Preview – Liverpool vs Arsenal.

Tonight’s stand out match comes from Anfield with the showdown between Liverpool and Arsenal, kick off at 8:00pm. Arsenal will be trying to extend their lead at the top of the table whilst Liverpool with be looking for an invaluable home win to kick start a run of form. Since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival Liverpool have been up-and-down as even though the German orchestrated a fantastic 4-1 away win at Manchester City, he has also seen his side lose against Watford and Newcastle among others. Last time out in the Premier League Arsenal staggered to an unconvincing 1-0 home win against Sunderland whilst Liverpool went down 2-0 at Upton Park against West Ham.

Going into tonight’s game, Liverpool will be buoyed with the returns of defensive pair Mamadou Sahko and Kolo Toure whilst loan signing Steven Caulker could make an appearance for the Reds having signed from QPR on loan on Tuesday. Jordan Henderson, Jordon Ibe and James Milner could also all be back for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Steven Caulker has recently moved on loan to Liverpool from QPR until the end of the season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will look to recall stand out performer of the season Mesut Ozil after resting him for the clubs FA Cup clash with Sunderland at the weekend, this is the same scenario for Per Mertesacker who too miss the match due to being rested. However Alexis Sanchez is not yet fit enough to return for the Gunners, while Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere remain out for Arsene Wenger’s men.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “Arsenal and Arsene have their own style; it’s possession football, so it’s clear that if we want to play the same way we will be without a chance because they’ve been doing it for longer. Arsenal are not only a good possession team, that’s the problem, they have good counter-attacks too and that’s what you have to be aware of. It’s a job – but it’s a really nice job – to think about solutions and how to stop them coming through with their plan. I like things like this.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “Every time we go to Anfield, we face a team who is up for it. It’s always a ferocious battle, no matter who the manager is. They had a very strong manager before (Brendan Rodgers), they have a very strong one now and Klopp has the personality to do well there.”

A draw is on the cards tonight at Anfield in my opinion which will suit both Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp to be perfectly honest. A draw would see Arsenal maintain top spot regardless of if Leicester can get a result away at in form Tottenham whilst for Liverpool it would move them joint seventh with Crystal Palace and within striking distance of 4^th placed Spurs.

January transfer window improvements: Liverpool and Manchester City.

Liverpool

Liverpool look like a completely different and rejuvenated side since the clubs hierarchy took the decision to swap in Jurgen Klopp for Brendan Rodgers in late October. The German manager has breathed fresh confidence into his players since his arrival on Merseyside and has reaped the rewards, watching his Liverpool side progressing in the Europa League whilst also reaching the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup thanks to the 6-1 dismantling of Southampton at St Mary’s in early December.

Where to improve?

Now this is a very tricky question. Let’s start with wingers. Ever since I was a young boy Liverpool have been a very attacking outfit but recently they’ve lost their way a bit going forward. Don’t get me wrong Liverpool still possess the players capable of playing the opposition off the park and yes, we’ve seen that this year with the 4-1 win away at Manchester City among other results but at the same time, the Merseysiders have also become a team that have become prone to lower the odd game to ‘lesser’ Premier League sides. For me Jurgen Klopp needs to bring a couple of quality flying wingers to excite the Anfield crowd again. Players like Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino are fantastic but when deployed in a wide position, as Rodgers often did, they are not effective enough. The main problem for me with Brendan Rodgers tactics last season and the start of this were that he flooded the centre of the park with Can, Lallana, Coutinho, Allen and Lucas Leiva to name a few in a defensive manner, the sort of play Liverpool fans don’t want, they prefer the old days of ‘we’ll score one more than you’, of free-flowing attacking football. Maybe Marco Reus is an unrealistic transfer target at this early stage of Klopp’s tenure but I’d personally love to see someone like Lorenzo Insigne of Napoli or Andriy Yarmolenko of Dynamo Kiev bossing the wings at

Andriy Yarmolenko would be an exciting addition for Klopp to invest in.

Anfield. A new goalkeeper could be a good option for Jurgen Klopp to take as well as Simon Mingolet has little competition over the starting spot at Anfield this year as rumours circulate linking German shot stoppers Timo Horn and Bernd Leno with a move to Merseyside in January.

Manchester City

Manchester City have had a very indifferent start to the season. With the demise of Chelsea, the Premier League trophy should be heading back to the Etihad Stadium according to most pundits and football fans alike but the blues, despite been top of the league, have somewhat stuttered recently in the league. It would be unfair however to not state that Manuel Pellegrini’s men have not had their fair share of injuries up until this point of the season. Star players like Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva have very rarely started matches together this term but despite this Manchester City have put in some impressive performances both as a team and on an individual level. The capture of Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg in the summer has been key as he’s proving a lot of people wrong who claimed his transfer sum to the Citizens was far too large with the attacker banging in the goals and creating plenty at the same time. Other players have further shone this season so far with the likes of Raheem Sterling impressing out wide. We also have to make the point that City have already progressed through to the next round of the Champions League, a feat that should be applauded as the team overcame a difficult group which included Italian giants Juventus, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Capital One cup where they next face Everton.

Where to improve?

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure that Manchester City have to make any signings in the January transfer window. Manuel Pellegrini’s side have plenty of strength in depth which is fundamentally the main reason as to why City already top the Premier League table heading into the Christmas period. The return of key players from injury will only strengthen the clubs title ambitions and I don’t see any reason as to why Manchester City won’t be Premier League champions come May despite shaking performances in the league thus far. If the newspapers are to be believed Spanish playmaker Isco could be heading to Manchester from Real Madrid but is this what City need? The blues already have David Silva, who on his day has the ability to be the best players in the Premier League, the Manchester side also have new signing Kevin De Bruyne who has adapted well on his Premier League return and

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has really impressed so far this season.

Raheem Sterling who has been deployed through the middle this season on numerous occasions to great effect. Manuel Pellegrini should instead be looking at his back four as both full backs in Clichy and Zabaleta are ageing and will soon need to be replaced as the full-back rule in modern day football is very demanding in turns of getting up and down the wing at pace. A new centre back could also be a good addition for Manchester City as Vincent Kompany has really struggled with his fitness this campaign meaning the side has been weaker at the back as Mangala has again struggled with his form so far this term.

Predicted Premier League positions for this season.

We take a look at what I believe the Premier League table will look like at the end of the 2015/2016 season including my predictions on which teams will win the two English domestic trophies during the course of the season as well.

1^{st –} Chelsea
2^{nd –}Arsenal
3^{rd –} Manchester City
4^{th –} Manchester United
5^{th –} Liverpool
6^{th –} Tottenham
7^{th –} Southampton
8^{th –} Everton
9^{th –} Crystal Palace
10^{th –} Stoke
11^{th –} Swansea
12^{th –} West Ham
13^{th –} Newcastle
14^{th –} Aston Villa
15^{th –} West Bromwich Albion
16^{th –} Bournemouth
17^{th –} Sunderland
18^{th –} Watford
19^{th –} Leicester City
20^{th –} Norwich

Capital One Cup winners – Liverpool
FA Cup winners – Manchester United

Transfer of Christian Benteke to Liverpool agreed.

It is been reported this morning that Aston Villa’s Belgian striker Christian Benteke is on the verge of signing for Premier League rivals Liverpool in a deal eventually worth £32.5 million. It is said that the Anfield based club have triggered the strikers release clause that was in his Aston Villa contract and that the forward is due to travel to Merseyside for a medical early next week, likely to be on Monday.

Christian Benteke is expected to join Liverpool early next week in a transfer worth around £32.5 million.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool’s chief executive, worked through into the early hours of Sunday morning in Australia, where Liverpool are on their pre-season tour, in discussions with Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox in order to strike a deal for the forward and hand manager Brendan Rodgers the player he has coveted all summer and whom he has admired for more than 18 months. Liverpool’s club doctor Andy Massey will now fly back to Liverpool to oversee the tests in London and should all go according to plan, Christian Benteke will be able to start his new career with Liverpool at their Melwood training base.

It has been decided it would be asking too much to fly Benteke out to Malaysia to join Liverpool’s squad for the final game of their pre-season tour in Kuala Lumpur on Friday and instead he will work with Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho, who are due back at Melwood on Wednesday.

The Belgian striker has been a massive success at Aston Villa where he has managed to score 49 goals in 100 total appearances for the club. This represents a ratio of just under a goal in every two appearances at the Midlands side.

Christian Benteke in action last season for Aston Villa.

Although a massive transfer fee is being touted in order for Liverpool to sign the striker, it represents a great outlay of funds for the club. This is due to the fact that Liverpool need a big name striker to play alongside and fill in for the injury prone Daniel Sturridge who can bag plenty of goals during his stay at the club. Christian Benteke is already a proven Premier League striker and his conversion rate in front of goal  will only increase playing in front of star names such as Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson. Expect Benteke to make an impact at Anfield if this transfer is completed.

Ranking the Premier League summer transfers that are already completed #2

We once again look at some more of the transfers that have already been completed by Premier League clubs so far this transfer window period.

Radamel Falcao – Chelsea

Starting with a somewhat controversial transfer for Chelsea who have signed Colombian international striker Falcao from AS Monaco on loan for a season similar to the decision Manchester United made last summer.

Chelsea signed Monaco striker Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan deal, with the option to make the deal permanent at the end of last month in a move by Jose Mourinho to give Chelsea some strength in depth going forward. The 29-year-old Colombia international spent last season on loan at Manchester United where he only managed to score four goals in 29 appearances for the Red Devils.

Falcao now links up with former Atletico Madrid team-mates Thibaut Courtois, Filipe Luis and Diego Costa at the London club with Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic, 20, going the other way on loan for the season to the French outfit. Upon agreeing to join Chelsea for a season, Falcao said: “I am very happy to be joining Chelsea. I can’t wait to start training, to help with our aim of retaining the league title and being successful in Europe.”

The striker scored 62 goals in two seasons for FC Porto between 2009 and 2011, before joining Atletico Madrid. After 70 goals in two prolific seasons with the Spanish side, Monaco signed him for £50m in 2013.

Although many won’t agree, I believe that this could be a great move for both Falcao and Chelsea and here’s why. Firstly for Chelsea, money is no objective, regardless of the size of Radamel Falcao’s wage, Chelsea and Abramovich can easily accommodate whatever the Colombian demands in terms of a weekly wage. Further, although Falcao struggled massively last season at Manchester United, many argue that class is permanent and it wouldn’t be surprising if the forward managed to grab 15+ goals next season for the Premier League champions.

B+

 

Nathaniel Clyne – Liverpool

Nathaniel Clyne signed for Liverpool from Premier League rivals Southampton for £12.5m. The young English right back had been courted by various Premier League outfits according to media reports prior to his transfer to Anfield.

Initially, the Reds had a £10m bid for the England right-back rejected but decided to make another further improved big of around £12 million which persuaded Southampton to cash in on the young defender. The 24-year-old agreed a five-year deal with the Premier League side that will keep him at the club until the 2020/2021 season. “I’m delighted and it’s a dream move for me to come here and play for such a big club with all of its history,” Clyne told the club website. “As soon as Liverpool showed their interest in me, I was happy and just wanted the deal to go through.” Clyne, who had a year left on his Saints contract, admitted.

Clyne’s former boss at Crystal Palace, Neil Warnock , has spoken out about the right back stating that: “For me, he’s the best defensive right-back that we’ve got in England – by a mile. And now he’ll move up a gear, he can go to the top level. It doesn’t bother him, it doesn’t faze him.”

The signing of Nathaniel Clyne is a fantastic acquisition for Liverpool as the right back position was one that the club have struggled to fill. At first Glen Johnson played well there but his performances tailed off during his Anfield career which ultimately led to his departures this summer and sign for Stoke City whilst the loan signing of Javier Manquillo from Atletico Madrid didn’t work out for the Reds.

A-

 

Etienne Capoue – Watford

For a club record transfer fee, Premier League new boys Watford have signed France midfielder Etienne Capoue from Tottenham Hotspur on a four-year contract. The move outlines the Hornets ambition to avoid relegation in their first season back at the top level of English football since the 2006-2007 season.

The 26-year-old joined Spurs from Toulouse in 2013, but only made 24 league appearances over two seasons. He has further been capped seven times by his country, scoring once against Belarus in 2012.

Although struggling to make an impact at Tottenham in his time at the club, Etienne Capoue could be a welcome addition to the Watford side. His power and strength coupled with his good passing ability will come in handy for the promoted side as he can break up opposition play, especially alongside Watford’s other new midfield  signing Valon Behrami.

B

 

Petr Cech – Arsenal

In a deal reported to be worth around £10 million, Arsenal have signed goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea. The Czech Republic goalkeeper, who played more than 400 club games in 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge, has joined the Gunners on a four-year contract. Cech, 33, made only seven league appearances last season after losing his place to Belgian Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge as he looks to overtake Wojciech Szczęsny as Arsenal’s number one stopper.

In a letter to Chelsea fans,  Cech said he thought he would retire at Stamford Bridge, but added: “Life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will.” He wrote: “Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper, but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season, it became clear that my situation would not improve and – as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench – I made my decision to move and look for new challenges.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: “Petr Cech is a player I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased he has decided to join us.”

Cech, brought to Stamford Bridge from French club Rennes in July 2004, won 13 trophies with Chelsea – including one Champions League and four Premier League titles. During his time, Petr Cech set a club goalkeeping record of 228 clean sheets in all competitions, beating the previous highest total of 208, set by former England international Peter Bonetti between 1960 and 1979.

The transfer was well received by Arsenal’s first team players including midfielder Aaron Ramsey who responded by posting on Twitter saying:  “Wow, what a signing. One of the best Premier League keepers ever.”

The signing of Petr Cech could propel Arsenal into genuine title contenders next season as in recent times the goalkeeper position at the North London club has been a problem area for boss Arsene Wenger. If played over current number one Szczęsny, which is likely to happen, Petr Cech could gift Arsenal valuable points next season in their pursuit of the Premier League title for the first time since the 2003–04 season.

A

 

Georginio Wijnaldum – Newcastle

Last week, Georginio Wijnaldum became the third most expensive signing in Newcastle United’s history after completing his move from PSV Eindhoven. The 24-year-old Holland international signed for a fee understood to be in the region of €20m, about £14.4m, after agreeing a five-year deal with the Geordie outfit.

On his arrival at St James Park for his unveiling, the attacking midfielder said: “I’m delighted to be a Newcastle United player. I felt the time was right for me to move and the club have shown they really want me, so I’m very happy to be here.”

Wijnaldum, a Rotterdam-born player who came through the ranks at Feyenoord, made 130 appearances for PSV and scored 47 goals during his four seasons at the Philips Stadion. Forty of those appearances and 16 of the goals came as captain last season as the club cruised to the Eredivisie title, finishing 17 points ahead of their closest rivals, Ajax. The 24 year old midfielder further has 19 senior caps for the Dutch international team and represented his country at the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014.

Although a hefty price to pay for a side like Newcastle in the position they are currently in, Wijnaldum could become a very important player for the side. His attacking prowess and ability to pick out world class through balls will give forwards such as Ayose Perez the chances needed to make a mark on the Premier League next season.

A

 

Danny Ings – Liverpool

In a free transfer, Liverpool captured former Burnley striker Danny Ings at the end of June. The England Under-21 international was out of contract at Turf Moor and joined up with Anfield club on the 1st July after passing his medical.

However due to the strikers young age, still only 22, The Clarets are entitled to compensation for the transfer of Ings to Merseyside especially as the clubs have not yet agreed a transfer fee for the striker in question. Ings, who scored 11 goals in the Premier League last season is looking to improve Liverpool’s forward line who could only muster 8 goals between them last season.

Further, although a ‘free transfer’ in essence, Danny Ings’ move to Liverpool from Burnley has become the latest to require a valuation by transfer tribunal. Liverpool are believed to have offered just short of £6m for the player but Lancashire club Burnley, now in the Championship, want something closer to the £10m mark for the forward. A tribunal is only needed when a player under the age of 24 moves clubs having reached the end of his contract. Whatever valuation the tribunal comes up with is non-negotiable. The player has already changed clubs and there is no right of appeal on either side once a figure has been reached.

Considering this move is likely to cost Liverpool around £8 million in the end, I wonder if this signing is a good move for the club. Last season Liverpool struggled with their misfiring front line and needed goals from midfield to compensate for the no-show of Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert in particular. Will Dann Ings realistically come in and bag enough goals to keep the Anfield faithful happy? For this transfer to work in my opinion, Liverpool need to drop Balotelli and Lambert and still bring in a superstar forward to work with Daniel Sturridge meaning there will be far less pressure on the shoulders of Danny Ings to start with.

C

Ranking the Premier League summer transfers that are already completed #1

We look at and rank some of the summer transfers already completed in the Premier League. From Liverpool to Swansea, can these signings make a name for themselves at their new clubs this season?

Roberto Firmino – Liverpool

Starting his career with Figueirense in 2009, Firmino spent four-and-a-half seasons at Hoffenheim, helping them to promotion to the Bundesliga in the process. His 16 goals in 33 games for the 2013–14 Bundesliga season earned him the award for the league’s ‘Breakthrough player of the season’. The Brazillian attacking midfielder signed for Liverpool back in July for a sum of around £29 million.

Roberto Firmino has stated upon his arrival in the Premier League that “of course, everything will once again be new to me at the start. I’m going to have to get used to a new style of play but I’ll also get the opportunity to improve my game even further. Of course, I want to be a regular starter at Liverpool and be successful with my new team.”

Although a huge sum of money was needed to acquire the services of Roberto Firmino for Liverpool, I believe that he has the skill and technical capability to thrive in front of the Kop at Anfield. A midfield three of Firmino, Lallana and Coutinho sat behind Daniel Sturrdige could prove to be a winning formula for the Merseyside club next season in their quest for a top four finish.

B+

 

Cedric Soares – Southampton

Cedric Soares, known simply as Cedric, is a Portuguese right back whom became Southampton’s second signing of the summer when he joined on a four-year deal in June. The 23 year old has a growing reputation due to his strong performances at former club Sporting Lisbon and his representation of Portugal at every level from Under-16 upwards, gaining 72 youth caps in total. Cedric further has 4 caps for senior Portuguese national side.  Cedric is known for his attacking instincts and ability and desire to bomb forward from full-back. These are attributes which should suit him well at Southampton, who utilised the attacking combinations of full-backs Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand to great effect last season.

In an interview with Southampton’s official website, Cedric stated that “everyone knows that the Premier League is a very, very good league – maybe the best one in the world – so for me it’s a pleasure to be here, but even more of a pleasure to be in Southampton. Southampton is a big, big club in England and is very respected. It’s a club with a lot of history and, for me, it’s very important to play for a big club. I think this is a very good move.”

Southampton’s move for Cedric Soares was key for the club to fill the vacant position left behind by Nathaniel Clyne who has since moved to Premier League rivals Liverpool. With a rumoured transfer fee of only £5 million involved, Southampton have got a great deal here. The pacey right back will be a consistent player for Southampton next year as the club look to further improve in the future.

B+

 

Toby Alderweireld – Tottenham

Tottenham signed Toby Alderweireld for an undisclosed fee from Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract earlier this month. Alderweireld, who was on loan at Southampton last season from the La Liga side, is a solid signing for the North London club. The 26-year-old Belgium defender made 26 Premier League appearances last season. The defender has spoken about his move to Spurs stating that he was “looking forward to this but also looking back at a great Southampton season. Great club and fans,” he said. Alderweireld added he was “very proud” to be a Tottenham player and hoped “to have a wonderful time with this team”.

It is still been rumoured however that the Saints may take legal action against the transfer as the club believed they had an option to buy the centre-back for £6.8m unless Atletico paid £1.5m to buy back that clause but are understood to have not proceeded with this option. The centre back has 47 caps for Belgium and joins international team-mates Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen at White Hart Lane. “It’s a big club and it’s always been a dream to play at a club like Spurs,” he told Tottenham’s website further adding “now that dream is coming true so I’m very happy, very proud and I will give my best.”

Alderweireld started his career at Ajax and won three Dutch Eredivisie titles in nine seasons at the club. He moved to Atletico Madrid in September 2013 and, in his only season at the club before moving to Southampton, helped them to the Spanish league title and final of the Champions League, which they lost to rivals Real Madrid.

This signing is shrewd business for Tottenham who have substantially improved their back line with the acquisition of Toby Alderweireld. The transfer is said to be worth around £8 million which could prove to be a steal for the North London club.

A-

 

Dimitri Payet – West Ham United

What a signing this could prove to be for West Ham! A team that is use to mid table obscurity within recent seasons, this transfer signals a real intent at the London club to make strides forward and to possibly challenge for a top eight finish next season.

West Ham United completed the signing of the Marseille forward Dimitri Payet for a fee believed to be £10.7m in late June. The east London club announced that Payet, 28, have signed a five-year deal with a further one-year option and becomes a major addition to the playing squad under their new manager, Slaven Bilic.

“West Ham really showed me that they wanted me to come, both the joint-chairmen [David Gold and David Sullivan] and the manager,” Payet told the club’s website. “That’s very important for me. I was also keen to sign up to a clear project. West Ham’s is very interesting and matches perfectly with my ambitions. “I’m an attacking footballer and that they’re counting on me to help achieve that gives me a sense of responsibility. It’s true that it’s taken a little while but that’s normal negotiations are like that. But now that it’s done, I’m very happy.”

The versatile Payet topped the Ligue 1 assist charts last season with 16 in 36 appearances, as well as scoring seven goals for a Marseille side who came fourth in Ligue 1 last season. He can play in a number of attacking positions, adding depth and variation to a frontline. Payet, who spent two seasons at Marseille after playing for Nantes, Saint-Étienne and Lille, also has 15 caps for France.

This is a fantastic singing for the Hammers who are developing an exciting forward line which further includes Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sahko. Although a large transfer fee for a mid-table team, Payet will be a success at West Ham and in the Premier League in general.

A

 

Yohann Cabaye – Crystal Palace

Today, Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Yohan Cabaye from French champions Paris St-Germain for a club-record transfer fee of £10m. Palace have announced that the 29-year-old midfielder has joined on a three-year deal, with the fee possibly rising to around £13m with add-ons. Cabaye joined PSG from Newcastle for £19m in January 2014 but started just 13 matches as Laurent Blanc’s side won a domestic treble last season. Further, Palace manager Alan Pardew signed Cabaye from Lille in 2011 during his time as Newcastle boss, with the France international going on to score 18 goals in 93 appearances for the Magpies.

Cabaye said he was focused on his “new life” and believed that Palace could “compete to get into the top eight”. He said: “I also know the gaffer and have worked with him before and I’m confident with him. I want to do my best for him because he’s made a big effort to get me to come here, as well as the chairman.”

Signing Cabaye is a huge coup for Crystal Palace, a club who until 12 months ago had never survived relegation from the Premier League. Cabaye comes in and adds true quality and an eye for goal to the midfield of a team which played superbly under Pardew in the second half of last season.

Just like Payet at West Ham United, Yohann Cabaye represents a huge outlay for Crystal Palace but brings a sense of intrigue and class to their central midfield position. The signing of the French international could propel Palace further up the league table and could see them achieve a top ten finish in the 2015/2016 season under Alan Pardew.

A

 

Joselu – Stoke City

Stoke City confirmed that they had signed Hannover 96 striker Joselu for a fee of €8 million (£5.7m) in late June.  The striker became the club’s second acquisition of the summer, after goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard, with the club announcing that they have paid £5.7 million for the forward. Joselu – full name Jose Luis Sanmartin Mato – is a 6ft 3in striker, a good finisher whom possesses the pace to stretch defences. For Hannover last season, the 25-year-old Joselu won 188 aerial duels, more than any player in the Premier League managed.

The 25-year-old, who joined Real Madrid as a teenager before leaving for the Bundesliga, becomes the third Spaniard at the Britannia Stadium alongside Bojan Krkic and Marc Muniesa. Joselu scored eight goals in 30 Bundesliga appearances last season, whilst also providing four assists, and it has been reported that the deal could cost over £7 million in total, when both wages and transfer fee are factored in.

Prior to his stint at Bundesliga side Hannover, Joselu played for Real Madrid Castilla (B team) for two full seasons, pairing up with Alvaro Morata – now of Juventus – in the forward positions. He scored 40 goals in 72 games between 2010 and 2012 for Castilla and managed to score in both first team matches he played a part in.

This transfer further emphasises Stoke City and Mark Hughes move to a more possession and skill based style of play as opposed to a previous style which was based on physicality and long balls under Tony Pulis. However Joselu’s height, at 6ft 3, gives Hughes many options in how to play the forward next season at the Britannia Stadium.

B

 

Andre Ayew – Swansea City

In what could be the transfer coup of the summer so far, Ghana forward André Ayew has joined Swansea on a four-year deal, subject to international clearance on a free transfer. The 25-year-old midfielder was out of contract at Marseille and will now join the Premier League club who have been looking to strengthen their forward options since Wilfried Bony was sold to Manchester City in January.

Ayew, who was on target against the United States and Germany at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has won more than 60 caps for Ghana, playing in four African Cup of Nations and two World Cups, and had scored 52 goals in 181 games for Marseille since making his debut in 2007 for the Ligue 1 side.

On Sky Sports News, Andre Ayew said “I looked left and right and I thought Swansea was the best choice for me to grow as player, not only football-wise but I heard about the squad, how the players live together and the team spirit. So I thought it was great to come to Swansea because I know how positive it is here. I’m going to do everything to be ready to adapt but I’m lucky because I’ve played against a lot of English players in the Champions League. I’ll have a pre-season to get ready before the season starts, so I’ll have time to adapt.”

With an impressive record of scoring from midfielder, Andre Ayew looks like he will fit in well at the Liberty Stadium alongside other midfielders such as Jonjo Shelvey, who just signed a new four year deal, and Gylfi Sigurðsson. To further get a player of his stature on a free transfer, Swansea have taken another great step in the right direction.

A –

Yevhen Konoplyanka: A hidden gem?

Yevhen Konoplyanka  is a Ukrainian footballer who currently plays as a winger for FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League however is due to leave the club when his current deal runs out this summer.

The talented Ukrainian winger has spent his entire professional career at FC Dnipro, making his debut in 2007 and has since featured in over 200 matches across all competitions for the Ukrainian based team. Konoplyanka has further featured as a full international for Ukraine since 2010 earning 45 caps for his country whilst scoring 10 international goals in the process.

Konoplyanka battles with Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy whilst on duty for the Ukrainian national team

Known for his rapid pace and agility in particular, the Ukrainian youngster, still only 25 years old, is wanted by a number of major European clubs. His most likely destination is rumoured to be Tottenham who are wanting a new winger incase they lose current player Andros Townsend whom is wanted by various other Premier League clubs including Midlands club Aston Villa. Liverpool, who were close to a transfer for the forward last season, could also make a move for Konoplyanka despite already buying Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino. Spanish club Sevilla have recently stated that their interest in the winger was now over.

Yevhen Konoplyanka would represent Mauricio Pochettino’s second major signing of the close season at the North London club, having already snapped up Cologne defender Kevin Wimmer.

Who are the real young stars of the European U21 Championship?

We take a look at the stand out players at this years European U21 Championship.

Domenico Berardi – Striker (Juventus)

Born in Cariati, Calabria, Berardi joined the youth academy of Cosenza at the age of 13, before moving to Sassuolo at the age of 16. Berardi there made his senior debut for Sassuolo on the 27th August 2012. In 2013, he was named Best Player of the Serie B and later was described as the “undoubted star of the Sassuolo side.”

On the 2nd September 2013, Juventus confirmed that Berardi had joined the club on a co-ownership basis that saw Luca Marrone transfer in the opposite direction for a fee of €4.5 million. Since his move to the Italian giants Domenico Berardi has since moved back to Sassuolo on loan, bagging 31 goals in only 61 appearances.

So far in the Under-21 European Championship the 6ft 1in striker has managed to get his name on the scoresheet once in two games and has played well despite the Italian teams poor impact on the tournament so far.

Berardi is regarded as one of the most talented and promising young footballers of his generation.

Harry Kane – Striker (Tottenham)

A name familiar to followers of the English Premier League after his fantastic form this year, Harry Kane is an English international footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team as a forward.

The striker born in Chingford has this season rose through the ranks at Tottenham and become a key player for the North London club. Scoring 31 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions this season, Kane was the Premier Leagues third top scorer, behind Segio Aguero and Diego Costa, and has since drawn similarities to German legend Jurgen Klinsmann in the way he plays. His form this season led to Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time top scorer, saying in March that Kane “seems to have that natural ability to get goals. He’s also young, fresh and his attitude appears to be very, very good…It looks as if he could have a very good future in the game.”

Kane has in fact represented England at all youth levels, playing for the under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 sides and managed to score on his senior international debut on 27 March 2015 vs Lithuania.

Kevin Volland – Attacking midfielder (Hoffenheim)

Kevin Volland is a 22 year old German footballer who plays as a winger for the Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim.

Kevin Volland, previously at 1860 Munchen, moved to Hoffenheim in 2012 and has since shone at the German Bundesliga side. Throughout the 2012–13 season, Volland scored six goals and provided a further 12 assists. During the 2013–14 season, Volland improved his scoring total, registering nine goals and contributing a further eight assists. As a reward for his strong start with the club, Hoffenheim extended his contract on 28 July 2013, through 2017. Since then various Premier League clubs have been said to be interested in Kevin Volland including Liverpool and Manchester City.

Kevin Volland has scored 11 goals in 20 appearances for the German U21 national side and has so far managed to grab two goals and an assist in Germanys games vs Denmark and Serbia in the group stages at the European U21 Championship.

William Carvalho – Defensive midfielder (Sporting Lisbon)

William Carvalho is a Portuguese central defensive midfielder who currently plays for Sporting Lisbon in the Primeira Liga.

The 23 year old has been the subject of a £28.5 million transfer bid from Premier League runners up Arsenal already this summer and is also currently the subject of interest from Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United. Various media outlets are reporting that it is highly likely that William Carvalho will not be at the Estadio Jose Alvalade next season.

His strong performances so far at the U21 Championship, especially in his national sides game vs England, have warranted much praise from both fans and pundits alike. The midfielder further made two appearances at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil for the full national Portugal team.

Max Meyer – Attacking midfielder (Schalke 04)

An upcoming star in the German top flight, Maxillian Meyer is a 19 year old, German footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or as a forward for Bundesliga side Schalke 04.

Max Meyer has starred at all levels in the German national youth set up. The young midfielder was part of the Germany under-17 squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in which he managed to score three goals and further helped Germany to reach the final which the side would eventual lose in a penalty shoot-out to the Netherlands. Regardless, Meyer was in fact top scorer at the tournament and was duly awarded ‘best player of the tournament’. Since then, Meyer was in fact included in the 30 man provisional senior squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup and later that year on the 13th May 2014 made his senior international debut against rivals Poland.

A player that has world class dribbling technique and abilities and possesses great pace and speed, Max Meyers playing style is usually compared to that of fellow German star Mario Götze and superstar Lionel Messi.

Max Meyer has appeared in both of Germanys games so far in this year’s European U21 Championship.

John Stones – Defender (Everton)

A commanding centre back for Premier League side Everton, John Stones is an upcoming English international talent well known to followers of the Premier League. Still only 21 years old, Stones can also play at right back if necessary.

John Stones signed a five and a half year deal with Everton on the 31st January 2013 for a transfer fee reported to be in the region of £3 million from then Championship side Barnsley. Stones made his league debut as a late substitute in a 1–0 home win over Chelsea in September 2013 and started his first Premier League game for Everton in a 1–1 away draw against Stoke City in January 2014. His impact during his early spell in the first team at the Merseyside club warranted a new 5-year contract that will keep him with Everton until 2019. It is widely believed that the contract is worth around £30,000 a week to the young English star. Since then John Stones has been linked with a transfer to both Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City.

Stones made his first senior England start in a friendly against Norway at Wembley Stadium on the 3^rd September 2014 and five days later made his competitive debut in a 2–0 victory away to Switzerland.

John Stones is yet to feature in an England shirt so far in this year’s European U21 Championship finals.

Emre Can – Defensive midfielder (Liverpool)

Emre Can is a 20 year old, German footballer who plays for English club Liverpool as a natural central midfielder. Known for being a versatile football player, Emre Can can also play as a defensive midfielder, centre-back or full-back.

Emre Can began his career at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, playing mostly in its reserve side before transferring to Bayer Leverkusen in 2013. A season later, Brenden Rodgers brought the German youngster to Liverpool for a transfer fee of around £9.75 million, activating his release clause at Leverkusen. Emre Can has enjoyed a strong start at Liverpool despite playing at central defence under Rodgers, a position he is less natural to.

Can has represented Germany from Under-15 to Under-21 level but is yet to make his full debut for the German senior international side. Many football experts have compared him to fellow German midfielders Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger, because of his ability to attack and defend whilst playing in central midfield.

Can has played in both games so far for the under-21 team at the 2015 European Championship in the Czech Republic. In their opening game in Prague, Can scored with a 17^th minute equaliser from the edge of the penalty area in a 1–1 draw against Serbia and has since assisted once in the country’s game vs Denmark.

Top transfers that could happen this summer transfer window

As the 2014/2015 football season draws to a close we look at some of the major transfers that could occur this summer and decide how likely each signing is.

Arturo Vidal – Manchester United

Juventus’ Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal is one of Louis Van Gaal’s top transfer targets this summer as he looks to create another title challenging team at Old Trafford. Arturo Vidal has been at Juventus since 2011 joining for €10.5 million on a five-year contract from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in which time he has won the Serie A four times as well as three other major domestic trophies. Vidal has played as a box-to-box midfielder for most of his career as the South American is capable of assisting his team-mates in both defence and attack leading to the Italian press nicknaming him as ‘The Warrior’. The Chilean possesses all round fantastic attributes including pace, technique, stamina, marking, positioning, tackling and anticipation which leaves him as a desired target for the other major European clubs as Vidal has become one of the best complete midfielders currently in the world. Early reports suggest that a fee of around £40 million would be needed to prise the player away from Italy but with Manchester United’s huge summer budget, a deal could easily take place between the two clubs.

Premier League rivals Arsenal are also lining up a bid for the Juventus star according to many media sources, apart from ESPN who state that Arsene Wenger is not looking to do any business with the Turin club.

Chance of transfer – 70%

Paul Pogba – Manchester City/Chelsea

Another Juventus midfielder that could be leaving the Serie A this summer for the Barclays Premier League is Paul Pogba. The gifted French youngster is rapidly becoming one of the most influential midfielders on the continent as this season he has played a massive part in both Juventus’ Serie A title and the teams charge towards the Champions League final against Barcelona. Pogba, who was released by Manchester United in 2012, received the prestigious Golden Boy award for 2013 and has since become one of the best young players in the world, winning the 2014 World Cup tournament’s ‘Best young player’ award. Scoring an impressive 20 goals in 89 appearances from midfield for Juventus, Paul Pogba is a well-rounded box-to-box midfielder who is capable of changing a game both in attack and defence.

Both Manchester City and Chelsea are keen on a deal that would bring the French midfielder, still only 22 years old, to the Premier League this summer with Metro reporting that it is in fact Chelsea in pole position for his signature this summer.

Chance of transfer – 65%

Christian Benteke – Liverpool

It’s no secret that Christian Benteke wants a move away from Aston Villa this summer. The striker has recently stated that he wants to play European football next season; something the Midlands club can’t offer their star forward. Scoring 42 times in 88 appearances for Villa, Benteke is known for his strength and powerful all-round play as well as his finishing. The 24 year old’s impressive goal scoring ratio in the Barclays Premier League has alerted Merseyside side Liverpool in particular as Brenden Rodgers looks for a striker to couple up with Daniel Sturridge. The striker has a £32.5 million release clause in his current contract at Aston Villa, a small fortune that Liverpool could afford.

Chance of transfer – 95%

Radamel Falcao – Chelsea

Although massively out of form during his loan spell at Manchester United this season, Premier League rivals Chelsea are said to be interested in making a move for Colombian striker Radamel Falcao during this summer’s transfer window. With a fee of around £25 million been discussed between Chelsea and AS Monaco over a potential transfer, Falcao could be returning to the Premier League next season.

Chance of transfer – 60%

Raheem Sterling – Real Madrid

Sterling was part of the youth set up at London football club Queens Park Rangers prior to a move to Liverpool under Rafa Benitez at the time in 2010 for an initial fee of £650,000, expected to have since moved up to the £5 million mark. Since then, Sterling has shone for the Reds making 91 appearances for the team and scoring 18 goals in all competitions in the past four seasons. Although struggling this season for Liverpool, the youngster enjoyed the 2013/2014 season where Liverpool boss Brenden Rodgers introduced him into his Premier League starting XI towards the middle part of the season. In 2014 Sterling further claimed the prestigious ‘Golden Boy’ award, previously won by Lionel Messi in 2005, recognising him as the best under-21 player playing in Europe during that season.

After Sterling’s agent Aidy Ward last week claimed ‘he’d even reject £900,000-a-week if Liverpool offered it’, it is almost certain that Sterling will not be a Liverpool player by the start of next season even though the club have stated that he is not for sale at any price. Real Madrid are slowly becoming the favourites in the race for the Liverpool youngster, especially as Rafa Benitez looks set to take charge at the Bernabeu. This transfer race has a long way to go yet though with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all further interested in the forward.

Chance of transfer – 80%

Jackson Martinez – Arsenal

Jackson Martinez has been in fine form again this season for Portuguese side FC Porto. The Colombian striker, also captain at the club, has hit 21 goals in 29 Liga Sagres games for Porto this season as the club finished second behind rivals Benfica. Columnist Tim Vickery has previously described Jackson as “an out-and-out goalscorer, a front-to-goal centre-forward who can finish off both feet”. The Colombian striker has been Primeira Liga top scorer in all three of his seasons at FC Porto.

The Daily Express has reported that Jackson Martinez has permission to join Arsenal or Liverpool this summer although Arsenal are very heavy favourites to sign the Colombian forward from FC Porto as the striker is said to want regular Champions League football.

Chance of transfer – 95%

Dani Alves – Manchester United

Barcelona’s Brazilian right back Dani Alves could be moving to the Premier League this season according to some media reports. The Guardian is reporting that Premier League club Manchester United believe that they’re in pole position to sign the 32 year old from the Spanish giants. With Dani Alves becoming a free agent this summer, Barcelona have little power in stopping the Brazilian making a move across Europe. French giants PSG are also said to be interested in a deal for the right back however manager Laurent Blanc has stated that he believes the player will remain at Barcelona for the foreseeable future.

Chance of transfer – 70%

Nathaniel Clyne – Liverpool

Liverpool’s need for a quality right back is desperate as Glen Johnson has struggled this season under pressure. Nathaniel Clyne, only 24 years old, has had an outstanding and very consistent season for south coast Premier League club Southampton and as the right back is only valued at around £15 million, could prove to be a steal for the Merseyside club. Formerly an international at under-19 and under-21 level, Clyne made his senior international debut for England in November 2014 after an impressive start to the 2014/2015 season. He began his career at London club Crystal Palace, playing regularly in four Championship seasons before a move to Southampton, where he has played three seasons in the Premier League.

Chance of transfer – 80%

Morgan Schneiderlin – Manchester United/Arsenal

Southampton’s central defensive midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is one of the most sought after transfers this summer. It is said that Manchester United and Tottenham are interested in the Frenchman however Arsenal are favourites to win the race for his signature. Regardless of this though, Schneiderlin himself has stated a desire to play for Manchester United with it been reported that he has told his close friends that a move to the Red Devils would be his preferred destination according to the Daily Star.

The midfielder has stated a desire to play in the Champions League consistently, something both Manchester United and Arsenal can offer. It is expected that in order to sign the French international both teams will have to part with around £25 million.

Chance of transfer – 90%

Where will Raheem Sterling be playing next season?

The latest new reports on the situation involving young Liverpool star Raheem Sterling state that the main reason behind the players proposed move away from Merseyside is due to his desire to move back home to London where he grew up as a child, the Daily Star reports. Prior to his move to the UK, Sterling in fact grew up in the country of Jamaica leaving for London at the age of 7. Sterling was part of the youth set up at London football club Queens Park Rangers prior to a move to Liverpool under Rafa Benitez at the time in 2010 for an initial fee of £650,000, expected to have since moved up to the £5 million mark. Since then, Sterling has shone for the Reds making 91 appearances for the team and scoring 18 goals in all competitions in the past four seasons.

Although struggling this season for Liverpool, the youngster enjoyed the 2013/2014 season where Liverpool boss Brenden Rodgers introduced him into his Premier League starting XI towards the middle part of the season. With strong performances came a place for Sterling within Roy Hodgsons England set up and further guaranteed his seat on the flight to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup where he showed his promise as one of the teams only highlights in a dismal campaign on the world stage. In 2014 Sterling further claimed the prestigious ‘Golden Boy’ award, previously won by Lionel Messi in 2005, recognising him as the best under-21 player playing in Europe during that season. His natural rapid pace coupled with his all-round general play which has improved dramatically since moving to Merseyside, has meant that Raheem Sterling has become one of the emerging talents on the world footballing stage.

Will Liverpool sell one of their star assets this summer?

After Sterling’s agent Aidy Ward last week claimed ‘he’d even reject £900,000-a-week if Liverpool offered it’, it is almost certain that Sterling will not be a Liverpool player by the start of next season even though the club have stated that he is not for sale at any price. Therefore with news that Sterling wants to move back to London where could the young footballing star end up? Manchester City and Manchester United are now unlikely destinations for the England international with Chelsea and Arsenal now leading the race for his signature. It is further possible that Sterling too could in fact move abroad, maybe to reunite with Rafa Benitez at Real Madrid if the Spaniard completes a move to the Santiago Bernabéu. Barcelona star midfielder Xavi stated in November 2014 that Sterling was in fact good enough to play for the La Liga club, praising his physical and technical qualities.

It can be stated that after a disappointing season with Liverpool on the whole, Raheem Sterling will want to once again play in the Champions League this time around as the youngster looks to develop into one of the world’s best attacking footballers.

Latest odds on where Sterling will be playing next season – http://www.paddypower.com/bet/football-specials/transfer-specials/Raheem-Sterling%27s-Next-Permanent-Club-7740854.html?force_racing_css=N.