Just 8 months after taking the reigns at St. James Park for the 2nd occasion, Kevin Keegan has left Newcastle United. Or hasn’t he? Keegan’s latest case of wanderlust, reportedly linked to the board’s concerns over Joey Barton’s legal status, hit the papers the same day Manchester United confirmed a £30 million transfer price tag for the services of Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov. Not to be outdone, Manchester City acquired Robinho from Real Madrid, a circumstance of which the Guardian’s Sid Lowe writes, “it’s hard to get your head round. The man described as the New Pelé, a bundle of Brazilian energy bursting with tricks and flicks, has left the world’s most successful club to join one that hasn’t won a major trophy for over thirty years. You almost expect the ghost of Jeremy Beadle to descend and reveal that it’s all been an elaborate practical joke.”
Conversely, 9th place QPR were awfully quiet at the close of the transfer window, and it seems the club’s recent abundance of financial backing with go towards something other than midseason player procurement. Either that, or they just hired Omar Minaya as the new Director Of Football.