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Summer Transfer Talk July 5th 2023

Dad Playing Football With Child In Garden

We finally have some movement in the biggest transfer dealings of the window. Mason Mount has completed his move to Manchester United. Although being associated with Chelsea since the age of 6, Mason is a known Manchester United supporter, so although sad to leave London, he will be living out a boyhood dream. United have strengthened their midfield, I am a huge fan of Mount, who can play a number of midfield positions and possesses a great trait, hard work!

 

Declan Rice is imminent, I still don’t think he’s “officially been announced” yet. But Arsenal have made a fantastic signing there and someone who could easily be captain, and leader of that club for the next decade. He has the drive and quality to succeed and I’m sure he will. Jurrien Timber from Ajax is very close too, a fee finally agreed of around £38.5m plus add-ons. I’d love to know what these add-ons are but sadly we never get the details of it. Usually it’s dependent on appearances and achievements of the club in the Champions league etc. I still think Arsenal need another midfielder and a proven striker. Folarin Balogun, who had a breakout season at Reims, wants out and so they will need someone to either replace or back up Gabriel Jesus.

 

United are busy and they need to be. Andre Onana is the name of the goalkeeper they desperately want but a fee is deemed too high by Inter Milan and they also have the added complication of Saudi Arabia turning his head with a pay day. I really feel for David De Gea, if United had just said we are letting him go on a free it would be fine, that’s football. But a new deal for less money was apparently agreed and then taken away and now he has been getting married and officially a free agent. They are still in talks but I think they have treated him really poorly, he’s been their for a decade, player of the year at least 3 times that i can remember and recently got the Premier League Golden Glove. Strange!

 

They also want a forward, Rasmus Hojlund is the man they want, Atalanta are tough negotiators though, they want at least £50m for him. Seems a bit rich for someone who has had one good season, but his potential is very clear to see. A physical presence too at just 20 years old, that one will rumble on. Dean Henderson is on his way out, a £30m fee from Nottingham Forest, where he’s been on loan.

 

Liverpool are busy searching for new recruits, Dominik Szoboszlai though is a done deal, it all happened very fast, a release fee of £60m was met and personal terms agreed very quickly. A lovely technician, great on the ball as you’d expect coming through the red bull system, he would be an exciting addition. They still have quality in the midfield but i think they are short of some sort of destroyer, but who’s out there?

 

Chelsea have been quietly going about culling their squad, a plethora of players off to Saudi Arabia, Azpilicueta off to Atletico Madrid for a free. What a loyal servant and a Chelsea legend whos been there 11 years and won many trophies, but a good decision by all. They seem to be buying a load of youngsters from across the globe, Angelo Gabriel the latest, who looks an exciting prospect, more so a year or 2 ago but maybe he will shine in the premier league after inevitably going out on loan to their new farm club Strasbourg. I don’t know for sure that he will be loaned there but it seems an obvious link to me.

 

What are Manchester City doing? Well they are still working on Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig who will be drowning in cash but need to fill 2 massive voids left by key players. What an unbelievable defender, left footed too which is a rare commodity in the world, he is fast, reads the game impeccably, tenacious and aggressive in both boxes and fantastic on the ball, he will provide competition, but i think he will go straight in either at centre back or left back where Ake has been playing that sort of wide centre back role.

 

Plenty more stories will be coming next week as the teams all get back from their holidays. It’s going to be an exciting and expensive Summer!

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Arsenal

Summer Transfer Talk 28th June 2023

Dad Playing Football With Child In Garden

Do we finally have a breakthrough in the race to sign Declan Rice? Well breaking news last night at bang on 11pm GMT, we got word that Arsenal had submitted a record breaking bid for an English player (£105m – £100m up front and £5m in add-ons). This puts them at the head of the race again after Manchester City had previously matched their £90m bid but with more favourable payment terms. It has yet to be seen what West Ham’s reaction is on this bid, but there have been positive murmurings around the club. West Ham just need to wait and see whether Man City will match it. There is also a slight concern how much money they are going to get day 1, as with a lot of modern day deals, they are paid on the drip over a few instalments.

 

One confirmed deal now is Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City from Chelsea as they seek to replace Ilkay Gundogan who has signed for Barcelona on a free transfer. He has very big shoes to fill but he is a classy operator with 95 caps for his country and he’s won 4 champions leagues. A fee of £25m + add-ons seems fair and good luck to him on a new journey. Staying with City, they are rumoured to be bidding or have bid an enormous amount for Centre Back Josko Gvardiol. A compatriot of Mateo Kovacic, he looks an unreal talent, ever since bursting through with Dinamo Zagreb a few seasons ago and looks sensational every time I’ve watched him at RB Leipzig. What may complicate the deal is whether Newcastle bid for Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian wonderkid as RB Leipzig only need to sell one to balance the books.

 

More outs for Chelsea, Kai Havertz has agreed a deal to sign for Arsenal, just a medical to be done which should happen towards the end of this week. Leaked pictures on social media have shown him already in an Arsenal kit so this is as good as done, £65m fee. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who incidentally I have actually met in person, (and sold him a camera) has agreed to sign for AC Milan, £15m + add-ons. One that rumbles on though is Mason Mount, Manchester United are holding firm that their £55m bid is their last one, and there doesn’t seem much interest elsewhere in the player. Aubameyang is still sticking around, a new offer has been rebuffed for his services from Galatasaray.

 

Tottenham have finalised a 5 year deal for Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli on a 5 year deal. Lloris was coming to the end, very shaky at times, and this is a good move. A fee just shy of £20m for his services. They are also very close to agreeing a deal for James Maddison, personal terms understood to be no issue and a fee of £40m agreed, presumably with add-ons. To me this seems like an absolute snip, the way the rest of the market is. Guaranteed goals, and assists. Harry Kane may be on the move, allegedly personal terms have been agreed in principle with Bayern Munich and a verbal £60m bid tabled. It’s understood this has been rejected out of hand, but Bayern are confident an agreement could be reached.

 

Elsewhere though, there doesn’t seem to be too much going on, when the free agents are released on the 1st July, i expect a bit more movement and when players are back from holidays there will be more too. Keep it locked to Football for Kids for more great transfer updates and interesting football articles.

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Arsenal

Summer Transfer Talk 21st June 2023

Another week, and plenty more rumours and deals to satisfy us all. With the international matches now completed, England were sensational by the way, the players have all gone off for their Summer holidays. After the longest season in history, their holidays won’t be long as most will be back by the 2nd week of July for pre-season.

 

That doesn’t stop deals being made between clubs and agents are in overdrive. Saudi Arabia’s march to buy every player on the planet continues, Kante has been sealed, Ruben Neves is expected to sign in the next coming days for a £47m fee. A lot of this is convenient, as Wolves were facing FFP difficulties.

 

A clutch of Chelsea players are set for the Middle East, inlcuding Eduoard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Aubameyang and Romelu Lukaku. The targets are becoming more adventurous, and the ages and profile of the player is becoming more exciting. By moving for players more in their prime, Saudi Arabia could become a disruptor in the market in the longer term.

 

I am also a boxing fan, and I was hoping we would have seen Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk by now, but because of Saudi money this fight has not been made. This is happening in other sports, and I’m not sure it’s a good thing for sport as a whole. It will be interesting to see who has made the move to the Petro state by the end of the Summer Window.

 

Could Mbappe be on the move? It is still unlikely at this stage, but with only one year left on his deal, and the optional year held by the player not the club, I wouldn’t rule it out. The player has stated he is not going to extend that, but also he is prone to U-turns. President Macron, whom Kylian is close to has apparently tried to persuade him to stay in France but it looks like he has his heart set on the Spanish goliaths Real Madrid. Whether they have the budget is the thing, they have just shelled out £115 for Jude Bellingham but I’m sure they could rustle a few quid from their luxury sofas if they needed to. 

 

On to the Premier League and the main story of course is around Declan Rice, his favoured move is to Arsenal and they have 2 bids rejected. One at £80m and on at £90m, both structured and apparently with unrealistic bonuses. West Ham have rejected both out of hand, as they are holding out for a British transfer record fee which is the £100m Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish’ services. I think Arsenal are making a mistake by stalling here, as Manchester City are prowling and other clubs are interested.

 

Arsenal are also bidding for Kai Havertz of Chelsea, a £60m fee mooted. It seems such a strange one for me, but again Bayern Munich are very keen on him too. In my opinion he is one of those players who promises much, but constantly under delivers. Jurrien Timber of Ajax has been subject of a £30m bid too, although competition is expected to be fierce here, with Manchester United very keen (Ten Hag worked with him at Ajax) as well as Romeo Lavia of Southampton, so bids in but nothing signed yet.

 

Manchester City are close to signing Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, does this signal the end for Ilkay Gundogan, who was Pep Guardiola’s first signing? They are also in for Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol who I have been keeping an eye on for a few years since his Dinamo Zagreb days and he could be the best defender in the world, that isn’t a joke.

 

Manchester United are trying to ship out a few players first, Harry Maguire, Jaden Sanchio potentially. Fred has interest from Fulham if a fee can be agreed. Their key target at the moment is definitely Mason Mount, 2 bids have been made, the current one £50m but that is expected to be rejected with Chelsea wanting £70m. The player is set on a move so its just a matter of time. They also want “the next Haaland”, Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta, but that’s a complicated deal, Atalanta are tough negotiators.

 

Liverpool are still looking for midfielders, James Ward-Prowse has appeared on their shortlist, as well as Kephren Thuram and Manu Kone who looks an exciting young player. No concrete bids on the table as far as I’m aware.

 

Tottenham’s Son has been subject of a bid from the Middle East and all has gone quiet on the Harry Kane front, looking increasingly more likely to stay at the club. A big boost for them. Harry Maguire has been touted, and I think he has a point to prove, but I don’t think he’s the right fit for Ange Postecoglou’s approach as he loves a high line and Maguire just doesn’t have the pace.

 

For now the rest of the league are just drawing up their targets, but if there’s any breaking news, we will be on top of it here at Football For Kids. Let us know your thoughts or transfer rumours in the comments, catch you next week!

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Arsenal

Summer Transfer Talk 14th June 2023

£20 notes

Well a lot changes in a week in football. Developments and steps have been made in the market. Declan Rice looks on the verge of joining Arsenal. I reported as much last week however I had my doubts as to whether Arsenal could win trophies and he would actually sign. Looks like £100m up front with a few add-ons is enough to get this deal over the line, and Arsenal are continuing to build an exciting young squad. They are still hopeful of signing Moises Caicedo, too from Brighton to fully overhaul that central midfield but we shall see as they have lots of competition for his signature.

 

Tottenham are rumoured to have agreed personal terms with David Raya of Brentford, who in my opinion was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League last season. His distribution is exceptional and he had the highest save percentage in the whole league. But David De Gea wins the Golden Glove? Don’t get me started on that! So just a fee to be agreed between the clubs, Tottenham want to pay £20m, Brentford want £40m, but a deal looks close.

 

The Harry Kane interest seems to have died down, and it looks ever more likely he will stay at the club. With only a year left on his contract though, will he sign a new one or leave for free next Summer? Daniel Levy is insistent he will not sell to a rival and Real Madrid look like they are now on high alert with Kylian Mbappe as a replacement for Benzema, who departed for the Saudi League.

 

And what’s going on with that now? Benzema and Kante this week have gone, Lukaku, Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech and more are being strongly linked. No one was taking them seriously but if this keeps happening for a few years then they may become a serious threat to European leagues. Not necessarily the premier leagues best stars, as the economics are far higher than other leagues but one to be wary of.

 

Newcastle have been linked with a couple of players. Harry Maguire for £30m, seems a strange one for me, but he would certainly have a point to prove and under the right management he may still have a lot to offer. Great experience, in both International and European competition, he would aid in thickening their squad for the Champions League campaign this season. Talks of a double raid from Leicester City emerging for both Harvey Barnes and James Maddison, although Leicester ant £60m for the latter. For a man with one year left on his deal, it looks to be a waiting game there, Leicester can’t afford to lose him for nothing but £60m is unrealistic given their position.

 

Chelsea are busy as usual, many ins and outs on the cards. Outs will include Kepa, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Aubameyang and possibly Trevoh Chalobah. Mateo Kovacic looks close to signing for Manchester City, seems kind of a strange deal to me, but perhaps he is a replacement for Gundogan who hasn’t renewed a contract yet. Andre Onana, Inter Milans superb keeper has reportedly agreed personal terms and a fee should be agreed. They are also looking to raid the other half of Milan for their keeper Mike Maignan but the player and club seem much more resistant. A much more exciting development might be the Victor Osimhen rumour. It will take a fee over £100m but they need a number 9 and he would be exceptional for many years.

 

The main story this week though is still the ongoing saga with the Manchester United takeover. It still isn’t completed but it doesn’t seem to be stopping them in the market. The thought I’ll leave you with this week though is if they do get taken over should they go all out for Mbappe and really try to challenge Man City?

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Arsenal

Summer Transfer Talk 7th June 2023

boots in the air

This is my favourite part of the season, still a couple of big matches to finish off, namely the Champions League Final. But most of the clubs and players are on their holidays and after the longest season in History thanks to the last Winter World Cup they deserve it.

 

Behind the scenes clubs have been planning for months about who they should sign and what players are considered “deadwood”.

 

The furthest story along is Brighton’s Alexis MacAllister moving to Anfield to rejuvenate an ailing and ageing Liverpool Midfield. Reports suggest it could be as low as £35m as a fee, which begs the question why was the release clause so low?

 

He just signed a new deal before the world cup, presumably to tie up the player on the basis of him performing well there and his value increasing. But then the £35m price seems oddly low for a world cup winner and an integral piece of what made Brighton so special this season. Either way I believe its an absolute snip for Liverpool and they don’t tend to make too many mistakes in the transfer market and this further concretes that record.

 

Where is Kane going? Perhaps new manager Ange Postecoglou has spoken to him and convinced him to stay and has plans to massively improve Tottenham Hotspur. It won’t be difficult as they were extremely underwhelming this season, plus the amateur dramatics of Conte thrown in for good measure. Rumours are that Real Madrid are sniffing around as a replacement for Karim Benzema who is the latest victim of the corruption of Saudi money.

 

Bayern Munich have also been talked up but i just can’t see him moving abroad. Perhaps that’s British bias, but also he is 47 goals away from reaching Alan Shearer’s all time goalscoring record, and I think he has his eyes on that. So that leaves Manchester United who do need a striker but is he the right option for them stylistically? Erik Ten Hag is very focussed on his own style and it means hard workers and high pressing and Kane likes to drop off and get involved, he doesn’t do the high intensity press as well. Then you have Chelsea who certainly have the money but they also have Lukaku coming back who will be an option, although likely he will be moved on. Perhaps Newcastle could send out a statement to the league by taking Kane, but will Daniel Levy, a notoriously tough negotiator let that happen?

 

Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice are constantly being talked about, Rice looks likely to move to Arsenal, although he has stated he wants to go somewhere he can win trophies, but I don’t believe Arsenal will do that. Their chance was this season, when a lot of the big clubs were off the boil, plus they have the complication of Champions League football on top and a thin squad. So it would surprise me, I think Caicedo may be a better option for Arsenal anyway and Chelsea want the Ecuadorian too. He looks an absolute beast, could make it right to the top, if he isn’t already there.

 

Who will Newcastle sign, they will have money burning a hole in their pockets too. They need to sign 5 or 6 players at least as again they have Champions League football, but a thin squad. They have lined up a Gambian winger who looks to be one for the future, but could we see a couple of statement signings to send a message to the rest of the league.

 

Rest assured, I will update you here with the very latest news so keep it locked to Football For Kids and comment below on what you think will happen in this summer window and who’s on the move. 

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Football Guides

Messi and Middle Eastern money

You may have seen in the news this week that Lionel Messi was pictured with his family having fun in Saudi Arabia. Nothing wrong with that you might say? Well this was just a day after a disappointing defeat in the league and Paris Saint Germain fans seemed to have turned on Messi.

 

The fans always have a right to voice their opinions but was Messi in the right? After all he is an ambassador for Saudi Arabia and promoting the country and the sport in the country and around the world. Amnesty International have come out in no uncertain terms to say that this is all just “sportswashing”. And for my money that’s what it is. Saudi Arabian and middle eastern money is corrupting not only football but the majority of sports on the planet.

 

Why do you enjoy watching football and in particular the Premier League and Champions League. To me, it’s because no matter how small a club there is still competitiveness and a dream that we can beat Real Madrid, or we can beat Manchester United. You only have to look back to September 28th, 2021 and you have Sheriff Tiraspol, a Moldovan club beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the Bernabeu. We have seen the likes of Brentford and Brighton absolutely destroy Manchester United in the league this season.

 

I’m also a huge boxing fan and was really excited to see Usyk and Fury fight for all the belts and unify the Heavyweight division for the first time since Lennox Lewis. But due to Ramadan and Saudi Arabia not wanting to put an event on over that time the fighters pulled out. As if only £10-20m each wasn’t enough for them to fight at a packed Wembley Stadium. Then you have LIV golf, you have Tennis, talks of Snooker moving the World championships to Qatar, it’s not right.

 

Qatar to their credit put on an outstanding world cup, but look into the reasons why they were awarded the tournament and it gets very messy. Definitely one for a rainy afternoon! But back to the Messi situation, I personally just think its sad that Saudi Arabia have to pay a reported £320m a year to lure Messi over there, just to gain a little bit of recognition or any sort of spotlight on their own professional football league.

 

I think money is a great divider of people and Messi doesn’t need the money. What will this do for his legacy if anything? He’s a 7 time Ballon D’or winner, he’s a world cup winner and has won the champions league multiple times, countless league trophies and cup triumphs. There is nothing more to achieve in the game, and PSG were already paying him extortionately so would it hurt for our favourite players to show some humility and retire with honour rather than looking for the last payday. It sours his legacy for me, but for some, he will always be the GOAT, a legend, talked about forever.

 

But are we all snobs when it comes to football in the West. Would it be better if he went to Inter Miami or another American club for a final payday? There is a sense of snobbery about Middle Eastern sport. But money does buy you a seat at the table, it does buy you coverage globally, and I look forward to the day when a Saudi player plays in the premier league or they are legitimate threats in the World Cup. Football is a global game, put your cheque book away and invest in the infrastructure and policies that will make men and women across your nation take part in football and be excited to make it a viable career.

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Football Guides

Who should Newcastle sign to improve next season?

There are 2 trains of thought here. There are people speculating that Newcastle will have a huge war chest of £200-300m in the Summer, others like myself believe they may have the funds but are looking to build the club up sustainably and Eddie Howe is very much a cautious manager in terms of signings. He likes players’ characters and ones he can mould and improve rather than buying ready-made stars.

 

So I will look at a few options and let you know who Newcastle might sign this Summer based on those budgets. It is looking increasingly likely they will qualify for the Champions League too next season, which is a wonderful achievement given where they were when Eddie Howe took over 18 months ago.

 

Before we look at summer signings though we need to review the squad and what Howe has available to him. Pope in goal is nailed on to stay, one of the best keepers in the league, sure he isn’t very good with his distribution but he is fantastic at keeping the ball out of the net and commanding his box. At 30 or close to he still has a good 5 years of peak performance in him.

 

At the back, we have Kieran Trippier, whose set pieces are amazing, as well as his all-round defensive play. He likes to get forward but is honest, works hard to get back into shape and is solid. Still at least 2 more years left in him. No issues.

 

Next to him comes our first place of improvement. While Sven Botman is young, a Rolls Royce of a player on the ball, and physically dominant, Fabian Schar next to him would be a concern. His game has definitely improved under Eddie Howe but he is prone to the odd clanger and he lacks mobility like Botman so when better-quality teams come in the Champions League they will be in trouble. Down the left we have Dan Burn, born in the North East and a Newcastle fan, you can tell he is passionate about the shirt. A weapon at set pieces but again going up a level he is far too slow and will get caught out. His back up Matt Targett, could stay as backup to a new left back.

 

In midfield, we have Bruno Guimaraes who is a nailed-on starter when fit, can play as a defensive midfielder but is better further up so a DM would be a priority. The rest of the cast like Joelinton, Willock, and Longstaff are all at a similar level but again I don’t think they are quite good enough to maintain a top 4 team. I would also be looking at more creativity so maybe a number 10 or a progressive midfielder would also be worth looking at.

 

On the wings, they have Allan Saint Maximin, who on his day is unplayable, but has been in and out of the side this season. I’d keep him around as he can do things others just can’t with the ball, and gets the St James Park crowd off their seat. On the other side, Almiron has upped his attacking numbers this season, adding goals and assists and he works so hard for the team. He stays too. But I think someone who can play either side as an option would be good.

 

Up front Isak and Wilson are a handful, and there is no need to sign anyone else with young Garang Kuol coming through, and he looks so exciting!

 

Left back: Expensive option – Kieran Tierney (Arsenal) There has been talk he is not happy at the club, Zinchenko coming in has changed the way they play but Arsenal will want a lot of money from a rival.

Cheaper option – Marcus Acuna (Sevilla) A winger converted into a left back, so we know he is great going forward. Sevilla have been poor in the League, unless they win the Europa League will have no Europe next season and they are in debt so would be available cheaply.

 

Defensive Mid: Expensive option – Declan Rice (West Ham) £80-100m to sign him but would revolutionise the team. England international and will be for the next 10 years. Top player!

Cheaper Option – James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) Best Free kick taker the premier league has ever seen? Some say Beckham but I think this man edges the great man out. Southampton going down, so would be available for around £25-30m I would think.

 

Attacking Midfielder: Both options are quite expensive here but I think achievable. Mason Mount will be cheaper but wages will be enormous. James Maddison will be more expensive but Leicester even if they stay up have financial issues, lots of players out of contract and other areas they need to strengthen.

 

Winger: Expensive option – Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) £60-70m would be enough to buy him. Electric pace, and just needs to up his output in regards to goals, but a hard worker, who can go both ways and play on either wing. Also helps the homegrown quota.

Cheaper Option – Martin Terrier (Rennes) Has been performing exceptionally for 3 seasons now. A left foot wand, but can play either side or as a 10. Tremendous output with plenty of goals and assists. Has only managed 16 league games this season but has 9 goals and 4 assists. Talks swirling that he’s available for around 30-35m euros. Bargain!

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Is Erling Haaland the best striker in the world?

The debate has been raging ever since the Norwegian star burst onto the scene with Borussia Dortmund and hasn’t stopped since his move to Manchester City. With an impressive tally of Premier League goals this season, Haaland is definitely among the top strikers in Europe, but how does he compare to some of the other world-class players out there?

 

There is no doubt that Haaland is attracting all the attention particularly as he has just broken the Premier League record for most goals in a season (35 and counting). Some negative voices are saying, well he takes penalties as well and with those 7 taken out he would be on 28 for the season. Andy Cole, the iconic Man Utd striker of yesteryear actually scored 30 in one season without penalties.

 

I think he will still get the 3 he needs to get to 31 and beat that record anyway but even so, 35 in 31 is a monstrous record for any striker. Only Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski in recent memory have that sort of record. The man is an animal!

 

Erling Haaland also has 7 assists, and his all-round game, holding the ball up, dropping deep to join in then bursting in behind to scare defenders has improved in recent weeks. This is no doubt been instilled and worked on by the genius manager Pep Guardiola, who continues to innovate and evolve his teams to be ruthless and a winning machine.

 

Having a player like Kevin De Bruyne feeding him the ball definitely helps though, although he has taken a rest for the treble run-in and Haaland’s goals are still free-flowing. This is a testament to both Haaland’s quality and hunger for goals as well as City’s laughable riches and seemingly endless squad depth.

 

I think the measure of a great player and great striker is how they do it over multiple seasons and the trophies they end up winning and the effect they have on winning them. This season Manchester City is on for a treble, the same treble that their bitter city rivals Manchester United achieved in 1999.

 

I’m old enough to remember that too, with one of the greatest comebacks of all time in the final against a fantastic Bayern Munich side. If Haaland and his Man City teammates lift all 3 I think we are already in the realm of saying that Haaland is the best striker in the league and I think the world.

 

There is a saying in sport, overused and somewhat cliche though that “form is temporary, but class is permanent”. Haaland for such a young man has already been putting up these sorts of numbers for 4-5 years in top domestic leagues, he is annihilating international teams now too with Norway.

 

At the time of writing he has 21 goals in 23 games for them which is madness. This is without De Bruyne, Foden, Grealish, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva etc however Norway do have Martin Odegaard, who has been tremendous for Arsenal and is crucial to Norway.

 

On the scene at the moment we can only really point to a couple of competitors to the tag “best striker in the world” and that is Harry Kane and Karim Benzema. Benzema is underrated in my opinion or rather was until last years deserved Balon D’or win.

 

The man has scored over 27 goals in each of the last 5 seasons. He has won 5 Champions Leagues, 8 league titles, a hatful of cups and FIFA world club cups, the only thing he’s missing is a World cup winner’s medal. He should have been there in 2018 but he had an ongoing case with the French Federation in 2018.

 

Then there is Harry Kane, trophies ZERO, however, if he stays at Tottenham or in the Premier League he will break Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals in 2 seasons time. He guarantees you 20 goals a season, his all-round play and passing range is unreal but perhaps he just doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he plays for Spurs.

 

Let’s not forget he is already England’s all-time top scorer, and that will stay for many years, no one is coming through the ranks to challenge that. I just feel Kane doesn’t have the same dynamism or electricity Haaland has, he doesn’t send the fear of god down defenders backs.

 

For me, Benzema is currently the best striker in the world, but if Haaland wins the treble, or even the league and Champions League, and maintains this same rate of goals for 2 seasons he will prove to me that he can do it in the hardest league in the world, can affect big games and provide the city with the Ultimate trophy they have been chasing ever since the middle eastern money flooded into the club.

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Football Guides

Who wins Manager of the Season?

This season has been a crazy one in the Premier League. But with just 4 games to go there are still outcomes to be decided up and down the table, but there are clear managers who have stood out and deserve to be named manager of the year. We are going to review them below:

 

Pep Guardiola – The man is a genius. He has revolutionised football in this country and across the world. This season he has developed an inverted wing back system, then changed to 3 at the back and moved John Stones into a roaming midfield role. They are in the Fa cup final against bitter rivals Manchester United. They are now top of the league and favourites to win the premier league title for the 5th time in 6 seasons. They are also favourites for the Champions League with their Champions League final coming against Real Madrid over two legs in the Semis. But does he deserve to win the award? Or is this all expected from a juggernaut of a team?

 

Mikel Arteta – So close! There has been a massive change in performance this season, recruitment has been amazing and they haven’t made a mistake in the market. They are on track to get 90 points which would win the majority of league titles, just ask Sir Alex Ferguson, he’d usually win with between 78-86 points. Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have gone off the boil and Peps former apprentice Arteta has taken his place to give us an exciting race. The youngest team in the league and great credit, but ultimately won nothing and were poor in Europe and cup competitions.

 

Eddie Howe – Newcastle look nailed on for a top 4 place and Champions League football next season. They have one of the best defences in the league, St James Park is a fortress and there is a feel good factor around the place. The transformation started last season, but this season has been remarkable. With the riches the Saudi owners have, there is potential for some massive star names coming through the doors, but I think they will continue to steadily build and Howe has arguably a tougher job sustaining it, but exceptional from Eddie and he always carries himself well.

 

Roberto De Zerbi – Brighton as a club are quite remarkable, they play some of the best football in the league, and they use an advanced statistical base to sign players, rarely does that not pay off. They get the most out of every single player at the club and they seem to sell at the right time for the highest transfer fee and it doesn’t seem to affect the quality of play. How much is is down to the role Graham Potter played the seasons before or Tony Bloom and Paul Barber at the top of the house? That’s difficult to say but De Zerbi has taken them on to a new level. An outside chance of a top 4 place but I think the top 6 is looking solid for them and what a season.

 

Unai Emery – The man is so underrated it’s unreal! He’s taken Villa from relegation candidates to European candidates. Steven Gerrard should be credited for some of the recruitment, I actually think that was decent. Coutinho made an impact but quite predictably tailed off when he got settled at the club and knew what he could get away with. The improvement though can be tracked in the same way Ollie Watkins’ form has changed. He looks like scoring every single game now, and Emery made the bold decision of getting rid of Ings in January. He only brought in Alex Moreno but he’s been a shrewd signing, Villa have become more solid defensively, and very effective in transition and if Villa get Europe they are guaranteed a trophy, Emery and the Europa League are wedded it seems, he’s won it a remarkable 4 times!

 

Gary O’Neill – I mean what a job this man has done. Scott Parker threw his toys out of the pram and a 9-0 result earlier in the season didn’t help. It looked like Bournemouth were going to have a long hard season. Lowest attendance in the league and limited budget but my god what a turnaround. Gary O’Neill has got Bournemouth defensively solid while maintaining a big threat on the break. Ouattara, the January signing has given them pace and invention going forward, Billing just off Solanke has been a master stroke and they look hard to deal with, pace and power always is! In recent weeks they have been winning games and are comfortably safe and may finish as high as 12th. What a season.

 

Honourable mentions would be Marco Silva, Fulham were going so well and might have made Europe but injuries and Mitrovic’s ban have derailed that. Brentford are always solid and will finish top half again, but the winner for me would be Howe, followed extremely closely by De Zerbi but I think Pep will win it especially if he lifts the Premier League trophy, Fa Cup and the much-desired Champions League, the holy grail for Man Citys owners.

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Chelsea

What’s going wrong at Chelsea FC?

Where to start with this one? Well, I suppose you could blame Vladimir Putin, as without his callous, ruthless and heinous acts in Ukraine, Chelsea may still have their revered owner Roman Abramovic. This site is not about politics so to keep it brief his exit destabilised the club and was forced to sell up.

 

Todd Boehly was the lucky man to take the reigns at a bargain price of just £2.5bn! There was an initial buzz and positivity in the air. Billions more promised to invest in players, the women’s team and the stadium and surrounding areas.

 

Thomas Tuchel started the season, looking to build on an unlikely looking, but deserved Champions League final win just months prior. The money started to flow, and Chelsea spent nearly £300m in the summer window on the following players:

  1. Wesley Fofana: £72m – from Leicester
  2. Marc Cucurella: £58m – from Brighton
  3. Raheem Sterling: £50m – from Manchester City
  4. Kalidou Koulibaly: £34m – from Napoli
  5. Carney Chukwuemeka: £16m – from Aston Villa
  6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: £11m – from Barcelona
  7. Gabriel Slonina: £8m – from Chicago Fire
  8. Denis Zakaria: loan – from Juventus

 

On the face it many felt that it was solid, good business. Raheem Sterling in particular being in the prime of his career, with a very fruitful few seasons at Manchester City in the rear view window. Marc Cucurella was being courted by Manchester City after having a superb season at Brighton, Wesley Fofane widely touted as one of the best young defenders in the world. Kalidou Koulibaly was a log term targets for all the super clubs across Europe and was seen as a solid addition. Even Denis Zakaria seemed a sensible, prudent signing, good international experience and added competition in midfield.

 

So things were looking up? Not entirely, There were murmurings behind the scenes that Todd Boehly and manager Thomas Tuchel had fallen out, the rumour being that Boehly had taken a couple of his friends into the dressing room after a game. Tuchel was sacked after a few poor results to the season much to the fans shock.

 

Todd picked out Graham Potter to lead the next chapter and it seemed a slight risk but a very forward thinking, exciting long term project. He brought in a few of his staff from Brighton and built a setup behind the scenes which seemed professional and polished. Graham Potter struggled to work his magic in the early games but did a few good results and qualified for the Champions League Knockout phase.

 

The January window was afoot and yet more money was splashed out. this time the transfer methodology seemed wildly different from the summer. Instead of thoughtful, sensible signings it seemed that they were just buying any young winger showing promise and giving them 8 year deals. This was unheard of, the norm is usually 5 years with a 1 year extension at most. A huge gamble and especially with a net spend of over £600m before you pay the wages.

 

Results did not pick up, there was no cohesion and Stamford Bridge had started to turn on Potter. They beat Dortmund over 2 legs to by him a little bit more time but the premier league table was a sorry sight to behold. They were dropping like a stone and sitting in mid table. They werent playing terrible football but there was a lack of idea in the final third and NO goals to speak of. Finally patience wore thin and Potter was sacked bringing to an end an ill fated experiment.

 

The man Boehly turned to to save Chelseas season? Frank Lampard of course! He had not long been sacked by Everton for a terrible run of results, but it seemed just like a handout, keep one of the old legends on the payroll and in the limelight as a favour. A very strange decision and coming up was Real Madrid, the kings of Europe. Boehly stated before the game that Chelsea were going to win 3-0, an outlandish comment from anyone let alone the chairman of a football club on the eve of their biggest game of their season. This was there cup final, could Lampard do it?

 

I think we all know the answer, after showing some early promise and missing a couple of gilt edged chances aswell as heroics from ex Chelea player Thibaut Courtois, Vinicius Jr. Karim Benzema and co put Chelsea to the sword and with that their season was over. Since then they havent won a game and havent really come close to looking like it.

 

They have clearly missed the likes of Timo Werner who was sold for a measly £20m, someone who wasnt clinical but was a constant threat and wanted to run in behind. They have also missed Antonio Rudiger who now plays for Real Madrid and was a huge part of that solid Chelsea defence. And Romelu Lukaku although divisive could definitely have provided some goals and some threat instead of the lacklustre display from chelseas forwards this season.

 

Despite all this next season they could be a real threat, they need the right manager, the rumour is that Pochettino is the man to take over. I think that would be a shrewd signing. Although never a huge winner of trophies, he clearly has a friendly positive outlook, that resonates with younger players and players do listen to his message and imporve under his coaching. Either way I’m looking forward to what happens next!

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