For the goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar remained the core player, with Barry Roche and Paul Gerrard. There were no changes there. So long as Edwin van der Sar remained uninjured, the other two would not have many opportunities to be fielded. However, Tang En might consider fielding Barry Roche for the EFL and English FA Cup. Darren Ward, who had lost his core position because of Edwin van der Sar's arrival, was sold to an EFL Team, Norwich City, for a price of 1.5 million pounds.
For the fullbacks, Davy Oyen had already been sold by Tang En to the EFL Team, Crystal Palace, for a price of one million pounds. In the previous season, Oyen barely had any opportunities to represent the team. His abilities were also no longer on par with the team's expectations. Selling him in exchange for funds was the best way to go about things.
