So another fantastic season of football in Europe comes to a close, and now the excitement is over there is time for reflection and analysis before things kick off again in a few month's time. Who stood out among the myriad of stars fighting for silverware across the continent – well here are my thoughts:

The all-action Gerrard had a vintage season for Liverpool.

English Premier League

Player of the year – Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
The Serbian international matured into one of the best defenders in the world during Manchester United's title-winning campaign. The 27-year-old provided the muscle in a back line which proved watertight for much of the season. Vidic led United to a streak of 14 consecutive clean sheets. He also scored four goals, some of them crucial to his team's success in the league.

Honorable mention – Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
The league's third top scorer with 16 goals and nearly single-handedly kept Liverpool in the title race until the final weeks of the season. Playing further up the field, he provided scoring opportunities to Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt who both scored over 10 goals in the campaign. England's best all-round player had probably his best season to date.

Spanish Primera Division

Player of the year – Leo Messi (Barcelona)
You could easily run out of superlatives trying to describe Messi's performances in La Liga this season. The tiny Argentine was simply breathtaking, mesmerizing opponents' defences with his magical dribbling skills, and scoring goals of all shapes and sizes. His finishing was the skill which he improved the most in the last campaign as he tallied an impressive 23 league goals.

Honorable mention – Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)
The European Golden Boot winner was a constant threat to goalkeepers all across Spain this season and finished with 32 goals in 33 appearances for Atletico Madrid. One of the hardest working strikers around, the 30 year-old Uruguayan international made the most of the goalscoring opportunities presented to him by Kun Aguero and Maxi Rodriguez.

Italian Serie A

Player of the year – Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan)
The heart and soul of an Internazionale side that dominated the Serie A. Esteban Cambiasso was ever present in the Nerazzuri midfield this season and was the first name on the team sheet for manager Jose Mourinho as his tough tackling and intelligent ball distribution made him indispensable. The 28-year-old Argentine international also pitched in with four goals during a stellar campaign.

Honorable mention – Diego Milito (Genoa)
To score 24 goals in the Serie A is tough, but to do it for a non-championship contender is even tougher, but that's what Il Principe accomplished this season. Despite being overtaken at the top of the goalscoring chart by Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the last day of the campaign Milito still earned praise from all corners of Italy for his spirited performances and deadly finishes. Impressed 'The Special One' who bought him for Inter next season.

Bundesliga

Player of the year – Grafite (Wolfsburg)
Wolfsburg won their first ever league title thanks in large part to the goalscoring exploits of this Brazilian striker. An incredible 28 goals in 25 games from a late bloomer who had never scored more than 20 goals in a season in the top flight of any league before. He will be remembered this year for a fantastic solo goal against Bayern Munich in a 5-1 demolition of the Bavarian giants.

Honorable mention – Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
The silver lining in a dark cloud for Bayern this season. The Frenchman was just unstoppable and assisted more goals than any other player this season. His own tally wasn't bad either as the 26-year-old winger finished with nine goals. If it weren't for Ribery, Bayern could have easily finished outside the top four.

French First Division

Player of the year – Yoan Gourcuff (Bordeaux)
Proved he is a world-class player with a series of fantastic performances in France as he led Bordeaux to their first title since 1999. He was the maestro of a side who won the last 11 games of the season to clinch the league trophy on the last day of the campaign. Gourcuff, who was on loan from AC Milan, scored a career-best 12 goals and is one of the brightest young stars in European football at 22 years of age.

Honorable mention – Bakary Kone (Olympique Marseille)
One of the fastest players on the planet, the Senegal international gave Olympique Marseille a new dimension following his signing from Nice. The 27-year-old winger terrorized defenders all season long, setting up heaps of goals and getting on the score sheet nine times himself.

Coaches

Coach of the Year
Pep Guardiola – A perfect season for the rookie coach who in his first season in professional management won an unprecedented treble – The Spanish League, Spanish Cup and Champions League. As impressive as the trophy haul was the way they achieved it, playing free flowing attacking football during most of the season. They finished their league campaign with a +70 goal average and were also the top scorers in the Champions League.

Most disappointing coach of the Year

Jurgen Klinsmann – He had to be relieved of his duties in the final sprint for the Bundesliga title race. Worse than their performances in Germany was their capitulation against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. It is inadmissible to concede four goals in a half, even against the almighty European Champions. The fact he failed to motivate a star-studded dressing room means it will be a while before he gets another chance at a top club in Europe.

The transfer window that operates during the close season of the European football calendar is a period of fervent business in the buying and selling of some of the world's most talented players. Goalmouth will keep you up-to-date with the latest spin from the transfer markets until deadline day of August 31.

Heard any rumors? Let us know by adding a comment at the bottom of the page, nobody likes gossip more than us:

Tuesday, June 9

So the Kaka transfer saga has come to end, with the Brazilian finally sealing his widely rumored move from AC Milan to Real Madrid for $100M. The only point left to debate is does the figure placed on the playmaker's head constitute a world record fee? Well, yes in dollars but no in euros. Pesky currency fluctuations spoiling headlines around the world.

Could Villa be next on Real Madrid's hit list?

Real's spending under new president Florento Perez is unlikely to stop at Kaka and according to Spanish sports daily Marca, Valencia striker David Villa is close to signing at the Bernabeu.

Villa starred for Spain in their victorious Euro 2008 squad but his club side are in financial turmoil and an offer of $53 million plus bonuses will secure his services claims the report.

The Kaka move could see a domino effect of player transfers, certainly if the press are to be believed. Now rich with cash, AC Milan are the new front-runners to secure the signing of Wolfsburg hotshot Bosnian Edin Dzeko according to British tabloid The Daily Mirror. A move that would see Manchester City and Arsenal miss out.

Milan are also set to improve their bank balance with the sale of Brazilian star Alexandre Pato to Premier League Chelsea, who are now managed by their former coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Pato is quoted in La Gazzetta dello Sport talking up the move.   "It's an honor to be liked by a club like Chelsea," Pato said.

Carlos Tevez is "seriously considering ­leaving Manchester United for ­Manchester City" because he's in a huff about the way he's been treated, so says The Guardian. The fee needed to make the Argentine cross the city is widely thought to be around $40m.

In France L'Equipe is reporting that World Cup and European Cup winner Patrick Viera could be set to move back home. The 33-year-old has both Paris Saint Germain and Lyon keen to sign him for next season, this despite injuries severely limiting his appearances for Italian champions Inter in the previous campaign.

La Gazetta dello Sport reports that Luca Toni is a favorite of Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. The two played together at Italian side Brescia, and Gazetta says Pep would like to bring the 32-year-old Italian from Bayern Munich, where despite a disappointing league finish, Toni weighed in with plenty of goals.

Meanwhile, a player who could join the Bavarian giants is Dutch defender Edson Braafheid according to Süddeutschen Zeitung.

Monday, June 8:

Gazzetta dello Sport report that Premier League runners-up Liverpool have made a concrete $30m offer to sign the Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Eto'o listening to offers from England?.

The player's agent, always a reliable source in transfer matters, Eduardo Rossetto has confirmed the two clubs are set to meet to discuss the 24-year-old Argentina international's move to Anfield.

Staying with the Reds, it seems Xabi Alonso will be staying put despite the midfield player’s desire to move to Real Madrid according the the British newspaper The Times.

Only a "mind-blowing" offer by the Spanish giants to prise the 27-year-old away from England – this despite Real president Florentino Pérez telling the same newspaper "of course we’d love to have him."

Elsewhere The Sun says European Champions Barcelona will this week make a final bid to keep Manchester City target Samuel Eto'o.

President Joan Laporta says despite a $40m bid he wants to keep the Cameroon hit-man at the Camp Nou: "Samu is a top-class player and there are offers for him. He has given us everything, and I don't just mean his goals, but also his attitude and character."

Spanish paper Marca says Kaká is "closer than ever to joining Real Madrid" – this after Real doctor Juan Carlos Hernandez traveled to the Brazilian city of Recife to perform a medical examination on the player.

The Brazilian federation have also given the club permission to unveil the signing on Monday after the player is understood to have agreed a $90m transfer and five-year deal.

Meanwhile, in France L’Equipe report that Lyon are interested in striker Mamadou Niang.

It’s understood interest is "real" for the Teranga Lion despite denials to the contrary though Didier Deschamps is in no mood to sell.

Friday, June 5:

Manchester City continue a-pace with their plans to rule the world according to the Guardian – top of their recruitment list is Wolfsburg hotshot Edin Dzeko. The 23-year-old German footballer of the year will cost $15m – but with 26 goals in 32 games it could be good business.

Dzeko is on the radar of ambitious Manchester City.

What would sport writers do without Real Madrid in the close season? Real chairman Florentino Perez has told L'Equipe he tried to convince Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal to join the Spanish giants.

"We have always liked the Frenchman and we talked a lot with him," Perez said. Perez also confirmed to the same newspaper he, along with most other big clubs from Europe, is in talks with Bayern Munich about Frank Ribery.

Spanish sport paper AS confirmed the Merengues could be set to capitalize on the financial problems at Valencia by paying $40m for David Silva. The Times also ran with the story but focus on how the move will anger Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez who is fuming that he stands to miss out.

Julio Llorente and Amadeo Rangel, Silva’s agents, met Miguel Pardeza, Real’s sporting director, and Jorge Valdano, their director general, for nearly two hours at the Bernabeu yesterday.

Meanwhile, the sale of Zlatan Ibrahimovic is looking more likely if The Daily Telegraph is to be believed. The broadsheet says Inter president Massimo Moratti held a budget meeting with coach Jose Mourinho on Thursday and was later spotted dining with Barca counterpart Joan Laporta at a hotel in the Spanish city.

Prompting the Swede's agent Mino Raiola to add: "I only know that if the two clubs find an agreement we would not have trouble agreeing with Barcelona." Watch this space.

Thursday, June 4:

In an exclusive interview with Italy's La Gazzetta Dello Sport, AC Milan's Sport Director Adriano Galliani has told the pink paper the motivation for Kaka’s transfer is "purely economical."

Adriano Galliani looking suitably pleased with the impending loss of Kaka from Milan?

He added the decision could not be about the "heart" when such astronomical figures were involved because the Rossoneri are trying to compete with clubs at a "completely different financial level." Deal done and dusted then?

The British press have U-turned today in terms of Chelsea's bid to land Kaka: defeat has been conceded according the Guardian after Real Madrid have agreed a world record $90m for the player, the London side now have the hots for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry and David Villa of Valencia.

Whereas The Sun reports that the first move of Carlo Ancelotti will be to bring Brazilian Alexandre Pato from his former club to London.

The new Stamford Bridge boss has already offered his old club $50m for the 19-year-old striker according to the tabloid.

Barca may have cut through him like a hot knife through butter in the Champions League final but the Catalans want Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic – so says The Daily Mail.

The newspaper also reports Real Madrid will sign Liverpool's Xabi Alonso after Florentino Perez said: “I think he is the best passer of the ball in Europe. I would be happy [to have him]."

British broadcaster, Sky Sports News, says Obafemi Martins is a target for three Premier League clubs, with Everton, Arsenal and Aston Villa all keen to take advantage of Newcastle's relegation from the top flight.

Spanish newspaper, El Mundo Deportivo, states that Franck Ribery is the number one target for Barcelona with a price tag of $56m agreed between the Catalan side and Bayern Munich.

And it seems Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer between Real Madrid and Manchester United, far from being rumor, is already a done deal. An $120m agreement was struck at the end of last season – the one catch being that if Real pull out they have to fork out 60 million to the club and player in compensation. Softly, softly; catchy monkey.

Wednesday, June 3:

Brazilian star and former World Player of the Year, Kaka, has agreed to join Real Madrid from Italy's AC Milan in a $92 million deal, according to Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

Cadena Ser claimed that Real president Florentino Perez had thrashed out a deal with AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and Bosco Leite, Kaka's father and agent.

Kaka – should he stay or should he go?.

However, in true transfer-window style the man himself has said otherwise: "I'll say it for the last time. The last time. I don't want to leave Milan," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Sources in Milan have told The Times that Chelsea — who were also targeting Andrea Pirlo — have offered Kaka “extraordinary” personal terms after they were advised of a possible hitch in the Real deal.

Manchester City's aggressive ambitions for the English Premier League continue – they plan to add to their $20m capture of Gareth Barry with a bid to lure Carlos Tevez from Old Trafford in a move that could be completed in the next 48 hours, according to British newspaper the Guardian.

Chelsea will improve Didier Drogba's existing $130,000-a-week contract to keep the Ivorian in London. The Daily Telegraph reports new manager Carlo Ancelotti says he wants to keep the 31-year-old who scored one of two goals to win the FA Cup on Saturday May 30.

Bayern Munich have been offered $70m for Franck Ribery by Chelsea, but this is not enough to seal the deal according to German newspaper De Bild.

Newly crowned European Champions Barcelona are looking to recruit, and top of Pep Guardiola's wish list is Inter Milan hotshot Zlatan Ibrahimovic according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Inter chairman Massimo Moratti values the Swede at $100m but according to the Italian sport broadsheet, a possible deal part exchange with Samuel Eto'o plus $40m cash could push things through.

Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto is being linked with a move to big-spending Manchester City after Bayern Munich's refusal to offer him a new two-year contract.

The 34-year-old told newspaper Munich TZ: "I'm leaving with one eye smiling and the other in tears. "Right at the top of the list there is the interest shown by Manchester City," he added.

WEMBLEY, England - The expectant walk up Wembley Way. A sea of blue. Goosebumps on the neck as "Abide with Me" rings round the stadium. 

The magic of the FA Cup lives on and in prospect a David v Goliath clash which reflects the new realities of football.

Everton, fifth in the Premier League, take on Chelsea, just two places above them, but worlds apart in terms of resources and expectation.

Everton so short of players mid-season that they play for a while without a recognized striker with the invaluable Tim Cahill filling in admirably.

Chelsea, who could afford to leave Didier Drogba sulking on the sidelines until the arrival of Guus Hiddink re-energized the team.

Both he and Nicolas Anelka set to form a formidable partnership up front as Chelsea bid to shrug off the disappointments of losing out so narrowly to Barcelona in the Champions League, no disgrace there on reflection.

Everton chasing a first trophy under David Moyes and so deservedly in the final having beaten Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United on the way to the Wembley showpiece.

It's not quite second-flight Sunderland upsetting all-conquering but unloved Leeds in 1973, or Wimbledon's Crazy Gang coming out on top against Liverpool, but an Everton victory would be still be against the odds.

The club's chiefs could not be more different. Everton's Bill Kenwright a theatrical impressario with a shrewd eye for a hit, in this case Moyes. Chelsea's Roman Abramovich a Russian billionaire with a ruthless streak who has dispatched Mourinho, Grant and Scolari and temporarily settled on Hiddink.

FA Cup victory for Abramovich would represent a morsel of consolation, for Kenwright it would be a full scale banquet.

But the FA Cup is no respecter of reputations and when the underdogs scored after just 25 seconds through Louis Saha's emphatic volley it was clear that Chelsea would have to work for their victory. 

The noise from the Everton fans reached a crescendo, but before long they were silenced as Florent Malouda crossed for Drogba to head home.

Poor Tony Hibbert was suffering from twisted blood syndrome on the left as he tried to cope with Malouda and was unceremoniously hauled off at half time to be replaced by little-known Dane Lars Jacobsen.

But the Chelsea second half substitution spelt out the gulf in quality in the two squads as German captain Michael Ballack replaced Ghana powerhouse Michael Essien.

Saha might have put the Toffees ahead for the second time but his header was over and soon afterwards Frank Lampard drove the winner past Tim Howard.

Malouda, who I thought should have been man of the match ahead of Ashley Cole, could have finished the game off with two more close efforts, the second possibly crossing the line off the underside of the crossbar (further proof if any needed for TV cameras to decide these close calls).

It was impossible not to feel sympathy for Everton and their fanatical fans, but Hiddink has worked his magic again, inspiring an underperforming big-name squad to step up to the plate.

It was no surprise that the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the Dutchman as he lifted the trophy.

What price Abramovich making him an offer he can't refuse to stay on at Stamford Bridge next season ?

While for teams like Everton, the FA Cup offers the best hope of silverware, aka Portsmouth in 2008, and that's why it's such a favorite with supporters and the players too, who for all their mega salaries and inflated egos just want to get their hands on a piece of history.