Determined to remain in the Premiership, West Bromwich Albion signed Real Mallorca midfielder Borja Valero for a club record £4.7million. The 23-year-old signed a four-year contract at The Hawthorns. Valero now is the Baggies’ ninth addition this summer and takes the club spending-spree total to around £20million. The Spaniard advanced through the ranks of Real Madrid’s youth system and signed a long-term deal with Mallorca in 2007. Valero who is a box-to-box player immediately upgrades the club’s midfield. West Brom also added goalkeeper Scott Carson who has the Premiership experience vital to the Baggies’ chances for success this season.
Also from the Premiership, Manchester City added 22-year-old Belgian centre-back Vincent Kompany from Hamburg SV. The defender has signed a four-year contract at The Eastland and is manager Mark Hughes’ third summer signing.
And Sunderland added a pair of forwards with the addition of Northern Ireland international David Healy from Fulham and French international Djibril Cisse from Olympique de Marseille. Healy signed a three-year contract at The Stadium of Light. Cisse joins the Black Cats on a season-long loan. He returns to the Premiership after spending time with Liverpool from 2004-2007.
Does the signing of Valero improve West Brom’s Premiership chances for 2009-2010? Will Kompany be the answer to Manchester City’s right-back dilemma or will he only add more depth to a crowded center? Will Cisse find success back in the Prem? Is Sunderland a top-eight club?
