I know we aint really in the market for another central midfielder but why not try to fetch Ballack on a free this summer. Real Madrid wants him but I can't see how someone would want to go there at the moment. That way we could play with Gerrad or Ballack as an attacking middfielder just behind a lone striker the way Rafa wants to play.
Real Madrid is going to clear out a bunch of players this summer if things doesn't get better and they will probably want to get rid of Baptista which would be a great player for the EPL. Big, strong, quite fast and good in the air and he always hustles. He scored 50 goals last two seasons but it hasn't worked out that good in Real Madrid. He won't cost that much if they want to get rid of him.