lot of signings, but is anyone surprised by the number of teams that he has "had in his heart" all along. He leaves Sweden for Ajax and we hear the phrase. Ditto for Juventus, and then for Inter Milan when they are relegated, then Barcelona but he runs afoul of Pep Guardiola, then Milan is his all-time favorite until for some reason Paris-St. Germain is now the team of his heart? He's a mercenary. I'd feel better if he admitted as much. It's honest. It's why Thiago Silva's admission, that he feels bad for the Milan tifosi, that it looks bad but he didn't do it for the money and that his heart is still with them, rings so hollow. It's the money. Milan can't pay the wages that other clubs can. We're all waiting for Financial Fair Play to hit but that's a pipe dream. I just wish the players would be honest about it.

Spain: Anyone want to say Luka Modric? Surprised? I am. The fact is that he wasn't the next Galactico that Florentino Perez considered. The M.O. is that Perez signs a big player from a tournament winning side or right from under a rivals nose; think Figo, Ronaldo, Cristiano, Zidane and a slew of others. The objective if you've been reading Marca for the last 6 months has been David Silva from Manchester City. Perez has been stalking him for at least as long if not more. Punto Pelota in Spain confirmed it. They could have had him for pennies on the dollar from Valencia but Mourinho didn't want him. So they tried again and asked the player to agitate for his release. The player reneged and so that's why Modric is the new Kaka, is the new Snejder, is the new Zidane, but it could have been Silva.

England: where is Robin Van Persie going again? Manchester City or United? No space in one and no money in the other. Liverpool? What sort of wage scale do they have that can't be equaled at Arsenal. Could it be Real Madrid or Barcelona? For a player who will be 29 next month and wouldn't be a first choice striker at either club? PSG just bought Zlatan and Bayern seem to be out of the equation out-right so it has to be Italy. Would Juventus, AC Milan or Inter have any interest at all in signing Robin Van Persie? I hate to say it but the smart thing to do might have been just to stay on as Arsenal captain.