Former Germany captain and World Cup winner Lothar Matthäus has said he would advise Liverpool target Timo Werner to stay in the Bundesliga for another season, while also admitting he is ‘sure’ the RB Leipzig forward will end up in the Premier League eventually.
24-year-old Werner has been a Liverpool target for some time, with regular reports suggesting he is Jurgen Klopp and the Reds’ recruitment team’s top target for the next transfer window.
The Germany international, who has also been linked with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, has scored 21 goals in the soon-to-restart Bundesliga in 2019/20, while he became the youngest player in the competition’s history to register 200 appearances back in November.
Schalke 04 v RB Leipzig – German Bundesliga
With Liverpool still seen as frontrunners to eventually win the transfer race for Werner, despite growing uncertainty over finances brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Matthäus – a seven-time Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich – has claimed the Leipzig forward would fit in Klopp’s team. However, he added that it may not be the best move for the player yet.
“I think he is a Liverpool player,” Matthäus told 90min. “He has this mentality, this style. He’s a great player, a speedy player and Jurgen Klopp likes speedy players in the offence.
“But there’s another thing. Timo Werner likes to play. In Leipzig he has his position. He’s a fixed player in the system of Julian Nagelsmann and, sure, Liverpool is one of the best clubs in the world, with Klopp and a very good team, but Werner likes to play the big games.
“Liverpool already have Salah, Mane and Firmino and when all these players are ready to play, maybe Werner is on the bench and a player like Werner has to play. He likes to play. He loves football.”
The 1990 Ballon d’Or winner added that he would advise Werner to plan for another season in Germany before an inevitable move abroad.
He said: “I think maybe it’s better for him to have one more year in Leipzig to get more experience. This year you can see the steps he’s made ahead, not only with his number of goals but how he’s playing.
FILE. West German midfielder Lothar Matthaeus (L)
“He can play for Liverpool but he will be unhappy if he has to sit on the bench for the big games.
“If I were his manager telling him what to do I would say ‘hey, play one more year in Leipzig. We will be in the Champions League again, you’ll play more in the national team and then maybe you can go’.
“But sure he will not finish his career in the Bundesliga, or at RB Leipzig. I’m sure he will soon be a player in the Premier League but I hope not next season.”
Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid – UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
Reports earlier this month suggested that Liverpool are ‘virtually certain’ to put their big summer transfer plans on ice due to the financial impact of the pandemic, though rumours of the Reds’ interest in Werner continue to swirl.
Olivier Giroud has admitted he is targeting glory with France as he eyes up three figures in international caps, despite Euro 2020 being pushed back a year to 2021.
The coronavirus pandemic saw the first ever planned pan-European Euros pushed back a year, perhaps meaning those approaching the end of their careers may face difficulty in getting selected.
However, Giroud – who has previously said he would retire from the international stage after Euro 2020 – revealed he still wants to reach 100 caps before he finishes his career with the national side.
Chelsea FC v Everton FC – Premier League
He told French newspaper Le Dauphine Libere, as quoted by Goal: “I am at 97 caps and I hoped to reach the 100 mark at the March and June friendlies. This is only a postponement.
“Regarding the number of goals, I am only two off Michel Platini, it is also clearly an objective.”
Giroud was often singled out for criticism during Les Bleus’ victorious 2018 World Cup campaign as he floundered in front of goal while teammates Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann stole the show up front.
He remains a firm favourite of manager Didier Deschamps, despite constant speculation over his future at club side Chelsea.
The former Montpellier forward joined the Stamford Bridge side in January 2018 but has often had to make do with substitute appearances, particularly this season as Frank Lampard has preferred Tammy Abraham as his sole striker up front.
Chelsea FC v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League
Giroud scored his first Premier League goal of the season in February against Tottenham and followed it up with another strike four games later against Everton, with Chelsea sat comfortably enough in fourth ahead of the potential return of the Premier League.
If and when the season does recommence, Chelsea still have fixtures against teams like Liverpool and Wolves to complete, as well as the second leg of their last 16 Champions League tie with Bayern Munich.
We’re all well versed in the matches between bitter rivals in Europe’s top five leagues. It’s one of the best parts about football. It does say an awful lot, though, that when you mention two particular names from one of, well, the less popular divisions across the continent, you still know exactly who they are.
These two are, of course, Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split; two clubs who play in a league where, for much of us pampered folk, we haven’t a clue who any of the other eight teams are. But, we all know exactly who these two are, they’re the biggest clubs in Croatia, and staunch enemies to boot.
A rivalry that has been ongoing since the 1920s, the pair have been embroiled in a bitter war since that has produced some of the most memorable club matches in Croatian football history.
Here are five such encounters.
2003 – Dinamo Zagreb 4-1 Hajduk Split
Beating your rivals is one of the best feelings you can have as a football supporter. Absolutely wiping the floor with them though? That’s on a different level.
Can that be bettered? Perhaps only if there is a trophy involved, which is exactly what was at stake during the 2003 Super Cup final. Having secure the league title that season, finishing just one place above Hajduk, they were hosting their bitter rivals once more with a league and cup double on the line.
A tentative first half saw both sides go in level at the break, but a Dinamo storm came calling in the second period as three goals put the result beyond doubt to inflict a double dose of pain deep into Hajduk hearts.
2004 – Hajduk Split 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb
See the above? All you really need to do is swap the names around, and that’s the story for this match.
Revenge was on the cards in remarkably similar fashion just one season later, as Hajduk – who’d secured the league title that season – played host to Dinamo in the same final of the same competition 12 months later, hoping to do just like their opponents and secure the double.
Hajduk’s side may not have had many names familiar to an English audience, but a Dinamo side featuring Eduardo and Niko Kranjcar were powerless to stop the hosts claiming the ultimate prize. Dragan Blatnjak scored the only goal of the match shortly after the restart to right the wrongs of the previous season.
2008 – Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Hajduk Split
Hajduk have not won a Croatian league title for 16 years now. That, well, isn’t very good for the country’s second biggest side.
So, with that in mind, it’s important for Hajduk to gain any victory they can, if more for morale than anything else.
When they traveled to their sworn enemies’ home ground for a league clash in 2008 and escaped with a 2-0 win, it went some way to temporarily ending their (at this point) only three year wait.
2016 – Hajduk Split 0-4 Dinamo Zagreb
As previously touched on, Dinamo’s dominance over Hajduk when it comes to the league has been a thing for nearly two decades now.
Their superiority was clear, but they really rubber stamped it when they traveled to take on Hajduk back in 2016. Winning titles at the same time your rivals aren’t is fun in itself, but heading over to their patch and wiping the floor with them is rubbing salt into already gaping wounds.
This time, a 4-0 drubbing would be the final score, although Hajduk salvaged some pride with a 0-0 draw in the return fixture later that season.
2017 – Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Hajduk Split
With nothing ever seeming to go their way when make the pilgrimage to Zagreb, it would be understandable for Hajduk heads to drop. But as is well documented in this fixture, the atmosphere remains as passionate and hostile for each and every encounter.
For the visitors on this occasion, they headed into their league clash without a victory on Dinamo’s patch for NINE YEARS, but still full of voice. Fortunately this time, it all seemed to work. Singing and scoring alike.
That dreadfully long and presumably agonising wait would finally come to and end in 2017, as a goal either side of half time banished some long-standing demons to restore some pride among the Majstori s mora.
A teenager has handed himself in to the Irish police after former Arsenal striker Ian Wright shared a series of shocking racist messages he had received on social media.
Wright felt compelled to tweet the vile Instagram messages he had been bombarded with from one account on Monday, and pointed to the torrent of abuse he and other black figures are subjected to through unregulated direct messages.
The 56-year-old is a prominent voice against racism in football and presented a two-part documentary on the subject in 2018.
Carling Black Label Media Launch
The Arsenal legend wrote: “I know I’m not meant to look at them but these messages still hit me so hard man. This is a child! This kid has a direct line into me & is able to send this without any worry.”
The abuse – too vile to share in its entirety – included the term ‘monkey’ and one message read: “If I get corona I will cough in your face.”
Sky Sports report that ‘a male adult teenager’ has handed himself in to the Irish authorities and has been interviewed in relation to the shocking abuse.
The article adds that no formal complaint has been made by the former England international, but the police are still investigating and Instagram has also confirmed it is probing the account in question.
The BBC Sport pundit received an outpouring of support from his colleagues, peers, fans and former teammates after speaking out against the abuse on Twitter, and later thanked them, writing: “Thanks everyone for your kind and supportive messages. I’m normally better at ignoring it, but that one got to me. There has to be consequences. Each one teach one!! Peace and love.”
Show Racism the Red Card chief executive Ged Grebby has also denounced the deplorable messages, telling Sky: “Ian Wright has put his head above the parapet again and I saw him on Match of the Day with Gary Lineker a few weeks ago talking about the racist abuse he suffered as a player.
“It shows racism is society’s problem and unfortunately it has been on the rise. People have been staying at home but it doesn’t stop them abusing people on social media and this is a shocking example of that.”
Dayot Upamecano’s agent has predicted that his client will remain for RB Leipzig this summer, despite an assortment of transfer interest from the biggest clubs in Europe.
The 21-year-old has been linked with Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United after a hugely impressive Bundesliga campaign.
Upamecano’s contract expires in 2021, leaving this summer’s transfer window the potential final opportunity for Leipzig to cash in on one of their prized assets.
Schalke 04 v RB Leipzig – German Bundesliga
However, Upamecano’s agent Volker Struth suggests this will not be the case due to the financial implications the coronavirus crisis will have on football.
As quoted by The Mirror, Struth said: “I don’t believe large transfers will take place this summer. And I think Upamecano is a player who will demand a large fee.
“So the statement has already been made.”
The French centre half has a release clause of €60m, but on Thursday it was reported that Leipzig had dropped their asking price to €40m in order to avoid losing him for nothing next year.
FC Bayern Muenchen v RB Leipzig – Bundesliga
Speaking to Sport1 at the beginning of May [via the Mirror], the club’s CEO Oliver Mintzlaff emphasised Leipzig’s desire to not let their players’ leave for free.
“We know the terms of our players’ contracts and I know them very well – especially that of our top performers,” Mintzlaff said.
“For us, it is a no go that the top performers will be allowed to leave our club free of charge.
“That’s the case with Timo Werner and that will be the case with Dayot Upamecano. I have the economic stability of the club in mind.”
Upamecano was rumoured to have already agreed a move to Bayern Munich, with the club boasting a proud history of poaching the very best talent in the Bundesliga.
However, as Struth suggested would be the case, the club have since reportedly altered their transfer policy as a result of the coronavirus, putting a deal for the Leipzig defender on the back burner.
Manchester United will reportedly face competition from Newcastle if they want to land Odion Ighalo on a permanent deal this summer, as the Magpies’ prospective new owners eye the Nigerian as a potential marquee signing.
Ighalo arrived at Old Trafford on loan on January deadline day, and despite the signing raising more than a few eyebrows, the 30-year-old has quickly made himself a cult hero with four goals in eight appearances.
He is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League after a handful of substitute appearances, but has found the net in each of his three starts in the Europa League and FA Cup, and he has already been touted to earn himself a permanent move back to England when the summer transfer window reopens.
Sky Sports, however, report that it won’t be easy if they are to pry him away on a permanent basis – since Newcastle, set to be armed with a £150m transfer kitty if their Saudi-based takeover comes to fruition, have entered the fray.
Oghalo is to return to Shanghai for pre-season training with Shanghai Shenua ahead of the Chinese Super League getting underway in July, and it’s believed the Chinese club will only sanction a prolonged stay in England if any interested party meets his £20m release clause.
Speaking last month (as per Sky) on speculation that United had offered him a new deal, Oghalo said: “There is no offer on the table yet.
“Because the season is still on and I’m yet to finish my loan deal. I don’t just take decisions alone in my life. I have a principle and I have a guideline for everything I do. I always pray to God to direct me.
“You don’t just rush and do things: ‘I’m going here, I’m going here’. I have to sit down and finish the season well, sit down with my agent, see what’s on the ground: A, B, C, D, is on the ground. Okay we have to pick.”
When Juventus completed the free signing of Paris Saint-Germain star Adrien Rabiot, the entire football world collectively nodded its head, safe in the knowledge that nobody could pull off these coups quite like the Old Lady.
A young, exciting and promising midfielder, pinched from one of the biggest clubs in Europe – for absolutely nothing? They’ve done it again.
The young Frenchman was now rubbing shoulders with the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Fabio Cannavaro, Kingsley Coman, Dani Alves, Aaron Ramsey and many more who have all made the move to Turin without the pressures of a transfer fee weighing heavy on their shoulders.
It’s safe to say, he’s in elite company.
But just because he has followed in the footsteps of these giants, it doesn’t mean he can fill their boots. In fact, many in Turin are questioning if he’s worthy of even cleaning their studs. Less than a year into life at the Allianz Stadium, whispers are suggesting that Rabiot’s time in Serie A may already be up, with the likes of Manchester United and Everton eyeing a move for the out-of-favour Frenchman.
If Juventus had any sense, they’d be driving him to the airport in person.
Although some may label I Bianconeri’s signing of Rabiot as ‘classic Juve’, it was actually far from their normal business manoeuvre. When pursuing their potential free transfer signings in previous years, the Serie A giants targeted experienced players whose time at their then-current club was coming to a natural end.
The likes of Alves, Sami Khedira, and Fernando Llorente were proven stars, who had experience playing at the highest level, and their track record was reason enough to take the plunge.
Juve also looked to hoover up any young talent which wasn’t being given a fair crack of the whip at club level, and their relatively low risk strategy reaped massive rewards, turning the likes of Pogba and Coman into huge profit after they established themselves in top-flight football.
AC Milan v Juventus – Coppa Italia: Semi Final
Rabiot, on the other hand, fell somewhere in between those two criteria. At 24 years old, he was not a teenage prodigy begging for a crack at the big time, nor was he an experienced head looking for a new challenge.
Instead, the midfielder was simply a figure of misery in his surroundings, and his disruptive presence around the team was too much for even PSG, who banished him to train with the reserves for the final six months of his contract.
This treatment led to Rabiot’s mother (and agent) describing her son as a ‘prisoner’ in Paris, which all-but sealed his fate with the Ligue 1 champions. That’s the same mother who is reportedly pushing for her child to leave Juventus for the Premier League this summer, you’ll be shocked to discover.
And that wasn’t even the first example of such worrying character flaws. Rabiot publicly lashed out at France national team coach Didier Deschamps, after he was left out of the World Cup 2018 squad, and he subsequently refused to be named as a standby in case of injury.
He’d also endured conflict with former coach Thomas Tuchel over his attitude. A glowing CV.
FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-PSG-AMIENS
But despite these glaring warning signs, Juve deemed him worthy of a gamble, and given that he caught the eye so noticeably in the PSG midfield for more than five years, it felt like a win-win situation for the Serie A giants.
If he lives up to the hype, then he’ll be a global superstar. If not, then he can be shipped off for a hefty sum and we can all forget this experiment ever happened.
But if something seems too good to be true, more often than not, it’s because it ain’t.
The fanfare that surrounded Rabiot’s arrival quickly turned to confusion, as he struggled to even make it onto the pitch for Juventus. Maurizio Sarri handed him 27 minutes of action in the opening game of the season, and that was the midfielder’s lot for the next three matches, as the Italian coach opted to select compatriot Blaise Matuidi in his place.
SSC Napoli v Juventus – Serie A
As the games wore on, Rabiot earned Sarri’s trust, and was a regular figure in I Bianconeri’s midfield, up until their final two matches. But despite making 17 league appearances, there was one question on every Juve fan’s lips.
What does Rabiot actually do?
Well, one brief glance at the 25-year-old’s statistics will tell you that he’s not an offensive midfielder. 0 league goals and 0 assists is concerning, but in fairness, that’s not really in his job description. Rabiot made his name as an elegant passer and distributor of the ball, and he has always been confident when dictating the pace of a game.
However, plenty of his best work often came from breaking up play, and taking a backseat as PSG’s attacking all-stars inflicted the major damage. It was a comfortable job, when you’re an efficient cog in the most expensively-built and overpowering machine in an entire country.
Juventus may be similar to PSG in their domination of Italian football, but they are by no means as financially superior to their rivals as the French champions. Serie A is a hard-fought battle for Juve, with different challenges being posed ever year by a number of adversaries, who are desperate to end the Old Lady’s monopoly of the scudetto.
And Rabiot might have been caught out by this. It’s possible that perhaps the midfielder hasn’t learned and developed quite as much as he thought he’d done during his time with les Parisiens. Games seem to pass him by in Italy, and he simply looks incapable of changing the outcome of a match. Not once has Rabiot grabbed a game by the scruff of the neck, and at a club like Juventus, that will not do.
The Frenchman flits in and out, but his periods of lethargy and ineffectiveness hugely outweigh his measly positive input. And Rabiot’s inability to impose himself stands in stark contrast to that of fellow midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who has convinced supporters that he is the future of the Juve midfield.
The Uruguayan star really has the lot, and at only 22 years old, he is ready to mix it with the big boys. With his combative style of tough tackling and an intelligent passing range, Bentancur looks a much safer bet to put your money on than the butterfly Rabiot, who flutters in and out of matches with such fragility.
And if that wasn’t reason enough to get rid, the summer arrival simply doesn’t fit with the club’s ethos and profile.
Olympique Lyon v Juventus – UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg
Even with Cristiano Ronaldo in the side, Juventus play a team game. It’s all about organisation, fighting for one another and getting the job done as a unit. Fino alla fine.
Rabiot sticks out like a man who has spent years relying on the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Angel Di Maria to produce some individual magic to demoralise and steamroll their lowly opposition, rather than forcing the issue himself.
All in all, it’s not looking good for the midfielder.
Rabiot’s mother may be trying to force her son to test new waters, but he may end up being pushed off the plank before he can jump ship.
At the start of the season, who’d have thought that Son Heung-min would have a better chance of winning silverware with the South Korean military than with Tottenham Hotspur?
All men in South Korea must complete military service by the time they turn 28, but Son earned immunity from the usual 21-month service by winning a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
Instead, he only had to spend three weeks with the army, and he took advantage of the break in football to return home and get his service out of the way. As noted by Yonhap News Agency, he even won an award for being so good!
Son picked up the ‘Pilsung’ prize after excelling in shooting drills, finishing first out of 157 trainees. Having seen how good he is at finding the back of the net, that should come as no surprise. Badum-tss.
So, you’re telling me that being good at shooting can win trophies? Has anyone told Spurs that? Is that the key?
Son Heung-Min Completes Military Training
Spurs have been waiting since their 2008 League Cup triumph to get their hand on a trophy, but they did manage to put the pressure on Chelsea in the 2016/17 season. That has to count for something, right? Right?!
As for Son, he’ll have to oil up the hinges on his dusty trophy cabinet to find a spot for his latest prize, but it doesn’t look like he’ll have any other cups to put in there for a while.
Before football was postponed, Spurs found themselves in eighth, and they had even dropped as low as 14th towards the end of 2019.
RB Leipzig v Tottenham Hotspur – UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
They crashed out of the FA Cup against Norwich City in March and were unceremoniously dumped out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of the might *checks notes*…Colchester United all the way back in September 2019.
Son was always going to be instrumental in winning Spurs’ next piece of silverware, but who’d have thought it would come in this fashion?
Expect to see Harry Kane rushing to catch a plane to South Korea to win his own trophy in the near future.
There was a time when Leeds were 90 minutes away from a Champions League final. There was also a time since that they were in the bottom half of League One. To say the Premier League era has been a mixed bag for Leeds would be an understatement.
They began life in the Premier League as reigning champions of England, after winning the last First Division title. They’ve since found themselves mid-table, big money title contenders, European giants, relegated, relegated again, promoted, and now on the cusp of a return to the top flight under Marcelo Bielsa. All of this alongside more playoff heartbreak than any sane fan should be able to handle.
But through it all, the Yorkshire club have had their share of brilliant players and cult heroes as they’ve bounced around the leagues. The big question is, which 25 most deserve to be in their ultimate squad?
Goalkeepers
Nigel Martyn was a colossal figure at Leeds
Nigel Martyn – One of the best keepers the Premier League has ever seen, Martyn never gets the recognition because he happened to be at his peak at the same time as David Seaman. His place in Leeds history was cemented when he was chosen as keeper in their all-time XI back in 2006.
Paul Robinson – The man who replaced Martyn, Robinson showed in two seasons the ability that would give him something his predecessor never had – England’s number one jersey.
Capser Ankergren – When Leeds were relegated, they needed a new hero. This Dane stepped in and kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford, back when Man Utd were the best in the country. Enough said.
Centre Backs
Lucas Radebe
Lucas Radebe – A true Leeds legend, Radebe was everything you’d want in a captain and a defender. He wasn’t just the hero of everyone at Elland Road either – he was Nelson Mandela’s!
Pontus Jansson – Another true Leed’s legend, Jansson was everything you’d want in a captain and a defender. But seriously, Jansson was incredible for Leeds, and the embodiment of a cult hero.
Rio Ferdinand – When Radebe’s knees went, Leeds signed Rio. What a defender, the rock around which Alex Ferguson built his last great Man Utd team, which says everything you need to know about a defender who could do absolutely everything.
Jonathan Woodgate – Became a bit of a joke after his move to Real Madrid, but let’s not forget, he got a move to Real Madrid! If not for injuries, Woodgate could have been truly special.
Right Backs
Mr. Leeds, Kelly dropped down the leagues with his club
Gary Kelly – If anyone could hold the title of Mr Leeds, Gary Kelly would be up there with 531 appearances over 16 seasons. Won many plaudits across the country for choosing to stay with Leeds after relegation to the Championship.
Sam Byram – He’s struggled to adapt to the top flight, but Sam Byram was excellent for Leeds after coming through the youth set up. He was a real star for them in the Championship for four years.
Left Backs
Alioski is a versatile option for Leeds on the left
Ian Harte – One of the finest left backs of his era, and unfairly left out of most conversations of greatest free-kick takers, Ian Harte was a shoo in for this position. How many people knew he was Gary Kelly’s nephew? Strange.
Ezgian Alioski – Mainly deployed as a winger, Alioski has all the flair to stand out in the Championship, though his lack of consistency may leave his position under threat if Leeds were promoted. He certainly has top-flight credentials though, that’s clear to see.
Central Midfielders
How long can Leeds hold onto their star man?
Olivier Dacourt – As far as game-changers go, Dacourt was that for Leeds. He added the steel to the side which saw them make the Champions League semi finals, and cement themselves in the top four. The reason Terry Venebles preferred Paul Okon will forever be a mystery.
Jonny Howson – A cult figure wherever he’s been, Howson came through the Leeds academy and captained their League One promotion team. Lived the dream with his boyhood club.
Kalvin Phillips – Leeds’ current star man, they’ll do well to hold onto Phillips in the summer. Considering the Whites were one of the best teams in the country for a long time, it’s a credit to his ability that he features in this side ahead of Gary McAllister and Gary Speed.
David Batty – One from the glory years who does make it in, Batty spent two successful spells in Yorkshire, improving the midfield greatly both times. The screams of ‘SHOOOOT’ when he was 35 yards out never fazed him – he’d just play a killer through ball instead.
Right Midfielders
Snodgrass has risen through the leagues since breaking through at Leeds
Robert Snodgrass – On his day, Snodgrass is unplayable, and he was one of the key figures that helped Leeds to promotion from League One back in 2010. He’s a proven operator in the Premier League these days, and inspirational at his best.
Stuart Dallas – Extremely versatile, Stuart Dallas has endeared himself to the Leeds faithful with a string of great performances all over the pitch. A natural right winger, he’s the type of player every manager wants in their squad, and Bielsa is no different.
Left Midfielders
The Wizard of Oz, Harry Kewell lit up Elland Road in the late 90’s
Harry Kewell – Gerard Houllier bought him at Liverpool instead of Cristiano Ronaldo. It made sense at the time, the Aussie favourite was the key man in Leeds’ successful side at the turn of the millennium. What did Ronaldo ever do for Leeds?
Kemar Roofe – A reliable goalscorer all over the park, his form over the last couple of years was enough to earn a move to… Anderlecht. Roofe had to be in here, if he hadn’t gotten injured at the end of last season Leeds would have probably been back in the Premier League already.
Attacking Midfielders
A common sight in Yorkshire, Hernandez is a classy operator
Pablo Hernandez – Magnificent midfielder who’s added real Spanish class to the front line in recent years, Hernandez is easily one of the best players outside the top flight. Nearly put Alan Smith here, but to our knowledge, Hernandez hasn’t offended the whole city… yet.
Lee Bowyer – Oh Lee Bowyer, what should have been. For every magic performance against Barcelona, there was a GBH charge. Let’s focus on his ability though, he may have lacked morals, but never ability.
Strikers
Leeds legend Viduka scored for fun in white
Mark Viduka – With a good claim to be among Leeds’ greatest ever centre forwards, Mark Viduka combined power and clinical ability in dominant performances during his days at Elland Road. He kept the club up by himself in 2002/03.
Jermaine Beckford – Scored the goal in the 1-0 FA Cup win at Old Trafford, hit 30 goals two years in a row, was the star of Leeds’ time in League One. Tell us why Beckford shouldn’t be here?
Luciano Becchio – When Beckford left, Becchio stuck around. If you asked any Leeds fan who their favourite player was between 2010 and 2013, there’s a good chance it would be Becchio. Swore on Sky Sports once. What a lad.
Tony Yeboah – If history was kinder, Michael Bridges would have probably taken this slot, but Tony Yeboah can’t be overlooked. His stay in Yorkshire was short, but my word was it memorable. Those two volleys against Liverpool and Wimbledon are as iconic as goals come.
It dragged on a bit, didn’t it? A whole summer (and beyond) of speculation and hearsay saw Kieran Tierney’s protracted Arsenal move ebb and flow to the point where it seemed as if the Gunners’ insistence of undercutting Celtic’s valuation – by what one can, based on history, assume was pound each time – was never going to come to fruition.
For all their bartering, the north London side eventually coughed up the £25m asking price, and in doing so, finally secured one of Europe’s most highly thought of left-backs.
At this point, both Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal were already at the club, meaning there was going to be an inevitable departure for one of the pre-existing crop. That eventually saw Monreal depart the Emirates, with the currently injured Tierney merely waiting in the wings to usurp the criminally inconsistent – rather bang average – Kolasinac.
A slow and steady integration into the side began to take place, with Europa League and Carabao Cup outings signalling the beginning of what was hoped to be a hugely successful season for Tierney.
Only 11 first team appearances into his Gunners career and the desperately unfortunate cloud of injury, that had cursed the Scot before he’d even made the move down south, befell him once more. A dislocated shoulder, an issue completely unattached to his previous setbacks, saw his season all but end.
As if being thrust into a side putting in abject performance week after week wasn’t grueling enough, he’d now have to watch his new teammates sink further without his intervention.
What was clear from his brief spell in the side, though, was an abundance of quality. It’s never easy to turn the tide of a sloping tidal-wave of tragedy, but his athleticism and outstanding crossing ability were there for all to see.
Fast forward from that December night at the London Stadium, and there is a player now fit and available who is about to offer his new manager much more than just added quality to his squad.
The bubbling rumours of a move for Layvin Kurzawa have refused to dip under the surface, as it’s become painstakingly clear that the once limited finances at the Emirates Stadium have now reached piggy-bank smashing levels of despair.
Yet, free agents are not free. Kolasinac is one of the highest earners at the club following his own free transfer, and you can expect any player at Paris Saint-Germain will be asking for a decent pay packet.
The Bosnian left-back isn’t great, but has improved slowly (very slowly) since Arteta took the reins, and as backup to the Scotsman, that leaves that area of the pitch pretty much sorted. Do you really need three left-sided full-backs in a squad? Unless they’ve got injury records on the Jack Wilshere scale, then no.
If such a cruel fate were to rear its head, then this season’s surprise package Bukayo Saka has shown he’s capable of filling in the role. For all his excellent work this term, there are still question marks over his defensive positioning, which is absolutely understandable, since he quite clearly is not a defender.
He is, in fact, a left winger. Which, once again, will be an area that is nicely stocked up after Tierney returns to the fore. As already seen, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has taken up that mantle under the Spaniard’s tutelage, finding the net with points-tally saving efficiency despite the noticeable fact of being played out of position.
With new-kid-on-the-block Saka able to now move further up field and into familiar territory, alongside fellow teenager Gabriel Martinelli, you’ve got two – if not three – forwards in that position. Even if Aubameyang playing on the left persists – which we’ve no reason to believe he won’t unless, well, he leaves – Martinelli has played the majority of his career down the middle and can also be utilised on the opposite flank.
These are areas that would likely have needed strengthening, hence the links to Ryan Fraser and Willian, but while transfer fee-less additions are the port of call this summer limiting the number of those signings with Tierney’s return will lessen the load on the already restricted purse strings.
The areas of improvement are clear as day at Arsenal: right-back cover, at least one central defender and a combative midfielder are a necessity, so leave the left hand side can be left well away.
Tierney’s influence on this Arsenal side has not yet been fully witnessed. Under the (mis)guidance of Unai Emery, his impact was lessened, but even without kicking a ball with Arteta in the dugout the praise his manager has already showered him with bodes well for the future.
“I’m really looking forward to working with him and giving him the opportunity to play,” Arteta told Ian Wright as part of the adidas #hometeam campaign. “His attitude, his commitment, his willingness, it’s incredible.”
“I think he’s going to bring something special to us. It [the injury] has been a shame, but it’s part of his development. During your career, you go through these moments.
“Okay, the level of pressure now is a little bit higher, you have to deal with it, you’re playing with a top club, top expectations, deal with it. You have everything to be successful here. You have the best possible attitude that I’ve known from a player, go and live your profession and enjoy it.”
Even in his brief cameos this season, the early signs are there that Arteta has a player in his squad ready-made for his footballing philosophy.
Ability-wise, Arsenal have craved additional quality at left-back for many a year. Monreal performed the role admirably, as did Gael Clichy before him (ignoring Andre Santos), but at a crucial point in the club’s history, knowing that there is a young, exciting, ambitious, hungry and simply talented player in that position will offer Arteta plenty of encouragement.
Tierney’s return will ease the burden of the (likely) mountain of issues Arteta is tackling at the moment – financially, in the recruitment department and with on-field matters. The 22-year-old re-entering the fray offers one of few notes of excitement for Gunners fans when football returns, and provides Arteta with a gratefully depleted to-do list.
