Transfer Round Up #7

In my final instalment for this transfer window, I look at 7 transfers instead of the usual 5.

Fabian Delph – Aston Villa to Manchester City - £8m

Days after committing himself to Aston Villa, Fabian Delph turns from captain to villain as he agrees a deal with Manchester City. With City in dire need of home grown players to fulfil the quota set by the FA, Delph may only end up being a bit part player but he has the potential to be the new James Milner. Last season, City were often out of form in the middle of the park, with Fernandinho, Fernando and Yaya Toure all being a bit underwhelming. With Delph, he will bring energy in the engine room for when he comes on off the bench. This transfer can go one of two ways. It could go down the gutter and he will be sold at the end of the season for a cut price or he could be one of City’s unsung heroes.

Iker Casillas – Real Madrid to FC Porto – free transfer

I was shocked when I heard that Casillas who I used to label “Mr Madrid” had left for Porto. At 34 years of age, I was expecting the former Spanish keeper to retire in the capital city but a mixture of fan pressure and that of Madrid President Florentino Perez left the goal keeper no option but to leave the club. Particularly disappointing was the reception the veteran was given throughout the season and will surely taint one of the great teams of world football. Casillas was a stalwart in nets over the past decade and will be a major coup for the Portuguese club.

Kieran Trippier – Burnley to Spurs - £3.4m

Along with Danny Ings, Kieran Trippier was one of the major positives in Burnley’s relegation season last year. The full back provided the most key passes from a defender last season behind Leighton Baines as well as featuring in all 38 games. His crossing ability is second to none, completing the most successful crosses last season than anyone in Europe’s top five leagues with 91. He is everything you want in a full back, someone who can be rock solid defensively as well as equally adept offensively. He will go down well at his new club.

Sergio Romero – Sampdoria to Manchester United – free transfer

I’m positive that Louis Van Gaal was expecting David de Gea and Victor Valdes to be leaving this summer when signing the Argentine number 1. This was greeted with criticism as he was struggling to hold down a first team spot at his former club, Sampdoria, however I don’t think this is a bad move from the side. In his opening games, yes he has made some mistakes and looked uneasy on the ball, but so did David de Gea when he arrived in Manchester. With de Gea staying at Old Trafford, it will be interesting to see if he can retain the goal keeping spot.

Ibrahim Afellay – Barcelona to Stoke City – free transfer

Mark Hughes and Stoke City have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in some players that definitely do not conform to the ‘Stoke stereotype’. Ibrahim Affelay is one of them. Like Bojan the season before this is a risky signing, particularly due to his horrendous injury record. With the amount of injuries this player receives, it will not surprise me in the slightest if Stoke have to take out Wonga loan to pay his medical fees. He does have talent and can beat a player. Mark Hughes has signalled a new era in Stoke, and I'm looking to see how it unfolds as the season progresses. Keeping him and Bojan on the pitch will be difficult, but if they can, then they will definitely improve on last year’s position. 

Xherdan Shaqiri – Inter Milan to Stoke - £12m

Around the time of this transfer I read a piece stating that Xherdan Shaqiri’s career is like the Goal movies only in reverse, and it’s totally true. Shaqiri is a big player and will please Stoke supporters and Premier League supporters alike seeing him in England. In half of a season for Internazionale last year, he created 29 chances as well as completing 16 out of 23 of his take ons. While only registering 67 league appearances over the last 4 seasons, Shaqiri is still young enough to make himself a worldwide name. During the last World Cup, only Lionel Messi made more key passes than the Swiss international. It may be a baffling transfer for the neutral to comprehend, but it’s an excellent one for everyone connected to the Britannia Stadium.

Anthony Martial – Monaco to Manchester United - £36m

Last on my list is deadline arrival to Manchester United, Anthony Martial. Now the most expensive teenager in the world, this transfer caught everyone off guard. Tipped as a future Thierry Henry by the French media and Old Trafford, he has a clause for the Ballon D'Or inserted in his contract, showing how highly he is thought of. Last season for Les Monagasques, Martial netted 9 goals and also created 12 chances. Similar to Manchester City who paid £50m for the potential of Raheem Sterling, United are doing the same with Martial. Sterling v Martial could be the battle that flourishes as both get older.

That's all for this window. As always, feel free to comment your opinions on who could be a hit with their respective clubs or who will flop.

Champions League Quarter Final Draw 2015

For the second time in three years the Champions League Quarter Final round will be an English free zone. Eight teams make up the four ties with the marquee match being the rematch of last years final, an all Madrid derby. Here, I'll offer you my predictions as to how I think this round will pan out.

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

Both teams met against each other in the group stages with each side picking up a victory. PSG have two team of the year centre backs, but Messi and co will be looking to exploit this considering David Luiz is likely to play. The first leg in Paris will suit PSG, as a positive result would mean they have everything to go and defend for in the Nou Camp. For Barcelona they will definitely target Luiz and try to pull him out of position and this shouldn't be too hard considering the wealth of talent at the disposal of the Catalan giants. Both sides play similar 4-3-3 formations with Marco Veratti playing similar role to Sergio Busquests in the middle of the park. I do think the first leg will be a tentative, cagey affair with the game in the group stages fresh in Barca minds and PSG not wanting to concede an away goal. I think PSG will come win at home, leaving a enthralling encounter to be had at the Nou Camp but I do believe Enrique's Barca will come through the tie as their class and panache will be evident in the second leg.

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid
Atleti want to banish those memories of Lisbon 2014 when Real ran riot in extra time to score three unanswered goals and clinch La Decima. For Real, they want to avenge the 4-0 drubbing their opponents dished out last month in February. Atleti know how to beat their City rivals, having only lost to them once in the last seven matches. The Rojiblancos scraped through a tie against German side, Bayer Leverkusen on penalties and will certainly need to play a lot better if they are going to out muscle their city counterparts. As for Los Merengues, a comfortable away win against Schalke was enough to secure a victory in the tie even though they lost in the home leg. Madristas expressed their frustration at the final whistle of the game with the waving of white tissues in the air. Carlo Ancelotti will now be feeling the pressure. It's predictable how Simeone will line up his side, defensive and solid - not looking to concede and looking to punish on the counter. Ronaldo and co. will have the majority of possession but it will be what they do with the ball that determines the outcome of the tie. I will not be surprised if this goes the full distance but do think Atleti will edge out Real and hammer the final nail into the coffin of Carlo Ancelotti.

Porto v Bayern Munich
On paper this match looks incredibly one sided, but having rarely witnessed Porto play, it's difficult to say whether this is true or not. A draw for Porto in the first leg, preferably goalless, would deny Bayern the away goal which could be a deciding factor in the tie. . By the time the tie comes around, Bayern will be able to rest a few key players in domestic fixtures in order to prepare for the game. On the other hand, Porto have everything to play for in the Portuguese league and they trail Benfica who are on top of the pile by four points. The Portuguese side have a few useful operators in their ranks, including Casemiro, the loanee from Madrid, Bruno Martins Indi and Jackson Martinez. Casemiro is a sturdy defensive midfielder with a useful shot on him, but his discipline can let him down sometimes. Up front, Martinez is an experienced striker who knows where the goal is. I am confident in predicting a comfortable Bayern win and passage into their fourth semi final in since 2010.

Juventus v Monaco
Probably noted as a tie that not many will take an interest in, I think Juventus versus Monaco has to be taken seriously. It's a tie that both sides have the potential to win. Juventus have completed domestic domination in Italy, but have not been able to translate their supremacy in Serie A to Europe.  At the start of the season, Monaco were faltering and losing games, now however, Leonardo Jardim has turned them into a defensively solid unit - they have just lost three of their last 23 games in all competitions in regulation time, conceding just nine goals over that spell. Impressive. Juventus are also defensively solid, having kept nineteen clean sheets already this season and haven't conceded since a 2-1 home loss against Fiorentina on 5th March. Monaco have pace in Fererra-Carrasco and Anthony Martial up front, mixed with the guile and charisma of Dimi Berbatov. It will be interesting to see how this progresses against, Chiellini and Bonucci. Paul Pogba has been majestic this season and is certainly the jewel in the Old Lady's crown, but Monaco have a similar type of player in Geoffrey Kondogbia. I'm looking forward to this tactical tie, and think the match winners in Tevez and Pogba will keep the Italian flag flying in this years edition.

For the likes of Monaco and Porto, not many people expected them to get to the quarters and be in with a shout. I don't think we will see any exceedingly one sided ties in this round, and there is the possibility of an upset. Even if Monaco do not progress, they will have reached expectations in the tournament and with a young squad, it won't be the last we hear of them. First leg ties will be played the week commencing the 13th April with the return legs on 22nd April.