In-demand France striker Loic Remy will take his time before deciding who to join this summer.
The 23-year-old Nice frontman recently visited Stoke City to take a look at their facilities, having also been linked with West Ham and Liverpool, as well as a number of clubs on the continent.
Remy will now ponder his options before making a decision about his final destination.
His agent, Frederic Guerra, told Sky Sports:"Loic is a polite person and after Tony Pulis and Dave Kemp came to see him in France he felt it was right to come and look at Stoke.
"Loic did not know much about Stoke, but he was very impressed by what Tony and Dave had to say to him.
"He was also impressed by Stoke's training ground and he was amazed by the enthusiasm of the club's fans after arriving there.
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"Loic is thankful for Stoke for showing an interest in him and he wishes them all the best for the future.
"However, Loic is in no rush to make a decision on his future. There are eight clubs – four in the UK – who are all chasing Loic and he will take his time before deciding what is the best move for him."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
It’s a simple question and one had I asked at the very beginning of the season, would have seemed like a no-brainer in favour of the Mexican.
Last season Chicharito was arguably the biggest positive in United’s entire campaign bursting onto the scene with a series of memorable and important goals that quickly established him as one of the world’s most lethal young strikers.
While Chicharito was bagging goals with aplomb for United, Danny Welbeck was busy impressing, albeit to a lesser degree at Sunderland. The Mancunian may not have set the scoring charts alight but he did bag some important strikes and proved he could hack it in the Premier League, a lesson United took heed of.
This season, Welbeck has stepped it up a gear, scoring freely and linking up with the likes of Cleverley, Anderson, Nani and Rooney to give United the sort of football that’s often been missing these past couple of seasons. Meanwhile Chicharito, recovering from a head injury picked up in pre-season, hasn’t been able to enjoy a real run in the side yet, although he’s still managed to bag a brace of goals at the Reebok.
Welbeck’s actually played one less league game than Chicharito- mainly due to a hamstring picked up against Arsenal, but has shone since his return bagging two goals against Basel and a late nerve calmer in the last league game versus Norwich.
The question then is who should start against Liverpool at Anfield a week on Saturday? Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez , who took the Premier League by storm last season or Danny Welbeck, who’s done something not too dissimilar this season?
Personally, I think you should start the form player in a game that should United win, would give us the boost to make our start to the season almost unreal. Welbeck couldn’t have done much better this season and while Chicharito is definitely a big game player, I feel he’d be more useful coming off the bench should he be needed than Welbeck would.
It’s a great problem for Sir Alex to have to wrestle and either way there’s no real wrong answer, tell us which young striker you’d start against Liverpool?
Read more of Justin’s articles at Red Flag Flying High
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It’s almost a year since Chelsea broke the British transfer record to bring Fernando Torres to Stamford Bridge and by way of an anniversary present the forlorn Spaniard has recently repaid the Blues backing by breaking a longstanding goalscoring record.
Unfortunately though, another blank at the weekend against Norwich means Torres’s haul of no goals in his last fourteen club appearances represents his worst trot as a professional and even aside from the paucity of goals, the former Liverpool hitman remains a pale imitation of the player that once terrorised Europe.
Statistics have long stopped being kind to Torres, so much so in fact that Chelsea fans have taken to consoling themselves with the number of assists their number nine has conjured up as a faux-replacement for his lack of finishing things off.
Without the presence of Didier Drogba looming over his shoulder Torres has been granted a sustained opportunity to find his feet, but even against the fertile opposition of Portsmouth, Sunderland and most recently a Norwich side previously without a clean sheet all season, the ailing assassin has again failed to register.
The Canaries were roundly lauded by their faithful and the press for earning a rare shut out but in truth – one fine John Ruddy save from Torres apart – Paul Lambert’s men had to do nothing more than defend studiously and with concentration to keep an insipid Chelsea at bay.
Quite whether Torres is the problem or the service to him is the route of the strikers travails really is chicken or the egg and to be brutally honest both are contributory factors merging to cause a conundrum with no obvious solution.
There is no doubt that a fit and firing Torres has the capability to alleviate some of the pressure on Andre Villas-Boas but with every next heavy touch, sluggish slalom and convictionless strike both parties struggles become more exasperated.
With Drogba away at the African Nations for the next couple of weeks, Torres theoretically has another window of opportunity to try to begin to right some of the year long wrongs, but with his performances in part impeding Chelsea’s form, is it time for AVB to swing the axe.
Drogba’s absence should not mean an automatic inclusion for Torres, especially given that the opportunity so far has hardly been seized upon. Instead, would the mini-me Drogba-esque Romelu Lukaku be a better bet to try to imitate the big Ivorian’s muscular presence?
Lukaku has barely figured since being procured for the princely sum of £18m from Anderlecht in the summer despite his prolific form in the Jupiler League. The Belgian international has averaged a goal every other game since making his debut for Anderlecht shortly after his 16th birthday yet this goalscoring prowess has been given few opportunities to flourish at the Bridge aside from a trio of Carling Cup starts and a few substitute appearances in the league.
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For anybody that has watched Lukaku at close quarters, the word ‘raw’ would be a suitable adjective to describe the hulking teenager. Indeed, shortly after signing him, Villas-Boas stressed that the purchase centred around the players potential rather than having an instant impact but perhaps inadvertently the 18-year-old’s unknown quantity and quality could stir things up for the Blues.
Lukaku is far from the finished article. His touch lacks finesse and his leggy style is uneasy on the eye but armed with pace, power and a desire to run the channels, Lukaku could in some way replicate unsettling style that Drogba has long since brought to the Chelsea ranks.
His phenomenal goalscoring record albeit in Belgium must also be taken into consideration. Plenty of players have come to these shores with impressive returns in the lowlands but few have flourished. However, Lukaku’s goals at such a tender age suggest a natural ability to find the back of the net and at the sake of losing all credibility, if you chose to peruse youtube to see his collection of strikes with Anderlecht, Lukaku does seem to possess an innate penalty box prowess and coolness in-front of goal which few can be taught.
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Given that Fernando Torres is approaching a half-century of Chelsea appearances but has notched in just four of those games, Lukaku would do well to do worse. Whether Villas-Boas opts to throw in the unproven and largely untried talent ahead of his expensive but misfiring star-turn depends on his motives for the remainder of the season.
All at Chelsea are clutching to the hope that a few goals will bring the old Fernando back again but with that notion drifting further away with every passing chance, the best way for them to win games immediately may lie with going with the lad with little to lose.
New Chelsea boss, Andre Villas-Boas has promised that it is not a one man show at Stamford Bridge and he will operate very much in a democratic manor during his time. I guess that pours a certain amount of cold water over the claims he is the new ‘Special One’ and there doesn’t appear to be any ego or arrogance with him.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include more evidence found against FIFA pair; Manchester City ditch their reserves to play in Euro tournament; Pele tells Neymar to snub Chelsea, while Aston Villa give Liverpool the green light to move for Stewart Downing.
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Villas–Boas arrives without bravado – Guardian
Evidence found against Fifa pair – Daily Telegraph
Man City ditch Reserve League to play against Euro’s elite – Daily Mail
Gerrard fitness race for new season – Daily Telegraph
Brown: Team GB threatens Scotland – Guardian
United close in on Young – Sky Sports
Pele tells Neymar to snub Chelsea and go to Spain instead – Mirror
Arsenal resume their long-term pursuit of Everton defender Jagielka – Daily Mail
Inter rule out Tevez swoop – Sun
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Berbatov wants showdown talks to decide United future – Mirror
During a frustrating game against West Ham on Saturday in which the sides drew 0-0, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp subbed Rafael van der Vaart off after 71 minutes. Van der Vaart then disappeared down the tunnel at White Hart Lane and did not return for the rest of the match.
Redknapp criticised him; “if you are part of a team you should stay to watch the rest of the game”. Van der Vaart explained his actions, saying “I played well, and did not find the substitution necessary. Often I like to play 90 minutes, but at Spurs that hardly ever happens”. So how far out of line was van der Vaart?
With the way that Tottenham set up this year, Redknapp had to make a decision of who to bring off, Defoe or van der Vaart. Tottenham can’t play to their strengths (with two wide men) and have three strikers. Defoe and van der Vaart don’t play well together so one of them had to come off.
I think Harry chose to take off van der Vaart for a few reasons. Firstly, van der Vaart has had niggling injuries, and Harry will want to look after him. But secondly to try and keep Defoe happy.
Redknapp would have been aware of Defoe’s frustration at not featuring at all in the Champions League game against AC Milan. He likes Defoe and will probably do his best to appease him. With this in mind, Redknapp had probably decided before the match that he would give Defoe 90 minutes.
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However, it was the wrong decision to take the Dutchman off and leave Defoe on. Defoe was playing awfully and squandered chances throughout the match. Admittedly, Defoe can score something from nothing, so it doesn’t always matter if he is having a good game or not as he can grab a goal, but van der Vaart is the same. I would have preferred to see van der Vaart stay on the pitch because he offers more to the side. Van der Vaart’s storming off was wrong, but I can understand why he did it.
It seems Defoe’s moaning in the last few weeks kept him on the pitch. Defoe even said earlier in the month that he has considered leaving Tottenham if he does not feature in more games. But Redknapp should be picking the team, not Jermain Defoe. The way I see it, both players are in the wrong, but van der Vaart to a lesser extent because his frustrations are more justified.
Furthermore, Defoe’s head seems to be all over the place at the moment. Last season he was the first choice striker, now he cannot get in the team. On Saturday, he chose to wear a ‘100 goals’ shirt under his Tottenham kit, clearly with the intention of scoring and then ‘proving a point’. For me, even if he had scored, he would not have proved his point. He would only have reaffirmed that he can score against the weaker teams.
It seems, in Defoe and van der Vaart, there are two players that want to play every game but cannot fit in the same team effectively at White Hart Lane. The problem for Harry is that they both think they should be playing, and both have a bit of an attitude. I doubt he will ever keep both of them happy.
In the short term, like van der Vaart said, “[he] won’t be back for 10 days, by then a lot of it will have blown over.” I hope it does, as Tottenham don’t need these distractions.
But, looking towards the summer, Harry might have to axe one of his favourite players for the benefit of Tottenham. I would offload Defoe, because he doesn’t score against the better sides and is a one-dimensional striker. To be the best team, you have to keep your best players happy; Jermain Defoe is no longer one of them.
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On their arrival on Merseyside, John W Henry and Fenway Sports Group stated that they were planning a long term strategy for Liverpool Football Club. In a question and answer email with the Red and White Kop fans site, Henry had stated that he had already been to the Kirkby academy to meet Under 18s coach Rodolfo Borrell and Academy technical manager Pep Segura three times; a sure-fire indication that the American owner will focus heavily on youth in the coming years. The development of young players will be a crucial part of FSG’s long term strategy to rebuild the club.
It can also be ascertained then that any new signing in this transfer window or in the summer will be in line with this policy, and they have a Director of Football in place in Damien Comolli who has made his career picking out young talent from across Europe. In addition to this then, FSG will need a nucleus of good young players to build a team around, and below I have listed a number of relative young first team players, and up and coming youngsters they could make up the core of Liverpool’s future teams. With Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard moving into their thirties, I have omitted them from the list but they can still play a crucial part in helping develop the younger players.
1. Pepe Reina – Still only 28, the Spanish goalkeeper only signed a five year contract back in April and has reiterated his commitment to the club recently on a number of occasions. Maybe a future Reds captain?
2. Glen Johnson – Still 26, the England first choice right back has his best years ahead of him but uncertainty has grown about his future with reports suggesting he wants a move abroad. The Reds need to keep hold of their best players if they want to progress and FSG must show Johnson that he is in their future plans.
3. Daniel Agger – Injury has blighted the Dane’s time at Anfield since his arrival in 2006 but he is a talented player whose talent on the ball could be an important driving force for any future attack minded Liverpool team.
4. Martin Kelly – Already showing his promise at right back, his size and strength could make him an excellent centre-back in the years to come.
5. Danny Wilson – Like Kelly, has a great future ahead of him and has the added bonus of being left footed, making him prime candidate to be Agger’s direct understudy for now.
Continue to PAGE TWO…
6. Jack Robinson – A great left foot, and could be a Liverpool left back of the future. A long way to go before he is ready for the first team though.
7. Lucas Leiva – Has had his best season in a Liverpool shirt so far and is only 23. Will continue to improve but I think he can be best utilised as a squad player if the Reds look to add another defensive midfield player like Yann M’Vila.
8. Raul Meireles – At 27, still fits into FSG’s long term plans, and could develop into that passing midfield general that we’ve been missing since Alonso.
9. Jonjo Shelvey – Has already impressed in the Europa League and with his range of passing and forward runs, he couldn’t have a better mentor than Steven Gerrard.
10. Dani Pacheco – A creative attacking midfield player, the Spaniard is growing impatient about the lack of first team opportunities. A talented young player which we cannot afford to lose.
11. Suso – An exciting young Spaniard with every trick in the book. Anything is possible for this youngster and we will have to be patient.
12. Michael Ngoo – A strong, tall powerful centre forward, Ngoo could have the makings of a great target man who can hold up the ball and create chances for others. Not always the most prolific in front of goal at the moment but his all round play is developing.
13. Raheem Sterling – Has pace to burn on the wings. Still some way to go in his development but looks promising.
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14. Fernando Torres – Still young enough to be around at the end of the long term plan but is the Spaniard going to be patient enough?
So what of those I haven’t mentioned? Players such as Maxi, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Skrtel, Jovanovic, Cole, Konchesky and Poulsen are either getting older or a just not good enough for Liverpool (mostly in respect of the last two). Who would you keep or allow to leave in the coming years?
Read more of David’s blogs at his excellent site Live4Liverpool
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AC Milan and Rubin Kazan are set to battle Tottenham for the signature of Sevilla hit man Alvaro Negredo in January talkSPORT understands.
The Spaniard has had storming start to the season at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán scoring three goals in five games with his form alerting Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri who is in the market for a new striker.
According to reports coming from Italy the Rossoneri are prepared to submit a £12 million bid for the 26-year-old when the transfer window reopens in January.
That could thwart Spurs boss Harry Redknapp’s plans to sign the in-form frontman after failing to secure his services in the summer eventually loaning Emmanuel Adebayor from Manchester City.
Redknapp is still keen to bolster his frontline with Adebayor unlikely to remain at White Hart Lane beyond the length of his temporary deal and will move for the former Real Madrid man in the summer.
Sevilla aren’t keen on selling Negredo during the current campaign which will give Spurs hope of signing him at the end of the season and thwart Milan’s plans to capture him in the new year.
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Jamie Carragher has admitted the Premier League title is probably out of Liverpool's reach this season.
The Reds ended the last campaign in a disappointing seventh place – their lowest finishing position since the Premier League began 18 years ago.
A change of manager has brought Roy Hodgson to Anfield but Carragher doesn't anticipate breaking his league title drought this season.
The 32-year-old defender has made almost 650 appearances during 15 years in the first team.
"People have said 'You've done this and that for Liverpool' but we've not won a trophy for four years and that is annoying me a little bit," he said.
"I certainly don't want to go on another couple of years not winning one before I finish at Liverpool.
"I don't see any reason why we can't win a trophy this season or the next couple.
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"The one I haven't won is the league, but I suppose that will be very difficult this season going from seventh last season.
"But I see no reason why we can't have a good go and have a trip to Wembley."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United have settled their dispute with Le Havre over the controversial transfer of Paul Pogba to Old Trafford.
The 17-year-old prospect found himself at the centre of a disagreement between the two clubs following his move to England last summer.
Le Havre claimed United had broken FIFA rules by offering Pogba financial inducements to break his contract with them.
The Red Devils always denied any wrongdoing and the matter has now been resolved.
"Le Havre AC and Manchester United FC are pleased to announce that following discussions between the two clubs, an agreement has been reached in relation to the registration of Paul Pogba with Manchester United in July 2009," read a United statement.
"The terms of the agreement will remain confidential.
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"Paul is an exciting young talent who Manchester United hope can prove to be a great success at Old Trafford.
"Le Havre would like to wish the player well in his future career."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has reiterated his view that Marlon King will never play for the club again but hopes the striker can resurrect his career away from the Latics.
King moved to Wigan from Watford in a £3million deal in 2008 but was jailed last October for 18 months after being found guilty of sexual assault and actual bodily harm.
Whelan terminated King’s contract when the forward was convicted, and has now told TalkSPORT: “I paid £3million for that lad and I don’t think Steve Bruce would have signed him had he known his record.
“He’s coming out today, he’s served his sentence, I’m sure he’s learned a lot and I forgive him and I wish him well if he gets back into the game.
“A lot of people commit crimes and go to prison and what they say is they’ve served a sentence and they’ve paid the penalty. It would be wrong of me to say ‘no, he should never play football again’.
“I was very upset at the time, but I really think you’ve got to forgive people because we all make mistakes and, if he can get back into the game, good luck to him. If the club know his record beforehand and they want to take the chance, then it’s up to them.
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“I think it would be wrong to punish Marlon now – I’ve forgiven him and I hope the young lady who he offended has forgiven him. It wouldn’t bother me if he came to play against us. But he’ll never play for Wigan, I’ll say that.”