Arsenal are facing a battle with Real Madrid with both clubs hunting the signature of highly-rated Lille star Eden Hazard, the Mirror understands.
The Gunners have been chasing Hazard for over two years and failed to sign the Belgian schemer during the summer as he strived to replace Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri after they departed the Emirates.
It’s now emerged that Madrid’s director of football, Zinedine Zidane, has singled out the 20-year-old as the next Galactico and even tried to convince Lille to ignore any approaches from North London.
Bernabeu legend Zidane has made Hazard the number one transfer target for Los Merengues and is prepared to go all out to convince the midfielder to make the move to Spain.
That could prove to be a huge blow to Arsene Wenger’s aspirations of bringing Hazard to the club, with the La Liga giants a more attractive proposition than the crisis-stricken Gunners.
The Frenchman has endured a testing few months of late, losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer before overseeing the club’s worst start to a season during his 14 year tenure.
News of Madrid’s interest in Hazard will come as another bitter blow to his future plans and he knows it will be a huge task to convince Hazard to snub La Liga for the Premier League.
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Leaders Lille host Claude Puel’s Lyon as first meets fourth in a Ligue 1 blockbuster on Sunday.Four points separate the title rivals, and Puel’s men will be aiming to capitalise on Lille’s unexpected 1-0 defeat to Montpellier last time out and cut their gap on Rudi Garcia’s side to one point.Puel claims his side are in their best shape yet to topple the leaders, having scored four goals in each of their past two league outings.”There’s some chemistry within the squad,” Puel said. “It shows the quality of our squad and its mindset. If we keep that mindset, we can do some very good things until the end of the season.”Lille boss Garcia admitted his side did not look like genuine championship contenders in the Montpellier defeat, a result which ended their 13-match unbeaten streak.”We were no longer used to not taking points,” Garcia said. “We’ll have to refocus and make sure everybody does more because we didn’t see a team leading the league, and doing anything to take points.”Fresh from securing a spot in the final 16 of the Europa League, Paris Saint-Germain can build more confidence with a home victory over Toulouse.Elsewhere, Nancy, who have lost five of their past six league clashes, must overcome another large hurdle in their relegation battle when they host third-placed Marseille.On Saturday, second-placed Stade Rennes host relegation-threatened Lens, Saint-Etienne and Nice go head-to-head with both sides looking to break two-game losing streaks, while Sochaux welcome Montpellier to the Stade Auguste Bonal.In other fixtures, Valenciennes take on Lorient, Bordeaux host Auxerre, Caen travel to Monaco and bottom side Arles face Brest.
Avram Grant has been confirmed as the new manager of West Ham United on a four-year contract.
Grant was widely expected to take the reins at Upton Park after standing down as Portsmouth manager on May 20.
The Israeli coach led a beleaguered south coast club to the FA Cup final last season and was the only candidate interviewed for the job by joint chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold.
"I am proud and honoured to be the manager of West Ham. It will be an exciting challenge and I am ready to do my best," the former Chelsea manager told the club's official website.
"This is a fantastic club with great fans and a history that is respected around the world.
"I am already looking forward to getting to work with my players in July and preparing for the new season."
The Hammers parted company with Gianfranco Zola last month after he had guided them away from the Premier League's relegation zone and Sullivan is confident that he has appointed the right man to revitalise the east London club.
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He explained:"We have taken our time over this appointment and are certain we have got the right man.
"We are all looking forward to next season with new players coming in and Avram's arrival is just the latest reason for real optimism."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
When analysing the Premier League, one position in particular stands out as being inferior to other leagues around the world – the quality of the full-back options available to the top sides. With this in mind, should any of the last season’s top eight consider making a move for Porto defender Alvaro Pereira?
The Uruguay international has been a consistent presence at the back for both the 2011 Copa America winners as well as the Portuguese giants, where he’s won two league titles and the Europa League since joining them back in 2009 from Romanian outfit CFR Cluj.
Comfortable on either flank and with both feet, capable of lung-bursting runs forward and possessing the ability to supply accurate crosses from out wide, he represents one of the most underrated full-backs in world football today and it appears as if he’s open to offers this summer, prompting talk of a move to the Premier League.
The 26 year-old agent Flavio Perchmen stated earlier in the week: “I spoke with Alvaro last week and he is calm. We are waiting to find out if there is any offer. We think everything will go well and that he can leave the club, but right now we do not have any concrete offer.” While Juventus, Napoli and PSG have been strongly linked with moves this transfer window, it’s England which offers the best football on offer and strongest league, but which club could do with his talents?
Manchester United have been heavily touted for a move for Everton left-back Leighton Baines all summer as manager Sir Alex Ferguson appears to be trying to prepare a long-term replacement for 31 year-old Patrice Evra, whose form has steadily been on the slide for the past year or so.
To my mind at least, when you factor in the inevitable premium that you pay for English talent and Everton’s well-known negotiating skills and obvious reluctance to sell one of their most-prized assets, then Baines will surely cost around the £15m mark. When you consider that he’s got only eight caps at international level and has made just 14 appearances in Europe, then it doesn’t quite offer the value for money that Ferguson will be looking for.
I’m not entirely convinced that he’s got enough defensively to make the step up either, or that he’s that much of an improvement on Evra anyway. Pereira on the other hand is a year younger and has far more experience at international and European level and while he may not have quite the dead-ball delivery of Baines, is more consistent and better at the nitty, gritty of defending, which he’ll need to be if the club are to succeed in Europe again any time soon in the future.
Chelsea are another obvious contender, having released Jose Bosingwa at right-back at the end of last season, with Branislav Ivanovic stating a preference for playing in the middle. Rumours of a move for Ajax’s Gregory van der Wiel appear to have gone cold after a terrible showing at Euro 2012 with Holland and Periera, while he may be left-footed, can play on the right.
Lest we forget, that the greatest left-back of all-time, Paolo Maldini, was predominantly right-footed, so the transition is less difficult than you’d imagine for players of proven continental class. Even though Ryan Bertrand has shown himself to be an able deputy to Ashley Cole, Pereira could even step in at his stronger position within a couple of years to cover the ageing Englishman if Bertrand doesn’t progress quite as we’d imagine and he’s a good insurance policy and would provide some excellent strength in depth.
Tottenham and Liverpool are the other two clubs to have been strongly linked, but considering they have Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Kyle Walker, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique at full-back, they both seem pretty well covered – Pereira is certainly as good as if not better than all of them, but both sides have more pressing needs to strengthen elsewhere this summer.
Arsenal are the final club which I would suggest, with Andre Santos and Kieran Gibbs struggles with injury well documented and both are weak links at the back whenever they play. The club have invested heavily so far this summer, with Giroud and Podolski already signed and Cazorla and Sahin close to making their respective moves and Pereira would help add depth to a reasonably lightweight back four which struggles when it’s not at full strength and with Gibbs and Santos having made a combined total of 31 league appearances between them last term, Thomas Vermaelen was at times pushed out wide to provide cover to the overall detriment of the side.
Pereira has a contract which runs until 2016, so Porto are in a decent bargaining position at the moment, and with no pressing need to sell, so it could take an offer as much as £23m to tempt them into doing business. However, when you factor in his quality and his age, that’s a position pretty much tied down for the next five to seven years, which works out at approximately between £3.2-4.6m per year, which seems a decent price.
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World-class full-backs don’t grow on trees, but once you’ve got one, such is its importance in the modern game, your side can be greatly improved both defensively and going forward – for Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, they should snap him up before it’s too late, otherwise they might regret not making a move in the future.
Great footballers have the ability to step up to the plate and produce moments of absolute brilliance that come to define them and their careers. Whether they produce a few seconds of magic that kick starts their career, or a passage of play so glorious that it is what they are forever judged by, it is these moments that we instantly think of when we think of these players.
Of course not all career defining moments are good ones and it is just as likely-despite all you may have achieved within the game-that you will be remembered for one of your more infamous moments. These incidents don’t make them any less of a player, or their achievements any less amazing, it is just that that it is the moment that will always be imprinted on people’s minds and will perhaps overshadow everything else they have achieved in the game.
There have been so many memorable career defining moments but click on Gazza below to view the top 10:
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As part of our investigation into foreign players in English football, I have composed a countdown of the top foreign imports to have played in the Premier League. The names you all know, but the order may surprise a few;
10. Patrick Vieira
Arsenal (1996-2005) Manchester City (2010- Present)
If you were to split Arsene Wenger’s time at Arsenal into two phases, Patrick Vieira’s departure from the North London club in 2005 was probably the turning point. Vieira will probably be remembered as Wenger’s proudest creation, turning the youthful, unheralded defensive midfielder into the rock on which three title winning sides were based.
Rival clubs to Manchester United were a little lily-livered during the early 1990’s, and Vieira’s no nonsense approach to his game and success for his club changed this attitude and won him many plaudits. His poor disciplinary record, however, was at times a hindrance, and the folly of a move away from Highbury has been highlighted by the Frenchman’s subsequent under-achievement.
9. Mark Schwarzer
Middlesbrough (1997-2008) Fulham (2008- Present)
An underrated choice, but a worthy addition. Mark Schwarzer has been the most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League since his arrival at Middlesbrough in 1997. Since 2008 he has been a cornerstone of Fulham’s rise to European qualification and subsequent run in the Europa League. In 2007, when still at Middlesbrough, Australian Schwarzer broke Dennis Bergkamp’s league appearance record for a foreign player at an English club.
8. Didier Drogba
Chelsea (2004- Present)
Love him or hate him, Didier Drogba is an utterly unique goal scoring force, and an embodiment of the changes in English football over the last ten years. Not just a strong target back, Drogba’s technical ability has wowed crowds up and down the country after a slow start to his career in this country.
7. Eric Cantona
Leeds United (1992) Manchester United (1992-97)
Some fans might grumble that Cantona isn’t higher on this list, but from the point of view of being a good import, Cantona’s hot headed on field behaviour and six-month suspension for kicking a Crystal Palace supporter during an FA Cup tie in 1995 lessens his overall value.
Nevertheless, the moments of theatre produced by the mercurial Frenchman will be remembered years after other players on this list have retired. Whilst many will credit Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘Golden Generation’ with the massive success the club has had over the last twenty years, it was Cantona who showed them the way.
Continued on Page TWO
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6. Lucas Radebe
Leeds United (1994-2005)
Lucas Radebe was a model professional, and one of the most underrated central defenders of the Premier League era. Purchased by Leeds for only £250,000 in 1994, Radebe saw everything that went on at Elland Road, from the meteoric rise to a Champions League semi-final, all the way back to relegation from the Premier League. Could have pushed a move to Manchester United at the turn of the century, but remained loyal to the club who had brought him over from his native South Africa.
Jermain Defoe might not harness Ledley King levels of idolization, although it’s fair to say he’s been one of the most popular players in and around White Hart Lane since his initial move from West Ham in 2004. As a fantastic goal scorer, a hard worker and a man who’s never had a bad word to say about the club, Defoe retains a really quite fond place in the hearts of many in N17.
But sometimes in football, faith and allegiance has more than a tendency to detach itself from reality. And whilst the Spurs fans relationship with Defoe is something of a marriage built on adulation, the coaching staff’s has too often felt like a marriage of convenience. There have been whispers that Defoe may be set to receive a new contract offer at Tottenham. The truth is though, however nice that contract may seem in principal, it’s not one that Defoe should be taking.
Because if the England striker really wants to leave his mark on the Premier League and he truly wants to continue harboring an international career, then he may have to depart White Hart Lane. With his 30th birthday approaching two months tomorrow, his next contract will be his last big one. Signing on the dotted line for Andre Villas-Boas’ brave new era may or may not bring success- but the chances are it won’t bring first-team football.
As Defoe netted for Spurs in their pre-season win over Watford in Sunday’s victory, it felt as if a bit of striking decorum had eased over White Hart Lane. Like several seasons gone by, the site of Defoe running riot in Spurs’ warm up games has hardly heralded cause for concern. A top goal scorer netting for his side in a top team; what’s there to worry about that?
For Spurs supporters of course, scratching under the surface reveals a rather heavily documented, but still equally concerning issue up front. Defoe is their only recognized striker at the club. His rival? A talented, but unproven 19-year-old in Harry Kane, who’s yet to play in the Premier League. Not too much competition for the England international, then.
Although things are going to change before the transfer window shuts. Regardless of how late Tottenham will leave it, and the other implications that brings, they will bring in at least one other centre forward. Whoever that is/they are, they’re competing with Defoe for one spot up front.
The Andre Villas-Boas system only caters for one striker. In his slick 4-2-3-1 set-up (of 4-3-3 at Porto), there is only ever one, out-and-out striker on the pitch. And ominously for Defoe, the style of that striker is pretty unconducive with how he likes to ply his trade. AVB likes the bigger, more mobile and adept frontman. Radamel Falcao, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres (however much that may be ridiculed) all have more varied games than Defoe. They can hold the ball up, interweave with link up play and bring a physical presence to the fore. Being a great goalscorer isn’t enough in a 4-2-3-1- you have to have a more eclectic striking game.
For Jermain Defoe, that spells trouble. Defoe is a great striker, but he is something of a specialist one at that. If you set your game up around him, you could get 20 league goals plus out of him. His game is built around running at defenders, latching onto through balls and causing chaos, with the odd bit of poaching thrown in.
But whilst that style can see Defoe prosper immensely, there’s perhaps only so far that can take the team as a whole. Darren Bent doesn’t play in too much of a dissimilar style. But there’s no coincidence that the teams in which he always offers such a great goal return, always hit a glass ceiling in the league.
Defoe is perhaps the more naturally talented footballer than Darren Bent, but that point still stands. Whoever it is that Spurs bring in, you’d probably put a large amount of money on them starting in front of Defoe. It feels hard to see how that will change immensely during the season.
The problem for Defoe is that Spurs simply play better as a unit when he’s out the team. He can however, still play his part for Tottenham- just not necessarily in a role that will get him into the England team.
Tottenham Hotspur must have a Plan B and you can trace the problems of this as long ago as the back-end of 2010. Where as it was first Crouch and Van der Vaart, last term the first choice pairing was Adebayor and Van der Vaart. But whilst Spurs played better in the 4-4-1-1 set-up, the only way out for the Lilywhite’s under Redknapp seemed to be by whacking Defoe up front for the final moments and hoping for the best. He was underutilized last season and still got 17 goals in all competitions. He is a valuable asset and someone who can genuinely create something out of nothing.
But is that going to be enough for Defoe? The striker is beginning to enter some of the most critical years of his career. He should be now at his peak and as he enters his 30s in October, playing first team football must now be the most important thing. If that’s what he truly craves, then a prolonged stay at Tottenham is only a stay of execution.
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It could be argued that even if Defoe craved a departure from White Hart Lane, Daniel Levy might not sanction it. Spurs are at risk of leaving themselves in a hole, such is their current dithering in the transfer market for various reasons. They’re not going to let the only recognized striker they have left on the books leave with less than a fortnight to go before the season starts.
Short of signing for Arsenal, Jermain Defoe is always going to be thought of fondly at White Hart Lane. Spurs won’t want to let him go and he could still have an important role to play at the club. The question is whether that role is one that’s going to be enough to satisfy Defoe- and the answer isn’t necessarily one anyone may want to hear.
How do you see Jermain Defoe’s role at the club next season? A genuine future or no more than a bit-part fixture? Let me know how you see it going on Twitter: for all the Spurs talk, follow @samuel_antrobus and bat me your views.
A common line that has begun to tag itself to any transfer conducted by Manchester City is that whoever they are signing is ‘going there for the money.’ Now I’m not disputing that players are attracted to the riches that come with pulling on the sky blue of City but I honestly don’t think that money is the primary motivation for the players who have decided to join City in the window.
Watching City splash HUGE amounts of cash on individuals has become common practice in the transfer window ever since the Abu Dhabi group bought the club in 2008. Fans, managers, players and agents have come to accept that they will never be able to compete with City’s financial muscle. But one term that always seems to linger at the end of every big transfer made by the club is that the player they are signing is only interested in the money going into his bank account at the end of each month. Like I said, I’m not going to disagree with the fact players are interested in earning the highest wage possible. A football career lasts for 15-20 years at best and it’s no shock that players will make a move to better themselves financially in the future. But to suggest that money is the primary motive to make a move to Man City is foolish and naïve.
In the window just gone Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero both signed for City in a double deal that cost the club almost £70 million in transfer fees not to mention they’ll both be earning just under £200,000-a-week at the Etihad Stadium. Nasri was instantly labelled as ‘greedy’ and a ‘sell-out’ and was only joining City because they were offering to treble the wage he was on at Arsenal. The manner of his departure stung Gunners fans and many others in the country. The same wasn’t said for Agüero though who was glorified by both the press and fans. Why?
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Probably because he didn’t leave Atletico Madrid in acrimonious circumstances. But surely he is after the riches City are offering? In my opinion both moved to City for the money but also to be given the chance to actually challenge for trophies. It’s not like either of them are bursting at the seams with medals. In fact Nasri has NEVER picked up a winners’ medal during his time in England whilst Agüero only has the Europa League and Super Cup to show after five years playing for Atletico. Despite both being labelled world class they’ve won hardly anything in their short careers. Therein lies my point. Both players see City as a viable avenue to triumphing in cup competitions.
The duo left clubs who are in a state of decline and firmly out of the Champions League picture. Players of their undoubted calibre need to be testing themselves against the best players in the world. If someone came to me and said Nasri and Agüero lacked ambition I’d laugh straight back in their face. Any world class player that looks at City at this current time will will see a club who are prepared to spend the money necessary to make them capable of holding their own against the best. That is something they both see and who can blame them for wanting to join a club brimming with aspirations like that? Whilst there a few players at Manchester City who’s sole purpose is to earn money I’m not afraid to say that a vast majority of the current crop see this club as a sleeping giant ready to win leagues and cups. David Silva, Edin Dzeko, Vincent Kompany and even Joleon Lescott joined the Citizens to win trophies. Obviously I don’t condone what clubs are paying players these days but to say that Nasri and Agüero are joining City solely because of the number of zero’s on their monthly cheque is absurd. Even Gael Clichy, who left Arsenal on a free to join City, has an eagerness to win trophies, improve himself as a player and pick up a tasty wage, which is something he’ll do at the club.
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Many fans hold a grudge against City, which is driven by jealously. The same old lines of ‘they’re trying to buy the title’ or ‘there should be a cap on their spending’ are continually bandied about. However would you complain if your club had resources like that? I’m guessing no. Players see City as a means to both money and silverware – not one or the other. Lets just accept it, move on and enjoy watching the football they play. Admittedly it is delicious at the moment, don’t you agree?
At the weekend the FA Cup 4th round treated us to a couple of shocks, most notably Leyton Orient beating Championship high flyers Swansea and non-league Crawley defeating Torquay to set up a fairy tale tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 5th round. There also looked to be a shock on the cards at St Andrew’s as Coventry City raced into a 2-0 lead against Birmingham City, only for the Blues to stage a comeback and secure a 3-2 victory.
Coventry City’s second goal, a towering Richard Wood header from a Gary McSheffrey corner in the 26th minute, saw the Championship team establish a two goal lead before the Sky Blues were overpowered by their Premier League opposition. As Wood powered his header past Birmingham City goalkeeper Kevin Doyle, FootballFanCast.com was featured on the electronic advertising boards behind the goal as St Andrew’s.
See for yourself on the 36th second of the video below as FootballFanCast.com scores in the 4th round of the greatest cup competition in the world, the FA Cup!
Leeds fans want major changes to their team for the final games of the season, as the focus shifts towards future seasons.
With nothing left to play for at Elland Road this season, fans have been crying out for Paul Heckingbottom to add more names to his list of debutants.
The manager gave Tom Pearce his debut in the loss to Sheffield Wednesday, and impressive young centre back Paudie O’Connor got his first taste of first team action in Saturday’s draw with Sunderland.
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Sam Dalby and Jack Clarke from the Under-23 side are surely next in the queue, but fans are now calling for some of the Under-18 side to get a chance.
The U18s beat Colchester 3-0 on Saturday, putting them second in their league having scored an impressive 63 goals in 26 games.
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Goals have been few and far between from first team strikers this season, and impressive 17 year-old Bobby Kamwa is amongst the names being mentioned for a first team call-up.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…