Category Archives: Transfer Gossip

Bacary Sagna: Will the Frenchman depart the Emirates this summer?

  By O-Posts Team | May 16, 2013 - 00:55 | , , , , ,
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In recent years, Arsenal have been lucky enough to have a line of very good right backs in their ranks. From the English bite of Lee Dixon to the undying passion of Lauren to the total commitment of Bacary Sagna, the right side of defence has not been a problematic position for Arsenal for quite some time. Sadly though, with Bacary Sagna’s contract up in the summer of 2014, and with no sign that their has been a contract offer to Sagna by the club, you can place a bet at William Hill that he will be heading to pastures new at some point this summer. Many believe so. It just looks the case.

Sagna has been a great servant to the club for six years since he joined from French club Auxerre in 2007. His energy, determination and talent have made him a huge asset, but with two leg breaks in the 2011-12 season, he has unfortunately lost his energy and ability to boss the right side of the pitch as effectively as he once could.

I still harbour hopes that he will sign a new deal as, while he may not be the player he was, he is an experienced member of the squad and knows the club inside out – proved when he referred to Spurs as ‘the enemy’ after beating them 5-2 in the 2011-12 season.

Furthermore, he can fill in at centre back if needed and is capable of putting in a shift at right back. Should this not happen, though, which looks increasing likely, he has to be replaced well. Some have suggested simply promoting Hector Bellerin to the first team squad and letting Carl Jenkinson take over as first choice right back. While I rate both of these players and I think both have futures at Arsenal, neither are completely ready for these roles in my opinion and an experienced professional is needed to guide these two young, talented defenders.

So who to replace Sagna with? Well, for me his successor must be a rock solid defender as Bac is and has to have enough experience to immediately slot in as first-choice right back with no problems or adjustment time. A strong attacking side of his game would also be welcome, as if Sagna had a weakness, it was his final ball when he gets into a good position, although being solid defensively must be the priority.

My number one choice to fill the gap Sagna will likely leave would be Micah Richards of Manchester City. He is perfect for this role. He is at the right age, has Premier League experience, is English so would fit in with the club’s British core and has already won trophies in England. Although I think it is unlikely Manchester City would part with such a brilliant player. Lukas Piszczek of Borussia Dortmund is another option but he recently signed a contract extension until 2017 and Dortmund will not want to sell another one of their key players so that is also a long shot.

Angel Rangel is an option, he was mentioned last summer and has had a very good second season in the Premier League with Swansea and could want to make the step up to a bigger club, but would he opt against playing European football with Swansea next season?

Whoever Arsene chooses to be Sagna’s replacement, I hope he is up to the task of taking over from a player who has repeatedly been chosen in the PFA team of the year and is as consistent as Bac has been for the last 6 years.

 

Written by Charlie Smith

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Dede: Towering Brazilian Attracting Some Of Europe’s Biggest Names

  By O-Posts Team | April 25, 2013 - 15:58 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Brazil have created some of the most talented and gifted footballers over the years. The likes of Pele, Falcao, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo have all dazzled the world with their samba brilliance, yet their footballing history has possibly been too top heavy. Too many attackers, not enough defenders to be held in such wondrous regard.

Even full-backs, Roberto Carlos, Carlos Alberto and Cafu have been marvelled at, but not centre-backs. Anybody but the centre-back, the unheralded job that provided the base to a side seemingly not cool enough for Brazilian recognition.

But now, with Bayern Munich’s Dante, Chelsea’s David Luiz and PSG’s Thiago Silva, that is all due to change. The Brazilian centre-back is entering a new age; big, physical, strong and extremely comfortable on the ball, they are all attributes that makes up the aforementioned trio as well as Dede, Cruzerio’s much-coveted 24 year old. Who is he?

Let’s take a look at Anderson Vital De Silva.

 

Background

After impressing with his hometown club Volta Rotunda in the Brazilian State Championship, the big defender earned himself a move to Vasco De Gama in 2009, only to find first team opportunities hard to come by upon his initial arrival. With his one year deal running out a year later, it looked like he may be returning to Volta, or even moving to South Korea.

Dede, however, had other ideas, “there was something I was determined upon” he told World Soccer Magazine back in 2011, “I wasn’t going to leave Vasco by the back door”. And so he didn’t, with injuries hitting the club in a Brazilian Cup game against Vitoria, he was given a chance, repaying the opportunity with a performance of such authority and assurance that it instantly certified him as first choice and earned himself a new contract, stretching to 2014.

He went on to produce some imperious form for Vasco, being recognised as the best right centre-back in the Brasileirao of 2010 and generating comparisons to the Fluminese-made Silva, then at Milan, who was widely-regarded as the most outstanding centre-half to recently hail from Brazil.

His commanding performances helped Vasco to win the 2011 Brazilian Cup and his partnership with Anderson Martins saw them both elected as the best central-defenders of the 2011 Campeonato Carioca. His impressive form also alerted former national-team coach Mano Menezes who included him in the squad for friendlies against Germany and Ghana in the autumn of 2011.

His transformation with Vasco from potential discarded talent was meteoric. By the end of 2012, he was considered as one of the best centre-backs in Brazilian football, seeing high acclaim from Vasco fans who endeared to him by giving him several nicknames; “O-Mito” (The Myth) and “Dedelicia” (or “Dedelicious” as female fans chose).

He was included in numerous advertising campaigns for the club and was elected by SBT, a Brazilian television network, as one of the 100 greatest Brazilian’s of all-time. His popularity in Vasco was clear and he honoured his potential departure by kissing the badge in one of his final games for the club. In total, he made 154 appearances for Vasco.

To date, Dede has received 7 caps for the Brazil national team, appearing often in friendlies and tournaments that are only eligible for native-based players, allowing him to win the Superclasico De Las Americas in September 2011.

Dede is currently the fourth-choice centre-half in the Brazil squad and he will be hoping that his exemplary performances, partnered with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s insistence that he will look more to the Brazilian league set-up for options, will help his cause for regular call-ups as the team head into a World Cup year.

 

Strengths, style and weaknesses

Dede is strong, powerful and athletic, making full-use of his 6ft 3 inch frame in order to be adept at winning challenges in the air or on the ground. His height means that not many strikers are able to beat him in the air whilst a fine reading of the game, impressive at the relatively young age of 24, sees him able to cut out danger on the ground. His imposing height also makes him a threat at set pieces, suggested by his 18 goals during his time at Vasco.

His extremely impressive pace also means that he is rarely out-foxed by the through ball, cutting out the threat that strikers pose lying on the shoulder of the back four. As well as boasting fine intelligence and strength to block and intercept many shots and dangerous passes, he also possesses superb technical ability that allows him to be comfortable in bringing the ball out of the defence and moving it on.

As well as the two nicknames Vasco fans creatively derived for Dede, they also named him “Dedekenbauer”, suggesting his likeliness to the famous German defender who revolutionised the role of the central-defender, operating on a fine reading of the game, imperious positioning and superb ability on the ball.

Dede really is a complete defender who has attracted the interest of Manchester United, Milan, Benfica and Liverpool during his time with Vasco, all top European clubs basing their interest in the knowledge that Dede, with his physicality and ability on the ball, would not look out of place on the continent should he ever head east from Brazil.

 

His move to Cruzeiro

With the Selecao heading into their home World Cup of 2014, Dede has seen best to stay in his native league and head to Cruzeiro in a deal that is worth £4.7 million. The two clubs are believed to have arranged a 55% and 45% share in player ownership which helps to ease cash-strapped Vasco’s financial troubles. Three players, Diego Rennan, striker Allison and Wellington Paulista will also head to Rio in exchange for the defender.

After moving, he voiced his reluctance to leave Vasco De Gama but understood such a move would help to aid the financial crisis at his former club. He said that even though he was moving to a new setting, his heart would remain with the Rio-based club.

There has been a financial dispute with the transfer, with the move being blocked by the FERJ, a main football institution from Rio, who claim Vasco owe a debt to the Brazilian Federal Justice. They have ruled that until the dispute is sorted, Dede is unable to play for any club, disrupting his immediate start with Cruzeiro. However, that will only be a small snag in a career that threatens to go very far.

Look out for Dede at next year’s World Cup.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Chelsea: Schürrle closing in on move to the Blues

  By O-Posts Team | April 20, 2013 - 16:30 | , , , , , ,
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After months of speculation, it appears Chelsea are really making some significant headway in completing the signing of German striker Andre Schürrle from Bayer Leverkusen.

If the German does join, he will be the fourth striker at Chelsea next season, with Romelu Lukaku set to return after his successful loan spell at West Brom, in addition to Demba Ba and Fernando Torres who are already at the West London club.

To me, Chelsea’ team lacks a really consistent striker. The trio of Mata, Hazard and Oscar, have looked supreme, not always, but they seem to create chances almost effortlessly. The problem has been neither Fernando Torres or Demba Ba have been positionally aware enough to stick the ball into the back of the net more often, this has been especially true in the premier league.

So what does Schürrle offer that can change things in the striker department at Stamford Bridge? Well, for one thing, he is rather unique in the sense that he’s a centre forward, yet he possesses the ability to effortlessly drop back into a supporting striker role or even as a winger. In this sense, he’s quite similar to another former Chelsea striker, Nicolas Anelka who was dynamite at times, either when in a front three with Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba, or on his own.

The only slight doubt I have about Schürrle is whether he really is good enough or more specifically prolific enough to be Chelsea’s first choice striker. After all, Fernando Torres is a player who despite having generally been a disappointment while at Chelsea, has retained his place over and over again. Schürrle has scored a respectable, yet not incredible 12 goals in 38 games.

Many strikers have failed to replicate their previous goal scoring form whilst at Stamford Bridge, with Demba Ba, who has been decent so far at Chelsea, but he lacks the consistency that earned him so many plaudits during his time at Newcastle. For me, Schürrle will need to impress, and impress a lot, if he wants to become the first choice striker at Chelsea next season, a feat which will be even harder if Romelu Lukaku shows the same quality that he has at West Bromwich Albion this season.

Back to what was mentioned earlier and Chelsea’s attacking midfield trio. When Chelsea are at their strongest, it’s Hazard, Mata and Oscar, as that trio, with Moses, Benayoun and Marin all getting the occasional start. Hazard and Mata do tend to perform a class above what the others do, and many Chelsea fans question Oscar’s consistency, despite the Brazilian’s excellent performances for his country. Schürrle could well replace Oscar as a regular starter, and could double up with the striker, whoever that may be.

For me, Chelsea have almost endless possibilities with Schürrle. He’s versatile, able to score from all areas of the pitch, and has excellent movement, perhaps better than any other of Chelsea’s strikers.

I personally would much rather Chelsea buy Schürrle for the full price rather than swap him for the tricky Kevin De Bruyne, but for me, signing the big German would be a great move for the west London club, as it will give the new manager – whoever that may be – a unique and exciting option.

 

Written by Joshua Sodergren

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Arsenal: Three Possible Summer Signings to Boost the Gunners’ Title Hopes

  By O-Posts Team | April 10, 2013 - 13:16 | , , , ,
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This season is done and dusted for Arsenal in terms of fighting for a major title – they can only fight to secure a top 4 finish. Some Arsenal fans might not understand the relevance of finishing in the top 4, but it is as important as winning a title (Wenger’s tone). If Arsenal fail to secure to a Champions League spot, this could be disastrous because the big names might opt to leave for greener pastures.

For that, I have successfully deduced 3 signings that could boost Arsenal title pursuit next season.

 

All statistics are courtesy of Whoscored and Caught Offside.

 

1) Stevan Jovetic

Current club: Fiorentina

Been on Arsenal radar for a while now, in fact the  Montenegro forward has gladly stated his desire to join the Gunners ; “I have always liked Arsenal” . Scoring 14 goals in 27 appearance last term, and another 12 this season ; it is all clear that Jovetic could be of great help to the inconsistent Olivier Giroud.

His ability to shoot from distance and his threatening presence on the counter would be a bonus addition to Arsene Wenger’s attacking options. He also loves to play as a centre forward, which has yielded an aforementioned 12 goals for the Fiorentina man this season- but he is yet to score a single goal for his club when placed on the Right flank.

Possible Transfer Outcome: Very possible, if Arsenal manage to seal a Champions League spot for next season.

 

2) Remy Cabella

Current club: Montpellier

An exciting assiduous youngster, a versatile attacking midfielder; he can either play at the center, right or left flank. He has assisted 7 and scored 6 goals so far for Montpellier this season. He was also the major catalyst to Olivier Giroud’s high-flying collections of goals in the 2011/2012 season where Montpellier went on to clinch the title that year .

Noted mostly for his dribbling ability, key passes and defensive contributions – also not forgetting his mouthwatering through balls – he could be the man to assist Giroud upfront with some scintillating final passes.

Possible Transfer Outcome: Although Cabella currently has a contract with the club which runs until 2016, a possible move to the emirates is likely with Wenger a huge admirer of this young lad. Remember, he is French too.

 

3) Loic Remy

Current club: QPR

If Arsenal fail to land Jovetic, then they must turn to this French striker. Currently plays for relegation threatened QPR and with The Rangers looking set to play Championship football next season; it could be an opportunity for Arsenal to once again bid for this highly rated French forward.

Scoring 4 goals in 7 games for Rangers, it is all but clear that Remy can handle the enormous work load required from an attacker in the Premier League. Loves to dribble and very (very) good in the air, and that is just some of his uncountable football abilities.

Possible Transfer Outcome: Well, it is a simple equation. If QPR get relegated, it is highly possible.

 

Written by @femi4arsenal

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Ezequiel Garay: Is he Manchester United-bound?

  By O-Posts Team | March 24, 2013 - 20:07 | , , , , , , ,
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According to several reports, English giants Manchester United have agreed a deal with Benfica that will take defender Ezequiel Garay to Old Trafford. The 26 year old Argentine is subject to a £17 million deal and it seems as though the former Real Madrid man will move to Manchester in the summer.

In his contract, there is a clause Real Madrid are eligible for a 50% cut of the next transfer Garay is to undergo.

Ferguson likes to tie up his dealings early during the transfer market with Ashley Young, Javier Hernandez and Shinji Kagawa all being examples of Ferguson’s recent quality signings. Garay has been in scintillating form this season and that form has seen his side concede just 14 goals in 23 games.

The defender has also been linked with several big clubs in Europe clubs over the past few weeks, Chelsea and former rival team Barcelona being some of those names mentioned.
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson may feel reinforcements are necessary as veteran duo Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are getting on in age, injuries and inconsistencies between Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

Garay is 26 and has played at a high level and in Europe. He may be considered a long term replacement for Rio Ferdinand. Garay has represented his country on 11 occasions and was part of the side that hammered Venezuela 3-0 on Friday. At 6ft 4, Garay possesses strength, mobility and pace, all essential aspects that will help to cope with the demands of the Premier League.

At this point, Manchester United have taken a 15 point lead ahead of Manchester City in Premier League. The Premier League leaders face  Sunderland on Saturday at the Stadium Of Light and play Chelsea in the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup on April 1st.

 

Written by Farhan Daw

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Vermaelen to Barcelona: A left-field twist on a typical transfer story

  By O-Posts Team | March 9, 2013 - 17:00 | , , , ,
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In the modern era of football, newspaper rumours linking an Arsenal player to Barcelona are not exactly alien. Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas have both recently been plucked from the regression of the Emirates while Robin Van Persie and Samir Nasri were both linked with making the move to eastern Spain before they headed to Manchester. It’s inevitable, as the season snakes towards the summer and its transfer window, that the rumour mill will churn out another Arsenal to Barcelona story.

This year is no disappointment as the Catalan club, with their air of invincibility wavering and their halo of footballing sacrosanct slipping, have chosen to act on a porous defence and the dying embers of 34 year old captain Carlos Puyol’s career by perusing the market for a couple of centre-backs. One of those is Liverpool’s Daniel Agger and the other, the lucky candidate to be at the centre of the annual Arsenal to Barcelona narrative, is Thomas Vermaelen.

“Halt!” I hear you all call. You can just about make out “Vermaelen!?” from the confused gasp that echoes around the room, a reaction that conveys the dismay that Barcelona would be targeting the Belgian centre-half as they look to desperately cling on to their crown as Europe’s all-conquering behemoth. The footballing equivalent of Ferrari using the clutch from an old Ford Escort as it attempts to wrestle back the Formula 1 Championship.

Those with a vivid memory will urge a refusal to be so hard on the centre-half who immediately adapted into the English game by being named in the PFA team of the year in his debut season with Arsenal. Fans embraced him, affectionately calling him “the Verminator”, a nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cult-hero robot of the mid-90s such was his unforgiving in the tackle and his unwilling intent to win back the ball from his opponent like he’d been programmed to do so.

Now the errors flow, the focus waivers and the positional sense seems to be non-existent as he gets caught between the importance on maintaining defensive discipline and the need to go forward.

Injuries curtailed his next season where he made just 5 appearances and despite a flirtation with injury last season, he still managed a solid campaign in which he showed signs that his partnership at the back with Laurent Koscielny could blossom into a prominent one. Then, after being named captain in the summer following Van Persie’s departure, Vermaelen underwent a stunning loss of form to the extent that Barca’s interest is now met with the utmost bewilderment and disbelief.

The armband must be serving as the 27 year old’s saving grace as he continues to survive in a defence that has kept just 2 clean sheets since Christmas as they continue to stumble in the race for the all-important top four positions. The game against Spurs last Sunday was his 38th of the season but Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have been acknowledged by Wenger as the club’s first choice centre-back pairing.

Therefore, the Belgian has been shifted out to left-back, where he was so devastatingly schooled by Mario Mandzukic and Phillip Lahm in the recent tie with Bayern Munich. That was the latest on a charge sheet of a torrid season that has ravaged Vermaelen’s confidence; an awful display at Old Trafford against Manchester United, an alleged rollicking by Wenger for his role in the 0-2 home defeat to Swansea and, despite netting the last minute equaliser against Bradford in the Capital One Cup, his decisive missed penalty in the shootout. Bradford will also conjure memories of him being given the runaround by James Hanson.

Being asked to move from centre-back to left-back as Wenger searched for an answer to Kieron Gibbs’s injury could not have helped, nor could the lack of an embedded back four. Carl Jenkinson, Bacary Sagna, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Andre Santos, Nacho Monreal and Koscielny have all appeared this season as Wenger continues to juggle his options in search of a winning formula. This has been in contrast to the trio of Sagna, William Gallas and Gael Clichy which Vermaelen found himself playing alongside in his promising first year in England.

Whatever the explanation for the sharp decline of form that has rendered the Belgian a shadow of the uncompromising force Wenger bought to the Premier League in 2009, it is a difficult conundrum. Perhaps it is the lack of set position or set team-mates, perhaps it is the added responsibility of the captaincy, perhaps it is the problematic Achilles injury that has dogged him since 2010. Perhaps it is an amalgam of all of those influences tying in with the total evaporation of confidence in troubled times at the Emirates?

Over in Spain, any mention of Vermaelen’s torrid form hasn’t seemed to register on the radar of the Nou Camp’s hierarchy who, if the rumours are to believed, have identified the Belgian as a ball-playing defender talented enough to solve their growing crisis. Maybe Arsenal wouldn’t be too dissatisfied to lose the defender but if Barcelona can rediscover the qualities that made him such a revelation in his inaugural year, then they will have made a very astute purchase.

Vermaelen to join the Barca skipper this coming summer?

Vermaelen to join the Barca skipper this coming summer?

As it is, it remains a twist on a very modern transfer story. Barcelona want an Arsenal player, but in this case it could be one that Wenger would be happy to see taken off his hands.

If he can rediscover the ability he has previously proved he possesses however, it could be another Islington-Iberian transfer that makes perfect sense.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Diego Milito’s Injury: The Search for the Perfect Quick-Fix

  By O-Posts Team | March 1, 2013 - 19:47 | , , , ,
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The recent injury to Diego Milito in the Europa League has proven to be a troubling one. Not to mention the fact that it has put one of Inter’s top performers on the side-line’s for an extended period, it has highlighted the clubs lack of options when it comes to a spear head for the team.

For many Inter fans this current predicament is symptomatic of a lack of foresight by the Club’s hierarchy. Yet again Marco Branca has been responsible for a lack of vision in the transfer market, as the signing of the 36 year old Tommaso Rocchi indicates. The former Lazio veteran was brought in as cover for Milito, but it seems quite evident that he was only going to be used sporadically or as a closer in games to help keep Milito fresh for the following week and not as a regular starter.

There has also been criticism in some quarters due to the club letting go of younger talent such as Longo, who is on loan at Espanyol, and Livaja, who has gone to Atalanta as part of a co-ownership deal.

However, although the absence of those two players offers an easy point of attack for critics of the regime at Inter, it doesn’t really tell the full story. As undoubtedly talented as those two young players are, it is doubtful that they would be able to deliver the consistency and level of performance that are required of a team chasing the champions league spaces.

Circumstances, however, have not been kind to Inter and they now find themselves without an out and out goal threat up front. Although Cassano has been an extremely positive signing, he is much more of a creative player and is unlikely to contribute more than 10 goals between now and the end of the season.

The same may also be said of Palacio. While these two players are very good they are both better served creating opportunities for a striker such as Milito and not leading the line themselves.

With few options available Inter have been searching for an out of contract player who can come in and help the team out on a short term basis. Unfortunately, this presents an incredibly narrow field with which to choose from. John Carew recently had a fitness test with the club, but it was decided it would take too long for the former West Ham player to regain fitness and therefore it seemed pointless taking him on.

All this means that Inter’s chances of qualifying for the Champions league look pretty desperate. Their main rivals, AC Milan and Napoli, have strikers that many an Inter fan would probably kill for and with Inter’s form over the Christmas period already looking shaky at best; it’s hard to see how Stramaccioni is going to turn things around.

 

Written by Oliver Beatson

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Anderson: Struggling Brazilian midfielder itching to leave Old Trafford

  By O-Posts Team | February 16, 2013 - 14:54 | , , , ,
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Manchester United midfielder Anderson has admitted his frustration and has expressed his discontent, claiming he tried “many times” to leave the club, but the matter is out of his hands.

The Brazilian told Globo Esporte: “What can I say? I have three more years of contract, I have tried to leave many times and never succeeded to do so.”

International opportunity is what is potentially the motive behind Anderson’s unhappiness. Anderson has not featured for the Brazilian national side since 2008 and seems certain to miss out on the Brazilian team that will host the 2014 World Cup.

Anderson joined the Red Devils five years ago from Porto. The 5ft 9 bulldozer came with a big reputation as Manchester United splashed out £20 million on the then 19 year old.

However injuries have limited Anderson to just 93 Premier League appearances since his arrival in 2007, although Anderson has had a very successful career thus far with Manchester United, winning three Premier League titles, the Carling cup, the Community Shield, the FIFA World Cup, and a Champions League trophy.

Anderson showed his quality during the 2008/09 season, where he stayed most of the season injury free playing a total of 38 games.

However with Anderson’s injury record and having fallen down the pecking order at Manchester United due to the arrivals of Shinji Kagawa and the development of Tom Cleverley, Anderson may find the grass greener outside of Old Trafford.

He is still only 24 and would be a real asset to any team he plays for, if he can just stay injury free.

 

Written by Farhan Daw

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Chelsea: Mourinho looking for Premier League return

  By O-Posts Team | February 13, 2013 - 17:49 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Jose Mourinho is eying up a return to England, after insisting he wants to return to the Premier League when he leaves Real Madrid.

Mourinho, who has three years left on his current contract, was speaking ahead of the crunch European tie against Manchester United tonight.

And when asked as to when he wants to return to the Premier League, the Portuguese manager said: “After Real. I love everything about the Premier League.”

The 50-year-old manager has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City and United, and when asked about the possibility of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford he said: “I don’t think so.”

He added: “I think we have to end our career at the same time. [Ferguson] at 90 and me at 70.”

Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea between 2004 and 2007. During that time, he famously called himself “The Special One” as he went on to win the Premier League twice in a row. He also led Chelsea to two League Cup victories as well as the FA Cup.

After Chelsea, Mourinho successfully led Inter Milan to two Seria A titles, as well as a Champions League medal, his second after his 2004 victory with Porto.

Mourinho has been manager of Real Madrid since 2010 where he won the title last season to end Barcelona’s title dominance.

However, his future at the Bearnabeu is under threat after a disastrous start to the season. His side are currently 16 points behind Barcelona, amid rumours that he is also losing the support of his players.

Last month Mourinho said that his love for the English game hadn’t disappeared despite his sacking from Chelsea.

He told FourFourTwo magazine: “I feel everybody involved in the game should experience English football because it’s a special feeling. You really enjoy being a football professional there.”

He added: “In England you feel the real passion for the game. I know that one day I will come back because English football means a lot to myself.”

 

Written by Craig Lishman

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Dries Mertens: Time to move up

  By O-Posts Team | February 9, 2013 - 10:57 | , , , , , , , , ,
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Pace. Flair. Tenacity. A low centre of gravity. An eye for a pass. Imagine those attributes in a diminutive attacker. Lionel Messi? No. Franck Ribery? Again, no. Another hint – he’s Belgian. Are you thinking of Eden Hazard? Wrong answer. The player in question is Dries Mertens, who, at the age of 25 (turns 26 this year), has now reached the point in his career where he is ready to step up into the big time.

The football world has been watching in great suspense the imminent rise of a Belgian “Golden Generation”, rated to potentially be at least as good as the generation of Jan Ceulemans, Enzo Scifo, Jean-Marie Pfaff & Eric Gerets.

Considering that the 1980s’ Belgian “Golden Generation” reached the final of the 1980 European Championships and the last four of the 1986 World Cup, it has naturally been the case that many of the current Belgian internationals have been much talked about, especially those that currently play in the English Premier League.

With his performances in recent years, it is about time that Dries Mertens steps out of the shadows of some of his more talked-about compatriots – Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Axel Witsel et al. Dries Mertens is much more than just yet another Belgian in the transfer rumour mill.

 

Statistics and progress over the years:

 

Dries Mertens celebrating after scoring for AGOVV Apeldoorn.

Dries Mertens celebrating after scoring for AGOVV Apeldoorn.

Since making his debut, aged 20, for AGOVV Apeldoorn in Dutch Football’s 2nd tier on the 10th of August in 2007, Dries Mertens has come a long way in his career. Doing well enough in the Jupiler League to earn an upward move to FC Utrecht, it has only ever been onwards and upwards in this Belgian livewire’s career thus far. The thing is, that doesn’t look like stopping any time soon.

 

*correct as of 8th February 2013. “League” includes – Jupiler League (2007/08 & 2008/09) + Eredivisie playoffs (qualification for UEFA competitions). “Cup” = KNVB Beker + Johan Cruyff Schaal. “Europe” includes – UCL & UEL qualifiers (qualification playoffs).

 

As seen in the statistics tables above, Dries Mertens has been a consistent performer thus far in his career, scoring at least 10 goals in 4 of his last 5.5 seasons and providing a minimum of 10 assists per season since the start of the 2009/10 campaign. Perhaps you’re questioning that and pointing out Mertens’ 2009/10 stats.

The 2009/10 campaign was Mertens’ debut season in Dutch football’s top flight, hence a transition year is to be expected. Mertens has proven himself to be more than just a team player, but an effective one at that. 24 assists across all competitions for the 2010/11 is no mean feat, even if a portion of Football fans consider his platform to be “only” the Eredivisie.

Mertens has arguably done enough to prove himself in continental competitions, making 8 contributions (goals + assists) in that stellar 2010/11 campaign.

Dries Mertens after scoring for FC Utrecht.

Dries Mertens after scoring for FC Utrecht.

 

Step up to the international stage:

*Correct as of 8th February 2013

 

Unsurprisingly, Mertens’ senior debut for Belgium came after he proved that he had indeed successfully made the step up from the Jupiler League to the Eredivisie – in February 2011. Granted, he does not have impressive stats at international level – save for his 2012/13 thus far, with him scoring 2 and assisting 4 in 7 appearances.

This is to be expected, as this emerging crop of brilliant Belgians have to be moulded into a well-oiled Football machine before we can expect any fireworks from any of the players on the international scene. Marc Wilmots needs time to form a successful system in which Belgium’s talents can shine.

Dries Mertens taking a shot against Wales in a qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Dries Mertens taking a shot against Wales in a qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

 

Mertens’ step up:

While some players could be daunted by a move from Utrecht to PSV Eindhoven, Mertens has simply stepped up and thrived under the increased demands and pressure of the Philips Stadion. The Belgian attacker not only matched his aforementioned 24 assists in his debut season at PSV, but also scored 27 goals across all competitions – which is almost double his tally the year before. Astoundingly, Mertens is not done yet.

At the time of writing, he is on course to smash his current personal best of 24 assists. With 12 goals and 17 assists in 26 appearances across all competitions at the time of writing, Mertens would, hypothetically, finish the season with 23 goals and 32 assists if he makes as many as his 49 appearances in 2011/12.

 

Overview:

The Dries Mertens-Gary Cahill incident.

The Dries Mertens-Gary Cahill incident.

Considering his stats, versatility and skill set, Mertens is a player that can be expected to fit well into the playing systems of the top European clubs. Having been previously linked with Bayern Munich, I could very well see him shining under the bright lights of the Allianz Arena.

The tenacity that Mertens possesses will also stand him in good stead for a move to a club that uses a high pressing system – FC Barcelona and Andre Villas-Boas’ Spurs side come to mind.

 

A look to the future:

With Transfermarkt rating him at €12 million at the time of writing, that would probably be the amount that interested clubs would have to spend to acquire this Belgian star’s signature.

However, with PSV being somewhat difficult negotiators – see their hefty demands in unsuccessful negotiations over Ola Toivonen’s potential sale), and Mertens’ contract expiring in the summer of 2016, he’d probably cost more than that €12 million – perhaps closer to €15 million.

Considering this Belgian’s development thus far and as one of the best attackers in the Eredivisie, he would be worth the price, even at €15 million.

With Dries Mertens, it has only ever been onwards and upwards.

 

Written by Mark Ooi

Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkOoiZW

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