Lionel Andres Messi

Fullname: Lionel Andres Messi
Nickname/s: Leo, La Pulga
Date of Birth: 24-06-1987
Place of Birth: Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Position: Forward
Team: FC Barcelona
National Team: Argentina
Height: 1.69 m
Weight: 62 kg

lionel messi wallpaper

lionel messi wallpaper

alexis sanchez

The news hit hard last night & is doing the rounds across the Spanish Sports newspapers this morning. The signing by FC BARCELONA of Chilean 23 year old International & UDINESE player ALEXIS SANCHEZ is imminent with a full announcement in hours.

alexis sanchez 2011

alexis sanchez

The final transfer number dances from source to source but the most talked about figure is around 43M€ with Italian Club Udinese giving their OK ( 27M€ up front, with the 16M€ resting in quotes, friendly games, Champions League objectives & other formulas). The player receives a 5 year contract & I would believe an interesting salary that hasn´t been disclosed at this point.

Interesting to see how with very limited cash resources at Barcelona, the Club has put Sanchez as priority over Cesc Fabregas. Imagine how the player must be feeling & thinking after observing that he is a second dish. In fact, media observers have commented these last few days that President Sandro Rosell does not see Fabregas as a "do or die" objective & that the player would come after in "reasonable" conditions. Barca has offered around the 25 - 29M€ area while Arsenal wants to get paid 40M€.

Cesc Fabregas may be "blindly" in love with FC Barcelona but the Club follows other emotions far from matters of the soul. The current Arsenal player may realize this brutal fact if he finally manages to get to Camp Barça where he can contemplate the on the bench the higher questions of "Football love".

Barca president slams Special One for "totally unfounded accusations"

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell today accused Real Madrid and their coach Jose Mourinho of going too far last season with their "totally unfounded accusations" against the Catalan giants.

Relations between the arch rivals plummeted during a run of four matches in just 18 days between the two Spanish giants in the Primera Division, Champions League semi-finals and Copa del Rey final.

Speaking at a press conference today, Rosell hit out at Madrid's conduct in a lengthy statement.

He said: "We feel that this season Real Madrid have gone beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry, directing accusations towards our club, without any type of foundation."


Madrid boss Mourinho caused a huge controversy in his post-match press conference following April's Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu when he implied Barca receive favourable treatment from referees and claimed the Catalan club had yet to win a "clean" Champions League title under coach Pep Guardiola.

That ill-tempered encounter also saw both Spanish rivals lodge complaints against the other to UEFA afterwards, with Barca singling out Mourinho for his comments and Madrid responding by accusing the Catalan club's players of "feigning aggressions" during the clash.

Ahead of the second leg in Barcelona there were also allegations of racism against Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets towards Madrid defender Marcelo in the same game.

Rosell, whose club won the semi-final 3-1 on aggregate and went on to beat Manchester United in the final, said: "Comments by the protagonists have always served to enrich footballing debate.

"But this season a Real Madrid employee, their coach, went beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry.

"He even went as far as to say that our coach should feel ashamed of some of our victories. The press conference given by the Real Madrid coach after the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at the Bernabeu would certainly have made any sportsperson feel ashamed.

"He accused our club of having won titles thanks to some kind of national and international conspiracy, implicating in this conspiracy the good name of Unicef and the football authorities.

"We obviously defended ourselves, by presenting a formal complaint to UEFA, who finally decided to sanction him."

Mourinho was handed a five-match touchline ban by UEFA in relation to the semi-final first leg, which saw the Portuguese sent to the stands during the game prior to his post-match tirade.

Madrid have appealed against that ruling.

UEFA dismissed the allegations of racism due to "a lack of strong and convincing evidence," while European football's governing body also rejected Madrid's complaint about the supposed play-acting of Barca's players during the match.

Rosell also commented on a report on Spanish radio station Cadena COPE earlier this year regarding allegations linking Barca to doping practices.

"We defended ourselves, and went to court to deny the accusations made by Cadena COPE, who repeatedly gave the name of Real Madrid as the source and origin of the information," said Rosell.

"I can assure you that if anybody, in the name of Barcelona, had dared to make such an accusation, we would have acted firmly, denying this immediately and taking those responsible to court. We would have liked a similar response from Real Madrid, but sadly we never got one."

In concluding his statement, Rosell said: "The rivalry will continue next season, but we cannot allow the limits of fair play to be passed again.

"If the limits of fair play are passed once again, we shall be obliged to end our institutional relations, something we have absolutely no desire to do. We do not want to do that, but we are not afraid of doing it if we have to.

"A few days ago, the president of Real Madrid (Florentino Perez) said he will not stop until they win "the 10th" (European Cup title).

"We hope he tries to do that on the field of play, in a sportsmanlike fashion and returning to the methods that, we feel, many Madrid fans prefer. The president of Real Madrid has the opportunity to revive our relations, both on and off the field

"By means of this institutional statement, Barcelona wishes to put an end to this lamentable episode, which we hope will never be repeated again, for the good of football, of sport and of all of us that love it."

What does the future hold for Sneijder, Modric and Nasri?

The summer months can be arduous times for football fans, as we have to endure June, July and most of August without our doses of domestic football action. However it does bring another exciting element of the beautiful game into play, the buzz of the transfer market. The window officially opens on the 1st of July, but that hasn’t stopped deals taking place already, with the big money moves for Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones grabbing the headlines. The rumour mill is in full swing and plenty of players are being linked with moves away from their clubs, in what promises to be another summer of big spending in the Premier League.

There are three high profile players rumoured to be linked with moves away from their clubs this summer and all three have emerged as potential targets for Premier League big boys Manchester United and Chelsea. Luka Modric, Wesley Sneijder and Samir Nasri have all refused to rule out moves away from their current employers this summer. This has led to suggestions the players could be tempted by the prospect of joining either the English Champions or runners up from last season. So I wonder if there is a chance of any of these transfers materialising.

Samir Nasri has one year remaining on his current contract with the Gunners and while he stalls over the signing of a new deal the rumours linking him to Man United and more recently Bayern Munich are intensifying. Arsene Wenger will be doing all he can to ensure he keeps hold of his creative playmaker for next season. It may take a hefty new contract and some words of wisdom for Mr Wenger to reassure Nasri that the Emirates is where he should be playing his football.

It was only last month that Patrice Evra went public with his plea to his fellow compatriot to join him at Old Trafford and since then there has been talk of United readying a £10 million pound bid for the former Marseille man. In a recent interview Nasri didn’t rule out the possibility of playing for another English club and with Man United in need of a player of Nasri’s ilk, could the Arsenal man be set for a move north? Personally I think Nasri will sign a new deal with Arsenal, but until he commits to the club the rumours will persist.

On the white side of North London Tottenham’s exquisite Croatian midfielder, Luka Modric, has all the attributes to be the perfect signing for Man United or Chelsea. With both clubs issuing their interest in the player Tottenham have moved quickly to reaffirm their stance that the midfielder is not for sale at any price. However, the guarantee of Champions League football and a huge jump in wages is likely to be a real temptation for Modric. Although he is happy at Spurs if the bids started to come in they could well unsettle the player and we all know Spurs have bowed down to the financial power of Man United in the past with Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov. I however think Tottenham will remain defiant in their bid to stave off the advances of Man United and Chelsea and would be surprised if Modric is not running out for Spurs in August.

The third big hitter linked to both United and Chelsea is Inter Milan’s Dutch master Wesley Sneijder. Out of the players in question I think Sneijder is the most likely to make a move to one of the big two this summer. He recently committed himself to Inter, but has since spoken out about the uncertainty of his future. Sneijder would represent an excellent signing for either of these big hitters, but a stumbling block could be his huge wages, reported to be in excess of £7.5 million a year. This may rule Man United out of the chase but I’m sure wouldn’t deter Chelsea should they look to sign the £30 million plus rated midfield man.

Football being what it is means there is no way the potential transfers of either Nasri, Modric or Sneijder can be ruled out. No matter how adamant a manager may be his player isn’t leaving there is always likely to be a spanner in the works that can change the whole outlook. Although I think Nasri and Modric will remain in North London, when Chelsea and Manchester United are involved anything can happen. You can rest assured that the three players focused on in this article will get their fair share of column inches this summer. What do you think, will we see Nasri, Modric or Sneijder on the transfer merry-go-round this summer?

Cristiano Ronaldo: I never want to leave Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would stay at Real Madrid for another 10 years if the opportunity arose.

The Portugal international scored an incredible 53 goals for Madrid in all competitions last season but Jose Mourinho's men only ended up with the Copa del Rey crown.

As good as Madrid were, they still found themselves playing second fiddle to Barcelona, who won both the Primera Division and Champions League - in which they beat Madrid in the semi-finals.

Ronaldo has recently been linked with a move to Manchester City, a club backed by wealthy Middle Eastern owners, but the former Manchester United man insists he has no immediate plans to return to the Premier League.

"I can't see myself leaving Madrid," he told the Cadena COPE radio station. "I'm very happy here, it has been phenomenal."

Ronaldo, who was reported to have been offered £400,000 a week to join City, says money is not a deciding factor in his future.

Ever since the inception of the Bosman ruling in 1995, clubs can no longer afford to focus only on the short term, and thus often open contract negotiations with their players long before their deals are set to expire. If the player in question refuses to sign an extension, teams must make a decision as to whether they want to cash in, or hold on to the individual for another year before watching them depart on a free transfer.

One of the most intriguing transfer sagas of the moment is the potential move of Arsenal's Samir Nasri to domestic rivals Manchester United. The France international has yet to extend his contract beyond the summer of 2012, and United are closely monitoring his situation.

Nasri is not the only player who will soon have an important decision to make, however. Clubs still have two-and-a-half months left to assemble their squads, but most want to wrap up their transfer dealings for the new campaign as soon as possible.

Playing Rooney on his own would provide England with greater balance

It’s a shame Adam Johnson didn’t get more than the handful of minutes he got in England’s 3-1 defeat of Mexico. Not because he almost made a sensational start when he came on but because England’s shape lacks a left side.

At the moment, England’s system is to have an inter-changing role down the left hand side occupied by Gerrard and Rooney. Both have a long list of strengths but find themselves performing these at their best inside. Naturally, more often than not when England are attacking you find them both inside.

Against Mexico it was Theo Walcott, but start Aaron Lennon there and the right hand side of midfield position has the same set of instructions, ‘get wide, stay wide, take on the full back’. Nothing wrong with that. Makes perfect sense actually when you think of the pace both players poses.

The final point of the argument is the full backs. First choice Cole and Johnson are, it’s fair to say, better at going forward than the other way.

This is all very well going forward but what about when you lose the ball? You have your left winger playing as an attacking midfielder. Right winger on the right touchline and both full backs on their heels. It puts an awful lot of pressure on the holding midfield players not to mention our centre backs who let’s not forget have either not had a particularly injure free season or one blessed with the greatest of form.

In the first half especially it’s alarming a team like Mexico had so much of the ball in our final third. It may be more alarming how many times we were caught on the break.

A 3-1 win against a team who normally averages a second round finish at a World Cup, isn’t a bad way to finish a World Cup warm up match. But, you can’t help think Capello will not be happy. You can’t also think a team of greater ability than Mexico would have walked of the pitch at half time with a better score line.

You can argue that we missed Lampard and Barry in midfield, Cole and Terry in defence but the exposure down the left hand side is something Egypt were able to expose only a few months ago too.

It’s not necessarily that ever wave of attack on England’s goal will be down the left hand side. If the balance is wrong then it puts the whole shape of the team out of joint.

Let’s say Walcott is down the right. He sticks to instructions and hogs the touchline. The opposition will just man mark him out the game. If he does well, double up on him. If he is out of the game and Gerrard over the other side of the pitch isn’t there and is instead inside, then it means England’s space to attack is limited in the final third as England loses the width of the pitch by about a third. Everything becomes too narrow and congested and players become easier to mark.

Exposure on the break is likely with the full backs, Cole and Johnson, trying to give England a bit of width. The same sort of confusion like what we saw with the breaks from Mexico will have the likes of Brazil and Spain drawling at the month!

Starting Adam Johnson, or even Joe Cole, who has played the left midfield position for England in the past and played it well, would bring a equal balance to the midfield and instantly widen the area in which England have at their exposal when plotting an attack. It would mean sacrificing a forward. Using the Mexico game as an example it would mean Crouch leaving Rooney up to on his own and Gerrard in the space behind him- roles both our use to for their clubs.

Instead of either Rooney or Gerrard having to bust a gut to fill in down the left hand side when England are under attack, it would mean there would be cover already to hand. Call it a 4-5-1 when defending and a 4-2-3-1 when attacking if you like.

We all know the strengths Rooney has at playing up top on his own. His season with United more than proves it. At times in an England shirt he and Gerrard have threatened to read each other’s minds when going forward. A slight shift in positions could unlock this threat.

Capello made a point, many moons ago when he first took on the job, players had to fit into the system rather than a system having to fit around players, well if England are to be successful in South Africa the up and coming friendly with Japan should be the time to test the double Player Of The Year in the position he won it in and a natural balance to the team behind him.

Wenger playing for keeps on Nasri

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said the club will do everything to keep French star Samir Nasri at Emirates Stadium next season.With Arsenal enduring their sixth consecutive season without silverware, there had been speculation in British media that some of their big names – including Nasri and captain Cesc Fabregas – could seek a move away from London.

But with Nasri, 23, out of contract after the 2011/12 season and being linked with a move to champions Manchester United, Wenger has said he is a required player at Arsenal.

“We will do everything to keep Nasri at the club. My wish is that he stays here,” Wenger told The Sun.

“If he looks back he can see that he’s come quite a long way with us, and I think there is still a bit to do. It’s the club that makes the player’s career.”

Fabregas has been surrounded by rumours of a move home to Barcelona – where he was a product of their famed youth academy – for over a year now, but Wenger insisted he will be an Arsenal player for some time yet.

“I will be pretty clear about this. For me, Fabregas is with Arsenal for a long time and he will stay with Arsenal,” the Frenchman said.

“It sometimes happens that the rumour can make the transfer.”

“Next year will see the introduction of the financial fair play system, which will limit the big transfers.”

“I think this is the last year that the summer will be hot – very hot.”

AGUERO WON'T RULE OUT REAL MADRID

Sergio Aguero to sign for in Summer 2011 Transfer Window Join By End Of Summer Transfer Window: Real Madrid 5/4

Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero has failed to rule out the possibility of a switch to city rivals Real Madrid.

The gifted Argentina international is thought to be on the radar of several top European sides.

But it is Spanish giants Real Madrid who have been most strongly linked with a swoop for his services.

Aguero has stated that no decision over his future will be made until after the Copa America, but has welcomed past praise from Real boss Jose Mourinho.

"Everyone knows where my career will continue," he told TyC Sports. "It makes me happy that a coach like Mourinho speaks well of me, him just as much as other coaches.

"(My future) will be decided when the Copa America finishes. I don't know what will happen.

"Right now I'm busy with the Copa, then we'll see what happens with my future. It's a pleasure to be back with the national team, we are all very excited and want to make the (Argentina) fans happy."

The 'new Chicharito': How Manchester United target Erick Torres has filled his predecessor's boots

Javier Hernandez has been the signing of the season at Old Trafford and Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to repeat the trick by securing the signature of his replacement at Chivas

Described as the 'new Chicharito', Erick Torres has impressed since stepping into the Manchester United striker’s boots at Chivas at the tender age of 18.
Unsurprisingly, the youngster has been on the radar of the Red Devils ever since breaking into the Mexican side's first team last November and it would appear that United are looking to strike gold in the region for the second time in a year.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United have built up a good relationship with the club following their dealings last summer for Hernandez. However, it is unlikely that Chivas will be as willing to sell the teenager given the success of the Hernandez since his transfer to Old Trafford a year ago.

The talented striker, who is nicknamed El Cubo, caught the eye of the national press ever since he made his debut.

He has quick feet, good positional sense and plenty of skill. He shares one trait particularly in common with Hernandez in that he likes to move the ball quickly, playing one and two touch football and then, like Chicharito, comes alive in the penalty area.

He scored six goals in 19 appearances last season since making his debut against Monterrey in November and is now trying to earn a place in the Mexican Under-20 national team that is due to play at the Under-20 World Cup in August.

How much will he cost?

The owner of Chivas, Jorge Vergara, has made it clear that he wants the teenager to remain at Chivas next season. He said “El Cubo has to continue with Chivas, not only because of his age, but to give the team what the team has given to him.

“I don’t know anything officially about Manchester United's interest but El Cubo has a lot of great qualities and I wouldn't be surprised if Ferguson liked him and I will be pleased if he is interested as well."

Chivas are likely to have learned from the sale of Hernandez to the Red Devils, and will not want to settle for anything less than £10-12 million. Sir Alex Ferguson once quipped of Chicharito “we’ve stolen him”, and Vergara knows that they can’t afford to have lightning strike twice.

The Mexican side will try their upmost to hold on to the striker until at least the next transfer window in January, but if the right offer comes in they would find it difficult to turn it down.

Where would he fit in?

Torres' game would certainly suit the fast pace of the Premier League. He’s got quick feet, can score with any part of his body - something Chicharito took to extremes last season - and has a terrific attitude, much like his predecessor.

Ferguson has always hailed the dedication of Chicharito in terms of his work ethic and his constant willingness to learn and improve his game. Sir Alex would get the same characteristics and enthusiasm with Torres.

Dimitar Berbatov is being linked with a move away from Old Trafford after falling out of favour with Ferguson towards the latter end of the season and being left out of the squad for the Champions League final last month won't have helped their relationship, despite finishing joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals.

This could leave room for another striker in the Scot’s squad next season alongside Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Hernandez, as well as the returning Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda after loan spells.

The Manchester United manager's pedrigree in the transfer market has been dented in recent times following the signings of Gabriel Obertan and Bebe, but the success of Chicharito shows the value of taking chances.

Torres is still quite raw and would definitely need time to develop; this would certainly be a signing for the future. Sir Alex is keen to uncover more talent from Latin America and is reported to have sent scouts to watch the Mexican in action against China in a friendly match on Monday.

Chelsea need Kaka or wesley sneijder

Former Chelsea player, Marcel Desailly judge, "The Blues" takes world-class playmaker Kaka range (Real Madrid), or Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan) to get up next season.

Desailly who defended Chelsea in 1998-2004 admitted sure, lack of Chelsea last season for not having a reliable servant to the striker. Midfielder-owned by Chelsea midfielder nobody has a position as a pure playmaker.

"Chelsea need someone who can play in between the strikers and midfield to reduce the pressure on Essien and Lampard in advance to help the attack. Someone who can control the game with their own hands like Kaka or Wesley Sneijder, "said Desailly.

Desailly also revealed another reason Chelsea failed last season. "Chelsea need more consistency in their performances throughout the year.

"When you compare them with Manchester United in how to handle pressure, you will see United do not finish, not crazy, and keep working hard. Conversely, as soon as Chelsea lost two or three games, they immediately have a problem, "said Desailly.

Sanchez got Barca favorite?

Where Alexis Sanchez will anchor next season seems more and see a bright spot after Udinese claimed to have been taking care of its star's move to Barcelona.

"Sanchez and his agent, Fernando Felicevich, has reached an agreement with Barcelona also worth three euros per season," said club president Franco Soldati told Chilean newspaper La Tercera, who launched the Italian Football.

Sanchez was in the middle of last season became hot property in the transfer market looks bright associated with Udinese this season. Duet with Antonio in Il Natale brought Zebrette to qualify for the Champions League qualifiers next season.

So a kind of European clubs Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester United and Manchester City after his signature. But Barca was the one who was lucky to get it.

However, Barca Sanchez has not fully get. There are still some personal details that must be resolved. So at the latest according to Soldati, Sanchez can only be landed at the Camp Nou next month.

"But that does not mean he will join them, but we know what players want and aware to him," he continued.

"We expect to finish everything for the good players, but I think this process can not be resolved before the end of June.

"We have no purpose to talk with Barca, but the negotiations had only begun. If they pay according to what we want, then no problem.

"Barcelona is the favorite, then there is Juventus and Inter. Three clubs are interested Sanchez. We are optimistic the transfer would be completed and will soon meet the wishes of the players, "he concluded.

Sanchez price estimated around 30 million euros. Not only get money for it, Udinese plans to get Bojan Krkic on loan.

Neill eyes Premier League return

Australian captain Lucas Neill sees his decision on which direction to take his club career as crucial to his prospects of representing his country at the 2014 World Cup.At 33 and with the tournament in Brazil still three years away, it would appear time is against Neill playing in a third World Cup.

But the versatile defender, who is looking for a new club after completing his contract with Turkish outfit Galatasaray, is weighing up his options and will talk to Socceroos manager Holger Osieck about where he thinks Neill’s best interests lie in terms of his prospects with the national side.

“I’ll discuss it with the manager, talk about the options and which ones he may be able to give me some opinions on,” said Neill ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Serbia.

“I see this as new challenge for myself again.”

“I need to pick the right one because my goal is to be fit and playing well for the World Cup.”

“Some of you might think I might be too old, but I want to be part of that plan.”

“If the manager can assist me with that, then great.”

Neill, recently linked to promoted English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, still believes he has what it takes to play in a major European league.

“I hope so. I still feel I have a lot to offer there and I want to be playing at the highest level possible for me to reward myself and my country with more opportunities,” he said.

Neill, who played English Premier League football with Blackburn, West Ham and Everton before moving to Turkey, expects his club future to be sorted sooner rather than later.

“I’m there or thereabouts. But I’m here with Australia now, so this week has been purely focused on that,” he said.

“I’m trying to get my fitness back up to where it was and when it is all said and done, I’ll have two weeks and that’s when I will start thinking about it.”

Neill has been battling a groin injury which kept him out of Sunday’s 3-0 win over New Zealand, but he is likely to regain the captain’s armband against Serbia, the only team Australia beat at last year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Netherlands' Klaas-Jan Huntelaar disappointed with substitute role against Brazil

The Schalke striker was benched for the international friendly against Brazil and has expressed his disappointment with the lack of faith shown in him

Netherlands attacker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has expressed his disappointment with national team coach Bert van Marwijk's decision to leave him on the bench in Saturday's 0-0 friendly draw against Brazil.

Huntelaar has netted an impressive 10 goals in his last six starts for Oranje, but this was not enough to convince Van Marwijk as the Dutch tactician gave Arsenal's Robin van Persie the nod instead.

"I was hoping for a little more faith in me following my performances after the 2010 World Cup. You always want to play when you make such a long trip to Brazil and I really expected to play," Huntelaar said to NUsport.

"I did not ask the coach for an explanation, but I am obviously disappointed. All I can do is continue to do my utmost and hope for the best. It is a pretty annoying situation, though."

Huntelaar came off the bench at half-time in the match against the South Americans, but was unable to make an impact. The 27-year-old striker could however start in the friendly against Uruguay on Wednesday evening.

Should the Premier League big boys follow Liverpool’s transfer lead?

On Saturday we saw a rather lacklustre performance from the England team in an important Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland. Yes, admittedly we do still have some individual good players in the Premier League – but with many of them coming towards the end of their career, do with have a new breed of players that will do us proud?

I would like to think so – but they certainly must be given the opportunity to flourish. Exceptionally talented players like Jack Wilshere are also likely to make the breakthrough due to the quality they possess. But the top English Premier League players need to get the opportunity to play for the best teams. Some of our most talented players like Ashley Young, Gary Cahill and Phil Jones may need to move on in the summer to perform on a bigger stage with the best players.

We have seen foreign ownership and foreign management come in to the Premier League and build squads almost exclusively based on foreign players. That strategy is understandable for teams on a budget because in general better value is quoted for foreign players. However, does the Premier League big six (Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool) really have any excuse not to buy English? On top of the hugely lucrative TV deals they also enjoy significant commercial and match-day income. We already know about the fact that some Arsenal fans are getting turned off by the huge season ticket prices.

Yes, I understand that a lot is at stake for getting signings wrong and we would not want English players to be signed purely for the sake of signing English players. The process should be the same as any other signing – but we need to have the best English players playing for the biggest English clubs and playing in the Champions League.

At times prices will be high – but that is just the way of the world and the big clubs don’t really need to penny pinch, do they? Case in point was the signing of Andy Carroll in the January transfer window, now I think most people know that at the moment there is no way he is worth £35m. However, he is a talented young striker and if he scores anywhere near the amount of goals in the Premier League and for England that has been predicted, then Liverpool’s gamble will have paid off. In a similar way Manchester United probably overpaid when they signed Chris Smalling and Arsenal when they signed Theo Walcott. But that is just the way it is and the selling club are not keen to sell their best talent – so they are going to want compensation for all the years they have spent training and developing the player.

Premier League clubs could do a lot worse than having a little look at the Barcelona squad – who proved themselves to be the best European club side. Their squad though has a definitive Spanish core to it and features 12 Spaniards in their first-team alone. So it stands to reason that this is a reasonable model to follow, but in order to do that English sides must commit to buying English players and also developing and giving the best English players their chance in the first-team instead of foreign players. But with the financial fair play rules coming in soon a certain amount of this may need to happen anyway and if so much the better.

If we fast forward 10 years and looked through the top squads within the Premier League – wouldn’t it be fantastic if each squad featured at least 10 top quality English players. Liverpool may be best placed to make that dream a reality. With two men that were involved in the set-up at Barcelona in Jose Segura and Rodolfo Borrell they should develop it in the right way. Both in terms of developing youth players as they have done with Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly; but also with the signing of the best English talent – something they started with the capture of Andy Carroll and will hopefully continue during the summer. And if they do it that way and other clubs follow so much the better.

Loyalty in football? Not at the Emirates

Samir Nasri has risked alienating himself from Arsenal fans after failing to completely rule out an Emirates departure this summer. His manager, Arsene Wenger, has continually attempted to convince the French midfielder to secure extended terms on his contract which expires next summer, but Nasri has stated this week that a move to perennial title rivals Manchester United remains a distinct possibility. “Do I want to go to United? We should see if their interest is real and if it is concrete first,” he said.

It would be difficult to deny Nasri’s motives for an immediate transfer following three disappointing years in England where his individual displays have eclipsed the contribution of his team-mates. That said, Arsenal fans who have had to endure a period of disillusionment twice as long as Nasri’s employment will unquestionably deplore their most important creative force for returning regularly to the Emirates in the shirt of another Premiership team. A move abroad would be unwelcome to an extent, but Nasri’s willingness to encourage offers from Arsenal’s closest rivals for English League dominance highlights a broader concern for football fans in regards to player loyalty.

The tendency is for spectators to label players who make such moves as ‘greedy,’ or often brand them in a more sinister light, but it seems strange to disparage an individual who seeks to improve their chances of winning trophies, gaining international recognition and enhancing their bank account, especially in an industry where a competitors professional playing career lasts around 14 years. A large section of Liverpool supporters took to the streets to burn their team’s jerseys which bore the name of Fernando Torres when the Spaniard completed his £50 million move to Chelsea in January. The striker had offered three-and-a-half years of service to the Anfield outfit, a club he joined as Champions League finalists but which rapidly descended the Premier League table to be struggling in the Europa League, and for requalification, at the time of his departure.

The Merseyside faithful were not the first group of supporters to aggressively oppose one of their favourite players’ exits, but they were perhaps misguided. A replacement for Torres was identified immediately in the form of Andy Carroll, who initially stated his reluctance to leave his hometown club in Newcastle, but the 6ft 3inch striker was making a move identical in nature. Carroll has now increased his earnings immeasurably, is playing for a more esteemed club in terms of history and universal acknowledgement, and for a team which competes in European competition with a continual expectation to compete for trophies on all fronts. This switch emphasized the modern-day transfer merry-go-round which many fans have failed to accept. The fact is, during his entire playing career at club level, Torres has won just the Spanish second division title (in 2001/2002), and a player of his calibre should have been urged to seek fulfillment elsewhere rather than criticised for a perceived lack of loyalty, an ideal invented by fans, and not by Torres, in the first place.

In any walk of life, including within the entertainment industry, no individual should be condemned for trying to better themselves in terms of increasing ones wage packet or working for a more established firm with more compatible ambitions. In football, the likes of Alessandro del Piero (Juventus), Francesco Totti (Roma), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) and John Terry (Chelsea), are worshipped by their fans for experiencing their entire careers at just one club, and are all marked with the loyalty stamp by neutral observers as well. However, the common theme amongst this group in addition to their individually exceptional athletic attributes is that they all play for a top club. Paul Scholes brought his 17-year career to an end last week and will rightly be placed in the category of Manchester United’s greatest ever representatives, but would the midfielder have shown equal loyalty to his hometown club, Oldham, had his career began in less than spectacular surroundings? The answer is a resounding no, because at a primitive stage of Scholes’ development, a club with greater aspirations and wealth would have convinced the player to move.

In principle, the influences which dictate a footballer’s decision to force through a transfer are completely justified, but in practice, and in an environment where many top players fabricate their thoughts through Twitter, fans are always going to be let down by their favourite stars stating their loyalty one week and their desire to leave the next.

Jones signing would give Liverpool plenty of options

With Liverpool reportedly interested in Blackburn Rovers ’ centre back Phil Jones , I thought it maybe a good idea to look hypothetically at which centre back partnership would be best for the Reds if the 19 year old did in fact arrive this summer:

Carragher & Skrtel – This partnership has been solid for the most part since King Kenny arrived as manager. While Jamie had his injury problems last season, Skrtel has played every minute of every Premier League match, with his form improving as the campaign went on. A concern for me with the pairing is that they encourage the backline to play too deep when they play because of their lack of pace, and they also lack the ability to pass out from the back; a quality essential to Dalglish’s pass and move philosophy.

Carragher & Agger – A cornerstone of Liverpool’s Champions League final run in 2007, the pairing has had limited game time together in recent seasons due to injuries to both players. While the Dane is the most gifted player on the ball, allowing an additional midfield option when bringing the ball forward, Carra compliments his footballing centre half partner, with his organisation and communication and no-nonsense defending. With the number of injuries to Agger and the fact that Carragher is now 33, it means this partnership could not be seen to be a long term solution for Liverpool’s centre back issues.

Agger & Skrtel – This pairing is definitely one of my favourites for a variety of reasons. For starters, Skrtel really needs somebody alongside him, such as Agger or Carragher, who can be decisive and authoritative. I think it is fair to say that the Slovakian is not the best organiser at the back and he kind of needs somebody alongside him who can communicate well, and ensure he is in the right place at the right time. Skrtel’s aerial ability combined with Agger’s passing range means the pairing compliment each other very well.

Agger & Jones – So how would this pairing fair? Very well in my opinion for both have decent pace but most importantly both can pass the ball out from the back. No doubt Kenny has been looking at Jones primarily because of his capabilities with the ball at feet. The 19 year old can play in central midfield too, and has played very well when asked to play there, and added on to the fact he has very good aerial ability, like the Skrtel/Agger partnership, they should work well together.

Jones & Skrtel – Another partnership I don’t see many problems with other than the fact they maybe a lack of leadership or organisation if they played together. As I have said already, I believe Skrtel always needs a guiding hand when playing in defence and I am unsure that at 19 years of age whether Jones will be authoritative enough yet to organise the backline.

Jones & Carragher – This pairing probably would have the greatest potential for next season if Agger is unfit. Jones will learn a hell of a lot playing alongside Carra in the centre of defence, and it would be great for our vice captain to be able to give the next generation any pearls of wisdom he can provide. In addition, Jones has the ability to pass the ball out from the defence, complimenting Carra’s no-nonsense style.

For me, each pairing has its merits if we did purchase Phil Jones . Which would you go for?