All posts by h79snht.top

“Brave United,” is how it was described. Brave, I suppose, because Manchester United had the cheek to score at the Allianz Arena and scare Bayern Munich into life. Incidentally, the quick-fire assessment of Arsenal’s draw in Bavaria last month couldn’t have been more of a contrast.

David Moyes once again did what he does best. United were well drilled, had men behind the ball in a game where they knew they’d see very little possession, and utilised the pace of Danny Welbeck as the point of attack.

Bayern have been sloppy in the past few weeks. In fact, even before clinching the Bundesliga title, they didn’t quite look up to scratch. They were winning, but not convincingly. What we saw from Bayern over the two legs against United – lots of possession, lots of excellent team play but no end product – was the theme of a number of their games leading up to this tie with United.

That Bayern lost their last league game against Augsburg, ending their 53-game unbeaten run and any hope of going through the league season unbeaten, speaks of the mentality of those who are already champions. They’re not a poor team; the Bundesliga doesn’t distort how good Bayern actually are, and we’re far from overhyping them as the best in Europe. But Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona lost games against lesser teams, both in La Liga and Europe. It also shouldn’t be underestimated that retaining the Champions League is extraordinarily difficult, even for teams who have reached the heights of this Bayern and the famed Barcelona of a few years ago.

On Wednesday night, Bayern needed a kick up the rear that perhaps even Guardiola couldn’t offer. They needed to be scared into taking action, because as long as the game was level at 0-0, it would have continued as very much a bore draw. It more than likely would have prompted an angry mob to question just why this Bayern Munich team are considered as great as many claim them to be. It would have been an attack on the Bavarians and on German football as a whole. How good are they really if the worst United team in decades, who have lost to just about everyone in England, bar Arsenal, can limit them to back-to-back draws?

So as “brave” as United were, Bayern were simply better. Patrice Evra’s wonder goal not only woke up the home side, including the manager, it proved just how effective Guardiola’s tactics could be once his team turned on the style.

On paper, Bayern lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation. It was anything but. Philipp Lahm, thought to be redeployed at right-back, joined Toni Kroos in the midfield. Guardiola’s approach, as always, was to flood the midfield, provide passing options for the player in possession, and not allow the opposition the opportunity to break out.

In the final third of the game, Bayern were devastating. Boredom had clearly crept in, the kind of boredom we saw from them against Arsenal at the Emirates. It’s been described as sterile possession; teams, generally Guardiola’s, who pass back and forth but do nothing with the ball. Far from the truth. Sterile possession is the game’s best form of defence, the period where players can take a breather and launch at the opposition by pressing and winning the ball back.

But it wasn’t until United thought something could be gained that Bayern really came out to play. Evra’s goal was the shock that woke up the home team, but it was also the act which forced Moyes’ team to discard the defensive mindset they’d adopted going into the game. The delirious celebrations broke the defensive continuity. When the game became stretched, when it became end-to-end, Bayern put it to bed.

Greater competition forces a bigger response from Bayern. Evidence, the most obvious of which, can be seen in Bayern’s dominance of Manchester City at the start of the season, only to lose from a winning position in the return fixture when Guardiola’s team had already won the group stage.

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Wednesday night’s game was also a reminder to Guardiola and to onlookers that the Catalan’s work in Munich is far from over. Eradicating the lazy mindset that has crept in is a must – certainly before the semi-final first leg.

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Name: Marco Verratti

Country: Italy

Club: Paris St Germain

Age: 21

International Caps: 6

Position: Centre midfield

English fans will doubtless be more excited to see the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley grace the world stage when England square up against Italy tonight. But Arsenal fans, in particular, should keep a watchful eye out for the five-foot-five Italian who could be buzzing around energetically alongside the great Andrea Pirlo in the Italian engine room.

Rumours have circulated that Arsene Wenger sees PSG’s Marco Verratti as a like-for-like replacement for the ageing Mikel Arteta. On occasions this season, signs emerged suggesting the effects of being the wrong side of 30 may just be taking their toll on Arteta, and Verratti could provide that mix of tactical and technical nous that has been central to the Spaniard’s role in the Arsenal side in his three years at the Emirates.

Verratti is seen as Pirlo’s natural successor in the heart of the Italian midfield. At his best, he can dictate the pace of the game in a similar fashion to Pirlo, pulling strings in front of the back four and distributing the ball to all areas of the field. And despite his diminutive stature, Verratti possesses a nasty streak, and is fully prepared to get stuck in for the sake of his side, no matter how big or intimidating the opponent.

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The fact that he has secured a starting role in one of Europe’s best sides at such a young age demonstrates a maturity beyond his tender age. And while his game still lacks the grace and poise of Pirlo’s – he has a willingness to take unnecessary risks in front of his own goal – he is malleable. While risk-taking is an essential part of the excitement Verratti gives, he is at an age where faults are commonplace, and creases can still be ironed out.

When Arsenal do come to replace Arteta in their starting line-up, it will likely be for a player of Verratti’s style. His ability to control the tempo of the game, whilst providing a tenacious and effective screen in front of, would make him an ideal replacement in the Arsenal side. Suggestions are that Verratti is worth in the region of £20 million, and Wenger is keen. Arsenal fans should be too.

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The summer transfer window has finally drawn to Âclose and now it’s time to reflect. WhichÂPremier LeagueÂside did the best business? Who did the worst? And what glaring transfer opportunities were surprisingly missed out on?Well, this article takes a look at Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites were by no means anonymous in the transfer market this summer, but to label it a stellar transfer window would be an equal fallacy.In truth, there were several opportunities in the market that the north London side failed to capitalise on. And being the know-it-all bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve decided to list FIVE of them.

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WILFRIED BONY

If there’s one obvious gap in the squad that Tottenham failed to address this summer, it’s undoubtedly the absence of a dependable centre-forward.

Harry Kane, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado have found just 21 Premier League goals between them since the start of last season and the Lilywhites were resultantly expected to invest heavily in a new striker during the summer window.

Arguably the best option available to the north London side was Swansea City front-man Wilfried Bony.

Since joining the Welsh outfit last summer from Vitesse Arnhem, where he netted 37 times in his ultimate season, the Ivory Coast international has claimed 16 goals in just 34 top flight appearances. Here’s some of the highlights from his inaugural Premier League campaign:

A powerful, aggressive, aerially-combative centre-forward, Bony fits Mauricio Pochettino’s philosophy, sharing many of the old-fashioned characteristics with former Saints front-line Rickie Lambert and Dani Osvaldo.

Furthermore, although Gary Monk continually denied rumours that the 25 year-old had been put up for sale, his £19million release clause is well known and represents great value for money.

DANNY WELBECK

A failed transfer pursuit that may cost Franco Baldini his job – the Sporting Director let Danny Welbeck slip through his grasp on deadline day and is now allegedly in the firing line:

It’s known Mauricio Pochettino wanted to bring Southampton star Jay Rodriguez with him to White Hart Lane this summer. But as Southampton refused to sell the injured forward, Welbeck was seen as an effective surrogate, with the left side of Tottenham’s attack in need of added quality.

The 23 year-old is the flavour of the month after netting a brace against Switzerland earlier this week, including this composed finish:

Signing a Three Lions regular in his prime would have come with a host of benefits for the north London side and Manchester United’s £16million price-tag was more than affordable, but they eventually lost Welbeck to local rivals Arsenal . Here’s another look at the forward in action:

WINSTON REID

Tottenham eventually sourced a new centre-back on deadline day after saying goodbye to former captain Michael Dawson earlier in the summer, with Federico Fazio arriving from Sevilla.

The Argentine defender represents fantastic value for money but in my opinion, a better option would have been West Ham’s Winston Reid.

The 26 year-old may be no world-beater but he’s been incredibly consistent since the East Londoners returned to the Premier League in summer 2012, claiming the Hammer of the Year award the twelve months later.

He was in prominent form at the start of last season too before the New Zealand skipper was sidelined with an ankle injury – here’s a look at his stats from the campaign:

By no great coincidence, West Ham’s league form plummeted in his absence. Fazio remains an impressive addition but still comes with a risk; Reid, on the other, has proved himself in the Premier League as an impeccable athlete who fits its requisites perfectly.

Furthermore, the All Whites international’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, suggesting he could have been lured to White Hart Lane on the cheap and likely even less than Fazio.

FABIAN SCHAR

Another centre-back that emerged on Tottenham’s transfer radar this summer was FC Basel prodigy Fabian Schar:

But a formal bid never materialised – which I find incredibly surprising because the 22 year-old has the potential to become one of the best defenders in Europe.

As viewable below, statistically he was the best defender in the Champions League last season:

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

Schar comes with an interesting knack of scoring goals, such as this incredible strike as a youngster at FC Wil…

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Admittedly, Barcelona, Lazio, Manchester United and Arsenal were also linked, so Spurs would’ve had to fight off huge competition for his signature.

But as previously stated, the Basel stopper looks like a great prospect for the future and the Lilywhites have most likely now missed their chance to sign him.

EVER BANEGA

Tottenham already boast great quality and depth in central midfield, but in my opinion, they struggled to move the ball quickly and effectively enough through the middle of the park last season.

A more fluid, deep-lying playmaker was in order and in that regard, former Valencia star Ever Banega represented a fantastic, realistically-available option for Spurs this summer.

The 26 year-old, previously linked to the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid, offers greater mobility, creativity and technical quality than Spurs’ other central midfielders, as detailed below:

Furthermore, having been sent out on loan to Newell’s Old Boys in January 2014 after plummeting down the pecking order at the Mestalla, it was no secret that Valencia were looking to offload the Argentina international this summer.

Banega joined up with Europa League champions Sevilla instead for an incredibly miserly €2.5million fee.

The midfielder could have been a real coup for the Lilywhites – here’s a look at Banega in action:

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Paul Scholes says that he’s “scared” Manchester United will be unable to reverse their current decline and slide into the footballing “wilderness”, as their bitter rivals Liverpool did in the 1990s.

The Red Devils have endured a woeful year and a bit since the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson, with David Moyes having sat in the dugout as the then champions of England slid to a sixth placed finish.

Louis van Gaal has since been drafted in, but even the experienced Dutchman seems to be having trouble following a shock defeat at home to Swansea in his first competitive game, despite talk of a genuine title challenge from the club.

WANT MORE? >> Manchester United transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool enjoyed massive success through the ‘70s and ‘80s – as United did in the ‘90s and ‘00s – but some poor off-field decisions and a bad run of form saw them slip from the pinnacle of the game as the Theatre of Dreams became the playground for the top side in the country.

And now Scholes is fearful that the same fate could befall his old side if things don’t change quickly:

“I am scared for United. Genuinely scared that they could go into the wilderness in the same way that Liverpool did in the 1990s.” he wrote in his column for The Independent.

“Let us be clear about one thing. I am sick of having to criticise the club to which I gave my life as a footballer.

“But this is a United team that lost seven league games at Old Trafford last season and began on Saturday by losing at home to Swansea.

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“United need to arrest their decline. In those years under Sir Alex Ferguson, when trophy followed trophy, this sort of mediocrity was unthinkable. But it is happening.”

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Stewart Downing has revealed that he’s determined to maintain his good form at West Ham and stay in the England set-up.

The Hammers ace has thrived in a central attacking role for the Hammers this term, which led to a shock call-up for the Three Lions’ recent double-header against Slovenia and Scotland.

Although he didn’t make it onto the pitch at Wembley to take on the Eastern Europeans in EURO 2016 qualification action, Downing won his 36th cap – his last came way back in 2012 – last night as he started the game in Glasgow.

WANT MORE? >> West Ham transfer news | Latest transfer news

The converted wide-man came off at half time as Roy Hodgson rotated his team for the friendly tie, but he is insistent that he’ll do all he can to stay in the hunt for a role when England next play in 2015:

“It is all about people’s opinions. As long as I am picked and playing then I am happy.” He is quoted by the Daily Mail. “That is enough for me. Everyone has an opinion in the world of football. Of those picked last night (Tuesday) some will think he should be in or it should be him and so on. That is just the way people talk but I am happy to be back in the squad and just have to stay there now.

“It was good to be out there and play some minutes and good to be back.

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“Now it’s the same for everyone. You need to keep playing well to be picked. That’s what the manager said to the players after the game. Carry on your form to be picked so I’ll go back to West Ham and try to carry on playing the way I have been playing and hopefully that will be enough to be in the next squad.”

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What a difference a summer can make.

Last season, Sam Allardyce was fighting the board and the fans to keep his job at West Ham. Just a few months and £27million in transfers later, and the East London side, guided by Big Sam, have skyrocketed their way to fourth place in the Premier League table, enjoying healthy points cushions over the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton.

It would be nothing short of miraculous if the Hammers grabbed a Champions League spot come May-time, but it will take some more investment in the squad to get them over the finish line.

With that in mind, here’s a list of FIVE January signings – admittedly, rather audacious and bold ones that seemed out of West Ham’s reach during the summer – to keep the Upton Park outfit in the top four.

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ANDRE AYEW

Marseille star Andre Ayew has been linked with some major names over the last year or so, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

But set to enter the final six months of his contract come the January window, he’s well within West Ham’s price-range too, with the tabloids quoting a miserly valuation of just £1.5million.

The Ghana international has proved himself to be one of the French top flight’s most potent widemen over the last few years, amassing 52 goals and 19 assists in 178 appearances since his debut for L’OM back in 2007. Here’s a clip of the 24 year-old in action:

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As you can see, Ayew’s outrageously good at heading for a 5 foot 9 winger, which should go down particularly well with Sam Allardyce. Five international tournament goals, including two at Brazil 2014, further underline the African attacker’s goalscoring credentials.

But the positives don’t stop with Ayew’s netting prowess; he’s industrious and versatile too – as shown below, he’s been used in a plethora of diverse capacities already this season:

He’d add quality, depth and flexibility to West Ham’s attack, but Ayew’s availability is attracting interest from all corners of Europe.

Yevhen Konoplyanka

Another winger likely to be on the move this January due to his contract situation is Dnipro star Yevhen Konoplyanka, whom the Hammers launched an ill-fated £9.5million bid for during the summer.

They may have considerably better luck in the New Year however, now that the Ukrainian international’s contract has entered its final six months without an extension in sight.

The 25 year-old, who boasts 32 goals and plenty of assists in 149 league outings for Dnipro, first burst onto the scene with this absolute stunner against England at Wembley back in 2012:

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He’s since gone on to win two Ukrainian Premier League Footballer of the Year awards, leading many to believe Konoplyanka is one of the most Europe’s talented outside of its five leading top flights.

For West Ham to land the playmaking winger would be a major coup, but revived interest from long-term admirers Tottenham could prove problematic:

VICTOR VALDES

Sam Allardyce certainly hasn’t been disappointed with the performances of Adrian since his move to Upton Park last summer. But goalkeepers make a huge difference to final league standings, so the opportunity to upgrade between the sticks can never be ignored.

Enter former Barcelona star Victor Valdes, one of the most decorated goalkeepers in world football with three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles and five Zamora trophies (Spain’s Goalie of the Year Award) on his CV. Here’s a look at some of the Spain international’s best ever saves:

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He left the Nou Camp on a bosman move last summer and has since trained with Liverpool and Manchester United in a bid to find a new club.

But neither of the Premier League big-boys have offered the 33 year-old a contract yet, suggesting the chance for a lesser club to give Valdes a route back into first team football.

It may constitute a rather audacious move and Champions League-standard wages could prove an issue. But Valdes is one of the best shot-stopping sweeper-keepers in the business, representing the precise injection of quality West Ham need to cement their place in the top four.

IGNAZIO ABATE

Carl Jenkinson’s performed well in his right-back berth since joining the Hammers on a season-long loan from Arsenal in the summer but some added quality at No.2 could make all the difference to the East Londoners European football bid – they do say full-back is now the most important position on the pitch, after all.

Meanwhile, AC Milan defender Ignazio Abate looks set to be on the move in January, with the San Siro outfit enduring yet another mediocre season and his contract entering its final six months.

Despite the Rossoneri’s seemingly endless malaise, the 28 year-old has been enjoying some strong form this season to grab four assists in ten Serie A appearances. Here’s a look at his vitals over the last few seasons:

As you can see, Abate’s a reliable, relatively error-free defender who also likes to contribute going forward. But his abilities at both ends of the pitch are underpinned by the Italy international’s electric pace – something the current Hammers backline particularly lacks. Here’s a clip of Abate in action:

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The defender’s contract situation could see him leave Milan for a pittance in January, but West Ham will face stiff competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Liverpool:

JAMES MILNER

Experience and a professional attitude are vital ingredients for any Champions League qualifying campaign and Manchester City’s James Milner represents both in abundance.

The England international, infamous for his consistency, has been enjoying some strong form for the Premier League champions this season to record four assists in 13 appearances, as detailed below:

But his contract situation remains open to speculation, with an extension beyond summer 2015 yet to be agreed.

Milner’s famed for his industriousness and versatility, being comfortable in virtually any midfield berth and even featuring at right-back on England for occasion.

His top flight credentials are undoubted too, having amassed 395 Premier League appearances, in addition to 53 caps for the Three Lions, throughout spells with Leeds United, Newcastle, Aston Villa and the Citizens.

If his contract isn’t renewed, a host of clubs will be attempting to lure the 28 year-old away from the Etihad in the New Year. But recent speculation suggests City could be on the verge of offering him improved terms:

Since emerging this season as Tottenham Hotspur’s clear top goal-scorer, Harry Kane has received heaps of praise from all quarters within the footballing community, and has thrived as a result of the acclaim. Even those with an irrational dislike of Spurs would certainly be hard pushed to discredit the young star, with the impressive progress the English striker has made in the Premier League admirable.

Over 20 goals in all competitions in 2014/15 is no mean feat whatsoever, but whilst the majority of football fans and pundits alike have congratulated Kane for his seemingly endless goal-scoring exploits, there have been some, albeit rare, claims that the Tottenham no. 18 is been slightly overrated and somewhat overhyped.

Whilst not many agree with such claims, questions are raised… Does Harry Kane deserve his status as a future England hero, or has the rising star in-fact been subject to too much hype across this Premier League season?

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The short answer in this discussion would be to simply say no, Harry Kane has scored the goals, and has rightfully received the expected acclaim for doing so. In the League Cup, Europa League and Premier League combined, the rapidly rising White Hart Lane favourite has proven that he can do the business against most big teams, and on most big occasions. Multiple goals against both title leaders Chelsea, and of course arch North London rivals Arsenal, have developed an already powerful cult-hero status for Kane, who is now seen as the future of Tottenham Hotspur and England.

It seems he can simply do no wrong at the moment. The Spurs academy starlet, who has alas failed to remove himself from his ex-Arsenal youth player status, has been quick on the turn, intelligent with his hold up play, defence-bamboozling with his off-ball runs, and obviously a deadly threat in front of goal. Give Kane even the smallest sniff of an opportunity in the oppositions’ third, and nine times out of ten the White Hart Lane faithful will be seeing the ball fly straight into the back of the net as a result of his efforts.

In the event of Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor misfiring for Spurs of late, Harry Kane’s arrival in top-flight football has come at just the perfect time for Mauricio Pochettino.

Although it is always nice to witness a young English star with great potential ahead of him, it remains important to see where Harry Kane’s detractors are coming from. It’s not as if people don’t want the Tottenham talent to do well for both club and country, it’s just the fact that the England national team should be harder to break into than it currently seems to be.

For all the hype and sensation that surrounds the striker, Harry Kane has only just burst onto the scene and showed the type of performances that warrant an England call-up. He has not yet completed one full campaign at a consistently strong level, and as it should certainly take more than that to become England’s next hero. The poor state of our country’s national squad has been subconsciously highlighted as a result of Kane’s form.

England teams of the past, which boasted a whole host of tried and tested Premier League strikers who had earned their place within the national team, would not have been subject to such a revamp in structure on the back of one new player’s emergence. Harry Kane’s recent good spell would never have displaced the likes of Teddy Sheringham, Alan Shearer or Michael Owen in their pomp, which clearly outlines the lack of English striking talent available in today’s game.

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Ultimately then, Tottenham’s latest striking sensation deserves all the hype he can get right now. His performances warrant it, and if his goal scoring frequency is anything to go by, we will certainly see a lot more positive things from Harry Kane in the next ten years. However, one good season should never be enough to justify immediate national team status, no matter how promising this young marksman looks set to be. As the England national team is in a desperate state of affairs right now though, perhaps an England call-up for young Harry Kane is currently the only sensible way forward.

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Mesut Ozil doesn’t do much to help his case. Gunners fans have tried their hardest to stand up for their £42.5m man, but his anonymous performances, failure to live up to his vast price tag and lack of effort have made the task tough And now Ozil has gone and made things even more difficult, with reports from the Daily Mail stating that he was pictured in a Berlin nightclub just hours after ducking out of the London club’s weekend game against Newcastle.

The German was given permission to link up with his international squad early due to suffering from a cold, yet that didn’t keep him in with a Lemsip! In many lines of work people have pulled to odd sickie, but football isn’t just a normal job, however, Ozil is to alone when it comes to woeful excuses!

I fell, honest!

We all saw you bite him, Luis! This excuse was mental – “I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent, “At that moment I hit my face against the player, leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth,”

50 shades of grey…

A 3-0 loss to an average Southampton team brought this amazing excuse from Fergie, who blamed their grey away kit – “The players don’t like the grey strip. They find it difficult to pick each other out. We had to change the strip,”

Chef Wenger

Spurs blamed a poorly cooked lasagne for loss at the hands of West Ham on the final day of the 2005/06 Premier League season, which denied them a Champions League spot. Ten players went down with a stomach bug having eaten at the Marriott hotel in West India Quay the night before.

Thriller!

Fulham’s old owner Mohamed Al Fayed blamed the Cottagers’ relegation to the Championship in 2014 on the decision made by new owner Shahid Khan to remove a ‘lucky’ statue of pop sensation Michael Jackson from outside Craven Cottage. – “This statue was a charm and we removed the luck from the club and now we have to pay the price.” 

The Sirens of Selhurst Park

Okay, we’ll let them off! Palace fans claimed that when their side were in the Championship players were distracted by the cheerleader squad.

Grandma, we love you

“I decided at that stage that I must tell the truth and admit I had told lies, I realise now that it was a massive mistake to say my grandmothers had died and I deeply regret it. It was wrong and I sincerely apologise as I have caused a lot of problems for many people. I would like to apologise to my grandmothers and all my family. I have learnt a valuable lesson from this mess and hope those I have hurt will forgive me.”

Stephen Ireland dodged international duty by claiming that his grandmother had died… journalists then discovered she had not, to which Ireland responded by saying it was his other nan… who was also alive! But what do you expect from a bloke who drives a car like this!

Have his cake and eat it…

Yaya Toure allegedly wanted out of Man City last summer after the club forgot to celebrate his birthday and there was no cake! Shocking!

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The old ones are always the best

Arsene Wenger “I didn’t see it.” ‘Nuff said!

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When he first turned up in the Premier League off the back of a mega £24 million deal with the newly financed Manchester City, Yaya Toure came with a reputation as a no-nonsense defensive midfielder whose main assets were breaking up play and keeping things ship-shape in front of his respective back four.

As the younger brother of Kolo Toure – a former Arsenal centre-back who had more than done justice to his family’s name on these here shores – very few saw the potential in Yaya to become the huge goal threat and midfield enforcer that he is today. It seems that playing with Barcelona gives certain players that added bit of depth to their style, for it has allowed the now 31-year-old to often boss midfield proceedings with minimal effort since he first arrived at the Etihad in 2010.

With Ligue 1 giants PSG reportedly registering an interest in landing the Ivory Coast international according to reports in The Daily Express – and after several perhaps unsubstantiated rumours that the player is increasingly growing frustrated at Manuel Pellegrini’s side – Yaya Toure’s future with the Citizens hardly stands in the most concrete place right now.

In light of such developments, should the Premier League champions do literally everything in their power to make sure their star man stays on board, or would Manchester City in fact be better off selling Yaya Toure as they look to revamp their image in the run up to next season?

Well for one thing, if the former Barcelona man were in fact to depart the comfortable realms of the Etihad this summer, the 31-year-old wouldn’t exactly be short of potential suitors looking to pick up his services. Several of Europe’s most high profile clubs are in contention to snatch up the midfielder if reports in The Daily Express are to be believed – and because of what he can offer his respective team out on the pitch – such revelations hardly come as much of a surprise.

Yaya Toure is simply a machine when things are going his way. He can dictate the pace with his enforcing style in the middle of the park and has a range of passing that would even get the likes of Andrea Pirlo to raise an eyebrow or two. Yet perhaps what is most surprising about the player’s overall game is that Toure has it in his locker to score some simply sublime goals.

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Within all the power that comes with his approach, the Ivorian’s technical skill and ability to finesse his shots finely into the back of the net really make watching him on a weekly basis a joy to behold. At this stage then it would seem mad for Manchester City to think about waving goodbye to their highly valued no. 42 anytime soon – but like with every good Premier League story – there is invariably another side to this particular tale.

For one reason or another, 2014/15 simply hasn’t been a vintage year for Yaya Toure – and it has clearly been shown in the fact that Manuel Pellegrini’s side have so far proved second best to Chelsea in the title race. Consistency just doesn’t seem to be something that comes naturally to him. Whilst the midfielder still remains a great player, when he fails to perform the ramifications for his Manchester City side are pretty concerning to say the least.

The likes of David Silva and Sergio Aguero seemingly lack their spark without a fit and firing Yaya Toure behind them – and although great things were expected of the £30 million Fernandinho with City when he first signed from Shakhtar Donetsk – the Brazilian simply doesn’t have the same match-winning effect that the big Ivorian can sometimes produce at ease in the middle of the park.

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Coupled with the fact that Toure is no spring chicken at 31-years-old, and that Manchester City are lining up a host of English players as reported in The Daily Star, perhaps now would be a good time to call it a day with Yaya Toure. Nothing lasts forever after all, and as Manchester City simply lack the prestige and history that other big European powerhouses have in abundance, the player himself is potentially likely to want to move on sooner or later anyway.

As City have gone the English route before and failed miserably however – just ask the likes of Scott Sinclair and Jack Rodwell – then maybe a degree of caution must be applied regarding any major decision involving Yaya Toure and his future at the Etihad.

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With the season coming to an end, many teams are already planning their summer transfer raids, vast amounts of money will change hands and players will be moving to pastures new. However, one player that will require no transfer fee should be the top of everyone’s wish list; James Milner.

With his contract running towards its conclusion, Manchester City are still yet to tie down the versatile midfielder and with him struggling to hold down a consistent place in Manuel Pellegrini’s starting XI; it now seems inevitable that the 29-year-old will be leaving The Etihad.

Signed initially as an attacking midfielder, Milner has rediscovered himself as a more defensive player. In the recent Manchester derby he was tasked with man marking and marshalling the influential Michael Carrick, after a positive start the City man was over run, but his performance was one of the more impressive in a blue shirt.

In a difficult season for City, Milner has managed to go about his business well, with limited game-time, Milner has managed to put in a series of impressive players which should lead to his current team’s competitors watching his movements closely.

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Several teams have been linked with the midfielder, with both Arsenal and Liverpool potential suitors. Steven Gerrard’s departure means of course that Anfield will be in need of a new midfield general, James Milner, could and should be that man. Signing him would be a real statement from Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers and could help them to replicate the form they showed in their campaign where they came so close to winning the title.

The player has reportedly suggested his preferred move would be one to The Emirates, for all of the craft and guile of Ozil and Sanchez, Arsenal have been missing that bit of bite to turn them form top four stalwarts to genuine title contenders. It has arguably been a decade since Wenger has had a midfielder to build his team around, Milner could be one that is the heartbeat of an Arsenal team.

James Milner has always struggled to be truly valued at City, he has been in and out of the team and never given a real run. His next move should be one to a team that treats him as the great player he is.

Milner’s move purportedly hinges on who is willing to give him a four year deal; any team that has genuine aspirations to be title challengers should be sharpening their pencils and writing up the contracts immediately. He has been underused  by his current club and his ability should not be overlooked by potential clubs.

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At 29 Milner still appears he has a lot of football, and running left him in yet and with no transfer fee it is a no-brainer. As managers begin to chalk up their list of new recruits James Milner should be on the top of every one of them, he could be the transfer steal of the summer and expect the battle for his signature to be his intense.

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