World Cup 2014: Five Group G #transfer targets for #Arsenal – Long-term-- #CescFabregas leads list of the eight most in-demand transfer targets in football......... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Having to look into the next few months,its all going to be about football. This summer promises much for passionate football fans across the globe. Not only is there a keenly-anticipated World Cup tournament on the horizon in Brazil, but also the upcoming transfer window promises to be one of the most explosive in recent memory. While many such windows often promise so much and ultimately deliver frustratingly little, this time you really do get the feeling that a number of high-profile deals could be thrashed out with so many of Europes top clubs in obvious need of immediate strengthening prior to the start of the 2014/15 campaign. Despite the small matter of that aforementioned South American showpiece understandably becoming the focal point of many peoples attentions since domestic competition was brought to a close, there still have been no shortage of blockbuster transfer rumours circulating in recent weeks. Here at Strikersgoals, it has become rather obvious to us as we sift through such frequent speculation that several players appear to be attracting admiring attention from more than one big club. With that in mind, here we attempt to list eight of the most in-demand stars this summer, based on the gossip that has been doing the rounds in recent weeks. Cesc Fabregas Lets begin with the obvious, shall we? No footballer over the past fortnight or so has been subject to quite as much speculation over his future as Barcelona and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas. With the winds of change blowing in Catalonia, it appears that the 27-year-old former Arsenal favourite will become one of the more high-profile casualties of Luis Enriques first transfer window in charge at the Camp Nou. While several clubs - mostly from the Premier League - were thought to be in the running for his signature just a short while ago, in recent days the list of potential suitors appears to have narrowed considerably to just Manchester United and Chelsea. The latter outfit - who are obviously seeking to replace the influential figure of Frank Lampard - appear to have emerged as frontrunners, with certain reports speculating that Chelsea have agreed a four-year deal to bring Fabregas to Stamford Bridge. Romelu Lukaku From potential Chelsea incomings to a player who looks almost certain to leave West London, Lukaku was being linked with an increasing number of other clubs before reports last night suggested that he had finally made his desire to depart Stamford Bridge crystal clear. The likes of Tottenham, Everton and even Atletico Madrid - who look poised to allow Diego Costa to move in the opposite direction - are among those said to be in the frame for Lukaku, with the powerful Belgian starlet presumably keen to impress at the World Cup to ensure that he can attract as much interest as possible. A physically imposing frontman with the potential to get even better, Chelsea fans will presumably be hugely disappointed to wave goodbye to Lukaku without ever really seeing him given the chance to stake his claim for a regular starting berth. Arturo Vidal If one were to compile a list of the best central midfielders currently playing in Europes most reputable leagues, then there surely would not be many names that would feature above Juventus Vidal. The Chile international - a key focal point for Chile at international level as well as with the Old Lady in Serie A - has had another tremendous season under Antonio Conte, with the €60 million-rated star having attracted attention from the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid in the process. While Juventus would be significantly weakened by his departure, it could be that Vidal might want to pursue a different challenge after playing his part in three consecutive Italian domestic triumphs. Eliaquim Mangala For a player who is yet to test himself in one of the more reputable leagues in Europe, Porto centre-back Mangala appears to be attracting a wealth of attention from the very best that English football has to offer. Manchester United, local rivals Manchester City and Chelsea have all been mentioned in relation to the promising 23-year-old defender, with each club obviously on the lookout for an extra defensive presence. Could French international Mangala finally be the perfect partner for Vincent Kompany at the Etihad Stadium? Will new Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal target him as an ideal replacement for one of Nemanja Vidic/Rio Ferdinand now a potential deal for Mats Hummels appears to be off the table? Or, will Mangala be content to move to Chelsea and attempt to break the settled partnership fostered by English duo John Terry and Gary Cahill? Ashley Cole Left-back Cole differs from each of the other seven players on this particular list due to the fact that he is the only one who will be a free agent this summer with his current Chelsea contract due to expire at the end of June. While it may be accurate to suggest that the 33-year-olds best days are now firmly in the past, Cole still has a lot to offer and has a magnitude of experience gained during his time as arguably the finest left-sided defender in the entire world. There certainly appears to be no shortage of interest in Coles signature and the former England international - who retired from Three Lions duty last month after being left out of Roy Hodgsons 23-man World Cup squad - will presumably now be faced with a decision of whether he intends to remain at the very highest level of the game for a little longer or if the time is right to wind things down elsewhere. The option of him extending his stay at Stamford Bridge does not appear an impossibility, although it must now seem incredibly unlikely. Alexis Sanchez Along with Fabregas, tricky winger Sanchez is another Barcelona player who appears to be facing an imminent exit from the Nou Camp this summer following the departure of Tata Martino. In his case, things appear to be escalating rather quickly indeed with Juventus evidently keen on the signature of the £20 million-rated star along with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool. A quick and skilful customer whose continued presence in a talented Chile squad is one of the main reasons that Jorge Sampaolis men are considered by many to be dark horses for the World Cup, Sanchez is still only 25 and should have several years left at his peak. Loic Remy Watching Remy impress during a season-long loan stint at St. James Park must have been somewhat of a bittersweet experience for Newcastle fans. While his rich vein of goalscoring form was a pleasure to behold, it was clear from quite an early stage that the Magpies were not going to be able to keep hold of him beyond the end of the 2013/14 season. Instead, it appears that Remy - who is in Didier Deschamps France squad for the World Cup - has his sights set on a move to one of the Premier Leagues top clubs, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea all having been linked with player. It is worth remembering that Remys parent club - Queens Park Rangers - will be back in top-flight next season following their last-gasp win over Derby County in the Championship playoff final, however it does not look like he has any attention of returning to Loftus Road on a full-time basis. Alvaro Morata Lastly we come to Morata, the talented young Spanish striker whose lack of sustained first-team opportunity at the Santiago Bernabeu - coupled with Los Blancos reported pursuit of a certain Luis Suarez - appears to be leading to his inevitable departure from the club. Fittingly for a player who has shown glimpses of real quality during his sporadic appearances for the 10-time European champions, 21-year-old Morata - who boasts a truly formidable strike-rate in the various Spanish international youth setups - appears to be subject of interest from a number of clubs. Juventus, Arsenal and Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg are all believed to be keen on pursuing his signature, although it remains to be seen at this stage if Real will be willing to let him go before securing another striker to compete with Karim Benzema. And Cristiano Ronaldo tops list of 8 stars facing World Cup burnout- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We are now just five days away from finally kicking off the 2014 World Cup, but preparations for a South American showpiece four years in the making have recently been marred by injuries to stars who has the potential to light up the tournament and etch their names into football folklore. Most recently Germany forward Marco Reus was the latest key man to be ruled out thanks to a gruesome ankle injury, joining the likes of Franck Ribery and Radamel Falcao in heartbreakingly being forced to miss a massive chance to underline their credentials on the biggest platform possible. Germany and France coaches Joachim Low and Didier Deschamps must both be devastated that preparations for the World Cup have been disrupted to close to Thursdays kickoff, but is the absence of several top players down to a crippling workload at club level? As national team managers sweat on the fitness of pivotal figures GMS has decided to look at the eight men still booked on the plane to Brazil that have played more minutes than any other since the 2010 World Cup finished, stars that will need to managed very carefully this summer or risk burnout affecting their chances of delivering credible performances? Click ahead to look at some of the staggering statistics which prove Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and co. are swimming against the tide in terms of giving their very best with the pressure on at world footballs biggest party. strikersgoals Like Us
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 17:17:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015