Pep Guardiola & his fantastic dilemma

In the world of football it’s unusual to see a manager so sought after by so many different major clubs however this is the case with Spaniard Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona manager and soon to be former Bayern Munich boss in the summer. A figure that has won 19 major trophies so far in his short but action packed managerial career, Guardiola has already stated his desire to leave the German champions in the summer and pursuit a new career path telling reporters that he next wants to manage in the English Premier League. With five league titles, three domestic cups and two Champions League wins under his belt already, Guardiola is fast becoming one of the greatest football managers in history. For those who enjoy their stats, Guardiola has an overall win percentage of 74% at Barcelona and Bayern Munich so far and is yet to go a single season without winning a major trophy, which isn’t surprising bearing in mind he only holds a loss ratio of just 11% as a manager.

But which Premier League teams are in the market for a new manager? Famed for his three year tenures, Pep Guardiola could provide a short term solution for some of the English giants who have being struggling so far this season but in the long term so far he has proved that maybe his employment is not the best case scenario in terms of future security for teams.

As for his relations at his current club, Bayern Munich, well they’re starting to sour with accusations from German and Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus claiming that the Spaniards head has been turned by speculation on his future. The former German international has also accused Guardiola of already planning his signings for Manchester City should he join them in the summer. Could Pep Guardiola’s attitude in terms of swapping clubs quite often be a problem for teams interested in employing him as manager?

Pep Guardiola has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City this summer.

Manchester City

Despite being third in the Premier League and only three points behind leaders Arsenal, many think that Manchester City have struggled to maintain form this season. Although progressing in the Champions League, where they play Zenit St Petersburg in the first knockout round, Manchester City have struggled for form this season in the league due mostly to frustrating injuries for star players, in particular Vincent Kompany who has been a huge loss for Manuel Pellegrini in defence. Despite this, many feel that Pellegrini’s tenure as manager at the Etihad Stadium is shortly to be up even if he manages to bring home Manchester City’s third Premier League title among other silverware this term. A little harsh maybe?

Granted, the decision to relieve a manager of his duties after a winning season would be harsh but when the chance to hire a manager of Pep Guardiola’s stature comes about, you simply can’t pass up on the opportunity. In my opinion a move to the Etihad would suit all parties involved. Firstly the fans will have the opportunity to watch their team play in a similar style to Barcelona and Bayern Munich, secondly it suits the owners of a team like Manchester City who have in the past sacked a fair amount of managers and due to the fact that Guardiola will be on a shorter contract means a smaller pay out if things backfire and thirdly it suits Pep Guardiola perfectly. In Manchester City the Spanish manager would take charge of a team, arguably with the best squad in the Premier League already, capable of challenging for major trophies even before he puts his own brand on the team. Guardiola further would be gifted with basically unlimited money to spend at City and will have the lure of the world’s best players as the Citizens now enjoy a growing reputation across Europe.

The only negative is a possible further slump in form this season for Manchester City as if Manuel Pellegrini knows that directors are making decisions behind his back, maybe his enthusiasm will wain slightly towards the end of the 2015-2016 season.

Manchester United

Judging by the performances Manchester United have been putting in this season, it’s a pretty safe bet that Louis Van Gaal won’t be in charge at Old Trafford next season. The Red Devils have lacked goals and good all round attacking play massively this season leading to a call from fans for the sacking of their Dutch head coach. The team this season has been a far cry from the team fielded by Alex Ferguson several years ago, a team full of star forwards who bagged goals by the hat full and never lacked a cutting edge.

For me, it’s time for a complete overhaul at Old Trafford, the squad is full of ‘dead wood’ that shouldn’t have a place in the Manchester United squad. It’s the blunt truth that players like Fellani, Januzaj, Valencia, Powell to name but a few are not real Manchester United quality and should be moved on this coming summer. Money isn’t a problem for United, the club is a global brand and moving these players on will bring in revenue so in that case Guardiola would be happy. The need for an overhaul at Old Trafford could be both appealing and off putting for an incoming manager.

Maybe a task to great for Pep Guardiola? As previously mentioned he likes to keep his managerial stints short at clubs and maybe the task in hand at Old Trafford would be better suited for a more experienced manager, a man with previous Premier League experience. A certain Jose Mourinho maybe..

Jose Mourinho could prove to be a better managerial target for the Manchester United hierarchy.

Arsenal

As well as the two Manchester clubs, reports are linking Pep Guardiola with a move to the Emirates over the summer but to be honest, I can’t see this happening. Arsene Wenger has been at Arsenal for a staggering 20 years now yet I can’t see him retiring in the summer regardless of how his team perform for the rest of the season and if he delivers another trophy this season, I can’t see him been ousted by the board any time soon. In Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have a true club legend, a type of manager that is extremely rare these days in terms of his duration at the club and even though the fans persist on having a pop at his tactics every now and again, Wenger continues to impress at the London club.

For Pep Guardiola a move to the Emirates would be ideal, it would represent the same challenges of his first two managerial jobs at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Like Manchester City, Arsenal possess a fantastic squad that is already challenging at the top of the Premier League and is use to featuring in the later stages of the major cup competitions. With a few new recruits, especially a 20 goals a season striker and a top anchorman in midfield, Arsenal would become the favourites to win the title in my opinion. However I just can’t see the Spanish maestro taking over at the Emirates any time soon.

Chelsea

Chelsea could be another very realistic proposition for Pep Guardiola. After Jose Mourinho’s sacking recently and the club announcing that Gus Hiddink will only be staying until the end of the season, the vacancy to manage the London club is there for Guardiola to take. Would this opportunity suit the former Spanish international though?

Chelsea have been extremely poor this season by their own standards. The team languishes near the foot of the table still and has only recently started to show better form in the league, the 3-0 win away at Crystal Palace has been a massive confidence booster. Chelsea are also through in the Champions League but have a tough match up against Paris St Germain in the first knockout round. After the sacking of Jose Mourinho the Chelsea board announced that former manager Gus Hiddink would be stepping in until summer leaving a place for Guardiola to take over after his departure. The challenge in hand at Chelsea represents a situation half way between the jobs in hand at Arsenal and Manchester United, the need for new personnel at the club is there for all to see but the current squad at Stamford Bridge is still easily one of the best in the Premier League, if not Europe on the whole.

This job opportunity is a fantastic one for Pep Guardiola and would suit his policy of keeping his managerial stints at clubs short as Chelsea are famed for changing their first team coach frequently. However taking over as manager of Chelsea offers zero job security after we’ve seen the departure of Jose Mourinho. Despite his team’s very poor results and performances the decision from the Chelsea board to sack their Portuguese legend still came as a shock to most football fans and now shows that taking over the managerial reins at Chelsea is a very difficult task. Take Roberto Di Matteo for an example, as caretaker manager of Chelsea he steered the club to double title success, winning both the FA Cup and the club’s first UEFA Champions League in 2012 but was then sacked the summer after their incredible success’. In my opinion the brutal nature of Chelsea football club in terms of sacking managers will work against them if they try to bring in Pep Guardiola in the summer.

Chelsea have been linked with a move for Pep Guardiola. Could the Spaniard emulate Jose Mourinho’s success at Stamford Bridge?

Whichever way you look at the situation, one thing is definitely clear and that is that Pep Guardiola will be managing a side in the Premier League next season. His tactical genius is there for all to see thanks to his previous exploits as both Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss and with a points per match average as a manager of 2.38 you can expect that whichever team he manages from next season, they will be a force to be reckoned with in all competitions.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RETURNS: TEAMS TO BACK TONIGHT.

MANCHESTER CITY VS JUVENTUS

Without a shadow of doubt the main clash of tonight’s Champions League fixtures comes from the Etihad Stadium as unbeaten Premier League leaders Manchester City play host to Italian champions Juventus. In their recent Champions League history Manchester City have struggled to cope with some of Europe’s top teams and have endure disappointing campaigns in the competition, however this year could be different. The Manchester side have splashed a whopping £142.36 million this summer alone on transfers including the big money acquisitions of Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi and not to forget Kevin De Bruyne which means that Manuel Pellegrini has massive strength in depth for this upcoming season.

As for Juventus, the Italian champions have always had massive pedigree in the European competitions, reaching last years final, but have suffered a poor start in defending their Serie A title this season. The Italian giants have had a very busy transfer window in which the ‘Old Lady’ have lost several key players. Along with Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo have left the Turin club in a major reshuffle. Juventus have since invested in youth, particularly highlighted through their purchase of striker Paulo Dybala from Palermo.

Paulo Dybala could be the future for Juventus.

In terms of tonight however Manchester City’s star striker Sergio Aguero picked up an injury in his sides weekend fxture at Crystal Palace and will miss tonights action. However both Raheem Sterling and David Silva are available for selection after overcoming hamstring and ankle injuries.

Prediction: DRAW

Real Madrid vs FC Shakhtar Donetsk – Back Real Madrid
PSV vs Manchester United – Back the draw
Paris St G vs Malmo FF – Back Paris St G
VfL Wolfsburg vs CSKA Moscow – Back VfL Wolfsburg
Benfica vs FC Astana – Back Benfica
Galatasaray vs Atletico Madrid – Back Atletico Madrid
Sevilla vs Borussia Monchengladbach – Back Sevilla

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

Transfers you should expect to see completed by the end of next week.

Yevhen Konoplyanka to Sevilla

The Ukrainian winger is now widely reported to be set to sign for La Liga club, Sevilla in the coming days. The forward, whose contract has now expired at Dnipro, is set to reject offers and interest from various Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Tottenham and Stoke.

Idrissa Gueye to Aston Villa

Although having a £9 million transfer offer accepted by Lille and the player flying over to Birmingham to complete a transfer to the Premier League side both Southampton and Marseille have made counter offers for Aston Villa target Idrissa Gueye. The Lille midfielder was poised to join Villa after Lille accepted a £9million offer but Saints and Marseille are understood to have made an eleventh hour bid of £10m for the Ligue 1 star.

Asmir Begovic to Chelsea

It’s common knowledge by now that Premier League winners Chelsea are interested in Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic to play as back up to number one keeper Thibaut Courtois after losing Petr Cech earlier this week. However it’s been reported that Stoke chiefs have told Chelsea they want one of their fringe players on loan – on top of the Blues’ improved £8million offer for Asmir Begovic. Jose Mourinho wants the Bosnian keeper as back up to Thibaut Courtois to cover Petr Cech’s departure to Arsenal and Begovic wants to move to Stamford Bridge. But Stoke want winger Victor Moses, 24, forward Patrick Bamford, 21, or 19-year-old midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan as part of a deal.

Manuel Lanzini to West Ham

According to varying reports West Ham have made a move for exciting Argentine playmaker Manuel Lanzini. The 22-year-old currently plays as a forward in the United Arab Emirates for club Al Jazira. The Hammers are seeking a loan deal for next season with an option to buy him if he impresses at Upton Park.

Dennis Praet to Aston Villa/Southampton

Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Dennis Praet, the highly rated Belgium international who is also attracting interest from Premier League rivals Southampton and Everton. Praet is set to leave Anderlecht this summer for a fee in the region of £10m and Aston Villa have made an inquiry about the possibility of making an offer for the young attacking midfielder.

Seamus Coleman to Manchester United

Manchester United will use Jonny Evans as bait in a bid to lure Everton star Seamus Coleman to Old Trafford according to various media outlets. The Toffees insist Coleman is not for sale and that United are wasting their time making a bid for the Republic of Ireland international however Manchester United bosses remain hopeful that the club can in fact land right-back Coleman and are set to tempt the Toffees with a cash offer plus Evans in a bid to secure a deal.

Etienne Capoue and Benjamin Stambouli to Watford

It is widely been reported that Watford have now agreed fees with Tottenham to sign their French midfielders Etienne Capoue and Benjamin Stambouli. Capoue, 26, is understood to be close to agreeing to personal terms whilst negotiations are still also ongoing with Stambouli, although an agreement with the 24-year-old is still some way from being reached. Both midfielders have had limited opportunities at Spurs and a move to the Hornets could give them more playing time at the Premier League stage.

Other likely transfers to be completed in the next week include:

Fabian Delph to Manchester City

Aleksandar Mitrović to Tottenham

Lukas Podolski to Galatasaray

Antonio Rudiger to Wolfsburg

Morgan Schneiderlin to Manchester United

Adam Matthews to Sunderland

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.

Manchester United – Who is Van Gaal looking to sign?

Rumours have been heating up concerning Manchester United’s transfer activity and targets during this summer’s transfer window.

Manchester United are interested in signing Bayern Munich veteran midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and Real Madrid star defender Sergio Ramos according to various media reports and articles. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is trying to strengthen his squad this summer transfer window after the club finished fourth in the Premier League last season. German international Schweinsteiger, 30, and 29-year-old Spain player Ramos are among those who are said to interest the United boss.

Sergio Ramos is said to be stalling over a new contract at Real Madrid.

Bastian Schweinsteiger could help bolster Manchester United’s midfielder next season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramos’ contract with Real Madrid expires in 2017, while Schweinsteiger’s Bayern deal only runs until 2016 meaning that a deal for either could be made cheaper due to the short length of time both have left on their contracts at their respective clubs. A deal for Sergio Ramos however could see stopper David De Gea move in the opposite direction to the Bernabeu and Madrid.

An ideal move for Van Gaal would be to offload Robin Van Persie, Nani and Javier Hernandez this summer whilst bringing in a new, big name forward who can produce a twenty goal plus seasonto help out Wayne Rooney. The clubs move for Falcao backfired last summer as the Colombian largely struggled with the pace and physicality of the Premier League however his international team mate Jackson Martinez could be a great singing for the Red Devils. Martinez has had another great season at FC Porto and his physical style of play coupled with his great finishing could see him become a fan favourite at Old Trafford if he makes a switch to the Premier League in the off season. Manchester United have also been linked to English international Harry Kane and have already brought in PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay for £31m. Hoffenheims versatile Brazilian attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino has further been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Van Gaal is particularly keen to recruit a right-back too as he eyes Southampton English international Nathaniel Clyne who is a player in demand this summer.

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.

Can Arsenal be title contenders next season?

Three key signings that Arsene Wenger has to make this summer.

Ever since the unforgettable season of the ‘Invincibles’ in the Premier League campaign of 2003-2004 Arsenal have somewhat struggled to regain the golden years of football the North London club once had. An eight year barren run in the form of trophies was only halted last season with an extra-time win over Hull in the FA Cup final and since then Arsenal have improved but have not fully challenged for the title this time around once again. This season there have been many positives however and key players that have stood up to the plate for the London based team. Alexis Sanchez has particularly impressed since joining from Barcelona, netting 24 goals in 49 games, Olivier Giroud has had his best season for Arsenal arguably scoring 18 in 33 appearances and other players such as Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck in particular have played consistently well for Arsenal especially in the second half of the season. This coupled with the experience of players such as Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky with the bright future and youth of the club performing well in the form of Hector Bellerin, whom has been outstanding this year for his young age, among other youngsters make for good reading for Arsenal fans everywhere.

Arsenal need a strong, ball playing central defensive midfielder who can shield the back four but who can also fit in with the teams passing set up and tactics. Certainly Francis Coquelin has been a solid player for Wenger this season when asked to play in this role; however he lacks the passing ability to back up his powerful presence in the heart of midfield. It can be said that the club have never been able to replace that man Patrick Vieira since his departure in 2005 as newer signings such as Alex Song failed to shine as brightly. There is one player currently in the Barclays Premier League whom could be the signing that Arsenal fans desire, Morgan Schneiderlin. The Southampton midfielder has long been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium after enjoying another successful campaign at the South coast club despite been ruled out for the rest of the season from the 25^th April. Although linked with rival club Tottenham, Arsenal is likely to be Schneiderlins preferred destination as the midfielder has stated a desire to play in the Champions League consistently, something Arsenal can offer. It is expected that in order to sign the French international Wenger will have to part with around £25 million as stated by various sources, http://goo.gl/xPiKdo.

Schneiderlin could make the move to Arsenal in the summer.

Wenger needs to address the problem he has in net at the London club. Wojciech Szczesny has struggled massively this year as his replacement, David Ospina, has put in a better level of performance with the Polish stopper been linked to a summer move to Southampton. Reports suggest that Chelsea back up goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has made 332 appearances for the Blues in his career, could make the move across the capital for a fee expected to be around £10 million. Manchester United and PSG are both also interested in the Czech international. Asmir Begovic could further be a transfer target for the North London club.

Could Petr Cech be making the move across London?

Despite Olivier Giroud having a good goal scoring campaign for the Gunners and Alexis Sanchez chipping in a healthy supply of goals during the course of the season, some would argue that the club still need a prolific talisman to compete with the likes of the Manchester clubs and rivals Chelsea. Arsenal have long been linked with a move for Karim Benzema however the French international seems settled at Real Madrid so Wenger may instead turn towards a transfer for Napoli star Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentine international has been in fine form this season for the Italian club scoring an impressive 23 goals in 49 appearances however the money needed to complete a transfer here could prove to be a stumbling block for Arsene Wenger and the North London club. Another possible target could be Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon but he too would fetch a reasonable sum of money.

Gonzalo Higuain has hit form this season at Napoli.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger will make youthful signings as usual during the summer window too with The Metro already reporting that Arsenal have signed French 16-year-old Yassin Fortune from French side RC Lens for around the £3 million mark, http://goo.gl/B9kZPT. The talented young midfielder had attracted interest from other major European clubs including Manchester United, as he is considered to be a star for the future.