Manchester City have been in a league of their own this season as they are just two wins away from being crowned English champions.
After a transitional first season, Pep Guardiola has transformed the North-West outfit into an unstoppable unit.
In fact, in 30 Premier League games, City have suffered just one defeat and that was in the form of a 4-3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
The club currently hold a 16-point advantage over the rest of the pack, and Arsenal reside a mammoth 33 points adrift of City.
At this stage, the Gunners are unlikely to claim a top-four place as they are 13 points off the pace with eight games left to play.
Sol Campbell, who spent just under six years at the club across two spells in his playing career, has suggested that the ‘Invincibles’ would not have been scared of the current City side.
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The Arsenal team that Campbell is referring to is Arsene Wenger’s 2003-04 squad, who went the entire Premier League season unbeaten.
Planet Football quotes the retired defender as saying:
“Do I think our team from 2004 would have beaten them? We would not have been afraid of them, that’s for sure. I’ve seen too many teams looking scared of City this season. That is one reason why they have won the league so easily. They are playing the possession game, the Barcelona way, but I think more teams need to go toe-to-toe with them when the time is right, and we haven’t see that too often this season.”
Home of the current European champions, the current Europa League champions and two of the greatest institutions throughout the history of football, there’s plenty of talent to be found in La Liga.
Furthermore, whilst we in the Premier League have developed a culture of splitting television revenues fairly evenly, over in Spain there’s a lot more disparity between Barcelona and Real Madrid and the rest of the pack, meaning the majority of La Liga stars and starlets can be sourced on the cheap.
With that in mind and Arsene Wenger’s adoration of developing young talent well known, here’s a list of FIVE La Liga starlets that should be giving the Arsenal boss food for thought.
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AYMERIC LAPORTE
//www.youtube.com/embed/vXqN7EieWVs?rel=0
Already known to be on the Arsenal radar, Athletic Bilbao centre-back Aymeric Laporte has been mooted by the tabloids as the ideal January signing to provide some much-needed depth to the Gunners defence:
The 20 year-old has enjoyed some fantastic form since his La Liga debut in December 2012, last term playing a major role in the Basque outfit’s Champions League qualification with 35 league appearances. This year, his performances have reached an even higher level, with the young Frenchman currently fifth in La Liga’s interceptions rankings:
Here’s a more eclectic look at Laporte’s stats over the last few campaigns:
The beauty of signing Laporte from Arsenal’s point of view that although he’s more than capable of challenging for a regular first team role, he won’t be too disappointed in playing second fiddle to Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker for extended periods. He can also slot in at left-back – a position where the north Londoners have really struggled with injuries this season. Even so, the France U21 is rated at around £30million, whilst known long-term interest from several other top European sides could be another stumbling block for the Gunners:
Leo Baptistao
//www.youtube.com/embed/lDzZEWJPVw8?rel=0
Famed for his diminutive style, agile frame and netting prowess, Brazilian hotshot Leo Baptistao is often referred to as ‘the second-best Leo in La Liga’ – after Lionel Messi, obviously. Here’s the striker putting Angel Di Maria on his backside:
//www.youtube.com/embed/g3mO99ws51Q?rel=0
The 22 year-old rose to acclaim after bagging six goals and seven assists from 28 league appearances during his debut campaign with Rayo Vallecano, triggering a move to Atletico Madrid in summer 2013.
Things didn’t work out too well with the Mattress Makers and the young Brazilian is now back with Los Vallecanos on loan. Once again, his form in front of goal is attracting attention:
The majority of his finishes are simple but effective, such as this strike against Eibar:
Atletico spent a combined €63million on forwards Antoine Griezmann, Mario Mandzukic and Raul Jiminez last summer, so it remains to be seen if room can be made for Baptistao at Vincente Calderon when his loan spell comes to an end. Should the La Liga champions look to sell, Arsenal would be wise to pick up the pieces. There’s no doubting the 5 foot 11 front-man’s pedigree – he played for the same junior side as Barcelona star Neymar: //www.youtube.com/embed/IUUaTg-ijWA?rel=0
PACO ALCACER
Another young La Liga striker already known to have caught Arsenal’s attention is Valencia prodigy Paco Alcacer:
The 21 year-old has been more than reliable in the final third for Los Che since becoming a starting Xi regular last season, as detailed below:
In fact, that’s propelled him to the forefront of Vincente del Bosque’s plans for the Spanish national team, and Alcacer now has three goals and five caps for La Roja following his September debut. Here’s a clip of the 5 foot 9 forward in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/l5gCwc49wxA?rel=0
Fernando Torres-esque dare I say? Boasting no defining attribute but an impressive, effective all-round game.
Most appealingly, Alcacer currently has a £15million release clause in his contract, leading one publication to dub him ‘the Bargain of Europe’ earlier this season. A new deal has been reported as in the offing for some time, allegedly bumping up his buy-out to £40million:
But nothing’s materialised just yet and we’re now just a month from the January window, suggesting Alcacer could be prized away in the New Year.
Fede Cartabia
There must be something in the water at the Mestalla – fellow Valencia academy product Fede Cartabia has also emerged as one of La Liga’s hottest prospects this season. The young winger is currently on loan at Cordoba and has amassed a decent return of three goals and three assists in twelve La Liga outings. Here’s a clip of Cartabia in action: //www.youtube.com/embed/zmUCdkoym48?rel=0 Most impressively however, the 21 year-old is establishing himself as one of the Spanish top flight’s most proficient dribblers – despite immense competition – with his current average only matched by a certain Lionel Messi:
He turns out pretty decent on Football Manager 15 too:
Already looking a level above Los Califas, it’s likely Valencia will want Cartabia at the heart of their first team next season. Even so however, having demonstrated his enormous potential in the early part of the season, the Gunners would be wise to attempt a swoop for the flamboyant wideman next summer.
Grzegorz Krychowiak
The lack of physical presence in Arsenal’s midfield is well known and one tabloid-sourced solution comes in the form of Sevilla’s Grzegorz Krychowiak:
The 24 year-old only joined the Sevillistas from Reims this summer as a replacement for Barcelona-bound Ivan Rakitic, but he’s already cementing a reputation as one of La Liga’s top enforcers. Here’s a look at his vitals over the last few years:
It remains to be seen if the Poland international’s impressive form is sustainable, but that mixture of aerial dominance and industry represents exactly what the Gunners lack in the middle of the park.
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Having signed for Sevilla just a matter of months ago however, if Arsene Wenger wishes to sign Krychowiak in January, it could set him back as much as £20million according to some reports:
It could be worth the punt however – here’s a clip of the midfielder in action:
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has endured a strained relationship ever since taking over the club in the summer with midfielder Stewart Downing, but after the player’s recent confession that he’s been told that he can look elsewhere for a new club in January is simply latest example in a whole line of bundled communicative measures which could prove the last straw in extending his time on Merseyside.
Back in September, the 39-year-old boss challenged both Downing and Jose Enrique to up their game otherwise the exit door loomed large for them at Anfield, explaining: “What is important is that you have good communication. I don’t waste time waiting until January to tell both players what I know now. We will give them everything to help them to be better, but if they don’t want to show that self-motivation – and if they haven’t got that desire and hunger to succeed – then it can be very difficult. Stewart is a good guy but it hasn’t quite worked out for him as he would want it. The big challenge for him now is that commitment to the cause – to fight – because he has the qualities. Talent alone is not enough. You have to work hard; you have to fight for the shirt. I will keep private the discussions Stewart and I have had but he is under no illusion that he has to fight.”
Quite aside from the fact that this wasn’t keeping the conversations between the pair private by any stretch, openly calling out a player in public and slamming him for his past form is a bold move to take as it leaves little wriggle room if things don’t improve, while also souring relations to an alarming extent, creating needless tension for the media to thrive on.
This prompted Downing to, sadly again, publicly lash out at Rodgers’ confrontational style and respond to claims that some of the players were ‘lazy’ during their 3-2 defeat at home to Udinese in the Europa League: “I was obviously upset. I always try to give my best. You’ll have to ask the manager what he meant by his quotes. I would have preferred it obviously if it was private. Bravery is a lot of things, if you want tackling, running around bustling, that obviously is not my game. But bravery is also taking the ball when you are losing a game and creating things, which I try to do. We’ve had a few conversations. You can sit in offices for hours and talk about my game, but the only way I can prove it is out on the field. When I’m given that chance I have to take it. I thought I did OK against Udinese. I’ve three years left on my contract so I’m going nowhere. I will fight.”
All is clearly not well between the pair, and while Rodgers praised Downing’s display and winning goal during the 1-0 win over Anzhi Makhachkala at home in his post-match press conference, his actions in walking onto the pitch and pointing to Downing for the applause of the crowd, while well-intentioned, only served to come across as deeply patronising.
The latest step comes after Downing revealed in a frank interview with Liverpool’s match-day programme before their game against Aston Villa last weekend: “The manager has said I can leave if I want to. But then all of a sudden I’ve come back into the team, it’s a strange situation. I’ve played for a long time and there are spells when you can be in and out of the side. At the minute I’m trying to play as many games as possible. If that doesn’t happen I’m at an age where I can’t be sat around. I need to play and the manager understands that. That’s how the situation is and we’ll have to see what happens in January or the summer.”
Putting aside quite how the club can ever hope to receive any sort of return on their £20m investment on such a clear flop, one who has frequently been played out of position at left-back and is known to have a fractious relationship with his manager, why the club deemed it intelligent to place that in the programme truly beggars belief. The club used to be known as one which kept matters such as this in-house; they were private and sorted between the two parties amicably, but this soap opera is being played out in the public arena and neither side is helping as they air their dirty linen in public.
You can hardly blame Downing for feeling marginalised, after all, he is the club’s fourth-most expensive player ever, yet he has been routinely humiliated and made to feel small by a manager who appears to think that getting right up in someone’s face is the correct approach for every single player, but each player responds differently; some prefer the arm around the shoulder, others being barked orders at.
It’s bizarre to say the least and this whole situation has been created by Rodgers ostracising of Downing in public, leading the player to try and get his own version of events across. You could comfortably attribute blame to both, but the conditions for this situation were first created by the manager back in September.
The 28-year-old has never played to the best of his somewhat limited ability during his time at the club and they would be well within their rights to try and move him on as he’s been granted numerous opportunities to impress. The truth of the matter is that Liverpool grossly overpaid for a one-dimensional winger with very little pace, so his failure should come as no surprise, for he’s been a divisive figure for years and was purchased off the back of his first truly exceptional season at club level which has proven to be the exception rather than the rule.
Despite all of this, though, Rodgers desire to create news where none exists and keep the media in the loop with his brutal honesty has only served to backfire and will surely only weaken the club’s negotiating position when they do come to sell. There’s nothing that has been said in public by either Rodgers or Downing that would not have had the same impact in private and by making this falling-out visible to everyone, while it may be honesty, in this case it has certainly proved not to be the best policy for the reaction it has caused, the tense environment it has created and the needless attention it has attracted.
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According to reports in the Sunday Mirror, Manchester United are planning to make a summer move for Juventus left-back Alex Sandro, who could cost £70m, and they are ready to use Italy international Matteo Darmian as a makeweight in the deal.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Sunday Mirror says that Red Devils scouts have been watching the Brazilian full-back closely this season, who has become one of Europe’s most coveted defenders over the course of the last 12 months.
The Sunday Mirror says that while United boss Jose Mourinho wants to keep Luke Shaw at Old Trafford, he also wants a more experienced left-back too with Ashley Young’s days as a stand-in in that position over and someone like Darmian, who has been criticised for his performances by the fans this season, out of favour.
The report adds that while he could cost £70m, the large fee won’t deter the club as they look set for another big summer of spending in order to try and compete with rivals Manchester City for the Premier League title – they would be also be willing to double the 27-year-old’s £145,000-a-week wages.
How has Alex Sandro done this season?
It has been another solid campaign for the Brazilian with the Serie A giants, and he has made 29 appearances in all competitions.
The 27-year-old has played in a range of different positions on the left-hand side – although usually as a left-back or left wing-back – and he helped his club see off Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League during the week.
While he is good defensively, he does also like to get forward and try and make a difference in the final third too – two of the main reasons why Mourinho will see him as a good buy for United.
Would he be a good signing for United?
He certainly would be.
The Brazilian showed the qualities he has in the Champions League against Tottenham and looks to have all of the attributes to be a success in the Premier League.
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The potential price tag of £70m seems high, but if Mourinho thinks he is the player they need then United have to get him.
The purchase of him would surely throw further doubt onto the future of Shaw, despite what the report says.
It’s been an incredibly frustrating season for Mario Balotelli. The Liverpool striker is still yet to find his first goal in the Premier League since joining the Anfield ranks this summer, and his goal-shy run was epitomised yesterday afternoon with a harrowing point-blank miss against QPR.
An eternally enigmatic figure, critics of the Italy international are not hard to find. Alan Shearer and John Hartson both gave Balotelli a stern tongue-lashing on Match of the Day 2 yesterday evening, and after suuch a disappointing performance, Brendan Rodgers might soon find himself convinced into dropping the 23-year-old.
But we at Football FanCast believe that would be a huge mistake and just to prove it, here’s FIVE reasons the Reds gaffer must maintain his faith in the £16million signing.
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What he’s capable of
Amid his harrowing absence of form, it’s worth reminding ourselves of just how talented Mario Balotelli actually is.
Take this worldly stunner for example:
Or this one:
Or this goal with his shoulder:
Or for that matter, any of these:
//www.youtube.com/embed/hZ2GEP2pPX8?rel=0
Clearly, the Italian international is yet to produce that kind of quality for Liverpool, with him still waiting to hit the net in the Premier League and missing this absolute sitter against QPR yesterday:
But finally breaking his league duck will breed huge confidence in the 24 year-old, hopefully instigating a return to the 40 yard piledriving Balotelli we’ve all enjoyed watching over the years.
No Daniel Sturridge
Injured striker Daniel Sturridge, who could now be out until mid-November, is a massive loss for Liverpool, but even more so for Mario Balotelli.
Indeed, whilst the England international possesses the pace and agility to test the space behind defensive lines, Balotelli’s presence in the final third is far less penetrating, often dropping deep and operating with his back to goal.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, but it does contrast quite significantly with Liverpool’s style of play last season, defined by the sensational speed of Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling on the counter-attack.
Balotelli needs Sturridge’s penetration to create him more space in the final third – in fact, the entire starting XI has struggled to rediscover the breakneck intensity they played at last season – and it’s incredibly telling that the only game to witness both strikers feature together thus far was a 3-0 thumping over Tottenham at White Hart Lane:
//www.youtube.com/embed/ZRs95LZqchk?rel=0
And having the 25 year-old back will not only improve Liverpool’s attack from a tactical perspective, but perhaps most importantly, alleviate the pressure on Balotelli to score goals.
He’s not Liverpool’s only (or biggest) problem
Indeed, with Liverpool already looking so far behind the team that rocketed their way to a runner-up finish in the Premier League last season, it can be easy to scapegoat a single player – especially one as controversial as Mario Balotelli.
But in truth, the vast majority of Liverpool’s squad have struggled to hit top gear this season, as shown below:
And the Reds looked equally as suspect during a shaky 2-1 victory over Southampton and a 3-1 loss to Manchester City without Balotelli as they have with the Italian international in the side.
Shoddy defending has arguably been an even bigger problem – Liverpool’s twelve goals conceded is the worst defensive record in the Premier League’s top half:
And Brendan Rodgers should be more concerned with the fact Liverpool conceded twice against a QPR side that until the weekend had averaged just 0.29 goals per match.
Likewise, even Captain Fantastic Steven Gerrard’s form has been called into question this season as he finds himself marked out of games at the base of Liverpool’s diamond:
So it’s not as if Balotelli’s wayward form is the only dilemma Brendan Rodgers currently faces.
He is trying
Whether Mario Balotelli has the right ambition, attitude and temperament to become a top-class striker remains open to debate, but no one can discredit his level of effort since joining the Anfield ranks. Take his heat map against QPR for example:
And compare it to Daniel Sturridge’s against Spurs back in September:
As you can see, hardly poles apart. In fact, the Italian has arguably been making the job tougher on himself by coming deeper and deeper to try and get on the ball.
Likewise, only one player in Europe’s top five leagues has averaged more attempts on goal than Mario Balotelli this season – Cristiano Ronaldo – so clearly, he is trying to influence games.
In fact, the 24 year-old’s biggest problem right now is arguably trying too hard instead of relaxing:
This is the deal with Mario Balotelli
To amalgamate this entire article into one single point, this is essentially the deal you get with Mario Balotelli.
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Rarely accused of having a mediocre game, the Italian tends to be either the hero or the villain of the piece, producing stunners like this:
…or absolute howlers like this:
There is no real middle ground, no half measures. Fans either love or loathe Balotelli, just as he’s either at top gear or stuck in reverse, which is probably why he only cost Liverpool £16million this summer.
Look on the bright side. First of all, horrendous form currently suggests proficiency could be just around the corner. And secondly, at least Balotelli hasn’t got himself sent off yet:
Everton’s draw dropping last gasp win against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park came with a hint of reality, as Kevin Mirallas suffered a setback with a recurring hamstring injury.
Sunday’s game marked a return to action for the Belgium international who had previously missed Everton’s last four games through injury to the very same hamstring.
David Moyes is awaiting further information on the extent of the injury after taking the player off at half-time. He’s hoping that this won’t be a long-term problem for the Toffees.
Moyes himself is sanguine about the latest injury complaint, stating that “We don’t think he has done his hamstring, he just felt it had tightened up.”
“I don’t think it is bad but the last thing you want to see is the recurrence of a hamstring injury,” said Moyes.
Moyes was full of praise for the player, stating that “You can see what he offered us in the first half, something which we have probably missed.”
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Whilst Everton might have missed the sight of Mirallas in the starting line-up, his team-mates certainly saw off Spurs with a 2-1 win, albeit in a rather nail biting fashion. Nikica Jelavic bagged the injury-time winner after Steven Pienaar’s 90th minute goal levelled terms.
The Toffees boss was happy with the Croatian getting his first goal in a month, “There were signs he was getting a little bit better but he looked a bit frustrated because we weren’t getting the ball to him enough.” Moyes then stated that, “If he can keep getting the goals, and with Steven getting one, it keeps us moving along nicely.”
Everton youngster Callum Connolly has hit out at his parent club for their lack of contact during his loan spell at Ipswich Town.
The 20-year-old joined Everton in 2006, and progressed through the various age groups before making his first-team debut for the Toffees during the 2015-16 campaign.
Connolly has not turned out for the Merseyside club since, however, with loan spells at Barnsley, Wigan Athletic and now Ipswich in recent seasons.
The former England Under-20 international has impressed for Ipswich this season – making 28 appearances in all competitions for Mick McCarthy’s side.
The youngster has hit out at Everton for not providing support during his loan spell, and has suggested that he will look to leave the Toffees at the end of the season.
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Connolly told The Green ‘Un 24:
“I’ve had contact with Everton, but not as much as I expected. The ultimate aim is to play in the Premier League – whether that is with Everton or somewhere else. That’s what I am working towards.
“There hasn’t been as much support as I’ve wanted to be honest, but obviously it’s a man’s game and I’m learning the game on my own.”
Connolly, who was part of the England Under-20 team that triumphed at the 2017 Under-20 World Cup, has been converted from a centre-back to a central midfielder since arriving on loan at Ipswich.
Arsenal seem quite literally cursed by frequent injuries to important players. Since 2002, Arsenal lead the way for injuries in the Premier League by a comfortable margin, and they’re under stress again at this very moment.
The Gunners have had 891 injuries in the past 12 years of the Premier League, Manchester United are a not-so-close second with 794. Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton make up the top five with 788, 777, and 666 respectively. I can’t even begin to suggest a reason why Arsenal seem to get more injuries than anyone else but we’ll just go with a curse for now.
Perhaps when Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996 a curse was placed upon him that he will never go a season without a chain of injuries affecting his side. Or maybe he buys crooked players who are then run into the ground and eventually break under his guidance?
It does seem that the curse is more present in modern times at The Emirates stadium and there are some statistics on past players which are quite astounding:
Samir Nasri – has missed 50 days with Manchester City in the past three seasons. Missed 180 days in the same time period with Arsenal. Alex Song – picked up no injuries with Barcelona during his two seasons at the Nou Camp. Missed 75 days during his time with Arsenal (four seasons). Gael Clichy – No injuries with Manchester City over the past three seasons. Missed 130 days in three seasons with The Gunners. Cesc Fabregas – Missed 42 days in three seasons with Barcelona, compared with 299 days in the same time period with Arsenal. Lukas Podolski – Out for 74 days with FC Koln during three seasons. Out for 117 days so far during just two seasons at The Emirates. Mesut Ozil – Never injured during three seasons with Real Madrid. Already missed 52 days and facing up to 80 more with his current long-term injury.
Say what you like about these statistics but they look a little more than coincidental. However, these players of recent years only equate to a tiny amount of the total amount on Arsenal injuries during the past 12 years. So why is it that Arsenal not only continue to pick up a vast amount of injuries, but they also cannot seem to prepare for such eventuality.
It seems that Arsenal’s squad depth is never quite strong enough, and when every Gunners fan knows that they are bound to face some painful injuries throughout the season, why aren’t they seemingly prepared for what everyone else is waiting for?
Arsenal have a squad of 28 players, that seems a decent amount. However currently The Gunners have nine players out through injury so Wenger can only pick from 19. Of those nine players, six are not expected to return inside this calendar month. Arsenal’s crisis continues and with less players now having to play more often, Arsenal will be expecting more injuries soon. The Gunners may have the most current players out injured in the Premier League but they’re not far ahead of the pack – in fact, they’re joint with Newcastle United on nine. Burnley, Everton, Liverpool, Man United, and West Ham are all currently missing eight players – so is there even an excuse to be had, or can Arsenal just not cope with their lack of squad depth?
Every team has key players and you’d argue that none of them can afford to lose them for a long amount of time, but not having a squad with depth incase of these injuries is suicide. The lesser sides of the Premier League don’t have the strongest of squads in general but they usually have back-up players of similar quality to their first team. However, the bigs clubs tend to have a larger gap between their first choice players and their back-up players. Arsenal for example will experience a bigger drop in performances without nine first-team players than a team like Burnley or West Ham would – not to say that they’ll do well, but they weren’t expected to do particularly well in the first place.
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Arsene Wenger is spending more money during transfer windows and is signing excellent players, however, due to injuries plaguing his squad again, he’ll be under pressure from the Arsenal fans come January to sign even more – can’t he do anything right?!
Comfortably perched at the Premier League’s apex with progression to the knock-out stages of the Champions League. Yet the Red Devils’ start to the season is still being described as mediocre. Sir Alex Ferguson won’t mind in the slightest now that his side have seized control at the top and avoided the humiliation of dropping out of Europe at the group stage like they did last term. The final two months of the year are usually when Manchester United shift up through the gears and barricaded themselves at the top-flight summit. Crucial to achieving that objective before entering 2013 will be Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie continuing to fire on all cylinders. Rooney has taken his time to find form, but he has looked back to his best in the last few weeks playing just off the shoulder of Van Persie and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
This week on FFC is Nani routinely victimised at Old Trafford and which United defender is reportedly a January target for one of the top clubs in Spain?
[divider]
Best of FFC
Does he receive a bad press at Manchester United?
Time for him to make a position his own at Old Trafford?
Was Ferguson wrong to have his say?
Have Manchester United ruthlessly exposed the downfall?
Manchester United’s win told us nothing of their worth
Diamonds aren’t forever at Old Trafford
Manchester United given transfer greenlight…should they want him
Manchester United to test Celtic’s resolve with £12m bid
Manchester United star rules out transfer exit
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Best of WEB
[divider]
Has Midfield Legend Become ‘Too Good’ For Manchester United? – Red Flag Flying High
The Greenhoff Column : A Crucial Run – 7Cantonas
Frustrated Fergie challenges Reds on van Persie’s special day – United Rant
“It Is Clear In January He Will Leave” – The Busby Way
Is Wayne Rooney On The Same Path As Paul Scholes? – Red Flag Flying High
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Quote of the Week
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“No, not at all. Obviously I was disappointed at the weekend, not only to miss but to miss the target. I said after the game it wasn’t good enough and (against Braga) I was a bit fortunate; I slipped but thankfully it’s gone in so I’m happy with that. At the time it happened so quick, but obviously I’ve seen it going towards the goal and the keeper going the other way. I was happy with it going in but obviously I’ve been quite lucky with that.” Wayne Rooney confesses his relief at scoring from the spot against Braga after missing from 12-yards against Arsenal
Southampton continue to be linked with a move for Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer, and the Premier League club’s fans have been reacting to the latest speculation.
Southampton could spend close to £18m on Alcacer this summer – as covered by Mundo Deportivo – and it is certainly one to watch.
The Spain international joined Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2016, and the centre-forward has made 50 appearances for the Catalan outfit in all competitions.
Alcacer has only managed 15 goals during his time at Barcelona, however, with the presence of Luis Suarez in the final third of the field making it difficult for him to secure a regular spot.
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Southampton have been linked with the 24-year-old over the last month or so, with the English club’s head coach Mark Hughes said to be a huge admirer of the Spaniard.
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The Saints fans have been reacting to the transfer speculation on social media, and it would be fair to say that they are struggling to agree whether it would be a good deal.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: