Posted by Stephen Kuzner

By Stephen Kuzner - WFD Fan Correspondent

So far this summer for Barcelona and world soccer, this has been the not so silly season. But, we still have well over a month for Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City to make something of it.

At this point, the Cesc Fàbregas transfer saga has come to a close for at least this summer. Barcelona will not move from €35 million they offered and Wenger now seems adamant not to sell. The €50 million kitty that Sandro Rosell says that Barcelona has to spend also does not suggest an urgent need for Cesc and a sticking price of €35 million for Cesc even if Barcelona sells more players. Barcelona doesn't need Cesc to replace Xavi just yet, but its coming quick.

Sandro Rosell's first few weeks running Barcelona have set a tone of financial responsibility and transparency. On the surface this looks like a good thing, but it does come with an underbelly. Revealing what you have to spend is like showing your cards to potential buyers and sellers. In negotiations, much like poker, you need to keep as much information to yourself as possible. However, letting others know your kitty and sticking to it over time can lower prices you buy at. The potential pitfall being that your selling prices could diminish as well. In the case of Barcelona, lowering selling and buying prices of players in the whole market works to their advantage because everyone wants to go there.

Rosell has done well in establishing himself as the anti-Perez president in that he is preaching and exercising financial discipline instead of mortgaging the home for former world player of the years. If he can do this as well as win trophies for Barcelona, he'll be greatly revered not only by Barcelona, but by the world of soccer.

How will Madrid react to Barcelona not signing Cesc and capping its spending at €50 million? Will this stem a spending spree like last summer by Madrid? Madrid has already signed Angel Di Maria and Pedro Leon. Di Maria will make an already devastating counter-attack even more so. €25 million was not terribly too much. Leon from Getafe for €10 million gives Madrid another attacking winger. This is a much different summer than last with Madrid sold Arjen Robben at €25 million and Wesley Sneijder at €15 million.

Who else? Carlo Ancelotti says Ashely Cole will not move, Intermilan wants €60 million for Maicon, and Stuttgart insists that Sami Khedira will not move. Who is Mourinho going to bring to the Bernabéu this fall? Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ramires, or Mesut Ozil? In this not-so silly summer, it's hard to tell.

And, what will happen with Barcelona's €50 million kitty? Rosell said that the sales of Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Yaya Toure offset the purchase of David Villa. After the signing of Adriano from Sevilla at €13.5 million, there's about €36 million left. Adriano at left-back gives Barcelona a player in his prime that should fit in with the Barcelona system. Look for Barcelona to sign another Sevilla or Valencia player. They like to sign pairs of guys from the same team. Maybe Juan Mata will follow Villa to Barcelona and a defender from Sevilla? It's strange that David Villa's signing already feels like it happened last summer. Oh, that's right. Spain won the World Cup, not Barcelona.

Please send any feedback to skuzner@gmail.com.