The Premier League season finished less than a week ago and already the rumour-mill is in full swing. So-and-so's staying. No, he's going. He's going here, or there, or maybe even there. His best friend's girlfriend's hairdresser's dog-walker told me - it must be true. Arrgh, enough already! I awoke one morning earlier this week to the news that Brad Friedel had signed for both WBA and Liverpool (neither of which is actually true...yet, anyway). Until Messrs Brown and Harrison decide to tell me something's actually happened, I believe nothing.

There was one such rumour that did catch my eye today however, which was the return of the Hitz to Villa Park for the paltry sum of £500k. I really do hope this one is true. I remember Thomas Hitzlsperger as a promising, and incredibly polite, 18 year old and he soon became a fan favourite in the 5 years he spent with us. Surely £500k isn't too much to bring him home and rescue him from lower league obscurity, not least because he only signed for West Ham because his agent misunderstood his desire to go back to England and be Der Hammer in claret and blue.*