Maybe it’s the boredom of being away from the pitch and the day-to-day of being associated with a football club, but Paul Scholes hasn’t taken long or shied away from getting stuck in to a number of topics.
And what’s the problem with that? Would we prefer sterile, safe punditry? Scholes, whether or not we agree with him, has generated debate.
Scholes held no punches in his assessment of Wayne Rooney, citing that the player had peaked at 26 and may not be around too much longer after he turns 30. It’s an interesting angle. England has a player who should be among the best in the world but isn’t even the best in his own league. There are at least five players who you’d consider better than Rooney in the Premier League, and that’s without giving it much thought.
But Scholes has dug into this debate and offered something genuinely useful. Rooney isn’t the player we thought he’d become. There was plenty of discussion about whether Rooney should be dropped from England’s World Cup team in Brazil, and Scholes supported the idea by suggesting the player’s irregular form and overall disappointment for the national team didn’t warrant an unconditional starting place.
There isn’t really much of an issue with Scholes being candid on topics that do matter. Since retiring (for the second time), he’s completely abandoned his quiet on-pitch demeanour. And isn’t this the kind of former player we ought to be listening to? Scholes is lauded as one of the best products this country has produced, so good that the England team’s visceral approach to the game couldn’t accommodate him.
Jack Wilshere has been another disappointment for the most part. Scholes’ critique of the Arsenal midfielder wasn’t off by any means. And so what if he ruffles a few feathers? If it gets Wilshere playing better and improving on his current game then there really is no harm done. Wilshere and Scholes were said to have had a private conversation following, and during his game for England against Costa Rica in Brazil, Wilshere did show plenty of signs of promise for what could come next season.
Scholes’ latest offering is on Manchester United’s £34 million signing of Luke Shaw. We’re all thinking it: it’s an insane amount of money to spend on a teenager, let alone a teenage left-back. The wider issue is what such signings – the high value placed on English players – does for the national team, with teams looking abroad for cheaper alternatives.
In addition, Scholes isn’t wrong for wanting a 30-goal centre-forward for over £30 million.
Scholes’ input since hanging up the boots for good has been edgy and enjoyable. Why lament the abundance of boring coverage but then question the input of someone who’s willing to offer something interesting?
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We don’t really need consistency from Scholes in him replicating his quiet nature on the pitch to his assessment of it. They’re two completely different worlds.
Scholes has offered interesting insight to the game. We don’t have to agree with everything he says, but there’s no harm done in him disrupting a market saturated with generally boring or, at times, pointless statements on the game.
Alan Pardew’s bacon may have been saved for another week by Papiss Cisse’s late two-goal come-back to draw against Hull City on Saturday, but the Newcastle manager’s position is still verging towards untenable.The former West Ham and Charlton gaffer’s Tyneside tenure has been riddled with controversy, ranging from rumours that he first met Mike Ashley in a casino to receiving a seven-game touchline ban for head-butting David Meyler last season, and the Magpies now find themselvesÂat the bottom of the Premier League table with just three points from five games and a goal difference of -5.The supporters want Pardew sacked, or at least 86% of them do, according to a poll taken at the end of last season. And with that scenario becoming increasingly likely, it’s time for the Toon army to start getting excited about potential successors to their under-fire manager.So without further ado, here’s FIVE likely Pardew replacements that will leave the Magpies faithful dreaming of former glories once again.
His attritional philosophy may often divide opinion, but Tony Pulis has to be considered a strong candidate for any managerial vacancy outside of the Premier League’s top six.
The 56 year-old built Stoke City into the mid-table powerhouses they are today, and performed nothing short of a miracle at Selhurst Park last season by masterminding Crystal Palace to an eleventh place finish in the top flight, earning him the 2013/14 Manager of the Season award.
He picked up the Eagles in November 2013 at the foot of the Premier League table with just seven points on the board – a situation not dissimilar to where the Magpies currently find themselves.
Most importantly for Newcastle fans following their slump into the Championship in 2009, relegation-threatened 2012/13 campaign and current demise this season, Pulis boasts the impressive feat of having never been relegated as a manager, throughout spells with Bournemouth, Gillingham, Bristol City, Plymouth, the Potters and Palace.
But the former defender left the South London outfit by mutual consent at the start of the current campaign, reportedly due to a dispute over transfer policy with co-Chairman Steve Parish, so it remains to be seen if he’d be willing to work with Mike Ashley, who has infamously dominated Newcastle’s recruitment throughout Alan Pardew’s tenure.
The Tynesiders will have to act quickly too; Pulis has strongly been linked with the vacancy at Cardiff City, following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s resignation last week:
DAVID MOYES
David Moyes may have endured a horror-story ten months at Manchester United, leading the Red Devils to the worst title defence in Premier League history since the 38-game season began, but his prior accomplishments with Everton have not been forgotten.
The Scot transformed the Toffees from relegation candidates into top six regulars during his eleven years at Goodison Park, in that time winning the 2003, 2005 and 2009 LMA Manager of the Year awards.
That level of consistency – Everton finished outside of the top seven just three times under Moyes – is exactly what Newcastle need to bring them back towards former glories, and the 51 year-old’s ability to work with modest resources will particularly strike a chord with Mike Ashley.
The former Preston boss needs to rebuild his reputation after the hellish United stint, and following rejection from Galatasaray earlier this summer, will be prepared to take on a less coveted club.
But Moyes was on £4million-per-year at Everton and £3.5million-per-year at Manchester United, so the Newcastle owner will likely have to pay a premium rate for his services.
Steve Bruce
Once harangued out of the Sunderland dugout for being a ‘fat Geordie b*****d, Newcastle United boss could well be the managerial role Steve Bruce was born for.
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He’s enjoyed consistent Premier spells with Birmingham, Wigan Athletic, the Black Cats and now Hull City, guiding them to Europa League qualification via the FA Cup last season, and as a boyhood Toon supporter, would gloss over many of the entrenched issues between Mike Ashley and the fanbase.
The 53 year-old admitted in November 2013 his regret in not becoming Newcastle boss when the opportunity arose during his St. Andrew’s days, but he also labelled recent links with the Magpies post ‘disrespectful’ last week.
And although he appears to have the firm backing of the tabloids, who have lined him up rather vigorously as Alan Pardew’s replacement, Bruce made further suggestions he’d turn down the Tynesiders this weekend by backing their under-fire manager:
Also tied down to a long-term contract with the Tigers, Ashley would have to fork out a significant compensation sum to even hold talks with the former Manchester United skipper.
NEIL LENNON
Neil Lennon left Celtic on his own terms at the end of last season, after claiming three consecutive SPL titles, two Scottish Cups and masterminding some of the most memorable European nights in the club’s history – including this Champions League victory over Barcelona:
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The northern Irishman’s move to English football feels inevitable and he was linked with a plethora of managerial vacancies in the Premier League and Championship throughout the summer, including Norwich City and West Brom.
No club has taken a punt on the 43 year-old just yet, and admittedly, a lack of experience in the English top flight will work against him. But the former Crewe and Leicester City midfielder boasts enormous potential as a manager and his feisty passion will certainly gain the support of the Toon Army:
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That being said, Mike Ashley needs to act quickly – Lennon has been linked to both the Cardiff City and Fulham posts:
FABRICIO COLOCCINI
Could this actually happen, or is it simply a Toon Army fantasy? For that matter, would it even be a good idea?
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Either way, The Telegraph claim Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini is amongst the contenders to take over from under-fire manager Alan Pardew:
The 32 year-old is an absolute novice in managerial terms and probably envisages his playing days lasting a little longer, having eyed a prodigal-son return to Argentina with San Lorenzo back in January.
But he’s also seen as an adoptive son of the Tyneside community, with his floppy hair iconic and the defender boasting over 200 appearances for the Toon. Here are some of the highlights from his seven-year spell:
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It’s the kind of cost-cutting measure Mike Ashley tends to go for and the exact same decision Swansea City made regarding Gary Monk last season. The Welsh side are now fifth in the Premier League table.
But the Argentina international has been as instrumental as anybody in Newcastle’s plight over the last few seasons, enduring questionable form and rarely showing the organisational qualities expected of a captain centre-back.
I’m sure Magpies fans would prefer to see some leadership from the pitch before he moves to the dugout.
Nine points dropped from a WINNING POSITION already this season…
The Swansea collapse on Sunday was another disappointing day at the office for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, prompting much talk of ‘same old story’ from Gooners. It seems bizarre that after so many crumbling performances in recent years that the Frenchman has done very little to repair the glaring issues, leading to frustration in the stands and underachievement on the pitch.
So just what can be done at the Emirates Stadium? Here are FIVE options to give the Londoners a little more ‘backbone’.
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William Carvalho
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Dubbed the ‘new Patrick Vieira’, Carvalho looks to be everything Arsenal are missing in the centre of midfield. Strong, energetic, pacey and able to get forward, the Portugal international is the complete package and is viewed, by many, as the best young enforcer in Europe behind Paul Pogba.
Mathieu Flamini is a red card waiting to happen, Mikel Arteta can no longer get about the pitch as he’s needed to, whilst the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky are too attack-minded to mop up in front of the backline. Carvalho to solve the problems? At £20m, he could.
Sami Khedira
For much of the summer the Gunners were linked with the German, and with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, January could be the best time to nab the 27-year-old. Khedira is another all-action midfielder who’s able to get up and down the pitch and protect or support, making him a useful tool to his side.
Arsenal’s German contingent may be key in convincing the World Cup winner to reject Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, so Wenger should probably consider an £8m-£10m move.
Mats Hummels
In a period in which there are very few top class centre-backs around, Hummels appears to be the pick of the bunch. That’s not to mean that he isn’t of the quality of some of the great defenders of the past 20 years or so, with the Dortmund ace a genuinely excellent enforcer.
Manchester United also want the 25-year-old, but weekend reports indicated that the player himself is more open to joining the Gunners thanks to their proven Champions League qualification track record. At £30m-££35m it’s a no brainier, right?
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Rangy and combative, Kondogbia is an excellent holding midfielder. Another player to have been handed the ‘Patrick Vieira’ tag, the current Monaco man was linked with the Gunners before joining the French heavyweights upon their return to France’s top tier.
//www.youtube.com/embed/SES25fmHF8U
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“There’s a lad at Monaco called Geoffrey Kondogbia who is very similar to Patrick Vieira and he played at the Emirates Cup.
“It would take a lot of money to get him, but he’s physically imposing and he would be the perfect buy.”
The words Arsenal hero Perry Groves. ‘Nuff said.
Gerard Pique
Bags of experience and a real winning mentality, Pique is the calibre of centre-back needed to stem the flow of goals at the wrong end for Arsenal. The Spaniard has recently fallen out of favour at Barcelona, and although Chelsea and Manchester United are leading the race, the Gunners could yet steal in to nab the World Cup winner.
Pique’s composure on the ball and ability to function in ‘the Barca way’ are certain to appeal to Wenger, who is known to like his defenders to be able to play out from the back. A £20m-£25m fee will be needed, but such sums could easily be made up with a top four finish this season.
Morgan Schneiderlin has revealed that he will not be leaving Southampton in January, despite strong links with Tottenham during a summer of uncertainty.
The French international was heavily aligned with a move away from the South Coast club during the last transfer window, with reports suggesting that he demanded to be allowed to leave following the sales of big name players such as Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Dejan Lovren.
But despite this, the Saints held firm to keep hold of the 24-year-old.
WANT MORE? >> Southampton transfer news | Spurs transfer news
Since then Schneiderlin has impressed in the first-team, helping the Hampshire outfit to secure 13 points from seven games – leaving them third in the Premier League for the current international break.
Talk of a move to Spurs in January has started to populate gossip columns once again in recent weeks, but now Schneiderlin has confirmed that he has no intention of making a move until at the end of the season at the very earliest:
“I played against Liverpool at Anfield and all the Southampton fans applauded me and chanted my name.” he is quoted by Sky Sports. “It was so heart-warming. I knew then I would spend the whole season at Southampton.
“Maybe now we will achieve something amazing here. Champions League qualification would be fantastic. I hope to play in the Champions League one day, of course. I want to play every three days. But why not play in the Champions League with Southampton?”
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Non-League fixture lists are set to face another winter of discontent as the weather ruins grass pitches, but this is changing. From next season the Conference is allowing 3G (“third generation”) pitches for multiple reasons; they provide a better playing surface; they are more financially viable; they give a community benefit.
The Conference will become the highest level to allow 3G surfaces in English league football, which is far behind Europe. There Champions League, Europa League and International matches are often played on artificial pitches – in 2007 England lost 2-1 to Russia in a European Championship qualifier on one in Moscow.
One argument against artificial pitches is that football should be played on grass to respect tradition. However on that basis we would still be using a pig’s bladder and competing only been rival villages, as they did in the Victorian ages!
Plastic pitches where banned from English professional football in 1995 after QPR, Luton Town, Oldham Athletic, Hyde and Preston North End unsuccessfully tried them.
Synthetic surfaces have since improved, evident in other sports – Rugby Union and League sides Saracens and Widnes use them with little complaints. Moreover extensive research indicates that there is no noteworthy difference in injury risk between using 3G and grass surfaces.
Maidstone United have pioneered the renaissance of 3G pitches through their Gallagher Stadium, which testers considered “as good as Wembley”. They are currently in the Isthmian Premier League and can now attain Conference status, after an initial vote on 3G pitches for this season was voted down 21-11.
A second vote saw the opposite result leaving Minister for Sport Helen Grant, who is also a member of parliament for Maidstone and The Weald, “delighted that this sensible step has been taken”. The FA and Football League deserve credit for encouraging the Conference’s U-turn through allowing 3G pitches for all FA Cup from this season onwards.
A primary argument against 3G pitches for Non-League clubs is the vast cost of their installation, approximately £300,000. However, surely a deal could be struck with a funding organisation like The National Lottery to match club funds towards the pitch.
Local councils could then provide a loan and stipulation that the pitch is hired out for a certain number of hours a week at reasonable prices. Enthusiastic amateur footballers would relish the chance to play at the ground of a semi-professional club, whilst enabling the club to pay back towards the cost of the pitch.
Alex Horne noted that 3G pitches can cope with extra use, as they “are a useful asset capable of 50-plus hours per week compared to around five from grass surfaces”. These ‘extra’ hours also allow Non-League clubs to rejuvenate and revive their youth academies, which are currently facing stringent cuts.
Paul Scholes has rightly advocated this benefit of 3G pitches, citing Germany as an excellent example – they have over 4,000 3G pitches, England has fewer than 750.
3G pitches can facilitate improvement in the quality of Non-League football played in the Conference, through rewarding clubs for playing a passing game – as Brian Clough said “. Currently many Conference pitches are difficult to pass and control the ball on due to being undulating services with an uneven covering of grass, if there is any. Cold winters bring rain which exacerbates this problem, but 3G pitches avoid the disruption of fixture cancellations and backlogs.
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This brings huge financial benefit which clubs like Braintree Town would die for – The Iron lost 12 successive home games last year! This means sides maintain the sustainable turnover on which they are often reliant, namely match day revenue, whilst pitch maintenance costs largely disappear.
England is unrivalled in the volume of clubs and supporters following the semi-professional game, it seems only fair that all involved have the chance to attain facilities that will provide a dependable fixture list and 3G pitches should be an important part of that.
Liverpool have had an indifferent season so far, especially compared to the highs of last season’s title challenge. Currently eight after 20 matches – with just eight victories and seven defeats – it was always going to be difficult once Luis Suarez left the club.
Add to that Daniel Sturridge missing the majority of the season so far through injury, and that’s 52 goals taken out of the side. Any team would struggle but recent form suggests Liverpool are slowly getting back to their best and are just seven points off a Champions League position. With Sturridge expected back sooner rather than later, a top four finish isn’t completely out of the question, especially due to the inconsistencies of some of the teams above Liverpool.
Liverpool are currently six games unbeaten – four in the league – and are still in both domestic cup competitions. Whilst a two legged League Cup semi-final against Chelsea will be extremely tough to overcome, nothing can be ruled out with Liverpool and their love of the League Cup. And in the FA Cup, a kinder home tie against Bolton awaits, a match they will be strong favourites to win.
Although their last Premier League encounter ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Leicester, Brendan Rodgers’ men have certainly shown vast improvements in the past month. A 3-4-3 formation has been implemented with two wing backs as part of the midfield four and both Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho allowed to drop deeper if needed. This formation has seen Liverpool become a little more solid at the back whilst more adventurous up-front, as demonstrated in the 4-1 defeat of Swansea. This type of formation is suited to Steven Gerrard’s style of play, as demonstrated in recent weeks, and he will be a huge loss when he departs at the end of the season.
But the weaknesses still appear and, despite having two wing-backs that can make up a back five off the ball, the defence still concede too regularly. One of the first times Liverpool used this tactic was against Man United in the 3-0 loss at Old Trafford. Liverpool matched United for most of the match, created many clear cut chances, which may have resulted in goals had they been able to call upon a quality centre forward instead of makeshift option Raheem Stirling. The Reds’ consistently poor defensive displays are also clear indications there are still areas in which Liverpool must improve, but they are not a million miles away from competing for a European place again.
They must either buy a centre forward this month, or at least start playing with one, because it could prove vital in their search for consistency and a top four finish. Rickie Lambert might have had a tough start to life at Liverpool, but he is able to score goals if given the opportunity and, while Mario Balotelli has been poor, a loan move away from Anfield could be what he needs to rebuild his confidence in front of goal. Daniel Sturridge returning will be like a new signing for Brendan Rodgers, but only if he can hit the ground running after a lengthy lay-off. But he is the type of striker Liverpool have been missing, a proven goalscorer who has impressed greatly since arriving in Merseyside.
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It was always going to take time to adjust to Luis Suarez’s departure but there are signs that Liverpool still have a side full of quality. A bit more time should be allowed because the club can still fight all the way for a top four finish and perhaps even some silverware come May.
There are few things more cringe-worthy in the modern game than the sort of pre-game banter often exchanged between official club twitter accounts.Arsenal and Monaco seem to be masters of the art, however, as they proved tonight with this exchange:
Some say the arguments that take place beneath YouTube videos is the lowest form of discourse. Others believe that this is offered by Jeremy Kyle.
However, as Arsenal and AS Monaco have shown us tonight, it would seem the kind of ‘banter’ exchanged between official club twitter handles is making a strong argument for that crown.
Arsenal are the only team, alongside Real Madrid, to have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in every season since the new format in 2003/04. However, they have been knocked out in the last 16 in each of the last four seasons.
Monaco, on the other hand, have gone through against English clubs in their last three knockout encounters: in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup quarter finals v Newcastle, in the 1997/98 Champions League quarter finals v Manchester Utd and in the 2003/04 Champions League semi-finals v Chelsea.
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Despite enjoying the profits of the much documented ‘Luis Suarez cash’ that got spent rather hastily throughout the course of last summer, Liverpool’s latest batch of new signings simply haven’t worked out as well as most would have expected for Brendan Rodgers.
It must obviously be remembered that the likes of Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren still remain in the early stages of their Anfield careers, with certain new additions such as Emre Can already proving to be worthwhile acquisitions so far – but ultimately the Reds just haven’t reinvested their money with a great deal of efficiency.
With Roma’s star midfielder – Miralem Pjanic – still seemingly remaining a high transfer priority for Brendan Rodgers however, perhaps Liverpool’s recent transfer activity might just start being seen in a different light. The Bosnian international could simply prove to be the missing piece of the puzzle for Liverpool next season.
As the 24-year-old will reportedly cost the Premier League club in the region of £37million though, would such a bold investment really be worth it for Brendan Rodgers in his attempts to transform the Reds into a title winning side? The answer might just be yes…
Although continuing to get the chequebook out in such a carefree manner may come across as somewhat unsustainable at first, Liverpool just haven’t been able to match the lofty expectations of their fans throughout the Premier League era – so maybe more risks will inevitably have to be taken.
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Miralem Pjanic though – should he eventually sign at Anfield – would nevertheless offer something that the Reds are currently lacking. The Bosnian star shined at last summer’s World Cup for his ability to connect his team’s strikers with the rest of his side. Through a combination of his flawless passing, intelligent vision across the pitch, and impressive composure on the ball throughout the whole 90 minutes – Pjanic acts as an attacking anchor for his respective teams, and more often than not proves worthy of his current status in European football.
Roma have recently been experiencing somewhat of a renaissance in recent years, successfully challenging Juventus for that all-important top spot in Serie A ahead of both Inter and AC Milan. Such a turnaround in fortunes comes as no surprise however, as this recent golden era for the Romans has conveniently coincided with Miralem Pjanic’s time at the club. His role within Rudi Garcia’s team therefore comes with a great deal of importance.
Should Liverpool finally give the go ahead on such a deal, space within Brendan Rodgers’ current squad would simply have to be freed up in order to successfully house the former Lyon man.
Alongside the likes of Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho – with Daniel Sturridge performing his usual duties up top and Adam Lallana fleeting in and out of proceedings – Liverpool would perhaps have what it takes to both reassert themselves domestically and in the Champions League, as well as finally moving on from missing the ever remembered Luis Suarez down at Anfield.
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At a hefty £37m though, time will simply have to tell on this particular transfer story. With the likes of PSG previously reporting an interest in bringing the up and coming talent under their wing, Liverpool will simply have a huge task ahead of them if they want to be the ones to land the Bosnian.
If the Reds manage to successfully do it however, Brendan Rodgers’ side will definitely be looking a great deal stronger in the run up to the new 2015/16 campaign. Ahead of Jordan Henderson perhaps, it might just be Miralem Pjanic who turns out to be the man worthy of effectively replacing Steven Gerrard at Anfield for the foreseeable future.
Aston Villa’s late season resurgence is likely ensure they will remain in the Premier League as well as giving them a season-ender at Wembley for the FA Cup Final. Much of the plaudits for this Midlands renaissance have been heaped at the feet of their new manager Tim Sherwood; but his centre forward, Christian Benteke, has proved to be the catalyst for their improved run of form.
With the Belgian now enjoying his most consistent run of form since his debut season in England, clubs are again rumoured to be looking at the Villa man, but is he good enough to make the step up to the elite level?
His first season at Villa Park was one of the better debut campaigns for a striker in a number of years. In a struggling side he managed to plunder 19 league goals, at a ratio of better than one in two. His unerring speed and eye for goal made him one of the hottest properties in English football and despite the club’s protestations, Benteke put in a transfer request and seemed destined to leave the Midlands for a multi-million pound fee.
However, the striker retracted his request and stayed at the club, and since that transfer fiasco the 24 year old has struggled to regain the kind of blistering form he found at the start of his Villa career. This was until the emergence of Mr. Sherwood, the striker has been revitalised under his new boss and has managed to notch six goals in his last four games, including a winner at Tottenham, a hat-trick against QPR and the equaliser at Wembley against Liverpool.
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In a season of immense struggles for the club he has still managed to hit double figures, and in doing so has scored nearly 50% of his team’s goals. His recent form has earned them enough valuable points to mean glances over claret and blue shoulders are becoming less and less frequent.
His recent form has again stoked the fire of speculation and it seems as if Liverpool are keen on adding the Belgian to their ranks. Brendan Rodgers’ team has struggled to find the net this term and a natural goalscorer is top of his wish list. Benteke has consistently managed to find the net – he has nearly 40 in less than 85 games for the Villains – and this record becomes even more impressive when you consider he has been in a poorer team and had a serious knee injury.
Quality, high level strikers are at a genuine premium in football and ones that have proven themselves in the English top flight are at an ever greater one. Christian Benteke crosses all the boxes that any team needs from their head of attack and has the potential to be one of the division’s top players.
The Villa striker has proven his worth at a struggling side but now he must surely be looking over the other side of the fence and see the glory that could await him. His performances at Villa Park have earned him a move to one of the country’s genuine title contenders and he may prove to be a shrewd bit of business to anyone that can acquire him.
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Manchester United’s fourth place finish marked a decent first season in charge for Louis van Gaal, who ensured the club’s primary aim of securing Champions League football was met with six points to spare.
Attention has already turned to next season, however, and there is still plenty of work to do in order to fulfil the notably higher expectations they will face. It’s already clear United want to be challenging for the league title next term, but the squad will have to be strengthened if they are to have any hope of overhauling the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Despite the defence remaining a cause for concern and the goalkeeping situation a worry with the future of goalkeeper David de Gea still in doubt, it’s the attacking players that could have the biggest influence on their success next season.
The Red Devils struggled at times in the campaign just gone with a lack of firepower ultimately costing them a top three finish. It was hard to envisage that at the start of the season, but with Robin van Persie struggling for both fitness and form and Radamel Falcao failing to make a significant impression; there appears to be a real need for a new striker this summer – especially as the latter has been sent back to Monaco.
A few names have already been linked with a move to Old Trafford including Harry Kane and Gonzalo Higuain, but there is the possibility that Real Madrid could be willing to cash in on Karim Benzema. This is the player Van Gaal should be prioritising over the summer and a signing that could make them a real threat next season.
The arrival of Rafa Benitez at Madrid has led to speculation that Benzema may lose his place in the side, with Ronaldo tipped to fill the centre forward position at the Bernabeu. And with suggestions that the striker could also be used in some sort of deal to finally sign De Gea; Benzema’s time in Spain could be coming to an end.
Arsenal have also been strongly linked with the Frenchman who still remains one of the best goalscorers in Europe, and the destination of the 27-year-old could well be the difference between which of these teams finishes higher next season.
Benzema netted 22 goals last term, and it’s that sort of return that United will be desperate for going forward. He’s not only a superb finisher that will guarantee goals, but his ability to create opportunities for his team-mates would make him a great asset to United, providing the cutting edge they lacked so dearly.
Given the outstanding exploits of Ronaldo; Benzema’s contribution often gets overlooked, but the fact he’s scored 123 goals in less than 250 appearances for the Spanish giants highlights his class and potency.
At the prime of his career; he certainly looks like the marquee signing that United require upfront and would send a huge signal of intent to the rest of the Premier League.
Van Gaal will be desperate to improve on the lacklustre tally of 62 goals that his United side registered last season – their second lowest in Premier League history – and a pairing of Wayne Rooney and Benzema would definitely provide them with the firepower to do so.
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Whether or not the forward leaves the Spanish capital this summer remains to be seen; and you’d have to say it would be strange were Real willing to let a player of this quality depart. But if this is the case what the Red Devils mustn’t do is allow him to join the Gunners without doing all they can to secure his signature.
Which ever team can win the race for the £30m striker will not only have put themselves in the best position to wrestle the league title off Chelsea, but also have dealt a huge blow to one of their major rivals before the season has even got underway.