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The Premier League often overlooks the lower tiers of English football – the Championship and beyond – as a viable recruitment pool, often favouring cheaper, better-proven talents from foreign top flights instead.But England’sÂlesser leagues still have a lot to offer in terms of future Premier League stars,ÂshouldÂyou know where to look, and just to prove it, here’s a list of FIVE Football League prodigies that have reportedly caught Liverpool’s transfer attention over the last 18 months.The Reds have plucked the likes of Jonjo Shelvey from the Football League before – could one of these hotshots soon follow his path to Anfield?

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DELE ALLI

Liverpool fans will know Dele Alli well, having been relentlessly linked with an Anfield switch since his first team debut for Mk Dons back in 2012. Recent reports claim the Reds are set to pounce in January:

So who is this League One show-stopper? Well, he’s already earned some interesting comparisons, such asÂGeorge Best, courtesy of Dons chairman Pete Winkleman, whilst BBC Sport have likened Alli to his boyhood hero – Steven Gerrard.

He certainly shares the swashbuckling midfield style of the Liverpool captain’s younger years, netting 13 times in 49 League One appearances for The Franchise .

That includes seven goals in 14 appearances this season, not to mention this beautiful assist back in September:

The 18-year-old’s creativity going forward particularly stands out but he’s also got the physicality to handle the Premier League, boasting broad shoulders, a big bum and a lofty 6 foot 2 frame. Here’s a clip of Alli in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/LfUvqb_EOmA?rel=0

He and Southend’s Ted Smith are currently the only England U19s representatives outside of the top two tiers, which tells its own story of how highly the powerful midfielder is rated within the Three Lions set-up.

As previously stated, Liverpool have been tracking the teenager for some time, but some news sources, namely The Express, have mooted a rather steep £9million fee.

PATRICK ROBERTS

It seems virtually every major Premier League club wants to get their hands on Fulham youngster Patrick Roberts, including Liverpool:

Due to his age, just 17, Roberts hasn’t seen too much game time this season, amassing the solitary assist from two starts and nine substitute outings – amounting to just over 300 minutes of Championship football.

That may not seem like a lot to get excited about, but here’s the winger’s vitals this season based on per-90-minute metrics:

Impressive stuff, and Roberts’ potential is further underlined by 12 goals in 26 appearances for England across the junior levels, ranging from U16 to U19. Here’s a look at the teenage attacker in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/liCPHbvALbs?rel=0

The tabloids claim, however, that Roberts is valued at a ridiculous £15million.

DEMARAI GRAY

Dubbed ‘the new Raheem Sterling’ by many, Liverpool already have a first refusal clause weaved into the contract of Birmingham City’s Demarai Gray, as part of the loan deal that saw Jordan Ibe go on loan to St. Andrews’ in the summer.

The 5 foot 10 winger’s had limited first team exposure thus far, making just 19 appearances in the Championship since his debut in October 2013. He’d already done enough by April this year however to make it onto FourFourTwo’s “Top Ten Football League Stars of Tomorrow”.

Like Sterling, he’s speedy, versatile and an exceptional dribbler. In fact, he’s been Birmingham’s most proficient in that regard this season by quite some distance:

Here’s a clip of the 18 year-old in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/jO3X6Xjp_G8?rel=0

There’s been an obvious progression to his performances this season, as detailed below:

Which, according to the Metro, has convinced the Reds to trigger their first option in January, at the value of around £2million:

WILL HUGHES

Will Hughes is another name that’s been linked with the Reds for quite some time, dating back to the January 2013 transfer window.

Indeed, the Derby County youngster is one of English football’s hottest prospects, playing a vital role in the Rams reaching last year’s Championship play-off final and this term’s push for automatic promotion.

Along the way, the 19-year-old central midfielder’s amassed six goals and eight assists in 61 Championship outings – including this goal against Blackburn in September:

Soon followed by this effort against Fulham:

Hughes’ technical ability and ball retention particularly stands out, allegedly even enticing scouts from Barcelona to Pride Park, as shown in the stats below:

That explains Brendan Rodgers’ undying interest in the wiry playmaker, and according to Mirror Football, Liverpool agreed a first option on Hughes some time ago.

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Other sources, however, claim he’s valued as highly as £15million by the Rams.

Max Clayton

Crewe Alexandra have one of the best value-for-money academies in the Football League and the latest hotshot to emerge from their youth set-up is 20 year-old Max Clayton – strongly linked with a Premier League move back in summer 2013:

The young forward netted 16 times in 92 appearances during his time at Gresty Road, which, via a short spell as a free agent, triggered a move to Bolton Wanderers back in September:

And his quick adaption to the Championship could convince the Reds to revive their interest, bagging one goal and one assist in just 161 minutes of second tier action – including this cheeky nutmeg against Wigan Athletic’s Scott Carson:

//www.youtube.com/embed/gcSv52DG758?rel=0

This free-kick for the U21 squad wasn’t too bad either:

//www.youtube.com/embed/iKVZOtp48-I?rel=0

The England junior, who has 31 appearances for the Three Lions across the youth levels, is still fine tuning his output but his contribution to open play remains impressive, as shown in the stats below based on per-90-minute metrics:

Liverpool will undoubtedly monitor his progress in the Championship but after moving to the Reebok, they’ll have to pay considerably more for Clayton than expected 18 months ago.

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When Mesut Ozil arrived at the Emirates for a club-record £42million last summer, it was meant to be a watershed moment for Arsenal.

Arguments were made that the German international’s sheer presence in north London would give an enormous boost to the club, awakening the Gunners from their dormant state in the Premier League title race and signifying Arsenal’s re-emergence at the elite end of the transfer market, whilst his world-class quality, well proven in the Bundesliga, La Liga and internationally, brought the starting XI to a whole new level. It was dubbed by many, including myself, as ‘the Ozil effect’.

Fast forward just twelve months however, and the 25 year-old is verging upon boo-boy status at the Emirates. He’s rarely shown form worthy of the third-largest transfer fee in Premier League history and his anonymous performance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday evening has particularly drawn criticism from the fans.

I don’t wish to make excuses for Ozil. He’s been at nowhere near his best since arriving in England and has never shown the leadership qualities assumed of a marquee signing; nobody expects the diminutive playmaker to be the loudest voice on the pitch,  but amongst the largest sources of frustrations surrounding him is that he’s yet to embrace significant responsibility in attack. Rather, that kind of talismanic role was adopted by Aaron Ramsey last season.

Yet, in my opinion, Arsene Wenger has played a significant role in the German international’s plight that cannot be ignored, especially from a tactical perspective.

The obvious point to make in this regard is that Ozil’s best performances for Real Madrid most commonly – but not exclusively – came at No.10, rather than the wide-right role which witnessed him burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup. That position saw the 25 year-old claim 47 league assists during his three campaigns at the Bernebeu, making him the most proficient creator in Europe’s top five leagues along with Lionel Messi.

He found nine assists last year, a decent return for an inaugural Premier League campaign, but featuring more frequently on the right flank than in his central berth for Arsenal, Ozil hasn’t been able to affect games in the same way.

Wenger’s decision to utilise the German out wide is continually bemusing; Ozil is more part of the midfield than a wide prong of a front three – as he was occasionally for Real – and unsurprisingly, he’s struggled to cope with the added defensive responsibilities. He also lacks the power and pace of conventional Premier League wingers, such as Alexis Sanchez on the opposite flank.

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A prevailing factor, in my opinion, is that Wenger doesn’t want to surrender Arsenal’s shape in midfield, and admittedly, compared to other Premier League players of the same role, Ozil doesn’t offer much protection at No.10, especially fronting two forward-thinking box-to-boxers in Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.

Yet, that conundrum could have been easily resolved this summer if Wenger had addressed perhaps the most notable and fatal flaw in Arsenal’s squad; the perpetual absence of a physically intimidating, defensively-assured holding midfielder. A William Carvalho, a Lars Bender, a Sami Khedira or a Morgan Schneiderlin would offer the Gunners a more consistent, less open structure in the middle of the park, compensating for the gaps Ozil would inevitably leave behind him.

One could argue you must earn such an integral role, especially in an Arsenal side blessed with incredible quality and depth in midfield. Take Gareth Bale’s coming-of-age season at Tottenham for example, or Yaya Toure at Manchester City. Ozil’s been given more an enough opportunities to impress, albeit from out wide, and thus far simply hasn’t taken them.

But this isn’t just any No.10 we’re talking about – this is one of the best No.10s in world football, who just won a World Cup with Germany, playing as their No.10 in all seven tournament fixtures. His output, one goal and one assist, may have been largely underwhelming, considering Joachim Lowe’s side bagged 18 goals throughout, but the 25 year-old’s influence at the hub of midfield was crucial.

Upon returning to the Emirates however, he’s reduced to being a sideshow instead of the main act. I’m sure that’s not what Ozil envisaged when Wenger invested £42million in him. I’m sure that’s not what Arsenal fans envisaged when their record-signing lifted the World Cup this summer, or when Cesc Fabregas claimed Wenger refused to buy him back because his position was already filled by the German international.

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For that kind of money, you’d expect a team to be built around you, rather than being asked to perform a role that infringes upon your natural strengths. The argument comes full circle yet again; Ozil’s performances are yet to justify a crucial role and the greatest players should always be able to adapt. That’s certainly become a bit of a botch on the midfielder, compared to his many counterparts  throughout the Premier League and Europe.

However, never treating Ozil like a club-record signing remains Wenger’s biggest mistake. He’s had a fantastic opportunity to create a starting Xi around one of the best in the world in his position, whom, at just 25, could conceivably remain in north London for the majority of the next decade.

Ozil will never look like a £42million player out wide; quite clearly, he doesn’t have the natural requisites, or more importantly, the heart for it. Wenger needs to reconfigure and create a role that suits the German international better, but as previously stated, the key to that remains a holding midfielder.

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Stoke are said to be among the clubs showing an interest in Phil Neville but any move will hinge on staying in the Premier League, according the Daily Telegraph.

Neville will be on the look out for a new club in the summer after revealing he will not be extending his stay at Everton and reports have claimed Stoke are in the hunt.

The 36-year-old has revealed he wants to carry on playing in the Premier League and a switch to the Britannia Stadium would appear to be the perfect fit as long as Stoke fight off relegation.

Potters boss Tony Pulis will be looking to re-shape his squad in the summer even if they stay up and he will no doubt be interested in Neville, who still has a couple of seasons at the top left in him.

Neville will not be short of offers but for now Pulis will be fully focused on making sure Stoke get enough points to stay in the Premier League.

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Whether it’s because of the array of outspoken managers, the passion and loyalty of the fans or simply the quality of football on display, the Premier League is quite simply the best in the world. However, while the elite clubs attract the very best players from every corner of the globe, the national team continues to suffer. With this mind, does the Premier League have to sacrifice its quest for global superiority in order for things to improve on the international stage?

England’s journey at the recent European Championships ended in the alarmingly familiar cliché of ‘so close, yet so far’. In the aftermath of yet another failure in a penalty shootout, triumphant Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon delivered a painfully truthful assessment of English football.

“Having a competitive league doesn’t necessarily mean having competitive players,’ he said. For a number of years now, the English league has had the best football and is the best league in terms of quality.

“The money that’s in the game means they can go and buy anyone from all over Europe or the world. This can happen in Spain and Italy as well as England but the league in England is no longer very faithful to what the national side needs.

“With this footballing globalisation, it’s very difficult. You struggle to have players from your own country playing in the top league.” (Daily Mail)

In a survey that was conducted during the first weekend of football after the transfer window had closed, it was revealed that the Premier League had just 31% of home-grown talent in starting line-ups. This startling figure was a far cry from the 64% that graced La Liga, which highlights one of the many reasons why there is a widening chasm in class between the two countries. How can we expect our national team to shine when we don’t cater our domestic league for their own benefit?

Two years ago FIFA president Sepp Blatter flirted with the concept of the ‘6+5 rule’, which proposed that clubs should have a minimum of six home-grown players in their starting line-ups. The idea was eventually dismissed as it contravened EU labour laws and instead gave way to the ruling that each 25-man squad within the Premier League, had to include a minimum of eight home-grown individuals.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-city/citys-new-academy-will-not-favour-english-talent,https://www.footballfancast.com/international-teams/england/hodgson-england-lucky-to-have-st-georges-park,https://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/could-interest-from-abroad-diminish-the-premier-leagues-english-contingent” target=”_blank” type=”tower”]

The same problem solved by a different solution right? Wrong, the new changes have arguably further hampered development. Take Manchester City for example, a team that boasts a wealth of international stars, they have merely tweaked their transfer policy to ensure they meet the requirements. Does anyone truly believe Jack Rodwell or Scott Sinclair’s career will be enhanced thanks to their arrival at Eastlands, especially considering the recent frustrations highlighted by the outgoing Adam Johnson? Mancini decision to sign Richard Wright surprised everyone, but he was merely filling his quota without further jeopardising his indispensible foreign stars.

Speaking of the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City recently announced plans for the imposing ‘Etihad Campus’, which will be the most advanced and expensive academy in England when it opens in 2014. However, while this should have been another milestone in ensuring the improvement of domestic talent, Sporting Director Brian Marwood indicated otherwise:

“Our priority is to produce players who will get into City’s first team. From a selfish point of view, that may mean to the detriment of the England team,’ said Marwood.

“And while it would be great (to help England) because I came through the system and it helped me, we also have to be realistic.

“If we are trying to produce real top quality to play for City, if they happen to come from another country and we’ve developed them, we shouldn’t be ashamed to embrace it.” (Daily Mail)

Is this a selfish and somewhat arrogant mentality of a club that is in an optimum position to develop future generations or merely the honest opinion that players from Europe possess a greater natural ability?

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The FA have just unveiled their own multi-million pound campus for the development of English football so perhaps City are fully justified in focusing on their own success. And yet we seem blinded by the misconception that if we possess the best facilities, we will naturally produce the best players. Wayne Rooney, perhaps the countries most gifted player to have emerged within the last decade, harnessed his skills on the streets of Merseyside and not on “330 acres of beautifully landscaped parkland”.

Perhaps it’s time for English football to be slightly more narcissistic as it looks towards the future. It would be crude for me to suggest that we cap the number of transfers from outside the British Isles but maybe there could be a significant financial reward for teams who develop and play home-grown players. This would cause a drastic change in the direction and philosophy of many teams while it could even help create a more healthy and competitive league.

English football is well aware of its previous mistakes, there’s an entire population and critical media that won’t let it forget. However, rather than simply trying to emulate the finished article of the likes of Spain, we should learn from their methods at grassroots level and work our way up.

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Despite the poignancy of the occasion, it’s felt all too easy to make a catalogue of sweeping generalisations in the wake of Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal during the weekend.

Andre Villas-Boas’ side could have seen their four-point gap disintegrate to just the one with defeat at White Hart Lane on Sunday, but for them to extend that lead over their neighbours to seven with a victory on derby day, it was always going to be difficult to strip the emotion away from the event.

Does this mean that Spurs have now slain their fierce neighbours and tipped the eternal balance of power in their favour? Not just yet and while they may well be the best team in North London this season – or perhaps the entire capital, should they finish above Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea – we will need to see the trick pulled off a little more sustainably before we start making such durable assumptions.

Yet for however much you choose to read into Sunday’s result, the poignancy of what was on show by the men in white, felt almost undeniable. And it wasn’t necessarily in regards to what they were doing with their feet, either.

The shredded nerve ends and bitten nails of some Tottenham fans may argue to the contrary, although as Villas-Boas’ men entered the final phases of the game with a slender one goal lead, the impending feeling of self-destruction felt almost palpable in its absence. In what has since become the Premier League’s highest ever scoring fixture, the North London derby has served as a shrine to the self-doubt and perennial flakiness that has dogged Spurs over the years.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/tottenham/tottenham-prove-theres-more-to-life-than-bloated-bank-balances,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/the-premier-league-summer-transfer-bargains-xi,https://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/more-than-just-a-tottenham-cheerleader” target=”_blank” type=”tower”]

But this time around, you got the impression that you were witnessing a bunch of players that weren’t in the mood for wilting anymore. And for all the tactical evolution, the Gareth Bale thunderbolts and cascade of pressing that we’ve seen Spurs display this season, it could be that galvanized mentality that makes more of a difference above anything else in N17 this season.

Because a large proportion of this squad have, as Spurs fans hardly need reminding, been scorched by failure more than enough times to suggest that a steely, winning mentality might never fully evolve amongst this current crop of players.

In the trio of Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson and Jermain Defoe, three of Spurs’ most seasoned campaigners at the club, you find an experienced core that’s been rattled not just once, but twice, in their inability to get the job done in the league over Arsenal. Of course, all three of the aforementioned have proved their ability to qualify for the Champions League at the club, but in both 2006 as well as 2012, they failed to finish above the Gunners after leading them for the majority of the season.

But it was within last season’s now infamous implosion that you could attribute the bulk of any real lingering feelings of self-doubt within this Spurs squad. It was just over 12 months ago that Harry Redknapp’s side blew what seemed like an almost unassailable 10-point lead over their North London rivals. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but looking back upon their 5-2 mauling at the Emirates last February and for all their manager’s flirting with the England job and their chairman’s reluctance to spend in January, last season’s team simply couldn’t recover from the blow Wenger’s men inflicted upon them.

As brutal as it sounds, for all the barnstorming wing play and exquisite floods of attack, Spurs simply didn’t have the presence of mind to cope with the pressure or the belief needed to overcome adversity.

We will only find out if they’ve truly rectified that come their placing at the end of the season, although Sunday’s victory over Arsenal and to a similar extent, the 3-2 win over West Ham United, too, suggest that Tottenham may have finally found that vital mental ingredient that’s been missing for a small lifetime at White Hart Lane. And it could just be the key they need to finally supplant the Gunners in the league for the first time since 1995.

How much do you attribute this to Andre Villas-Boas, a change in personnel or simply a newfound maturity within what remains a very young squad?

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Certainly in the influx of new players in N17 such as Hugo Lloris, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, Spurs have attained not just young and gifted talent with a high resale value in fitting with the Daniel Levy model. Most importantly, they’ve acquired players with a genuine hunger and a desire to succeed.

But for all the comparisons between both Redknapp and Villas-Boas that have peppered the Portuguese’s first season with Spurs, a special mention must be given to the ex-Porto man’s own winning mentality. From day one, amongst talk of winning the Europa League and one day challenging for the league title, Villas-Boas made clear that Tottenham have to finish above Arsenal.

The slow adoration that’s built for Villas-Boas has often unnecessarily been adjoined by an incessant need to fire parting shots at the now QPR-boss. But perhaps supporters shouldn’t be too surprised with the difference in mentality from a team that used to ‘go out and give it a good go,’ to one that’s now told they can ‘still pose a threat’ to second-placed Manchester City.

Either way, Tottenham’s new found mentality might just prove to be the defining element of their 2012-13 season. The proof will as ever, be in the pudding. But after nearly a generation of self-doubt, this side may now have just turned the corner.

Amid a summer window of prolific spending at Arsenal, the Gunners are also expected to say goodbye to club captain Thomas Vermaelen.

Indeed, the Belgium international still holds the armband at the Emirates, but a mixture of recurring injuries, poor form and the talismanic partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker saw him make just seven starts in the Premier League last season.

The 28 year-old has been known to be considering his options for some time, and recent speculation suggests both Liverpool and Manchester United are baying for his signature.

But should Vermaelen leave, Arsenal will undoubtedly need to source a replacement with only three centre-halves, including the want-away defender, currently on the Emirates roster.

With that in mind, here’s SIX replacements Arsene Wenger should consider this summer.

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FABIAN SCHAR

Arsenal have been strongly linked with Fabian Schar before, and should Thomas Vermaelen leave the Emirates this summer it would be incredibly surprising if Arsene Wenger didn’t revive his interest in the Basel defender.

Statistically, the Switzerland international was the best defender in the Champions League last season, as detailed below…

And his World Cup performances weren’t too bad either, making eight interceptions during two outings at Brazil 2014.

The 22 year-old has an interesting knack for scoring goals, even taking up spot kick duties for Bebbi:

//www.youtube.com/embed/MIe6I323HPc

And also netted this incredible strike as a youngster at FC Wil:

//www.youtube.com/embed/dH1mLudmGgg?autoplay=1&loop=1&playlist= dH1mLudmGgg

A proactive, forward-thinking centre-back with considerable quality on the ball, Schar would fit perfectly with Arsenal’s possession-based philosophy.

But there are a number of suitors allegedly baying for his signature this summer, including Barcelona, Manchester United and local rivals Tottenham:

WINSTON REID

In terms of Vermaelen replacements with proven Premier League pedigree, the stand-out option remains West Ham’s Winston Reid, whom the Gunners were closely monitoring ahead of the January transfer window:

A move failed to materialise due to the New Zealand skipper being sidelined with an ankle injury, and by no great coincidence, the Hammers’ league form tanked in his absence.

The season prior, the 26 year-old claimed the Hammer of the Year award at Upton Park, celebrating the enormous progress he’s made since first joining the Irons after impressive showings at the 2010 World Cup.

Despite his sideline bout, Reid was in good form last season, as detailed below:

And although the All Whites centre-half may be more rugged than your average Arsenal defender, that difference in style offers Arsene Wenger some much-needed variation at the heart of defence.

Furthermore and most importantly, Reid’s contract is set to expire in 2015 and he’s continually delayed on a new deal – meaning he can be picked up for cheap this summer.

But Hammers chairman David Sullivan is keen to tie the 6 foot 3 centre-back down to new terms:

MATIJA NASTASIC

According to the tabloids, Arsenal have already targeted a direct replacement to Thomas Vermaelen in Manchester City’s Matija Nastasic:

The 21 year-old is an impressive talent, having already plied his trade with Fiorentina in Italy and the Premier League champions. Here’s a short clip highlighting Nastasic’s strengths:

//www.youtube.com/embed/LxnfKoOWmWE?rel=0

But the Serbia international will be concerned that his progress is being stifled at the Etihad – injuries and the rise of Martin Demichelis saw him make just 14 Premier League appearances last season, and he now has to contend with all-but-confirmed £32million signing Eliaquim Mangala.

An Emirates switch would be an interesting move for Nastasic. He lacks physicality but is clearly a very intelligent defender, also offering significant Champions League experience . And as viewable below, his quality in possession is second to none:

But the Gunners face stiff competition for his signature, with several Serie A sides including Juventus, Inter Milan and Roma also strongly linked:

TOBY ALDERWEIRELD

The Gunners could swap one Belgium international for another if Arsene Wenger decides to reignite his interest in Toby Alderweireld from last summer.

The former Ajax star joined Atletico Madrid instead in a £6million deal, but the Mattress Makers’ sensational rise to La Liga title and Champions League final glory saw him make just ten league starts last season.

No doubt, the 25 year-old is a talented defender, capable of playing at centre-back or right-back (as he did for Belgium at the World Cup) and famed for his consistency, as visible below:

A product of the total football academy, Alderweireld comes with an impressive all-round game. Here’s a look at him in action for the Amsterdam outfit:

//www.youtube.com/embed/RFL2-xH2cis?rel=0

The 6 foot 2 defender has already made plenty of noise about leaving Vincente Calderon and was reportedly offered to Napoli in January.

But recent speculation suggests Liverpool are currently leading the race for his signature:

NEVEN SUBOTIC

Jurgen Klopp appears determined to hold onto World Cup-winning centre-back Mats Hummels this summer, but that in turn could spell a departure for fellow Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic.

The 25 year-old has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City in the past, earning a reputation as one of Europe’s most underrated defenders as the unassuming-yet-sturdy partner to Hummels.

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The Serbia international was in customarily strong form last season until his campaign was cut short through injury:

Here’s some highlights from last term, with Subotic’s pace, tackling ability and composure in possession particularly standing out:

//www.youtube.com/embed/YV1uB16MEgQ?rel=0

But that eight-month sideline spell saw Greece defender Sokratis thoroughly excel as understudy, and it remains to be seen who will be given the first team berth on a regular basis next season.

With three high-quality centre-backs to choose from and just two years left on Subotic’s contract, a bid around the £15million-£20million mark could convince the Black-Yellows to sell.

FEDERICO FAZIO

Another, slightly more outlandish, option said to be on the Arsenal radar is Sevilla’s towering centre-back Federico Fazio:

Measuring in at 6 foot 5 whilst also capable of playing in defensive midfield, the La Liga man-mountain has drawn many comparisons with Per Mertesacker.

The Argentina international was in strong form last season too as Los Palanganos claimed the Europa League title, as viewable below:

Oh, and don’t mess with him, or he’ll punch you in the stomach:

The 27 year-old is a well-experienced, composed defender that could certainly do a job for the Gunners.

Furthermore, according to TalkSport, Fazio’s release clause stands at an incredibly cheap €10million.

Manchester United finally completed a deal to bring Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha to Old Trafford in the summer after he signed a five-and-a-half-year-contract which will come into effect at the start of next season after he finishes off the current campaign in south London, but the timing of the switch itself strikes me as odd – is manager Sir Alex Ferguson simply legacy shopping now?

The 20-year-old England international, born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, has been linked with practically every top club in the Premier League over the course of the past year or so. That’s what the newspaper rumour mill does, it identifies one player and then starts off its own ‘saga’, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all involved at one point or another. It’s both tiresome and dull but it distorts the truth too as it misleads whether there was ever any genuine concrete interest in the player, which as far as I can see, apart from United’s bid this January, there wasn’t.

Zaha was named the Football League Young Player of the Year last season and this prompted United to ‘enter the race’ and seal a deal that will see them pay approximately £10m up front and a further £5m with add-ons. Ferguson sounded somewhat reserved on the signing, most likely because the fans won’t get to see him up close right away, telling reporters: “We like to sign players with potential. We develop players and that’s been proven many times. Hopefully the boy enjoys it here.”

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Given that Arsene Wenger stated that Arsenal were looking at Zaha but denied ever making a bid, while Liverpool are firmly after Tom Ince and neither Chelsea or Manchester City showed a sniff in months, you have to question why Ferguson felt the need to tie up a deal right now – is it because if they run the danger of Palace getting promoted, his price doubles? That would seem to be the only logical explanation, and this way they get the best of both worlds.

The form of the club’s wingers this term, though, will have worried Ferguson no end and it seems as if Nani’s time at Old Trafford may finally be coming to an end. The 26-year-old has made just seven league appearances, only four of them from the start so far, featuring in just 12 games across all competitions. It seems as if the 71-year-old boss has grown weary of the Portuguese’s inconsistencies, ranging from the brilliant to the abject with consummate ease.

It would seem a shame if Nani is discarded to the scrapheap because when fit and on form, he offers an end product both in terms of goals and assists that neither Antonio Valencia or Ashley Young can match, but it’s got to that stage in the season where a catch-22 situation has developed – Nani needs games to get match fit to be of any use, but an extended run is out of the question at the moment given that the club are chasing silverware at both home and abroad, and now is not the time to tinker. He’s lost the manager’s faith and it could be a simple one in, one out deal in the summer.

It’s not as if Valencia has inspired any confidence either, and the 27-year-old Ecuadorian seems to be enjoying a crisis of form and his worst spell out wide since joining the club. Unsure of when to take on and beat his man or come inside and look for the pass, Valencia has been well below par, looking every bit the one-dimensional attacker his critics say he is, with Young on the other flank only being saved by his versatility.

First with Chris Smalling, then Phil Jones and now Wilfried Zaha, Manchester United appear to be taking the old Old Firm’s approach to transfers now, namely buying up young players of real potential so that their rivals cannot get near them. At the moment, there is no real need for him, but that could swiftly change in the future come May, with Ferguson set to reshuffle his pack and freshen up an ageing squad in several key areas.

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The purchase of Robin van Persie in the summer was a rare indulgence on his behalf, but the Zaha deal shows that the Scot still has an eye on the future and the smooth handing over of the baton to his successor and while it might look strange to move for Zaha now given the lack of competition for his signature, in the long-term, it could save them millions.

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So Marouane Fellaini has finally revealed his future, he’s staying at Everton…That is if they gain Champions League football this season.

Apart from how this announcement may harm morale at the club there is of course the question of how Fellaini’s declaration may affect the future of Everton football club.

There’s no doubt about it that Fellaini has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season. His height and strength is his obvious attributes however he is also capable of getting the ball down and playing passing football.

He is very versatile, with David Moyes in the past preferring to use him as a shield for the back four. This season he has been pushed further forward and the Toffee’s have reaped the rewards because of it.

Despite all the benefits though, he is not irreplaceable. Moyes and Everton have had to deal with the loss of their star player on many occasions before. One sale everyone will remember is Wayne Rooney and despite his departure Everton managed to finish fourth in the following season.

Other big names include Mikel Arteta and Joleon Lescott but these departures still haven’t stopped Everton from consistently overachieving.

And right now I think Everton are well prepared to deal with a departure as they have one of their strongest squads in recent memory.

If Fellaini does request a transfer I am confident that club will get a good return on the £15 million pounds that it took to bring him to Goodison from Standard Liege four years ago.

Moyes drives a hard bargain and with rich clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and even Real Madrid being linked with a move, some pundits are predicting that we could get as much as double what we paid for him.

An example of selling not necessarily being a bad thing would be the sale of Jack Rodwell in the summer. By selling him the club freed up funds to help refresh the squad and Moyes used them well bringing in Kevin Mirallas. I would even go as far as saying that the sale of Rodwell is one of the reasons for Everton’s good start to the season.

I was watching Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday at the weekend and Paul Merson said that if Fellaini is allowed to leave he can’t see the point of being an Everton fan. Basically what he meant was that if you sell your best players, it’s signifies a lack of ambition at the club.

Now apart from the fact that it’s Paul Merson saying these things, I have to disagree with this statement.

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You have to be realistic and look at the financial situation at the club. As a fan I’d rather we were financially secure with a healthy transfer budget than struggling

Even if we get only £20-25 million for Fellaini, I still won’t be too disappointed and have faith that Moyes can unearth another gem. Whenever Moyes has some money to play with, more often than not he signs the right player. Therefore depending on how much of the transfer income Moyes is allowed to spend, the sale of Fellaini could in fact allow the club to reach the next level.

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Southampton’s latest academy product, Andy Robinson, was delighted to make his first-team debut on Tuesday and admits it came as a shock. The official Southampton website reports.

The midfielder came on for the injured Jack Cork, ten minutes from time in Saints’ Capital One Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.

“It happened quite quickly and was unexpected, but it was great to get on”, Robinson told Saints Player. “This was the first time I’ve even been on the bench, so to come on was a bonus.

“I’m really happy. I’ve been around [the First Team] a lot, and they are really great with me and the other young players.”

The 19-year-old is part of the club’s Under-21 side, who are currently unbeaten and lead the table.

He is very pleased with his personal progress and feels he is on track to succeed with the south coast club.

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“I’m really happy at the moment. I had a little blip with an injury but I’m still ahead of where I thought I’d be at this stage”, he added.

“I take everything as it comes, like the other night because that was unexpected. It’s about working as hard as you can.”

Manchester City defender Gael Clichy has hailed the importance of Carlos Tevez at the club.

The Argentina international had a controversial 2011-12 as he went AWOL after refusing to come off the bench in a Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

However, with the South American forward restored to the Premier League champions’ squad, Clichy has stated that Tevez is a crucial player for Roberto Mancini’s men.

“He has been our best player so far this season,” the France international told The Sun.

“He’s scored goals, worked really hard. He’s just a great player.

“What happened in Munich, and after, is nothing to do with me. It was between him and the boss.

“It’s all sorted now. Carlos in top form would be a great player for any team. Let’s hope he can carry on scoring.

“The passion he has for the game, the way he presses defenders, lifts the team — we need a player like this so well done Carlos.

“We want players who bring something extra and he does that. He can make a big difference for us this season,” the full-back concluded.

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City take on German side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

By Gareth McKnight