• The World Cup being staged in the middle of the league season has presented many coaches with problems. Chelsea head out to Abu Dhabi on Sunday however planning the warm weather training has been difficult.
• Everton scouts are also watching Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, who scored against South Korea at the World Cup. Canada’s Jonathan David is also on Lampard’s radar.
Image: FILE
Big three to commit futures to Arsenal
Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal are in a good place to hire the world’s best players. Sitting top of the Premier League table and definitely the team to beat, Arteta is focusing on moving for another winger in the upcoming transfer window.
He commented: “The planning for January is very difficult. We know how special the January window is and the opportunities are limited due to the short period when we can sign players. Once you find a player they have to immediately compete so there is no settling in period.”
Arteta was calm when questioned about the contracts of Saka, Martinelli and Saliba and he is hopeful they will sign new deals immediately after the World Cup finishes.
All three have current deals which end in 2024 but all parties are working well together and Arteta is confident they will commit their futures to the Gunners.
Potter says Chelsea players will take time to focus
The World Cup being staged in the middle of the league season has presented many coaches with problems. Chelsea head out to Abu Dhabi on Sunday however planning the warm weather training has been difficult.
Players not involved in the World Cup were given a short holiday period and returned for training on Tuesday. Coach Graham Potter is lucky to have some of his key players available including Wesley Fofana and Reece James who have recovered from injuries.
He believes it will take some weeks for players to recover from the World Cup and if England do win there will be a period of celebration which means the they will be away for much longer.
Potter said: “Emotionally how long does it take to get over the tournament? It could take weeks. There will be open-top buses, TV interviews and public appearances. It could take us some time to get back on track and have our players focused.”
While in Abu Dhabi, Chelsea will take on Aston Villa in the CBF Al Wahda Challenge Cup on Sunday December 11th. James is arguably the player who Potter needs most with his domination of the right-hand side of the pitch, protecting defenders and creating opportunities for his strikers. Chelsea only won one of their six Premier League matches without James.
Lampard and Everton need another striker
Everton coach Frank Lampard is in discussions with the club management to improve their striking force. Richarlison’s sale to Tottenham Hotspur for £60million and constant injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin have left them short up front.
Everton have scored only 11 goals in 15 matches so far this season. Senegal’s Boulaye Dia is top of Lampard’s list. The striker is currently on loan at Salernitana in Italy’s Serie A from Villarea. He is valued at £17million.
The Toffees have recorded only one victory in their last eight matches and the World Cup break has given them some breathing space. The team is currently in Australia playing in the Sydney Super Cup. Everton failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League matches.
Everton scouts are also watching Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, who scored against South Korea at the World Cup. Canada’s Jonathan David is also on Lampard’s radar.
Liverpool and Man United owners to make fortunes
It is no coincidence that two of football’s biggest clubs have been put up for sale at the same time. I have already expressed suspicion that the Fenway Sports Group will only sell a percentage of their shares and not the whole club.
However, it is clear to me that the owners of both clubs have realised that urgent investment is required. They need to improve their teams and United must upgrade their training facilities at Carrington. Both owners have taken large profits from the clubs without ploughing enough back into improvements. The Glazers in particular have pocketed millions in dividends.
Football in the USA is gaining popularity on a super-speed scale and the Glazers and Fenway are taking advantage of the huge interest resulting from the World Cup which means offers for the clubs will be at a premium.
When the Glazers bought United in 2005 they paid £790million and built a huge marketing machine which brought in money from merchandise and TV rights around the world. In 2022 they want £6billion for the club. Fenway Sports Group paid £300million for Liverpool in 2010 and today it is valued at £3.6billion.
Since 2016, both clubs have seen shirts sales level out and even drop with revenues falling. The days of huge TV rights income is also over as broadcasters look to cut costs. The failure to launch the European Super League project has also influenced Fenway and the Glazers to sell because they saw it as an opportunity to make serious money.
It is most likely that bidders will come from America because of the huge interest in the Premier League and when Chelsea were put up for sale by Roman Abramovich they received over 200 enquiries from American companies.
The Saudi Arabian government is also encouraging Middle Eastern companies to bid for the clubs on the same lines as the new Newcastle United owners.
Ronaldo to sign staggering contract
Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore Cristiano Ronaldo. Following his acrimonious split with Manchester United, the removal lorries arrived at his home in Manchester and his next stop is possibly the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, who play in the capital Riyadh.
I am told Ronaldo’s Portuguese agent Jorges Mendes is discussing a two-year contract worth a staggering $174million. Mendes has been Ronaldo’s agent since he played as a youngster at Sporting Lisbon. The new contract will include playing, sales, interviews and representing Al-Nassr.
When Ronaldo signed for Manchester United their shirt sales rose 600per cent and brought into the club £13.5million in revenue. Ronaldo is anxious to continue playing into his forties and Al-Nassr have guaranteed him that if he signs and stays he will be able to do that. He will not be appearing in top flight elite football any longer however he is being offered such a staggering salary no European club could hope to match it.
World Cup proves Guardiola is the best
A very interesting point has been made by Manchester City regarding their talisman Kevin de Bruyne. His performances in the World Cup have been far from the excellence he displays in the Premier League. Much of his Premier League form stems from working with the world’s best coach Pep Guardiola.
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has not been able to get the best out of the midfielder and remarkably, the playmaker has blamed others by declaring that the Belgian squad is too old and cannot win the World Cup. Belgium embarrassingly lost 0-2 to Morocco’s young side and scraped only a 1-0 win against lowly-ranked Canada.
Leicester lose Kolo Toure and Maddison under threat
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has lost his key assistant Kolo Toure, who has joined Wigan as their manager. The 41-year-old first team coach has been No1 for Rodgers during the past three years. Wigan are in the relegation zone of the Championship and originally offered their coaching position to Tottenham’s academy coach Yaya Toure, Kolo’s brother.
Losing Toure is not Brendan Rodgers only problem because his star player James Maddison revealed to England players Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson that he had been approached by Newcastle in the summer.
Leicester turned down two offers of £40million and £45million. After making enquiries I have been told that Newcastle might return and try to sign him again in the January transfer window and he is the one player Rodgers cannot afford to lose.
United to recall youngsters out on loan
Manchester United are excellent when it comes to improving their young talent and are careful to select which clubs can loan their players. The directors at United are concerned that although wingback Diogo Dalot has remained injury free for two years, they are not happy with his cover should he receive a knock.
Right-back Ethan Laird is on loan at Championship club Queen’s Park Rangers but the 21-year-old will be recalled after the World Cup. Laird played more minutes during pre-season than Aaron Wan-Bissaka and started in a friendly against Spanish side Rayo Vallecano.
Wan-Bissaka is not wanted by coach Erik Ten Hag and is earmarked for a transfer in January. He has not started for United since April and his only appearance since then has been as a late substitute in the win against Liverpool. Dalot has started all matches this season except for a suspension and United want a right back specialist to cover for him.
Brandon Williams is another possibility. However, he has been injured and has started only twice in the Premier League. He spent last season on loan at Norwich. United travel to their warm-weather training camp next week. Another loan player likely to return is the young striker Amad and his chance comes now Ronaldo has gone. He has scored three goals on loan to Sunderland in League One. The youngster is on Ten Hag’s radar because he is left-footed and the coach is known to want more attacking options from the left.
Bukayo Saka’s biggest fan
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has won a new fan at the World Cup. Manchester City’s Jack Grealish has been voicing his huge respect for Saka. Not only is he very impressed with the youngster’s ability on the field but also says he is great off it.
He said this week: “Saka is the best kid actually. I told his dad this week ‘I love your son! He’s the nicest kid ever but he’s got a little bit of banter as well. He’s a funny man. He’s laid back when we train and in the dressing room and when we are all together but also very funny with a great sense of humour.”