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There’s something slightly LeBron James about Pep Guardiola and the fascination around where he’ll end up next season. That being said, the euphoria isn’t coming from the manager himself, in the same way that NBA star LeBron played to the crowd.

With his glowing record of successes at Barcelona, there’s sure to be no shortage of takers when he does finally decide it’s time to enter the game again. But does he guarantee immediate success if he were to arrive in the Premier League?

There’s an assumption that Guardiola will spawn a dazzling group of world beaters and successive champions wherever he goes; that’s the pressure talking even more than the expectation. At Barcelona, there were no such pressures. No one really knew who he was (in managerial terms, of course) and it was simply his job to guide the team out of the slump from Frank Rijkaard’s remaining days at the club.

But the Dutchman didn’t fare too badly either, picking up consecutive league titles and a Champions League trophy, the majority of which was built on the foundations of the excellent Ronaldinho. That was still a time when Xavi wasn’t the Xavi we now know, Andres Iniesta was still making his way in the first team and Lionel Messi was on the fringes and seen as a remarkable prospect rather than the sensation he is today.

For Guardiola, everything was in place to take over the world and establish that group of players as the best team many have and will ever see. The team had all the components to play the high tempo game that Guardiola was pushing, married with an exquisite passing game and devastating finishing. Were many people wrong when they said a toddler could have guided that team to glory?

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In England, wherever he goes, Guardiola will not have the same set up as what was in place at Barcelona. For one, no club can replicate the type of quality in abundance that his team had. The other problem is that Barcelona has a very specific and particular philosophy on how to play the game, one that was in place long before Guardiola took over. It was a case of needing the right mind and one who was familiar with the ideals at the club in order to take it forward again. Once more, Rijkaard didn’t do a bad job, but even with the same set up, he couldn’t do what Guardiola did.

English football has a zero tolerance on those who take a little more time to take off. Players are rubbished as weak physically and mentally for the state of the game in the Premier League, while some managers are headline-makers following less than a handful of games in charge. You’ve got to think that whoever is lucky enough to pick up Guardiola ahead of next season will have some level of sense to appreciate that he cannot form a Barcelona MKII overnight, if ever.

Let’s also not forget that the club’s successes under him were based on their youth academy, with only touches here and there added via the transfer market. But how good was Guardiola in the transfer market? Players like Dmytro Chygrynskiy, Keirrison, Martin Caceres, and Henrique came in and amounted to little if anything at the club. There’s a need to enhance and compliment those at Barcelona, but nothing came of a host of expensive signings.

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But above all, there’s no proof that Guardiola will be a success anywhere other than at Barcelona. He hasn’t tried his hand in Italy or Germany, nor has he had to deal with a squad that didn’t feature Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. Jose Mourinho is the safe bet, you know exactly what you’re going to get with the Portuguese manager.

With Guardiola, any club will be handing out the champagne should they capture his signature, but all of that excitement derives from his successes with a team that no other club in the world can replicate. There isn’t another Lionel Messi floating around waiting to be picked up, a player who can force the changing of formations and tempo mid-game.

There’s far too much expectancy. Guardiola may prove everyone right and go on to create a dynasty that reshapes football in this country—let’s not forget the effects his Barcelona team have had on the Spanish national team. But for now, it’s a fool’s game to expect everything on the basis of nothing.

Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel shone in Denmark’s 1-0 win against Peru in their opening 2018 World Cup match on Saturday, and Arsenal fans have urged their club to make a surprise swoop for the 31-year-old.The Gunners look to be in the market for a new keeper this summer having been heavily linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen stopper Bernd Leno, with Petr Cech perhaps no longer being considered good enough to start on a regular basis.Schmeichel certainly has plenty of Premier League experience with the Foxes and a title win under his belt, and he impressed with a clean sheet against the South American nation on Saturday, also playing a part in seeing a penalty kick fly over his crossbar.Arsenal supporters, who are also desperate for their club to sign another 22-year-old World Cup star, were quick to have their say on the Dane’s display via social media, and while one said “we need him”, another said “Kasper Schmeichel can replace Cech”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Joey Barton has never been far from controversy in his football career.

The outspoken midfielder has has experienced life at various clubs, including Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers, Burnley and Rangers.

Barton has always speaker glowingly about one club in particular – Newcastle.

However, the 35-year-old has since made it clear that he was never a big supporter of the club’s owner Mike Ashley.

The Sports Direct tycoon has been a controversial figure at the North-East outfit, but his 10-year reign could be coming to an end as he put the club up for sale in October.

Barton spent four years at St James’ Park and has now revealed in an interview with the Chronicle that he was wanted back at the club when Steve McClaren was in charge.

One man, though, stood in his way.

“Steve McClaren wanted me to go back. That was the year I joined Burnley – he asked me to come back but Mike Ashley said you can have anybody but him! It was good to know I made that an impression on [Ashley] because the feeling is definitely mutual.”

After leaving Newcastle, the midfielder had spells at QPR, Burnley and Rangers, where he eventually had his contract terminated due to a training-ground scuffle.

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Barton returned to Turf Moor for a stint, but is now currently out of football due to a ban for breaching betting rules.

Tributes flooded in from all corners of the footballing universe as Ryan Giggs announced his retirement from the sport earlier this week. The 40 year old brought the curtain down on a glittering career which has seen him represent Manchester United an incredible 963 times, lifting 34 trophies along the way. Making his debut in 1991, Giggs terrorised Premier League defences for years as a dynamic and unpredictable left winger.

With the appointment of Louis Van Gaal, a major overhaul at Old Trafford is anticipated this summer. Recent reports suggest that a fee may have been agreed with Bayern Munich for the transfer of Toni Kroos, whilst a number of other high profile individuals have been linked with a summer move.

But while much of the focus seems centered upon the addition of central defenders and midfielders, United are also in desperate need of a new wide player. Whilst the career of Giggs is a phenomenon that will likely never be repeated, a winger in the mould of the Welsh Wizard would be welcomed at Old Trafford.

The 2013/14 season revealed a number of painful truths about the current United side. One of those is the genuine dearth of quality in the wide areas. David Moyes’ stubborn insistence on exploiting the flanks revealed that the current contenders for the positions are either unsuitable for the role or simply not good enough.

Shinji Kagawa and Juan Mata prefer a more central position while Adnan Januzaj has also tried his hand as the “number ten”. In recent times, Nani hasn’t convinced anybody that he has the end product to match the tricks and putting it bluntly, Ashley Young just isn’t good enough. Antonio Valencia has proven himself as a strong wide option but simply isn’t in the same dynamic and explosive mould as Giggs.

In modern football, the traditional out and out winger seems to have become unfashionable. Every manager now seems to be focused on utilising wide men as inside forwards rather than players that hug the touchline. There aren’t many individuals that closely mirror Giggs’ style, much less match his quality.

But the need for the out and out winger to stretch the game still exists. Earlier this year, Theo Walcott’s absence saw Arsenal struggle for some time in their attacking play. The injury denied the Gunners’ of a valuable outlet that could stretch a defence through his pace and positional play. Of course, this isn’t to say that Walcott is of the same calibre as Giggs, rather that an out and out winger can still be a vital asset in modern football.

Regarding United’s current wide options, the opinion that they’re not up to scratch is one that Van Gaal seems to share. Recent rumours have linked the sixty two year old with several candidates to occupy the flanks at Old Trafford. Memphis Depay, the Dutch prospect that currently plys his trade with PSV Eindhoven, is an option that is believed to be interesting Van Gaal.  Yehven Konoplyanka is another, with a £12 million transfer tussle with Liverpool anticipated over the twenty four year old Dnipro winger.

Whether these players can replicate Giggs’ style down the flanks of Old Trafford remains to be seen. But what should be clear to all is that United need to strengthen in the wide areas. In the now infamous home draw to Fulham back in February, Moyes was rightly maligned for his tactics. But by the same token, only a pitiful eighteen out of a record eighty one crosses found a team-mate. Even if it was the wrong approach, a team of United’s calibre should be able to provide better service from out wide.

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Of course, there are other pressing concerns that need to be addressed. Central midfield is an area which has been crying out for reinforcements for years whilst the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic mean at least one central defensive arrival is expected.

But if the rumours are to be believed, Van Gaal has also recognised the need to strengthen out wide. Beyond the interim spell and the twilight years as a deep lying playmaker, Giggs terrorised defences as an out and out winger. It may not seem fashionable in the modern game, but a wide man more in the mould of the Welshman is another thing United need right now.

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There is no denying how much football has evolved as a sport over the years, with advancements in technology and facilities transforming the game completely.

Pitches no longer resemble the mud baths of yesteryear and are now akin to a brand new carpet, conducive to slick passing football.

Football boots have also been revolutionised by the various sports manufacturers to make them lighter and easier to wear in a fast-paced game.

Despite these advancements, one must question the relentless changes to our beautiful game and whether they are always necessarily beneficial – with a popular link to be made between technological changes and injury.

There is adding credence to the debate that lighter football boots are causing more injuries in the game, particularly those highly-publicised metatarsal injuries to Wayne Rooney and David Beckham in the past few years.

One of the leading innovative lightweight designs is Adidas’ F50 miCoach boots that supposedly has “a brain”, containing a micro chip to measure the wearer’s performance on the pitch. The boot also records statistics such as a player’s average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance covered and distance at high intensity levels.

They were priced at a mammoth £245 when first released, weighing just 165 grams and Adidas were keen to take advantage of the public’s obsession to buy boots worn by their heroes.

But many doctors are warning amateur footballers against wearing boots owned by professionals, claiming the lack of protection to their feet can be dangerous and that the focus should be on safety rather than speed on the pitch.

They explain that professional footballers would receive rapid treatment for the common metatarsal injury, whereas a broken foot is the last thing a working man would want and recovery time is usually much longer.

Football boots are also known to cause injuries to other players, with the most high profile recent incident involving Hugo Rodallega inadvertently lacerating Wayne Rooney’s thigh with his studs.

It has led to calls for more thorough checks of players’ footwear before entering the field of play, despite Rodallega’s boots being given the once over by the fourth official.

The Colombian wore boots that had a mixture of studs and blades and narrowly missed Rooney’s femoral artery, as the Manchester United striker attempted to block the Fulham star’s shot.

Wigan manager, Roberto Martinez added to the debate by claiming this type of boot benefits wingers by adding more speed to their game, but is too dangerous for tackling.

But it is not only the technological changes in boots which are causing injuries, but the latest football pitches are also creating problems.

Modern day playing surfaces are lush on top with three per cent synthetic grass fibres, but require extensive watering to allow any give in the turf.

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Additionally, there is also belief that modern-day football pitches are causing harm to players, with the harder surfaces increasing the likelihood of picking up injuries.

They are so well-maintained with synthetic materials that a player going into a challenge will not be able to slide along in the turf and could damage bone or muscle instead.

Advancements in technology are all well and good, but it seems that football is becoming a victim of its own success in some respects, with the need to investigate the link between modern equipment and injury being apparent for all to see.

You can follow on me on twitter: @JamesHilsum

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Tottenham are set for a busy summer transfer window, and their fans have been discussing a possible swoop for Florian Thauvin.

Last week, a report from RMC Sport claimed Tottenham were one of three clubs eyeing a move for Marseille’s Thauvin.

The former Newcastle winger, who has been included in the French World Cup squad over the likes of Anthony Martial and Dimitri Payet, had an incredible season in Ligue 1, and could be tempted redeem himself in the Premier League.

The 25 year-old was quite simply a flop at Newcastle, but has gone back to Marseille and grabbed a remarkable 37 goals and 20 assists in 73 league appearances over the last two seasons.

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His goalscoring output was particularly impressive in 2017-18, as he found the net 25 times in all competitions, and was an integral part in his side’s run to the Europa League final.

Spurs fans are of course dreaming of a reunion with Gareth Bale, but Thauvin is younger, cheaper, and less likely to get injured.

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Fans clearly agree with this judgement, as a whopping 70 per cent said they would back a move for the man who averaged 3.4 dribbles and 2.2 key passes per game last season.

You can find the full poll results down below…

One glance at the team sheet an hour before kick-off wasn’t enough. A star-studded front four was set to line up in front of a midfield two of unmatched muscularity and guile. The back four – cobbled together, perhaps – was still the best Jose Mourinho could manage on short notice.

A second glance was needed to confirm that it was, in fact true: the Manchester United manager had taken his side to an away fixture against a top six rival and lined up in about the most attacking manner that he possibly could.

Even some of the early questions upon the arrival of Alexis Sanchez were answered: no, Jesse Lingard wasn’t dumped out of the team, and yes, there was still room for an Anthony Martial or, theoretically, Marcus Rashford in the same starting XI. It was a refreshing feeling.

But within just seconds of the kick-off, we saw exactly why such questions arose in the first place.

Mourinho’s lineup looked like something from the worst excesses of the Manuel Pellegrini era at Manchester City: a 4-2-4 replete with attacking talent, so much so that even one of the midfielders was given a free role, his game more predisposed to attacking than defending anyway.

That’s why, on Thursday morning, the defence will take all the flack. In its loose marking, its hideous own goal, and in its generalised, unwarranted mayhem, Mourinho’s defence looked very much like it was put out into the world by a sworn enemy of the Mourinho way. And yet, despite clear failings, it wasn’t so much United’s defence as it was his attack that let him down.

Nominally, that is, as United didn’t do all that much attacking anyway. Not really. They managed less possession, fewer shots on goal than their opponents (almost four time fewer), and indeed Alexis Sanchez – the beacon of hope proclaiming a fresh start for the Mourinho era – touched the ball just twice in Tottenham’s area on a shy and retiring return to north London.

Again, though, that’s the simple reading. Alexis and co weren’t to blame because they didn’t attack enough, but rather because they couldn’t find the balance they needed to gain any semblance of control over the game. That’s what denied United the chance to either attack or defend.

Overawed not by occasion, the opposition or indeed the mythical location, United’s players were perhaps simply stupefied by their manager’s uncharacteristically liberal approach to attacking. Or at least the number of attack-minded players on the pitch.

Mourinho has proven so far this season, on numerous occasions, that he has intended to suck the life out of top six games. This time he fielded a group of players who were almost as shocked as the rest of us, simply unready for the cold plunge into unchartered waters and left in tatters just seconds after the first whistle.

By all accounts this was a tactical blunder, or at least a strange call that was undone as early as it’s possible to be undone, but that shouldn’t be where we leave it. Indeed, this isn’t a time to slate Jose Mourinho, Instead, it’s time to praise him.

Before this game, we knew that the Manchester United manager had a choice to make. Before Wednesday night, his last two games against top six rivals had ended in defeat against Manchester City and Chelsea, but since losing the derby at Old Trafford in December, United had not faced any of the league’s top sides: that is, since the title race had all but ended, the shackles had theoretically come off.

That’s the United Mourinho attempted to portray to the world at Wembley. This was supposed to be a new side; the winter had ended and the manager’s message to his players was to find their inner child again Free to play the fun, attacking football they’d always wanted, morale should have been soaring ahead of the return of the Champions League, when United’s season would truly be reborn in search for silverware.

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It’s hard to criticise that sentiment. Yes, they were outplayed, yes their bizarrely ineffective two-man midfield was too undisciplined to deal with what Tottenham threw at it, and yes Mourinho was perhaps naive in his choice of line-up. But the mitigating factor here is an early goal so poor that it can only be explained by rawness, and a second just before the half-hour mark so bizarre that it would knock the stuffing out of any side.

Mourinho’s gamble didn’t pay off, and we should be sad about that. Because from here on in, are we going to see a fun-loving United take to the pitch in an attempt frolic in glee again? Or are we going to see a swift return to chains for some of the league’s most exciting attacking players because of a manager’s fear of further reprisal?

United stepped out of their comfort zone and were slapped down instantly. Maybe the real tragedy is that if they’d gone half an hour without conceding at all, we might have witnessed the rebirth of Mourinho’s United tenure. Instead, we might have seen its regression back into the depths.

Arsenal remain hopeful of pushing through a late deal for number one transfer target Julian Draxler, according to the Daily Mirror.

Gunners representatives are due to travel to Germany to try and push a deal through for the £35million-rated midfielder.

The clubs are expected to hold talks, but the Bundesliga side remain reluctant to sell this month, even though Draxler himself is keen on the switch.

Arsenal see the 20-year-old as having the potential to develop into a striker in the future.

Wenger has a history of developing players into world-class forwards, having done so with both Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie in the past.

It remains unlikely Schalke will sell this month, but Arsenal are determined to make one more big effort to land a player they believe can have a major impact on their title challenge.

The Premier League leaders know they could face more competition for the player in the summer, and so are desperate to get a deal tied up as soon as possible.

Draxler is likely to be sidelined until March with an injury, but that has not put Arsenal off making one more bid.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger is expected to confirm the signing of a new contract within the next two weeks.

Click below to see Arsenal, Fulham and Everton in action this weekend!

Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias has admitted that the club will seek to cut spending during the next few seasons.

According to Llambias there are already eleven top-class players in the side and he suggests that the club will not be held to ransom in term of wages and transfer fees.

Alan Pardew is currently experiencing something of a defensive crisis with first choice centre-backs Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini both out through injury but Llambias still believes that the squad is good enough to cope with a depleted defence.

The club were close to bringing in French left-back Mathieu Debuchy and FC Twente centre-back Douglas in the summer but both deals fell through with Newcastle unwilling to pay the over-inflated asking fees.

“We’ve made it quite clear to everyone. We have 11 positions that are grade A players or Purples, as we call them,” he is quoted as saying to Sky Sports.

“Then, under them, we have the players who come in under them to take the positions so the squad gets bigger.

“Eventually we’ll have 33 players who will be pushing everyone. Where we are we have, in effect, 11 Purples if you count (Vurnon) Anita. He can play midfield, right-back, left-back. They are there. Centre-backs you have Colo and Steven Taylor, who are fantastic centre-backs.

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“To bring in another centre-back then you have James Perch who is doing a fantastic job, (Mike) Williamson, who is doing a fantastic job. You can’t have two purples per position because the club can’t afford it. You have to be realistic.”

Reports claim Everton are still in the race to sign PSV winger Hirving Lozano this summer, and the Toffees must make sure they win it.

What’s the story?

According to Mundo Deportivo, Everton and Valencia are leading the way to sign Hirving Lozano.

The report from Spain says there are “constant rumours” about a possible move for the Mexican international, but that Everton and Valencia are “the most attentive” teams at the table.

Lozano, who is expected to star at the World Cup for Mexico, grabbed an impressive 19 goals in all competitions for PSV this season, and Everton will be hoping new director of football Marcel Brands can sway the odds in their favour.

The report comes just days after a PSV beat reporter told ESPN Everton would be a good fit for the electric winger.

A super signing for Silva?

There aren’t many 22 year-old wingers with both the versatility and end product of Lozano, which is why Marco Silva must up his interest in the Mexican.

The young winger is extremely direct, and his first instinct is always to isolate his defender and beat him, something the fans at Goodison would love.

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“If I was a manager at a big club in England, I would take Lozano with my eyes closed,” PSV beat reporter Marco Timmer told ESPN. “He’s very good. He has big drive, not something you see often in Holland.”

“I think he’s a player for every team. For him it is good to move to a team that is not at the absolute top. Everton would be a right move. [He will] score 15 goals there.”

Such praise for Lozano will come as no surprise to those who have been tracking the youngster for quite some time, as he earned his move to Holland after scoring 31 times in 120 appearances for Mexican side Pachuca, mostly as a teenager.

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Having played on both wings and even through the middle at times this season, Lozano’s end product sets him apart from other wingers of his ilk, scoring 17 and assisting eight across 27 Eredivisie appearances this season.

If Marco Silva is serious about bringing exciting, attacking football to Goodison Park, then Lozano should be an absolute top priority this summer.

So, Everton fans, do you think Lozano should be a top target this summer? Would he be a good fit at Goodison? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…