Tag Archives: Barcelona

Liverpool made great progress under Jurgen Klopp this season and the Reds sealed their minimum objective of returning to the Champions League next term.

Klopp’s side narrowly sealed their spot in the top-four, finishing one point ahead of Arsenal, and it’s clear the Merseyside giants need significant summer activity if they are to compete for major honours next season- especially with both Manchester clubs set to spend heavily.

However, Liverpool’s lack of recent history in European football and their financial restrictions when compared to their rivals makes it difficult for the Reds to maintain a top-class side and keep hold of their key players, with question marks surrounding the future of Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian ace has attracted the interest of Barcelona in recent seasons and the Catalan side’s restructure this summer could see them launch a move- which Liverpool would find incredibly difficult to fend off.

With speculation surrounding Coutinho, we asked our team what they believed would happen with the Brazilian and what it would take to keep him at Anfield.

Sam Cox (@SamRCox)

Liverpool’s summer is more significant than their rivals’.

The club’s creaky 2017 is a concern and – while Champions League football will return to Anfield – they must finally address long-term recruitment issues. Additions like Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Joel Matip have been splendid, though they now need to replicate that sort of investment throughout the squad to add depth and build a squad capable of holding their own against the might of their top six companions.

Prove they can do remain genuine contenders and Philippe Coutinho will find it much harder to leave the adoring Kop. Equally, clubs are unlikely to move for him just yet as his talent is yet to produce consistently enough.

Josh Challies (@Challies11)

The next year is crucial for Liverpool as they need to cement themselves as top-four regulars and genuine contenders for the Premier League title, rather than being consider a side that will dip in-and-out of the top spots in English football.

Securing Champions League football this weekend was vital to keeping Philippe Coutinho and their chances of keeping the Brazilian long-term likely hinge on the next year, as I do believe he will remain at Anfield this summer- but a move after the World Cup in 2018 is a possibility.

To have any chance of keeping Coutinho, Liverpool need to make a statement of intent this summer by securing big names and showing they can compete with their rivals- which means eyeing players that don’t currently represent lower-ranked sides in the Premier League.

Tom Scholes (@TomScholes316)

Philippe Coutinho is the player that Jurgen Klopp should be looking to build his team around in the summer, and he must do everything in his power to keep him at Anfield. If Barcelona come in for the Brazilian, he will find it hard to turn it down because who doesn’t want to play for Barcelona?

That being said, I do think Coutinho will stick around for yet another season. I doubt he would jump ship just went Liverpool are set to return to the Champions League, and Klopp needs to give him the players around him to make it similar to Eden Hazard at Chelsea.

Shane Burns (@MediaShaneBurns)

Ultimately, whether Liverpool fans care to admit it or not, the Merseysiders are a selling club and are unable to either keep hold of world-class players, or attract them.

It’s impossible to see how Liverpool can keep Coutinho if Barcelona come calling. Their name/brand is the only thing big about Liverpool these days.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a fantastic season under Mauricio Pochettino and still hold an outside chance of winning the Premier League, as they trail Chelsea by just four points.

Whilst the likelihood is Spurs will endure heartbreak for the second season in a row, Pochettino’s men have come along leaps and bounds in recent years, with a squad breaming with star-players and potential world-beaters.

Naturally, that’s led rival sides to eye moves for Tottenham’s players and a recent transfer rumour has speculation that Barcelona’s major reshuffle this summer could see the Catalan giants make a swoop for Christian Eriksen.

With speculation Ivan Rakitic could leave the Nou Camp, Barcelona will have room in their side for a creative midfielder and Eriksen would certainly fit the bill. However, his agent has played down the exit rumours.

What’s been said?

Speaking to Danish outlet BT and quoted by The London Evening Standard, Eriksen’s agent Martin Schoots said:

“I prefer not to comment on what the newspapers write about the future. The only thing Christian wants to do is focus on playing his matches.”

“We let the rumours be rumoured, even now, when Christian’s merits as a player who sets up a goal are better than anyone else, and now he scores also very important goals.”

“Christian just wants to be important for the team, it is the only thing that matters to him.”

Could he leave?

Spurs definitely face a difficult summer as big clubs are likely to swoop for their star-men but Eriksen isn’t seen as a player who is deemed expendable, which means Barcelona would have to pay well over the odds if they wanted to bring the Danish international to Catalonia.

With Eriksen recently signing a new deal in September, worth a reported £75k-a-week, Tottenham have a good bargaining position. However, they may find it difficult to keep Eriksen if he has his head turned by the Catalan giants.

Fortunately, it’s unlikely Eriksen will leave this season, as Spurs seem to be on the rise, but a move after next summer’s World Cup could materialise if Tottenham fail to make progress next season- when they’ll be playing their home games at Wembley.

Manchester United are set to go all out in the transfer market again this summer with Jose Mourinho preparing to set a world transfer record for the second summer in a row.

Following Paul Pogba’s £89m return to Manchester United from Juventus last summer, Spanish outlet Sport states the Red Devils are prepared to become the first side to break the £100m-mark in a transfer by activating Neymar’s sensational €200m release-clause.

It’s also claimed Mourinho’s side are ready to make the Brazilian one of the highest paid sportsmen in the world with a staggering wage of £416k-a-week, which would earn the South American an audacious sum of €25m per year.

However, Neymar is happy in Barcelona and doesn’t want to move to a side that is not guaranteed Champions League football next year- even if they are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

Is he needed?

In short, no. Manchester United have recruited heavily in recent windows to bring the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba to Old Trafford- as well as the unsuccessful transfers of Memphis Depay and Angel Di Maria, who swiftly moved on.

If reports are to be believed, then Antoine Griezmann will also be moving to the North West this summer and that doesn’t really leave much room for recruits in attack. If United are going to spend a tonne anywhere, the most obvious choice would be in defence.

Their back-line needs some serious improving if they are to mount a serious challenge for the biggest honours next season and beyond, as Eric Bailly and David De Gea are the only two players who stand out as genuine top quality- and question marks on the future of the latter still remain.

Should Neymar leave Barcelona?

Barcelona are set for a period of transition this summer as Luis Enrique steps down from his managerial role and leaves a side that is in need of vast changes- as the likes of veteran squad members like Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta need to be replaced.

In attack, Barcelona’s ‘MSN’ duo of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is likely to stay intact and that means the Brazilian will remain part of the Catalan giants supporting cast. That said, with Messi turning 30 this summer and Suarez already reaching that age, the long-term future of the pair could lie elsewhere.

Once Messi and Suarez leave Neymar, who has only recently turned 25, will be the superstar of the Barcelona attack and the man that they build a new-look side around. Therefore, leaving for Manchester United at this time wouldn’t be a wise call.

Liverpool could be presented with an intriguing opportunity this summer, which would see them land an experienced midfielder in a swap-deal with one of Europe’s giants.

Reported by The Liverpool Echo, Spanish outlet Don Balon states Barcelona are ready to offer Liverpool Ivan Rakitic in a deal that would see Philippe Coutinho move the other way. Whilst on paper they may seem a strange swap, Rakitic’s experience would be difficult to turn down.

Rakitic has come under fire in Catalonia this season and could be offered an exit as part of a restructure within the team, which is likely to follow at the end of the campaign when Luis Enrique leaves his managerial role and begins a sabbatical period.

Whilst Rakitic and Coutinho are not similar players, Rakitic’s arrival could land the Reds a top midfielder for a cut-price on top of a sizeable fee for their Brazilian star- which would give Jurgen Klopp plenty of funds to land a direct replacement for Coutinho.

How do they compare?

Per Squawka statistics, Coutinho has played just one minute more than Rakitic this season and his pass completion percentage (83%) puts him behind Rakitic with 86%. However, the Brazilian has five assists compared to just one from Rakitic.

In front of goal, Coutinho has found the net six times compared to Rakitic’s five and Liverpool’s star-man also boasts a far superior shot accuracy- 55% compared to Rakitic’s 46%. That said, Rakitic does adopt a deeper position in Barcelona’s line-up.

Defensively is where Rakitic has the edge, as the Croatian maestro has more tackles, interceptions and aerial duels won. Again though, this is largely down to their differences as a player.

Where would Rakitic fit in?

As mentioned, Ivan Rakitic wouldn’t directly fill the void from Coutinho’s departure and would instead likely sit in the deep-midfield pairing alongside Reds captain Jordan Henderson- providing a blanket to the defence and supporting the attack where necessary.

Rakitic has the ability to pick out the right balls to launch an attack, which would work well in Liverpool’s set-up. Jurgen Klopp’s side is also fairly young, so another experienced head in midfield would certainly not be a bad thing.

Of course, Liverpool would still have the fill the void left by Coutinho but the Reds should have the ability to do exactly that and it may even work out in their favour, as they could elect to find a direct number ten or a wide-player that would slot-in perfectly to Klopp’s ranks.

Liverpool’s season has been average at best so far, and it seems that Jurgen Klopp is finally looking at making some signings to improve on his limited options.

Riyad Mahrez is one transfer target for Liverpool this summer, but they may have to rival Barcelona for his signature, according to Sport - the report claims Barcelona are interested but that Liverpool have already made an approach.

Where would he fit in?

Though it may not have seemed like it this season, Mahrez has very good stamina, and under Klopp I think we could see him excel in pressing from the front. He’d give the team some versatility in attack and would take one of the wide berths in the team, most likely the right wing role. I could see him dovetailing well with Nathaniel Clyne on the right hand side, and offering good balance to the Liverpool team.

How likely is it to happen?

I would be shocked if Mahrez were to remain at Leicester City beyond this season. There are several top clubs interested in him and Leicester will not be playing any type of European football next season (unless they win the Champions League!). I’m not sure Mahrez would get enough regular game time at the likes Barcelona, but at Liverpool he could easily cement a place in the starting eleven. Liverpool would feel like a good next step for Mahrez, as he looks to establish himself at a top club. Moving to a club like Barcelona too early could have detrimental effects to his career. For all Klopp’s ability as a manager though, he has struggled in the transfer market, especially to bring recognised names to the club. This summer that needs to change and signing Mahrez would be a good starting point.

Would he be a good signing?

I think it goes without saying that based on last season’s form, Mahrez would be an excellent addition to the Liverpool squad, and help take them to a title challenging team. This season he has been poor for the most part, but I think he needs a manager like Klopp to consistently get the best out of him. At Liverpool you do not get away with half-hearted performances, but many times this season that is exactly what Mahrez has delivered.

Manchester United and Chelsea have received a boost via the recent comments from Marco Verratti’s agent, as The Daily Mirror suggests the Italian is unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain.

24-year-old Verratti is one of the finest young midfielders within world football and interest from top clubs, including that of Barcelona, is likely to be high. Now, Verratti’s agent Donato di Campli has handed any interested party a boost in the quest for his client’s services.

“The situation is very complicated – he has a very good contract until 2021. He wants to win and PSG, like it is, cannot win. He has been in Paris for five years now and he has to make a decision: earn a lot and not win or earn and become a champion.”

“It is not a problem of money. Whoever signs Verratti will pay him a lot of money. One thing is certain: if he leaves PSG, it will be for a top European club. There are some top Italian clubs but I have my doubts Italy will be his final destination. Spain, the Premier League or the Bundesliga? A top European club.”

Both Chelsea and Manchester United already have a wealth of talent in midfield but Verratti would be a significant addition, though it begs the question of where he’d be the best fit. Here, we’ve taken a look.

Which style works best?

Manchester United and Chelsea both have contrasting styles under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, with the latter adopting a three-man defence and utilising wing-backs; which means the midfield duo, which this season has largely consisted of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic, needs to be solid defensively.

United, on the other hand, usually adopt a flat back-four but their shape doesn’t have too much space for another creative midfielder, with Paul Pogba playing further forward whilst Ander Herrera or Michael Carrick sweeps up the danger.

If Verratti were to arrive at either Premier League side, he’d need to be strong defensively to fit into the current set-up; although there is a chance that the tactics could be tweaked if his future does lie in England.

Is Verratti defensively strong?

Squawka statistics show Verratti can hold his own defensively but there is certainly work to be done, with the concerning aspect showing the Italian international has picked up five yellow cards this season and committed a hefty 26 fouls.

On a more positive note, 45 successful tackles and 15 interceptions make for good reading but winning three aerial duels show’s he’s not quite suited to a defensive role. Clearly, he’s better in attack than he is in a deeper role.

With that being the case, Chelsea seems to be an incredibly unlikely destination with Antonio Conte’s current tactics but the Italian link could work. Meanwhile, United would equally have to adjust their set-up.

Looking at it this way, Barcelona would probably be the best fit for Verratti and he’d certainly be a top-quality successor to Andres Iniesta in the Catalan side’s ranks.

Arsenal are bracing themselves for the possibility of losing Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez this summer, as the pair enter the final 12 months of their current contracts, but The Times reports the Gunners have a plan in the form of Arda Turan.

30-year-old Turkish international Turan hasn’t quite had things go his way since switching Atletico Madrid for Barcelona two-years ago, in a deal worth £26m, and the restructure this summer that will follow Luis Enrique’s departure is likely to leave Turan edging towards an exit.

Arsenal are keen on his services, for a fee said to be around £25m, but replacing World Cup winner Mesut Ozil is certainly not an easy task- so we’ve crunched the numbers to assess whether he’d be an adequate recruit.

How do they compare?

Using statistics from Squawka, Mesut Ozil and Arda Turan are comparable on the passing front but the German ace has the edge in an attacking sense; creating 59 chances compared to Turan’s 27 and 55 key passes compared to Turan’s 24.

In the Champions League, Turan again falls behind Ozil in comparison- particularly in chances created and assists, where Ozil has 14 and three respectively compared to Turan’s 3 and 1. That said, Ozil has played 626 minutes of European football whereas Turan has just 175.

Both boast a pass completion percentage of 87% but Ozil again has the edge in terms of assists, securing four in the Premier League this season whilst Turan has three in La Liga. In the Champions League, Turan equals Ozil’s four goals but the Turkish ace’s have come from just seven shots- giving him a superior shot accuracy of 86%.

In front of goal, stats show Ozil once again has the edge over Turan with five Premier League goals, 33 shots and 50% shot accuracy- compared to the three goals, 12 shots and 44% accuracy that Arda Turan has.

Who are the alternatives?

If Arsenal look to promote from within to fill the void left by a potential exit for Ozil, then the likely candidates are Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Alex Iwobi. Statistically though, they’re again short of the German.

Squawka stats show Ozil has the advantage over Arsenal’s other trio in all areas bar two- with Aaron Ramsey boasting a slightly better 89% pass completion over Ozil’s 87%, whilst Alex Iwobi has one taken one more shot in the Premier League (44).

Therefore, it’s clear Arsenal should look to bring someone in to fill the void Ozil would leave but finding the right replacement will certainly not be easy and could prove to be expensive. Whilst Turan is an affordable option, they would lack the benefits that Ozil provides.

It was the elephant in the room. Having more or less consigned themselves to UEFA Champions League elimination after losing 5-1 to Bayern Munich this Wednesday, many expected Arsène Wenger to utilise his pre-match press conference ahead of their FA Cup tie with Sutton United to lay down the official word on his Arsenal future.

With his Gunners contract up at the end of the season, the under-fire manager prolonged the anticipation until “March or April,” but the Frenchman did allude to a differing scenario from what many had envisioned.

Common predictions pointed towards Wenger’s retirement after what’s so far been a 21-year-reign at Arsenal, potentially moving into the club’s hierarchy to carry out different functions in the same way Sir Alex Ferguson has done at Manchester United, but, staying true to his managerial abilities, the 67-year-old has stated he will continue to be a manager after this season, “with or without Arsenal.”

This had us thinking, just where will we find Mr. Wenger next season?

1. AS Monaco

The first muse of Arsène after joining from penniless Nancy, the Arsenal boss went on to win the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France during seven hotly-contested seasons up against Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain. His time in the principality came to a bitter end, however.

Allegations of bribery around the league tarnished its integrity, as Monaco suffered at the hands of the alleged cheats, and having been eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals to eventual winners AC Milan in 1994, Wenger was given the axe months later after leaving the Monégasque outfit 17th in the league table.

But times are different back in his homeland. Monaco have gone down and returned back to the upper echelons Ligue 1 football, this time led by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev and his ever-impressive coach Leonardo Jardim, currently flying high in first place.

Such has been the success this season that the ex-Sporting and Olympiakos boss is sure to be one of the many names touted at other big clubs this summer, perhaps even at Arsenal as Wenger’s successor, which would open up the prospect for an intriguing switch.

Monaco’s project is unique, dedicated to developing young players with a means to be successful, which could be right up Wenger’s alley in territory he knows so well. Could a return be on the cards?

Well, it could be, except for the French club currently holds close ties with super-agent Jorge Mendes, famous for farming large quantities of his footballing clients (good or bad) to associated clubs, which probably won’t fly under Wenger, whereas it’s also reported that there’s bad blood between the two due to the move that saw Cristiano Ronaldo sign for Manchester United, as opposed to Arsenal, back in 2003.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

From one Ligue 1 title hopeful to another, the Paris Saint-Germain suggestion might sound alien to you given their recent 4-0 demolition of Barcelona on Tuesday, but it’s not impossible.

The Parisians turned to former Sevilla boss and three-time Europa League winner, Unai Emery, to take over Laurent Blanc and steer the PSG project to desired heights. Tuesday’s win takes an important step towards their goal, but the Spaniard’s start to life in France hasn’t quite been as smooth as intended, which won’t be forgotten in times of renewed pressure.

PSG have come unstuck against the likes of EA Guingamp, Toulouse and Montpellier this season, as they trail league leaders Monaco by three points in a title race they were overwhelmingly favourites for to start with.

The use of summer flops, such as Hatem Ben Arfa and Jesé Rodríguez, has been another stick to beat the Basque manager with, but the arrival of Julian Draxler has gone a long way into amending that.

PSG’s form has also improved over the past couple of months, setting them up for a potentially strong finish, but should they falter, let Blanc’s departure after a treble-winning-season serves as a warning to Emery.

In that case, would Wenger, so often associated with move to the French champions in an alternative life, finally make the jump to the capital?

3. Barcelona

There’s always been something about Luis Enrique and the quality of his Barcelona side that hasn’t quite sat right with many Culés.

An ex-player for the Catalans, as well as for bitter rivals Real Madrid, Enrique created waves with Barcelona B when earning promotion to the second tier of Spanish football in 2011, subsequently landing himself a gig with AS Roma the following season.

His time in Italy was far from spectacular, however, and before he knew it, Enrique was back on Spanish shores in command of Celta Vigo, who finished midtable under him in 2014.

It’s this that took him to the Barcelona job, but the 46-year-old silenced fears with a treble in his first season at the Camp Nou, followed by the league and cup double a year later.

All those critics have come flooding right back again, as Barcelona stare in the face of Champions League elimination and battle hard behind Real Madrid for this season’s La Liga title. Could it be that the magic of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez were the only driving force in Enrique’s reign after all?

Here, Wenger might well be a nice fit. The Frenchman has an eye for developing talent, of which Barcelona pride themselves on, whereas expansive football also coexists within both parties’ DNA. Although he’s not a favourite for the job, I wouldn’t overlook a man who’s elevated the careers of players who’ve gone on to fail to replicate such form when pinched by the Catalan giants.

Press the navigation below to view the rest of this article, and 4 more potential destinations for Arsene

Pep Guardiola’s decision to ditch Joe Hart over the summer and sign Claudio Bravo at Manchester City was met with some opposition, but City’s summer signing didn’t so himself any favours this evening at Barcelona…

Manchester City fell to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona, and manager Guardolia shocked all of us by deciding not to play Sergio Aguero from the start in what arguably was City’s biggest game of the season so far.

City made a bright start to proceedings, but fell behind after sixteen minutes in unfortunate circumstances. Fernandinho slipped inside the box, and Lionel Messi of all people was there to pounce and fire the hosts into the lead.

It was at 1-0 where Claudio Bravo made his costly error. In the second half, the 33-year-old came out a long way to retrieve the ball and set City onto the front foot, instead, he gave the ball to Luis Suarez, who attempted the chip, which Bravo handled outside of the box. The Chilian was shown a straight red card for his troubles.

Willy Cabellero came on his place and managed to save a Neymar penalty, but was unable to stop Messi from scoring two more and Neymar adding a Barcelona fourth goal.

Joe Hart did make a couple of errors over the summer in goal for England at Euro 2016, but nothing worthy of him being dropped by new manager Guardolia, looking solid in between the sticks for domestically for Manchester City.

Despite making some quality saves, Guardolia favoured a goalkeeper that could play it out from the back, and chose Claudio Bravo to succeed Joe Hart in goal. However, he might be questioning his decision at the moment after Bravo’s latest performance.

Bravo has not made the fastest of starts to life in the Premier League, and has been criticised by some for recent performances in the Premier League, with some fans seriously questioning the decision of Pep Guardolia to get rid of Hart over the summer.

Fans took to Twitter to express their views on Claudio Bravo’s performance against Barcelona, who made a good double-save in the first half, but unsurprisingly, this did not get a mention as fans slammed the goalkeeper off the back of his red card at the Camp Nou.

Dont think Hart would have done that…poor by Bravo. #mcfc

— Billo (@Billo20Four7) 19 October 2016

Bravo was always going to cost #mcfc more points than he wins them. Easier to train good keeper to pass short, than a poor keeper to improve

— Elder Grizzly (@ElderGrizzly) 19 October 2016

That’s awful goalkeeping from Bravo 😳

— Andrew Oates (@AAOates1) 19 October 2016

Bravo really is awful 😂😂 It’s a crime that’s he’s replaced Hart at City!

— Sam Watts (@Watts18Sam) 19 October 2016

What a horrible mistake by Bravo. Ridiculous. Awful. Disastrous.

— Anis Tabet (@AnisTabet23) 19 October 2016

Bravo has always been a disaster waiting to happen, Pep made a big mistake to get rid of Hart. He’ll laughing at him now…

— anderson allan (@amaniswirv) 19 October 2016

What a comedy of errors, Bravo. Awful decision making.

— Nikhil Saglani (@Nikhil_Saglani) 19 October 2016

Barcelona fans have surely been disappointed by the latest news about their preferred players, Lionel Messi, who has joined the Argentinian team for its first Copa América game against Uruguay, but he won’t set foot on the field in the game against Venezuela, as he is sidelined due to an injured left hamstring. The injury has been noted before his game against Uruguay, but this didn’t stop the player from participating in the game for his home country. After the game, though, the medical team has sidelined him indefinitely.

Sidelined indefinitely

“Tests conducted today on first team player Leo Messi have confirmed that the discomfort in his left adductor muscle persists,” the announcement issued by Barca reads. “It’s advised he lowers the burden of training in the coming days and the evolution of the injury will mark his availability to return to action.”

The “indefinite” part should not scare you - the doctors said that it was too early to think of a timeline before seeing how Messi’s injury evolves. What’s sure, though, that Leo will spend some time resting instead of playing. He will, at least, have some time to try the Football Star slot machine at www.vegaspalms.com.

The Vegas Palms is an old, reputable gaming destination with an amazing collection of games. Among them, there are quite a few that appeals to sports enthusiasts - football fans, rugby fans, cricket lovers, and even basketball fanatics, among others. All this on desktop and mobile devices: the Vegas Palms runs on all your gadgets, no matter if they run Windows, Linux, Android or iOS. The Vegas Palms offers all this, and way more: a great selection of bonuses, a nice collection of monthly specials, and new games added to its collection each month.

Messi is trusting

In a post published on Facebook, Leo Messi was quick to reassure his fans that he is not in such a grave condition. “Everything is fine, I have to slow things down as I recover with physio, but it’s nothing to worry about”, Messi reassured his fans in a Facebook update this week. “Thanks to you all for your support.”

Messi’s missing from Barca - and from Argentina’s national team - is bad news, that’s for sure, but not all news are bad. The good news is that Andres Iniesta, who was sidelined for weeks due to an injury suffered during a game in the Spanish Super Cup, is recovering from his injury, and might be back in the game soon. Speaking to Spanish sports publication Cadena SER, the player was eager to reassure his fans that he is recovering better day by day.

The managerial VIP section of the Premier League shall be filled to the brim this season, but new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola may just have the best seat in the house. Pocketing league titles in every country he’s plied his trade in as a manager, the Catalan will be out to do it all again come August 13th. Once again a favourite for domestic success, here are four reasons why the ex-Barcelona man could lift the coveted Premier League trophy in his highly-anticipated debut season.

1. The Pep Factor

After its announcement back in February 2016, the Guardiola – Manchester City alliance was one that was quickly thrown back at the Spaniard’s face for opting to manage the richest and/or most powerful team in the land once again, following stints at Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

His heyday at the Camp Nou, the official introduction of Guardiola into the world of management, was thought to be subsidised heavily by the quality and growing influence of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and a peak Xavi Hernández, meanwhile his arrival at Bayern Munich coincided with the reinstated monopolisation of the Bundesliga by the Bavarians.

Belief that Guardiola has had it easy all his career is conveyed further by his choice to join oil-rich City, but if there’s one team in the Premier League who knows that such advantages aren’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to breeding success, that club is Man City.

The 45-year-old will know such claims discrediting his pedigree as a coach are untrue, since the Barcelona side he inherited from Frank Rijkaard in the summer of 2008, with the Messis, Iniestas, Ronaldinhos and all the rest, finished third in La Liga, trailing the eventual champions, Real Madrid, by a staggering 23-point gap.

In his debut season as a manager, Guardiola flipped the scripts completely, smashing Real Madrid 6-2 en route to a La Liga title that had escaped Barcelona’s grasp for the past two seasons. A 4-1 victory versus Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final nailed the Catalan giants’ their second conquest of the season, meanwhile a 2-0 victory versus Manchester United in Rome’s Champions League final saw Guardiola wrap up a treble-winning season as the youngest manager ever (38) to win Europe’s most prized competition.

After sweeping up 14 trophies in three years with Los Culés, Guardiola arrived in Munich to succeed the highly-decorated Jupp Heynckes – a Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League winner in his final season as a manager.

To outdo the highs of the Heynckes era was the order of the day and the 45-year-old laid the groundwork to do just that. The 2013/14 season saw Guardiola smash the record (14 games) for the longest unbeaten run since the start of a new tenure with a sequence of 28 matches, whereas he later went on to become the quickest Bundesliga winner with seven games to go, overcoming the work of his predecessor.

Bayern, unsurprisingly, clinched the title in Guardiola’s following two seasons, but the former footballer leaves Germany with a great blemish alongside his name – the failure to deliver Champions League success after three consecutive semi-finals.

Nevertheless, Guardiola’s Midas touch in debut seasons cannot be ignored and it could well prove to be a decisive factor in a year where so many of the habitual big boys aim for reconstruction as a general riposte to the disappointment of last season.

Leicester City lifted the Premier League title on Saturday after a convincing 3-1 win over Everton. The victory capped a fairytale season which saw The Foxes win their first ever league title and a passionate atmosphere greeted them at the King Power Stadium before a rousing performance from Andrea Bocelli lifted the roof.

The celebrations in Leicester will no doubt go on right through the summer but the main concern will be keeping hold of their star players like Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante. According to reports today in the Daily Star, Mahrez is set to turn down offers of up to £40million to remain at Leicester to defend their title and play in next season’s Champions League.

Arsenal, Barcelona and Pars Saint-Germain have all expressed interest in Mahrez but it seems like the 25-year old will remain at the club. Mahrez joined Leicester in 2013 from Le Havre and has quickly established into one of the Premier League’s best players and was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year for the 2015/16 season. If Mahrez were to move on then he may struggle to get into the starting eleven on a regular basis with regular Champions League clubs having a huge squad of talented players to choose from.

 

 

Mahrez has the ability to get into any team but how has the Algerian international compared to the players at the clubs mentioned above this season?

Mahrez has shone for Leicester this season scoring 18 goals in 38 appearances from the right side of midfield. He has also chipped in with 11 assists, an impressive figure but when you compare that to Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil who has currently got 18 he falls short.

Arsenal midfielder Ozil is the only one who comes close to Mahrez, even Alexis Sanchez has struggled to hit the heights of last season weighing in with only 13 goals and four assists himself. If Arsenal can sign a world class forward who can net between 25 and 30 the likes of Mahrez, Sanchez and Ozil could provide plenty of chances, not to mention Jack Wilshire coming back into the frame.

Barcelona have a galaxy of stars that goes well beyond the forwards trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. Behind them Barcelona have Ivan Rakitic and Andreas Iniesta pulling the strings but in terms of assists Mahrez would be ahead of all of them with his 17. There is little doubt that Mahrez could compete at Barcelona but a real test of his ability will come next season in the Champions League. If Leicester perform well then Mahrez stock would soar. The recent rumours of Hatem Ben Arfa joining the Spanish outfit also pour cold water over the Mahrez links.

Another club sniffing around Mahrez will be French champions PSG. The Parisians dominate Ligue 1 and will know Mahrez well from his Le Havre days. Despite playing three years for Le Havre Mahrez only appeared 60 times in the league scoring six goals - it was in England where he began to show his huge talent.

PSG have some big players in the midfield positions including Javier Pastore, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi. Mahrez beats all of them for attacking stats this season. Even PSG’s top two assist makers Angel Di Maria and Zlatan Ibrahimovic do not compare to Mahrez, Di Maria has 15 to Ibrahimovic’s 13. PSG have scored 97 goals in the league this season compared to the 67 that Leicester have netted which makes the achievement of Mahrez even more outstanding.

Mahrez has outdone himself along with many of the Leicester players this season and deserve all the accolades coming to him. The added pressure of being league champions and the extra Champions League games next season will be something that manager Claudio Ranieri will have to consider. There is no doubt that any club would love to have the money that Mahrez would generate from a sale but his value to Leicester is worth so much more on the pitch than in their bank.

Want more? Follow us on Twitter @FreshFootball

We’ve had a look over the latest rumours emerging from around Europe. Today’s gossip column looks at several hotly tipped big moves including Toni Kroos potentially coming to the Premier League. You can follow all the latest news and gossip as it happens by following us on Twitter @FreshFootball.

Toni Kroos considering offer from Arsenal (AS)

Reports in Spain suggest that Arsenal are one of a number of Premier League clubs that have made an advance to sign Toni Kroos from Real Madrid this summer. The German is reportedly considering his future at the club and Madrid may be willing to let him leave as part of their planned squad overhaul. According to the report originating from AS, Madrid have earmarked Leicester City’s N’Golo Kante as a replacement as he would offer more defensive security. The chance to sign Kroos cannot be missed by the Gunners. He’s a world-class player and the perfect player to keep that midfield ticking from deep. If Kroos were to become available, you would expect the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City to get involved in the bidding. The news comes from AS who can sometimes publish reliable rumours, but they do often speculate and can sometimes publish stories to suit their agendas so don’t buy the t-shirts just yet.

Manchester United eyeing Barcelona stopper to replace David de Gea (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen as a replacement for David de Gea, who they are anticipating will join Real Madrid this summer. Ter Stegen is playing in Barcelona’s Champions League fixtures, but Claudio Bravo remains the teams number one in La Liga. The chance to become the undoubted number 1 at United would surely be tempting for the young German. Whether Barcelona would be willing to approve a deal that would allow arch-rivals Real Madrid to strengthen is another matter. If Manchester United managed to seal this deal then they wouldn’t miss de Gea too much, as Ter Stegen isn’t far off his level and has plenty of time to improve, aged just 23.

Chelsea to make £30million offer for Roma defender Kostas Manolas (Il Tempo)

Reports from Italy suggest that Roma are desperately trying to extend the contract of their star defender Kostas Manolas, amid interest from several top European clubs. The report lists Chelsea as a possible destination, whilst Arsenal have long been linked with the Greek defender. But Chelsea seems like a more likely move, with the London club set to release John Terry and concerns remaining over the form of Gary Cahill. Signed for £10million from Olympiacos, Roma will not want to sell Manolas, but they wouldn’t be short changed in any sale.

Jack Butland set to commit long-term future to Stoke City (Telegraph)

23-year-old Butland is thriving at Stoke City and he has no intentions of moving on anytime soon. The Englishman is reportedly set to sign a new five-year contract, committing his long-term future to the Potters. A move to a bigger club would make no sense at this stage of his career, unless he could be guaranteed as first choice. The only big club that might be able to offer him that status anytime soon is Manchester United, if de Gea did leave in the summer. Either way, Stoke are not going to sell Butland for a low amount of money and a new contract would only raise his value even more. This is brilliant news for Stoke City fans.

You can follow all the latest news and gossip as it happens by following us on Twitter @FreshFootball.

Everton fans have been growing impatient in the transfer market, as they anxiously await an official confirmation of Gerard Deulofeu’s move to Goodison Park.

The Toffees had the Barcelona youngster on-loan during the 2013/14 season, before he then spent last term on-loan at Sevilla. However, this time Deulofeu has insisted on a permanent transfer away from the Catalan side.

With reports stating Deulofeu is in Liverpool for talks and a medical, whilst it’s stated they are the ‘only club’ for him as he rejected other offers, Toffees fans are biting their nails waiting for an announcement.

Things haven’t been made any better with the swift conclusion of rivals Liverpool’s move for Roberto Firmino and some Everton fans have now started to fear the worst.

Nevertheless, the wait is worth it for a £3m bargain.

Will Everton hurry up and sign Deulofeu and Henen now please, so I can get on with the rest of my life?

— Kris Hutchinson (@HutchTweeting) June 24, 2015

Big fan of Everton dragging out the Deulofeu deal until Friday so we can all go straight to town once it’s announced. — Darren (@nsno_83) June 24, 2015

Impressive work from Ian Ayre securing that deal though. If only #Everton could do deals happen quickly, suspect Deulofeu more complicated.

— Sean Lunt (@Sean_Lunt) June 24, 2015

Concerns me that Everton themselves haven’t actually said anything about Garbutt or Deulofeu! July 1st isn’t far away for Garbutt! #EFC — Adam Seymour (@efcmour) June 24, 2015

Why has It taken Liverpool a day or 2 to confirm firmino but Everton are still yet to confirm deulofeu a week after talks started? #worried

— Mark B (@MarkBirch1988) June 24, 2015

FFS Everton, Deulofeu’s in the country yet still not signed. The Kopites fly out to South America to tie their players up & done in 24hrs! — Andy Forsyth (@Andy_Forsyth) June 24, 2015

Manchester City were defeated by Barcelona at the Etihad last night but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, as Joe hart showed heroics in the last minute to deny a Lionel Messi penalty and give his side a slim chance heading into the second-leg.

However, not all were convinced with Hart as he had already conceded two goals- both of which were scored by Luis Suarez, whilst they stated he ‘only dived the right way’ and that ‘it was a poor penalty’.

Whilst that seems a tad harsh, it remains to be seen if it was a turning point in the tie and whether Manchester City can defy the odds and score two goals at the Nou Camp, as well as victory.

That Hart penalty save at least sends City into the 2nd leg with a glint of positivity - and with @YayaToure back, it is not entirely dead.

— Stuart Brennan (@StuBrennanMEN) February 24, 2015

Everyone celebrated that Hart save more than Kun’s goal

— TikaTakaGuy (@TikaTakaGuy) February 24, 2015

Giant penalty save by Hart at the end gives Man City hope. But they still need two goals at Barça. Not impossible, but not likely either.

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) February 24, 2015

Please note… Lionel Messi DIDN’T miss a penalty last night…. Joe Hart saved his penalty… Huge difference and no credit to Hart.

— Andy Savage (@mcfcforum) February 25, 2015

Messi penalty saved by Joe Hart! And Messi then diving heads rebound wide… pretty amazing miss that…

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) February 24, 2015

@cfmcfc penalty hero?? It was a poor penalty and hart was poor all game.

— the flash ⚡ (@trainer_shaz) February 25, 2015

Hart is a hero, after they bagged their second, he was screaming at the lot of them. That pen save keeps us slightly in the tie too

— Yann (@TheShoulderDrop) February 24, 2015

Hart guessed the right way, no hero there

— Becky (@harrisbecky97) February 24, 2015

Hart walking as a hero despite conceding 2 goals. Anyway, Nou Camp to seal this.

— Know Yourself (@ntophonic) February 24, 2015

A sensational match occurred in Spain this evening, as Barcelona defeated Atletico Madrid 3-2 at the Vicente Calderon- but the goals were only half of the story.

Fernando Torres opened the scoring within 39 seconds, before Neymar equalised. Atletico then pulled ahed thanks to a controversial penalty, with Miranda then levelling things up again on the night by diverting the ball into his own net.

Atletico then appealed for another penalty for a hand-ball, which wasn’t given, and Barcelona hit on the counter-attack and Neymar achieved his second of the night.

At half-time the madness continued with Gabi being sent off, believed to be because he insulted the referee, before Arda Turan threw his boot towards the linesman. It wasn’t other there as Mario Suarez was dismissed for a second-bookable offence late in the game.

If you thought that was crazy, it also emerged during the game that Atletico’s Ansaldi was spending the evening in a police station after slamming his car door on the hand of a policeman. Bizarre doesn’t quite cut it!

TORRES HAS SCORED WITHIN THE 1st MINUTE AGAIN!

— Footy Memes (@FootyMemes) January 28, 2015

Messi to Suarez, Suarez to Neymar, and Neymar to the back of the net. Goal Barcelona. That trio is unstoppable. — = (@Total_Futbol_) January 28, 2015

How the ref awarded Atletico that penalty is still beyond me.

— Bizzle Blanks (@BizzleBlanks) January 28, 2015

Oh, Miranda… that is diabolic defending. Atlético now need two more goals to progress through. Can’t see it happening. — Liam (@OffsideLiam) January 28, 2015

Atletico robbed there, his hands are up! clear cut penalty

— TomMellor (@MellorFootball) January 28, 2015

This is incredible!! Brilliant composure there again Neymar, one of his best traits. — Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) January 28, 2015

During halftime, Gabi was given a red card due to an incident in the players tunnel. Atletico are playing with 10 men against Barcelona.

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 28, 2015

A professional player throwing a boot at the linesman. Always said Arda Turan was dirty, but this is legendary. — Lucas Resende (@lucasammr) January 28, 2015

We’ve seen it all now. Arda Turan just took his boot off and threw it at the linesman. Lucky his aim was rubbish. #Atleti

— Football__Tweet (@Football__Tweet) January 28, 2015

Atlético feeds off Simeone’s passion, but as we’ve seen, that doesn’t always end pretty. Gabi and Arda Turan showing it today. — Liviu Bird (@liviubird) January 28, 2015

Mario Suarez getting himself sent off is probably a bigger advantage to Atleti than it is Barça.

— ️ (@TeamToDieFor) January 28, 2015

Atleti have lacked discipline all evening, they’ve gone too far tonight. Mario Suarez sent off for very poor challenge on Messi, down to 9.

— Harry De Cosemo (@harrydecosemo) January 28, 2015

So random: Ansaldi missed Atletico-Barcelona cause before game has hit with his car the hand of a cop;had no documents;now at police station

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) January 28, 2015

Liverpool fans are in good spirits today as the club are linked with a move for Barcelona’s talented young goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.

The Reds are in need of a new goalkeeper in January to replace the disappointing Simon Mignolet, who was exiled indefinitely from the starting line-up before having to be recalled following an injury to back-up stopper Brad Jones.

That’s led Brendan Rodgers to explore the market for a new stopper and Ter Stegen has caught his eye, along with a number of Liverpool fans who are desperate to secure this latest reported target. Whether the club can pull it off is another matter- but the fans can dream.

I’d be so happy if we got ter stegen on loan, even if it is for only 6months

— GΔreth Cross (@GarethCross5) January 9, 2015

Ter Stegen pleaseeeeeeeeeee.

— this guy (@onk_r) January 9, 2015

Ter Stegen would be a huge signing for us. Commands so well for his age and bags of potential.

— Reece Marsden (@RMarsden94) January 9, 2015

A perfect transfer window for me would be Ter Stegen, Laporte, Kovavic and either Alcacer or Lacazette

— Finn (@FinnKelly1) January 9, 2015

#LFC Marc-Ander ter Stegen? He’s not getting game time at Barca! Get him! Get him now!! #YNWA

— -KEMO-13 (@KemoWorley) January 9, 2015

Ter Stegen should be our number one target. Priorities.

— Liam Fish (@RedFish_8) January 9, 2015

Ter Stegen and Lacazette would be the perfect signings for Liverpool!

— Rail (@SharrilAzian) January 9, 2015

I wish the Ter Stegen links had something in them, I really doubt it though

— SAKHO SAYS NO (@JordanLFC88) January 9, 2015

Well atleast we’re linked with Pjanic and Ter-Stegen and not Delph and Westwood.

— Mœ (@FutbolMoe) January 9, 2015

Cech or Ter Stegen on loan then buy a proper keeper in the summer.

— JW (@21Wilsonn) January 9, 2015

Absolutely no doubt in my mind that Liverpool should do all they can to sign Marc Ter Stegen from Barca this summer either on Loan or perm

— Aman (@Aman808) January 9, 2015

Chelsea fans are in dreamland on Twitter this afternoon as reports in Spain have stated they are readying their bid for Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard these rumours, and it surely won’t be the last, but with Messi’s relationship with coach Luis Enrique at ‘breaking point’, this could be the time that any move were to happen. Although, it’s still pretty high-up on the farfetched rankings.

Chelsea are one of the few clubs with the financial firepower to capture the multiple time Ballon D’Or winner, although it would still cause havoc to their finances due to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

Whilst we shelve this rumour amongst the unlikely, at least for now, these Chelsea fans will be making crossing their fingers and toes.

It’s worth laughing at now, but Imagine the scenes if Chelsea end up signing Messi.

— Dante CFC. (@VtorDante) January 5, 2015

If messi to Chelsea happened..Will just put the like of Oscar schurrle Ramires on the nxt available bus to France Germany Italy respectively

— OMOOBA FLEMZEEY (@_flemzeey) January 5, 2015

Messi to Chelsea and he’s a flop like Torres. Scenes 😉

— Better Dead Than Red (@KingDrogba1905) January 5, 2015

I think Chelsea are finally attractive enough for Messi but lets be real here, you’d have to sell about 5 players #FFP #Chelsea #CFC

— Jacob J Kimberley (@JakeJK93) January 5, 2015

Messi joining Chelsea would send the professional meme makers into absolute mayhem…

— Ben J (@UnhappySchurrle) January 5, 2015

I don’t want messi at Chelsea

— Grace (@ChelsGraceO) January 5, 2015

I know it’s never going to happen, BUT if Messi did join Chelsea in Jan I think I would explode!

— James Moscardini (@jamesmoscardini) January 5, 2015

The only way Messi can show up at Chelsea is if we win titles. Show that we mean business, not just grazing past the title yearly!

— CHELSEA CZAR!!! (@Cartha_of_CFC) January 5, 2015

We dont need messi in chelsea. We can’t afford to bench hazard or costa for him. #CFC

— SAM (@loon47) January 5, 2015

This talk of Messi joining Chelsea.Hope they arent calling our bluff.Sign the magician already!

— tumwine edward (@tumwineedward) January 5, 2015