According to an interview with German media outlet Bild, Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira hinted that he would like to play in the Premier League having won league titles in Spain, Germany and Italy.
The 2014 World Cup winner told Bild: “Out of the best leagues in Europe, I am missing England after having won in Spain, Germany and Italy.
“The Premier League has always fascinated me. Winning the title there would complete my collection.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is likely to be in the market for a new central midfielder this summer with Michael Carrick retiring, and the futures of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera looking to be firmly up in the air.
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A partner for Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic in a midfield three looks to be what is needed, and while he is 31 years of age there is no doubting the quality and experience that Khedira has in his locker and would bring to the team.
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We asked Red Devils fans to vote on our poll to see whether they would want the club to sign the Germany international this summer, but a majority 65% said they wouldn’t be keen on a deal.
Those supporters would likely want someone younger and with more potential for the future, and it will certainly be interesting to see what Mourinho chooses to do when the transfer window opens next week.
An international cap at just the age of 18 with an impressive physical presence for such a young man, big things were expected from Micah Richards.
He made his first team debut for Man City at just 17-years-of-age and became the youngest defender to ever be called up for England duty, but fast forward 10 years and Richards has not reached anywhere near the levels that were expected of him.
He did win the Premier League at as a Sky Blue in the 2011/12 season and was fairly involved in that campaign, playing 29 times, however, in his last three seasons at City he played just nine league matches, and since 2012 Richards has not be called up to the England squad.
It has been a real decline for the Birmingham-born defender, and it could be put down to a couple of things… with injuries being key. In an interview with City TV he said that the fitness issues held him back.
“I didn’t ever expect to do what I have done, but with my injuries I think I was hampered a lot. I think I could have achieved a lot more.
“I think my best years are ahead of me. It is sad to be leaving at this time.”
In some ways City’s loss could be Villa’s gain, as Richards is only 27 and surely does have his “best years” ahead of him still. He already has over 100 Premier League appearances under his belt, and usually for a player like the former City man, Villa would of had to pay some sort of fee.
Instead getting a player of his age and experience on a free could prove to be a bit of inspired business from the Villains’ board, as Richards has all the attributes to be a solid defender for the Midlanders for a few seasons yet.
Richards is fully capable at centre-back or at right-back – he is comfortable in both positions – and has the necessary physical attributes to dominate attackers in both areas.
He is uncompromising, he is strong, quick, massively athletic and is capable of going forward well down the right flank, too. The complete package is good and Villa can expect to see the best of the defender if he can put his injury woes behind him. Something he himself admits: “I do believe that, when I am 100% fit and firing, I am a very good player. My problem over the last couple of years has been picking up injuries and getting that consistency of playing.”
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Born in Birmingham, Richards has made his return to the Midlands and it could be said that his career has made a real U-turn in many ways.
Nevertheless, he may feel that he could still be at a top four club and maybe he shouldn’t have ended up at Villa, but Richards does look like the sort of player that does not shirk a challenge and will relish the chance to prove himself all over again… and he might just do it.
Last week, Arsenal announced that Sir Chips Keswick would be replacing Peter Hill-Wood as the Chairman of the board at the Emirates, ending a family dynasty that began in 1927, citing health reasons following a heart-attack last year as cause to step down.
But the appointment has been blemished somewhat by an unlikely verbal attacker – club legend and former Gunners captain, Tony Adams. The retired England international, who claimed 66 caps throughout his career, is disappointed that his offer of joining the Arsenal boardroom was met initially with no response, having sent an application to Hill-Wood after the former Arsenal chief stated in an interview that the Emirates politico and bureaucracy needed some fresh blood, only to find out a few months down the line that a 73 year old would now be heading board meetings.
Adams told The Sun; “It’s time that Arsenal won something again, even the FA Cup or League Cup. But I can’t see it, to be honest.They are still not good enough in certain areas of the team.
“And they are miles off the title. Chips is a great guy but not a very imaginative choice by the owner. And he is 73.If they just wanted a figurehead, they should have gone for me. It would have been a better visionary decision than Chips.
“Look, I would make the tea for Arsenal Football Club, but I thought I ticked all the right boxes for the board. I don’t need the money, I would put the good of the club first in every case and I could mediate well within the club.“
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One can easily claim sour grapes. Hanging out your dirty laundry in public is rarely an approach used to improve relationships, and there are obvious connotations in using The Sun, a hyperbolic Red Top newspaper that prints for profit rather than integrity. Similarly, although Adams may have seen himself an ideal fit for the role, there’s little reason why others should.
He is undoubtedly a hero at the Emirates, and even has his own statue outside of the ground, but so far throughout the former Gunners skipper’s non-playing career, Adams has far from excelled, with poor managerial spells at Wycombe, Portsmouth and Gabala all coming to a rather abrupt and disappointing end. The role of a manager and board member are by no means directly comparable, but Adams it yet to prove that he is a successful administrator, man-manager or a businessman.
But regardless of whether or not the Arsenal legend’s words came with a hint of bitterness and jealousy, there is undoubtedly some truth behind them. The last nine years in North London have represented constant stagnation.
The eight-year trophy drought appears to be verging on a curse – this year, the Gunners fell short against Bradford in the Capital One Cup, who went on to play in the final against Swansea, while even Wigan loanee Ryo Miyaichi has managed to secure silverware during his season away from the Emirates. At the same time, Arsenal have continually regressed in the title race, with this season’s squad and final league standing representing more than any other the vast decline since the days of ‘The Invincibles’ – the 2003/2004 team who went the whole campaign unbeaten, claiming the Gunners’ last domestic title.
Some have pointed to the arrival of foreign owners at divisional rivals and payments for the new Emirates stadium as a justification for Arsenal’s recent slump, but nothing like nearly a decade of being entirely dormant in the title race, while failing to gain anything from the auxiliary competitions, spells out more the need for new blood – the status quo of Champions League football, in itself, is not a worthy accolade for a club of Arsenal’s quality and stature.
Whether Adams’ leadership in practical terms would have been able to remedy the situation remains unclear, however, as the Gunners fans have argued to Arsene Wenger this year, sometimes the signal of intent and ambition alone is all you need to get things moving in the right direction, and a young and fresh face, known for his ability to lead others, could have been exactly what the board needed to win over the fans, who have been discontented with the limited aspirations of the Arsenal boss and his employers.
Whilst Arsene Wenger has become the butt of media scrutiny this season, it’s quite clear that there are further intrinsic problems at the club, starting with the boardroom. Relationships between Alisher Usmanov and his fellow board members is said to be at an all-time low, and in April the Uzbek businessman accused majority shareholder Stanley Kroneke of lacking enough ambition to take the Gunners forward, as the two rivals continually battle for full control of the North London club.
The stale atmosphere in the board room has further contributed to Arsenal’s recent demise. The departure of Robin Van Persie was met with little protest or outrage from Kroneke’s clique, whilst the club’s head officials have also shown a lapse attitude in regards to Wenger’s tenure potentially coming to an end, with the Frenchman now 63 years of age, and receiving interest from other European clubs. Adams sees the lack of a clear contingency plan as a major concern.
Similarly, the pressure from above on the Arsenal gaffer to succeed has been non-existent in recent years, allowing the head coach to not only oversee an overall decline in standards, but furthermore, attain an almost monolithic control of how the club is run and managed, being involved in many aspects on and off the pitch. It’s created a situation where Wenger’s ideas are no longer confronted and compromised, and bringing in a natural leader like Tony Adams would at least create a barrier to the often philosophical and idealistic Wenger.
There is also something to be said regarding the method of bringing former players as board members. It’s the model used at Bayern Munich, and to a lesser extent at Manchester United, and is yet to do either club wrong. In sharp contrast to the usual scheming businessmen around that appear to dominate Premier League boardrooms, using former players, often with hero status amongst the fans, reduces the political in-fighting, and successfully aligns the supporters. The Gunners faithful could certainly do with a positive rallying cry, with sections of the Emirates divided over ticket-prices and a lack of investment in the first team, leading to regular protests from the Black Scarf movement.
Tony Adams is by no means the perfect candidate – he is yet to prove himself off the pitch in any form, and as he himself pointed out, Sir John Keswick is undoubtedly a better candidate to reach out and maintain contact with Alisher Usmanov. But in many ways, it’s a shame that once again, Arsenal as a club have resisted the urge for change. It’s not that the current board members are not well enough qualified, but simply that their situation has become comfortable and stale, and they are all representatives of an era at the Emirates that will be best remembered for a slump in quality.
A new, fresh, young face could have been the perfect remedy – even if Adams lacks in certain skills, he would have at least been a symbolic statement that the board are keen to start moving in a new direction.
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Living in Manchester and watching as much football as I do, there are often accusations of favouring either the red side or blue of the city. In actual fact I have a soft spot for a certain white side in Madrid and genuinely have no bias towards either half of Manchester, so when I say City will win the league or indeed burst into laughter after reading the Metro headline about ‘Fergie’s Fab Four’ being back and better than ever – it is genuine opinion not bias forming the reaction.
The article was of course referring to the formerly great forward four from the utter glory days of the club of Yorke, Cole, Sheringham and Solsjaer, and comparing them with the new fab four – the strikers of Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck and of course the man who makes ‘RVP’ and ‘I feel sick’ trend in the same sentence on twitter.
You could be forgiven for not really seeing why I found the whole story so hilarious – well before the Everton game – and there is no doubting that the four forwards Fergie has at his disposal back then or even now are top class, the ones who can play for 90 minutes, the ones who can produce sheer brilliance and the super subs who can come on and get you that winning goal.
The difference however is that back in 99, United also had the best midfield in Europe. Now they do not even have the best midfield in Manchester. What use is it having the best forwards around when there is no maestro to pass them the ball either through the centre of midfield or on the wings?
After the humiliation by Barcelona in the Champions League final a few seasons gone, Fergie should have seen the warning signs and known that what he had in the middle of the park was simply not good enough to compete with the very best in Europe anymore. Yes Xavi and Iniesta are magicians but it was a warning sign not heeded and now the midfield at United can’t even go toe to toe with the best in the Premier League anymore.
Even the most ardent United fans and Fergie supporters must see that United need drastic changes at the heart of their team – yes Scholes is still special and Giggs has managed to keep himself young through a variety of on and off the field activities, but how long are they really going to last? Does Fergie really think that Scholes, like himself only plans to leave Old Trafford when carried out in a coffin?
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United might have a quality striker force and should they keep Vidic and Rio fit a good defence but in reality what is going on in the middle of the park? Summer signing Kawaga looks utter quality but he alone cannot make the difference in a tight game. There is no other way to put this, if United wish to win the Premier League or even come close in Europe something has to be done about their midfield. A fab four but an average heart will get you very little.
Everton won for the second successive week in the English Premier League on Saturday with a 2-0 victory away to Huddersfield Town.Although fan concerns about the future of the club under Sam Allardyce continue, the Toffees are now unbeaten in four matches in the top flight and found their way to a win against Huddersfield thanks to goals from Cenk Tosun and Idrissa Gueye.Tosun had gone four matches without finding the back of the net but his latest is his fifth in Everton colours since joining from Besiktas in January, where he netted 14 in all competitions.Fans were delighted with his Saturday performance and are hopeful he can be the team’s main man next season, especially if the club choose to go for a manager who can get the side playing more attacking and creative football than Allardyce.Will Tosun be a striking sensation in his first full season at Goodison Park?Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
Across all leagues, there’s always one player in a team who puts in so much effort, only for it to go unnoticed. Like at Real Madrid it’s anyone who isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo. Each team in the Premier League’s top four is no different. Here are Chelsea, Arsenal, City and United unsung heroes of the season.
For the newly-crowned champions it has to be Cesar Azpilicueta. With such a consistent defence, it is easy to overlook just how good they are. And Azpilicueta was somewhat overlooked in regards to the Team of the Year. Gary Neville has spoken very highly of Cesar, saying he is “as near to perfect as possible when it comes to defending; he’s immaculate.” Azpilicueta has been consistently good all season; and definitely one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
At Manchester City, Joe Hart has made a few mistakes this season, and seemingly gone down in estimation, despite all the good he has also done. In terms of goalkeeping, he has not received enough credit for some outstanding saves. It’s harder for him to get a look in with the likes of David De Gea – who has earned points for his team when they have struggled, especially without a solid back line in front of him. He has also been outdone by Thibaut Courtois, who has had a dream debut season in the Premier League and of course Fraser Forster, who has plenty of clean sheets to his name this season. But Hart does step up when his side need it most. Despite getting knocked out of the Champions League, in their final game, against Barcelona, Hart was magnificent – but that doesn’t catch a readers attention in the same way. Putting in the performance he did against a side of that calibre shows how good he truly is.
One Arsenal player who could do with some more credit in Arsenal is Santi Cazorla. His work rate is incredible and although rumours have circulated that he could be on his way out, Arsenal would be losing such a good player. But with the season Alexis Sanchez has had, and how he has stole the headlines, Cazorla’s efforts have not been as praised as highly as they should have been. While the media try to promote the talents of the likes of Philippe Coutinho, they are massively overlooking one of the best midfielders in the league.
Manchester United’s Michael Carrick has made his whole side tick. His experience has been crucial for Manchester United; something that is only being picked up now as he is not currently playing. Their win rate with Carrick is significantly better this season: they win 72% of their games when he is involved, and win only 37% of their games when he is not. He may not have that many goals to his name for the season, but it is the work he does behind those goals that truly matters. Singing his praises when he isn’t there is not the same, and it becoming clear that he is vital to their successes.
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Arsenal may have left it late on in the season to start demonstrating the sort of form worthy of a top four finish, but following their dramatic late 3-1 victory against Norwich City over the weekend, few are now doubting the Gunners’ Champions League credentials.
Indeed, if timing is everything in football, then Arsene Wenger’s side are slowly becoming the league’s resident clock-watching experts.
In the same way many observers had already written the obituary for their season come early February during the last campaign, Arsenal have yet again made a mockery of those who all but consigned their top-four aspirations to the scrapheap a couple of months ago.
Three goals in the last five minutes against a Norwich City team who had looked to have struck a potentially mortal blow to the Gunners’ season told you everything you needed to know about this Arsenal team. Faultless? Not by any stretch of the imagination, but for all their troubles this season, the mentality of this side is of one that still believes it should be dining upon the riches of the Champions League table.
But while belief, or a lack of it, is a buzzword more commonly attributed to the faltering fortunes of their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Saturday’s result served to do a lot more than simply edge Arsenal closer to yet another finish above the gentlemen up the road in white; it helped exorcise some of their own demons, too.
Because last season, it wasn’t just Spurs who managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory and although it was Wenger’s men who eventually triumphed in the hunt for guaranteed Champions League football, they themselves endured a potentially fatal wobble that could have been avoided.
The relevance of Arsenal’s late-season woes last season might not seem particularly poignant upon face-value, but when you look at just who they dropped points to last term and who they’ve still got left to play, you gain an understanding as to just how important it was that Wenger’s men took all three points against the Canaries on Saturday. Any less than a win and history might have looked like developing a very nasty habit of repeating himself.
This time last term the Gunners headed into the last eight games of the season on a similar wave of rejuvenation. The hard work, so to speak, had apparently already been done, with a certain gap above their north London rivals already shredded away and a run in of eight games that consisted mostly of teams in the bottom half of the table. Three of which – as is the case this time around – came against Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City and Wigan Athletic.
Although in spite of the momentum that had swung in the Gunners’ favour, far from propelling them on towards a hazard-free route to a top-four finish, those three fixtures did untold damage to Arsenal’s league run-in. Against all three strugglers, Wenger’s team took a measly single point from a possible nine, ensuring that their seasons hopes hung on the last day of the season. With margins tighter than ever this time around, they’d do well to avoid a repeat of last season’s cliffhanger climax to the league campaign.
And that’s why the importance of Saturday’s 3-1 victory against Norwich simply cannot be underplayed. All three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs will drop points in the remaining handful of games, but with fixtures against the likes of Everton and Manchester United still to play, Wenger’s men cannot afford a repeat of the slip-ups the club endured against the same three sides this time last season.
If there was a feeling that the Gunners had perhaps strolled into the games against Wigan, Norwich and QPR with a sense of complacency last term, then Michael Turner’s 56th minute headed effort served as just the smelling salts Arsenal perhaps needed to prevent a repeat of last season’s lackadaisical showings during the run-in.
Whereas Arsenal wilted in the dying moments after a similar late-comeback against Norwich City last term, this team looked like one in no mood to surrender as Lukas Podolski hammered home the exclamation mark to add to their riveting revival.
But while Saturday’s showing resembled the sort of spirit, will and guile that arguably neither Chelsea nor Tottenham have shown so far in the race for European qualification, three points against Chris Hughton’s team will count for nothing unless they’re backed up with victories against QPR and Wigan.
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The same notion could quite easily apply to the other four remaining league fixtures, but with the games against Harry Redknapp’s doomed R’s and Roberto Martinez’s inconsistent Latics side the most winnable of their last six games, there can be simply no slips up this time around.
In spite of the mess they made in attaining them, three points against Norwich City will hardly seem like reinventing the wheel for Arsenal supporters. But given the proverbial pig’s ear that they made of the same fixture under very similar circumstances indeed last season, the importance of that victory cannot be quantified as they push on towards a top-four finish.
And if Wenger’s men can find redemption against two other sides that very nearly cost them it all last season, Champions League qualification may be all but a guarantee.
James Milner is a very popular man on Merseyside at the moment; partly due to his impressive performances for Liverpool and partly because his relatively new social media presence.
The midfielder, who has won four major trophies in his career, moved to Anfield from Manchester City in 2015.
The 32-year-old has always been known as a reliable member of the team, who will do the job required with no questions asked.
For the majority of last season, Milner was deployed at left-back but in the current campaign, manager Jurgen Klopp has moved the former Aston Villa player back into his traditional position.
In recent matches, particularly in the Champions League, Milner has been in fine form, which has not gone unnoticed by Liverpool fans.
In fact, following Tuesday night’s 5-2 victory over Roma in the first leg of the Reds’ Champions League semi-final, the midfielder has eight assists in the tournament – the most made in a single season.
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With the World Cup in Russia just around the corner, Liverpool fans think that England manager Gareth Southgate should try to convince Milner to come out of retirement.
The former City star hanged up his international boots in the summer of 2016.
Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.
The circus that is Newcastle United rolled to Leicester over the weekend and once again put on a show to leave fans up and down the nation laughing. The Magpies’ slumped to an eighth successive loss against the Foxes, leaving them worrying close to the relegation zone with just three games to go.
In truth it would take a minor miracle for the sides directly below the black and white-clad outfit to be sucked into the second tier, and it’s likely that they will indeed remain a Premier League sides, which may add further to the anger at St. James’ Park.
Manager John Carver directed blame at Mike Williamson for his red card at Leicester on Saturday, accusing him of getting sent off on purpose to avoid a relegation scrap. Such a bold statement is bizarre in the modern game, but we think it’s not the players who should be on the rack, and instead there are more fundamental problems at Newcastle… and here are FIVE of them.
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John Carver simply isn’t up to the job
The number of fans underwhelmed by Carver’s appointment told the story. Alan Pardew – love him or hate him – was at least experienced, but his former assistant had little in the way of a proven track record, and was of course around during the failings that had annoyed Magpies supporters. And sure enough, Carver’s tenure has bordered on being disastrous so far, with the North East side now stuck in an eight-game losing run, which shows no sign of ending. Relegation is a genuine threat, but can Newcastle’s players really look over the dugout and take on board what their boss is saying? Arguably they should, but his lack of experience and record at the top level is sure to leave at least a few disillusioned.
Mike Ashley is ruining the club
The Sports Direct branding everywhere and the chase of profits, Newcastle are no longer an outfit geared towards success on the field. Ashley is the major force behind this shift at St James’ Park, with the club now feeling a little soulless as the pursuit of glory is swapped for keeping the owner cash rich. Okay, Newcastle were hardly picking up silverware regularly before Ashley and have enjoyed their best season in recent memory – 2011-12 – under his regime, but with any sense of optimism on the field swiftly kicked into touch now, it’s hard to get on board.
Best players are routinely sold from around them
Tying in with the Ashley profit stance, Newcastle’s best players are routinely being sold off. Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye are, perhaps, the best examples in recent times, with the midfielder and striker two of the better talents to have passed through Tyneside in recent times. It would be no surprise to see the likes of Moussa Sissoko or Ayoze Perez shifted out should decent offers come in, while youngsters such as Rolando Aarons may be sold should their promise translate to impressive showings.
European qualification frowned upon
Where can Newcastle go? Title challenges are too far away, the top four is near impossible to break into and the Europa League is a burden… Well that’s how it appears. Newcastle’s shameful FA Cup showing last term hinted at a worrying eagerness to avoid playing in Europe’s second club competition, after the 2012/13 season saw the Magpies’ performances dip domestically. There’s no proof to such speculation, but if the Europa League is being talked down at the club, why would the players be inclined to try over the latter months of a campaign?
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Stepping stone club
This one does perhaps hint at a little blame being out at the players’ feet, but if Newcastle are being billed as a ‘stepping stone’ club, which they appear to be nowadays, can stars really be expected to give it all for the shirt? After all, they’re only using the North East as a shop window to earn a bigger move.
When the transfer re-opens on July 1st Tottenham will be under significant pressure from their supporters to strengthen their squad.
There will naturally be a clamour to add options to their depleted forward line with Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor in desperate need of support if the Lilywhites are to solidify themselves as a Champions League outfit.
It is appears inevitable that a striker will be signed but should they try and sign another truly world class playmaker in the form of Isco as a matter of urgency?
The claims that Spurs are a one man team with Gareth Bale may be slightly unfair, but they certainly need other options that can unlock defences when he is not playing to his maximum or is unavailable.
Whilst Holtby and Sigurdsson have shown themselves to be capable of earning their stripes at White Hart Lane they need a midfielder who can really turn a game on its head when they are lacking in creativity outside their talismanic Welshman.
Bale’s strengths lie in his ability to run at opposition and to come in off the flanks. The pace him and Aaron Lennon provide on the wings is a crucial weapon for Tottenham.
What is needed now is a midfielder who can sit in between the midfield and attack threading through intricate passes that Luka Modric used to provide.
The composure, poise and skill of Modric is missed at this stage in the season. The balance he instilled in the way Tottenham broke down opposition avoided panic.
This influence needs to be replaced around White Hart Lane with the season once again taking its toll on the Lilywhites.
Bale’s improvement may have accounted for the loss of their talismanic Croatian in the summer but if Tottenham are to move on to the next level they need to make a statement they are willing to sign the World’s best emerging talent.
Spurs supporters may be perplexed at suggestions of need for improvement in the midfield their strongest area of the pitch. The team is set to achieve their target of a top four finish currently too.
The point though is that whilst Liverpool remain some distance off the top four and Arsenal continue to toil with their transfer policy handicapping them, there is a real chance for the Lilywhites to steal a march on their rivals in the summer.
Champions League may be a success for now, if a top four place is achieved, but the aim in the long term should be to try and win a Premier League title. If the gap is to be closed upon those at the top they need another stellar name in the key cog in between the centre of the park and forward line.
Why is Isco the perfect acquisition though? The first reason for this being that he is young at 20 years of age still has plenty of development left in him despite showing his capabilities already.
The Champions League stage is not foreign to him as he has shown at Malaga this campaign. This would also send out a signal to rival clubs that Tottenham are going to sign out the best.
In the past there may have been accusation levelled at Daniel Levy that Tottenham are a feeder club who sell their stars for exorbitant fees when they reach a premium level. If Levy allowed the North London club to seize the initiative and sign a player in demand.
The £30 million asking price is a large fee but it is now time to reward Villas Boas for his success without being provided all the necessary tools to achieve his aims.
This fee was not all that far off Man United paid for Robin Van Persie last August and it has made all the difference. Genuine title contenders have to occasionally splash the cash to freshen up their ranks with the best there is to offer. If Spurs do not want to be left behind the Manchester clubs and Chelsea who are bound to invest this summer, they need to spend too.
Redknapp was backed to the tune of £50 million his last 2 seasons at the Lane it is about time that the coffers were opened up to AVB to show his mettle in the transfer market too.
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Joao Moutinho may have been his first choice as a pivotal midfield signing last summer before the transfer window closed upon him. A deep lying playmaker is not what is needed now though and the Porto prospect won’t be top of the Portuguese manager’s shopping list this time round.
AVB is astute and if he is allowed to try and lure in Isco then he will certainly be interested in attaining the player.
Isco has mentioned that he would be the latest star to leave Malaga since their financial problems should the right club come in, and Tottenham would be a brilliant fit.
He is a young player looking for a club to allow him to emerge into a World Class talent and whilst they may expect this instantly at Man City or Chelsea, he would be allowed room to breathe and find his role in one of the most exciting midfields the Premier League at White Hart Lane.
If Tottenham are serious about their future ambition they may want to give thought for going hell bent on chasing one of the most sought after talents in Europe when they next get the chance to secure Isco’s signature.