Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul has admitted that he was unhappy with how Magpies boss Rafael Benitez handled his exit last summer.
Krul joined Newcastle in 2015, and the stopper represented the club on 185 occasions in all competitions before leaving to join Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of the 2017-18 season.
It is understood that Benitez told Krul to train with the Newcastle Under-23s last summer whilst he was attempting to find a new club.
The 29-year-old ultimately joined Brighton, initially on loan before completing a permanent move to the newly-promoted club in September 2017.
The Dutchman has revealed that he asked Benitez for a chance to prove himself following a loan spell at AZ, but has claimed that the Newcastle boss was simply not interested.
Krul told The Times:
“I said to the gaffer ‘give me a chance, I’ll show you I’m back’.
“Rafa had different ideas. He said ‘it doesn’t matter what you do’. That’s the business. We know we’re puppets to a certain extent.
“It wasn’t right. I think [Benitez] knows that as well… I just wanted to be treated with respect.”
Newcastle have still not solved their problems between the sticks, although the club are currently being strongly linked with Paris Saint-Germain stopper Kevin Trapp.
Prior to their FA Cup triumph back in May, Arsenal fans had been forced to endure a long, painful and sometimes unbearable nine years of trophy-less football.
But that all seems to have been brushed under the carpet now that they’ve dusted off the silverware cabinet to make way for the FA Cup and the Community Shield.
Arsene Wenger’s determination to persevere with a journey that looked like it could continue forever has to be commended. It’s an impressive feat to have not given in when the road was at its bumpiest – just as impressive as TrustFord’s new Signing on Fee offer, which gives you £500 off the purchase off any new Ford car.
The Frenchman has been criticised for his lack of spending during that time period, with his more businesslike approach to the job seemingly clouding his managerial judgment in the transfer window.
But the last two summers have seen him rediscover some of his old self. He’s spent money, albeit more than he’s ever done before, on some top class talent that will no doubt go some way to restoring Arsenal as Premier League champions.
How long it takes is anyone’s guess, but Arsene Wenger is beginning to take the steps that could see the time come sooner rather than later.
So, with that in mind, here are FIVE reasons Wenger should still be trusted by the Emirates faithful to deliver a title…
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Click on Alexis Sanchez to reveal
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Big Money Signings
Gone are the days when fans criticised Wenger for not spending the money to ensure the Gunners kept up with their rivals.
But now the Frenchman is doing just that, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez both arriving in mega-money deals over the past two summers. Such deals can only mean Arsenal a stronger side than before.
Wenger appears to have woken up to the fact that spending money is the only way to ensure you’re in with a chance of silverware, and he’ll eventually be rewarded with a Premier League crown.
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Buying for the future
The £18m capture of Calum Chambers from Southampton initially appeared to have been for back-up reasons. But the 19-year-old has slotted in nicely at centre-back so far this season and has been extremely impressive in his first few games for the club.
With Mertersacker having an extended break after the World Cup and Thomas Vermaelen being sold to Barcelona, Chambers looks like he’s been brought with the future in mind, as well the present.
As things stand, he could be the first step towards a new era at Arsenal under Wenger.
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During the 18 years Wenger has been in the Gunners hot-seat, he’s won three Premier League titles, five FA Cups and five Community Shields. That’s a fairly impressive haul, despite him recently struggling to emulate to successes of his earlier years at Highbury.
It’s clearly frustrating when your team goes a long time without winning anything and watches as your rivals go on and fill their trophy cabinets up. But the transitional period the Gunners went through with the stadium move will have made a difference to the on-field fortunes of the club.
But now that Wenger is showing more promise now than he has for the best part of a decade, you wonder why he or the club should put an end to it and risk another baron spell with a wrong managerial appointment.
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He’s ended the trophy drought
The wait is over and Arsenal have two new trophies in the cabinet. That has to the basis upon which Wenger and Arsenal fans build for the future. ‘You’re only as good as your last game’ is the old saying, and Arsenal are currently only as good as their last trophy. That was the Community Shield (if you can call it a trophy), which they thrashed Premier League champions Man City 3-0 to win.
If that’s a sign of things to come then Wenger has to be trusted to keep delivering from now on.
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Stronger squad this year
After going close last year, Wenger has spent the summer strengthening his squad. The arrivals of Mathieu Debuchy, Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers are an obvious improvement on last season, and they’ve still got the likes of Per Mertersacker, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil to return from their extended break.
All they arguably need now is a defensive midfielder and a striker to help Olivier Giroud and they’ll be all set for a proper title challenge.
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has come to the defence of Luis Suarez, and believes that the controversial forward is being wrongly treated by officials due to his reputation.
The Uruguay international is caught up in a diving scandal, with the attacker being accused of playacting and simulation in Premier League games this season.
Ayre has come to the South American’s defence, and feels that Suarez is innocent in the scandal.
“I think it’s reputation because of what happened last season,” Ayre told Sky Sports.
“Now everything Luis Suarez does is in the spotlight, but if we are going to treat people because of something they do on the pitch then we should treat everybody equally.
“I am not saying that anyone in particular is targeting him, what I am saying is if there is going to be a debate, whether it’s a media debate or other, then it has been to be a fair one about everybody and not about Luis Suarez which seems to be the case.
“I am not surprised by the reaction because we all feel he is a bit of target.
“If you look from the start of this season or perhaps the end of last season through to last weekend I think it is fair to say Luis hasn’t had the luck of the draw really in terms of decisions.
“It was proven on your channel and others that on many occasions that he was denied what he should have been given.
“I just feel his style of play, the way he kind of nips in and out he’s just a target for tackles and defenders if you like.
“What I would say he has not had the rub of the green in terms of decisions but hopefully that changes as the season goes on.
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“The most important thing is it doesn’t affect Luis, he just turns it on each week and puts himself out there and he will keep going and that is what we need from him,” he concluded.
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew remains keen to manage England, but only after he has served his eight year contract on Tyneside.
The 51-year-old guided Newcastle to fifth in the Premier League in his first full-season, earning the unprecedented deal that runs until 2020.
Pardew told The Independent of his long term goal, “I do have ambitions internationally – I would like to do that at some point.
“Hopefully I will see this contract out and see what I’m doing later on. I have always felt that a person can be a success as England manager. I won’t change my opinion on that, but I don’t think it’s easy.
“Roy Hodgson probably has a tough spell as England manager because our pool of players is not as great as it used to be.”
The ex-Southampton boss also went on to talk about his much publicised new deal at the Sports Direct Arena.
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“Both of us looked at the contract [him and Magpies owner Mike Ashley], and felt it lacked a bit of security. So this contract is more secure for Mike in terms of keeping me at the football club.
“The eight years came from Mike. I never got to the point of talking about how long I wanted the contract for. He spoke to me about eight years and I thought: OK.”
Amid an unceremonious end to an underwhelming season, the pressure is mounting on Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
He’s guided the Reds to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup and potentially fifth-place in the Premier League. But after a string of disappointing results against Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa, effectively ending Liverpool’s chances of silverware or Champions League qualification this season, some at Anfield believe it’s time for a change.
In fact, a small cohort of fans are so convinced, they paid for a plane to be flown over Anfield during a 2-1 win over QPR on Saturday, with the banner “Rodgers Out, Rafa In.”
But if there’s one thing Football Fancast has learned about the beautiful game, it’s that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side – just ask the Newcastle fans who ran the SackPardew.com campaign and now find themselves yelling at John Carver instead every week.
So it’s with that in mind we’ve conjured up a list of FIVE potential successors to Rodgers, to let you decide whether the Merseysiders would be better off without him.
JAMIE CARRAGHER
Jamie Carragher is yet to dip his toe into the cesspool of Premier League management but he’d certainly have the full backing of the Anfield support, as a local-born lad with the second-most appearances, a whopping 737, throughout Liverpool’s history.
And although the 37 year-old has opted for the Sky Sports studio rather than the dugout since retiring in summer 2013, his regular doses of Premier League punditry continually demonstrate a supremely entrenched understand and passion for the beautiful game.
A former captain who often depended upon tactical street-smarts to compensate for his lack of natural talent and athleticism, especially during the latter stages of his career, Carragher has always struck as a future Liverpool boss in the making.
Admittedly, however, the retired centre-back is an enormous risk without any prior management experience. Perhaps in a few years time he’ll seem like a more realistic candidate.
FRANK DE BOER
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After five years of sustained success at Ajax, winning four consecutive Eredivsie titles until PSV’s Memphis-Depay-inspired revolution this season, Frank de Boer seems destined to leave the Amsterdam Arena for a higher calling this summer.
Another retired defender like Jamie Carragher, it’s the former sweeper’s intelligence and reading of the game that’s made him such a successful manager – whilst a trophy-laden playing career with Ajax, Barcelona, Galatasaray and Rangers has done de Boer’s reputation no harm.
In terms of Premier League experience, however, he does come up short. And for a club with such an illustrious history, de Boer will be disappointed to have never surpassed the Champions League’s group stages or the Europa League’s round of 16 since his appointment in 2010.
Nonetheless, he and twin-brother-come-assistant Ronald de Boer are quite the dynamic duo. Liverpool could be the perfect platform for them.
RONALD KOEMAN
He may only have one year’s worth of Premier League experience under his belt but it’s impossible to overlook the phenomenal job Ronald Koeman has done at Southampton.
Amid the enormous exodus of playing and coaching personnel last summer, many tipped the Saints for relegation this season. But working a new squad and some inspired signings from the Eredivisie, the 52 year-old looks set to guide the south coast outfit to their highest-ever final league standing of the Premier League era.
A huge part of that has been Southampton’s dogged defensive displays, currently boasting the healthiest goals conceded column in the Premier League. Organisation at the back has been a real problem for the Reds during Brendan Rodgers’ three year tenure and an era they need to improve upon.
An impeccable career as a goal-scoring defender with Ajax, PSV, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team, producing a total return of 253 goals in 763 appearances, only further endorse Koeman’s credentials.
But after abject campaigns from Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren, the last thing Liverpool fans want is yet another Southampton-inspired fad.
RAFA BENITEZ
They say you should never go back in football but a return to their trophy-laden past is what Liverpool fans desperately crave.
Indeed, with the exception of their runner-up finish last season, the Reds have been in the wilderness since parting company with Rafa Benitez in 2010, who’d previously masterminded the Anfield outfit’s way to the 2005 Champions League title and the 2006 FA Cup during a six-year spell.
Since, the 55 year-old has served at Inter Milan, Chelsea and Napoli with mixed results. He’s set to leave the latter club this summer after missing out on a Champions League spot, for example, which could trigger an exodus of playing talent.
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But for three of his last four sides, Benitez has left with a win rate above 50%, and his conservative philosophy has always proved successful in Europe, with three continental trophies in total.
Then again, the chances of the Spaniard replicating the accomplishments of his original Liverpool tenure seem somewhat unlikely.
JURGEN KLOPP
Unquestionably the hottest management property in European football at the minute, the iconic Jurgen Klopp will leave Borussia Dortmund this summer after a nightmare season at Westfalen, which has seen the Black-Yellows fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2011.
But it’s a small blotch amid an otherwise incredible seven years with Dortmund, taking the club from the cusp of bankruptcy to claim back-to-back Bundesliga titles and reach the 2013 Champions League final, where they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich.
Most impressively of all, Klopp’s done it by developing a batch of home-grown players largely sourced from the lower tiers of German football with a captivating style of play that combines industry, technically-demanding build-up play and incredible velocity on the counter-attack.
In a way, it’s not too dissimilar to the Brendan Rodgers philosophy of the last three years – promoting promising youngsters and attacking football – but Klopp far eclipses his Anfield counter-part in terms of silverware and experience at Champions League level.
In my opinion, he’s the only manager on this list worth ousting Rodgers for. But the 47 year-old may have some more coveted options – namely Manchester City, Real Madrid and PSG – already on the table.
Being clinical in football is a crucial part of a strikers game. Although scoring plenty of goals in the primary target, taking up valuable chances in a game for a shot that doesn’t end up as a goal can only be deemed as wasteful.
The best strikers should not just be rated on how many goals they score, but also how many goals they score to the shots that they attempt. Of course there’s midfielders who rarely shoot, but if they score every time they do have a shot instead of picking a pass, then they are certainly not wasting any opportunities for others to score.
We’re now twelve games into the Premier League season and there has been a record amount of goals scored. So at this early stage of the season, who are the top 5 most clinical players in the Premier League?
Sergio Aguero is currently the top goalscorer and Diego Costa has been in fine goalscoring form, but who’s the most prolific player in the Premier League?
The following statistics are worked out by dividing the amount of goals scored by an individual, divided by their average shots per game.
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5th – Mohamed Diame & Steven Fletcher – 3.75 shots per goal
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Hull’s new boy and Sunderland’s goal poacher are forced to share the 5th place spot after performing identically thus far. The two players haven’t wasted many opportunities and although Diame plays in a midfield role, he’s managed to notch up 4 goals thus far, as has Fletcher.
The Scotland international has been unfortunate with injuries in the past but he has proved that he can score goals at the highest level when he gets a bit of fortune, and for a striker to not waste opportunities by shooting on sight, he should be helping his team. Although if he’s prolific maybe they would like a few more shots and goals from him.
4th – Nacer Chadli – 3.5 shots per goal
Tottenham’s belgian midfielder is finally finding his feet in the Premier League and he has been nothing short of prolific so far this term, taking just 3.5 shots to score each of his 6 league goals.
The midfielder is the club’s top goalscorer so far, and although Pochettino would like more assists than goals from his midfielders, I don’t think he would like to imagine how his team would be doing with Chadli.
A good fourth place for Nacer, but it’s early days in the season, can he continue his form in front of goal?
Mile Jedinak – 3.25 shots per goal
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Yet another midfielder in the list, and the Crystal Palace captain is only included thanks to his prolific ability from set pieces. The Australian rarely gets forward in general attacks for The Eagles, yet the defensive midfielder has four goals to his name.
After 2 successful penalties, and a wonderful free-kick against Liverpool, Mile has just one goal from open play and that was a header from a corner – he rarely shoots but when he does he scores.
Some would say that penalties surely shouldn’t count, but it still has to be converted and that requires a shot!
2nd – Leonardo Ulloa – 3.2 shots per goal
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Signing a 28-year-old from the Championship should rarely warrant a fee as large as Leicester paid for Ulloa in the summer, but the clinical Uruguayan is proving that he is worth every penny.
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Having just over 3 shots per goal scored, the striker is the second most clinical player in the Premier League. With 5 league goals to his name he’s the clubs top scorer. He’s still undoubtedly a costly signing but as long as he gets enough shots away, he will keep bagging numerous goals for Leicester City.
There’s only room for one more, and we’ve not seen either Aguero or Costa yet – who’s it going to be?
1st – Diego Costa – 2.9 shots per goal
The only player in the Premier League who has a ratio of below 3 shots per goal and it happens to be the second highest scorer in the league. The Spaniard/Brazilian may have cost a hefty £32m but having scored more goals than games played in the Premier League thus far, he’s a bargain.
The 26-year-old is prolific at taking chances but he’s also scoring a bag full of goals. An incredible start to life in the Premier League for Costa and he doesn’t show any signs of stopping.
Only one player has scored more than Diego, and that’s Sergio Aguero – however the Argentinean is far more wasteful, taking 5.3 shots per goal scored.
I struggle to properly fathom what is happening with Tom Cleverley. As of this moment, the kid once dubbed a prodigy and predicted such a bright future, is struggling to find his identity at Manchester United. A career which started so brightly two years ago with the reigning champions have now drifted into limbo, not being horrendously out of depth, but neither showing signs of world class quality. I think Cleverley is becoming dangerously invisible, and at Man United there is no room for players who can’t apply themselves.
He’s getting an undeserved amount of stick at the moment, though. Despite his failure to impact games the way United fans expect from their midfielders, Cleverley hasn’t been the shambles he’s being depicted as. Having featured in ten games so far, he has provided the legs in midfield on several occasions. Out of the ten games he’s played, United have won six, lost one and drawn three. The loss came at City, the draws came away to Shaktar, Cardiff and Spurs. All acceptable places to drop points, and bar the game at the Etihad, there’s hardly anything to directly blame Cleverley for.
But I guess the point I’m trying to make is that Cleverley’s issue isn’t that he’s playing badly. It’s that he’s not dazzling anyone. At a club like Man United every little mistake – or in Cleverley’s case – any lack of class, will be magnified. At 24 years of age, there’s no longer room for being a young prospect. Results need to show, quickly.
Then again, perhaps all he needs is faith. We’ve quite recently seen the dramatic rise of what is now one of the top flight’s most talented acts. A player who needed several years to find his feet and polish his edge before he mercilessly cut through the veil. Now, there’s hardly anyone better than Aaron Ramsey – last season’s most scrutinized player.
Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from Arsene Wenger’s unmitigated success with the Welshman. Ramsey’s talent was always there somewhere. After he broke his leg, he just never really found his rhythm again, before he found it fitting to score nine goals in 13 appearances.
We can all agree that the culture for demanding instant success at the top clubs are always at risk of harming long-term plans and talent development. Rather than rushing out to find a replacement in midfield, maybe David Moyes would be better of with seeing this season out, giving Tom Cleverley the time and faith to settle. If Ramsey turns out to be the rule and not the exception, there should be a massive pay off coming Moyes’s way next year.
There is no doubt the midfielder is talented. Former Manchester United youth coach Eric Harrison claimed that Cleverley is the most gifted player at United since the infamous class of 92′.
“Tom for me is without question so good that he is the best young player at United since Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham came on to the scene,” said Harrison two years ago, not flinching. Since then, United have never had a settled midfield, Cleverley struggled with a few injuries and niggles, and several dozen names have been thrown around as potential transfer targets.
I am going to stick my neck out here, and say that think the kid from Basingstoke will soon justify the faith shown in him by both Moyes and the retired Sir Alex Ferguson. So far we have only seen short glimpses of what he can do, like in his competitive debut, when he played a central part in Man United coming back from 2-0 down to beat City 3-2 in the Community Shield. He shows sings, albeit too few, of superior understanding of the game, and a will play at a high tempo that I enjoy watching.
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Is there any way I can possibly know if Tom Cleverley will come good? No. I can make an (un)educated guess. As the Christmas program hits the premiership with full force in the coming weeks we are sure to see a lot more from him, and I can guarantee you that you will hear at least one Manchester United fan will call for his departure – especially if they don’t magically turn the seven point deficit into a three point advantage before New Years.
But Cleverley has all the tools needed to become a great player for United. For once, maybe some extended patience would pay off. The kind that goes beyond the three games we gave Fellaini before we completely dismissed his chances of ever succeeding.
And what a lesson in patience it would be if my prediction came true.
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has insisted that he is ready to step up to the mark next season and fight to remain in City boss Manuel Pellegrini’s first-team plans after the Etihad Stadium outfit announced the double signing of Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph earlier in the week.
The France international netted the only goal as City beat sister club Melbourne City 1-0 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday. However, following the signings of Sterling and Delph from Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively – the former for a record fee of £49 million – Pellegrini would not give Nasri any assurances about his position in the team.
City are not believed to be looking to sell the 28-year-old – who put pen to paper on a four-year contract extension last year – and have not received any offers for the player, but his place in the strating eleven is certainly more vulnerable than ever following the club’s recent acquisitions.
However, Nasri has welcomed the signings, believing they will add healthy competition to the City squad.”If you want to be competitive, you have to have good players and a good bench as well,” he said. “They can buy anyone they want. If you want to play, you have to perform in training. When you get some games, you have to take the opportunity.”I have never been scared of anyone and it is not today that I am going to be scared of anyone. The only way we will improve is buying players like Raheem and Fabian. They are a good additions for the squad.”Raheem is one of the hottest prospects in world football. Delph is a box-to-box midfielder and we need both of them. I think what the club has done this year is really smart. But you have to fight for your place every time.”
Brendan Rodgers has revealed he cannot see on loan goalkeeper Pepe Reina returning to Liverpool for the final two years of his contract, but insists vice-captain Daniel Agger will be going nowhere, reports the Daily Mirror.
Reina had been Liverpool’s first choice goalkeeper since 2005, but was allowed to rejoin Rafael Benitez at Napoli following the Reds signing of Simon Mignolet in the summer.
But his indifferent performances for the Italian side seem to have ruined his chances of a permanent move at the end of the season.
This has led to renewed speculation that Reina will return to Anfield for the final two years of his contract at number two, and continue to pick up his sizeable wages.
But Brendan Rodgers has ruled out that possibility, pointing out that Reina wrote an emotional goodbye letter to the Liverpool fans when he left for Naples last summer.
“He’s already written his letter, hasn’t he? He wrote a goodbye letter, didn’t he?” Rodgers said.
“I was surprised at the letter – when you are a loan player I would expect that he should come back, but obviously Pepe made it very clear when he went to Napoli that he was looking to move.
“He penned a great, big letter saying he was going to work with the best manager that he’d worked with and thanked for his time for Liverpool. So, for me, it probably sounded like he’d made his decision there.”
Rodgers was also keen to insist that Daniel Agger remained very much a part of his Liverpool plans.
The Dane’s future has been the subject of speculation this week after he was substituted after an hour of the Reds 4-3 win over Swansea on Sunday.
“I will judge every player, whether he is the team captain, the centre-forward or a squad player, I will make the decision if I think it will help us get a result,” Rodgers said.
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“We made the change. Dan has taken it like the man he is. He has been outstanding in training this week and he will play on Saturday, there is no question about that.”
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If Arsenal were light of centre-back options last season, the need to sign another player this summer has only increased following Thomas Vermaelen’s move to Barcelona.
Arsene Wenger does have Calum Chambers in the squad, who he has used in the centre of defence in pre-season, but it would be reckless to rely on him as the only backup to Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.
Furthermore, the Arsenal boss commented that the club would be in the market if Vermaelen moved on. With more than enough in the way of financial muscle, the club shouldn’t have a problem bringing in another centre-back of sufficient quality.
So, with that in mind, here’s a look at five options around England and Europe for the club.
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Benedikt Howedes
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Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes is one of a small handful of players said to be on Arsenal’s shortlist. The German international, though a natural centre-back, featured regularly for his country at left-back during the World Cup.
And Howedes is equally capable at right-back, which would prove beneficial to Arsenal if Wenger plans on converting Calum Chambers into a central defender or midfielder.
Howedes would bring with him plenty of experience and would replace the leadership now lost following Vermaelen’s sale.
Matija Nastasic
Football – Heart of Midlothian v Manchester City – Pre Season Friendly – Tynecastle – 14/15 – 18/7/14Matija Nastasic – Manchester City Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Craig BroughEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Matija Nastasic emerged as a surprise target for Arsenal earlier in the summer, and it might be possible now to land the Serb after Manchester City’s signing of Eliaquim Mangala.
Nastasic impressed during his first season in the Premier League but struggled with injuries last year. Now with Mangala on board, he may find regular first-team football hard to come by.
That also may be the case at Arsenal, but the team do need to bring in younger options at centre-back, and the 21-year-old would represent a very good investment, having grown accustomed to the Premier League.
Kostas Manolas
Football – Manchester United v Olympiakos – UEFA Champions League Second Round Second Leg – Old Trafford, Manchester, England – 19/3/14Manchester United’s Robin van Persie (L) in action with Olympiakos’ Kostas ManolasMandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Kostas Manolas is the most recent name linked with a move to Arsenal, and considering his youth, being 23, he’d be considered a good signing for Arsenal.
The Greek international performed extremely well at the World Cup and has garnered interest from Italian clubs this summer. Currently on the books of Olympiakos, Arsenal may be able to wrap up a deal for the defender quickly, having loaned the Greek side Joel Campbell last season.
Unlikely to dent the transfer budget too much, Manolas would represent a very good third-choice option for the coming season.
Daniel Agger
Football – Brondby IF v Liverpool – Pre Season Friendly – Brondby Stadion, Denmark – 14/15 – 16/7/14Liverpool’s Daniel AggerMandatory Credit: Action Images / Anders KjaerbyeEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Daniel Agger is a strange link to Arsenal. Yes, Liverpool are said to want to move the Dane on, but he represents similar worries to Thomas Vermaelen, who Arsenal just sold to Barcelona.
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Agger has struggled with injuries for a number of years and wasn’t Brendan Rodgers’ first-choice last season. Heading to Arsenal may not be the best move for the 29-year-old.
On the upside, if this deal gets done, Arsenal will bring in an experienced Premier League defender, allowing for Calum Chambers time to grow into role as central defender over the coming seasons.
William Carvalho
Football – Portugal v Ghana – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Group G – Estadio Nacional, Brasilia, Brazil – 26/6/14Portugal’s William Carvalho (R) and Ghana’s Andre Ayew in actionMandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Sporting may be pushing to get as much as they can from a potential sale of William Carvalho, but Arsenal could be looking to the Portuguese international to fill in as an emergency option at centre-back.
Carvalho has carved out a reputation as one of the best young midfielders in Europe, and Arsenal would benefit for many years to come with the 22-year-old on board. But Arsene Wenger may be about to look to Carvalho as the perfect signing to cover multiple positions in the team. With both a centre-back and defensive midfielder needed, bringing in the Sporting midfielder would make a lot of sense.