As reported by The Express, Arsene Wenger is ready to end Alexis Sanchez’s Arsenal career given the Chilean striker’s extreme wage demands at the Emirates.
What’s the story?
Sanchez is having one of his best seasons in Arsenal shirt, at some points dragging the Gunners forward on his own. However, that contribution may not be enough to convince the Arsenal boss that he’s worth what he’s after financially.
The Express reckon the Chilean is looking for a massive £400k-a-week in wages, more than tripling his current £130k-a-week deal.
As quoted by The Express, Wenger said:
We always had a wages schedule that was respected but players earn so much money now that the cases have become much more individual than global. Some people tell me ‘just give him what he wants’. But then you cannot respect any wage structure any more – and you put the club in trouble. You have to make the decision in an objective way.
It certainly appears as if the relationship between the player and club is strained right now, with Wenger unwilling to match the demands for the good of Arsenal as a whole.
However, that could mean they end up selling their best player and with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City said to be interested, that could be disastrous for any Premier League ambitions they have next season.
How important is he?
A happy, in-form Alexis Sanchez is something almost any club in the world would appreciate given his quality in the final third and his ruthlessness in front of goal. Scoring 22 goals and assisting another 12, he’s been the Gunners most important player this season.
However, in the second half of the season he’s been less prolific and has now gone three matches without putting the ball in the back of the net. He hasn’t scored in a Premier League match Arsenal have won since way back in February.
If he truly is unhappy at the club and forcing unrealistic wage demands then selling him may be the best case scenario, as long as Arsenal can ensure he ends up on foreign shores and in an ideal world, potentially away from any clubs the Gunners may face in UEFA competition.
Is touting him to China something the club should now be pro-actively doing?
According to reports from The Daily Mail, newly promoted Newcastle United could kick-start their return to the big-time with a summer transfer swoop for Southampton attacker Jay Rodriguez.
A truly saddening tale, the winger-forward was on the peripheries of the England squad ahead of the 2014 World Cup with a run of 15 goals in 33 Premier League outings, but suffered an injury prior to the tournament in Brazil that kept him sidelined for over a year.
After returning to first-team action last season, Rodriguez has gone on to make 28 appearances across all competitions this term, scoring five goals, but is still some way from rediscovering his pre-World Cup form.
Nonetheless, the 27-year-old is a talented and hardworking player who could well reach those levels once again if given a consistent run in the starting XI. So, Magpies fans, is he the striker Rafa Benitez needs to keep your club in the Premier League next season?
Let us know if you’d back a summer swoop for Rodriguez by voting below…
Manchester United dropped two points against Swansea City on Sunday, giving Liverpool a huge boost in the race for top four positions in the Premier League.
It’s been a poor week for United who also dropped points against Manchester City mid-week. The result means that they have lost their advantage of games in hand over the Reds, now a point behind having played the same number of games. Liverpool’s destiny is back in their own hands.
The poor result was compounded by injuries to Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly, adding to United’s already significant injury crisis at Old Trafford.
With their schedule not getting any lighter over the next few weeks, it appears Jose Mourinho has it all to do if he is to make this season a good one for United fans.
Liverpool fans were of course overjoyed with the whole situation and took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
It would be grossly unfair if one underwhelming season determined the trajectory of a player’s career but such is the emphasis on the present in modern football – and the utmost need for consistency – that a sustained loss of form can result in a reputation being forever diminished.
That is now the scenario facing the five talents below after each endured a disappointing 2016/17 and while there is no disputing their considerable ability they have – fairly or otherwise – seen their stock plummet since the heady days of last summer. The question is: where does that leave them now?
Ross Barkley (Everton)
This term started badly for the 22-year-old with public criticism from his new boss ringing in his ears and an international omission. Barring the odd decent performance the situation has barely improved since.
After being substituted at half-time against Sunderland way back in September the talented midfielder knuckled down and put in some fine displays but the barbed comments – clearly made in frustration – by Ronald Koeman kept on coming and the ineffectual games began to rack up.
It seems an awfully long time ago now that Barkley was feted as a future Gazza while being linked to Manchester City and with his contract negotiations stalled in deadlock it seems the prospect of him flourishing into the Evertonian legend he was once destined to be is now a distant dream.
Where now?
Despite only going backwards this season the pedigree of clubs sniffing around remains high indeed with Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs in the reckoning according to the papers. Southampton it is then.
Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
“If he wants to become a special player he has to go in a certain direction”. So said Jose Mourinho this season on a winger/striker who arrived at Old Trafford from Monaco in 2015 saddled with a huge price-tag and even bigger expectations. A bright start offered the world but even the most optimistic of Reds would have to concede that Martial has failed to fulfil that early promise leading to limited game-time and a crisis of confidence.
The French youngster’s stats are surprisingly okay-ish (4 league goals and six assists) considering his gradual relegation to the margins but ultimately United didn’t spend £36m for okay-ish and that direction Jose referred to could yet be away from England this summer.
Where now?
Persistent links to PSG seem fanciful especially as he has recently been used as an example in France on why Kylian Mbappe should avoid coming to the Premier League. A loan deal to Lyon though has plausibility to it.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)
Britain Soccer Football – Leicester City v Watford – Premier League – King Power Stadium – 6/5/17 Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account represent
From being PFA Player of the Year to a flop in just under a year is quite a descent but it would be quite wrong to dismiss the Algerian as a one season wonder based on how sharply his form contrasts this time out to last.
For one thing Leicester’s collective struggles need to be factored in while it is perhaps understandable that such a dramatic individual rise has given way to a sophomore slump.
Even so, it appears very unlikely that Arsenal will be returning with another monster bid this summer for a winger who has seen his contributions from the right plunge from 18 goals and 10 assists in 2015/16 to 6 goals and 3 assists since August. Stat-wise that makes Mahrez a third of the player he so recently was.
Where now?
The 26 year old has reserved his best performances for the Champions League and has made no secret of his desire to compete in the competition next year.
Vincent Janssen (Tottenham)
Spurs have accrued an unwelcome reputation for buying striking duds down the years – Roberto Soldado anyone? – and unfortunately it appears that Janssen is set to join the not-so-illustrious list.
Purchased for £17m from AZ last July the 22 year old was entrusted to take some of the strain off Harry Kane but only succeeded in giving supporters palpitations as a dive in self-belief led to him hiding around the centre-circle to avoid the prospect of another six-yard miss.
As good as Janssen could still be in England at least he has become a confidence player devoid of confidence and an opportunistic striker not given opportunities.
Where now?
Still highly regarded in Holland it is entirely possible that Spurs could recoup much of their outlay.
Claudio Bravo (Manchester City)
So calamitous has the Chilean proven to be that it seems cruel to kick through the ashes of his season but one statistic stands out above the gaffes and spills: at the height of his depths the 112-cap international conceded 17 goals from 26 shots on target.
Presently injured and not expected to be back until the autumn it is as likely to be at City as Luke Shaw being made captain across town.
Where now?
A return to La Liga beckons for a cut-price fee, a fee City would probably be happy to pay themselves.
Not many footballers can say they won lower league titles in both Sweden and England before going on to win three Premier League titles and a memorable treble. Even fewer can say that they scored an injury time winner at the Nou Camp to win the Champions League final with almost the last kick of their side’s treble-winning season.
So it’s fair to say that Teddy Sheringham has had the kind of career most can only dream of.
The Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur legend even had time to turn out a mere 51 times for England, too. He appeared at Euro 96 and World Cup 98, capturing the hearts of the nation with his prolific partnership with Alan Shearer as the two combined to spectacular effect at the 1996 European Championships held on home soil.
Football – England v Holland – EURO 96 Group A – Wembley – 18/6/96 Mandatory Credit : Action Images Teddy Sheringham congratulates Alan Shearer on his first goal from the penalty spot
In all, Sheringham amassed 11 goals for his country, playing mostly as a second striker – a number 10 tasked with linking up play and helping to provide unmissable chances for Alan Shearer, the born goalscorer. Sheringham will be representing his country again at the Icons of Football tournament at the Belfry from 23-25 June, aiming to fire England to victory over a Rest of the World team which included Pep Guardiola, Alessandro Del Piero and Dirk Kuyt.
He’ll also show off his golfing skills alongside former Manchester United teammate Andrew Cole, with whom he won the treble in 1999.
Sheringham played for United 145 times in all competitions, scoring 46 goals in a spell sandwiched between two terms at Tottenham Hotspur, where he played 277 times in all, scoring 125 goals.
Overall, 355 goals in 898 professional appearances is a spectacular return over a professional career at the very highest level. But even if you only ever remember one, it would have to be his most important, the strike to win the Champions League for an English team for the very first time. That’s not a bad legacy to leave at all.
Tickets are available now at icons-series.com
Tickets for Icons of Football 2017 are available now at icons-series.com
According to reports from The Daily Star, Newcastle believe they’ve won the race to sign Cameroon international Vincent Aboubakar.
On loan from FC Porto, the 25-year-old enjoyed a solid season at Besiktas last term, netting twelve times in the Turkish top flight to help them lift the Super Lig title.
He also boasts all the physicality you’d want from a Premier League striker and a decent return at international level, with 17 goals and 57 caps for the Indomitable Lions.
But should Aboubakar’s lack of experience in the Premier League be a concern for Newcastle, considering their primary objective next season will be to stay in the top flight?
Transfermarkt value the 6 foot striker at £8.5million while The Daily Star suggest the Magpies are set to pay £500k more. So, Toon Army fans, where do you stand regarding this potential transfer deal? Let us know if you’d back a summer swoop for the FC Porto man by voting in the poll below…
Newcastle United managed to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and are already making moves to ensure that’s where they’ll stay.
Fresh off the back of pipping Brighton and Hove Albion to the title, manager Rafa Benitez has wasted no time in identifying new targets in a bid to establish the Magpies in the top flight once more. The Mirror has reported Newcastle are one of the clubs looking at Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs.
Left-back has been a problem for the Magpies in recent times. While Phil Dummett has been serviceable in defence for a number of years, he offers very little going forward – something which seems to be more important than ever in the modern game.
Gibbs, who is valued at £8.5m by transfermarkt.com, has struggled to establish himself at Arsenal over the past few seasons and made only eight league starts after missing parts of the campaign with injury.
The 27-year-old has never really fulfilled his potential since breaking into the first-team back in 2008 and may well be looking to move following the arrival of Sead Kolasinac and the form of Nacho Monreal.
He would also be perfect for Newcastle as a more attacking full-back than Dummett, having excelled as a wing-back when Arsene Wenger changed to three-at-the-back, bagging three assists in 2017.
While signings like this look good on paper however, it’s also important to consider how well they will gel with the current squad.
Newcastle’s downfall in the past has come from signing a number of players not used to the Premier League, most notably overseas flops like Remy Cabella and Florian Thauvin.
Thankfully for the Magpies, Gibbs looks like a player in the perfect mould.
The left-back has made over 200 appearances for Arsenal, has played in Europe for a number of seasons and even has 10 England caps to his name.
Furthermore, he will be hungry to prove himself among the best full-backs in the league and possibly even salvage his international career with regular game time.
Britain Football Soccer – Southampton v Arsenal – Premier League – St Mary’s Stadium – 10/5/17 Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand with Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your a
He may not currently be on the level of players like Danny Rose or Ryan Bertrand, but Gibbs has the talent to be considered in the top half of Premier League left-backs – something which would be ideal for Newcastle.
We’ve already seen how well an Arsenal player with a point to prove can play, with Isaac Hayden excelling in black and white stripes this season despite never getting near the first team at the Emirates.
Should Benitez manage something similar in Gibbs, Newcastle could well make waves on their return to the top-flight in 17/18.
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Arsenal fans have been giving their thoughts on the worrying news surrounding Santi Cazorla.
A report in The Express has claimed that the midfielder has suffered another injury setback, which could keep him out of action for another season.
Cazorla was initially expected to be sidelined for three weeks after damaging his Achilles in a Champions League tie in October.
However, he suffered various setbacks over the course of the campaign and underwent a handful of operations.
The Spaniard extended his deal last season until the summer of 2018, which means that if The Express’s report is correct, then Cazorla may never play for Arsenal again.
It would be a disappointing end to the midfielder’s Arsenal career, which began in 2012 when he joined from Malaga.
Since joining the North London outfit, Cazorla has won three FA Cup trophies and become a fan favourite.
After hearing these latest reports, Arsenal fans have been tweeting their reactions.
According to reports in The Sun, Aston Villa are lining up a move for Stoke City striker and former Villan Peter Crouch.Villa manager Steve Bruce is looking to take the club back to the Premier League next season following a disappointing first campaign in the Championship, and he has already added John Terry to his ranks.However, The Sun says he is keen to bring in Crouch too, with the 36-year-old finding first team football with the Potters hard to come by having made 30 appearances in all competitions – mainly from the substitutes’ bench – last term, scoring 10 goals in the process.Villa supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, and they were divided with their opinions.While some believe he is “better than Gestede†and would score goals, others say they don’t need him and aren’t keen on signing another player for the short-term.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
Everton beat FC Twente 3-0 in their latest pre-season friendly on Wednesday evening, but one Toffees player came under fire from the fans despite scoring a goal.
The Merseyside outfit held a half-time lead thanks to an impressive strike from Kevin Mirallas, but the Belgian perhaps didn’t get the response he wouldn’t have expected from some of his own faithful.
Ronald Koeman’s men went on to win the game comfortably as Kieran Dowell and Aaron Lennon also got on the scoresheet, as the club’s preparation for the new season continues.
Mirallas scored four goals and provided a further six assists 35 Premier League appearances last term and he will be hoping for an improved campaign this time around.
Everton supporters were quick to give their reaction to the wide-man’s goal via social media, but there were calls for the club to sell him, while others questioned his consistency and hinted he should have saved one of his rare impressive performances for the new season.