Norwich are preparing a summer swoop for Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The Canaries, who are now nine points clear of the relegation zone, have struggled for goals all season, notching just 27 in the Premier League, a tally only QPR have failed to match.
Despite bringing in Luciano Becchio from Leeds and Kei Kamara on loan from Sporting Kansas City in January, manager Chris Hughton is still believed to be keen to draft in attacking options.
He has highlighted van Wolfswinkel as his main target, with Sporting currently in a state of financial turmoil.
The Portuguese giants have mounting debt problems, which has led to speculation that they could be forced to sell a number of their star men this summer just to stay afloat.
As one of their most valuable assets, van Wolfswinkel could be one of the first out of the door, and Norwich are said to be willing to spend £10m to bring him to Carrow Road.
The 24-year-old was linked with the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham prior to his move to Lisbon from Utrecht, after an impressive spell in the Eredivisie.
With 22 goals since the start of last term, the Dutchman has also been a success with Sporting, alerting clubs from across Europe.
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But, as long as they avoid relegation, Norwich are confident they can lure him to East Anglia, with first-team football all but guaranteed in a yellow shirt.
Jose Mourinho is likely to rely on a strong defensive performance from Manchester United to prevent bitter rivals City winning the Premier League title earlier than any team has ever clinched it before.
Liverpool might have rattled the champions-elect with an energetic performance of pressing and clincial finishing but the former Real Madrid manager – who enjoyed many a battle with Pep Guardiola during the pair’s time in La Liga – is more likely to try to spoil the party by parking the bus.
A conservative approach is United’s big-game tactic on the road against the big teams but it is one that has only brought one win in nine trips to face their fellow members of the top six so far under Mourinho.
Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof got the nod last time out against Swansea but it will be a different kettle of fish up against a City side still smarting from their Anfield rattling.
That’s why we asked you whether Eric Bailly – valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt – should return to the United backline and the response was as overwhelming as it can be. 100 per cent of United fans want the Ivorian to be reintroduced in central defence for the 176th Manchester derby.
Although it’s very much the same story every January, Arsenal look set to make some moves in the transfer window before the deadline passes. While it’s usually late or underwhelming loan deals – Kim Kallstrom is a prime example – Arsene Wenger looks, this time, to be after proven quality to boost his side’s top four chances. The Metro claim that one of the players the Frenchman wants before the month is out is Ilkay Gundogan, whom Dortmund are reportedly looking to sell for offers of around £15.6m.
So, does this potential deal for Arsenal make sense… here are FIVE reasons we think it does.
Good fee
£15.6m for one of Europe’s most highly-rated holding midfielders? Good deal, that! Arsenal have been linked with a host of stars to solve their central woes, yet the likes of William Carvalho, another mooted target, will cost far more. Gundogan has won all of the major prizes on offer in German football with BVB, has featured, and scored in, a Champions League Final and has represented Germany at senior level – for whom he would surely have been a World Cup winner last year had injury not blocked his route to Brazil. Bargain.
Better than Wenger’s current options
We all know that defensive midfield is a major issue for Wenger. The Frenchman has a few options in the role, but none of his trio of genuine holders are of the quality needed for a push for the title. With the stats of Gundogan crunched against Mathieu Flamini, Francis Coquelin and Mikel Arteta, the German, despite coming back from injury, comes out on top in may key areas. The 24-year-old boasts the most chances created, the best shot accuracy and the greatest average pass length, while his pass completion percentage (85%) ranks respectively given his greater level of attacking intent.
Defensive midfield a worry
As mentioned before, the holding role has been a major issue for Arsenal for some time. The Gunners are known for their ‘soft underbelly’, which has been ruthlessly exposed in the biggest games – think Liverpool’s 5-1 demolition job at Anfield last season. A ‘Claude Makelele’ is not ever going to be viable in a Wenger set-up, yet Gundogan offers defensive resilience and attacking flair, making him a long-term successor for Arteta.
A ‘Wenger player’
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As touched on in the last point, Gundogan is very much a player Wenger will appreciate. The Frenchman enjoys slick passing and neat movement, which the German ace brings in spades.
Slotting in alongside Jack Wilshere, Gundogan could add yet more creativity to the Gunners’ engine room, while his tendency to sit a little deeper will also help to shield the club’s backline in the biggest games.
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Still young
Even though Gundogan has endured an injury-disturbed two years, he’s still very much a young player. At 24, he has a good few years before entering his peak, and so long as he can be kept injury free, the future looks bright. He could also become a part of Arsenal’s future, alongside the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey.
Football has come under a lot of scrutiny in recent weeks, with the Let’s Kick Ballboys Out of Football campaign gathering momentum in the Capital One Cup.But as the game’s reputation is dragged through the mud, it’s nice to see a tender moment between two players at the top of their game. While Anglo-Welsh relations appeared strained as Swansea clashed with Chelsea midweek, it’sÂheart-warmingÂto witness England star Tom Cleverley helping Welsh wizard Gareth BaleÂup after the latter had a bit of a run in with some advertising boards, but can you come up with a caption for this image?
This week you can win a copy of Football Manager 2013!
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As well as some landmark new features in the Career Mode, there are now new ways to enjoy your Football Manager experience.
Fancy winning a copy of Football Manager 2013?
To enter you simply have to FOLLOW @FootballFanCast and Tweet your caption including the hashtag #RealOpinions
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Check out ourÂCaption Competition GalleryÂfor some inspiration and to see theÂwinnersÂso far.
Last week’s winner:ÂTom Case HardcourtÂ-Âclick here to see all entries
Mohamed Salah is the talk of the town at the moment thanks to his goalscoring heroics for Liverpool.
The Egyptian international has scored 36 goals in all competitions and is current leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot with 28 to his name.
The 25-year-old was labelled a Chelsea reject after failing to establish himself in the first team during a two-year spell, but now he is drawing comparisons to five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Whenever an attacking player is hitting his best form, he is generally likened to the greatest footballers in the game.
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After Salah hit four in a 5-0 rout over Watford last weekend, some have begun mentioning the former Roma star in the same breath as Messi, who has won 30 trophies in his career, including four Champions League titles.
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In an interview with Sky Sports News, Salah’s club teammate Andrew Robertson, who has gained a major Liverpool following of his own, claimed that the attacker could reach the same heights as Messi.
As expected, plenty of rival fans are not having any of this.
Nigel Winterburn feels that Arsene Wenger is changing his managerial style and should be given more time in charge at Arsenal to bring back the glory days.
The Gunners boss has been in charge of the north London giants since 1996, enjoying an illustrious spell at the club including league and cup triumphs.
However, the recent years of his time at Arsenal have not been trophy-laden, with last season’s FA Cup the first piece of silverware won in nine years.
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For much of the ‘drought’ Wenger was criticised for a lack of spending, but over the course of the past 18 months the Frenchman has paid in excess of £40m and £30m for Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez respectively.
And Winterburn believes that this change in philosophy means that Wenger must be kept on to see what’s possible, even with Gunners fans losing patience with him:
“My take on it is we are in a new period for Arsenal, particularly since the signing of Mesut Ozil. ” he told talkSPORT. “It looks as if the club has got some substantial funds now and I think Arsene Wenger needs to look at the situation and decide if he can get reinforcements in.
“The squad is too thin and there are certain areas they know need to be improved if they are going to challenge for the title next season, which Arsene Wenger is telling us is going to happen.
“I’d like to see him in charge simply I because I’d like to see, with the money I believe is now available, whether he will change and look to bring in new players, and it is looking like he will.
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“Arsenal have never spent £40milion before like they did with Ozil and £30million like they did on Alexis Sanchez. Now, if he went out and did that on a holding midfield player and maybe another centre-half then people would start to say Arsene Wenger is changing his ways.”
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has distanced himself from a move to Arsenal, by claiming he is happy in Spain.
The French international has long been linked with a move to the Premier League club, who see him as the ideal man to fill the void left by Robin van Persie.
Manager Arsene Wenger has attempted to replace the talismanic Dutchman with Olivier Giroud, but the former Montpellier man seems to be struggling to adapt to English football.
This has led to sections of the Gunners’ support urging the club to spend big and bring in a proven goal scorer.
Benzema was thought to be a one of their preferred candidates, but the 24-year-old has revealed that he has no interest in moving:
“I know nothing of this.” He responded when asked about a possible switch to Arsenal by France Football.
“I feel very good at Real Madrid and that is where I want to be.
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“It’s the greatest team in the world and our story is not over.”
Benzema has also been linked with big-spending Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain, who are keen to lure one of the nation’s top talents to the league.
West Ham United defender James Collins will be given every chance to prove his fitness for this afternoon’s Premier League game against Burnley.
The 34-year-old has not played since the team’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool on February 24.
A hamstring injury forced the defender to miss last weekend’s defeat to Swansea City, and it is unsure whether he will make it for the match against Burnley at the London Stadium.
According to the London Evening Standard, manager David Moyes will make a late decision on whether or not to include Collins in his squad.
The publication states that the former Aston Villa player was expected to return to training on Friday, which would give the coaching staff a better idea on where his fitness levels are at.
Meanwhile, fans have been debating on Twitter whether January signing Jordan Hugill should be given his first start this weekend.
The Hammers are in need of some points having lost three of their last four Premier League games.
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Moyes’s side are three points above the relegation zone with nine matches left to play before the end of the season.
Marouane Fellaini came to epitomise everything that went wrong at Old Trafford last season.
His cumbersome, attritional nature symbolised the negative philosophy Manchester United adopted under David Moyes, just as his £28million transfer fee agreed on deadline day – £6million more than the release clause United had bizarrely allowed to expire a fortnight earlier – symbolised Ed Woodward’s failure to attract top talent to the club during summer 2013.
Drafted in from Moyes’ former club and the only player in the entire squad the Scot had selected rather than inherited, until Juan Mata’s arrival in January, Fellaini’s lanky build and bumbling bel-fro was the demonic face of United’s so-called ‘Evertonisation’ under their former manager – the theory that Moyes’ recruitment, tactics and ideas had somehow transformed United from world leaders into a small, ordinary club.
The 26-year-old came close to leaving Carrington during the summer – there’s no doubt about that. Certainly not a natural suitor to Louis van Gaal’s technically-demanding style, the papers claim the Dutchman spent much of the transfer window trying to offload Fellaini to either Fiorentina or Napoli. It’s likely the Serie A switch or another move abroad would have come intro fruition if the midfielder hadn’t picked up a leg injury in late August.
But solutions in football often come from the most unlikely of sources, and Louis van Gaal may have found one in a player he was prepared to throw on the scrapheap just a matter of months ago.
Following impressive displays against West Brom – in which Fellaini netted just moments after coming on at the interval – and Chelsea – where he went toe-to-toe with Cesc Fabregas – the much-maligned midfielder may now have a vital role to play in van Gaal’s opening campaign at Old Trafford.
The performance against West Brom demonstrated something important about Fellaini. Firstly, a reminder that he can score goals – the trademark he became famed for at Everton after netting eleven times in his ultimate season.
Amalgamating cricket scores through United’s incredible cast of expensively-assembled attacking talent, the Gaalactios, appears to be at the heart of van Gaal’s game-plan this season, and the 26 year-old proved against the Baggies that he’s capable of contributing too. In fact, he’s bagged the same amount of goals – in 90 less minutes – as Radamel Falcao this season.
But secondly and most importantly, that the 6 foot 4 Belgian’s height and power can be an intrinsic asset for any Premier League side, especially when battling against those at the less flattering end of the table. Van Gaal’s already admitted certain aspects of the English game have caught him by surprise – the pace, the power, the intensity, the constant pressure on the ball – and that’s reflected in United’s summer transfer policy.
Indeed, of United’s £150million spent, only one arrival, Luke Shaw, came with Premier League experience, whilst Marcos Rojo constituted the only signing that measures in at above 6 foot. Even Daley Blind is just 5 foot 11 and, likewise to fellow summer addition Ander Herrera, worryingly slender when compared to the brawn and tenacity anchoring other Premier League midfields.
That diversity is why Fellaini could prove so important for United between now and the end of the season. A physique almost tailor-made for the challenges of Premier League football, his simple-yet-effective battering ram approach compliments and protects the more eccentric foreign talents surrounding him.
Admittedly, he’s not the only United midfielder that offers something quintessentially Premier League when compared to the club’s summer signings. Darren Fletcher, albeit far from the player he once was, remains on the roster, whilst veteran Michael Carrick is expected to return to first team action in the coming weeks.
But the Red Devils’ poorest results this season have come against their weakest opposition; the 4-0 drubbing by MK Dons in the Capital One Cup, the 5-3 comeback by Leicester City, the scoreless draw against top flight whipping boys Burnley. Whilst Carrick and Fletcher can both offer the midfield a more solid base, the former particularly a better fit for LVG’s technical ethos, Fellaini’s strength and aerial ability can impact at both ends of the pitch – an ugly, direct plan B for when the Champaign-footy isn’t quite paying off.
Van Gaal’s underestimated the Premier League in some respects and until now, Marouane Fellaini too. The Belgian international is almost the antithesis of a van Gaal player, but a necessity all the same in a squad assembled, perhaps naively, without the characteristics of the English game in mind.
I do not expect Fellaini to become a United icon, either in cult or popular terms. I don’t particularly expect him to be at the club next season, especially with the Red Devils seemingly planning the next two transfer windows to be as lucrative as the last.
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But amid an inaugural campaign in which LVG’s learning as much about the Premier League as it is him, the services of a Premier League-proven midfielder, purpose-built for the unique, physical quirks of the English game, could be the difference between fourth and fifth.
And after his impressive form over the last week, Fellaini looks a dead-cert to feature against Manchester City and Arsenal – two coming fixtures that will define United’s season.
Leon Osman is confident Everton can follow up their 2-1 victory over Wigan with further points against Chelsea this weekend.
Osman scored the Toffees’ opener in the win, which has seen Everton maintain their pursuit of Champions League football.
And the midfielder told The Independent that his side are in high spirits ahead of the challenge presented by third-placed Chelsea this weekend.
“It is always a little more difficult at Christmas time with people’s moods and the way the weather was, so it was a terrific three points to dig it out against a good Wigan side,” the Everton midfielder said.
“Chelsea are coming here on Sunday full of form now but we are confident and hopefully we will make a good game of it.
“We are certainly a developing team and have developed a lot over the last year or so.
“We are playing some good football and we tend to show that more when we play against the teams at the top end of the table.”
The Merseysiders occupy fifth position in the Premier League, level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham, and manager David Moyes is keen for his players to keep up the momentum for the remainder of the Christmas period.
“Over the Christmas period you are just trying to win the games and come out of the other end of it in no worse a position,” Moyes told The Daily Mail.
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“We have six points from the two games and we might have settled for that at the start but we have now got another couple of games – Chelsea at home and then Newcastle away – and then you are probably talking about the Christmas period being over.
“We will try to take some points from them and keep moving up.”