Manchester United qualified for next season’s Champions League quite comfortably in the end, with a fourth-placed finish ensuring they achieved their primary aim following last year’s failings.
Having returned to Europe’s premier competition, Louis van Gaal has already set about strengthening his squad for next season as he looks to build a side that can challenge for the Premier League next term.
One man who won’t be involved, however, is Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, who will not be making his loan move from Monaco into a permanent one after failing to impress at Old Trafford.
The forward struck just four times during a dismal campaign, where he failed to live up to expectations.
Falcao’s departure is sure to mean van Gaal will be looking to add another striker to his squad, as he looks to increase his side’s goal threat next campaign.
And if reports are to be believed, they have earmarked a number of potential signings to replace the former Atletico star.
With this in mind, here are five strikers who could be on their way to Manchester United this summer…
[interaction id=“none”]
Carlos Bacca
Football – Sevilla v Valencia – UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg – Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla, Spain – 24/4/14Carlos Bacca celebrates after he scores Sevilla’s second goalMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
United may well opt to strengthen their front line with another Colombian who has enjoyed a far more prolific season than his international teammate.
Carlos Bacca has certainly impressed this season at Sevilla, scoring 28 times and helping his side lift the Europa League thanks to a double in Wednesday’s final against Dnipro.
With his stock continuing to rise, it’s no surprise to see him linked with a move to the Premier League, and the Red Devils have emerged as favourites to sign the 28-year-old striker who could cost around £21m.
Karim Benzema
Another La Liga star who could be set for a move to the Premier League is Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
Reports this week suggest the Frenchman has emerged as a £40m target for Manchester United, who are keen to sign the 27-year-old, a proven goalscorer at the top level.
Benzema has 22 goals this season, but Real are thought to be willing to cash in on the striker who has won every major trophy in his time at the club.
United could well face stiff competition from Arsenal, but Benzema certainly has the quality to fire them to a title challenge should he make the switch to Old Trafford.
Harry Kane
Tottenham’s Harry Kane was one of the standout performers this season in the Premier League, announcing himself at the top level with an impressive 21 goals, a feat that saw him named the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Unsurprisingly his terrific performances this season have already got people talking about his future at White Hart Lane, with Louis van Gaal reportedly making the Englishman one of his top transfer targets this summer.
Although it remains unlikely, should United be able to tempt the striker away from Spurs before next season, they will have to fork out around £45m to get their man.
Edinson Cavani
The future of PSG striker Edinson Cavani was put into doubt recently when the Uruguayan revealed he may need to leave the Ligue 1 champions due to his frustration at being deployed as a winger.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The forward wants to be playing up front, which has led to rumours of a move to either Manchester United or Chelsea, among others.
Despite regularly playing out of position, the 28-year-old has found the net 27 times, something which will certainly catch the eye of van Gaal.
He won’t come cheap however and could cost as much as £50m.
Gonzalo Higuain
Sunday’s Serie A clash between Napoli and Lazio could have a big bearing on the future of Gonzalo Higuain, who is expected to leave Italy should his side fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Argentine has been linked with a host of clubs including Arsenal and Chelsea, with United also keen on the 27-year old who has 15 goals to his name this season.
Higuain is another option that looks set to cost in excess of £40m, which may mean van Gaal looks elsewhere for a new striker.
There was a lot riding on the result of the North London Derby at the weekend. Alongside the usual battle for bragging rights was the far more important issue of the Premier league table. Tottenham’s win meant that they leapfrogged Arsenal in the table and finished the weekend just one place below the coveted 4th spot.
For many seasons, Tottenham have threatened to take Arsenal’s position as the most successful team in North London. For the past five Premier League campaings, Tottenham have finished within at least two places of Arsenal’s position, constantly threatening to overhaul the Gunners. Although there is still a lot of football left to be played this season, Spurs are really starting to take shape under Pochettino’s leadership – successfully replicating the high-pressing game that made the Argentine’s Southampton team so difficult to beat.
Spurs face a vital few weeks if they want to maintain their push for the Champions League. Europa League ties against Fiorentina as well as a League Cup final against Chelsea could shape the outcome of Tottenham’s season as Pochettino will want to continue the positivity growing within the squad. It will be interesting to see whether the Lilywhites can maintain their form as the business end of the season approaches.
Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen need to be kept fit if Tottenham are to fulfil their potential this season. Eriksen has won Spurs a number of points this season through strikes in the dying moments of games. As well as the Dane, Harry Kane has excelled since the manager has shown a lot of faith in him. Regular football has really paid off for the 21-year-old, who now has 23 goals in all competitions. Keeping Kane fit has to be one of the top priorities for Pochettino as the team has really evolved around Kane’s ability.
[ad_pod id=’ffc-video-small’ align=’left’]
The only worrying issue for the manager is the fact that Tottenham’s strength in depth is not great. Without Kane, Tottenham are left with a dejected Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor, a player who the club were trying to offload in January. Like all success in football, Spurs will need a little bit of luck if they are to finish above Arsenal this season. Judging by the North London derby at the weekend, the players will be brimming with confidence and will feel like they have enough quality to make this season a one that Spurs fans will remember for a long time.
In terms of Arsenal, Wenger will be doing all he can to ensure that the Gunners not only finish above Tottenham but also qualify for the Champions League. Previous seasons suggest that Wenger will pull it out of the bag and lead Arsenal to another fourth-placed finish at least. However, the manner in which they respond from their loss to Tottenham will be absolutely vital. The win against Manchester City was a massive step in the right direction as Arsenal were absolutely superb that day. Nevertheless, the loss against Tottenham is something that has really halted their progress, nullifying the positive effect of the result against City.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Wenger will be hoping that the derby result was simply a blip in what could be a strong finish to the season for Arsenal, who are still in the FA Cup and the Champions League. Their excellent goal difference is also a massive advantage considering how tight the top half of the league is at the moment. Arsenal fans may be anxious about the prospect of Tottenham finishing ahead of them this season but there is still a lot of football left to be played. It is going to be an intriguing battle to see what North London side comes out on top at the end of this campaign. One thing’s for sure, the result at the weekend will be leaving Tottenham fans elated and Arsenal supporters wondering whether this may be the year Spurs finally catch them.
Since the inception of the Premier League, it’s been a rollercoaster ride for Leeds United fans. They’ve gone from being defending champions in the inaugural season to Champions League semi finalists in the David O’Leary era before ending up in the depths of League One. The Whites are on the path of recovery now, finding themselves competing in the Championship but there have been plenty of times to forget.
Unfortunately, there’s been some utter tosh pull on the famous white shirt at Elland Road. Financial hardships meant Leeds had to rely on whoever they could convince to play for the club, or by borrowing players off other clubs. This situation has ensured the Leeds fans have witnessed some truly atrocious individuals turning out for their football club, scenes that they hope will never be repeated. It’s almost impossible to sort through some of the rubbish that has played for Leeds, but we’ve compiled the worst XI signings ever to play for the Whites.
In 16 years of owning Hartlepool United, on-the-pitch matters have never been more important than this for owners IOR.
In the wake of Neale Cooper’s sad resignation last week, IOR, and especially chairman Ken Hodcroft, must act decisively and make the correct appointment to replace the likable Scot. By that it has be a manager who can shake the current crop of players up, rid the squad of the bad eggs and have no previous links with HUFC.
IOR have done wonders for the football club on a whole, than can never, ever, ever (I could repeat that lexis to my heart’s content) never be underestimated and forgotten. Without IOR, we would no longer be a Football League club. We would be where our neighbours Darlington are, as the familiar adage goes now.
IOR came in 1997 with an ambition: to resurrect a flailing football club and to get them moving. Mission complete. Even when the club returned to the basement tier in 2006, IOR were undeterred. In came in Danny Wilson, a shrewd appointment indeed. Wilson knows his football, he knows the lower-leagues, he knows how to set teams up, he knows good players and he can man-manage. IOR, one presumes, stretched their purse strings to bring Wilson in. They must do the same again if they are to prove they are still owning this football club not just for business purposes.
Why the discontent in my words? Because for five and a bit seasons HUFC have just rode the tide of League One. Twice they have arrested their slide towards the League One trapdoor on the last day of the season, and three times they have bobbled along mediocrity like a bhoy in the ocean: causing no damage whatsoever to the big boys of the league but remaining pesent and one to negotiate around. This time rounds it’s entirely different: Pools are rock bottom of the league, cut adrift of safety and in serious danger of sinking back into League Two. The sinking ship needs rescuing. Quickly.
For that to happen IOR have to respond quickly. They were right to describe their acceptance of Cooper’s resignation as “reluctant” for although he cannot be immune to criticism (three poor summer signings, odd subs and selections), there are far greater worries at the club. But, as always in football, it is the manager who pays for it and takes the flack.
The current squad is not good enough for League One football, that being shown by the fact they have forced three mangers out of the door in 24 months due to there ineptitude. There also seems to be a contingent of that club who are happy to plod along and from the outside looking in with an intriguing eye, there is no coaching system in place. It’s either route-one and back to the opposition with any pressure to regain possession or pass the ball along the defence with the intention of playing from the back. Except with a flat back line and passing the ball across your 18-yard box, the intention, seemingly, is to invite the opposition on to score; that is poor coaching. The team needs to be coached by an experienced coach. Micky Barron and (Sir) Ritchie Humphreys are great club servants, together amassing more than 900 games for the club but persisting with the duo as the club’s only coaches is not going to reap rewards. They need back up.
This really is a crucial time in IOR’s tenure at Victoria Park. Unless they act correctly in bringing in a manager who knows League One football, can operate on a small, restrictive budget, can enable the players to start grinding out wins, HUFC will not be playing third-tier football for a while long yet.
Instead of placing all their eggs in one basket on the ground sale (which is essential for the club to move forward), Hodcroft must spread his basket far wider than the stubborn council and invest in the team or else the consequences could be dire. Time to mirror the desire you showed so eloquently in the late 1990s and pre-2007, IOR.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
You can find me on Twitter @cmbell310 for Pool chat.
Arsenal have started the season fairly well in the league but talk of a title challenge has reared its ugly head again and some perspective needs to be attached to how they’ve begun the new campaign, with expectations already been laughably raised to a ridiculous level.
Arsene Wenger’s side currently sit in eighth in the league table after six games having picked up nine points. They’ve not had the easiest of starts to the new season but they’ve picked up a point away at Stoke and Manchester City and all three at Liverpool, while destroying newly-promoted Southampton 6-1 on home turf, which appears to have been the result which has sparked all of the premature title contender talk.
Much like Joe Hart is proclaimed as being world-class simply because he’s better than David James and Paul Robinson and Paul Lambert has been eased in at Aston Villa after a tricky start as Alex McLeish’s predecessor, this Arsenal side appears to be benefiting in the main from the fact that they’ve started the season better than last year.
In their opening six games last season, Arsenal picked up seven points from their opening six league games, which is only two less than this season. The club’s fans are well-known from ranging between ‘the sky is falling down’ to ‘in Wenger we trust’ brigade and while every set of supporters has its extremes, Arsenal’s just appear to be more vocal than most.
The pressure was well and truly on last season after the side’s 8-2 humiliation away at Old Trafford against Manchester United, while they also lost 2-0 at the Emirates to Liverpool and inconceivably 4-3 to Blackburn. They scored nine goals while letting in an alarming 14 which compared to this season’s tally of 10 scored and four conceded is certainly a step in the right direction.
While the result at Old Trafford proved the nadir of last season, it’s worth remembering just how poor defensively the hosts were on that day too and Arsenal, with better finishing in front of goal, could have easily have finished the game with five or six goals to their name too. It was an absolutely crazy, somewhat bizarre match during which Wenger was forced to field a hugely inexperienced back four which struggled to cope with United’s pace and movement.
Of course, Newcastle and Manchester United away, Liverpool at home is far from the easiest of runs to begin your season with, but it was made even worse by the fact that both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri both decided to leave the club late on in the transfer window. Wenger’s big mistake was simply not planning for either of them leaving, so he was left with a mad supermarket sweep trolley-dash on deadline day to pad out his squad and Jack Wilshere’s injury absence didn’t help matters either.
This summer he appears to have learned from that gross error of judgement which deeply effected the side’s shape, confidence and rhythm earlier on in the campaign by compensating for the inevitable loss of Robin van Persie with the acquisitions of both Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, even if the latter hasn’t quite found his scoring boots yet.
The result has seen them become a much more rounded side, no longer relying solely on van Persie to carry them through big games but there’s been a temptation to get carried away with their results so far, more out of surprise that they haven’t started the season as badly as last year and that they seem to be coping a lot better post-van Persie than they eve did Fabregas and Nasri.
We shouldn’t forget that Arsenal have still only won two league games so far this season, less than Fulham, West Brom and West Ham and the same as Swansea and Newcasle and their start simply hasn’t been as exceptional as first assumed.
While the performance away at champions Manchester City and the maturity of their display at Anfield against a Liverpool side in transition will have enjoyed greatly by the club’s supporters, they were still out-played for prolonged spells by rivals Chelsea at the weekend and they’ve failed to break down both Sunderland and Stoke on home soil.
Indeed, the nature of the club’s defence has been praised to such an extent that Steve Bould is now no longer just a former player with a sound knowledge of how to organise a back four, he’s the messiah. Keeping clean sheets against Sunderland and Stoke, two sides who showed little to no ambition to attack is nothing to write home about, while keeping another against a toothless Liverpool side is hardly surprising either.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It’s become something of a concerted PR effort on behalf of the club to praise Bould of late. Do they look more organised this season than last? They sure do. Are they still defensively sound? The goals that they leaked against Chelsea show they most definitely are not. Just as the praise sent Bould’s way at the start of the season was hugely over the top, equally, he isn’t now rubbish at his job just after one poor defensive performance.
Arsenal still look far from the finished package; while Cazorla and Podolski have adjusted well and Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta and Meresacker have all impressed at times, they still look a way off the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea in terms of a title challenge this season. A top four place should still be their ambition and Wenger has shown in the past that he’s fantastic at achieving that level of consistency, but the fawning praise of what is still quite an inconsistent start, simply because it’s better than last year’s, lacks any sort of context and talk of a title tilt is still a long way away in the future.
Last summer was dominated by the will-he-won’t-he saga involving Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho and Barcelona’s pursuit of the playmaker.
The season has now entered the January transfer window, and once again, the Brazilian is a regular feature on the back pages.
The Spanish media are convinced that Coutinho will be a Barcelona player before the month comes to an end.
Don Balon report that the deal could be signed, sealed and delivered within the next few days, with rumours bubbling that the fee could be in the region of £150m.
Liverpool were determined in their efforts to keep hold of the 25-year-old in the summer, but it seems that the club’s stance has not put off the Spanish giants.
After being refused a switch to the Camp Nou, Coutinho re-integrated himself back into the Liverpool team.
So far in the campaign, the attack-minded player has made 20 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and creating eight assists.
Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter after hearing the latest speculation surrounding their number 10.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Some are keen for Coutinho to stay put until at least the end of the season, while others express that they would not be torn apart if he left.
The unthinkable became a distinct possibility this morning as Steven Gerrard hinted at life beyond Liverpool. ‘Captain Fantastic’ has been the heartbeat of the Reds’ midfield for over ten years, with his commitment to the cause and love for the club having made him an Anfield legend. Numerous moves to Chelsea and Real Madrid were rejected, but with his contract due to expire at the end of this season, the weird image of Gerrard not in the red shirt is coming into view on the horizon.
Should almost unimaginable situation occur, what could the Kop side do? Here are FIVE answers to the Gerrard question…
Already vice-captain and a fans’ favourite, Jordan Henderson looks like he could be a ready-made replacement. At 24, the Sunderland trainee has already bounced back from set-backs in his career, with his Anfield spell having almost come to an end just over two years ago. Upon Brendan Rodgers’ arrival the England international looked likely to be shifted on after a difficult first season at Liverpool, but he opted against an exit, and has transformed himself into a key cog on Merseyside.
Such desire and commitment suggests that he has the temperament to go on and improve more, which he would to have to do be the ‘new Gerrard’. A better goalscoring and assists return would be needed, but Henderson has the talent and application.
Adrien Rabiot
//www.youtube.com/embed/G5B_WaR6Eb0
Not really a similar style of player to Gerrard, Rabiot’s more languid, continental approach could move Liverpool in a different direction. The curly haired 19-year-old looks set to leave PSG in January for a bargain fee – around £5m – with his contract due to expire next year. The Parisians are desperate to keep the teenager, yet his desire to play regular football has swayed the youngster towards the exit door, showing his level of ambition.
With his best years firmly ahead of him and his desire clear, Rabiot could be a wise long-term investment.
Jordan Rossiter
This one very much falls into the ‘long-term’ category. Rossiter has already been budded the ‘new Gerrard’ by Anfield greats such as Robbier Fowler, and it’s easy to see why. His buzz-cut hair-do and Scouse scowl are reminiscent of ‘Stevie G’ when he broke through, while his playing style – full of energy and commitment – is also not dissimilar.
With the work going on with young players at Liverpool nowadays, there’s no reason the 17-year-old cannot fulfil his potential, with his technical skills, perhaps, a little more refined than Gerrard’s were at the same age.
Ross Barkley
Now this one would divide Merseyside. Barkley appears to be the closest there is to a modern day Gerrard. Mixing Scouse roots, driving desire on the pitch and the skills of a current generation attacking midfielder, the Everton ace looks likely to have a future at the very top.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Players through the years have supported the blue half of the city but played for the red (think Jamie Carragher), so it’s not completely out of the question that Barkley could move across Stanley Park to Anfield.
Valued at £40m+, the England star will not come cheap, but Liverpool could solve their midfield conundrum for the next ten years with this fella.
Julian Draxler
Like Barkley, Draxler operates in a more advanced role and is likely to cost around £40m. Also like his English counterpart, the German could be the long-term creative hub of Liverpool’s midfield, with his eye for the killer pass and ability in front of goal both key attributes.
Draxler’s inclusion in a Liverpool XI could allow for two more defensively minded players to operate in deeper roles while the now Schalke man works alongside the likes of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge in a final third set-up full of pace an invention.
Should we be so surprised that David Moyes has chosen to move on the backroom staff associated with Alex Ferguson’s time at Manchester United? Are we quick to question why Carlo Ancelotti hasn’t chosen to continue on with Aitor Karanka? Well no. The Italian will have his own methods of coaching and the club clearly want him to take them in a different direction. That will come with Zinedine Zidane as his right-hand man.
The faith offered to Moyes should be more than enough to indicate that he has a free role to do as he pleases with the backroom staff. What Manchester United had prior to his appointment was geared towards getting the best out of Ferguson’s team; this is now very much a squad who will take on the instructions given out by the new manager, and for that the surrounding staff should be able to work hand-in-hand with the set objectives.
[cat_link cat=”manchester-united” type=”list”]
It’s completely understandable why some may wish to question Moyes’ action in sweeping away the remnants of the previous regime. Continuity and familiarity, especially with a winning team, allows for further success. Ferguson kept things fresh but the core of experience and the mentality remained. Forcing a group of players to quickly change from one to the other can have detrimental effects on the pitch, but that is a gamble Moyes is going to have to face.
But questioning this decision by Moyes then goes on to indirectly question his credentials as a manager, almost as if to say he needs that safety net of the previous regime in case things don’t go to plan. Surely that wasn’t in the job offer that he has to keep hold of the old backroom staff because certain sections weren’t too comfortable with the idea of him coming in and succeeding Ferguson. Or maybe it’s not just Moyes. Maybe any new manager would have been questioned in such a way. Pep Guardiola? Jose Mourinho? It doesn’t make any sense; in a way suggesting that Moyes is only there for PR or image purposes while the backroom staff continue under the orders of the previous manager.
What can be said is that maybe Moyes should align himself with a former Premier League player who knows the club well and is hugely respected, much like Ancelotti has done with Zidane. There will be times when the pressure becomes overwhelming for Moyes – he can’t escape that. It won’t label Moyes a poor manager, as the weight of expectation can get the best of anyone taking on such an enormous job. But having someone who knows the club well alongside him will help to relieve some of that pressure. Alex Ferguson isn’t an option. If he is encouraged to stay away in good times, he should also allow Moyes to learn on his own in bad times.
The choice to remove the backroom staff isn’t alien to football and we shouldn’t treat it as such. Is it that we can’t quite come to terms with the fact that Ferguson has moved on, needing a reminder of his time to help ease the transition? After a nod to what is taking place at United, this should become a non-issue. United will win games and lose games over the course of Moyes’ tenure, and much of it won’t solely come down to whether the coaching staff are new recruits or older heads. Good coaches will get the best out of good players, and there isn’t any reason to believe Moyes would bring in staff who aren’t up to the job.
Has Moyes made the decision with the backroom staff?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Manchester United have been one of the Premier League’s busiest clubs in the transfer market this summer, signing five players at a cost of just over £76million whilst rightfully parting with the likes of Tom Cleverley, Nani and Robin van Persie.
Yet the Red Devils are still very much a work in progress and especially in regards to claiming next season’s title – which would be their first since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement two years ago – there’s plenty of areas within the squad that require further improvement. Another dose of fat trimming certainly wouldn’t go amiss either.
So with that in mind – and to give Louis van Gaal some guidance on what his next move in the market should be – we’ve listed FIVE burning ‘transfer issues’ the Old Trafford outfit are yet to resolve.
Which of these FIVE do you think van Gaal should be addressing first Man United fans? Let us know by commenting below!
[interaction id=“none”]
WHICH CB SHOULD LVG TURN TO NEXT?
Louis van Gaal has made his preferred template of centre-half abundantly clear; a top class defender with leadership skills, an array of international and European experience and perhaps most importantly of all, quality and confidence on the ball.
Mats Hummels and Sergio Ramos both firmly fall into that category, as World Cup-winning centre-backs famed for their ability to bring the ball out of defence, but both have snubbed the chance to move to Old Trafford this summer. The former rejected a United switch back in May, whilst reports this morning claim the latter is now set to sign a new contract – outrageous pay rise included – at the Bernabeu. Likewise, Manchester Evening News claim van Gaal has never been interested in mooted back-up target Nicolas Otamendi.
So who could the Red Devils feasibly turn to next? In terms of ball-playing defenders, Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen and Everton’s John Stones particularly come to mind. But neither are what you’d define as ‘top class’ defenders and both would require substantial transfer fees to convince their respective clubs to sell to a Premier League rival.
Meanwhile, Zenit’s Ezequiel Garay has been on the United radar ever since the Sir Alex Ferguson days, whilst Schalke’s Benedikt Howedes and Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci, who have all featured in either World Cup or Champions League finals over the last year, often feature in the tabloids’ rumour columns too.
But the latter duo have both rejected the chance to leave their current clubs already this summer – Howedes deciding not to take advantage of his £12million release clause and Bonucci signing a contract extension until 2020 earlier today – and you get the feeling LVG would have snapped up the easily obtainable Garay already if his interest in the Argentina international was genuine.
Suddenly Manchester United are running out of options. But by hook or by crook, they need to find a solution by the end of the summer window.
SEND THE YOUNGSTERS OUT ON LOAN
Traditionally, Manchester United have always been luxury to rather enormous squads, predominantly propped up by the sizable amount of young talent bursting through from their academy ranks.
But few would dispute that loan moves are an important stage of development for most young players and despite having a wealth of youthful prodigies on the books, only a handful have secured a temporary switches so far this summer – striker Will Keane joins Preston North End on loan until next summer, whilst academy duo Joe Rothwell and Ben Pearson will both be representing Barnsley in League One.
Plenty could – and in my opinion, should – be added to that list, not least including Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira, Sam Johnstone, Guillermo Varela and Nick Powell. One could even argue Belgian wizzkid Adnan Januzaj would benefit from a short spell at another club, having struggled for form under Louis van Gaal last season.
Of course, there’s still over a month of the transfer window remaining and many loan deals end up being confirmed in the summer’s final hours. But in the interests of partaking in a full pre-season to ensure match fitness and familiarity with their adoptive clubs, United’s youngsters are better off securing loan moves as soon as possible.
MORE FIREPOWER?
Football – Manchester United v Manchester City – Barclays Premier League – Old Trafford – 12/4/15Marouane Fellaini celebrates scoring the second goal for Manchester United with Wayne Rooney, Ander Herrera and Juan MataReuters / Darren StaplesLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Louis van Gaal clearly has faith in Wayne Rooney as his first-choice centre-forward for next season, claiming he’s capable of matching Sergio Aguero’s 26-goal tally to claim the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
Yet, the Manchester United skipper hasn’t exactly enjoyed a superfluous run of the goals over the last three seasons, his last 20-goal campaign coming all the way back in 2011/12.
The argument that the 29 year-old has spent as much of his time since in midfield as up front certainly has some substance to it, but Rooney still isn’t a player you’d define as a natural goalscorer, in the same manner as Aguero, former team-mate Robin van Persie or Chelsea’s Diego Costa.
In my opinion, the Red Devils need a bit more firepower to clinch next term’s title. The striker market is hardly booming at the moment, with the likes of Jackson Martinez, Carlos Bacca, Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Christian Benteke already completing big money moves this summer, but there are still a few options out there.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for example, is probably the best stop-gap solution United could ask for at the age of 33, with his PSG contract now into its final year. Likewise, Robert Lewandowski’s agent believes Bayern Munich would only sell the Poland international – famed for once netting four past Real Madrid at the Bernabeu – for in excess of £35million which, in the grand scheme of things, is hardly an unjustifiable sum.
GET PEDRO BEFORE SOMEBODY ELSE DOES
There may not be a better value-for-money player on the market this summer than Barcelona’s Pedro.
The winger-forward has done it and won it all throughout his tenures with the Catalans and the Spanish national team, winning five La Liga titles, three Champions League titles, a World Cup and a European championship, and at 27 years of age is still firmly within his footballing prime.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
In my opinion, the 5 foot 7 attacker would be the ideal replacement for apparently PSG-bound Angel Di Maria and with a release clause of just £22million, he’s well within the Carrington outfit’s financial reach.
Manchester United are reportedly leading the race to sign the 51-cap international but they need to get a move on. World-class players without world-class price tags don’t come around too often, so the majority of Europe’s top clubs will be more than happy to take advantage of any hesitancy from the Red Devils.
DECIDE WHEN DE GEA SHOULD LEAVE
Manchester United have been playing hardball regarding Real Madrid’s lengthy pursuit of David De Gea, insisting that they’ll only part with the PFA Player of the Year nominee if they get Sergio Ramos in return.
But with Ramos set to sign a new deal at the Bernabeu and Los Blancos already signing Kiko Casilla as Iker Casillas’ replacement, suddenly the Red Devils have lost pretty much all of their leverage around the negotiating table – which is a huge issue, considering De Gea’s contract expires in a year’s time.
United are in a position where they can probably afford to lose De Gea on a free transfer; they’re one of the few clubs in world football who don’t have to worry about Financial Fair Play and thus many would argue another season with the world-class Spaniard between the sticks probably trumps the incentive of accepting a £30million bid from the European champions.
But at the same time, if United do want a return on the 24 year-old – let’s face it, allowing world class players leave on free transfers hardly makes financial sense or sends out a particularly positive message to the fan base – they’ve only got a month to broker a deal, with Real more than happy to wait until next summer.
Likewise, the Old Trafford outfit don’t have long left to find a viable replacement. Louis van Gaal has already revealed back-up goalkeeper Victor Valdes will be sold this summer after refusing to play for the reserves. Netherlands No.1 Jasper Cillessen has been strongly linked but many would prefer to see Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris between the Old Trafford sticks next season.
The FA have tried to stop the rapid decline of young English players in the Premier League but statistics show that they are failing miserably.
The current quota of domestic players Premier League clubs must have is eight but earlier this season FA Chairman Greg Dyke tried to get clubs to agree to increase this to 12. Whilst every team has to have the young players it seems not all of them are using them to their best advantage. Four clubs, Manchester City, Hull City, Chelsea and Stoke City, have not given any starts to domestic players age 23 or under. While people will not be as surprised by Chelsea and Man City, the other two come as something of a shock.
Money talks in football and those with more to spend look all around the world for the best talent that they can buy. Clubs like Hull and Stoke tend to have more domestic players as it is what they can afford, but something is clearly going wrong. The issue has become a major battle ground between the FA and the Premier League clubs but research shows that in the past decade home-grown talent as decreased at an alarming rate. Only Southampton, Aston Villa and Newcastle have produced more than five domestic youngsters in the last ten years.
[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]
At the other end of the scale, seventh place Tottenham have given 71 starts between young stars, Harry Kane, Andros Townsend and Ryan Mason. Arsenal are the highest top four team with 41 starts but they have only produced three home-grown players over the last decade – Justin Hoyte, Jack Wilshire and Kieran Gibbs.
The statistics show just how much the Premier League has become a world league not an English one anymore. Statistics show that clubs spend around £3million-per-club on their academies so what they are producing for the first teams is pitiful. There is plenty of young talent in the UK but because clubs are spending big money to bring in names from Europe and South America. It is no wonder our England team is not up to scratch. While we have a number of very talent players in the England squad we are never going to be the best in the world if our own league doesn’t utilise our players. You get better by playing more and at the moment our domestic players aren’t getting enough game time.
Whilst Southampton may lead the way in the number of home-grown under-23s they have produced they have only given 21 starts to them so far this season. Greg Dyke might think that increasing the quota of home grown players is the right answer but just because they have more English players doesn’t mean they will play them. Whilst the Premier League clubs have become very outspoken in this matter, saying that it is unfair, something needs to be done.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
We want the Premier League to be the best league in the world but we do not want our four national teams losing out because of it. English players can be the best in the world, clubs just need to give them the chance.