Will we actually sign anyone ?

Maybe I'm just getting a bit paranoid, but I'm starting to worry if we're actually going to sign anyone of substance in this close season.

After a largely frustrating season that was only saved by Guus and a great day at Wembley, we were all buoyed up a few weeks back with the news that Roman was going to loosen the purse strings and refresh our aging squad. As usual, when this news "leaks out" we get linked with everyone even though those money bags at Madrid and Maine Rd can completely out spend us. Anyway the list was interesting; Kaka, Pato, Villa, Ribery, Aguero and Zhirkov were all pretty mouth watering pospects along with the English contingent of Sturridge, Young and even Glenn Johnson.

Now roll the clock forward a few weeks and things don't smell so sweet. Real Madrid seem to be buying up the planet with gay abandon despite having already landed Kaka and all of a sudden Man U are flush to the tune of some £62m profit having off loaded "perma-tan" Ronaldo.

From our original list;

• Kaka has gone - though apparently we didn't bid
• Pato wants a chat with our new boss but his current one says he's "untransferable"
• Villa doesn't want to leave Spain and is already in talks with Madrid
• Ribery doesn't like the climate in the UK and would prefer Barcelona
• Aguero wants more cash as his "salary" than Gordon Brown threw at RBS

....even Zhirkov has now said he'd prefer Barcelona (so Romans had to pop over to Mother Russia for a quick word)

Now we hear that Glenn (wouldn't champions league footie be nice) Johnson has actually decided that the lure of squillions from Man City is too great - well you could buy loads of toilet seats with all that cash :-) and Sturridge would kick in a £10m compensation payment.

Worse still, the old man brigade of Gatuso and Pirlo are being talked up as wanting to be reunited with their Don Carlo - hang on, I thought we were looking to reduce the age of the squad and frankly who could they replace anyway !!

I hope I'm wrong but this does not look good.

Maybe, just maybe, there's a deal to be done with Byern involving Bosingwa that could sweenten a Ribery move - but I'm not holding my breath. Otherwise, Aguero is a possibility if the salary can be sorted and Zhirkov might happen if Roman threatens him with exile in Siberia.

Am I the only one who's worried ??