Transfer Market Do’s and Don’ts: 4 – Don’t just buy ‘big name’ players.

Every transfer were window there is always at least one ‘big name’ player that usually moves clubs for a substantial fee. It’s often the clubs highest up the table and with the most money that make these ‘big name’ signings, but do you really need to sign a ‘big name’ to be more successful?

Don’t sign players just because they have a ‘big name’.

To buy a player with a ‘big name’ can be a risk, especially if there is a big fee involved. If the player has genuine talent it usually works out ok, but this is not always the case. Certain teams like Real Madrid are criticised for just buying ‘big names’ whereas teams like Arsenal are criticised for not buying ‘big names’. It’s very hard for a manager to gauge when he needs to bring a ‘big name’ player to his club.

Real Madrid are big culprits of this transfer policy. This is largely due to the fans demanding big transfers. However it’s important to remember that big clubs like Real Madrid probably aren’t even trying to be rational in the transfer market. The clubs aim isn’t really to get the best results for as little money as possible; they just want the best results! Florentino Perez handed over a combined £180 million for Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka in 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo was obviously a great acquisition for Los Blancos but Kaka did not have the same impact on the team, this is mainly due to the fact that they didn’t really need him. They signed Kaka in 2009 for around £60 million, this was when they already had the likes of Guti, Rafael van der Vaart, Raul, Benzema and Higuain. So although this transfer made the whole world stand up and take notice of how serious Real Madrid are, it was really necessary. Kaka as gradually had less and less appearances for Real Madrid and failed to really make much of a difference. This transfer is by no means a waste of £60 million, however it could have probably been better spent.

Real Madrid have also sold players in the past and brought in ‘big name’ players when it would probably have been better if they had kept the players that they had. In 2000, highly rated defensive midfielder, Redondo transferred to AC Milan, in a highly controversial £11m move, which left many Real Madrid fans perplexed. Then in 2003, Real Madrid sold Claude Makelele to Chelsea for £17 million, again leaving Madrid fans rather shocked. Then in a strange turn of events David Beckham was brought in from Manchester United for a fee of £25 million. This again was a big shock to most in the footballing world, mainly because Beckham was so close to moving to Barcelona. David Beckham did do well at Real Madrid however I feel that Madrid lost two of their great midfielders in order to sign a ‘big name’ for a big fee.

Although most wouldn’t class him as a ‘big name’ it’s probably best not to mention Jonathon Woodgate…

Buying a player with a ‘big name’ makes other clubs stand up and take notice, it’s almost a way of making sure that you are still regarded as one of the biggest clubs in the world. Buying ‘big named’ players also gives the clubs fans a thrill and creates an air of excitement around the club. Buying Cristiano Ronaldo was a way of keeping the Real Madrid fans satisfied and to reinforce the fact the Real Madrid are one of the biggest clubs in the world.

P.S I thought I’d come back to poor old Jonathon Woodgate to end this article. Woodgate signed for Real Madrid in August 2004 for a transfer fee of £13.4 million. This was to the surprise of the football world, due to his frequent absences through injury at his previous clubs. Woodgate did not make any appearances for Real Madrid in his first season in Spain. He eventually made his debut on 22 September 2005, in a league match against Athletic Bilbao. The game didn’t go very well for him. He scored an own goal and was later sent off for a second bookable offence. He certainly ended up as a ‘big name’ after his Madrid debut…

Transfer Market Do’s and Don’ts: 3 – Do buy players in their early twenties.

In the transfer market most managers like to stick to their preferred strategies, whether it be how they scout players or buying and selling at certain times for certain fees. It is more often than not solely down to the manager to decide how he approaches the transfer market. Some managers get it right and pull off sensational deals and some managers get it wrong and are often left fighting for their jobs. In the “Transfer Market Do’s and Don’ts” series I am reviewing the best and worst way to do business in the transfer market.

Do buy players when they are in their early twenties.

The best time to buy a player is when they around the ages of 20-22. This isn’t really saying that older players around the age of 24-28 are a bad investment; it is more so saying that buying players aged between 16-19 is a big risk. How good a footballer is a 16-19 is a poor predictor of how good they will be when they become an adult. However a lot can change to a young footballer between these ages. They could get a career ending injury, get into drugs or lose interest in football altogether. Therefore the best time to buy a player is when they are in their early twenties. The player has reached adulthood and is usually more settled. You can also gauge how good they will become more clearly at this age, meaning its less of a risk to sign them.

I’m going to give two examples so you can really understand why this transfer policy works well and why buying players at a really young age (under 20) can be a risky and dangerous strategy.  The first example is ex-Scotland under 21’s goalkeeper James Will. At just 16 years old Will was tipped for stardom and was set to become one of the world’s greatest goalkeepers. Will played for Scotland at the under 16 World Cup, whilst he was an understudy to David Seamen at Arsenal. Although Will did get a handful of Scotland under 21 caps, he never played for the first team. In the end he ended up joining Scottish club Dunfermline. However Will never really got close to what people expected of him at 16, he later dropped into the Highland League with Deveronvale. Will ended up quitting footballer altogether and now works in the police force. This is a great example as to why you should wait till a player gets to around 20 years old before you decide to sign them, as a lot can change between the ages of 16-19. Other notable examples of young footballers who have failed to live up to expectation are America’s Freddy Adu and Brazil’s Willam de Oliviera.

I couldn’t even find a picture of James Will, so here is Freddy Adu – America’s next best talent that never was.

An example of a club waiting for a player to reach is early twenties before buying him was when Lyon purchased the Ghanaian Michael Essien in 2003, when he was aged 21. Paris Saint-Germain made Bastia the best offer and it was accepted,but Essien rejected PSG’s contract offer and instead agreed terms with the current champions Lyon, who paid Bastia €7.8 million for the transfer.It turned out that Essien had attracted a lot of interest from various clubs whilst at Bastia, however Lyon waited until he was 21 before they moved in. Essie was even voted as the UNFP player of the year in 2005. Essien also went on to play for Chelsea and Real Madrid. Chairman of Olympique Lyonnais, Jean-Michel Aulas said “We buy young players with potential, who are considered the best in their country, between 20 and 22 years old.”

Lyon’s transfer policy of buying these players between the ages of 20 and 22 worked well between the years of 2001 and 2008 where they won a record breaking 7 consecutive Ligue 1 titles. This transfer strategy does still work well, however it is less easy to carry it out as money has now become a big factor in football. If a few teams are following a young player aged 17 they are now much more likely to try and get in quick and offer big money, rather than wait and lose the player.

It is important to remember that a small percentage of players do reach the top level by age of 19 and therefore it is easy to gauge how good they will become. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi all got close to the top level before they reached 20. Therefore there wasn’t so much of risk in buying these players when they were young as it was easy to tell how good they would become.

I feel that it is definitely best to wait for a player to reach at least 20 before you try to buy them so that you can gauge how good they will become easily. However I can also understand that this is now becoming a lot harder to as scouting has improved and players are noticed at an early age by numerous clubs who then have to battle it out. It is often the club that get there first and then the club that offer the highest transfer fee and wages that the get the player. This is what causes teams to take risks and buy players that are aged between 16-19.

Transfer Gossip #5

Welcome to the 5th installment of Transfer Gossip.

Southampton set to steal Wanyama.

Southampton could be set to sign Celtic’s defensive midfielder, Victor Wanyama. Wanyama has been linked with a host of clubs this summer, including Arsenal and Inter Milan, however it now seems as though the Kenyan international could be on his way to St. Mary’s. Southampton have reportedly agreed a £10 million deal with the Scottish club to sign Wanyama. Although the Saints could still face some stiff competition as Arsenal, Liverpool and Inter Milan are all lurking around. Wanyama is a combative defensive midfield, who is prone to putting in some strong challenges. Wanyama also is a technically sound player, he has good vision and a great range of pass. These attributes make Wanyama a very good defensive midfielder, he also has age on his side, he is only 21 years old and could be a player that vastly improves in the coming years.

Arsene Wenger looks to splash the cash.

It looks as though Arsenal are set to make their first signing of the summer, and break their record transfer fee, as they prepare a £20 million bid for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentinean striker is expected to join the Gunners in the next fee weeks before they go on their tour of Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan. Wenger is also interested in securing the services of Everton’s Marouane Fellaini. Arsenal are expected to activate the Belgian’s release clause, which is said to be in the region of £22-24 million, in the next few weeks. According to recent reports Arsenal have also had a £70,000 a week contract turned down my the Belgium players associates, however Arsenal are likely to increase this and offer around £85,000 a week to the giant Belgium midfielder. It seems that times are changing at the North London club as Arsene Wenger looks to splash the cash to try and insure a trophy for the Arsenal fans next season.

Manchester United in for Spanish starlet Thiago Alcantara.

David Moyes is looking to make Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara his first signing at Manchester United since taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson. The highly rated 22 year old midfielder impressed whilst at the Under 21 European Championships where he scored a hat-trick in the final as Spain beat Italy. Moyes is close to bringing the £15 million rated midfielder to the Premier League Champions, however a deal could be scuppered if Barcelona can guarantee Thiago more playing time at the Camp Nou. The young midfielder has found it hard to make an impact at Barcelona with the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas and Busquets all ahead of him in the squad. Thiago is a very talented young midfielder who fits the mold of the modern day Spanish midfielder. He posses great technical ability and can play sublime passes. Some people may say that the Premier Champions were missing an attacking midfielder like Thiago last season.

Manchester City and Real Madrid go head to head for Isco.

Manchester City look set to challenge Real Madrid for the coveted signature of Malaga’s Isco. However at the moment it seems that Real Madrid are the more likely as they have supposedly had a £25 million offer accepted my Malaga. Isco is another player much like Thiago would fits the mold of the modern Spanish attacking midfielder. He has great technical ability and vision making him a very sort after player. New Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini looks set to try and hijack Isco has he tries to reunite himself with a player that he coached at Malaga last season before becoming the boss of Manchester City. City have yet to make an offer for Isco but are said to be very interested in the Spanish international. It is thought that Manchester City would have to match Real Madrid’s offer of £25 million to have any chance of signing Isco. If Manchester City so complete the signing of Isco he would become the clubs third summer signing as they have already seen Fernandinho and Jesus Navas arrive from Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla respectively.

Liverpool sign Sevilla’s Luis Alberto.

Liverpool have wrapped up the signing of Sevilla’s Spain Under 21 international Luis Alberto on a long-term deal for a fee believed to be around £7 million. The 20 year old forward spent last season on loan at Barcelona B but the Spanish champions decided against taking up their option of signing the young Spaniard, allowing Liverpool to step in. Liverpool boss Brendan Rogers said: “I look forward to working with him to develop his talent.”. Luis Alberto is set to be joined at Anfield by Sunderland’s Simone Mignolet and Celta Vigo’s Iago Asapas. Liverpool are also progressing with a move to sign Shakhtar Donetsk’s Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan but face competition from a number of European clubs. The 24-year-old has a release clause in his contract, believed to be around £20 million which Liverpool are willing to meet it in an attempt to sign one of European football’s most coveted emerging players.

Manchester United try to hijack Chelsea’s move for Marco van Ginkel.

Manchester United and Chelsea are scrapping to try and sign to Dutch youngster Marco Van Ginkel. Chelsea look the most likely to sign the 20 year old Vitesse Arnhem midfielder, however David Moyes is looking to make a late bid for the player. Chelsea are willing to let Gael Kakuta move in the opposite direction, as Vitesse Arnhem are demanding that Kakuta’s loan spell at the Geldredome should be turned into a permanent deal. Van Ginkel is valued at around £8 million and it looks as though he will have to make a choice between Manchester United for Chelsea as both clubs are willing to match the valuation of the Dutch midfielder. Van Ginkel is just 20 years old and is set to have a bright future ahead of him.

Gonzalo Higuain: El Pipita

After much anticipation it seems that Gonzalo Higuain could be on his way to Arsenal. The Argentinean striker, nicknamed El Pipita, has been the focus of most of the Arsenal related transfer news in the past couple of weeks. Higuain is now odds on to join the Gunners as various newspapers have reported that he has reached an agreement in principle with the North London club. Could Arsene Wenger be ready to break Arsenal’s transfer record and make Higuain the highest paid player at the club?

The answer to this seems to be yes! According to recent reports Arsenal have offered Higuain a £130,000 per week contract, which will make him the highest paid player at the club by £30,000 per week. It is also being reported that Wenger is ready to smash Arsenal’s transfer record by offering Real Madrid £20 million for the 25 year old Argentinean. Arsenal would ultimately like to get this deal wrapped up before 11th July when the team departs for their tour of Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan. The final barrier between Higuain and Arsenal is that Real Madrid don’t currently have a manager that can sign off the outgoing player. Los Blancos, who recently departed company with Jose Mourinho, are currently looking for a new manager to take the helm at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid President, Florentino Pérez, is said to be keen on bringing Carlo Ancelotti to the club. It is then expected that Ancelotti would sanction Higuain’s move to the Gunners.

But what will Higuain bring to the Arsenal team? He is a proven clinical finisher who has performed well at the highest level. Therefore Higuain brings both experience and clinical finishing to the Arsenal squad, two things which some fans would say the Gunners lack. Higuain also has an eye for key passes and can hold on the ball well. In La Liga last season Higuain made 19 appearances for Real Madrid (9 of which were as a substitute). He managed to score a very impressive 16 goals along with 5 assists. Higuain also had a shot accuracy of 51.8% and a conversion rate (shots to goals) of 28.6%. Another interesting stat, courtesy of Opta, that will excite Arsenal fans is that Higuain has averaged a goal every 112 minutes in the La Liga since he made his debut for Real Madrid on January 14th 2007.

In my opinion Higuain could be the first marquee signing this summer for Arsenal, I would also expect them to sign at least two more “big” signings. Since Robin Van Persie left the club Arsenal have struggled to score goals and lack a clinical finisher up top. Olivier Giroud has done well for Arsenal scoring 17 goals in all competitions last season, although I don’t think Giroud as the quality to lead the line for Arsenal. However I could see Gonzalo Higuain leading the line for the Gunners. Higuain has proven himself to be a lethal finisher at the highest levels and I believe he could continue to do so at Arsenal. I think that Higuain would fit into the Arsenal team very nicely, he not only has good finishing abilities but also very good link up play with others around him, this would make him the perfect fit for Arsenal.

Higuain looks to become a very solid investment for Arsenal. At 25 years old, he can come into the club as a ready made striker, as oppose to a young prodigy, however I can also see Higuain improving whilst with Arsenal, as he has improved every year at Real Madrid. I would say that the transfer is very likely to happen as Higuain is looking for first team football next season, to try and guarantee his place in Argentina’s World Cup squad for next summer as he faces stiff competition for the likes of Aguero, Tevez and Messi.

If Arsenal can get this transfer wrapped up relatively quickly Arsene Wenger can then look to bring more players into the club, with the likes of Fellaini and Rooney being linked heavily with the Gunners.

Arsenal Undergo Changes

It looks as though Arsenal could have a radical shake up this summer, with a lot of players leaving the club and new players coming in. It seems as though Arsene Wenger may even be ready to spend big to acquire some of his top summer targets, which is something he isn’t accustom too.I personally feel that it was about time for some changes at Arsenal. Although Arsene Wenger deserves credit for bringing some talent youngsters into the squad and nurturing them into world class players, I do feel that he has often been a little lack luster in the transfer market. Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski were two great signings but they still weren’t really what lots of Arsenal fans a craving. Arsenal fans are dying to see their club sign one of the top players in the world, whom of course would come with a substantial price tag, could this be the summer that Arsenal fans finally get their wish?

The words that were uttered from Ivan Gazidis’ mouth filled every Arsenal fan with hope for a big signing this summer. Gazidis said that Arsenal are ready to “escalate” their spending this summer. When asked whether Arsenal could afford to spend £20 million on a single player and offer salaries of £200,000 per week, he said: “Of course we could do that. We could do more than that.” Gazidis continued, “It is going to be the players that Arsene believes in. He is pretty blind to price tags, he looks at what he sees with his eyes and makes judgments based on that, not on reputations and prices.” Arsenal have been linked with a hole host of world class players this summer including Gonzalo Higuain and Wayne Rooney, and it seems that they may now have the financial capabilities to carry out these transfer bids. However the statement from Gazidis also left a lot of Arsenal fans asking, “why now?” The answer to this is relatively simple. In 2003 Arsenal began to build the Emirates Stadium, ready for their transition from Highbury, the stadium cost a total of £470 million, which Arsenal have been paying back over recent years. The move to the Emirates has been one of the reasons why Arsenal haven’t made any big money signings in the last 10 years, but they have now virtually payed of the stadium debt and are in a very healthy financial situation. The transfer fund has also been bolstered by the recent shirt sponsorship deal with Fly Emirates which is worth £150 million to the Gunners. Every Arsenal fan is eagerly anticipating a big summer signing but it is important not to get carried away. Ivan Gazidis, chief executive of Arsenal, also said “We also have new revenue streams coming on board and all of these things mean we can do some things which would excite you, but what excites Arsene isn’t necessarily what excites you. This year we are beginning to see something we have been planning for some time – the escalation in our financial firepower.” This is a reminder to Arsenal fans that Wenger clearly isn’t going to rush into a big money signing to please the fans, it has to be a player which fits in with the Frenchman’s philosophy.

In recent weeks after Gazidis’ remarks there have been numerous transfer rumors surrounding Arsenal bringing in new players. The first player rumored to be on Arsene Wenger’s radar was the unsettled Wayne Rooney. After David Moyes was named Manchester United it became clear that Rooney would possibly looking for a way out of Manchester, then the rumors of a transfer to Arsenal begun. On a personal level I can’t see this happening, I don’t even expect Rooney to leave United this summer, I’m 80% certain that he will sign a new deal with the Red Devils. Arsenal were then linked with another forward, Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentinian striker has admitted that he may be leaving Los Blancos this summer, with Arsenal and Juventus being suggested by the media as two possible destinations for the striker. The most recent name to be linked with Arsenal is Marouane Fellaini, it was widely reported last week that Arsenal had activated Fellaini’s £22 million release clause. Sky Bet even went as far as dropping the odds for Fellaini to sign for Arsenal this summer to 1/1. However this reported bid was dismissed by Arsenal, Everton and the Fellaini ‘camp’. The rumors linking Fellaini to Arsenal have seemed to die off with new Everton manager Roberto Martinez stating that Fellaini is “going nowhere” this summer. Other notable talents to be linked with the Gunners include Stevan Jovetic,ilkay Gundogan, Lars Bender and with most recent of all being Benfica full back Lorenzo Melgarejo. I fully expect Arsenal to make at least one landmark signing this summer, however I have no idea who will be joining the club as they have been linked with so many players. At the present moment in time Arsenal haven’t officially made any signings, however it looks as though highly rated French Under 21’s forward Yaya Sanogo will be joining the club from Auxerre on a bosman free transfer. Most fans are expecting to see Sanogo go straight into the first team set up as oppose to being playing in the reserve squad.

Could Arsenal fans be seeing Gonzalo Higuain in the famous Red and White of the Gunners next season?

It also seems as though Arsenal will be having an internal clear out at the club. In recent years there have been cries from the terraces for Wenger to get rid of some of the “deadwood” at Arsenal, that contribute heavily to the wage bill, and it is looking like Arsenal fans will get their wish. The first team clear out has already begun with Sebastian Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin and Denilson all leaving the club on free transfers. Arsenal have already knocked £10 million from the wage bill, after getting rid of 3 players who have hardly featured for Arsenal in the last 3 years, this is definitely a step in the right direction. It doesn’t look like the summer sale will stop there either, Arsenal have reported accepted bids of around £3 million from various teams for Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner, a player who most fans will be happy to see leave. The summer clear has also stretched to the reserve squad an youth teams with a total of 15 players being released by the club, this makes certain that Arsenal will be bringing in some young talent this summer rebuild and reshape the reserves and youth team.

Arshavin’s goal versus Barcelona will live long in the memory as the little Russian departs the club.

It is sure to be an exciting and frantic summer for Arsenal fans as a lot of players leave the club and new players are brought in. The fans of the North London team will be hoping that the players that Arsene Wenger does bring in can help Arsenal to end their trophy drought and secure a piece of silverware next season.

Could Cesc Fabregas be set for a sensational return to Arsenal?

Cesc Fabregas could be set for a sensational return to former club, Arsenal, this summer. Arsenal bought Fabregas from Barcelona in 2003, however after 8 magnificent years with the Gunners, Fabregas rejoined Barcelona in 2011 for a fee of around £28 million.

This season Barcelona look as though they will regain the La Liga title from Real Madrid, however Barcelona have had a poor season by their fabulous standards. The Spanish giants have struggled against top opposition this year, which include major loses to Real Madrid, AC Milan and most recently Bayern Munich. This has left Barcelona feeling that they may be too reliant on the talents of Lionel Messi and that they may have to strengthen their squad in the summer. Although there will clearly be no squad clear out at Barcelona, a few players who are on the fringes of the starting 11 may be sold to free up funds to sign a centre back and goalkeeper. Cesc Fabregas, along with other ex-Arsenal team mate Alex Song, would come under this category.

A Barcelona source has recently said “If an important offer for Cesc arrives we will study the situation.” This has alerted lots of world class clubs, however Arsenal have the first refusal on the Spaniard who they sold to the Catalans in 2011. I feel that Arsene Wenger would be very tempted to re-sign his former captain, who looks to Wenger as a father figure. It is believed that Fabregas himself would be open to move back to the North London club. The 2013/14 season is set to be a very important one for Cesc Fabregas as the World Cup will be looming at the end of the season. To be in contention for the Spain squad you would feel that Cesc Fabregas would have to be playing a lot of first team football, a lot more than he has this season. Fabregas has mainly been used as a substitute by Barcelona this season and I feel that this could be a key reason for his potential departure from Barcelona. There have also been reports that Fabregas’ partner, Daniella Semaan has recently given birth to their first child. It is believed that the couple would like to raise their family in London.

Every Arsenal fan would absolutely love to see Fabregas back in a red and white shirt. Although these are only rumors, I do feel that there maybe some truth behind them. Fabregas has struggled to get first team football at Barcelona and looks increasing frustrated. I also feel that Fabregas would love a return to Arsenal if he is set to leave Barcelona. The Spaniard may look at the potential move as a chance to rejuvenate his career and showcase his talents in a bid to be picked for the Spain squad for the 2014 World Cup. I also know that Arsenal are more than capable of funding a move for Fabregas as it has been reported that Arsene Wenger has a transfer kitty of £70 million. Arsenal are also in the market for a couple of midfielders as Rosicky and Arteta are ageing and Abou Diaby is still struggling to stay fit. If Fabregas were to join Arsenal, I feel it could rejuvenate the club and help them in a push to secure a trophy next season.

Transfer Gossip #2

Welcome to the second installment of Transfer Gossip!

Tottenham want Ince.

It is being reported this week that Spurs are interested in 21 year old Blackpool winger, Tom Ince. Tottenham are supposedly preparing a £6.5 million bid for the young winger who has scored 18 Championship goals this season. Ince has been in impressive form an has attracted interest from many top flight clubs.

Arsenal to put in a shock bid for Schneiderlin?

It has been reported today that Arsenal may put a shock £10 million bid in for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin. He would be brought into the squad to replace the forever injured Abou Diaby.

Galatasary look to strengthen squad.

The Turkish side are looking to strengthen their squad in the summer. They are supposedly lining up a bid for Manchester City’s Gael Clichy. They are also said to interested in Bayern’s Arjen Robben and will offer the German team £12 million.

West Ham to turn to Jelavic?

The hammers may try to buy Everton striker, Nikica Jelavic, this summer. They have decided that the £17 million price tag that Liverpool have set for Andy Carroll is extortionate. The London club reportedly offered £10 million for Carroll which Liverpool completely dismissed. Liverpool are sure to lose money on the £30 million that they paid for Carroll.

Cristiano Ronaldo set to leave Madrid.

There have been reports throughout this season that Ronaldo will leave the Galacticos. Manchester United are said to be interested in their ex-player. However they face stiff competition from Paris St.Germain who have made Real Madrid a “substantial offer” for the Portuguese star.

PSG want Wenger.

Paris St.Germain are said to be confident that they will be able to prize Arsene Wenger away from Arsenal to manage the French giants. This has come after news that Carlo Ancelotti is expected to become the new Real Madrid boss when Mourinho leaves at the end of the season.

Frieburg to hold onto young star.

Frieburg have said that starlet, Matthias Ginter will not be leaving the club during the summer transfer window. Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are all said to be on the trail for German defender.

Danny Rose to snub Sunderland in favor of Spurs stay.

Andre Villas-Boas is trying to persuade England Under 21’s star, Danny Rose to snub a move to Sunderland to stay at Tottenham. The young left-back has been very impressive whilst out on a season long loan at Sunderland, who are reportedly looking to sign him on a permanent basis for around £8 million.

Arsenal looking to sign a Goalkeeper.

Arsenal are said to be interested in signing a new goalkeeper this summer. Lots of names have come up including QPR’s Julio Cesar who is set to leave after Rangers were relegated to the Championship. Another name that has come is Hamburg’s Rene Adler, however the German club are insisting that Arsenal have not approached them about a potential move for the German shot stopper.

Jovetic could snub Arsenal for a move to Milan.

It has been reported today that long term Arsenal target Stevan Jovetic may snub the North London club in favor for a move to AC Milan. It seems as though Arsenal will be facing some stiff competition as they look to try and sign their number 1 transfer target. It would be a huge disappointment for Arsenal if the young Montenegrin was snatched by AC Milan.

Summer Transfer Targets

Domestic football seasons in Europe are coming to an end and the transfer rumors are starting to become more regular. At this time of year there are hundreds of rumors circulating around the footballing world of players that may be on the move this summer. In this article I will endeavor to look at players that may potentially make a move this summer. I am going to pick five of the world’s best footballers that could be on the move this summer (in no particular order).

1. Radamel Falcao

Falcao is one of the world’s best strikers, and he is in high demand this summer with a number of potential clubs being mentioned as “interested” in the player. Falcao has set La Liga alight this season scoring 24 goals in 28 appearances so far this season. Falcao is a fantastic all-round striker, who can score all types of goals. His superb aerial ability and colossus finishing make him one of the most deadliest strikers in the world. If it weren’t for the incredible goal scoring feats of Messi and Ronaldo, Falcao would be the most prolific striker in La Liga. Lots of clubs have been linked with the Colombian star including Manchester United and PSG. However the club who has been most linked to Falcao is Chelsea, who as we know aren’t afraid of spending large sums of money. Falcao is sure to have a big price tag of at least £35 million.

2. Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale has been one of the most mesmerising players this season. He has been in incredible form this year and has scored a vast number of hugely important goals for Tottenham Hotspurs. However if Spurs fail to qualify for the Champions League, Bale may seek to play elsewhere in an attempt to show case himself in the Champions League. Bale has been playing some amazing football at times this season, he has notched 22 goals in 38 appearances so far this season for Spurs. This is an astonishing amount of goals from a winger. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have been linked to Bale. Could we possibly see these two Spanish giants battle it out for the signature of this high-flying Welshman in the summer transfer window.

3. Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez has been Liverpool’s best player by a country mile this season, he has also been one of the best players in the Premier League. Suarez’s goals have been crucial as Liverpool had a very bad start to the season. Although Suarez’s has his faults, such as his diving antics, it cannot be denied that he is a marvelous player. Suarez has scored 29 goals in 43 appearances for Liverpool so far this season. A superb tally if you take into account the nature of the under performing Liverpool side that he has been apart of. Suarez has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this some as they are not likely to be playing Champions League football next season, something that the world’s best players crave for. He has been linked with a number of clubs including Bayern Munich, who will be managed by Pep Guardiola next season, along with PSG and Real Madrid. I would not be surprised if Suarez left Anfield this summer as they are unable to offer him Champions League football.

4. Edinson Cavani

Cavani is an extraordinary talent. He is a striker who poses both pace and power, a deadly combination. Napoli’s star striker has scored 31 goals in 36 appearances so far this season. His sheer talent of goal scoring has alerted someone of the world’s best clubs. Napoli are by no means the biggest club in Italy, let alone the world, so Cavani could look to move to a bigger club this summer. Potential destinations for the Uruguay scoring sensation include the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. It is believed that Cavani would cost in the region of £40 million, this could lead to a mass scramble to sign one of best strikers in the world. Could Cavani be the next big star to leave Napoli and follow in the footsteps of his ex-teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi.

5. Mats Hummels

The rock solid and ever reliable Mats Hummels could be on the way out of Borussia Dortmund this summer. Although the Bundesliga team have performed exceptionally well this season, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League (or possibly the final) there have been rumors that he could be leaving the club. Hummels is regarded as one of the world’s best center backs at the age of just 24. He is a regular starter for the German national side. At 6ft 3″ Hummels is a very powerful defender and is superb in aerial duels, he is tough tackler and doesn’t often come out of a tackle without the ball. He has been linked to a number of clubs this summer including Manchester United and Barcelona. Borussia Dortmund will go everything they can to hold onto their star center back, but the lure of huge clubs like Manchester United may see the German move on to another club.