When Balotelli left Manchester City back in the January of 2013, the Premier League lost one of the world’s most enigmatic characters in football.
But after just a year in a half back in Serie A with AC Milan, the Italian superstar is returning to the English top flight this time playing in the red of Liverpool.
With 30 goals for AC Milan in his 54 appearances, his time away from the EPL could be enough for him to have matured, knocking back all the shenanigans that have caused so much trouble for Balotelli in the past.
Could this REALLY be the year that Balotelli bursts from his massive potential to become one of the world’s finest players?
Here are FIVE REASONS to be excited about new Liverpool signing Mario Balotelli.
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1) He likes to shoot
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“If you don’t buy a ticket, then you won’t win the lottery.”
Well Balotelli needs no invitation to purchase tickets, as ever since the striker moved to Milan in January 2013, no other player managed more shots in the Italian Serie A than Mario, with 229 (Squawka).
He may have missed most of those, but when he does hit them sweetly there’s not much a goalkeeper can do about it.
Balotelli is the type of player that can produce a goal out of nothing, which was what AC Milan relied on much of last season. However with Liverpool much more composed in possession when compared to the Serie A outfit, Balotelli may not need to conjure something out of nothing week-in-week-out and focus on finishing off his chances.
2) Balotelli is under-rated for his distribution and creativity
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Much like a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the beginning of his career, Balotelli has a very keen eye for a pass and has the required technique to execute it.
The Italian is extremely strong when holding up play in the opposition half, but instead of playing a simple pass back to a midfielder Balotelli has the ability to pick out his team-mates making runs in behind him.
Chests, back-heels, headers… Balotelli can send a player through on goal when you least expect it.
Why don’t you just ask Sergio Aguero?
3) He can form a great partnership with Daniel Sturridge
Liverpool are by no means desperately in need of a new signing, but by adding Balotelli they now have the depth and the firepower in attack to push themselves further in Europe as well as challenge for the EPL title.
Balotelli and Sturridge have a very similar style of play, but it is expected that Sturridge will be moved to the flanks to make room for the feisty Italian.
However like we saw with Suarez, the friendly competition Balotelli and the Englishman will have for goals can keep Liverpool ticking… especially with a host of players behind them able to supply the ammunition.
4) Balotelli will draw media attention away from team-mates
Luis Suarez was not far from controversy during his three and a half years at Anfield, and Balotelli is likely to be involved some way or another in the English press.
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However the focus the media has on the Italian greatly shifts their attention from Liverpool’s other stars, to the Reds’ advantage.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho does the same – albeit intentionally – so his team doesn’t have to deal with the scrutiny from journalists and critics alike.
Instead of articles bashing Liverpool’s display, they could be more focused on how Balotelli insulted a referee or more spectacularly, lighting fireworks in his toilet.
5) Balotelli is Balotelli
However he performs for Liverpool this season, Balotelli will draw crowds of people all over to world to not only watch him play, but follow his daily life.
Liverpool fans and neutrals will be extremely excited to see what the maverick Italian can bring back to the Premier League, whether it’s scoring a hat-trick against Manchester United or throwing darts at the Liverpool Youth team.
Even during his time in Italy, “Super Mario” is seen weekly in the British press. Now that he is back in England, they won’t be able to get enough of him.
West Brom manager Alan Irvine has told Tottenham that Saido Berahino is worth much more than £15m.
The in-form England U-21 star has already notched five Premier League goals this term, leading to talk that Spurs are ready to launch a January raid for his signature.
With his fine tally and his future potential, the Lilywhites are ready to pay around £15m for the 21-year-old, but Irvine believes that in the current market his Baggies star is worth much, much more than the Londoners are reportedly willing to pay:
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“It doesn’t sound a lot. I would be absolutely astonished if anyone could sign Saido from us for £15m,” he is quoted by the Daily Mail.
“You look at some of the fees going around in the transfer market that’s just been, everybody seems to start at £7m.
“Ross McCormack went for £11m Championship to Championship. What the right figure is I have absolutely no idea and I wouldn’t make the decision as far as that was concerned.
“But £15m doesn’t sound like a lot of money for a talented, young, English player with great potential who is playing really, really well in the Premier League at the moment and who is scoring goals. It would have to be higher than that.”
But Irvine went on to say that if Berahino goes continues to perform at his current level West Brom may be unable to keep him at The Hawthorns:
“That’s something which could happen, there’s no question about that but I don’t want him to play poorly so that they don’t come,
“I am desperate for him to play really well and if that means other clubs come and start knocking on the door then the club will make a decision on whether these clubs are making the right kind of offers or not.
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“If Gareth Bale can be prised away from Tottenham I think it means every player has got his price.”
According to the Daily Mail, Mesut Ozil’s eternal struggle for form in the Premier League could come to an abrupt end in January, with the midfielder allegedly growing increasingly unhappy at the Emirates and Bayern Munich prepared to spend £30million to bring him back to his native Germany – something the 25 year-old has since denied adamantly on Twitter.
But every transfer rumour, no matter how farcical or absurd, dips itself into reality somewhere along the line. Perhaps a murmuring of discontent overheard in a quiet corridor. Perhaps gossip from an agent targeting another jackpot. Or simply, a representation of prevailing public opinion, picked up and distorted into something new by the tabloids.
The latter suggestion certainly rings true with Ozil – the German international has never truly looked comfortable in his own skin at the Emirates, regularly dividing opinions of supporters, pundits and journalists alike. So, the question must be asked; are Arsenal about to give up on their club record signing?
Looking back on it, Ozil was always an unnecessary purchase, a reactionary one, somewhere between the realms of vanity and panic. The last thing the Gunners needed as they approached the 2013/14 campaign was another lightweight, offensive playmaker – their squad already was, and still is, riddled with them.
But after pulling out of the deal to sign Gonzalo Higuain over the issue of valuations, Wenger found himself confronted with a stadium’s worth of angry supporters demanding a marquee signing as Arsenal lost 3-1 to Aston Villa on the opening day of last season. The Gunners gaffer quickly responded by declaring ‘the transfer window starts now’ and by the end of the week had attainted Ozil’s signature.
Since then, Arsenal have been trapped in a fruitless experiment of trying to find room for Ozil in a midfield that’s already bursting with high-quality attacking talent, and are still waiting for positive results; on the left, on the right, or in his favoured position at No.10, the German international is yet to dominate games in the manner a £42.2million signing should.
There are apologetic arguments out there, some of which I largely agree with; Ozil has played a constructive, almost subliminal hand in several Arsenal goals, the ‘second assist’ if you will. He’s also averaged 2.3 key passes per match in the Premier League this season, the best return in the Arsenal squad.
Likewise, the central role is one he’s largely excelled in for Real Madrid and Germany, yet Wenger seems almost allergic to the notion of playing him there regularly. For that reason predominantly, the Arsenal boss has never truly treated Ozil like a club-record signing. His position in the starting XI often comes at some form of compromise, when in truth, the team should be structured around his playmaking qualities.
After all, this is one of the leading talents in world football we’re talking about – one who made Cristiano Ronaldo ‘furious’ when he left the Bernabeu in summer 2013, one who Jose Mourinho once compared to Zinedine Zidane.
But in comparison to the dynamic, impactful attacking midfield displays we’ve become accustomed to in the Premier League, such as those of Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata or David Silva, Ozil’s performances in the last year have been way below the standard.
I’m a firm believer in the old adage of allowing a season to settle, yet the 25 year-old’s displays in the current campaign have been arguably more disappointing – in the Champions League, where stars of his calibre should be earning their pay cheques, particularly. One can discuss Ozil’s position in the starting XI until the cows return to pasture, but it’s not as if opportunities to prove himself as something more than simply a flamboyant sideshow on the flanks haven’t been forthcoming.
Does that mean Arsenal are ready to quit on the most expensive acquisition in their history? Wenger’s an exceptionally stubborn manager – something Arsenal fans will already be more than aware of – and it’s seems more likely he’ll spend the next decade attempting to make Ozil a success at the Emirates than admit defeat and sell him on after just eighteen months.
Yet, Wenger’s had one year and three transfer windows to find a solution that better facilitates the German star. So far, he’s come up with nothing, almost distracted by the superior form of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and more recently, Alexis Sanchez.
And, according to reports, Ozil’s departure would pave the way for Sami Khedira to join the Emirates ranks in January, swapping one high-earning World Cup-winning German for another. The Real Madrid man, although not the complete holding midfielder he’s often made out to be, would provide intrinsic balance to Arsenal’s midfield, adding some vitally-needed physicality and tenacity when facing high-quality opponents. He may not be as eye-catching, as elegant, or as well suited to Arsenal’s philosophy, but the 27 year-old would bring variety to Arsenal’s fatally lopsided squad.
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Finding a player of such category has lately been playing on Wenger’s mind, believe it or not. He told BeIN Sport in September; “We still need a physical presence with prodigious ability like Vieira or Petit.” Khedira more than ticks that box.
For that reason alone, the old German switcheroo, Arsenal might – just might – be prepared to cut their losses, both in footballing and financial terms, on Mesut Ozil.
Matchday 5 of the Champions League is upon us, and while six teams may have already booked their places in the knockout stages with two games to spare, there are still ten spots in the last 16 up for grabs. Of the four English teams participating in this year’s competition, Arsenal and Chelsea look likely to be in the hat for the next round, while Manchester City and Liverpool – the champions and runners up of last season’s Premier League – face a real battle to avoid elimination. Anything but maximum points from their remaining group games will almost certainly signal the end for these two sides, which should make their ties against Bayern Munich and Ludogorets fascinating affairs. There is much more to look forward to across all groups, of course; here’s the pick of the bunch
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1. No respite for beleagured Wenger in Europe
Football – Arsenal v RSC Anderlecht – UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday Four Group D – Emirates Stadium, London, England – 4/11/14Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks dejectedMandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O’BrienLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
If Arsene Wenger thinks that he can seek solace on the continent after another traumatic loss in his Arsenal side’s shambolic domestic campaign, he has another thing coming. Qualification was always to be expected in what is a largely straightforward group, and with seven points from four games – five ahead of third-placed Anderlecht – they will almost certainly progress. However, it has not been an easy ride for the Gunners. Their last outing in Europe saw them squander a three-goal lead at home to Anderlecht – on paper, the weakest team in the group – while their fortuitous last-minute comeback win against the Belgian side in Brussels at the end of October was, in hindsight, a crucial victory. Borussia Dortmund are the opponents on Wednesday, and the German outfit have already qualified for the last 16 with a maximum 12 points from their opening four matches, the first of which was a dominant 2-0 victory over Arsenal in Dortmund. Wenger will have no weak sides to fall back in the knockout stages, which makes this game an important one to determine whether his team is truly good enough to compete with the genuine heavyweights of Europe. Another insipid loss will only further anger the already discontented fans, many of whom are already calling for managerial change. The pressure is most certainly on for Wenger; he cannot afford to take his side’s remaining group games lightly.
2. Mourinho’s fringe players to get a run-out?
If Wenger is feeling the heat in North London, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is as cool as an inuit’s cucumber in the west of the capital. Not only do his side look unstoppable in the Premier League, they are also top of their Champions League group, although qualification is not yet guaranteed after the Blues had to settle for a draw against Slovenian minnows Maribor three weeks ago. An away tie against Schalke on Tuesday will by no means be a stroll in the park, but Mourinho may still decide to rest the likes of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard, especially with the gruelling Christmas schedule looming large. The Chelsea boss was critical of a number of fringe players in their tight League Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town last month; Tuesday’s match represents an excellent opportunity for these bit-parters – many of whom would walk into most Premier League sides, let us not forget – to prove a point.
3. Do or die for Rodgers
For a number of weeks now, it seems that every Liverpool game has been promoted to ‘must-win’ status, yet Reds boss Brendan Rodgers remains in charge even as his side has succumbed to loss after hapless loss, the most recent of which was a frankly pathetic 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace in the league on Sunday. While ‘must-win’ is of course nothing more than a catchy phrase used by the media to elevate the importance of a game, one gets the feeling that Liverpool’s crunch match against Basle at Anfield on Wednesday evening really is all or nothing for Rodgers. After an atrocious start to the domestic campaign, the 41 year-old simply needs to secure progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Reds fans have waited five long years for their side’s return to Europe’s elite club competition; elimination at the group stage would not go down well with the Anfield faithful, to put it kindly. A Basle win would end Liverpool’s participation in the tournament, and with the way things are going so far for the Reds it would not come as a great surprise if the Swiss side got a result at Anfield. Rodgers must ensure that this does not happen, otherwise his time on Merseyside would surely be up.
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4. Time for AVB to prove his worth
Andre Villas-Boas entered English football management as one of the brightest coaching talents in the world; only 33 years of age when he took over at Chelsea in 2011, he had already won a treble during his time at Porto, leading the Portuguese side to an undefeated season in his single campaign in charge. Two years later, he left England with his reputation in tatters, having lasted just eight months at Stamford Bridge and a season-and-a-half at Tottenham Hotspur. AVB opted to head to Russia to restart his career, and has been in charge of Zenit St Petersburg since March. A current win percentage of nearly 70% suggests that the Portuguese is doing a decent job, yet he has found it difficult in the Champions League so far this season; Zenit are third in their group with four points, and must get a result against Benfica on Wednesday to stand a chance of qualifying. Villas-Boas clearly has the ability to succeed in continental competition, having guided Porto to Europa League glory in 2011. A convincing win this week against Porto’s fiercest rivals would go a long way to silence his critics.
The summer of 2005 was lit up by one of the most interesting transfer sagas in Premier League history. On July 5, Steven Gerrard publicly announced his decision to reject a new £100,000- a- week contract extension and in the process, extended his desire to migrate to London to play for Chelsea.
Gerrard said it was ‘the hardest decision I have ever had to make’ at the time, but Liverpool subsequently rejected Chelsea’s £32m bid for the 25-year-old and Gerrard signed a four-year contract extension the very next day.
Mourinho drooled over the prospect of that move last month.
“He [Gerrard] is a historical player for Liverpool, a historical player for the Premier League and an opponent I have always admired and respected,” Mourinho said. “We did everything to try [to sign him] and it was almost there. I was dreaming of [Claude] Makélélé, Gerrard and [Frank] Lampard in midfield.
“We were playing in a proper triangle without a No10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and [the former Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.
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“His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never. He [Gerrard] was always a red and I think the decision was right.”
Ah well, Jose, dry your eyes mate, it didn’t happen. But lets figuratively wonder what a transfer of that magnitude would have meant for Chelsea, Liverpool and even England.
For Chelsea, Mourinho would have had the most physically abrasive and penetrative midfield in Premier League history. Lampard came second in World Footballer of the Year in 2005 and Gerrard came second in the Ballon d’Or in 2008. Both performed at a staggeringly consistent level until about 2010, so you’d assume that Chelsea would have dominated English football well into the noughties. Right?
Wrong, actually. German wonderboy Michael Ballack joined in 2006, an equal to Gerrard in many ways, and Deco joined in 2009. Chelsea arguably failed to win in England those years with Ballack because Sir Alex Ferguson assembled his best Premier League team in history (that team which boasted Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez going forward) which would later nick the Champions League from John Terry’s hands and win three straight Premier Leagues.
The damage, more, would have been done to Liverpool, who he carried forward inspirationally, especially in the FA Cup the following year where he single-handedly put West Ham to bed in the final. Rafa Benitez’s reign was generally more successful than people remember, and peaked in 2008 when they finished second to United with a staggering 86 points. The departures of Xabi Alonso, Javier Masherano and Fernando Torres slowly dismantled that team, and Liverpool were ultimately at their most reliant on Gerrard between 2009-2012 when they were weighed down by the Hicks/Gillet ownership struggle.
It’s difficult to imagine Mersyside finding anyone nearly as iconic to lead them through the last decade, while Abramovic’s bank account has guaranteed an influx of available talent to Chelsea all the way through. Essentially, the move as a whole would have been a much greater loss to Liverpool than a gain for Chelsea.
The more interesting think would have been to see if an England national coach would have replicated Mourinho’s proposed use of Gerrard and Lampard in tandem with a designated holder behind. The reason those English midfield giants never gelled together internationally is because they always played in a midfield two, meaning one of them had to sit deeper, contradictory to what they did best.
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That would have provided a foundation for a Scholes-Gerrard-Lampard English midfield. It’s utterly tragic that such never happened.
Anyway, you can speculate all you want about what might have happened, but Gerrard and Lampard’s intertwined careers look set to continue into the future when they wind up in the retirement home of world football – the MLS.
You can speculate all you want about what might have happened. Gerrard ultimately chose to stay at Liverpool, and the people of Mersyside will undoubtedly be indebted to him long into the future.
Heroic failure… same old story for Arsenal. In truth, the Gunners were on a hiding to nothing when they arrived at the Stade Louis II, with their naïve performance at the Emirates Stadium having left them 3-1 down on aggregate and in need of at least three goals to get through. A 2-0 win was impressive against a resolute Monaco side, but ultimately the maths didn’t stack up, with the Ligue 1 side’s away goals in the first leg enough to tilt the scales in their favour.
Alas, there is actually plenty to be positive about for Arsenal fans, who have lots to look forward to this season. Here are THREE reasons no more Champions League for this season may actually be a silver lining…
Were they ever going to win it?
With sides such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG involved, did Arsenal even have a chance of winning the Champions League? Okay, Liverpool won in 2005 with a sub-standard team and Chelsea’s victory a few years ago was achieved with a team that included Ryan Bertrand, but since then the best sides have got even better, and Arsenal would surely have been prolonging the inevitable had they made it through? Probably, and less energy will be expended as well as reducing the level of heartbreak this way.
Free up time and energy for top four push
With Manchester City having slipped away from Chelsea in the battle for the title, the race for the top four now looks to be the big one in the Premier League. The Gunners currently sit third, but with Manchester United and Liverpool within three points of them and Southampton and Spurs a further four back, there is still a long way to go. Midweek breaks and more time to prepare may be good things for the Gunners, who cannot afford to miss out on a spot in the Champions League group sage for next season.
Allows them to concentrate on FA Cup
A semi-final awaits with Reading, which should, on paper at least, mean that the Gunners will reach the final and have a great chance of defending their FA Cup champions status. The Champions League may be more glamorous, but there’s no substitute for silverware, and the odds suggest that the domestic trophy may be more attainable.
The clash between the two Manchester giants was a typical British derby, full of blood and thunder and played at 100 miles an hour. But in the middle of all the madness was a 34-year-old veteran, orchestrating the game like a great composer, almost without breaking sweat Michael Carrick was again the Man United fulcrum.
As the former Tottenham man appears to be entering the twilight years of a glittering career; it finally appears the masses are beginning to see Carrick for what he is. The rise in popularity of a similar midfield player Andrea Pirlo has inevitably led to the two being compared. Finally, maybe ten years too late Carrick is finally being recognised as the ‘English Pirlo’.
In the last two major tournaments, Pirlo has been the chief tormentor for England, he has ensured the midfield chased shadows for 90 minutes, lots of effort, but all in vain. If the colours of the shirts were swapped in Sunday’s Manchester derby, it quite easily could have passed as a clash between England and the Azzurri.
In James Milner, City possessed a midfielder with real desire; closing and pressing the mercurial Carrick in the early stages, but just as Pirlo has done before, his superior footballing intelligence means there is only ever one winner between passion and technique.
With midfielders like Fellaini and Mata, it is a testament to Carrick that United play football at the pace they currently do. Never seeming to look hurried, but always hurrying his team along.
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For over a decade Carrick has been criminally underused by the national team, always behind the ‘Roy of the Rovers’ Gerrard and the free-scoring Lampard. The fact that England have consistently looked so laboured and slow in possession against superior opponents whilst not using Michael Carrick, seems laughable.
In a game where millions of pounds of foreign talent was on display, it was a player who could be selected by Roy Hodgson that shone brightest. If he is now, finally, given the run in the team he has deserved for so long he can make the deep lying midfield position his own, Pirlo has seemed to enjoy a late career renaissance, Carrick can still do the same on the national stage.
Perhaps Carrick’s criminal under valuing is an indictment of the English supporter. Go to any game and which of these scenarios garner a bigger cheer; a player completing his 50th pass of the game with frightening accuracy or a player hitting his first 60-yard pass out of ten attempts? Maybe the common football fan is finally waking up to what the United midfielder actually offers. He will not be central to the highlights, he will not have assist after assist or goal after goal, but he is a vital cog in any successful team.
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His game is about so much more than passing, his awareness on the pitch means that not only does he recycle possession so effectively but he can intercept the opposition’s passes with comfortable regularity.
With only 35 caps for England it seems like Carrick has been wasted in a Three Lions shirt, but if his recent performances are anything to go by, he has a lot of football left in him. Carrick can still be England’s Pirlo and it may prove to be the difference between the national team making up the numbers at a tournament and becoming real contenders.
According to a report from The Daily Mail yesterday evening, Liverpool could be saying goodbye to as many as ten of their first team stars this summer.
Glen Johnson, Kolo Toure and Steven Gerrard are all set to leave upon the expiration of their contracts, loan signing Javier Manquillo will be sent back to Atletico Madrid a year early, Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini and Brad Jones have all been deemed surplus to requirements, Martin Skrtel has emerged as a target for Wolfsburg and Raheem Sterling appears hell-bent on forcing his way out of Anfield.
That’s a heck of a lot of talent to replace in a single transfer window. But fear not Liverpool fans, for Football FanCast is here to help.
We’ve listed ten like-for-like replacements Liverpool could realistically sign at the not-so-ridiculous total cost of £110million, considering the Reds could land nearly half that sum from selling £50million-rated England international Raheem Sterling alone.
Would the Liverpool end up better off if they made this ten-man trade in the coming transfer window? Let us know by commenting below!
ILKAY GUNDOGAN FOR STEVEN GERRARD
Liverpool need a long-term successor to Steven Gerrard and Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan fits the bill perfectly.
The 24 year-old is a high-energy holding player with cultured feet who loves to make mazy runs on the break, suggesting he’d be a natural suitor to Liverpool’s fast-paced counter-attacking style.
The German international looks set to leave Westfalen this summer as he enters the final year of his contract. The Daily Mail claim he could be available for just £15million, but Man United are considered favourites for his signature.
Alternatives: Roma’s Miralem Pjanic (£37m), Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira (free transfer)
NATHANIEL CLYNE FOR GLEN JOHNSON
A simple enough suggestion; swapping England’s right-back of the last eight years for England’s right-back of the next eight years.
Indeed, the superlative form of Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne this season, bagging two goals in 30 Premier League appearances whilst averaging the fifth-most tackles per-match, 3.5, of any player in the division, has seen him emerge as Roy Hodgson’s priority choice of No.2.
The 24 year-old looks set to leave St. Mary’s this summer after delaying on negotiations to extend his contract past 2016. He’s rated at £17million, but The Express claim the former Crystal Palace youngster has already agreed a move to Manchester United.
Alternatives: Barcelona’s Dani Alves (free transfer), Arsenal’s Carl Jenkinson (£8m) Real Madrid’s Alvaro Arbeloa (£3.5m)
JAMES MILNER FOR JAVIER MANQUILLO
By no means a like-for-like trade but certainly a player who could offer a lot to Liverpool’s squad.
James Milner is home-grown, two-footed, highly versatile, creative yet industrious and hugely experienced, with 415 Premier League appearances, two league titles and 53 England caps under his belt, so it’s no surprise half of the Premier League is targeting him this summer.
The 29 year-old is expected to leave Manchester City this summer upon the expiration of his contract – but as previously stated, suitors certainly aren’t in short supply.
Noberto Neto for Brad Jones
Liverpool need a goalkeeper who can contest Simon Mignolet for the No.1 jersey, and in terms of price-tag, quality and availability, Fiorentina star Noberto Neto hits an ideal equilibrium.
The Brazilian has kept an impressive nine clean sheets in 23 Serie A appearances this term whilst making 42 saves, but has already confirmed he’ll be leaving the Florence outfit on a free transfer this summer.
He’s already been mooted as a Liverpool target by The Liverpool Echo, but the Reds face competition from Juventus.
Alternatives: Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic (£10m), Espanyol’s Kiko Casilla (£7m), Chelsea’s Petr Cech (loan)
DANNY INGS FOR RICKIE LAMBERT
Having claimed nine goals and four assists in his debut Premier League season, a host of top clubs are courting prodigious front-man Danny Ings this summer.
The 22 year-old’s intelligence, movement and fleet of foot suggest he’s capable of playing at a significantly higher level than Burnley’s, and he’s certain to leave Turf Moor this summer upon the expiration of his contract.
That means Liverpool could snap him up for a nominal compensation fee, believed to be around £5million. As previously stated, however, potential suitors are in copious supply, ranging from Manchester City to Real Sociedad.
Alternatives: Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez (£10m), Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford (£10m)
FABIAN SCHAR FOR KOLO TOURE
Statistically speaking, FC Basel’s Fabian Schar was the best centre-back in the Champions League last season, averaging an imperious 3.3 tackles, 4 interceptions, 6.7 clearances and 1.8 successful aerial duels per match.
The Swiss side recently activated a one-year extension clause in the 23 year-old’s contract, but set to expire in 2016, he’s still expected to move on this summer after claiming three consecutive Swiss Super League titles.
He’s the ball-playing centre-back Liverpool currently lack and will likely be available for around the £10million mark – but Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham have all been linked to the Switzerland international by talkSPORT.
Alternatives: Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar or West Ham’s Winston Reid (both free transfers), Espanyol’s Hector Moreno (£5m)
ANDRE AYEW FOR FABIO BORINI
Winger-forward Andre Ayew boasts 57 goals in 187 appearances for Marseille, including eight in all competitions this season, but looks set to leave Stade Velodrome this summer when his contract expires.
The 25 year-old has a lot to offer Liverpool; he’s versatile, physical and an experienced international, with eleven goals and 62 caps under his belt for Ghana.
He seems a good fit for the Premier League and speculation suggests that’s where he’ll most likely end up this summer.
Everton, Newcastle and Swansea have already made contract offers, however, whilst Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund are also interested – according to The Daily Mail – so Liverpool will have to act quickly to sign the L’OM star.
A short-term solution at the age of 30, but in terms of his leadership qualities, aerial dominance and thuggish centre-back style, Atletico Madrid’s Miranda shares many important traits with the potentially departing Martin Skrtel.
The Mattress Makers rejected advances from Chelsea and Manchester United last summer but now appear ready to let the Brazil international leave; he’s verging upon the final year of his contract and the La Liga champions already have a long-term successor in prodigious youngster Jose Giminez.
He’s valued at £18million, but a move to Juventus is currently the likeliest scenario – according to The Daily Star.
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Paulo Dybala for Mario Balotelli
The striker everybody wants but Liverpool desperately need, Paulo Dybala’s 13 goals and ten assists in 30 Serie A appearances this term have seen him emerge as one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe ahead of the summer transfer window.
Many have compared the Palermo prodigy to compatriot Sergio Aguero but I see more similarities with Luis Suarez – tenacious, dynamic and virtually a one-man attack when he’s hitting on the break.
Club president Maurizio Zamparini has already proclaimed the 21 year-old will be sold by the end of the month, however, and also listed virtually every major club in Europe as potential suitors – as reported by The Daily Star.
But Dybala’s £29million price-tag should be within Liverpool’s financial reach.
Alternatives: Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain (£29m), Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke (£25m), Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette (£20m)
PEDRO FOR RAHEEM STERLING
Liverpool need a heavyweight replacement for Raheem Sterling and the Merseysiders could do a lot worse than Barcelona’s Pedro.
The winger-forward has won four La Liga titles and two Champions League titles with Barcelona, in addition to lifting the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship with the Spanish national team, amassing a career return of 113 goals in 359 appearances.
But his game-time has been slashed since the arrival of Luis Suarez and the 27 year-old is resultantly expected to leave the Nou Camp this summer.
In a similar vein to Alexis Sanchez, he’s blessed with the pace, stamina and netting prowess to be a real hit in the Premier League. And with just a year remaining on Pedro’s current deal, Barcelona could be forced to sell on the cheap – £15million would be Football Fancast’s estimate.
Unable to sign a replacement until 2016, however, the Catalan outfit’s transfer embargo could stand in the way.
It is not the best compliment for a club to hear that their goalkeeper has been their best player but this has been the case for Manchester United this season. Early injuries to numerous players particularly at the back left the Red Devils shaky and easily breached, meaning that David de Gea was, at times, the only man stopping the squad from receiving a mauling.
The Spaniard, who joined United in 2011 for £17.8million, has appeared in all 36 of their league games leaving no space for the club’s other keepers Anders Lindegaard and January signing Victor Valdes. Valdes probably expected to have played at least a few games by now but that is how good De Gea has been for the Red Devils who just aren’t prepared to entrust their goal with anyone else.
De Gea’s heroics have not gone unnoticed with Real Madrid huge admirers of the young man and they are expected to offer United a massive sum to take the player off their hands. Born in Madrid, though a supporter of city rivals Atletico Madrid, De Gea is seen as the perfect replacement for Iker Casillas who has become less reliable for Los Blancos and has himself been linked with a move to Arsenal.
Many Spanish players who ply their trade in the Premier League do eventually succumb to the irresistible allure of one of Spain’s top two clubs so it must be causing some anxiety for United supporters that Real are so fixated on claiming one of their most outstanding talents. Fortunately United are almost certain to be playing in the Champions League next year so if De Gea does leave, it will not be because the club couldn’t provide the European football that all top players crave.
Next season will be a big test for the club. After just scrapping into the top four despite the many millions they spent on world-class talents like Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, United must prove in their next campaign that they are title contenders. Teams like Arsenal, Manchester City and this year’s winners Chelsea will be right in the mix once again and will not make the feat any easier. That is why the club need their world-class keeper.
Manager Louis van Gaal will dip once again into the transfer market with emphasis on signing a striker but if De Gea were to leave then the club would have to commit to bringing in a top goalkeeper which is no easy task. The goalkeepers they have are decent but would not have kept United in contention for the top four like the Spaniard has. In contrast Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois has made 72 saves while De Gea has been called into action a massive 91 times, the busiest of the top four’s goalkeepers.
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A great goalie is worth his weight in gold and so no matter how much Real Madrid offer United should not accept it. Instead they need to lock De Gea down to a lucrative long-term contract and hope that the future expected success of the club will be enough to keep the Spaniard loyal for many years to come.
Despite having only arrived last summer for a British record £59.7m, Angel di Maria’s future at the Theatre of Dreams has been the subject of intense debate for months. An initial flurry of fine showings were rudely punctured by a dip in form over the winter period, and by the time the last ball of game 38 was kicked, the Argentine was behind Ashley Young in the pecking order and the ‘hoof ball’ approach with Marouane Fellaini deployed was seen as more attractive than Di Maria’s brand of technical football by Louis van Gaal.
Although reports now claim that LVG wants to keep his big money gamble, he is also aware that retaining an unhappy player is hardly worth the effort, opening the door for a switch to Paris Saint-Germain. Di Maria himself is understood to be unsettled, so there’s every chance this once promising romance will end in a swift divorce.
Selling a big name won’t really send out the message of power United are attempting to display now they’re back in the Champions League, so perhaps bringing in a ‘marquee’ signing with the cash injection is something being talked about behind the scenes… and here are FIVE viable options.
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Edinson Cavani
Reports claim that LVG is eager to land Cavani from PSG, so the Di Maria saga could provide the Premier League side with some leverage in negotiations. The Uruguayan has been linked with moves away from the Parc des Princes now for some time, with his love/hate relationship with fellow forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic a bit of an issue for both the players and the Ligue 1 club.
Although a striker, Cavani has been operating from a wider role for much of his time in Paris, with the big Swede clearly top dog in the French capital. Van Gaal could offer him guaranteed football in his favoured role, with the opportunity to drop Wayne Rooney a little deeper likely to tempt the Dutchman – he deployed him in central midfield last term.
Despite his issues at PSG, Cavani has blasted 34 Ligue 1 goals in his two seasons, building on a stellar final campaign with Napoli in which he found the back of the net 29 times in Serie A.
Nicolas Otamendi
By no means a replacement for Di Maria, Otamendi appears to be the ideal ‘marquee’ buy to bolster LVG’s defensive ranks. The whole Sergio Ramos saga stinks of a player attempting to secure one last big contract at his current side, but the Argentine centre-back looks to be hungry to step up to the next level from Valencia, so is perhaps motivated to make a move for the right reasons.
Not quite as well known as Ramos, Otamendi presents, arguably, a better long-term option for United, with the 27-year-old entering his peak years, and not renowned for his red card antics – like his Spanish rival.
Thomas Muller
Football – Germany v Argentina – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Final – Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 13/7/14Germany’s Thomas Muller celebrates after victoryMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
A striker is clearly United’s aim for the coming months, and in Muller they could land one of the very best in the business. Although not truly a standout player in any real aspect – he’s not massively pacey, not powerful, doesn’t carry a real aura and has not been heralded as a headline-grabber – the German has carved out a stellar reputation for being greater than the sum of his parts.
United are thought to be looking to launch a £50m raid, and although Bayern Munich are unlikely to be eager to sell up, the Red Devils could realistically get their man. After all, who would have predicted a few weeks ago that Bastian Schweinsteiger would be playing under Louis van Gaal now?
Robert Lewandowski
Another striker believed to be on United’s radar is Lewandowski, also of Bayern Munich. The Poland international has emerged as a target for the Red Devils following the exit of Robin van Persie, and his ability to lead the line alone suggests that he could be a wise replacement for the departed Dutchman.
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United have been given further encouragement by Lewandowski’s agent, who has claimed that a move to England appeals to his client…. Although he will cost in excess of £35m.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo (39) and Lionel Messi (26) have scored more champions League goals than Lewandowski (22) over the past three seasons.
Nicolas Gaitan
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An option mooted as a replacement for Di Maria for some time, Gaitan is more ‘like for like’ than any of the other names on this list, even though he may be a little underwhelming to be hailed as a ‘marquee’ man. However, with an estimated cost of around £20m and with two Portuguese league winner’s medals to his name in the past 24 months, the Argentine is, seemingly, a good option, with his guile and technique from wide offering a tempting option for LVG.
Gaitan also has Champions League experience, which may be of use as Van Gaal’s side gear up for a return to the big time.