An Unpopular but Effective Choice for Arsene Wenger

When Tony Pulis slapped a £25m price tag on the head of Jonny Evans, Arsenal fans on social media went into meltdown. Gooners have been crying out for Arsene Wenger to spend money and are expecting a 'household' name to strengthen the defence and add more dynamism to their hit and miss attack. When supporters cry for an expensive 'household' name they generally mean someone from mainland Europe. 

Evans is important to West Brom, featuring in 30 games last season under the guidance of Tony Pulis as the Baggies survived relegation by finishing 14th in the table. In a team that averaged just 45% possession last season, Evans only committed one error that led to an effort on goal according to Squawka. Making over 500 appearances for the Baggies, Ally Robertson penned a piece for Midlands news site Express and Star where he states, "It'll be nigh-on impossible to find a defender that stacks up to Evans."

Furthermore, Evans made the majority of his appearances last season at his undesired position of left back where Robertson believes he excelled. The former Scottish central defender would not begrudge the Northern Irish player of a move to Emirates where he would likely play in is preferred position of centre-back in the Champions League while collecting a fruitful pay-packet each week. 

Robertson isn't the only player singing the praises of Evans. Arsenal Invincible, Lauren told the London Evening Standard, "We need someone with determination and someone who is commanding and Jonny could fit the bill." Evans made almost 200 league appearances in 9 years for Manchester United having graduated from the fabled academy under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson. Not bad for a player who is allegedly mediocre at best.

Looking at the style of play of the 28 year old, he ticks a lot of the boxes that Wenger wants to see in a central defender. At 6ft 2in, he is a presence in both defence and attack. Evans is an intelligent player and excels at man marking the opposition's forwards, just look at his performance against Robert Lewandowski in Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 opener. Not the quickest of defenders, his wily nature means that he doesn't get caught out of position too often.

Against West Ham last season, Andy Carroll netted an 8 minute hat trick which left Arsenal's title challenge in ruins. Despite rescuing a draw, all of Carroll's goals originated from crosses with Gabriel Paulista being at fault for two of the goals. Throughout the Euros, and the rest of Jonny's career, dealing with crosses has been a major strength and have saved a countless number of points for his teams.

Rather surprisingly for a Northern Irish defender, he is adept at taking the ball out of defence almost acting as another creative player. For the national side, Evans has been known to embark on adventurous runs from his position which can leave his side short at the back but can also give the side another passing option. During the Euros he recorded a 77% pass completion rate and averaged 33 passes in each of the matches.

With Per Mertesacker ruled out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury and Shkodran Mustafi unlikely to cost less than €40m, defensive options are limited for Wenger and with the transfer window closing in one week, the Arsenal hierarchy could do no worse than purchase the 28 year old Northern Ireland international. 

John Stones - A Perfect fit for Manchester City?

"Money can't buy you Stones" were the words Evertonians chanted against Chelsea last season and while Roberto Martinez managed to fend off the interest of Jose Mourinho, a £47.5m bid from Manchester City proved too tempting for the new Everton boss, Ronald Koeman to decline.

City acquire the former Barnsley player in an attempt to provide a partner for Vincent Kompany at the sixth time of asking, taking their spending on centre backs to over £122m. City's attempt to find a cultured partner for their captain, has largely been a disaster. Nicolas Otamendi was recruited last summer, and Eliaqium Mangala the season before, but neither have been the solution to the problem.

Otamendi can be chaotic at times, often favouring to go to ground leading to opposition forwards hurdling the challenge and skipping past the Argentine defender. When on form, the former Valencia man is physical, imposing and an aggressive defender but is too inconsistent to leave a glowing impression on the Etihad. Playing alongside Kompany obviously inspires Otamendi, delivering probably his finest performances of last season against Manchester United and Norwich City in October. At 30 years of age and injury prone, Nicolas Otamendi will need to adapt to playing without the Belgian captain in the near future.

The Citizens threw £42m at Porto for their French centre half Eliaquim Mangala in August 2014 and two years later, looks likely to be leaving Manchester having been omitted from City's Champions League roster. The 25 year old, never cemented a first team space at City and the tone was set in his second game where he scored a lamentable own goal against Hull City. Often the scapegoat for City fans, Mangala appears uninspiring and to lack a lot of confidence. With Shkrodan Mustafi appearing to be on the way to Arsenal, Valencia boss, Pako Ayesteran has earmarked the French international as a possible replacement. 

Martin Demichelis was another purchase for £4.2m, but was never a long term signing. Regardless of a rocky start to his City career - conceding a penalty and getting sent off in 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League - Pellegrini persisted with his fellow Latin American and he helped City lift the title with terrific form in the closing months of 2013/2014 season. Demichelis' contract was not renewed at the end of the last season and is now at Espanyol.

Pep Guardiola shelled out £47.5m for Everton's John Stones to make the 22 year old the second most expensive defender in history. Guardiola is looking to build his side around players who are very comfortable on the ball having done so at Barcelona and Bayern Munich previously. Favouring to play the ball out of defence instead of launching it up field, John Stones fits the bill perfectly. His ball playing style will thrive under Guardiola, but how will his defending?

While Stones shows all the traits of an accomplished ball playing defender, he is still earning his trade, and regularly makes naive mistakes. In the closing stages against Stoke over the Christmas period, Stoke converted a penalty to defeat Everton 4-3 after a desperate challenge from Stones grounded Marko Arnautovic. Similarly, a week later against Spurs, the young centre half opted to perform several Cruyff-turns in his own six yard box with Son Heung-min breathing down his neck despite the animosity from the Park End faithful. To have the audacity to attempt this extravagant move a week after making a mistake shows the composed and nonchalant traits that will have attracted Guardiola to the defender. 

While Stones could be infuriating to watch at times, he did deliver some exceptional performances displaying the essence of a seasoned international defender. In the Capital One Cup first leg against Manchester City in January of this year, Stones kept the one-time Premier League Golden Boot winner and four-time player of the month, Sergio Aguero on a tight leash as Everton won the game 2-1, however succumbed to a 3-1 defeat in the second leg. Against Chelsea in September last year, amid succession of bids from the club, Stones delivered a cool performance that thwarted Diego Costa on many occasions as Everton recorded a 3-1 victory.

Comfortable on the ball, Pep Guardiola will hone is skills with the ball at his new club. His decision-making deficiencies may not improve, particularly if Guardiola's possession based game is executed appropriately but it is likely that Stones will find that he is under less pressure when in the blue of Manchester City. When City face quality opposition in the Champions League and the higher ranked sides in the Premier League, Stones' defensive capabilities will be carefully scrutinised. Stones will be an asset in the league, but is likely to encounter difficulties in the Champions League at first.

At City he will likely play a rotational role at first with Mangala and Otamendi, however he will quickly cement the spot beside Vincent Kompany when the Belgian returns from injury. He will definitely justify the price-tag, probably not with an immediate impact but as he progresses under the guidance of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss. 

Playing to impress at Euro 2016

With many teams off the pace last season, this transfer window promises to be one of the biggest since the inception of the modern Premier League in 1992, heightened further by the European Championships that kick off in less than a week and the new bumper TV deal.

None of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal will want to see another season pan out like the one last season. Arsenal were able to grab second spot due to the misfortune of Spurs on the final day, while Manchester City undoubtedly underachieved in the first half of the season and then prioritised the Champions League over their league form in the latter stages of the year. Liverpool and Manchester United are both in transition evidenced by the hot and cold form over the season, while Chelsea couldn't recover after a horrific start. On the other hand, Leicester City have the added attraction of Champions League football as well as being part of a fairy tale story while Spurs possess a great young manager and some very talented and young players.

United, Chelsea and City have all acquired new managers, and all have major restructuring to do. City currently have the oldest squad and with Guardiola favouring the youth, we're likely to see some seismic changes. Chelsea clinched the record for the worst title defence off the grateful hands of United who set it a year previous. Failures in developing an attractive style of football coupled with no Champions League football next season ensured a swift exit for Louis Van Gaal, not even a week after his FA Cup triumph. With Brendan Rodgers' squad still at his disposal as we are so often reminded on social media, Jürgen Klopp faces his first transfer window since moving to Anfield in October. He will no doubt plan to strengthen the side with plenty of weaknesses being exposed in the team throughout last season.

With players' agents as sharp as a knife, they will have earmarked the upcoming tournament as one to clinch their clients lucrative new contracts. Number one example of this was James Rodriguez's £50m move from AS Monaco to Real Madrid after the 2014 World Cup. Not all of the transfers after a major tournament turned out to be as successful as that of James' with Spurs signing Roman Pavyluchencho and Arsenal signing Andrei Arshavin after superb performances at Euro 2008. Both careers in North London did not match the fees spent.

Liverpool have started their business early, with the completion of the deal to bring Loris Karius to the club for £4.7m. Rumours of the arrival of Mario Götze on Merseyside were unsurprisingly swiftly refuted, with the German World Cup winner emphasising his allegiance to Bayern Munich. It will not effect Liverpool however with money needed to be spent on more problematic areas of the pitch. Defensively, there is a lot to be desired on in Anfield, and I suspect that this will be the main area where Klopp will spend most of his transfer budget.

In Manchester, Guardiola has already acquired the services of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ikay Gundogan for around £20m. With the Turkish-born German not selected for the German national team among injury fears, he will have the whole summer off to prepare for an assault on the Premier League. Rumours are circulating that the new City boss will embark on a summer spending spree totalling a whopping £250m. There is no doubt that Guardiola will already have specific targets in mind, but he will pay particular attention to the international football that kicks off next week.

Ones to Watch
I've compiled a list of players who are on the radar of Premier League teams or could be vital additions:

Leading that list is Haris Seferovic. Currently plying his trade at Eintracht Frankfurt, the striker has been around the block and it is somewhat surprising to note that he is only 24 years of age. At 6ft 1in, he is a physical presence for defenders to handle and is progressing nicely on the international stage with 7 goals in 29 appearances. With players such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka providing the creativity, Seferovic will be not short of any chances but does have competition up front in the form of teenager Breel Embolo.

Wolfsburg left back, Ricardo Rodriguez has been on the radar of several big clubs over the past number of seasons, Arsenal and Manchester United notably. Rodriguez is equally adept at attacking as he is at defending and has exceptional dead ball capabilities and was voted Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2014. With very good stamina, his adventurous runs will cause problems for his opposite number and deliveries will be sure to create chances for his native Switzerland.

A favourite of the English press, Andriy Yarmolenko has been linked to many sides over the last number of years. At 26 and approaching his peak years, the Ukrainian has the physicality - standing at 187cm and 74kg - but also has the panache, often leaving him to be compared to Franck Ribery or Marco Reus. An excellent dribbler, he assisted the most in 2014-2015 Europa League in which Dynamo Kyiv reached the quarter finals. An impressive performance at the Euros and he can finally make the step to England.

Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik is Ajax's golden striker. The Dutch club completed the signing of the 22 year old at the start of this season having completed a loan spell the previous year. Despite not firing the Amsterdam side to the title, Milik recorded 21 goals in 31 league appearances. Experts in nurturing talent, the former Bayer Leverkusen player has made great progress and also has 10 goals in 24 international appearances. Often in the shadows of compatriot Robert Lewandowski, Milik possess great dribbling skills copied from his idol Cristiano Ronaldo. Lewandowski will be the main danger, but to write off Milik as a threat would be a cardinal sin.

I do have lengthy list of players aiming to make the big time at the Euros so will endeavour to share this before the tournament begins on Friday. Feel free to leave suggestions!

Ageing Like A Fine Wine: Aritz Aduriz Style

Midweek, 35 year old Aritz Aduriz scored one of the memorable goals in the Europa League. In this day an age, football relies on pace and power, normally associated with youth, but the Basque striker joins an elite club of players that effectively get better with age.

The Bilbao front man has been on fire for his club, scoring 88 goals in 121 games since he rejoined the Basque side from Valencia in 2012. That is quite a tremendous record for any striker. Aduriz is a poacher, not so much playing off the shoulder of the last defender, but more in terms only taking one touch to score. However he is partial to the odd spectacular goal, scoring a bicycle kick against Eibar in January.

This season, Aduriz has netted on 26 occasions, one behind the best player in the world, Lionel Messi and three more than Messi's partner in crime, Neymar. Admittedly though, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez are streets ahead in the goal scoring charts. Aduriz leads the charts when compared to any of the Barclays Premier League top scorers with Romelu Lukaku on 20 goals in all competitions and Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane on 19 goals. Surely there would have been a few Premier League sides that could have needed him this season?

Rather surprisingly, Aduriz has been scoring goals at a steady rate throughout his career. Playing at Valencia, Vallodolid and Mallorca, he has scored 27, 22 and 24 goals at each club respectively, not too bad when you consider the talent he was up against. With 26 goals so far and about a third of the season remaining, you wouldn't bet against him reaching 30 goals for the season.

Looking towards the Euros, he has certainly done his chances no harm in claiming a spot in France. In previous seasons, Aduriz has been faced with fierce competition, Fernando Torres, Fernando Morientes, Diego Costa and Alvaro Morata to name a few. His style of play wouldn't have resembled something which Vicente Del Bosque's Spain would have suited, favouring a more agile false nine, rather than the strong frame which Aduriz provides.

Based on form, he has to go, particularly as he has outscored Del Bosque's favoured trio combined of Paco Alcacer, Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa, falling four short of Aduriz' benchmark. There will be severe pressure put on Del Bosque by the Spanish media to select him and rightly so but he has been speaking highly of Aduriz's form so a call up is looking likely. He has represented Spain before, just once back in 2010 as replacing Fernando Llorente in the 77th minute of a Euro 2012 qualifier. While it won't be a debut in the Euros, it'll certainly feel like it.

His only honour as a player to date has been the Super Cup win against Barcelona in August 2015, but even then he scored a hat trick in a simply terrific performance against last season's treble winners. He has become an icon in Bilbao helped and further instated his name in the club's folklore with his performance during that match. With the Europa League 1st knockout round against Marseille poised in the favour of the Basque club at 1-0 with the home leg to come, Aduriz will be looking to fire Athletic Bilbao into the round of 16. Similarly, he will be looking to get his side's faltering league campaign back on track in a bid for European football next season.

The next time you are getting bossed about by a person 20 years your senior, you can always point to the tale of Aritz Aduriz - the fine wine that got better by age.

Alexandre Pato - A New Hope?

I struggle to recount a player that has fallen off the scale as big as Alex Pato. Injuries during his stint at AC Milan thwarted him from fulling his potential as one of the most exciting prospects in world football, but now aged 26, could he be about to return to the big stage?

Rumours sparked at the start of the transfer window that the former wonder kid was on his way to the red side of Merseyside. Recently however, Pato has attracted some attention from Chelsea with various outlets describing the announcement as 'imminent'.

Milan signed Alexandre Pato from Brazilian side Internacional after he impressed in his first competitive season, scoring 6 goals in 11 matches. He scored within 60 seconds on his debut for the Brazilian side at just 17 years of age, meaning that he was touted as the next Ronaldinho after leaving the field that day to a standing ovation.

His first season in Italy was very good, especially for an 18 year old. He continued his tradition of debut goals and then went on to score another 10 in all competitions. In his early years, Pato was talked up and rightly so, as he had a lot of talent, it's a pity that the injuries wrecked his chances of really making the big jump. 

He featured in every game bar two in his second season, notching 18 goals in 42 games. He also formed one third of the famous trident that tortured Serie A defences for so long in the league. The 2009-2010 season saw him make less appearances, but still record a respectable 14 goals in all campaigns.

It was the 2010-2011 season when all started to unravel for Pato. He featured in 33 games in all competitions for Milan, suffering achilles and thigh problems, as well as being out for a short stint at the start of the season courtesy of a tear in the abductor muscle. He featured in even less the following season, just 18 times before being sold to Sao Paulo in January 2013.

In his first season back in Brazil he amassed 38 appearances, fighting his way back to full fitness, but never won over the fans at Corinthians and struggled to appear interested on the pitch. They cited his poor attitude as the reason they failed to relate to him and even the players found it hard to get on with him, considering his high weekly wage - the biggest in the club. Relations were not helped with his penalty miss in the 2013 Brazilian Cup quarter final loss to Gremio.

Currently, Corinthians cannot wait to get rid of the playmaker as they he is widely regarded as one of the clubs worst ever signings for the club. With the club financially unstable, getting their highest paid player off the wage bill would prove beneficial. Step forward potential suitors.

While Alex Pato will never reach the heights that were once touted of him, he is still only 26 and will be a useful player for Chelsea if they sign him. Playing in a wide role in his younger days, the injuries have affected his pace, so is normally deployed up front. He has the ability to play on the shoulder of the defence and will cause trouble for the players.

Joining Sao Paulo on loan, the Brazilian had a 2015 to remember with the goals returning in abundance. 23 to his name as Sao Paulo finished fourth in the Brasileriao and again 4th in the Paulista.

With Diego Costa as Chelsea's first choice striker and prone to the odd suspension, Alex Pato would be a player that Guus Hiddink could take a calculated risk upon. Radamel Falcao is struggling just as bad as he did last season at Old Trafford and Loic Remy could be soon departing Stamford Bridge. His price is currently a fuzzy area with various media outlets reporting that the £8m is required to buy his services while others believe that Corinthians are looking towards $20m.

It's hard to believe that Pato is still just 26 years of age, but to completely write the player off would be foolish. I tip the Brazilian to get back to where he was envisaged he'd be at this point in his career.

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.

Transfer Round Up #6

I'm back with more opinions on the transfers in this window. Today I look at Brendan Rodgers' new attacker as well as looking in Italy for the latest deals.

Christian Benteke – Aston Villa to Liverpool - £32m

The purchase of Christian Benteke by Brendan Rodgers may signal the end of the failed experiment with Mario Balotelli. At £32m Benteke didn’t come cheap, but he will offer a lot more than Balotelli. It may also suggest a change in tactics with this signing, particularly as the Belgian international won more headed duels than any other player last season with 187, despite missing 9 league games. On the other hand, he did have the worse pass accuracy of any other Villa player last season with 67%. Benteke will be a hit on Merseyside one way or another and will be sure to be more consistent than last season’s attackers.

Arda Turan – Atletico Madrid to FC Barcelona - £23m

Under more of a ‘registration ban’ than a transfer ban, Luis Enrique has once again dipped into the transfer market in order to strengthen his already top quality Catalan side. Turan is a great signing and his consistency is probably his biggest asset. He is equally adept in defence and attack, completing 2.01 successful tackles per match as well as creating 1.31 chances per match. While he is not known for his goal scoring abilities, his expert dribbling ability can unbalance any defence given any space behind the defence. It’s a great signing but he is unfortunate to spend the first half of the season on the sidelines.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – AS Monaco to Inter Milan - £21

Not a lot was mentioned about this transfer in the media, partially because it doesn’t involve any British team. It is a very good acquisition from Roberto Mancini and I am really surprised any English side did not try and get him. The energetic box to box player will bring various skills to Milan. With Mancini often opting for a slow possession based game, Kondogbia will regularly be used to initiate attacks from the back. His combative style is further emphasised with the amount of interceptions he averaged last season, 2.48 per game. He is an excellent young player that a few Premier League sides really could have benefitted from having in their team.

Paulo Dybala – Palermo to Juventus - £22m

The partnership Paulo Dybala formed Franco Vazquez last season was unbelievable. The little Argentine netted 13 goals in 35 appearances last season on his way to becoming one of Palermo's hottest properties. Creating 61 chances only Vazquez created more for the Scillians this season with 68. Dybala will replace Carlos Tevez who moved to Boca Juniors earlier in the transfer window and he can certainly replace his goals. Like Tevez, Dybala will drop into the holes allowing his strike partners Alvaro Morata or Mario Mandzukic to move into the space created. Billed as another Sergio Aguero, this has the makings of another cracking signing from Max Allegri.

Jordy Clasie – Feyenoord to Southampton - £8m

In order to replace the departed Morgan Schneiderlin, Ronald Koeman has looked to his native lands and found Jordy Clasie. Football Manager enthusiasts will know all about the young Dutch international whose playing style has seen him labelled the ‘Dutch Xavi’. At only 24 years of age, he made 111 league appearances for Feyenoord and is already a fan favourite in the Netherlands. He won more tackles than any other Feyenoord player last season and also played more passes than his teammates, even while maintaining an 83% completion rate. He isn’t Morgan Schneiderlin, but I’m still looking forward to seeing how the player fares in the Premier League and he definitely is the player to replace the Frenchman.

Southampton may not receive an instant impact from Jordy Clasie but he is one to take over from Schneiderlin in the long term. Christian Benteke is a very good signing for Liverpool and he showed what he can do against Bournemouth on Monday night. Kondogbia is terrific signing and it amazes me why Arsenal did not try and purchase him. As for Dybala, he is a perfect replacement for Carlos Tevez at Juventus.

Transfer Round Up #4

It's another issue of my Transfer Round-up where I take a look at a chosen 5 transfers to have been completed in this Transfer Window ... Feel free to comment your opinions on any of the transfers I have covered.

Nani – Manchester United to Fenerbahce – £4.2m

In a piece I covered for The Big Interest, I branded Nani as one of the most inconsistent players I have ever witnessed, however I do think Manchester United got the bad end of the stick with this deal. For the Turks, it is a tremendous signing. He has the ability to beat any defender on his day and the Portuguese international created more chances than any other Sporting player in the Champions League last season. He is inside the top 20 all-time Premier League assists with 49 and is also prone to scoring the odd screamer. Despite the all the inconsistencies, Fenerbahce will be glad to have purchased the player.

Robin Van Persie – Manchester United to Fenerbahce - £3.85m

Following in the footsteps of Nani, Robin Van Persie has also joined Fenerbahce. 10^th on the all-time Premier League scorers, he has more goals in the canister for the Turkish side. In the 27 appearances he made last season RVP scored 10 goals and completed 85% of his passes. Since his move from Arsenal, the Dutchman’s statistics have been in a steady decline. In 2012/2013 he scored 0.68 goals per game and created 1.87 chances per game. Compare that to this season, he scored 0.37 goals per game and created 0.97 chances. While he may be in decline, he definitely knows where the goal is and will excel in Turkey.

Toby Alderweireld – Atletico Madrid to Tottenham - £11.2m

The deal to take Toby Alderweireld to Tottenham has largely gone under the radar this summer. Joining the Spanish side in 2013, he made 22 appearances, including in the Champions League Final where he came on as a substitute for Filipe Luis. Falling out of favour with Simeone, he was loaned to Southampton where he made 27 appearances last season. Failing to exercise their right to buy clause, Atletico cancelled the option in order to sell to the highest bidder. For Southampton last season, the 26 year old won 37/70 headers and didn’t make a single defensive error, which probably explains the Saints’ tremendous defensive effort. The Belgian is a good signing for Spurs, and will hope to rectify a leaky defence which conceded more goals than any other top 10 team last season.

Morgan Schneiderlin – Southampton to Manchester United - £24.5m

Manchester United fans where calling for Louis Van Gaal to sign another centre defensive midfielder to aid Michael Carrick and he has answered that call with aplomb. Like Alderweireld, the Frenchman made no defensive errors last season. In addition he had an 89% pass accuracy and averaged 3.04 successful tackles better than Carrick, Blind, Fellaini and Herrera. With United criticised for being too slow in their build-up play, 67.7% of his passes last season were forward. At 25 years of age, Schneiderlin has another 6/7 years at the top and he has the makings of an excellent signing. Last season United averaged 57% possession a match and Louis Van Gaal’s idea of playing passing football will continue with the signing of Morgan Schneiderlin.

Yohan Cabaye – PSG to Crystal Palace - £9.73m

After a despondent season and a half at PSG, Yohan Cabaye has made the trip back to England under the stewardship of former manager, Alan Pardew. Making 57 appearance largely from the bench at PSG, Cabaye will be glad to get back to England in order to have first team football. Even though he recorded an 89% pass accuracy, Cabaye only created 9 chances compared to the 33 chances he created in his time at Newcastle during the 2013/2014 season. Even though Cabaye left the Tyneside club in January, only Moussa Sissoko and Vernon Anita created more chances for Newcastle in that season. Although he hasn’t had the greatest of pre seasons, I expect Cabaye to play a massive role under Pardew at Crystal Palace and he will return to the heights of his days at Newcastle United.

The signings of both Nani and Robin Van Persie represent big positives for both clubs. Manchester United will be able to free up some more money for new players while the big signings will help Fenerbahce try and regain their Turkish league title. Both Morgan Schneiderlin and Yohan Cabaye will play massive parts in the coming season for their respective clubs while Toby Alderweireld will be looking to replicate his fine defensive performance that he put in last season.

All statistics taken from Squawka or Transfermarkt.

Transfer Target #15 - Aymeric Laporte

Transfer target number 15 is Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte. The Frenchman is a young and upcoming prospect and has already a list the length of your arm of potential suitors.

Picked up from Bayonne in 2010, Laporte is only the second ever Frenchman to play for the Basque club after Bixente Lizarazu. Laporte quickly established himself in the Bilbao first team and made 15 La Liga appearances as well as 2 appearances in the Europa League. At 19 years of age, Laporte continued his form and only missed 3 La Liga games in the 2013/2014 season, mostly down to suspension and regularly played the full 90 minutes.

Onto this season... The 21 year old continued to attract the attention of the big European clubs. He made 49 appearances and was inducted into Squawka's best under 21 XI. Laporte won 9 less duels than the much sought after Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid (196), who is said to be one of the leading defenders in La Liga.

Last campaign, Laporte registered the most interceptions in La Liga, however also registered 4 defensive errors, one of which led to a goal. Standing at 6 foot 2 inches, it was no surprise that he came out on top in more than two-thirds of his headed duels. Impressive statistics for a young man.

On the international scene, he is yet to receive his first call up to France side, but will be knocking on Didier Deschamps' door. He has represented his country at U17, U18, U19 and U21 level. He captained the U19 to the Euro final in 2013 only to lose to Serbia through a Lukovic strike. His U21's Euro campaign culminated in a qualifying play off defeat against eventual tournament winners, Sweden.

Having just signed a new 4 year contract with a €50m release clause at the San Mames Stadium, a transfer is looking inconceivable for another year at the least. Manchester United were rumoured in signing the young centre back, with former team-mate Ander Herrera being the convincer. I'm not convinced this is a player that United need at the back, as an experienced head would prove more beneficial.

It's not just the Manchester club that were rumoured to be interested in the Bilbao player, with AC Milan looking to bolster their defensive line. Similarly, Chelsea and Manchester City are supposedly interested, however no move will be made.

Aymeric Laporte is growing name inside European football, and will continue to grow now that he has signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao. Hopefully we will see him gracing the world stage at some point and I certainly would not bet against it.

Transfer Round Up #3

I'm back with another five transfers for you to take a look at. This one may not focus on the marquee signings, but I'd like to hear your opinions irrespective of your allegiance.

Raheem Sterling – Liverpool to Manchester City - £49m

I think everyone knew that Raheem Sterling’s departure from Liverpool was imminent, and it has finally happened. Manchester City’s need for English players did not help lower the price for the young winger. City are certainly paying for ‘potential’ and many people think that they have overspent. In a season of despair for Liverpool, Sterling was one of the stand out performers. He created the most chances for Liverpool with 75 and only Philipe Coutinho completed more take-ons (109). He was 2 goals behind their top scorer, Steven Gerrard and also two assists behind Jordan Henderson. City will be hoping for an improvement if he wants to stake a claim for a starting spot.

I have been focusing most of my attention on the marquee moves to the Premier League, so here are a few that have gone under the radar and could shine for their respective clubs.

Andre Ayew - Olympique Marseille to Swansea - free transfer

I was surprised at this capture by Garry Monk as I never thought that Marseille would let him go that easily. Having played the majority of his career in the south of France, Ayew became an ingrained name at the club. Completing 80% of his passes this season, Ayew will fit well into the mould that Monk is building in south Wales. He was at the forefront of Marseille’s early form which saw them lead the table in the early rounds, but eventually tail off. He scored 9 goals and created 18 chances this season. Garry Monk works his magic once again to seal this move, as the Ghanian international aims to boost Swansea’s quest for European football.

Dimitri Payet - Olympique Marseille to West Ham - £10.5m

Another player that was key for Marcelo Bielsa at Marseille is Dimitri Payet. There was outrage in France and the President of the French Football Association branded this as an ‘embarrassment’. There were suspicious rumours that Payet had gone behind Marseille’s back in order to force through a move to the London club anyhow, this is a terrific coup for the Hammers new boss, Slaven Bilic. Payet created the most chances (134) in Europe’s top five leagues last season. Similarly, only Kevin De Bruyne, Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi assisted more times than the French international. It is a very positive signing from West Ham and I cannot wait to see him play in the Premier League.

Gerard Deulofeu - FC Barcelona to Everton - £4.2m

Back for his second spell at Goodison, Deulofeu will be welcomed back with open arms after a tumultuous season for the Merseyside club last year. Gerard Deulofeu was a key component to the squad that Roberto Martinez assembled to guide Everton to their highest ever points tally the year before last. In that season, Deulofeu was successful with 44 take ons, more than any of the Toffee’s other forward options. This year however, they were unable to create chances and ultimately looked a shadow of themselves. The former Barcelona man scored 1 goal and created 14 chances in 12 league appearances on loan at Sevilla last season. Martinez has finally got his hands on the man that he wanted last year, and a man that can return Everton to the European stage.

Shinji Okazaki - Mainz to Leicester - £7.7m

Last in this issue is Shinji Okazaki. Despite failing to recruit the Japanese international in January, Leicester are finally able to land their man. Last season wasn’t the greatest for the 29 year old with 12 goals in 32 appearances. Currently he is the most prolific Japanese goal scorer in Bundesliga history and is third on the all-time goal scoring charts for the Japanese national team. Last year Mainz finished just below midtable, even though they narrowly missed out on European football the season before. Okazaki may not create fireworks that Payet, Deulofeu or Ayew will, but he will score goals and I see him doing a job similar to what Leonardo Ulloa did last season for the club.

It's very interesting to see how these players will fare in the Premier League. We know what Sterling will bring to City, and I do think he will get first team football. For the others, I'm looking forward to seeing them I'm action for their clubs. All have the potential to be wondrous signings if used correctly. I can't wait to see them in action.

Transfer Round Up #2

I'm back with another five transfers for you to take a look at. This one may be slightly tilted towards Liverpool, but I'd like to hear your opinions irrespective of your allegiance.

Petr Cech - Chelsea to Arsenal - £9.8m

I would say this deal is a massive step made by Arsene Wenger in restoring Arsenal to the heights of the early noughties. We all know of Cech’s capabilities and even at the age of 33, £9.8m is a steal. Cech has another 2-3 years at the top, but was never going to oust Thibaut Courtois of the Chelsea number 1 jersey. Edwin Van Der Sar signed for Manchester United at 34 years of age, and was able to muster 4 Premier League titles, 2 League Cups and a Champions League before retiring at the ripe old age of 40. There is gas left in the legs of Petr Cech yet, and don’t expect the trophies to dry up either.

Memphis Depay - PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United - £19.25m

The signature of Memphis Depay signals Louis Van Gaal’s first foray into the transfer market. At the fee of just under £20m, he is not coming cheap, but he will offer another creative outlet for United, who have been criticised in the past for not fashioning enough chances in recent times. Creating 60 chances in total last season, this was more than any other Manchester United player. Not only can he create, he can score also. With 22 league goals last campaign, he was the Eredivisie’s top goal scorer. United fans will be hoping that he can continue his tremendous form in Manchester.

Roberto Firmino - Hoffenheim to Liverpool - £28.7m

Over on Merseyside, Brendan Rodgers pipped United to the signature of Roberto Firmino. Almost £10m dearer than Depay, these pair will be constantly correlated to each other throughout the season and the first derby will be an interesting affair. The Brazilian will be a key player to Brendan Rodgers, as it looks as if Raheem Sterling will be on his way out of Anfield. Forgetting some horrendous misses recently, Firmino completed more take ons than Neymar, Isco and Arjen Robben and also completed the second most duels in the Bundesliga behind Stefan Kießling. Similarly, he created 9 more chances than Depay last season. Liverpool have acquired an extremely good player.

James Milner - Manchester City to Liverpool - free transfer

Sticking with the Liverpool theme, I view James Milner as one of the signings of the season. It was always going to be difficult to replace Steven Gerrard, and while James Milner may not, it is a good start. While Liverpool were making defensive errors left, right and centre last season, Milner didn’t record a single mishap last season. Milner publicly announced that we wanted to play in a central role, despite playing most of his football on the flanks for Manchester City as well as filling in a full back and making a very occasional appearance up front. This is an excellent signing, but it will be interesting to see if he plays in the deeper role that was vacated by Steven Gerrard in the summer.

Danny Ings - Burnley FC to Liverpool - free transfer

Last but definitely not least, Danny Ings completed his free transfer to Liverpool at the end of the season. It was no surprise that he was leaving for Liverpool and he will undoubtedly add a bit of competition to a front line that was misfiring last season. The Balotelli experiment has backfired, Lambert has not been given a chance and Sturridge has been injured, it’s another attempt to replace Sturridge. It’s not a marquee signing and it’s difficult to predict how well Ings will do when he is not the number one player in the side. A real ‘fox in the box’ so to speak, Ings scored all of his league goals inside the box but only won 22% of his headed duels. I’m not too sure how the former Burnley man will get on in Liverpool.

I've given you another five deals that have crossed the line this summer, please share your opinions with me or even suggest deals that I could look at.

All statistics taken from Squawka or Transfermarkt.

Transfer Round Up #1

Managers in the Premier League and abroad have been dipping into the pockets of their owners frantically in order to secure their targets. Let's take a look at select transfers that have been completed so far...

Carlos Bacca - Sevilla to AC Milan - £21m

AC Milan were able to fend off interest from Liverpool in order to land Colombian Carlos Bacca. Recruited by new AC Milan manager, Sinisa Mihajlovic, the Colombian is signing off the back of excellent season, scoring 28 goals in 56 appearances for Sevilla. His tally included a well taken brace against Dnipro in the Europa League Final. Milan are getting a useful outfit and at 28 years of age, they have surely paid for his best years.

Alvaro Negredo - Manchester City to Valencia - £21m

Rather astonishingly, Pellegrini was able to make a £3.5m profit from the sale of Alvaro Negredo despite only making 49 City appearances in his two years contracted in Manchester. Valencia have signed a talented striker. He finished the 2013/2014 season with 23 goals even though his last came in January 2014. Last year he didn't quite to replicate his scoring feats, and only bagged 6 in 33 appearances. City will be glad to have him off the wage bill and Valencia will be happy to have acquired a player of his calibre.

Douglas Costa - Shakhtar Donetsk to Bayern Munich - £21m

Douglas Costa is a player well known to those Football Manager addicts out there. He can play out wide as well as in the centre. Acquiring Xherdan Shaqiri's old jersey, he'll probably slot in where the Swiss international left as a rotation option on the bench. Costa has scored 38 goals in 203 appearances, not to the same standard as Ribery and Robben, but he certainly has room to score more. Like Shaqiri, Costa is probably signed to succeed Robben and Ribery, but whether he will have have patience to break into the first team is another question. I'm not expecting much, but I hope the Brazilian is given plenty of first team football unlike the Stoke target.

Andrea Bertolacci - AS Roma to AC Milan - £14m

Mihajlovic continues his summer shopping with the signature of Andrea Bertolacci. Just matter of days after AS Roma had exercised the right to purchase the rest of the 24 year old's player rights, Milan enter with a £14m bid to prise him away from the Italian capital. In 125 Serie A appearances, the midfielder has scored 18 goals and assisted 17 times. 7 of those assists came last season for Genoa and was more than any Milan player registered. He will improve Milan and I look forward to seeing him at the San Siro.  

Nathaniel Clyne - Southampton to Liverpool - £12.39m

After objecting to renew Glen Johnston's contract, a new right back was of high priority for Brendan Rodgers, so where better place to go than to his favourite place on the south coast, Southampton. In a side that conceded just 33 goals all season, his signing will help to tighten up a leaky defence on Merseyside. Only Chelsea conceded less goals (32). While he is decent in defensive situations, he is also adept on the offensive creating 22 chances and completing 27 take ons. Liverpool have got themselves an upgrade in Clyne and he will be a key component in the Liverpool defence.

I've covered 5 of the major transfers across Europe and I will endeavour to share my opinions on many more during the Summer Transfer Window. Who is your pick of these five transfers that I've mentioned?

All statistics taken from Squawka or Transfermarkt.

Transfer Target #14 - Alexandre Lacazette

Alexandre Lacazette is a name that has been on everyone's lips this season. The Lyon man has been scoring for fun this year and has catapulted Lyon to the top of the table. 

With a goal scoring record only behind Messi and Ronaldo this season, it's easy to see why many English teams want his signature. The Frenchman has been in Lyon his whole career and to date, has collected nearly 130 league appearances to date. His first one was back in May 2010 against Auxerre when he came on for the last 12 minutes of the league game.

He spent the first few years of his career as a rotation option, before he broke into the first team in the 2011/2012 season, contributing 10 goals and 7 assists in 43 matches. He was beginning to lay stamp down his first team slot. 2012/2013 was a similar story, however he was yet to find the goal scoring prowess that we associate with him this season.

We witnessed him score a bounty of goals in all competitions last year, 22 in 54 to be exact, but this is nothing compared to what he has scored already this season with just under half of Ligue 1 to be played. 21 goals in 22 games is an astounding record, which asks the question how long will Lyon be able to hold onto him for?

The 23 year old has a playing style similar to Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal. His preferred position is striker, but he can also play on either flank or even as a second striker. His electric pace and acceleration has tortured French defences this year in the league, and I'm sure they will be glad if he leaves in January.

Ironically, Arsenal have expressed their interest in his capture, along with Liverpool. With Arsenal having Sanchez, Theo Walcott and The Ox, they are no short of competition for the wide positions. Up top, Giroud has been doing ok this season and Welbeck has been Mr Inconsistent as always. It seems that Lacazette would be likely to play up front in order to give Arsenal another option, however I see other areas that would benefit more than in the attacking third.

Liverpool on the other hand may be a good place to go. With Mario Balotelli looking lost in Merseyside, Sturridge injury prone and Rickie Lambert not scoring, Lacazette could be the answer to Brendan Rodgers' problems. In addition, he could adapt to playing behind Sturridge or another striker in order to give Raheem Sterling a rest. I believe that Liverpool would be a good place for him.

There is no doubt that he can score goals. The next superstar to come out of the Lyon youth set up has come along way and his hard work is paying off. With Lyon sitting pretty in 1st position, I wouldn't be surprised if the transfer goes through in the summer particularly as he has picked up a hamstring that will keep him out for 3 weeks. 

Transfer Target #13 - Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard is the next sensation to be produced from Scandinavia. Having made his international debut for Norway aged 15 years and 253 days in a friendly match against the United Arab Emirates on the 19th August last year, it's easy to see why he is grabbing all the headlines.

We don't have a shortage of quality attacking midfielders on our planet so the young Norwegian has a lot to live up to and he will hope to follow in the footsteps of a certain Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer to the top of the World's elite. He is already hitting the headlines over Norway and will soon be wanting to take on the world.

With Strømsgodset IF not having many televised games over here in Northern Ireland, it's difficult to judge what his style of play is. From reading several articles and watching a few clips of him on YouTube, he appears to be a confident player who has the odd trick up his sleeve and loves to be running at the defence with the ball at his feet. YouTube often gives a subjective view, so I'm not taking anything for granted. All I'm trying to determine is what all the fuss is about.

He probably isn't quite in the mould of a Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of his goal scoring capabilities, but with Ballon D'Or winner endorsing the young protégé, I'm sure he will pick up a few tips if he joins the Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu. At his age, I see similarities between him and the Inter playmaker, Mateo Kovacic in terms of their vision and ability to pick out a pass.

Looking at his stats for his club,  he has scored 5 goals and assisted 6 times in 25 games in the Tippeligaen. Yes they are not the best statistics for a playmaker, but at the age of 16, I consider him to be doing well to get into the first team, never mind assisting and scoring goals. Although it is in the Norwegian league, I again point you to his age. Most 16 year olds in Northern Ireland are preparing to sit their GCSE's nevermind turning out in the first team of a professional league.

With the Odegaard tipped to emulate Lionel Messi, he hasn't gone without notice. Throughout last year, he travelled to the training set-ups at countless top European clubs over a possible transfer, Liverpool, Bayern and Barca to name a few. To date, over 30 clubs have formally registered their interest in acquiring his services showing what a prized possession he is for Strømsgodset. However as I alluded to earlier, Real Madrid are favourites to land the teenage sensation.

While Real Madrid is possibly the most prestigious club in the world at the minute, I'm not convinced that this is the right move for him. Clubs with youth academies to the standard of Ajax and Southampton have been encouraged by fans to take the player on and to aid his development, and this is not to say that Madrid don't have as good set up as the other two.

On the other hand, he would be able to play in the Segunda Division with Castilla at Madrid, and playing against other professional teams could benefit him.

I would be particularly keen for him to move to Ajax and then be loaned back until the end of the season, due to the state of the art youth facilities on offer at the Dutch capital, as for a move to England, it could be a worse decision than a move to European giant. He needs the right facilities to progress, and this can be the decision that makes or breaks his career.

There has been immense pressure put on the shoulders of the youngster by the media and with the potential move to Real Madrid looming in the horizon, he has to keep his feet firmly on the ground, if he is to progress into a top player. As for now, we can only hope and pray that he does not turn into another football manager legend who has failed to live up to expectations.

Transfer Target #12 - Xherdan Shaqiri

Most people will be familiar with the name Xherdan Shaqiri, especially after his hat trick in the World Cup, but his lack of playing time has led to doubts about whether he will remain a Bayern Munich player after the transfer window.

As with many modern day forwards, Shaqiri is dynamic and versatile, meaning that he is equally adept in several other positions. He is probably best deployed as a winger on either flank as well as a second striker, in the hole, or as a forward. He strikes me as a similar type of player as Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Gareth Bale. He has extreme pace and can leave even the quickest of defenders for dead. 

The Swiss international started his career at FC Basel and made debut appearance in July 2009. During his first season with the Swiss outfit, he appeared 47 times, scoring 7 and assisting 5 times. In the 2010/2011 season he showed more improvement by assisting 10 goals and scoring 7 in 42 appearances. 

The 2011/2012 season was where clubs were really starting to take an interest in the winger, even more so when he completed a man of the match victory over Manchester United in the Champions League. His pace and skill constantly troubled the United back four and he set up the 2 goals that beat the English side 2-1, and cap a famous victory. He finished his last season in Switzerland, with 9 goals and 12 assists in 41 appearances.

Jupp Heyneckes brought Shaqiri to Bayern Munich at the beginning of their treble winning year. He made 13 assists and scored 8 times in 39 appearances in his opening season, with a majority of them coming from the bench. With Heyneckes retiring at the end of the season, Pep Guardiola was appointed to lead the team onto further glory. Last season, Shaqiri was plagued by injury and was only able to make a fraction of the appearances he did in the one previous. This season was proved more frustrating for the Swiss international with him only being deployed from the bench. Having won everything at Bayern, he could be tempted to move on with Liverpool lined up as a potential suitor.

Liverpool would be a very attractive transfer for Xherdan Shaqiri and both parties would benefit from his move. The Merseyside club would be able to offer him first team football, something which Bayern haven't been able to do in previous seasons. Since the departure of Luis Suarez, Liverpool have been looking for a marquee signing able to replace the boots of the Anfield legend. While he doesn't have the goal scoring capabilities of the Uruguayan, this will come after settling in and forming a partnership with his team mates. His versatility means he would be able to have a free role, making him a nightmare to mark, allowing some of the pressure to be taken off the shoulders of Raheem Sterling, who has been a breath of fresh air for Liverpool this season. 

If Brendan Rodgers would like him to play alongside Daniel Sturridge, then he has the creativity and vision to form an explosive partnership with him. He has a strike-rate of 1 assist/goal every 113 minutes in his 9 games in the Bundesliga this year. In comparison, Liverpool's most prolific is Adam Lallana who registers one every 163 minutes. With the 'Alpine Messi', Liverpool would be able to reignite their counter attacking style of play and relive the memories of last season.

Not only does Shaqiri boast all the attributes of a world class player, he is only 23 years of age. If Liverpool were to sign him and keep hold of him, he could have at least 8 years in the form of his life on Merseyside. However, it's not just Liverpool who are interested in the Bayern player, reports suggest that Juventus and Inter Milan officials have met with the player's agent to discuss a potential move, and with Juventus able to offer Champions League football, they will not go down without a fight.

Transfer Target #11 - Daley Blind

It has been a considerable length of time since my last transfer target, and to kick the new season off, I'll give you a profile of World Cup hotshot Daley Blind.

 

Similar to most Dutch stars, past and present, he came through the fabled Ajax youth academy and made his senior debut for the Amsterdam side aged 18 in an away match against FC Volendam in 2008, where he made an immediate contribution by setting up the first goal. For the remainder of that season he was utilised sparingly, only making another 4 appearances in the league and another 1 in the UEFA Cup. 

Blind was to remain patient and was loaned out to FC Groningen for the remainder of the 2009/2010 season. Up until the end of the 2011/2012 season, Blind has made a total of 68 appearances for both clubs. 

All of Blind's hard work finally paid off in the 2012/2013 season where he helped Ajax to their third Eredivisie title in a row and was also named AFC Ajax Player of the Year. His impressive performances for the Amsterdam outfit sparked interest from Dutch national coach Louis Van Gaal and he received his first cap for his country aged 22 in a friendly draw against Italy.

Last season was possibly the Dutchman's most memorable. Playing in a holding midfield role, he aided Ajax in their push for a fourth consecutive Eredivisie title, and in doing so, was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. To top a successful season off, he was named in Van Gaal's Dutch World Cup Squad, and scored his first international goal against Brazil in the third place play off.

It has been highly documented about recent activities in the transfer market with relation to Blind. Reports are appearing that Ajax and Manchester United have agreed a fee for the 24 year old. For a team in transition the signing of Blind will add security to a leaky defence. I am thinking that he may rotate with Luke Shaw, or if another wing back is signed, then he will play in front of the defence and will try to break opposition play up.

Daley Blind burst onto the football scene after splendid performances in the World Cup and I would be delighted if Louis Van Gaal brought him into the Premier League. No matter where he goes, I am sure that he will have a glittering career.

Who's Coming to England this Summer?

Yet again, another summer transfer window has been busy for English clubs with Liverpool being the busiest and acquiring 9 new faces to add to their team at a cost of £99m. Big names have departed England, but have been replaced with stars for the future and others. As always, the arrivals have increased the excitement for the incoming season.

At Arsenal, Wenger is picking up where he left off last summer with spending large amounts of money. The addition of Alexis Sanchez is an exciting one for Arsenal fans and Premier League enthusiasts. Extreme pace mixed with a finishing touch and a footballing brain is a defenders worst nightmare. He was unplayable at times during the World Cup and if Chile weren't knocked out early in the competition, then he would have been in with a shout of winning the Golden Ball. At Barcelona, his quality was possibly hidden through playing with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, but at Arsenal, I expect him to excel at Arsenal and be up at the top competing for top goalscorer at the end of the season. 

In addition to Alexis, Calum Chambers was signed from Southampton, one of many to depart from the club, for £11m plus add ons. During preseason the 19 year old has impressed with solid performances in the Community Shield and in the Emirates Cup. Chambers could be just as vital as Alexis as the season progresses and the need for rotation increases.

After playing down Chelsea's title winning aspirations last season, Jose Mourinho has gone all guns blazing in order to finish the season on top. The Chelsea boss has raided La Liga to buy the services of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis, as well as bringing back a Stamford Bridge legend in Didier Drogba. Finally Chelsea have realised their need to strengthen in goal scoring positions particularly with the signing of Costa. The Spaniard didn't have a good World Cup but his form last season at Atletico Madrid was superb, contributing to their title winning season with 27 goals from 35 games. On paper he seems an excellent choice, however his temperament could spell bother for Mourinho and Chelsea. 

Fabregas is another player to add to the long list of exceptional midfielders at Mourinho's disposal. The transfer came as a shock to me, particularly as Arsenal had first option to buy him and I fully expected Wenger to make the most of the clause. Whether it will come back to bite his former employers is a question that will be answered as the season progresses.

It is quite unusual to say that Manchester City have only spent £22m in this transfer window, but do they really need to improve their already glistening squad? Manuel Pellegrini obviously thinks so. Brazilian holding midfielder, Fernando joined the Manchester club for a fee believed to be about £12m from Portuguese giants Porto. At 27 years of age, Pellegrini will be looking for an immediate impact from the Brazilian. I expect Fernando to play second fiddle to Yaya Toure and Fernandinho. 

Pellegrini has also added strength and depth to his already relatively large squad through the purchase of Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna and the loan move of Frank Lampard. Caballero will challenge Joe Hart for his position and is likely to play in domestic cup competitions, similar to what Pantilimon did, while Sagna and Lampard will mostly spend their time on the sidelines.

With a new boss at the helm, things can't go much worse than it did last season at Old Trafford. We all know the way Louis Van Gaal will play and he has been in the transfer market looking for players that will suit his philosophy. The first purchase was young Luke Shaw from Southampton for a hefty £27m. With Van Gaal showing Patrice Evra the door, he is likely to be looking for a another left wing-back to rotate with Shaw. Touted as the next big English star, he certainly is one for the future and has a big price tag to to match. 

Spaniard, Ander Herrera was next on the Dutchman's list. The former Bilbao man impressed United scouts and was eventually signed for £28m after prolonged negotiations. He will be keen to make an immediate impact at the club in an attempt to become a regular starter at Old Trafford. As previously said, it is likely that Van Gaal is in the market for another wing-back, and one that has been linked with a summer move is Ajax's Daley Blind. I relish at the prospect of having a talent like Blind at United. He is a top class player and will definitely fit in with Van Gaal's tactics.

Last year it was Tottenham spending money like there was no tomorrow, and this year it is Liverpool. The £75m acquired from the sale of Luis Suarez quickly evaporated in the hands of Brendan Rodgers as he attempts to replace the Uruguayan. Rickie Lambert was brought in and he offers an alternative game plan, something which they were lacking, particularly towards the climax of last season. Lazar Markovic was also acquired at a fee of £20m to bolster their attacking options. Not only does the Serbian have an awesome name, he is described as a player with great acceleration and superb technical attributes. 

One thing that hindered their title chances last year was a leaky defence. Conceding, 9 goals more than the rest of the top 4, Rodgers could be trying to fix the defence with the signings of Emre Can, Dejan Lovren. Described as a utility defender, Emre can play at right back, centre back, in front of the defence and probably even left back if he was asked. He's the type of player every manager loves to have. As well as Lovren and Lambert, Liverpool have also been able to prise Adam Lallana away from the clutches of Southampton. We all know what Lallana can produce and he was sensational for the Saints last campaign. For £25m, I was expecting attacking midfielder to move for £30m-£35m. It's not a bad price for a player that can adapt to Liverpool's style of play.

After last year's catastrophe in the transfer market, Tottenham have gone for a more conservative approach this year. The North London club reached an agreement with Swansea City to sign Michel Vorm and Ben Davies with Gylfi Sigurdsson heading in the opposite direction. While they already have Hugo Lloris in nets, Vorm will make an excellent replacement and will also keep Lloris on his toes. On the other hand, Ben Davies is a promising young player and should develop into an excellent left back in the future. The other team in Liverpool has also done their portion of spending, after breaking their transfer record amount to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent deal. Roberto Martinez also signed Bosnian Muhamed Besic on a long term contract - and his first few touches in a blue shirt seemed to give us a taster of what he is all about.

Other teams that have been doing some shrewd business are Newcastle, Hull and recently promoted, QPR, who have all brought in Remy Cabella, Tom Ince and Mauricio Isla respectively. Each team seems to have be strengthening and I am sure that this will make this year's campaign just as unforgettable as the rest.

OFF TOPIC

I'd would like to congratulate Alison and Emma McMaster on reaching the Ladies Irish Cup with Newry City Ladies for the first time in the history of the club. En route to the final they beat Crumlin United 14-0, Crusaders 1-0, Cliftonville 3-2 and Sion Swifts 2-1. Despite scoring plenty of goals, they go into the final against Linfield Ladies as heavy underdogs, but as we know so often with football, anything can happen in the cup! Regardless of the outcome, the club has a bright future, and will continue to soar through the division as it has done since it's conception 4 years ago. The final will be played on Monday 25th August at Clandeboye Park in Bangor with a 2:30pm KO.