Even as I support Man Utd, I hate English football overall and aspire, like any other fan, that my team can play like Barca one day. That's why despite arguing with Arsenal fans all the time, I don't mind the way their team plays (of course Barca play better and win trophies and that remains the big difference, hence the apsiration).SAF pointed to the fact that senior team coaches are allowed only minimal time with the youth team academies, hence the big disparity between the players coming from academies like La Masia and the one for Man Utd for example. Spain are starting to reap the gains of their philosophy and looks like they'll continue doing so for years to come (as @Taz has rightly pointed out). However, they'll still have to contend with the natural talent and skill of the Brazilians and Argentines who only need a good coach to put the pieces (Messi, Aguerro, Higuain, Alvarez,Pastorre,e.t.c) together before you get the most potent football team ever. In the meantime, Spain will continue dominating with their tika taka.

That aside, I still think 20M pounds was a bit too much for Phil Jones but when I look t the years he has ahead (probably 10+), then there'll probably be enough time for R.O.I.

Alexis Sanchez will probably join Barca (since he wants to go there despite Udinese holding out on a better bid from City)so am not really worried, we still need a big name player in the midfield so if Arsenal can't pay Nasri 110k pounds per week, he might as well come over. Wenger will get enough money from Cesc's sale to buy Alvarez and Juan Mata, whom they're linked with and if they sell Nasri, and other players, have enough for Samba, Cahill and an extra goalie. It's a no brainer for me.

EPL will be even more competitive if Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, City and Spurs get at least one of the players they want. Of course the holy grail is now to beat Barca to win the CL. We are not there yet, not by a mile!

Hehe, hata wakikataa kutuuzia bado tutakutana nao - hopefully we'll be MUCH better prepared than this last time.

I really hope we get 2 creative midfielders after the Copa America and I hope we are not bid out of contention, otherwise the best we can hope for is another premier league title or those other trophies. Barca will get better

I agree with Taz on this one...

Barca do not want to relelase Thiago despite everything, they have very hard decisions to make i.e. who to sell for them to buy maybe Cesc and Sanchez - the fans are saying Cesc is too expensive now but Barca know Xavi will not play at that level all his life...catch 22.

Hata kama Man Utd want Thiago, he'll be out of place in a team that relies on counter attacking football, unless we get another creative guy to partner him e.g. nasri

I think its actually the other way round. Nasri is more likely to stay if Fibreglass joins Barca.

De Gea is now firmly in the bag.