Some might say that Manchester United’s victory over Arsenal on Sunday was very fortunate.
The Premier League leaders went to Old Trafford knowing that a victory could put the Gunners 11 points clear of their rivals. However, a sickness bug in the Arsenal hotel made players such as Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky unavailable for the match as the Gunners lost 1-0. Robin van Persie’s tenth goal of the season was enough to separate the two sides, as his powerful header went over the head of English left back Kieran Gibbs, who was standing on the line.
If Mertesacker was fit to play, some would argue that his height and presence would have prevented that goal from going in. So, this leads to the question: despite Arsenal being on top of the league, are they still vulnerable at the back?
Arsenal’s method for defending set pieces isn’t exactly the what most fans would like; the zonal marking system has shown marking a part of the box isn’t as effective as man marking. However, this time last season after 11 games, Arsenal were sitting in seventh place with only 16 points to their name, conceding 11 goals. Twelve months on, Arsenal sit top, nine points better off and having conceded one less goal, which is a massive improvement. But have the Arsenal backline learnt from their mistakes last season?
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In the games against Bayern Munich (first leg) and Blackburn in the European and FA Cup last season, the Arsenal players were so determined to win that they ended up losing both matches as they committed too many men forward. The goals which Bayern scored at the Emirates last season were diabolical, as Arsenal had so much space at the back exploited. A few days before the Bayern match, the Gunners were knocked out of the cup by Blackburn after the Gunners pushed everyone up for a corner, which lead to Colin Kazim-Richard’s winner. So, after these mistakes which cost Arsenal trophies, you would think that they would have learnt their lesson going into this season.
When you look at the opening day defeat to Aston Villa when Arsenal were 2-1 down, the Arsenal defenders were pushing so far forward for their equaliser that Villa went up the other end an scored.
With Laurent Koscielny off; Per Mertesacker, Bacary Sagna and Carl Jenkinson all went forward leaving Jack Wilshere as the last man, and he was still in Villa’s half. So when Villa went on the counter, everyone in the ground knew what the outcome was going to be.
Arsene Wenger’s philosophy at Arsenal is to attack, as that is the best form of defence, but despite winning eight of their first 11 league games this season, the Arsenal defence is still prone to mistakes which could be avoidable.
A few weeks ago when Arsenal took on Crystal Palace, Arsenal were winning 0-1 thanks to a Mikel Arteta penalty, and the Gunners were in control of the game. Arsenal looked comfortable and were shutting out the Palace attack with ease.
However, with twenty five minutes to go Arsenal get a corner and within 10 seconds, Palace are on the counter attack which leads to Mikel Arteta being sent off for hauling down his former teammate Marouane Chamakh. This gave Palace the edge and Arsenal had to rely on Wojciech Szczęsny on a number of occasions to keep Palace out.
The Arsenal defence is making mistakes which need to be avoided if they want to win the league. And it’s not like they have got bad defenders playing for them, it’s the fact that the Arsenal backline feel they need to make a bursting run or go up for every set piece when they should be playing it safe – after all, playing safe wins you titles. The Manchester United team of 2008/09 is the prime example of winning the league when playing safe, due to their low scoring victories and their mean defence.
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However, despite Arsenal’s occasional vulnerability at the back which has cost them games in the past, the Gunners backline have defended extremely well this season. Games against Tottenham, Liverpool, Sunderland and Swansea were all hard fought victories thanks to the Arsenal defence, as the likes of Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs fought like warriors to keep their opponents out.
If the Arsenal backline defend like they did in those four matches, the title could be going to the Emirates.
The gaping hole in Arsenal’s trophy cabinet since 2005 has been the cause of much concern for the Gunners supporters who, along with the press, continue to talk of an ongoing crisis. Fans of sides lower down the leagues can only smile wryly when a ‘crisis’ means only qualifying for the Champions League year in, year out, indeed even the Liverpool fans may begin to wish their club was in a similar position.
Regardless of whether you believe in the crisis talk surrounding the Emirates, there’s no doubt that results haven’t been quite up to scratch in comparison to the early Arsene Wenger years. The Gunners built their legacy, even before the Frenchman took over, on a solid brick wall at the back, with Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams and Steve Bould/Martin Keown forming an impenetrable block in front of David Seaman. Clean sheets became common place and ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ was the chant heard ringing out round Highbury. Things are quite different now as the names Sebastien Squillaci, Per Mertesacker and Johan Djourou are enough to send shivers down the spine of any Arsenal fan. Rather than put his faith in the youth players as he usually would, Wenger has been out and bought centre backs to try and stop the rot, but the likes of Squillaci and Mertesacker merely made the situation worse.
There is one youth prospect in the ranks that could potentially provide a solution to Arsenal’s defensive woes. Ignasi Miquel has followed a similar route to North London as Cesc Fabregas, starting in the Barcelona academy before sealing a move to England, albeit with a spell at UE Cornella in between. The 19-year-old is perfectly adept at playing either centre back or left back, and considering that the Gunners have struggled for consistency down their left flank, it could well be in that position that Miquel makes his first team breakthrough.
He made his debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, playing the full 90 minutes in both the initial 1-1 draw and then the replay, marking his progression from raw prospect to talented youngster in a rise that saw him made reserve team captain along the way. Last season saw Miquel become a regular in the League Cup campaign that ended in the fifth round, but he also made his league debut for the Gunners, coming on as a substitute in a baptism of fire against Liverpool in August, a game that Arsenal lost 2-0. The young Spanish defender coped well, but suffered the misfortune of being at fault for one of the goals by kicking the ball into Aaron Ramsey’s chest before it ballooned into the net for a costly own goal. It was a difficult time for the youngsters in the Arsenal setup as numerous individuals made their debuts at the beginning of last year, especially considering Wenger’s men produced some poor form and also got trounced 8-2 at Old Trafford, ensuring the Frenchman quickly realised his young troopers weren’t quite ready for action. Although Miquel made his Champions League debut against Olympiacos, his appearances became more sporadic as the year wore on, but he did make his first Premier League start in January, featuring at left back in the 3-2 defeat to Swansea.
Miquel himself has praised the influence of former Gunners favourite Steve Bould, who has taken over as Wenger’s assistant this summer, and certainly the defence looks much better, as Arsenal are yet to concede this season. With Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny forming an ever-improving partnership in the heart of defence, Miquel will struggle for game time at centre back and he faces significant competition for the left back spot as well, with Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos ahead of him in the queue for a first team slot. Miquel was linked with a move to Brighton on loan and given Wenger’s past record with youth players, a temporary move away seems most likely.
Miquel is clearly a talented defender with his ability to nip in front of his opponent and grab an interception and as you’d expect from a man playing under Arsene Wenger, he’s extremely comfortable on the ball. His positional sense needs some work and a lack of pace could be an issue in the future, but better defenders than Miquel have overcome their lack of speed off the mark. Arsenal fought off competition from the likes of Manchester United and Valencia to secure his signature as a mere 16-year-old, while his performances for the Spanish U19 side, who won the 2011 European Championship, won’t have escaped the attentions of those at home.
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He may have been released by Barcelona as a youngster, but Arsenal fans will hoping that Miquel doesn’t follow the same route as Fabregas and return to the Nou Camp in a full circle career move. Undoubtedly, Miquel has the potential to make it to the top at the Emirates and it will be interesting to watch his development over the next couple of years.
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If you had have asked Newcastle United supporters at the start of the 2017/18 season who was going to be their most important player by the end of their first campaign back in the Premier League following a one-year absence, not many would have said Ayoze Perez.
The Spaniard had scored nine goals and provided a further seven assists in 36 Championship appearances to help the Tyneside outfit make an immediate return to the top flight under Rafa Benitez, but you got the feeling that the St James’ Park faithful still weren’t convinced about whether the 24-year-old should be a regular starter.
That perhaps stemmed from the fact that they feel Perez didn’t do enough when they were in the Premier League previously – 13 goals and two assists in 70 outings.
Benitez is clearly a huge fan of his fellow countryman however, and he started him in the No.10 role on the first day of the campaign for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur, which ended in a 2-0 defeat.
The 24-year-old picked up his first assist of the season on his third league appearance in the 3-0 success against West Ham United at St James’ Park, while his opening goal didn’t come until his eighth outing when he netted in the 2-2 draw against Southampton at St Mary’s in October.
Even at that early stage, Magpies fans on Twitter were frustrated with Perez and didn’t feel he was contributing enough, and that was even more apparent when he went from that October day on the south coast until New Year’s Day without picking up a single goal or assist.
It was clear by this stage that Newcastle were probably going to be fine from a defensive point of view in their bid to avoid dropping straight back into the Championship, but that their lack of goals could cost them.
The likes of Dwight Gayle and Joselu weren’t doing enough up top, while Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu and Jacob Murphy weren’t getting on the score-sheet from wide areas like they may have been expected to.
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Perez helped his team pick up a crucial three points against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on January 1 with the only goal in a 1-0 win, while he produced key assists in the draws against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth in February.
The 24-year-old’s key part of the campaign came at the end of March and into April – the business end of the season – however, when he scored the winner in the 1-0 victory against fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town, before he scored one and assisted the other in the 2-1 success away at Leicester City.
That result meant that a triumph against Arsenal at St James’ Park would take them past the magic 40-point mark and preserve their Premier League status for at least another year, and that is exactly what they did as the Spaniard scored the opener in a 2-1 win.
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Perez had hit form at just the right time, and three more goals arrived before the climax of the campaign – including two on the final day against Chelsea.
Had it not been for the 24-year-old – who produced when it mattered most and was pivotal in earning his team 15 points (draws against Southampton, Palace and Bournemouth and wins against Stoke, Huddersfield, Leicester and Arsenal) prior to them surpassing 40 points – Newcastle would likely be on their way back to the Championship now.
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Not only did he prove to be the Tyneside outfit’s best and most important attacker, he was their most important player in general, too.
Should the attacking midfielder – who at his age still has plenty of time to improve – take his run of six goals in eight matches into the 2018/19 campaign and continue to replicate it, he will quickly become a target for the top six clubs in the Premier League who are always looking for naturally gifted and clever forward players.
Perez may not have been admired by Toon supporters on occasions, but that changed in recent months and he has the technique and quality to play at the very highest level – as long as he adds some consistency to his game.
If he does that in August and beyond, the 24-year-old may not be a Newcastle player any longer when the 2019 January transfer window closes.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has paid tribute to Reds boss Jurgen Klopp for improving Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this season.
Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool paid £35m to sign Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal during the summer transfer window.
Indeed, the England international struggled for consistency during his time at Arsenal.
Oxlade-Chamberlain initially found it difficult to break into the Liverpool first team, but the 24-year-old has been a regular in recent weeks, and played a key role in his side recording a 5-0 win over Swansea City on Boxing Day.
Pundit Redknapp has claimed that he was unsure about the move when it occurred, but has paid tribute to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s improvement at Anfield.
Redknapp told Sky Sports:
“I wasn’t sure about the move for him to start with and I was wondering how he was going to do, but he has surprised me.
“I looked at him at Arsenal and it was like he was treading water and going nowhere, but under Jurgen Klopp I am seeing a completely different player.
“I am seeing he is fit, with a great attitude and wanting to win tackles.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored twice and provided two assists in 17 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season.
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The attacker, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has also netted once in four Champions League appearances since making the move to Anfield.
I think after this last week in football, you could certainly describe a large amount of Millwall fans as bipolar.
On the eve of the new season the optimism was high, some fans even tipping us for a outside chance of a top six finish, due to the new signings. Also, most fans were behind Lomas and willing to give him a chance as manager, but after losing the opening two league games of the season, the knives are out already…
Some fans are already calling for his head, and this is because basically “He’s West Ham”.
Some just want him gone so they can be proven right, that maybe he isn’t good enough, but surely he deserves the chance to prove himself?
It’s not great so far, but the team needs time to gel. Seven summer signings have been made by Lomas so for. So a large group of players who have to get used to playing with each other, but also a new manager means a new set of ideas and a new way of playing.
Compare this team to last year, we have a improvement in the squad that means that we really shouldn’t be going down, it’s only a matter of time before this team start to play well together.
They just have to learn from early season mistakes…
Like Richard Chaplow – I don’t see why he is put out on the left wing, unbalancing the whole midfield. It seems, certainly at Ipswich, that the game was mostly long ball to Morison upfront.
But to be honest, I’m not that worried. The team is full of Championship experience now and much higher quality players compared to last year.
I think the other teams around us yet to get off the mark should be more worried such as Charlton and Barnsley.
The players have had a couple of games together, but it’s still clear that Lomas does not know his best XI, or the best formation for the team.
Does he play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3?
What centre midfielders does he play?
Who will partner Beevers in central defence?
Saturdays game at home to Huddersfield is now the game that will hopefully kick start the season.
My team for Saturday would be:
Forde
Dunne Robinson Beevers Lowry
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It is believed that QPR midfielder Samba Diakite has returned home to France in a bid to fight against depression, The Daily Mail state.
The Mali international spent the second half of last season on loan at Loftus Road and sealed a permanent deal to Mark Hughes’ men in the summer worth £3.5 million.
However, the African battler was not in the match-day squad for the R’s last fixture against Manchester City, with no explanation for the player’s omission given by the London club.
However, it is thought that Hughes is aware of the problem and sent Diakite back to France to sort things out, with a ten-day leave of absence allowed by the Welsh trainer.
Despite this, Diakite has been absent from the club for 13 days now and there is no indication whether he will return for QPR’s next Premier League game against Chelsea a week on Saturday or what timescales are involved.
Diakite’s case if verified would add to a long list of football suffering from depression.
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Aston Villa will face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final.
Steve Bruce’s side will be looking to secure a positive result away to Boro before the two teams meet at Villa Park in the second leg on May 15.
There is simply no downplaying the importance of the match, and the winner will take on either Fulham or Derby County in the final of the Championship playoffs.
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The Villa supporters have been discussing their team selection for the clash at the Riverside, and a number have called on Bruce to select Albert Adomah in an attacking role.
Bruce has a number of options in the final third of the field, but the bulk of the Villa fans believe that Adomah, who has faced criticism this season, should be in the XI this weekend.
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The 30-year-old has 14 goals in 39 Championship appearances this term, and will be looking to add to that tally against Tony Pulis’ team.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
We may still be one month, one week and two days away from the opening weekend of the 2015/16 Premier League campaign – yes, we’re ticking off pretty much every hour here at Football Fancast – but some clubs’ starting Xis for next season are already beginning to take shape.
Manchester United, for example, have only added Memphis Depay so far but at this point their alleged transfer targets are relatively indisputable, as are the current first teamers likely to retain their places in the starting Xi for next season.
So with everybody here at Football Fancast Towers growing increasingly desperate for the new season to begin, we’ve decided to slow down our withdrawal symptoms by considering what the Red Devils’ starting line-up might look like when they take on Tottenham on August 8th.
Would this XI trounce the north Londoners? Or perhaps more importantly, is this XI capable of claiming next season’s Premier League title?
GOALKEEPER – HUGO LLORIS
With David De Gea’s long-awaited departure to Real Madrid seemingly inevitable, Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been billed as the PFA Player of the Year nominee’s likely replacement.
The 28 year-old seems more than capable of filling the void; he’s captain of the France national team and has continually demonstrated world-class shot stopping abilities since arriving at White Hart Lane in summer 2012, last season making the most saves – an impressive 89 – of any goalkeeper in the Premier League’s top six.
Tottenham are understandably reluctant to sell, however, especially to a divisional rival, and allegedly value Lloris at a whopping £40million. They also intend to appoint him as captain next season to convince him to stay in north London.
Resultantly, they’ve been linked to an alternative in Ajax and Netherlands No.1 Jasper Cillessen.
RIGHT BACK – SEAMUS COLEMAN
The Red Devils have already missed out on a number of prominent right-backs this summer; particularly, Sevilla’s Aleix Vidal, now of Barcelona, Catalan team-mate Dani Alves, who extended his Nou Camp contract, and Liverpool signing Nathaniel Clyne.
But there’s still one option on their radar that The Daily Mail claim is now at the top of Louis van Gaal’s wishlist – Everton’s marauding No.2 Seamus Coleman.
LVG elected for midfielder Antonio Valencia over Rafael last term and the Ireland international is of a similar mould, having begun his career as a winger but since emerged as one of the top attacking right-backs in the Premier League.
He’s got pace and power in abundance but most impressive is the 26 year-old’s output; nine goals and four assists in 71 appearances over the last two campaigns.
The Telegraph claim the Toffees have identified Leeds youngster Sam Byram as Coleman’s replacement, suggesting a summer move is likely.
CENTRE-BACK – SERGIO RAMOS
A few weeks ago, Sergio Ramos seemed destined for a long and successful career at Real Madrid, before eventually retiring as one of the greatest defenders and servants in the club’s history.
But following the rather bizarre news that the Spain international offered himself to Barcelona a few months ago, he’s now a priority Manchester United target and apparently desperate to escape the Bernabeu as soon as possible.
Louis van Gaal has spent the last two summers searching for a highly-experienced ball-playing centre-back with irrefutable pedigree and the 2010 World Cup winner, famed for his ability to contribute going forward and occasional goals, fits the bill perfectly.
The only issue is price-tag, especially considering Ramos is now 29 years of age. Earlier this week, United launched a £28.6million bid; but Los Blancos allegedly value their star defender at a ridiculous £63million.
CENTRE-BACK – MARCOS ROJO
In truth, any of Manchester United’s centre-backs could pair up with Sergio Ramos next season, with the exception of transfer-bound Jonny Evans. Chris Smalling produced some fantastic displays towards the end of last season and Phil Jones has just signed a new contract.
But purely for his left foot and compatibility with Louis van Gaal’s preferred style of play, we’re going for Marcos Rojo.
The 25 year-old struggled upon his initial arrival in the Premier League last summer but grew as the season went on, eventually finishing up with 2.4 tackles, 2.5 interceptions, 6.3 clearances and 2.4 successful aerial duels per match.
Of course, the versatile defender could find himself utilised more regularly at left-back next season, which bring us onto…
LEFT BACK – LUKE SHAW
It was a turbulent first twelve months for Luke Shaw at Manchester United, disrupted by recurring injuries and concerns over his fitness.
But the England international’s great potential was evident on enough occasions and after moving to Old Trafford for a record-breaking fee for both a teenager and a full-back last summer – a whopping £30million – Louis van Gaal will be determined to get his money’s worth.
Still just 19 years of age, the attacking full-back has a huge future ahead of him.
HOLDING MIDFIELD – MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN
Michael Carrick will almost certainly be a resident figure at Old Trafford next season, but Manchester United are on the hunt for a long-term successor to England international this summer, having often struggled in his absence last term.
And according to the tabloids, that’s thrust them towards Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who has emerged as one of the top enforcers in the Premier League since the club’s top flight ascension in 2012, last season averaging the second-most tackles per-match, 3.7, of any player in the division.
The France international lacks Carrick’s definitive passing range but he’s a similar kind of player; physical, formidable and renowned for his ability to bring composure and control into the area he operates in.
The Saints are believed to have rejected a £20million bid from the Red Devils, however, valuing the 25 year-old at closer to £25million.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – ANDER HERRERA
Ander Herrera’s impressive performances seemed to slip under the radar a little bit last season. He actually ended up as United’s fourth-top goalscorer and fourth-top assistor in the Premier League, with six and four respectively from his 26 league outings.
The 25 year-old perhaps isn’t of world elite standard but he’s a fantastic technician, with a pass completion rate of 89%, and added a little feistiness to United’s engine room through 2.8 tackles per match.
The Spaniard is subtle yet effective and particularly befitting of Louis van Gaal’s possession-based philosophy, so he’s almost a dead cert for a regular role next season.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER
Along with Morgan Schneiderlin, the Red Devils are reportedly targeting Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
At 30 years of age, the industrious centre-mid is coming to the end of his peak and probably can’t perform in the box-to-box capacity that’s made him one of world football’s best for much longer, but he’s hugely experienced with the 2014 World Cup, the 2013 Champions League title and eight Bundesliga titles on his CV.
Louis van Gaal knows Schweinsteiger well from his spell at the Allianz Arena and the German international could be available for just £10million this summer, due to his contract expiring at the end of next season, so he could prove to be a very smart piece of business.
Bavarians boss Pep Guardiola, however, has insisted Schweinsteiger is involved in his plans for next season.
RIGHT WING – MEMPHIS DEPAY
Manchester United’s attack lacked penetration at times last season but £25million signing Memphis Depay should address that in abundance.
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The Netherlands international was nominated for the Best Young Player award at the 2014 World Cup and continued his form into the following season, netting 22 times in 30 Eredivisie appearances to fire PSV to their first league title since 2008.
Fast, powerful, often compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and undoubtedly one of the most promising attacking talents in Europe, there will be a big expectancy for the 21 year-old to perform next season.
LEFT WING – ANGEL DI MARIA
Angel Di Maria’s first season at Manchester United was a polarised one. The Argentine started off looking worth every penny of his club record £59.7million transfer fee, but ended it out of sorts and out of favour.
There’s been rumours of a potential move to PSG but the 27 year-old has insisted that he intends to stay on at Old Trafford for at least next season.
Part of the problem, in my opinion, is the ambiguity surrounding his best role in the starting Xi, having begun his career as a winger but emerged as a real force at the heart of Real Madrid’s midfield during the 2013/14 campaign.
The new arrivals, however, should help Louis van Gaal decide how to best utilise the former Bernabeu star. He’s got an absolutely lethal left foot when driving crosses into the box so a role on the left side of United’s attack seems like the most logical position.
STRIKER – WAYNE ROONEY
If the right deal comes along, Manchester United could decide to sign another striker this summer, with Robin van Persie apparently being offered out to a series of clubs across Europe.
But in terms of the starting Xi, Louis van Gaal seems content enough with skipper Wayne Rooney leading the line on a regular basis.
The England international’s all-round game has never been in doubt – he’s easily one of the most complete players on the continent and unquestionably the most complete in the Premier League.
In terms of his goal tally, however, the Red Devils will be hoping for a little more next season. Old Wazza Roo managed just 12 last season – albeit, spending significant chunks of the campaign in midfield – and hasn’t breached the 20-goal mark since the 2011/12 campaign.
If United are to claim next term’s crown, he’ll have to step it up a notch.
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has told friends he wants to move to Barcelona, according to The Express.
The Argentine forward has been linked with a move away from last season’s Premier League runners-up, with Real Madrid and Barcelona the two teams reportedly interested in the striker.
While Aguero rejected talk of a move to Real, it seems he may have set his heart on a move to the Camp Nou, after reportedly telling his friends that he would like to move to Barcelona during this summer transfer window.
City are planning a major clear-out this summer, while making big changes with the signings of Fernandinho and Jesus Navas. The Citizens have also heavily been linked with moves for forward Pablo Osvaldo, Oscar Cardozo and La Liga star Alvaro Negredo.
This could open the door for Aguero to leave, if Barcelona made an offer of around £26million for the Argentine. The 25-year-old, who scored the goal that won the Premier League for City two seasons ago, could be leaving after just two seasons in England.
The former Atletico Madrid forward, who scored 12 league goals last season, could replace David Villa, who left the Camp Nou to join Aguero’s previous side.
Will Aguero be sold this summer? Would he do well at Barcelona?
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Arsenal have been linked with a deadline day move for Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, reports the Guardian.
Arsene Wenger is looking to replace Robin Van Persie, and has not been encouraged by the fact his side have been held to consecutive goaless draws in their opening two Premier League matches.
Bosnian striker Dzeko is currently fourth choice striker at Manchester City behind Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.
Despite mainly featuring as a substitute last season, Dzeko still managed to bag 14 Premier league goals, including the crucial equaliser on the last day of the season against QPR as Manchester City clinched the title in unbelievable fashion.
Wenger is tempted to test City’s resolve and launch a bid before the window shuts. If succesful, Dzeko would become the third new striker to arrive at the Emirates this summer, following the arrivals of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.
It is thought Wenger is prepared to offer as much as £18 million for the City number 10 as he looks to solve his goalscoring problems.
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Roberto Mancini may be tempted to cash in on the striker as he prepares to do his own deadline day business. The City manager has been surprisingly quiet in the transfer market this summer, with Jack Rodwell becoming the only new addition to his championship-winning squad.