As reported by The Daily Record, former Rangers player Billy Gilmour has opened up on why he left Ibrox to sign for Chelsea.
What’s the story?
Gilmour made the switch from Glasgow to London last year before even making his first team debut at Rangers, spurning the chance to become the youngest ever player for the club he loves in order to try and make a career for himself at Stamford Bridge.
It was a controversial decision, upsetting supporters, and now the 16-year-old has decided to make the reasons for his move clear.
As quoted by The Daily Record, Gilmour said:
Most of my family are Rangers fans and I love the club. I’ll always be thankful for everything they did for me.
But when Chelsea showed me what their plan was for me, I just couldn’t turn it down. Everything about the club was incredible and it’s where I wanted to be.
If you really know what you want, it’s an easy decision. If boys are hesitant – ones who say they want it but don’t really – it can be difficult. But my aim has always been to play at the best level. I’ve always wanted to play older, get the best coaching, stay behind and do more.
So when I heard Chelsea came in it was a no-brainer. I wanted to be with the best team. I want to be winning everything.
It’s a highly ambitious mentality from the youngster and one which will serve him well, with his ability ensuring he has a great shot of making it at Chelsea and the Premier League.
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Did he make the right decision?
Had Gilmour, a year on, been struggling with the adjustment to life in the youth teams at Stamford Bridge, the move could have been seen as a mistake.
The fact is though that he is thriving right now, shining as the club lifted the Youth FA Cup, with Gilmour scoring in the final against Arsenal in an age group above his own.
A stand-out for their U18s side, he’ll now be pushing for a place in their U23s side at the age of just 16.
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It’s now about physically developing and gaining first team experience, whether that comes on loan or at Chelsea themselves.
There’s no doubt he has every chance of making it at the top level in England, fully justifying his exit from Rangers.
According to French media outlet Le 10 Sport, Newcastle United are keen to sign Lille defensive midfielder Thiago Maia and have already had a bid rejected, and their Premier League rivals West Ham United should be watching developments closely.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Le 10 Sport report that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez has made a move to bring the 21-year-old Brazilian to St James’ Park this summer, as he clearly wants to strengthen his options in the middle of the park.
If Maia did eventually leave the Ligue 1 outfit, who only narrowly avoided relegation to the French second tier last term, for Tyneside, he would be competing with the likes of Mo Diame, Isaac Hayden, Mikel Merino and Jonjo Shelvey, who earns £70,000-a-week according to Spotrac, for a spot in central midfield.
He certainly impressed for Lille during the 2017/18 campaign despite their struggles, and according to WhoScored.com he won 55 tackles and made 60 interceptions for his club in 34 Ligue 1 appearances.
Why should West Ham be interested in the situation?
Well, if Newcastle do sign Thiago Maia it would suggest that one of the midfielders we mentioned previously could be on their way, including Shelvey.
The England international was one of his club’s most impressive performers during the 2017/18 campaign as Benitez’s men recorded a 10th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League, and his influence from both a defensive and offensive point of view could be brilliant for West Ham and new manager Manuel Pellegrini, who could save a fortune by using these three exciting youngsters in the first team rather than spending big on the likes of Marlon and Javier Pastore, next term.
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The Chilean boss looks certain to bring in a new midfielder with captain Mark Noble getting no younger and Cheikhou Kouyate enduring a tough season last time out, and the powerful Shelvey could be an inspired addition given his ability on the ball.
The Romford-born 26-year-old may well fancy a return to the capital, but the east London club would likely have to spend big on the midfielder given he still has three years remaining on his contract with the Toon.
Newcastle fans were not impressed by Tuesday’s links to Daniel Sturridge, but could the Magpies use the Liverpool man?
According to a report from the Chronicle, Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Sturridge this summer for £15m.
The Liverpool striker turned down the chance to move to Tyneside on loan in January, snubbing the Magpies to join West Brom instead.
The Birmingham born striker supposedly chose the Baggies to be closer to his family, but with Liverpool now looking to cash in, could a permanent move to St. James’ reignite the Englishman’s career?
Everyone knows the biggest issue with signing Sturridge, as the Liverpool man has missed countless games season after season with various injury issues.
However, in today’s inflated transfer market, it could be worth taking a punt on a man who has 48 Premier League goals in 98 appearances for Liverpool.
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The 28 year-old is 6 ft 2, strong, quick, skilful and versatile… but above all else he knows how to find the back of the net.
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Signing Sturridge would obviously be a huge risk, but it’s not every day you get offered the chance to sign a striker capable of scoring 20 goals a season for just £15m, and if anyone can get his head right it’s Rafael Benitez.
So, Newcastle fans, would you take the risk on Sturridge? Is he worth £15m? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Jesse Lingard’s sudden importance to England’s World Cup hopes, which were perfectly encapsulated by a restlessly offensive performance in the first half of Sunday’s 6-1 win over Panama, hasn’t emerged through some miraculous act of good fortune.
Yes, Gareth Southgate’s roaming No.8 role gets maximum value out of a player who has never quite excelled as a No.10, a winger or a central midfielder, exploiting the incredible energy he possesses to act as part of both the engine room and the forward line, but Lingard’s drastic rise in estimations over months leading into Russia 2018, and his capacity to impress in more central positions, has been meticulously predicted for some time.
It’s exactly why, when Manchester United fans and neutrals were left repeatedly underwhelmed by the 14-cap international’s early club appearances, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho always found room for him in their plans. LVG, Mourinho, Southgate and even Sir Alex Ferguson all saw something they liked in Lingard; only now though, is it truly translating across to the naked eye, to the average supporter who doesn’t get the benefit of witnessing the versatile midfielder’s daily progress on the training pitch.
Perhaps the most well-known prophecy circulated midway through last season, when Lingard’s 2017/18 campaign suddenly exploded to life with a run of seven goals in nine Premier League appearances. Previously, Lingard had done enough to earn just one Premier League start, although his outings in the League Cup – particularly a brace-bagging performance to secure a 2-0 win over Swansea City – suggested that kind of eruption was just around the corner.
How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
After an irresistible performance at Goodison Park on New Year’s Day, a variety of publications picked up on Ferguson’s prediction from five years prior, labelling Lingard as a late bloomer whose ascendance wouldn’t truly take place until the age of 24. Eerily, Lingard celebrated his 25th Birthday midway through that run of seven in nine.
But Ferguson, whose verdict on any player is difficult to dispute anyway, was by no means alone in anticipating an Indian summer of development, and similar comments from Southgate back in 2014 give an insight into why Lingard is so trusted by a Three Lions manager who has completely capsized the mentality and philosophical approach of this England team, the Warrington-born starlet serving at this World Cup as it’s relentless beating heart.
A year after expressing the need to give Lingard time to develop and issuing him a similar age stamp of 23, the midfielder repaid Southgate’s faith by coming off the bench to score a delicious strike that sealed a European Championship win for the now-England gaffer’s U21 side.
The stunning strike unearthed an underlying trait, one which showed itself yet again on Sunday, that has no doubt helped managers maintain their trust in Lingard during the more difficult moments of his career. While his best position and his ultimate level of ability has always been open to interpretation, at least in public quarters, Lingard’s ability to rise to the occasion has remained undeniable.
In addition to ensuring Southgate’s U21s left the 2015 European Championship with a win to their name, he’s scored in an FA Cup final for van Gaal, a Community Shield final and League Cup final for Mourinho and even in a Champonship Playoff semi-final for Oscar Garcia’s Brighton.
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He’s now played an intrinsic part in England’s most positive World Cup performance for a generation – driving into the penalty box to win Harry Kane’s first penalty, making it 2-0, before surging on from midfield shortly after, this time adding to his collection of goals that combine importance with elegance by curling the ball effortlessly beyond Panama’s rooted goalkeeper.
For a country that has so often become paralysed by the weight of expectation, and for a manager who experienced that himself so painfully from the penalty spot at Euro 96, any player who seems to embrace the biggest of psychological tests automatically becomes an invaluable asset.
That perhaps explains why Southgate was so willingly prepared to hand Lingard his England debut against Malta back in 2016, well over a year before that run of goals for United truly justified the jump up to the international stage.
But the youngster’s emergence as essentially an offensive-minded central midfielder owes more to the manager who gave him his Red Devils debut than the England boss – van Gaal, perhaps the manager who boasts the biggest impact on Lingard’s career.
While he earned an early fan in Ferguson and no attention at all from David Moyes, Lingard instantly won over the Dutchman, starting his first ever Premier League game as Old Trafford boss only to be struck down by injury almost instantly, lasting a mere 24 minutes.
Perhaps if that knee complaint hadn’t kept Lingard out for the next four months, resulting in him ending the season on loan back in the Championship, the exceptional intelligence and ability so many managers have anticipated to surface would have done so much sooner, and Lingard wouldn’t have entered this World Cup surrounded by question marks.
There were plenty who viewed Ruben Loftus-Cheek, another favourite of Southgate’s from the U21s scene, as the more qualified partner for Jordan Henderson and Dele Alli.
The season after, van Gaal would field Lingard in 40 games across all competitions, including the FA Cup final, and along the way came a realisation that has resulted in the Lingard we now see representing England, the lynchpin in Southgate’s quirky 3-1-4-2 setup that no side at the World Cup has managed to comfortably handle so far. Whereas Lingard was utilised as a winger in the Championship, van Gaal believed he was at his most effective in a more central role.
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He’s never quite convinced as an out-and-out No.10, at least not for a club of United’s level, but Southgate’s subtle reinterpretation has really shown what Lingard can do – how he can drive on from midfield, how he can cover such vast areas to join the forward line and pressure the opposition, how he can make runs into the channels or even beyond the striker, how he can score unstoppable goals from range when he finds a few yards of space outside the box.
If we were talking about so many other players within the England team, such a journey wouldn’t perhaps seem so significant – very few England players have entered the tournament with a glistening CV.
But amid the backdrop of the doubts that have continuously circulated around Lingard for much of his senior career because he has always seemed a few stages of development behind contemporaries of similar age, it’s difficult not to take notice of the way in which three prophecies from three different managers have all come together at the perfect time for the Three Lions.
In many ways – in terms of industriousness, mobility and flair – Lingard’s come to embody the identity of Southgate’s young and exciting England cohort.
West Ham fans are starting to worry over the amount of time the deal for Felipe Anderson is taking, so much so they’ve even started to suggest possible alternatives.
When West Ham looked to be nearing a deal to spend close to £40m on Lazio’s Anderson, it almost felt too good to be true, and if recent reports are to be believed, that’s exactly what it was.
While some reports have suggested the deal is simply being slowed by the Hammers’ interest in Anderson’s teammate, Jordan Lukaku, other reports have claimed the club have turned their attention to free agent Bernard, as Lazio “have proved difficult to negotiate with”.
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Any such reports should be taken with a pinch of salt, and in this case the silence may actually be a good thing, but fans are starting to fear the worst.
Fans have been let down before by their owner’s reluctance to spend big in the transfer market, and they’re absolutely desperate for a creative attacker to replace the injured Manuel Lanzini.
Plenty of fans like the idea of returning for Dimitri Payet, while the likes of Joaquin Correa and Xherdan Shaqiri are also getting plenty of shouts.
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You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Liverpool supporters in the Transfer Tavern are very much looking forward to the 2018/19 Premier League season, what with their side seeking to build upon an impressive fourth place finish last term.
Jurgen Klopp’s men deserve huge credit for securing a second successive top four finish in English football’s top-flight, having also ended up fourth the campaign before to return to Europe’s elite for the first time since 2014. And they made the most of their stint in the Champions League in reaching the final back in May, although went down 3-1 to defending champions Real Madrid to leave Klopp still without a trophy in his two-and-a-half year spell in charge of the Merseyside giants.
Thus, there are many excited and expectant Liverpudlians in the Tavern at present, several of whom have been watching the World Cup intently in a bid to identify possible transfer targets for the summer window.
And one man several of our resident Reds supporters are hoping their club will go after this summer is Leicester City and Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, linked with Chelsea in recent times, as his addition could finally prompt Liverpool into challenging for the Premier League title.
Ultimately, Virgil van Dijk’s arrival at Anfield back in January went some way to addressing their obvious issues at centre back, although it’s clear that the goalkeeping ranks also need strengthening this summer if Klopp’s side are to bridge the gap to Manchester City.
Young German shot-stopper Loris Karius got the nod from the Reds boss back in January to be his number one in the second half of the campaign, and while he performed solidly for the majority of the season, his howlers in the Champions League final in May has called into question his suitability to the number one role.
And with Simon Mignolet also failing to prove his credentials as a title-winning shot-stopper, it’s pretty clear what area of the squad Klopp simply must reinforce over the summer to sustain a challenge to Pep Guardiola’s City this time round.
Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here
And Denmark ace Schmeichel could well be that man, as the 31-year-old has proven to be a hugely adept and accomplished goalkeeper in the Premier League in the last few years, not least in helping Claudio Ranieri’s men to the most unlikely of title triumphs back in 2016.
The former Man City shot-stopper kept 15 clean sheets and shipped just 35 goals that term to help inspire the Foxes to the best defensive record in the league, and while many of his Leicester teammates saw their level drop the season after, Schmeichel maintained his to help the Midlands giants avoid relegation, and indeed reach the last eight of the Champions League.
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Add in his excellent efforts for Denmark during the World Cup, in which he kept two clean sheets in four games and made two saves in their penalty shoot-out loss to Croatia on Sunday, and the 31-year-old is clearly the calibre of goalkeeper Liverpool need to sustain a title challenge.
Thus, with Chelsea thought to be interested in the Leicester ace, Klopp’s men must seek to join and indeed win the race for the £9 million-rated shot-stopper (as per Transfermarkt), in a move which could finally win them the Premier League.
Yes, Premier League football is back, and Fantasy Football managers have been tinkering with their teams in the hopes that they’ll find the right combination to beat their rivals in their respective mini-leagues.
With one of the most unpredictable starts to the Premier League campaign, many have already decided to use their wildcards and jump on the mainstream bandwagons while keeping some of the big hitters.
However, the reason we love the beautiful game of football so much is because it is rarely straight-forward, and these now more expensive players following their price rises may not perform to your desire.
So it’s almost as important as ever to look for a differential and find a future bandwagon, not only to beat your opponent(s), but to also increase your team value over time ahead of your second wildcard.
Here are three Fantasy Football Differentials that could be the hipster pick you sorely needed…
Bakary Sako
A Crystal Palace player against the current league leaders Manchester City? This must be an insane pick!
Not as much as it sounds. Bakary Sako (5.5) already has two goals and one assist in two games, accumulating 13 points against champions Chelsea the previous gameweek.
Jose Mourinho’s men are in a bit of a rut yes, but Crystal Palace are not sitting second in the Premier League for no reason and will be extremely confident after their last result, and could pull a shock victory at Selhurst Park this weekend. If they do, it is likely Sako will be involved once again.
Even if the Eagles fail to beat the mighty Citizens, Palace’s fixtures becomes much kinder with Tottenham (away), Watford (away), West Brom (home), and West Ham United (home) coming up in the next four… giving the 2.5% owned Chelsea-killing midfielder a great chance to shine.
Salomon Rondon
With the transfer fiasco surrounding Saido Berahino’s failed switch to Tottenham Hotspur, many have forgotten that the Baggies broke their transfer record to bring in Salomon Rondon (7.0) during the summer.
And the striker seems to already be settling into the English top flight, with his strength and finishing ability up front showcased with a goal and an assist in his last two starts.
With Southampton visiting the Hawthornes this weekend, Rondon has every chance to break a back-line that lost five goals in their first two games. Their two clean sheets came against Watford and 10-man Norwich respectively, so there is not much to brag about the Saints defence.
Only selected by 0.9% of managers, Rondon may be the striker to make West Brom fans forget who Berahino ever was.
Scott Sinclair
Welcome back Scott!
After being promoted with Swansea City back in the 2011-2012 season, Scott Sinclair (4.9) was the pick of the bunch in the Welsh club, finishing the campaign with eight goals and five assists with penalties in his locker.
But then Manchester City came calling, and the youngster disappeared into the wilderness and was destined to be a forgotten name.
However, he finally left moneybags City for the Villans and against Sunderland the last gameweek scored two goals in a man-of-the-match performance.
And we believe it isn’t a one-off, as the English starlet already has two hattricks this season in a friendly and in the League Cup, so he is definitely wearing his shooting boots at the moment.
Leicester City vs. Aston Villa is also a fixture that looks like there will be goals, and Sinclair could very well be amongst them.
Whilst the English top-flight is undoubtedly brimming with top draw talent from all angles in the modern era, picking out one individual star above all his current counter-parts in the Premier League remains a task seemingly easier said than done.
From the likes of Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva at Manchester City, Eden Hazard and co. down at Stamford Bridge, or maybe even Coutinho at Liverpool or Wayne Rooney at Manchester United – the Premier League is filled with high profile names both well worth and equally undeserving of their lofty reputations.
There is nonetheless one man that stands out as arguably the greatest talent currently operating among the ever competitive EPL however. Although German World Cup winner, Mesut Ozil, is clearly another one of the best players we’ve seen in England over the last couple of years or so – Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez potentially has to go down as the best of the best.
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So then, does the Chilean international really represent the most effective player in the Premier League at the moment, or has the current sensation surrounding the Gunners star been blown slightly out of proportion to say the very least?
Well, if the former Barcelona and Udinese attacker’s stats are to prove anything to go by this season, Sanchez could certainly be deserving of such a powerful claim. The quick-footed 26-year-old currently tops the Arsenal goal-scoring charts this season with seven well taken finishes in all competitions. He has also amounted an impressive three assists so far in 2015/16, despite facing a lengthy fitness hangover brought about by the Copa America Cup over the summer.
The signs therefore seem promising for the attacker so far this season, and maybe that’s because Sanchez simply has everything present within his overall game to make it as a resounding success among the English top-flight. In being blessed with the ability to marry his sheer technical skill with a never-say-die attitude throughout the entire 90 minutes – the current Chilean international truly remains a special talent to behold.
Whereas the likes of Mesut Ozil often face criticism for failing to match the high intensity energy output the Premier League often demands with every passing match, Arsenal’s latest no. 17 nevertheless seems to thrive within such a testing atmosphere. The ex-Nou Camp star is always looking to grab possession off his teammates and create something sublime in the final third. As the front-man usually achieves such a notion with impressive consistency though, no one can really discredit Sanchez at this truly influential stage in his career.
Arsene Wenger has therefore done himself proud in managing to bring such a player to the Emirates. Arriving at the club for a fee crazily close to the same amount Manchester United eventually saw fit to pay for Luke Shaw in the very same summer, could it even be said that £35million represents somewhat of a bargain for someone of Alexis Sanchez’ undoubted talents? Maybe not…
The player nonetheless remains deserving of his admirable reputation with the 2015/16 campaign now fully underway. The likes of Yaya Toure and Eden Hazard prove way too inconsistent to be worthy of the title, Coutinho still has a long way to go to truly make it at the highest level – and as for Manchester United’s once untouchable figure of Wayne Rooney – well, maybe the least said about his undoubted downturn in form, the better…
Perhaps if Luis Suarez were still operating on these shores – or Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero could prove himself fitter throughout the course of an entire season – Sanchez may not viably go down as the best player in the Premier League. Yet as things currently stand for the Chilean international and clear Emirates favourite, life couldn’t be going much better for the South American attacker with all things considered.
Alexis Sanchez therefore arguably remains the best all-rounder currently plying his trade among the English top-flight, as Arsenal look to claim victory over Everton this weekend.
Following the demolition of Manchester City, suggestions that Liverpool could actually win the Premier League title had been tentatively mooted. Granted, not to any meaningful extent and by no means were Reds fans getting ahead of themselves, but Jurgen Klopp’s immediate impact seemed to have us all quietly wondering just how far they could go.
Fast forward a few games, however, and it’s clear the 46-year old does indeed have far more of a project on his hands than the City result would suggest. The Merseyside giants are truly capable of beating anyone of their day, though are equally prone to the odd slip here and there. Losses to Crystal Palace and Newcastle and a draw at hime with West Brom are the only blemishes on Klopp’s otherwise impressive record since being installed at the helm.
In fact, considering he’s introduced a new philosophy into the team without buying any players, it’s all been pretty remarkable. At their best, the Reds can hound the opposition into mistakes and attack with a fluidity to be marvelled at. At his best, Daniel Sturridge is arguably in the top three strikers in the league. However, we don’t see ether often enough.
When Liverpool are not destroying top teams in the manner they have done at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge this term, they have looked desperately ineffective. Their loss at St. James’ Park highlighted just how precarious their balance between top four hopefuls, and Brendan Rodger-esque hopelessness really is.
Perhaps January affords Klopp the chance to truly install his ideas around the club. Clearly an excellent man-manager and unlikely to do too much business next month, only a few tweaks here and there are needed.
All things considered, here are THREE in and THREE out at Liverpool this January.
IN – NEVEN SUBOTIC – (BORUSSIA DORTMUND)
A central defender of decent stature is needed. Dejan Lovren has improved somewhat, but that really isn’t saying a lot. So, it’s no surprise to see Klopp linked with making a swoop for a former Dortmund favourite of his.
Neven Subotic has reportedly refused to rule out leaving the German giants this January, amid links with a move to Anfield. The 26-year old Serbian star was a stalwart as the pair enjoyed success in Dortmund, having followed his manager from Mainz. Aside from Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the stoic defender is the best option Klopp could nab from his former charges.
Crucially, he could also be the most realistic.
OUT – JOE ALLEN – (LEICESTER)
The ‘Welsh Xavi’ has done little to live up to the moniker infamously placed on his head by former boss David Brent Brendan Rodgers. It’s not worked out for him at all since leaving Swansea, where many thought of him as an excellent and intricate passer, to help break teams down.
Instead, the 25-year old seemingly solely distributes sideways in a red shirt. Monotonous, methodical, mind-numbing passing for the sake of passing… perhaps he should join Man United!
We jest, but the Welshman has been linked with table toppers Leicester as they scout reinforcements to aid to their title challenge.
The engine room is already well stocked at Anfield, as the likes of James Milner, Emre Can, Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson battle it out for a place in the first-team.
Leicester. Joe Allen. Title challenge.
It’s just crazy enough to work.
IN – DENIS CHERYSHEV – (REAL MADRID)
The Liverpool squad at the moment is somewhat unbalanced. A plethora of ‘No.10s’ are on the payroll, but there’s a distinct dearth in the wide options available. With Lazar Markovic and Raheem Sterling having departed, only Jordon Ibe is left as recognised winger.
This appears to be one of the major positions that needs work. Real Madrid wide-man Denis Cheryshev has been linked with a loan switch to Anfield as he bids to find first-team football ahead of Euro 2016. A solution?
Signing the 24-year-old on loan would be very wise indeed. The Russian is unlikely to ever break the first-team in the Spanish capital, and given a run of games could become an effective option for Liverpool in wide areas.
OUT – ALBERTO MORENO – (REAL MADRID)
Moreno has improved an awful lot since last season, though the speedy Spaniard has some way to go before he truly convinces. In fact, the 23-year-old is only really in the team due to the fact Joe Gomez fell foul of a serious injury.
Quite surprising then to see the former Sevilla man linked with a club like Real Madrid. Reports suggest former Reds chief Rafa Benitez is seriously considering making a swoop for the left-back in January to cover for Marcelo at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Now, selling the player may seem risky due to the fact he is probably the best left-back available to Klopp right now. However, should Los Blancos make a serious offer for Moreno, from which Liverpool stand to make a huge profit, it should be considered.
He’s a good player and though he is indeed young, it’s unlikely he’ll become a great one. Sell while his stock is high, we’ve seen him at his worst…
IN – ASMIR BEGOVIC – (CHELSEA)
It’s unlikely, but Chelsea custodian Asmir Begovic has been touted as a shock target for Liverpool. The Bosnian has returned to back-up duty following Thibaut Courtois’ recovery from injury, despite all his good work in the Belgian’s absence.
Simon Mignolet has never once truly convinced he is of the required standard to mind the net at Anfield, and despite Klopp’s public backing of the Belgian there is plenty of room for improvement between the sticks.
While it’s unlikely that the Blues would afford the Reds a free run at Begovic, perhaps the thought of being the undisputed No.1 at a big club could prove tempting for the 28-year-old.
OUT – JOSE ENRIQUE – (WEST BROM)
Okay, it’s not likely that the club will sell two left-backs this winter, but Jose Enrique has seemingly been on the verge of an Anfield exit for a number of years now. There have been suggestions he will at least be given a chance to prove himself, but it’s hard to see him turning his Merseyside career around.
Linked with a move to West Brom in the summer, the former Newcastle ace could soon be on his way.
Whilst the notion of signing brand new players with every passing transfer window can’t be seen as an overly sustainable approach, Arsenal have arguably left themselves with no choice but to spend this January after enduring such an inactive summer transfer period.
The usual mid-season ‘injury-curse’ has come back around to haunt the Emirates faithful in predictable style once again this term, as each of Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey have all been frustratingly side-lined already.
However, after the most recent injury affliction suffered by Francis Coquelin this season, Arsenal fans simply had their worse fears confirmed. Many considered Arsene Wenger’s title hopes well and truly scuppered after hearing the news – for without a recognised defensive midfielder in place to hold things down at the Emirates, the Gunners could easily return to their formally vulnerable selves.
Yet because long-term transfer target – Adrien Rabiot – has reportedly expressed a desire to leave PSG on loan this winter, has an ideal new first team candidate finally emerged for Arsene Wenger, or should Arsenal maintain faith in their current squad and ultimately look past the young Frenchman this January?
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Well, although Mathieu Flamini would likely consider himself worthy of stepping up to the plate in the absence of Francis Coquelin at the Emirates, the former AC Milan man simply fails to represent the title winning quality Arsenal need on board this season to truly record a successful campaign. For the fact that several additional injury doubts also surround the ageing Mikel Arteta this season, the Gunners must move for a new defensive midfielder sooner rather than later.
It was a move that arguably should have taken place before the 2015/16 campaign even begun, whilst Wenger still had time to extend his squad over this year’s summer transfer period. Every football fan outside the Emirates hierarchy was aware of Arsenal’s need to strengthen this term – but as the club notoriously failed to sign a single outfield player over the summer, the Gunners boardroom staff seemingly had other ideas in mind.
At this stage in the league proceedings however, that rather questionable decision has certainly come round to bite the Emirates faithful just when their side seemed to be picking up some real momentum in the English top-flight.
Although he admittedly remains a mere 20-years-old right in the here and now, Adrien Rabiot would subsequently represent the ideal defensive midfield target for Arsene Wenger to cast his eye over this January. The player himself is reportedly keen on moving on from PSG soon, he has already amassed a fair amount of Ligue 1 and Champions League experience for someone so young – and whilst Arsenal arguably require a little more substance to boost their overall ranks this winter – signing Rabiot would nonetheless prove an ideal place to start.
When it comes to taking possession off defenders calmly out from the back, displaying a range of vision that even someone of Andrea Pirlo’s undisputed class would likely admire, and simply making the right decisions time and time again in the middle of the park for PSG – this is a player who many Premier League clubs would love to have in their current options.
The up and coming French defensive midfielder would fit it perfectly with the style of football played under Arsene Wenger, whilst also offering the long-term Gunners boss a desperately needed option to help lift the injury-ridden burden currently afflicting his team.
Working alongside the equally gifted likes of Mesut Ozil and co. down at the Emirates in 2015/16, the emerging Ligue 1 star – who has been involved in the French national team from U16 to U21 level thus far – would seemingly provide Arsenal fans with yet another technically gifted midfield asset to count up this campaign, as well as someone more than willing to put his foot in when it matters most.
In the end, Arsenal would be mad not to move for Adrien Rabiot this winter. The player himself won’t be issued with a great deal of first team action once the PSG midfield returns to full fitness, the Emirates faithful certainly wouldn’t take long to align themselves with the impressive young Frenchman on the back of his rather stylish approach – and as Arsenal require a new defensive midfielder more than anything else in winter – the Gunners are left with no choice but to take pragmatic action once the January transfer window finally begins.