Eduardo Vargas will prove to be one of many players to use this summer’s World Cup in Brazil as a means to secure a positive move away from their current club.
That’s not to say the Chilean international has struggled for a respectable platform in recent years. Currently on the books of Napoli, Vargas spent the second half of last season on loan at Valencia. This summer, he’s been linked with a host of clubs in the Premier League.
It’s been suggested that Arsenal will be in the market for one more forward before the transfer deadline, with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Douglas Costa and PSG’s Edinson Cavani both linked. At the start of this week, at was reported that Arsenal were close to landing Vargas, with Napoli seeking either €12 million or a loan deal.
But that looks to have hit the rocks – and that’s assuming Arsenal even held any strong interest. The frontrunner for Vargas’ signature is now said to be QPR, who will see the Chilean arrive on loan.
A blow for Arsenal? Well not really. It isn’t really clear where Vargas would fit in at the Emirates. He’s a tricky wide player who is able to play across the front four, but Arsenal aren’t really struggling for numbers. Vargas certainly doesn’t offer Arsene Wenger an upgrade over what he currently has.
If there was to be any weight in this rumour, it would have been because Theo Walcott had come across complications in his bid to return to full fitness following his injury suffered in January, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The other could be that Alexis Sanchez has made a recommendation on his countryman. There are a few Chilean internationals who would be warmly welcomed at the Emirates, but Vargas isn’t one of them, despite his impressive performances at the World Cup and during Jorge Sampaoli’s spell as national team coach.
Vargas’ inconsistency at club level has been a major factor in discouraging big clubs around Europe from making a move. He’s yet to settle down in European football, with his best form coming at international level. Of course, it could be said that here is a player with experience at the highest level and with obvious talent, needing simply a manager who can unlock that talent on a permanent basis. Arsenal, however, have no pressing need for a project of that kind.
There are still plenty of fans who want to see Arsene Wenger invest in one more forward. Olivier Giroud still has his detractors, and some simply can’t accept the notion that Alexis can be used through the middle. In addition, Theo Walcott will come back and add even more depth in attack.
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Unless Arsenal are bringing in a player better than what they have, or unless one of the first-team regulars are moved on, it’s likely Wenger will go with what he has. Having spent over £30 million on Alexis, it just isn’t in the manager’s nature to spend equally as much or even more on another striker.
As everyone is now aware Wayne Rooney is approaching his 100th cap for England, but has the Manchester United captain peaked already?
In the seasons of 2009/10 and 2011/12 Wayne scored 26 and 27 goals in the Premier League respectively – putting him second in the top scorers list in both campaigns.
Top goalscorers such as the England captain can quite regularly score hat-tricks, yet Rooney’s last Premier League hat-trick came on the 10th September 2011 against Bolton Wanderers. In that season he scored 38 goals in all competitions for England and Man United. But it’s been three years since Rooney reached these heights and one must now wonder whether we will see them again.
However, Rooney rarely starts in the de facto centre forward position for Manchester United these days. ‘Wazza’ was once a pure goalscorer who went into games with one target in mind – score as many goals as possible.
However, he has been moved further back for club and country, often playing as more of a No. 10. than out and out centre-forward. Subsequently he is likely to get fewer chances per game and consequently score fewer goals.
Conversely, Rooney now sees more of the ball in these deeper positions and this allows the player to show off his passing range which has always been excellent, especially for a striker. Therefore as his goals tally decreases, his assists should see an increase – and that is certainly the case in the recent years.
In the last two seasons, Wayne has assisted 20 goals in the Premier League in 56 appearances, but only scored 29. So does this mean we have lost Wayne Rooney the goalscorer?
In his 99 appearances for his country, Rooney has managed to score 43 goals. But what about recent years? Well in England’s last four fixtures he has scored a goal in three of them, and he was also one of only two players to get a goal for England at last summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil. Not bad, even if he was the best of a bad bunch.
In recent seasons the England and Manchester United captain has taken a step back in positional terms, and that has led to him scoring less goals, yet assisting considerably more.
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Wayne is still directly contributing a similar amount of goals when goals scored and assisted are combined. Perhaps he’s more of a complete player than he once was as he isn’t just trying to sniff out the next goal, but also creating for his teammates. He may well not be scoring as many goals but the stats show that he is still very important to both club and country.
The weekend loss at Swansea leaves Arsenal in a tricky position. The Gunners are among a pack of top four chasing clubs that have all faltered early in the campaign, which is sure to make for a fascinating battle, but one which will heap the pressure on the perennial European qualifiers..
Liverpool are blunt up top and shaky at the back, Spurs cannot cope with Europa League and domestic commitments, Manchester United are so top heavy it’s ridiculous, while West Ham and Southampton are unlikely to be able to maintain the momentum they’ve shown so far.
Money is set to be splashed in January – with Brendan Rodgers and Louis van Gaal likely to be big spenders – but reports suggest that Arsene Wenger will be given just £20m. It may seem a big sum, but in modern football it’s unlikely that many top class players will be within the Gunners’ price bracket. However there are some, and here are SIX cost-effective options for the Londoners…
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Fabian Schar
Wenger has already revealed that a centre-back will be his major target in January, with the reliance on Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny having been ruthlessly exposed by injuries already this term. Mats Hummels is the dream sighing, yet his abilities will command a massive fee, leaving Schar as an alternative.
The classy Swiss defender’s contract expires at the end of the season, so Basel may be receptive to a cut-price offer with the player himself thought to be eyeing a switch to one of Europe’s bigger leagues. At 22, Schar has bags of ability and potential, as he showed at the World Cup over the summer.
Virgil van Dijk
Scottish football may no longer be the breeding ground for top talent it once was, but Van Dijk has flourished with Celtic. The Dutchman has been in Glasgow since 2013 after relocating from his homeland, and is widely being described as ‘too good’ to be plying his trade north of the border – even though the Hoops are struggling this term.
Celtic want between £10m-£15m for their man, who is open to joining Arsenal:
“Arsenal are an amazing club,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s a big club with a great history. I’m happy here just now and I want to play well and we’ll see what happens in the future.
“Until there are bids I can’t say thing. There is no rush to leave but you never know in the future.”
Sami Khedira
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A World Cup and Champions League winner in 2014, it seems odd that Khedira could be leaving Real Madrid for as little as £8m in January. But with his contract due to expire at the end of the season and Los Blancos resigned to losing the 27-year-old, a switch to the Emirates Stadium at a reduced rate is a possibility.
Khedira himself is thought to be open to relocating to north London to link up with international colleagues such as Lukas Podolski, Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil, with reports over the summer having claimed that a contract was all but agreed. Top class cover in the middle of the pitch for a minimal fee? Not even Wenger can pass on this one, surely?
Romulo
A somewhat left-field target, Romulo has been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks. The Brazilian enforcer has impressed in Russia with Spartak Moscow despite a range of injuries in recent seasons, and has been aligned with a few top clubs.
Wenger is reportedly considering a £9.5m offer, plus Yaya Sanogo on loan, for the 24-year-old enforcer, who could add the steel missing in the Gunners’ midfield.
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Stephan Lichtsteiner
//www.youtube.com/embed/SqkBYvpIqjw
Yet another play whose contract expires at the end of the season – seeing a theme here? – Lichtsteiner is a genuine option for Wenger. The experienced 30-year-old Swiss defender may not be of the age range the Frenchman usually pursues, but for a minimal fee his versatility could be a major draw.
The Juventus man is able to play on either side at the back, which has been a problem for the Gunners in recent weeks given the never-ending bout of injuries being suffered at the Emirates Stadium. Short-term fixes aren’t Wenger’s style, but this one could tempt him.
Winston Reid
Keeping his options open as his contract runs down, Reid is likely to be available for a reduced fee in January, The New Zealander is said to be aware that his stock is at an all-time high following West Ham’s successful start to the campaign, which is thought to be luring interest from the Gunners.
A leader at the back, the Hammers ace could slot in nicely alongside either Koscielny or Mertesacker and provide the cover missing since the sale of Thomas Vermaelen.
Liverpool must move for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin or Newcastle star Moussa Sissoko to replace Steven Gerrard at the end of the season, according to club hero Danny Murphy.
The Reds’ iconic skipper is due to join MLS side LA Galaxy at the end of the season when his contract at Anfield expires, which is sure to leave massive hole in Brendan Rodgers’ midfielder, regardless of the criticism the 34-year-old has been subject to of late.
The Northern Irishman has already talked up the need to sign established stars to replace Gerrard when the time comes, while there have been whispers that summer signing Emre Can is being tipped to fill the veteran’s boots long-term.
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There have been many targets mentioned, but Murphy believes that his old club could do much worse than to move for Schneiderlin AND Sissoko:
“Moussa Sissoko and Morgan Schneiderlin are the two players Liverpool should go for,” he told talkSPORT.
“Sissoko is a box-to-box midfielder, who has looked absolutely terrific since going centrally. He’s only 25 and a France international. His wages aren’t going to be an issue.
“He’s going to be a brilliant signing for somebody. Sissoko’s been linked with a number of clubs in this window, so it looks like he might be on the move.”
“Morgan can play with Sissokho, and along with Henderson, because it looks like Lucas is on his last legs.
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“He’s also only 25 years old. Yes, he’s signed a new contract but you could get him out of Southampton because he’s an ambitious boy. He’s got Premier League experience and wouldn’t need time to adjust. He’s a really good player.
“Those two players will set you back around £40-50million. Liverpool would be better signing two players, rather than one. They’re already missing numbers in midfield. With Emre Can and Henderson, that gives you four there in midfield.”
It has been quite the turnaround for Rotherham United in recent years. Financial trouble saw the club struggling in League Two before back-to-back promotions had the Millers promoted to the Championship for the first time since 2005. Steve Evans’ men were odds on favourites to be relegated this season but some fantastic victories have left the club in 19th place, three points above the drop zone with every chance of a remarkable survival.
Rotherham’s revival stemmed from a turbulent period in the club’s history. The 2006/07 season saw the Millers relegated from League One following a ten point deduction for entering administration and narrowly missing out on liquidation. They re-entered administration the following season and were deducted a further ten points, which halted an immediate return to the third tier. In 2008/09, Rotherham were dealt a double blow, being kicked out of their Millmoor stadium and docked 17 points.
Despite this enormous penalty, the club were fighting for a play-off place but missed out by finishing mid-table. Three more disappointing seasons in England’s fourth tier followed before finally securing promotion in 2013. Steve Evans – who had taken over in April 2012 – guided his team to League One after the club were playing in Rotherham again, in the newly built New York Stadium.
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The 2013/14 was a season fans won’t be forgetting in a hurry. A 16 match unbeaten spell during the second half of the season saw the club finish fourth and enter the play-offs. The semi-final against Preston ended 1-1 after the first leg and a fantastic 3-1 victory in the second saw Rotherham win a place in the final. Leyton Orient went into the second half of the final 2-0 up before an excellent come back by Rotherham meant that the match ended 2-2 and needed penalties to decide who would be playing Championship football. Rotherham nicked it 4-3 and rounded off an unbelievable turnaround from nearly going out of business to promotion to the Championship in the space of just a few years.
This season has seen the side struggle for the majority of the season but, nonetheless, have put in spirited displays that currently see the team keeping their heads above water. Fantastic results against Bolton and Ipswich show how tough it can be to beat Rotherham at home and it is this home form that could prove to be the difference between survival and relegation. This is also reinforced by a poor away record, which has only seem them win twice away from the New York Stadium all season.
Evans has made his team hard to beat but Rotherham were always going to be in the bottom half of the table due to a lack of financial muscle compared to pretty much the rest of the division. This is why they had to sell last season’s top scorer Kieran Agard to League One Bristol City, with Agard more than happy to join a team a division below.
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Despite all this, Rotherham have given themselves a great chance of survival, which would be a tremendous achievement given all that has happened in recent times.
“It’s not a decision against Real Madrid, I want to find new challenges for my career and continue to grow as a player.
“I don’t have an agreement with any club nor any preferences as to who I would like to join. I will do everything I can to continue helping the team during the forthcoming weeks.”
These are the words of Sami Khedira talking about leaving Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer. Arsenal fans are sure to be paying close attention to these developments, with the German seemingly the ideal addition for the Gunners. Reports last summer suggested that the World Cup winner was on the verge of switching to the Emirates Stadium, and when he eventually stayed at Real Madrid, there was a feeling of ‘the one that got away’, with the rangy central star having long been thought of as one of the best in the business.
So maybe it’s time to make a fresh move then, right? Right, and here are FIVE reasons the north London club really do need the 27-year-old…
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The mould of midfielder Arsenal are missing
Arsenal have long been criticised for lack a real presence in the middle of the pitch. Francis Coquelin has returned from Charlton as the ‘saviour’, but even though the young Frenchman has impressed, he’s hardly the calibre of player the Gunners need if they’re to compete for titles and European honours.
Khedira, however, is a more complete midfielder, and although not quite in the same mould as Patrick Vieira, he would bring a greater physical power and a commanding presence.
He’s free!
Should Khedira be moving for his true value, it’s likely that the German would cost upwards of £30m… that’s how good he is! However, thanks to the Bosman ruling, the world champion is free to move on for nothing, and such an opportunity is one a top club like Arsenal cannot really afford to turn down.
Okay, Khedira is likely to use his situation to negotiate a big wage and a significant signing on fee, but even these figures will not come close to what it would take for Arsene Wenger to land a level alternative.
Brings vast levels of experience
Almost five years at Real Madrid and over 50 caps for Germany, Khedira knows what playing at the highest level is all about. Arsenal have been labelled bottlers in the past, but with a calm head who’s done it all before in the middle, maybe they can get over the line that separates fourth place and a proper title challenge.
He’s a proven winner
Bundesliga title? Check. La Liga winner? Yep. Champions League? Oh yes… WORLD CUP. You bet! Khedira knows what it takes to win, and his career thus far has reflected that. He was a part of Stuttgart’s impressive 2006/07 title winning side before eventually joining Real in 2010 to take part in the Jose Mourinho era.
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In the same period, Arsenal have won only the FA Cup… so perhaps having a winner in their XI may make the difference when it matters.
Statement of intent
Football – Real Madrid v Manchester City – UEFA Champions League Group D – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 12/13 – 18/9/12Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez in action against Real Madrid’s Sami KhediraMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine
The last two summers Arsenal have sent out a real signal in the transfer market. Massive fees have been paid to lure Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez from Spain to London, and it’s fair to say that both sent out the message that the Gunners mean business.
Getting another big name in for next season will once again make the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City take notice, which is often half the battle.
Despite crashing out of the Europa League yesterday evening, courtesy of a Dejan Lovren penalty miss that’s likely still in orbit somewhere, we at Football Fancast have high hopes for Liverpool returning to the European stage next season – by going one better and qualifying for the Champions League.
That may seem a bold prediction to some, but the sixth-place Reds are just two points off the Premier League’s fourth spot, currently held by Manchester United, and possess more than enough quality to overcome that miserly deficit by the end of May.
And just to prove we’re not plucking out predictions out of thin air, here’s FIVE reasons why Champions League football will return to Anfield next season.
ELIMINATION FROM THE EUROPA LEAGUE IS DEFINITELY A GOOD THING
There is perhaps no catch 22 greater in the Premiership than participation in the Europa League. Although it offers the chance of continental silverware, it’s a competition split between European minnows defending for their lives and some Champions League-relegated fish that, quite frankly, just don’t want to be there.
In the words of MOTD2’s Mark Lawrenson, something about playing on Thursdays and Sundays just doesn’t work, and it often results in a congested fixture list that only amplifies fatigue during the business end of the season.
So it’s a good job the Reds lost in a penalty shootout to Besiktas last night, freeing up their mid-weeks and Saturdays, whilst top four rivals Arsenal still have the small matter of preparing for a trip to Monaco in which they need to score at least thrice to avoid elimination.
Likewise, Manchester City, whom Liverpool face this weekend, will still be recovering from their humbling 2-1 home defeat to Barcelona.
FINALLY A FULL STRENGTH ATTACK
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There’s been plenty of focus on Liverpool’s defensive performances this term, especially amid the arduous start to their Premier League campaign, but frailties at the back have always been a problem under Brendan Rodgers, and in comparison to last season it’s attacking form the Reds have lacked most.
Indeed, Liverpool scored over 100 Premier League goals last year but this season they’re on just 38 – the joint lowest return in the division’s top eight – and some, but not all, of that can be directly attributed to Daniel Sturridge’s six month absence through injury.
Finally however, Liverpool’s attack is heading back towards full strength. Sturridge has a few games under his belt, and the Reds’ 3-4-2-1 formation is proving hugely effective in cramming him, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho – by far the Reds’ most consistent threats going forward – into the same starting XI.
Even the wayward Mario Balotelli is beginning to come good on his £16million transfer fee, netting twice in his last four outings and providing the free kick that lead to Adam Lallana’s goal against Crystal Palace.
HITTING FORM AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME
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Following on from my last point, Liverpool appear to be hitting form at just the right time – as the Premier League’s top sides often do.
How you start a Premier League season is irrespective of how well you finish, and Liverpool have now been defeated just twice in their last 19 fixtures across all competitions, Besiktas last night and Chelsea in the Capital One Cup semi-final, spanning back to their 3-0 loss to Manchester United in December.
That includes an impressive run of five straight clean sheets away from home in the Premier League and six wins in their last eight. If the Reds can continue that form over the next few weeks, they’ll easily close the two-point gap between themselves and fourth-place Manchester United.
Which brings us nicely onto…
MANCHESTER UNITED AND SOUTHAMPTON ARE SLIPPING AWAY
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The race for the top four is certainly heating up in the Premier League, but that isn’t good news for all the clubs involved.
Whilst Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have all been enjoying relatively strong league form of late, the cracks are beginning to show at Manchester United and Southampton.
For the latter club, a shock inclusion in the battle for Champions League qualification, it appears the highs from earlier in the campaign are inevitably catching up with them, and the Saints are now amid a run of just one goal in their last four Premier League outings, including a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, whilst star striker Graziano Pelle has scored just three times across all competitions since the start of November.
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Meanwhile, although Manchester United’s results have remained relatively consistent, losing just twice in their last twenty, the Red Devils’ laboured style of football is causing quite the stink around Old Trafford.
Even centre-back Johnny Evans has commented on it, and despite being many pundits’ favourite to clinch third spot, the Red Devils’ continual inability to hit top gear could see them miss out by just a couple of points come May-time.
FATE IN LIVERPOOL’S HANDS
Whilst every Premier League fixture between now and May will be vitally important to Liverpool’s Champions League bid, some are more important than others – particularly those six pointers against other top four rivals.
And fortunately for the Reds, despite a current two-point deficit, clashes with Manchester United and Arsenal in the space of a fortnight puts Liverpool’s fate firmly in their own hands.
Losing will cost Liverpool dearly, but two wins will completely transform the landscape at the top end of the Premier League table.
Of all the Champions League batters, Liverpool have only lost to Manchester United this year, beating Spurs twice, Southampton twice and drawing against Arsenal at Anfield in December, so results suggest the Reds are more than capable of taking maximum points from their campaign-defining fortnight.
PSV Eindhoven’s Memphis Depay has become the latest player linked with a summer transfer with Manchester United.
If manager Louis van Gaal intends to sign everyone he has commented on they will be able to start a new league just for United reserve teams, however, like many of the other names linked with a move to the North of England, there come rumours about who else is interested. It is believed that Tottenham Hotspur have put a £14.5million bid in for the Dutchman in a hope to beat van Gaal to him as well as the French big spenders Paris St-Germain also showing an interest.
Depay has 20 goals to his name this season and is the leading goalscorer in the Eredivisie. Some worry that he may struggle to score quite as many goals in the Premier League but his successful season comes on the back of a superb World Cup performance for Holland where he became the youngest Dutchman to score a World Cup goal at the age of 20 and was part of the three-man shortlist for the tournament’s “Best Young player.”
After showing such promise in the last year PSV have confirmed they expect the winger to leave at the end of the season. With former Holland boss, van Gaal already knowing Depay well and how he likes to play it seems likely that if he were to move to the Premier League he would be tempted by Manchester United. The Man United gaffer travelled to Amsterdam recently to watch Depay play in Holland’s friendly where they beat Spain 2-0 in March.
Van Gaal wants to bring some pace into his team. To compete in Europe it has been proven by the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich that you need pacy players to succeed. Angel di Maria who was brought in last season hasn’t been as successful as the gaffer would’ve hoped so it’s understandable he is now looking towards people he had around him before so he can bring some confidence and young talent into the squad.
The 21-year-old brings everything van Gaal could possibly want. After coming into his own for the last two years Depay is now ready to show the Premier League what he is made. While van Gaal seems to be keeping his options open and having a look at players from all leagues it will be unlikely that he can find a player that could fit straight into the United team and perform. Depay is used to playing against some of the best teams in Europe and showed at the World Cup in Brazil that he can rise to the occasion.
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Having excelled in the Maracana surely Old Trafford is the natural next step?
Although the ‘official’ awards have been handed out, the debate about who’s actually was the best player of the season rumbles on.
Does Eden Hazard deserve the award? Or should another candidate who, perhaps, didn’t get the credit deserved be given the praise and the honour? Well, here’s your chance…
Have a look at the FIVE candidates below and have your say!
Alexis Sanchez
Signed last summer as Arsenal’s marquee buy, the Chilean kept the Gunners battling through their early season wobbles, and had it not been for his infectious energy, who knows where Arsene Wenger’s side may have been through the Autumn and winter months. 16 league goals and three in the FA Cup is a mighty fine haul, especially as the Chile international, traditionally, operates from wide.
Eden Hazard
The PFA Player of the Year, Hazard has already been crowned the ‘top dog’ officially. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s everyone’s choice, and although his performances have been impressive, perhaps there are other candidates out there the majority of fans prefer… Alas, the Belgian was terrific for the Blues, injecting some much needed creativity and ingenuity into Jose Mourinho’s often pragmatic side, even if his 14 goals made little impact at the upper end of the scoring chart.
Harry Kane
From squad player to Spurs’ main attacking threat and a goalscoring England international, Kane’s rise has been phenomenal. The 21-year-old may not be standout in any specific technical trait, but his desire, work rate and positioning have all be excellent, and helped Spurs to a fifth placed finish. 31 goals in all competitions, let that sink in.
David de Gea
Manchester United’s Champions League wilderness has been cut to just the one season, and Louis van Gaal’s men owe much of their fourth placed finish to De Gea. The Spaniard took the goalkeeping plaudits, despite the form of Thibaut Courtois, with his heroics between the sticks a major factor in the Red Devils’ on-target finish. 11 clean sheets leaves him adrift of the likes of Lukasz Fabianski, but the total of points he helped the club to amass is the major factor.
John Terry
Premier League winning captain, played every minute of the campaign and the bedrock of the best defence in the division, Terry, love him or hate him, deserves immense credit. The 34-year-old was written off as ‘finished’ not so long ago, so the big ‘v-sign’ he sent out to his critics warrants praise. Okay, he may not have been so impressive in a set-up not so tailored to his strengths and weaknesses, but lifting the big trophy is the ultimate comeback.
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Vote for your Premier League Player of the Season below…
Esteban Cambiasso’s decision to leave Leicester City is a big blow for new Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri.
The pair would have been reunited after having an unsuccessful season at Inter Milan together a couple of years ago where the “tinkerman” guided Inter to a disappointing sixth place finish in Serie A – their lowest league finish in 13 years coming just two years.
The pair left the Italian giants that summer and could of been reunited at the King Power, however the popular Cambiasso amongst Foxes fans has chosen to leave and he will be a very difficult player to replace.
Fans of the Foxes would’ve been hoping the pair’s previous relationship together at Inter would have meant there wouldn’t have been any need to replace Cambiasso this summer, but those hopes were soon dashed as the pair didn’t even get a chance to share a training session together.
The former Chelsea manager was desperate to keep hold of Cambiasso, too, but his appeal to the Argentinian seemed to have little affect.
Ranieri said: “I said to him: ‘I need you. Everybody loves you in Leicester, please come back’.” But there is to be no encore unfortunately.
However, it is widely believed Cambiasso didn’t leave the club purely because of Ranieri – it had an affect, but it wasn’t the sole reason.
The real reason why the midfielder has left the Foxes is because he has many offers on the table and he wanted a new challenge. Perhaps worried about the game time he may get at Leicester under Ranieri’s infamous rotation policy.
And at the end of his career, time is not on Cambiasso’s side. He will need to be playing regularly at this stage and maybe Nigel Pearson’s exit was the nudge the midfielder needed to move on.
Cambiasso enjoyed most of his success last season in a three man midfield. Pearson tried to play a two in the middle at times, but most of their late season success was when they played a 3-5-2 formation, which ultimately kept Pearson’s side up.
Cambiasso understands that at his age that the conditions need to be favourable for him if he is to flourish, and that doesn’t look to be the case Leicester as Ranieri prefers to play a variation of the 4-4-2 formation. The Italian manager binned the three at the back Inter were playing before he arrived, and a similar switch for the Foxes would not be the best option for a player who turns 35 next month.
It’s a huge loss for Ranieri and Leicester, and the Italian manager knows it, saying: “If he doesn’t come I need a new team leader.”
And even the midfielder admits that, that is a necessity too. Adding in his farewell note to the fans he wants “to give the club as much time as possible to find an alternative” to lead the team into the new season.
However, it could be argued that no matter how much time Ranieri has to replace the former Argentinian international, there simply isn’t another player out there who can replicate his impact on and off the field.
Nevertheless for Ranieri, he will have to make do, and maybe the signing of Charles Aranguiz for £10.5m from Internacional will be the replacement the Foxes are looking for.
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Aranguiz would certainly help strengthen Leicester’s midfield following the departure of Cambiasso, as the Chilean international has real quality and put in some really impressive performances for Chile at the Copa America earlier this summer.
It would be a club record fee for the South American midfielder. who is set to be Leicester’s big name replacement for another South American and Aranguiz has very big boots to fill indeed.