Aston Villa are experiencing a mass exodus of players at the moment, but there is hope yet for this transfer window: QPR striker Charlie Austin remains available.
But, why should an 18-goal centre forward join a side that barely escaped relegation when it seems that top players like Fabian Delph and Christian Benteke are abandoning ship without a second thought?
Well actually, that’s exactly why.
Since Villa have been gutted of attackers, Austin could be the knight in shining armour for Tim Sherwood’s men. The Englishman has already filled that role nicely for Burnley and QPR, helping the latter gain promotion to the Premier League following the 2013/14 season.
However, the R’s will be back to playing Championship League football next season, but that doesn’t mean Austin has to be relegated along with them. Wouldn’t it be nice if Austin could be the hero for a top-flight team for a change?
Despite leaving it too late to avoid a poor finishing position, the Villans showed a glimpse of what might be in store under Sherwood’s leadership by making it to the FA Cup Final after his appointment in February. They are a team with immense promise and plenty of valuable players still left.
Among the talents still remaining at Villa Park are the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Carlos Sanchez, both of whom were often overshadowed by Benteke and Delph. Agbonlahor scored six league goals, behind only Benteke, while Sanchez is also an aggressive enforcer. Both are versatile and would provide good support for Austin.
Villa have a reputation as a selling club, so there’s a good chance for Austin to further make a name for himself and still have the option to get poached by a bigger club down the line. The 26-year-old currently has a £15m price tag on his head, but if he makes as big an impression at Aston Villa as Benteke did, he too could be fetching £32.5m before long.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
In the end, a move to the Claret and Blue is one of opportunity. A good season for Austin in Birmingham could simultaneously create two choices: open one door to building a legacy with a newly rejuvenated Villa team, or another to join a Champions League-level club. And it would be up to Austin which door to walk through.
Wouldn’t last January be seen as a bit of a waste if Newcastle opted to sack Alan Pardew this summer? Why does it have to be this way in football? One season offers nothing but high praise; the next is built on undertones that a new dawn is needed. Isn’t it enough that Pardew and Newcastle avoided the drop? Where’s the sense of long-term building?
It would be a mistake to write Pardew off now. Why was he good enough when Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League but not now? I’m sure he didn’t tell Mike Ashley to keep his chequebook well away from last summer’s transfer activity. The real building on from that fifth place finish took place this past January. Were we to expect anything else in terms of results after such a high volume of new arrivals midway through the season?
What I’m not going to do is talk Pardew up as one of the best managers in the country; there are other football writers who choose to do so. What should be said is that he has done a fantastic job of enhancing (or redefining) his own image and status in English football. Newcastle should have been battling for mid-table mediocrity in that season, but instead they challenged the might of the Premier League were rewarded (because it is a reward) with Europa League football.
It’s a learning curve for Newcastle as a whole. Play the game like they did last summer and there will be discussions and contingency plans for relegation. But it shouldn’t have come to that this season. Newcastle are comfortably better than all three of the teams who faced the drop, and yet the performances say more about the club’s desire to sit back on their past glory than any major shortcomings of the manager.
What good will it do to sack Pardew now? You have to ask where Newcastle will look for another manager. Spain? Yes possibly. France have a title-winning manager who could be had this summer. Yet it begs the question as to what the last few seasons were for. Most importantly, that eight-year contract will look immeasurably stupid on the part of the Newcastle board.
What are the grounds for looking for another manager at this stage? Because Newcastle finished just above the relegation zone and watched their ‘equals’ in the league drive on past them? What about losing 3-0 to Sunderland when they too were in turmoil? Let’s be honest, Newcastle aren’t above battling it out the hard way or losing convincingly to their rivals. If they were, they’d be well and truly challenging for the league title every season, and yet even Manchester United have felt the sting of humiliation in recent seasons.
The eight-year contract was symbolic of a club who had finally found all the right pieces in the important places. I’m not buying the idea that Graham Carr and the scouting system will get ‘found out’ sooner or later by the rest of Europe. That’s a lot of nonsense. Yes, others will look on and admire, like many Arsenal supporters who regularly questioned why they didn’t have enough about them to land Yohan Cabaye or Mathieu Debuchy, among others. Here was a manager who finally seemed to be on the same page as everyone else at the club, and yet the blame can and should be laid at Mike Ashley for not continuing to build when it was necessary. The fact that they did go on to strengthen in January just shows that it was always possible, yet complacency was the easier choice of the two.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The end of next season will be a better time to judge Pardew, provided, of course, Newcastle address their squad this summer. Replace the likely outgoing Fabricio Coloccini and add depth where at matters. Tactical shortcomings can be balanced out by a good squad who know what’s required of them, as well as the benefit of a pre-season with the latest arrivals. Above all, maintain stability while it is still an option.
JOIN OUR LIVE BLOG FROM THE CHAMPIONS FESTIVAL BELOW
For your chance to win great prizes follow @DiscoverFord »
Fulham manager Martin Jol has stated that he has no problem with wantaway forward Clint Dempsey, and would love to keep him at the club.
The United States international covets a move away from the Craven Cottage outfit, with Liverpool thought to be interested in the skilful forward.
Despite Fulham lodging an official complaint to the FA over Brendan Rodgers’ conduct in regards to the player, Jol has stated that he would have no problems with the player should he return to the fold with the Cottagers.
“Mentally Clint wants to move, he doesn’t want to stay here. His head was turned and that was the problem,” Sky Sports report the Dutch trainer as saying.
“It’s a problem and a situation you don’t want. It’s not something you can talk to a player about every day because he doesn’t want to.
“I don’t know if he’ll remain a Fulham player. I’d love to keep him, but I’m not sure.
“Hopefully if he stays, then in the next couple of weeks he will change his thoughts about us.
“With me there’s no problem and I don’t think there’s a problem within the team over him,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Dempsey was not part of the Fulham squad that beat Norwich 5-0 on the opening day of the season.
Part of Tottenham Hotspur’s summer transfer plans are likely to include shopping around for a new left-back.
Danny Rose’s career at the North London outfit took a turn for the worse after he suffered a serious knee injury last year.
The England international spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and since recovering, the 27-year-old has struggled to win back his spot in the team.
Ben Davies has since cemented the position, in turn restricting Rose to just 13 starts in all competitions, seven of which have been in the Premier League.
It appears that manager Mauricio Pochettino wants Davies to fight for his position as the Daily Star reports that the club are planning to launch a £30m bid for Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand.
The report claims that the Saints, who are in danger of getting relegated to the Championship next week as they sit one point from safety, would not stand in the player’s way if he opted to leave.
This season, the 28-year-old has started 32 Premier League matches for the coastal club, and in that time has created four assists.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Tottenham have been linked to numerous figures over the last few months and weeks, and this latest report has caused quite the divide.
Following an abysmal end to an underwhelming season, Liverpool Football Club are doing a bit of soul searching at the moment, with manager Brendan Rodgers firmly in the spotlight.
The 42-year-old has become the fall guy for everything that’s gone wrong at Anfield this season, ranging from wayward signings to poor results to Steven Gerrard’s bosman move to the MLS.
That’s nothing unusual in the Premier League – placing collective blame on the man in the dugout is common practice. It’s why they get paid by the bucket load and all their contracts include insidiously large compensation fees.
But it can’t all be Rodgers’ fault… can it? With Liverpudlian opinion seemingly swaying against the Ulsterman after the Reds’ 6-1 defeat to Stoke City last Sunday, we at Football Fancast hope to restore the balance with our FIVE reasons Rodgers shouldn’t take sole blame.
Do you think the Liverpool boss deserves another season in the Anfield hot seat?
[interaction id=“none”]
He’s lost his four best players
Football – Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers – FA Cup Quarter Final – Anfield – 8/3/15Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge looks dejected Action Images via Reuters / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Although many blame Brendan Rodgers for Liverpool’s underwhelming campaign, fate has certainly conspired against him.
This season, the Ulsterman has lost four key members of his starting Xi; Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Daniel Sturridge to injury, Steven Gerrard to age and Raheem Sterling to the insidious rumour-mongering of his renegade agent Aidy Ward.
Those four were the key component of the Reds’ unexpected title bid last season, directly responsible for 74 of the club’s 101 Premier League goals. Regardless of the Anfield outfit’s questionable summer recruitment, which we’ll come onto in a moment, the goalscoring void was always going to be near impossible to fill.
Furthermore, although Suarez’ move to the Nou Camp had clearly been discussed behind the scenes for some time, few could have anticipated Sturridge’s injury-stricken campaign, Gerrard’s sudden decline after the 2014 World Cup and the fallout of Sterling’s ongoing contract saga at the start of the season.
Considering Liverpool reached the semi-finals of both the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup, things could’ve been very different this year if all three had maintained their fitness and form from 2013/14.
The transfer committee
Premier League managers will be forever compelled to live and die by their signings. The only problem at Liverpool is that Brendan Rodgers doesn’t necessarily make them.
The Anfield outfit’s much debated transfer committee, which includes chief executive Ian Ayre, the head of analysis Michael Edwards and the head of recruitment Dave Fallows, remains ever-shrouded in ambiguity. Although Rodgers allegedly gets the final say on all signings, how strongly he’s advised to do so by the committee is unclear.
But either way, the model clearly isn’t working. Liverpool have spent £220million since Rodgers took the Reds hot-seat three years ago and have very little to show for it. The only signings that have truly exceeded expectations are Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge; the rest have been comparatively underwhelming to say the least.
Once again, many will attribute that to the Liverpool gaffer himself. But Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville views the lack of obvious accountability within the committee – particularly, who should be blamed for Liverpool’s shortcomings last summer – as a major concern.
Until a more direct and coherent recruitment strategy is in place that’s responsive to the needs of the first team, Liverpool’s signings will always struggle to be fit for purpose.
Marquee signings just aren’t interested in a move to Liverpool
It’s a problem that many will prescribe to Brendan Rodgers, once again, but it seems implausible so many major names have turned down moves to Liverpool – still one of the largest clubs in world football – purely because of the man in the dugout.
Since the Ulsterman’s appointment in 2012, countless marquee signings have been caught in the club’s transfer cross hairs, only to later join one of their divisional or continental rivals.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan rejected the Reds in favour of Borussia Dortmund in summer 2013, Diego Costa and Willian both snubbed the Anfield outfit before eventually ending up at Chelsea, Radamel Falcao proved to be out of the club’s reach last summer and Alexis Sanchez opted for London over Merseyside, joining Arsenal instead. Even Toby Alderweireld, by no means a star-studded name but certainly a talented defender, resisted the Reds to join Atletico Madrid.
Rodgers has declared the club needs to work ‘harder and smarter’ in the transfer market to land well-proven, high profile players. But after six transfer windows in which the same issue has continually re-emerged, clearly changes need to be made to the club’s wage structure to entice football’s best to Merseyside once again.
His Changes actually worked
Time to give some credit where it’s due. Although Brendan Rodgers perhaps took too long to stop the rot at the start of the season, as Liverpool endured six defeats in their first twelve Premier League fixtures, the tactical changes he made soon after drastically improved the Reds’ results.
A 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in November obliged Rodgers to sure up his starting Xi with the reintroductions of Kolo Toure and Lucas Leiva, heralding bitter-fought wins against Stoke City and Leicester City.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
That was followed by an abrupt change to an unusual 3-4-2-1 formation and the selection of Raheem Sterling as an out-and-out centre-forward. Although the Merseysiders looked chaotic and dishevelled as they lost 3-0 to Manchester United during their first outing in the new system, it instigated a run of 13 league fixtures undefeated – including ten wins.
Only recently, as Rodgers has been forced to rotate his squad due to injuries and form, have Premier League opposition been able to unravel Liverpool’s exotic formation.
It was a bold, risky and unexpected move – but also a huge testament to Rodgers’ ability to envisage and implement a working system.
THE INEVITABLE SLUMP AFTER LAST SEASON
The overriding and arguably most pivotal factor, Liverpool were always due an inevitable slump after the unassailable highs of last season.
Not only did the Reds’ 2013/14 campaign place unrealistic expectations on predominantly young shoulders at the start of this season, but the manner in which it ended has undoubtedly had a significant effect on the club’s psyche.
For the likes of Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel, the disappointment of last year – drawing to Crystal Palace and losing to Chelsea – will take a long time to get over, whilst the absence of Luis Suarez – not only as a world-class player but as the leader of the dressing room – cannot be overstated. Tottenham struggled to replace Gareth Bale in 2013 and it’s no surprise Liverpool have endured the same issues twelve months later.
Regardless of the mistakes Rodgers may have made this season, coming anywhere close to replicating the form of last year was always going to be an impossible task.
Brian McDermott said it was “job done” for Leeds and revealed he wanted talks about new signings.
The former Reading manager saw his two-match winning start to his Elland Road reign brought to a halt in a 1-0 defeat by Birmingham on Saturday courtesy of a Hayden Mullins goal.
The defeat leaves the West Yorkshire club in 13th place in the Championship – seven points above third-from-bottom Wolves – but McDermott insisted the club’s fans could sleep easier knowing relegation was no longer a concern.
He said: “When I arrived at the club I put my reputation on the line and to make sure Leeds remained in this division. So far as I am concerned it is job done.
“Everyone must be going in the same direction. If that occurs in this club you have a major chance.”
McDermott also revealed he would be seeking assurances about bringing in new players for an assault on promotion from the Championship next season.
He added: “I think we have to talk about who needs to come in. If we can add to the squad with good quality players who know this division we should progress.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“Leeds were possibly in trouble when I came in. I am delighted with the boys. They played two games at home and we won them both. They were pressure games.”
There was a time when I supported Daniel Levy’s stance in this extremely tiresome Luka Modric saga. But that was way back there, well past the line of logic and reason. And while I admire the Tottenham chairman for standing up against the bigger clubs, it’s starting to look like a mistake.
I’m not siding with the notion that Levy is trying to make a name for himself and come out of this with a bigger reputation in European football; whoever it was who thought that idea up is really wide of the mark. But this protracted transfer mess is doing Tottenham no favours.
Daniel Levy is evidently one of the stronger chairmen in English football, persistent and determined to get the transfer figure he initially set out to receive. There’s a lot to admire in the way he tells the bigger clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester United to pay up or move on, with very little pressure from his own court with regards to the running down of player contracts. However, I do believe that Levy opting to drag this particular Modric saga on towards the end of the transfer window has been one of his mistakes.
The club have done some business this summer, and you can’t really fault either of their three signings so far. However, the Tottenham squad really did look thin on the weekend against Newcastle, and you’ve got to wonder where the Modric story ends and where Tottenham really begin to plan for the season ahead.
At this stage, the depth at Spurs seems to give them little in the way of landing a top four spot. The club have two recognised strikers, are apparently looking to offload Michael Dawson, and the chairman continues to be indecisive over transfer which will genuinely help the club. If Hugo Lloris is a player capable of taking Spurs to the next level, then get the deal done and move on.
Last year it was reported that Spurs could have received around £40 million for Modric had they sold him to Chelsea. Fair enough, though, Levy wasn’t about to be bullied by a clearly stronger club. But now, with various reports emerging that Real Madrid have backed away from the deal and then decided to enter back into negotiations, it looks like Tottenham may only get around £25million for the midfielder.
Again, I understand why Levy didn’t sell last year, but with the fee dropping from £40 million all the way down to something potentially well below £30 million via a proposed swap offer of Nuri Sahin, it looks like nothing but negligence from a club who need as much from this transfer as they can get. There is no question of the player perhaps staying, as Modric has continued to stress his intentions to leave White Hart Lane.
Tottenham’s revenue streams are not at the heights of other clubs in the league, and transfers such as this are an excellent way of helping the club move forward. I’m not totally sold on the idea that Spurs are a selling club, but when an opportunity like £40 million comes along, you take it.
Levy’s strong approach is something that a lot of managers and chairmen can learn from. However, he does need to find ways to resolve transfer matters well before the end of the summer window.
The Tottenham chairman has realised that there could be potential to land upwards of £40 million for Modric again this summer and is determined to get it. We saw his incredible composure in the square off with Manchester United over the Dimitar Berbatov deal and he eventually landed the £30 million he was after.
However, like Modric in this case, how much did Levy sacrifice by going all the way to the wire over the Berbatov deal? United wanted to remain firm on a figure around £20 million but had their hand forced by Manchester City, who made themselves known very late on. And despite the final fee Spurs received, they went into that season with only Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko as the strikers, with Fraizer Campbell on loan from United.
With Luka Modric, how likely is it that he will get £40 million? Moreover, is it worth the extra few million to leave the squad so short with only a few days left of the window?
Many fans will suggest that the club need a huge fee in order to adequately replace Modric, but I see that as well wide of the mark. A respectable fee can be spent on a like-for-like replacement in midfield with plenty of cash left over for the rest of the squad.
Santi Cazorla cost Arsenal around £15 million and is better than Modric. Mesut Ozil left Werder Bremen for Real Madrid for a similar fee, as did Miralem Pjanic when he left Lyon for Roma, and Joao Moutinho when he swapped Sporting for Porto. The point is, clubs like Tottenham don’t have to go after the Mario Gotzes or other equally priced midfielders if they want to replace or better Modric’s production. But Levy’s decision to draw out this saga has really weakened Tottenham’s position.
With just a week left of the transfer window and Spurs needing to get Modric off the books in order to buy, who’s to say we won’t see a similar rush around the isles that we saw from Arsenal on deadline day last year?
If, by the last few days of the window, Spurs do have a good amount of cash to strengthen their squad, which club will want to put themselves in the same position by giving up their best players and quickly shopping around for a replacement?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Levy had a number of chances to pull the trigger on a deal that would have brought him around £30 million, but who is he kidding by trying to get £40 million for a player who isn’t in huge demand in the market? Real Madrid want Modric but don’t really need him, while Chelsea are also flirting around the idea of another move for Modric but are also well stocked in that area of the field.
Levy’s strong stance in this particular matter has become difficult for the club, and the idea that Real Madrid have decided to pull out of the deal only adds insult to potential injury. The player doesn’t want Spurs and Spurs really don’t need the player. The best that Levy could have done was get rid early when the price was high and use a good deal of knowledge of the market to replace and strengthen.
Newcastle didn’t need £20 million to land Yohan Cabaye, yet I’m sure the Frenchman would be more than welcome at White Hart Lane.
Despite the addition of a couple of good players and a young manager, how are Spurs going to launch a strong charge on the season with their chairman allowing this saga to drag on to the final days of the window?
According to The Sun, Manchester United are at the head of the queue for Watford attacker Richarlison as they look to sign the Brazilian in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
Richarlison only joined Watford from Fluminense in last summer’s transfer window, but it is thought that the Hornets will struggle to keep hold of the attacker due to his impressive form.
The 20-year-old has managed five goals and five assists in 34 Premier League appearances during the 2017-18 campaign.
A number of clubs – including Tottenham Hotspur and Everton – have been linked with a swoop for the versatile forward, but according to The Sun, United want to bring the Brazilian to Old Trafford ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
[ad_pod ]
Watford will fight to keep hold of Richarlison due to his excellent form this term, but it would be a surprise if the Hornets managed to hold off the list of clubs which is growing each week.
Should United move for Richarlison?
Talk of a move for the Brazilian again raises question marks over the futures of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford at the Theatre of Dreams.
Both players have been linked with moves away from United, but the pair showed on Wednesday night against Bournemouth that they deserve regular minutes under Jose Mourinho.
It would be an absolute disaster if either Martial or Rashford were sold this summer, but there is no reason why Richarlison could not join the pair at Old Trafford.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Indeed, Mourinho will want to compete for all four trophies next season, and at the age of 20, Richarlison would see enough football to continue his development.
There is no question that the Watford attacker is a brilliant talent, and he could thrive at United if given the chance, but his signing must not come at the expense of Martial or Rashford, who will both be hoping for FA Cup semi-final starting spots this weekend.
When Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez announced his loan deal from Manchester United to Real Madrid it certainly raised eyebrows.
The problem for Chicharito at United was the lack of playing time in the Premier League and he was moving to a team where the competition was even fiercer. Any attempt to start ahead of Bale, Benzema or Cristiano would likely fall short – and it did. Chicharito has just one league start to his name this season and has not been quiet about his frustrations with his lack of minutes.
But with the international break in full swing, Chicharito is rebuilding his confidence. He may be at rock bottom at club level, but he found the back of the net for El Tri against Educador – the only goal in the game.
Could this be the difference for the Mexican? Could this restart his currently flailing career?
He may have thought it would be a dream come true, but if anything, his time at Real Madrid has bordered on disastrous. On paper the move did make some sense – Manchester United being in fewer competitions made for fewer rotations – but it has made very little difference for the Little Pea. He has spent the vast majority of this season on the bench.
Having made little impact this season, it does not seem likely that Real Madrid will sign Hernandez permanently. Even if they wanted to, it wouldn’t change anything, he still wouldn’t be making the first team regularly. Despite how things went last season for Chicharito, returning to Manchester United could be a better option.
Welbeck now plays for Arsenal, and United’s only choices up front are Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Radamel Falcao and James Wilson. At the moment, Wilson is not considered much more than a ‘super sub’ (Chicharito’s previous role), utilised for his pace in the latter stages of the game. Radamel Falcao’s loan deal probably won’t be made permanent due to his lack of playing time and the fact he has only scored a handful of goals for the Red Devils.
[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]
He may not start every game under Louis Van Gaal, but he would certainly get more minutes at United than in Madrid. If Manchester United can reach top four, they’ll be back in Europe, and United will need to rotate their XI more often.
Or a return to the Premier League could be on the cards elsewhere. The Daily Star have suggested that West Ham, Everton and Southampton are looking to sign the Mexican before next season.
Goal.com linked Chicharito with a move to St. Marys last year before joining Real Madrid. With Lukaku’s future at the Toffees uncertain, Everton could be a good call for Chicharito as he is a natural goal scorer. Even West Ham would be a good fit for the Mexican. Andy Carroll has had injury trouble, and West Ham will be looking to bring their momentum of the first half of this season into next.
If England isn’t appealing, a stay in Spain could be an option. Some of Chicha’s Mexican team mates are in Spain, such as Memo Ochoa, Hector Moreno and Gio dos Santos. Chicharito could join Dos Santos at Villareal, where Jonathan dos Santos also plays. Ochoa will certainly understand Hernandez and his starting woes as he has struggled to play regular first team football this year after signing for Malaga.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Hugo Sanchez has spoken out about Chicharito’s situation, saying he needs to be more aggressive in his approach to first team football. Ultimately, Sanchez is right. It has taken far too long for Chicharito to speak up about his unhappiness at spending almost a full season on the bench.
When it comes to his next club – or be it his return to his last club – he needs to fight for his place in the starting eleven. If he doesn’t, he will be remembered as a bench warmer. With a decent run in the international break, he has show why he could be a starter for any club, but it is too late to salvage his Real Madrid dreams.
Tom Werner has said there would always be a job for Jamie Carragher at Liverpool in the future after his retirement.
The 35-year-old will make his 737th and final Reds appearance against QPR on Sunday before moving into television punditry next season.
However, Werner said the club would welcome back Carragher’s experience with open arms.
“We wish Jamie well in his new career and the door will always be open for him at Liverpool,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“I really hope we see him back at the club one day because with all that experience and knowledge we know he has so much to offer.
“Whether it’s as a coach, an analyst or whatever, there will always be a job for him here. We hoped he would play on for another season but we fully respect his decision to retire.”
Werner added: “He wants to leave the party before the last call and I understand that. I have nothing but admiration for him – both on and off the field.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“It’s a big challenge to try to replace him. He’s a unique individual and I think finding another player just like him will be impossible.”