Arsenal and Chelsea are set for disappointment in their respective pursuits of Jackson Martinez, with the striker close to extending his contract with Porto.
The Colombian international has been heavily linked with the Premier League giants in recent times, with a move away from the Estadio do Dragao having been on the cards for some time.
However, Martinez is now set to pen a new deal with the Portuguese giants according to his agent, who is set to finalise negotiations with the club soon:
“I will travel to Porto next week to discuss the renewal. There is already an agreement to renew,” he is quoted by the Daily Star.
The news will come as a blow to Arsenal and Chelsea – who are both said to be on the lookout for attacking reinforcements.
Martinez is widely regarded as one of European football’s top marksmen, having notched a staggering 49 goals in 64 outings for Porto since joining them from Mexican top tier side Chiapas.
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A number of top clubs from across the continent have been linked with Martinez in recent times, with reports of potential release clause-triggering £34m bids having been widely reported.
Wayne Rooney has warned any England star that he will be on their case if they do not come up to scratch.
Rooney is set to skipper the side against the minnows San Marino due to the absence of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
The Premier League has signalled his intent of captaining the side like his idol Roy Keane used to, meaning that the striker will not be afraid to give out a few rollickings if needed, and will lead his team on and off the pitch.
Talking about his leadership qualities and who inspired him the most, he told The Sun, “Roy Keane, without a doubt, having played with him for a couple of years and seen how he played on the pitch and dealt with things off it.
“He was vocal on the pitch and helped me off it. He was a great captain.
“I was lucky enough to play with him, hopefully, I can gain some of the qualities in my own game.”
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The former Everton player did admit to there being times when he found himself in the firing line of the Irishman, but it only made him more determined to succeed.
The game will give Rooney a great chance to show that he has matured and his hot headed temper, which saw him see red last year against Montenegro, has been put to bed.
Yaya Toure received a heartfelt farewell from Manchester City fans when he announced his departure from the club.
The Ivory Coast international spent eight years at the North-West outfit, winning six trophies, including three Premier League titles.
However, in the last few seasons, the 35-year-old’s ageing legs were unable to keep up with the pace of Pep Guardiola’s team.
Many supporters are sad to see Toure depart the Etihad Stadium, but it seems that he will not be going too far.
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The midfielder has maintained that he wants to remain in the Premier League, and according to The Telegraph, new West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini might try to take Toure to the London Stadium.
The Hammers have previously taken unwanted City stars, including Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart.
Whether a deal comes off remains to be seen, but City fans have given mixed responses to the prospect of Toure switching to another top flight club.
Some have mocked that their club seem to be sending all their older players to the Hammers, while others are just baffled.
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According to reports in The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona star Denis Suarez on loan during the January transfer window.
The Telegraph says that while Spurs are expecting to have a quiet month in terms of incomings and outgoings, they are keen on Barca duo Andre Gomes and Suarez, who could be available on loan in order to boost his minutes on the pitch and to aid his development and progress.
The 24-year-old was once on Manchester City’s books and he could well attract interest from a number of Premier League sides if he was made available.
Meanwhile, Southampton are only above the top flight relegation zone on goal difference following a poor campaign under Mauricio Pellegrino, and they are likely to look to spend and add some players to their squad this month following the £75m sale of Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool.
Having scored just 21 goals in 22 Premier League games boosting his side’s attacking options could be the Argentine manager’s priority before the window slams shut on January 31, and bringing Suarez to St Mary’s could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Southampton must hijack Tottenham’s bid to sign the Spaniard…
His ability
Even though he faces a huge battle to get into the Barcelona team because of the quality the La Liga giants have, Suarez has still scored three goals and provided a further six assists – including both in the 2-0 win against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League – in 16 appearances in all competitions this season, with the majority of those outings coming from the substitutes’ bench.
WhoScored.com lists his strengths as his passing and his crossing, while he has also successfully completed 13 of the 20 dribbles he has attempted in 12 appearances in the Spanish top flight and in Europe this term.
Of course, you don’t play that much for Barcelona unless you have something about you, and bringing him to St Mary’s on a temporary basis would be quite a coup.
His versatility
The 24-year-old is a versatile player, and that flexibility could appeal to Mauricio Pellegrino as he looks to boost his side’s attacking threat this month.
Suarez has played as a central midfield, central attacking midfielder and as a left winger for Barcelona this season, and he would certainly fit in well to Southampton’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system as he could play on the left and in the middle of the three, and perhaps even in the two in a home match where Saints face a tough task to break their opponents down.
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Loan deal
According to reports in The Times, even though Virgil van Dijk completed a £75m move to Liverpool at the start of the month, the way the deal has been constructed means that Southampton will only receive £17m initially, cooling any feeling from the fans that they could be set for a spending spree this month.
That figure is likely to limit the amount of money they spend during the January transfer window, and bringing in a player of Suarez’s quality on a loan deal until the end of the season could prove to be an attractive option in a volatile market, and in a month where it can be difficult to get good value for money with permanent moves.
Trying or even key moments in a season breeds ingenuity. At least from the best.
Pep Guardiola had studied Real Madrid’s weaknesses, finally discovering the key to defeating Barcelona’s closest rivals. It was during his first season in charge and ahead of the Clasico in the Bernabeu when he moved Lionel Messi permanently from the right side of attack into the centre and into a false nine position.
Barcelona annihilated Real Madrid 6-2 in one of the most memorable matches in Guardiola’s tenure, seeing 63 per cent of possession (away at Real Madrid) and producing 17 shots.
Arsenal don’t have players of the calibre of Barcelona, but they nevertheless have the personnel to execute such a style of play, even if only on rare occasions throughout a season.
The false nine can be erratic and flat out dangerous for those who adopt it. It can force the most dominant of displays, as we regularly saw with Barcelona, or it can offer up ninety minutes of toothless football.
Let’s not be wrongly led down the path in assuming Barcelona are the only team to have used this style in recent years. Roma, with Francesco Totti in the false nine role, toyed with the formation to some degree of success before abandoning it. Spain, obviously, have looked to replicate Barcelona’s success by using either David Silva or Cesc Fabregas in the “Messi position.” And while Guardiola may be steadily introducing this formation at Bayern Munich with Mario Goetze, Germany have been down this tactical path before, which is where Arsenal can find some joy.
Mesut Ozil was Joachim Loew’s choice to take up the false nine position. The German is ideally suited to the role. He can retain the ball, he drops deep, in turn dragging defenders out of position for the benefit of wide players, and he can obviously create.
How important is Olivier Giroud to the way Arsenal play? He’s hugely important. There isn’t anything false in the relentless hammering of the idea that Arsenal will be lost if he succumbs to injury. Nicklas Bendtner may have done a good job of deputising during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Hull, but the Dane isn’t a long-term solution.
Though even with Giroud in the starting XI, Arsenal at times bypass him and use the genius of the midfield to conjure avenues to goal. The interchanging of Ozil and whoever else makes up the attacking midfield three can be mesmerising. Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla, and Aaron Ramsey are able to rotate positions with ease, each capable of acting as chief creator through the middle or as a supplement out wide.
Against Cardiff, Arsenal produced three goals without the need for Giroud. The third goal highlighted the threat of pace provided by Theo Walcott, but the two which came before were the sole creation of the midfield. Ozil, creators in both, offered a glimpse of what can be done with a player like him creating space for others: both goals, notably the second, came from onrushing midfielders.
Ozil is never static, which is vital in the use of a false nine. In comparison, Giroud, while effective, allows for more certainty in the opposition centre-backs. They know what they’re dealing with and generally where the traditional centre-forward will be.
Arsene Wenger is in a position where he can use the obvious strength in his squad, his midfield, to combat the lack of depth at centre-forward. It’s risky, of course, evidenced by the dearth of teams who are prepared to adopt this tactic and stick to it.
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Barcelona, always the template, had the pace from the flanks, the rapid passing and movement, the attack-minded full-backs, and the clinical Lionel Messi. Ozil isn’t the prolific goal scorer that the Argentine is – though no one bar Cristiano Ronaldo is – but that’s not a problem. Arsenal do have the personnel to get this formation off the ground, especially with Walcott back from injury.
It’s an option that can be explored and one that does fall in line with Wenger’s footballing philosophy. It’s unlikely to ever be the team’s primary formation – Giroud is still the team’s best option at the tip of the sword – but it’s one that can offer an alternative based on the strengths of the current squad.
Alan Pardew has come out in support of his struggling striker Papiss Cisse ahead of Newcastle United’s league cup clash with Manchester United.
Cisse hasn’t netted in his past eight Newcastle matches and missed horrendously from the penalty spot in the Toon Army’s 1-0 win over Norwich.
Pardew said to The Daily Telegraph: “We will help Papiss through this,that is what we are about. Myself and my team have got the best out of most of my players here, especially Papiss last season.
“That was easy for us. He was scoring goals and you could almost let him run free. Now he needs help and that’s where we hopefully come into line.
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“He is still getting into positions and for sure, you worry more if he wasn’t. He had three good chances [against Norwich] and in training, they are flying in like they always have, but in game situations you sometimes just need a bit of luck and that is where he is at.”
Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United have enjoyed an excellent season as the North East club finished 10th in their return to the Premier League.
The Spaniard earned a lot of praise from fans and former players for guiding the Magpies to a mid-table finish while working with a limited budget typical of the Mike Ashley era.
Iconic striker, Les Ferdinand, recently applauded Benitez for the “unbelievable job” he has done at St. James Park but all this hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by rival clubs.
Reportedly Premier league sides Arsenal and West Ham are both keen to speak to the Champions League winner. Although it is understood that the Newcastle manager would prefer to stay in the North East.
“My priority is to stay in England. I’m only talking to Newcastle right now.”
Benitez is entering his final year of his contract with the Magpies and has asked for assurances over the club’s ambition from owner, Ashley, before agreeing to a new deal.
“The main thing is to be sure we share the same ambition. I want to win games and I want to win trophies and I want to have the tools to be capable of competing…Newcastle is a massive football club and we want it to reach its potential.”
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Newcastle fans are terrified that Ashley won’t be able to match Benitez’s ambition and have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations. Here is a selection of what’s being said:
Tottenham Hotspur surged to an impressive 3-0 victory away to Burnley on Saturday in the English Premier League, inspired by a scintillating Harry Kane performance.
The England striker scored a superb hat-trick to punish the home side, equalling Alan Shearer’s long standing Premier League goal scoring record of 36 goals in a single calendar year, first achieved in 1995.
Kane is now joint-top of the league scoring charts this season with 15 goals from 19 games and appears to be getting better and better as time goes on.
Tottenham fans were in absolute awe of the 24-year-old, with some even exclaiming that he is the best centre forward in the world right now. With performances like the one seen on Saturday, who can really argue against that?
If he remains fit and in form, Spurs’ chances of a top four finish are strong, even if other important players are not quite at their best.
Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his hat-trick…
Many former Premier League clubs have staged astonishing falls from grace in recent years – Charlton, Portsmouth and Leicester to name a few – but the traditional case study of rapid decline down the football leagues still remains Leeds United.
The Yorkshire club went from a Champions League semi-final to League 1 in less than a decade, with financial implosion, administration and a host of managers along the way, as well as former Chelsea owner Ken Bates overseeing repetitive stagnation in the Championship.
Things are looking brighter for the Whites nowadays however, with new investors from the Middle-East taking over in December, Bates relieved of his duties last week over apparent wrongful expenses claims, a new manager in Brian McDermott and the recent hope of buying back Elland Road, after having to sell it on a lease-back deal in 2004 due to financial insecurity.
However, the club is still a shadow of its former self; gunning for promotion under a new wave of optimism but nothing guaranteed. It begs the question, why hasn’t a serious investor – a multi-millionaire or even billionaire of the Roman Abramovich mould – ever taken a punt on a club with a prestigious history, strong fan base and high-standard facilities?
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There is certainly room for scope at Elland Road, especially if the finance of a wealthy individual with too much money to spend were to help push them back into the top flight. As previously mentioned, Leeds have been able to maintain their significant supporter base and high attendance despite their rapid decline, with the stadium’s maximum capacity at 37,914, and a 30,000 turnout expected for their first home game of the season against Brighton this weekend.
The attendance figures outweigh those of a number of Premier League clubs from last season, including Fulham, Norwich, QPR, West Brom and Wigan. Maxing out Elland Road with the promise of Premiership football for budding pundits would undoubtedly produce a steady supply of match day revenue to appease any potential investor. Furthermore, there is the potential to expand the stadium – plans were made in 2009 to increase the capacity to over 50,000 if England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup was successful.
Similarly, financially, the club is still in a precarious position, but Leeds have maintained their healthy youth system throughout. Currently, Tom Lees and Sam Byram, aged 22 and 19 respectively, hold down regular places in the first team, and were two of United’s top performers last term. It’s another attractive prospect for potential investors, with no fear of constantly relying upon inward transfers to source new players as we have seen at Manchester City since Sheik Mansour’s takeover in 2008, whilst Chelsea in comparison, benefitted greatly from John Terry rising through the ranks of the youth set-up.
Furthermore, Leeds’ prestigious past should not be ignored or underestimated. Granted, the last decade has been one of the darkest eras of the club’s history, but previously, they were an established top flight outfit. Since 1921, the majority of their football has been played in the English first tier, and on the continental stage they’re also well-recognised, lifting the European Cup in 1975 and regularly featuring in the modern competitions of the UEFA Cup and the Champions League before their fall from grace. It’s the kind of prestigious history that can be utilised effectively to attract talent from abroad, as well as in England, where there are still strong memories of Leeds being a Premier League institution.
But there are also plenty of reasons why an investor could be put off by the prospect of acquiring Leeds United too. Part of the attraction of foreign investors to Chelsea and Manchester City alike was the added commercial revenue that could be provided by the location of both clubs. London and Manchester are the two biggest cities in the UK, with huge populations and footfalls – 9.8million and 2.5million populations respectively – whilst West Yorkshire lags some way behind, with 1.7million between Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Huddlesfield, and a much lesser population density to boot.
Stamford Bridge in particular, is situated in an incredibly affluent district of London, and Roman Abramovich has taken full advantage by expanding Chelsea’s stadium into a complex that includes cinemas, restaurants and bars, and it would be difficult to replicate such a business enterprise to a similar degree in a city with a fraction of London’s population.
Similarly, the club’s debts still remain a big issue. Roman Abramovich cleared the slate for the Blues in 2003, but at that point, Chelsea were a lot closer to the unprecidented revenues of European football and Premier League titles than Leeds are in their current situation, and at the moment, the Championship side’s economic model is unsustainable, despite the new investors arriving around Christmas time.
According to Spoughts.Com, Leeds City Holdings closed with a debt increase from £1.3million to £5million, and in 2012, Leeds United Football Club lost £2.2million before player sales. Ken Bates’ tactic to keep the club’s head above water was to sell the first team’s stars year upon year, and although GFH Capital have alleviated the financial strain, recently selling a 10% share in the club for further profit, it’s hard to see where a more viable solution to improve United’s cash flow problems without immediate promotion.
Perhaps most importantly however, is the fact that the Championship is the most volatile and unpredictable division within the realms of the English football league. Leicester City have spent big year upon year to bring the Championship’s top talents to the King Power stadium, but they are still yet to bring their prolonged absence from the Premiership to an end.
Similarly, clubs like Reading, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Hull have managed promotion on a shoe-string, with more impetus on the ability of the manager and the attitude of the players rather than actual quality, whilst QPR, who were taken over in 2007 by racing tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, didn’t make it into the top flight until 2011.
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So maybe there’s more risk than meets the eye in investing in what is traditionally one of England’s most successful clubs, but perhaps it’s for the best. Big-money investment hasn’t served QPR too well over the past few years, although I’m sure plenty of Leeds fans would relish the prospect of a Roman Abramovich or Sheik Mansour arriving at Elland Road.
Then again, you should always be careful what you wish for. A recent article in the Yorkshire Evening Post speculated that energy-drinks giant Red Bull were considering investing in the club. But I can’t imagine too many fans being happy if the company insisted on re-branding as they have with their take-over of Salzburg.
Formerly known as SV Austria Salzburg, the Austrian Bundesliga outfit are now called FC Red Bull Salzburg, don a badge with two red bulls on it, play their games in the Red Bull arena and wear kits consisting of the Red Bull colours (mainly red, white, blue and yellow).
Sometimes in football, there are things more important than money, winning, or the Premier League.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has hit out at the critics who have labelled the Hammers as a long-ball team, according to ESPN.
The 57-year-old became infamous during his time in charge at Bolton Wanderers for his side’s direct, physical approach which riled several Premier League managers including former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who once sarcastically compared Bolton’s style of play to that of Barcelona’s.
The addition of Andy Carroll on a season long-loan from Liverpool at the Boleyn Ground has led many to argue that Allardyce is looking to emulate the style of play which saw him bring relative success to the Trotters in the Premier League. Additionally, Allardyce also has three former Bolton players in Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Nolan and Ricardo Vaz Te in his first team.
However, ‘big Sam’ has refuted these claims and argues that West Ham’s style of play is much more subtle and varied than the direct style of play he employed at the Reebok Stadium, “The best way for a team to play is to have variation and we have shown that since the beginning of the season. We go short, we go long, we go forward, we go diagonal and we go in behind. It makes us very hard to play against and luckily we have the players like Ricardo Vaz Te and Mark Noble who can adapt.”
The Hammers’ boss, who spent just under £20 million on new acquisitions this summer, also admitted that he was delighted with the current crop of players he has at his disposal this season, “We have a lot of talent – young, old, home grown and foreign – and it all adds to the mix to form a very strong squad, which you need in this league. Also, we have Matt Jarvis and Yossi Benayoun, who are both ready to make an impact.”
West Ham have made an impressive start to the campaign winning two of their first three Premier League games so far this season. As a result, the Hammers could temporarily propel themselves to second in the Barclays Premier League table if they can overcome a struggling Norwich City side at Carrow Road in Saturday’s early kick-off.
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The newly-promoted outfit will be without newly acquired star striker Carroll who has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury picked up on debut in West Ham’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Fulham.