Fergie gently beckons Van Der Vaart, Mourinho sharpens his knives, and Villareal? Really??

Aahh...there is nothing The Goleador loves more than a little bit of overseas drama. Even more than the Directv pay-per-view "special" events on television. And here, shining in the the blog's spotlight today, is Rafael Van Der Vaart. In an exclusive interview with Marca ( they really know how to wheedle out the truth, don't they), VdV said "I was offered a chance to play [at Manchester United], and with the situation that is taking place in Madrid, it would be very difficult to refuse." "Manchester allows you to fight for titles, something I value at this stage of my career." of course, who wouldn't pass up an opportunity for a fun-loving dutchie, with Galatasaray and Werder Bremen throwing their lots in. The blog wishes it couldve seen Mou's face after those remarks.

Speaking of the almighty gray-haired, spiffy Portugal man, Mourinho told Marca that he wanted to trim his squad. Currently awaiting his call-up are twenty-six players. Originally, Mourinho had twenty, but with six summer signings, the numbers are bound to go up. Many many rumours have circulated about Mourinho's starting lineup, and here is The Goleador's prediction. Casillas, Arbeloa, Carvalho, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Gago, Ozil ( Mou really hasn't wasted his time with him: just a day after he was presented as a new player and one training session with his colleagues, he is already ready for inclusion), Canales, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Higuaín. It took the blog a long time to solve this, but all this means is that Alou and Mamadou Diarra, along with VdV (of course), and maybe even Karim Benzema will be heading on the transfer bus out.

Now The Goleador turns it wary eyes onto Villareal. The Pires-lovesick team beat DNEPR 5-0, amazingly enough. Who would have thought!?!

Swiveling around to Catalonia again. Hold the boos, please. Mino Raiola, also known as Mr. protect-Zlatan-at-all-costs-or-else, has spoken out again for Ibra. To Marca, he said, " I think it is easier for Guardiola to go rather than Zlatan. Guardiola is under contract for 1 year, and Ibrahimovic for four. The mathematics are clear." After hearing this atrocity, the blog went and hunted down the professor who was previously known as Raiola's math teacher. Anyone in their right mind would not say something of that magnitude to Pep, except for TG.

Speaking of Barcelona, another of their players has spoken out against Mourinho. It wasn't Gerrard Pique, but Dani Alves. That's right. The midfielder who may be transferring has said that "with or without Mourinho, the Barça way to compete will not change." that's two on the scoresheet for Barcelona, zero for old Mou.