LONDON -- There are only 86 more non-shopping days until the transfer window opens again on Jan. 1. You can almost imagine Roman Abramovich counting the days, like a prisoner awaiting release from jail.
Ten weeks ago nobody in football had heard of Abramovich. As we digest the events of a crazy summer it is probably fair to say that no single person has ever had a bigger impact on what Pele called "the beautiful game."