Tag Archives: transfer market

Bastian Schweinsteiger: Three Reasons Why He’s Van Gaal’s Most Important Signing

  By O-Posts Team | July 16, 2024 - 16:41 | , , , ,
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Following Bastian Schweinsteiger’s £14.4 million move to Manchester United, we take a look at three reasons why the German international is Louis Van Gaal’s most important signing since he took over the English club.

 

1. Training

One of Louis Van Gaal’s defining traits as a manager is the emphasis he places on training: the Dutchman is meticulous and intense with his conditioning and preparation.

As he grew older, Sir Alex Ferguson gradually favoured a less hands-on approach on the training pitch and this might explain the culture shock that some United players experienced last season under Van Gaal, who himself admitted his more demanding methods were taking their toll.

Injuries and loss of form to key men stole momentum from United’s campaign and the signing of Schweinsteiger is a direct reaction to this. Under Van Gaal at Bayern Munich, the Germany international was famously converted from a wide midfielder his now-favoured holding role.

“Schweinsteiger never played there, so after two weeks of training sessions and two matches, he felt he could do more than ever,” Van Gaal told FIFA.com in 2013.

In other words, Schweinsteiger trusts Van Gaal’s methods and knows what will be expected in pre-season and in between big matches. His faith in the philosophy should inspire other players, young and old, and he will no doubt be one of Van Gaal’s lieutenants in this regard.

After all, Schweinsteiger’s career enjoyed a meteoric rise after being converted by Van Gaal, as Bayern immediately won a league and cup double and narrowly missed out on the UEFA Champions League that season.

 

2. Control

Ultimately, Schweinsteiger’s time at Manchester United will be judged on his performances on the pitch: this is a club where expectations of players are especially high, given the calibre of recent greats (David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, to name a few).

Schweinsteiger differs from many of his midfield predecessors in his style of play, offering control and rhythm rather than innovation or audacity. He appears to be a replacement for his ageing, English equivalent, Michael Carrick.

This fascinating comparison between the former Bayern Munich lynchpin and Spanish great Xavi provides great insight into the qualities he will bring to United. It is also no coincidence that Van Gaal has previously mentioned both Xavi (whom he handed his Barcelona debut when in charge of the Catalan club) and Schweinsteiger in the same breath, as players he has fostered and developed.

Indeed, United experienced considerable trouble controlling games in midfield and dictating tempo last season, with a number of personnel and combinations attempted in midfield.

Schweinsteiger might not be quite the metronome that Xavi is, but he is one of the Spaniard’s closest contemporaries.

It is ironic then, that Schweinsteiger never flourished under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, who implemented a philosophy in which Xavi had previously thrived. The truth – as shown in the above link – is that Schweinsteiger favours a slightly more direct flavour to his midfield play.

Van Gaal is a manager who is slightly more pragmatic than Guardiola and will foster a style of play that is slightly less focused on ball retention.

This will suit Schweinsteiger perfectly, allowing him the freedom to shoot and get forward without compromising his main job: helping United to keep the ball more effectively.

 

3. Leadership

“Basti is an absolute leader and world-class player who can put his stamp on any team, including of course Manchester United,” Germany coach Joachim Low said on www.dfb.de recently.

“He knows Louis van Gaal, who wanted him unconditionally.

“He will approach his new challenge in England like we all know him - with edication and highly-motivated.”

A glowing endorsement from his national team coach and pretty much everyone who has cared to comment on the transfer says it all about Schweinsteiger: he is universally respected for both his achievements on the pitch and the manner in which he conducts himself off it.

Until this point he has been a one-club man and all of the quotes attributed to the 30-year old thus far reflect his professionalism.

Leadership is an area where Manchester United have struggled since Ferguson’s retirement, with Wayne Rooney shouldering much of that burden.

Schweinsteiger’s immense experience – at both international and domestic level – will not only relieve that burden but also bring an added air of confidence and direction to every aspect of the club’s running.

 

Written by Chris Paraskevas

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Angel Di Maria: The Argentine could wave goodbye to United, but will still be a huge coup for PSG

  By O-Posts Team | July 15, 2024 - 20:58 | , , , , ,
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In the midst of the excitement borne out of the frenzy of free spending that has landed Manchester United Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, there is some warning to be found in the tale of Angel Di Maria that big reputations partnered with big fees will not always be the formula for success. A year since United shelled out a British record sum of £59.7 million for Di Maria, it seems that fresh interest from Paris St Germain may end his short-lived time in England.

Louis Van Gaal may be reluctant to admit his time with the winger, who was the headline of his first transfer window in charge, is up after just one season but the Dutchman, who has given indications to his ruthless streak by flogging his countryman Robin Van Persie to Fenerbahce, will appreciate that it is business.

Van Gaal’s total summer outlay has neared £70 million with the signings of Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian as well as Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin, and with the potential of more to come, a reported £43 million sale will be an important recoup of funds. United’s eye-watering revenue streams means Financial Fair Play regulations are never a concern at Old Trafford but a chance to balance the books will be welcomed as they look to fund moves for PSG’s Edinson Cavani, possibly as a direct swap for Di Maria, and Valencia’s Nicolas Otamendi.

PSG meanwhile have benefitted from the relaxation in the FFP ruling that prevented them from beating United to Di Maria’s signature last year. UEFA sanctions handed to the French champions for breaking the governing bodies’ rules on finances have been identified by Nasser Al Khelaifi, PSG’s Qatari owner, as the main reason behind their failure to lure Di Maria directly from Madrid.

The announcement from UEFA president Michel Platini in May about the easing of those restrictions has permitted PSG to enter the market with the same aggression that previously snared David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lucas Moura, Marquinhos and Cavani as their ambitious owners, the Qatari Investment Authority, sought to establish their club as a European powerhouse. Their refreshed spending powers has reportedly allowed them to offer Di Maria a package of the same £200,000-a-week wages he is currently on at United.

Their work in this summer’s market has so far been slow, spending £7 million on Serge Aurier from Toulouse and £6.6 million on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp, deals offset by the £9 million sale of Yohann Cabaye to Crystal Palace. But a move for Di Maria will be a statement of intent in-keeping with their desire to make it deeper into the Champions League than the quarter-final stage that has so far been an impasse for the club under Carlo Ancelotti and Laurent Blanc.

Di Maria of course won that competition with Real Madrid only 14 months ago and was a vital part of his country’s run to the World Cup final just a month later before injury robbed him of the chance to compete against Germany in the Maracanã showpiece. He moved to United as La Liga’s leading assist maker and as the player Cristiano Ronaldo personally lobbied Florentino Perez not to sell.

Man of the match in the 4-1 triumph over rivals Atletico as Real brought home La Decima and a big part of the 2012 La Liga championship under Jose Mourinho having fought back from a difficult start to the season, Di Maria’s stock was extremely high. His genius apparent, Van Gaal could justify all of the money it took to buy him.

Back then, that is. Di Maria ended his season of struggle at United with just one start in the last eight games after getting sent off for pulling the referee’s shirt in an FA Cup tie with Arsenal. Before then hamstring injuries had blocked a promising start in which he was named player of the month for September and illustrated his vast talent with an audacious chipped goal against Leicester. Off the field, there was also the misfortunate case of his house being attacked by men with scaffolding poles.

Di Maria witnessed the incident with his wife and daughter who probably would have met with relief Van Gaal’s announcement in May that he would be interested in selling the winger if he asked to leave. United’s raft of new arrivals is likely to mean there will be a shift to a 4-3-3 and no room for Di Maria in the midfield role he prefers, leaving the position on the right-flank of an attacking trio where he will face competition from Juan Mata.

Though with 11 assists last term he was United’s creative player and he remains for Van Gaal a vital asset who can dictate the pace of a game with his intelligence and guile, as he did in the away victory over Liverpool in which he produced a delicate lofted pass for Mata to dispatch the game’s winning goal. He is still the player that can produce pivotal performances of the kind that guided Argentina past Paraguay in the semi-finals of the Copa America with a 6-1 win.

Though he limped off with injury in the final defeat to Chile, his two goals and an assist in the demolition of Paraguay posed a dilemma for Van Gaal as much as it would have attracted PSG.

With the Dutchman toying with the temptation to try and find a way of fitting Di Maria into his side and PSG looking for a replacement for Ezequiel Lavezzi who is set on a return to Italy, there are many questions to answer but with a hugely talented player determined to get his club career back on track at the centre of them all.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Asmir Begovic: Can the Bosnian challenge Courtois for a first team place at Chelsea?

  By O-Posts Team | July 15, 2024 - 18:29 | , , ,
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Asmir Begovic has ditched Staffordshire-based Stoke City and moved into the big city and give himself a massive challenge – to fight for a first team place against one of the most coveted young goalkeepers in the world, Thibaut Courtois.

Begovic started his career off at Portsmouth, he was farmed out several times wanting first team football during his time at the club – but when the Bosnian and Herzegovina international joined Stoke 5 years ago, and it would have been hard to see him joining a club within the top four.

The growth and development of Begovic is impressive. His shot stopping, positioning and composure have all improved during his time at Stoke and ultimately will go on to help Chelsea in the several competitions they’re participating in throughout the year.

Depth is important for Jose Mourinho this season, as was evident in the signings he made last season – but even more so with the signings he has already made. Falcao for example, seemingly a replacement for Didier Drogba, may have had a bad season but is still a player of undoubted quality.

Begovic is just another part of that. Mourinho is ambitious and likes to spend money, and he is at the perfect club to do just that. Mourinho wouldn’t admit it but he is setting his squad up for a massive season, to try and compete for not just one trophy but two or maybe even three.

With an abundance of Premier League experience and a goal to his name, Asmir Begovic shouldn’t have any problems fitting in to life at Chelsea Football Club, and for a modest fee of £8m it should see a nice healthy profit after the sale of Petr Cech in the goalkeeping department this season.

Champions League experience is what Begovic would have joined Chelsea for, to prove himself on the big stage, and there is no doubt he has the quality to live up to that standard.

 

Written by James Clark

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Jordy Clasie: Is the Feyenoord skipper a worthy successor to Schneiderlin?

  By O-Posts Team | July 14, 2024 - 18:45 | , , , , , , , ,
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As you may have read in my last few articles, the majority which have been to discuss whether the next Eredivisie starlet was ready for the Premier League and today is another.

But this is different, this one has legs as Southampton have already contacted Feyenoord for their star’s services, which is why I am seeking to discuss if this young kid from Holland is ready to replace the departed Morgan Schneiderlin.

First, let’s have a look at who Jordy Clasie is and his rise to stardom in Rotterdam.

 

Club career

Clasie grew up in Haarlem, a small town not so far away from Amsterdam.

He was given his first football boots by Willem Van Hanegem, a former Dutch international himself who was a friend of his father.

At 9 years of age, he was discovered by Feyenoord and accepted the offer to join their youth system.

It was not smooth sailing for the young Jordy at the start as constant travelling via trains was taking its toll, plus he was getting criticized on a regular basis by then head of youth development: Henk Van Stee, who would regularly call him too small and urge him to leave the club.

But then he left for Shakhtar Donetsk and his successor, Stanley Brard, did have confidence in Clasie, who knows what would have happened if he didn’t.

Clasie was loaned out to Excelsior in 2010 making his debut vs Feyenoord of all clubs a week later and had his first competitive goal ever scoring away at NEC in Nijmegen. After a successful loan period, he returned to Feyenoord and started most of the preseason before making his official debut against, coincidentally, Excelsior.

He quickly grew to be a fan favorite and scored his first goal for Feyenoord against Groningen. Clasie finished the season only missing one game and ended up winning the Young Player of the Season award, which was given to him by his old friend Willem Van Hanegem.

And guess who was the manager who gave him his breakthrough? Ronald Koeman, the current Southampton manager.

Things moved quickly for Clasie the next season, where he was given the number 6 and was made reserve captain behind Stefan De Vrij amidst rumors of interest from major clubs like AC Milan, Roma, Juventus, and Tottenham Hotspur. However, Clasie rejected these clubs to stay a few more seasons at his beloved Feyenoord.

He is currently Feyenoord’s captain, but the club’s failure to win any trophies has surely shortened Clasie’s patience with his beloved side and their ambitions.

 

International career

Clasie was first called up to the “Jong Oranje”, or the Dutch U-21s, in December 2010.

He also was called up for the 2013 U-21 Euro Championship in Israel, where he was used mainly as a substitute.

On the 1st of August 2012, he was picked by Louis Van Gaal for the Dutch side for the friendly vs Belgium. He wouldn’t wait long to grab his first cap, which he managed to do so on the 7th of September 2012 vs Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena.

He was then picked for the World Cup two years later and was praised for his performance in the third-place play-off vs Brazil, which Holland won comfortably 3-0.

 

Strengths and Weaknesses

Well, Jordy Clasie is your typical 21st-century defensive midfielder. He is small in stature, just like Javier Mascherano or Nigel De jong, but because of his fine tackling ability this does not work against him.

He is a very sound passer of the ball, but likes to keep the game simple and does not look for a 50 yard pass or a through ball. He is also not attack-minded as his low goalscoring rate proves and is very assured and calm when the ball is at his feet.

 

Is he the ideal target for Southampton?

In my opinion? Yes.

Here are the reasons why:

  1. Clasie is at his best when he has a talented 10 in front of him, who he can give the ball to after winning it. He has not had this at Feyenoord, but I think with a player like Dusan Tadic in front of him this would prove beneficial for both player.
  1. The confidence factor, which has been witnessed with Ronald Koeman- the man who gave Clasie his big break. Because of this, Clasie will know that at Southampton he has a manager who has the utmost confidence in him and that can help the player immensely.

Of course there are things that could go wrong as he could struggle with the pace of the Premier League as Feyenoord at a very slow tempo or he could up short physically, but I do not see this happening.

In conclusion, to all Southampton fans: this could be a signing to be excited about.

 

Written by Jamie De Geir

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Morgan Schneiderlin: The latest signing in a window that allows United fans to forget about Glazer

  By O-Posts Team | July 13, 2024 - 20:49 | , , , ,
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It is slightly over a decade since the Glazer family purchased a controlling stake in Manchester United from J.P McManus and John Magnier, before a month later completing the takeover and loading the club with debts in excess of £500 million which they have spent the next ten years servicing.

Over £700 million has so far been spent on bank charges and interest fees whilst United fans have paid for it with gradual ticket price rises and the controversial mandatory purchase scheme for cup matches.

Behind that unsavoury takeover, the catalyst for the protest club FC United and years of chronic under-investment that eventually led to Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit and a malaise under David Moyes, was a certain Ed Woodward, who in 2005 was a banker who facilitated the high-interest hedge-fund loans that allowed the Glazers to gain control.

Woodward was given the role of executive vice chairman after David Gill’s exit in 2012 and, after supporters called for his sacking following a disastrous 2013 transfer market under the guise of Moyes, has now been promoted to flavour of the month for directing an off-season that has seen United sign Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and most recently Morgan Schneiderlin.

With the chequebook being waved about, it is currently impossible to find any trace of the anti-Glazer sentiment that trended on Twitter for two days after the defeat to Swansea on the opening day of last season, with the huge debts and risky talk of financial reorganisation firmly on the back-burner.

Woodward and the Glazer’s marketing team deserve immense credit for the series of sponsorship deals that has boosted the club’s annual revenue to £433 million, positioning them as Europe’s third richest club according to Forbes, but the 14% drop they announced for May’s third quarter financial results has seemingly sparked the club, with the record-shattering £1.1 billion deal with Adidas in pocket, into action as they aim to once again mount genuine challenges on all fronts next season.

Following Moyes’s embarrassing failure to land Ander Herrera and the eventually panic-driven £27 million move for Marouane Fellaini two years ago, Woodward and United have acted with a conviction that delivered Juan Mata for £37 million from Chelsea, Moyes’s last signing at Old Trafford, while his successor Louis Van Gaal’s spending has now surpassed £200 million in just over a year. With both Edinson Cavani and Nicolas Otamendi being linked, there could still be more for United’s fans to get giddy about.

Last year’s acquisition of Angel Di Maria and now the recent capture of Schweinsteiger shows how United have returned to shopping for elite players while the arrival of the German, as well as the combative Schneiderlin from Southampton, has brought long-overdue maintenance to a midfield department that had been left to decay in the six years between Owen Hargreaves’s signing in 2007 and Fellaini’s move in 2013.

The announcement of both deals on the same day, for a total of £35 million, is anathema to the dithering under Moyes that led to the shambolic deadline day signing of Fellaini for £4 million more than what the Belgian would have cost earlier that window. United and Van Gaal now fly to the USA for a pre-season tour with Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger on board after another ominous flexing of their financial muscle and the appeal of their ambitions.

Schweinsteiger will bring with him near-unparalleled experience of recent Bundesliga domination with Bayern Munich and a World Cup triumph with Germany, while Schneiderlin will also provide the nous gained by seven years with Southampton, three of which were in the Premier League.

Having signed for the Saints as an 18 year old in 2008 for £1.2 million from Strasbourg, the French midfielder stuck with the club through relegation from the Championship in his first season and the subsequent administration to lead them back up to last year’s brilliant seventh place finish. With 260 appearances to his name on the south coast, few at St Mary’s will begrudge the 25 year old the chance “to play with better players and the best manager in the world.”

Only Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic won more tackles than Schneiderlin in the top flight last term while with 2.42 interceptions per game the French international was rated above the likes of Sergio Busquets. He will add much-required bite and discipline to United’s midfield and he is also an underrated distributor of the ball, tallying 52.9 passes per game last term and finding a teammate once every 95 seconds.

Already established as one of the best holding midfielders in England, last season was the continuation of the form that saw him complete the most tackles and make the most interceptions in the 2012/13 Premier League season as he picked up both fans’ player of the year and player’s player of the year awards.

There was always a feeling that amidst Southampton’s exodus of last summer, Schneiderlin was the one who had the potential to cause most damage should he too be sold. After reportedly being close to a move to Spurs last July, Ronald Koeman kept hold of his player and would see him thrive, though the Dutchman was forced to admit this week “every player has a price” after the midfielder missed Southampton’s first day of pre-season training.

Koeman looks set to bring in PSV Eindhoven’s Jordy Clasie as a replacement but unlike those who had departed St Mary’s before him, Schneiderlin’s exit could deal a fatal blow.

That is the club he leaves behind however and Schneiderlin will now prepare for his “new adventure” as the deepest-lying midfielder in the 4-3-3 system that Van Gaal is likely to introduce. He will provide the willing legs for Schweinsteiger, protection for Herrera and Juan Mata and competition for the ageing Michael Carrick as United’s midfield now looks capable of laying the foundation of a proper title challenge.

If that comes true, expect the history of the Glazers and Woodward to be further glossed over with the tide of goodwill and fickle admiration.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Carlos Bacca: Highly-rated Sevilla star on his way to AC Milan

  By O-Posts Team | July 13, 2024 - 16:45 | , , , , , , , ,
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AC Milan announced last month that they have reached an agreement to sign Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca, subject to a medical.

The Italian giants met the buyout clause in his contract that is reported to be set at €30 million.

Let’s take a closer look at the 28-year-old Colombian.

 

 

Background

  • When he was 20 years old, Carlos was in his hometown of Puerto Colombia on the Caribbean coast. He played football for the local team and had to juggle two jobs to help with the family income – he sold fish and worked as a bus conductor.
  • He turned professional when he was 22, joining Colombian side Atletico Junior.
  • Bacca moved to Europe in 2012 with Belgian side Club Brugge, putting pen to paper on a 3 year contract worth €1.5 million for his services.
  • Sevilla liked what they saw and bought him for €7 million. He was originally purchased as a squad filler, but soon solidified himself as a recognized threat up top, helping the Spanish outfit to back-to-back Europa League trophies.
  • Bacca scored 49 in 108 games for Sevilla, including 28 in all competitions last season- including 2 goals in the Europa League final versus Dnipro.

 

 

What can he offer AC Milan?

The Rossoneri’s physical presence up front has been lacking, probably ever since the departure Mario Balotelli last summer. The defences in Serie A had nothing to be frightened of - apart from Jeremy Menez who managed to bag 16 league goals.

Bacca has a robust nature about him, an element AC Milan certainly missed last year. A key strength is his movement, his ability to draw defenders then exploit the space in behind has become one of his signature moves.

Adept at leading the line, or dropping deep to receive the ball before driving deep into the heart of enemy territory, Bacca keeps defences on their toes for the full 90 minutes.

AC Milan didn’t splash the cash just for his work rate, the Colombian should offer plenty of goals to Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men too.

Bacca scored his 20 goals from just 59 shots last season, meaning he maintained a conversion rate of nearly 34% - scoring with more than one in every three shots. That rate was the best of all attackers in La Liga last season – significantly better than Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar.

With this work rate and intelligence along with a deadly eye for goal, he is certainly a striker to be feared and could be an instant hit in Serie A.

 

Written by Serie A Writer

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Liverpool: What does Rodgers need to do to bring the Reds back to winning ways?

  By O-Posts Team | July 13, 2024 - 14:31 | , , ,
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Now in his fourth season in charge of Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers is still without a trophy to his name.

The £29 million signing of Brazil striker Roberto Firmino is a clear statement of intent from the Northern Irishman, whose legacy will be judged on the silverware he is able to bring to the club.

Firmino’s transfer fee, young age and the hype surrounding his arrival are evocative of the infamous Andy Carroll signing, just under five years ago.

That was a move sanctioned by Kenny Dalglish – Rodgers’ predecessor – and it came to represent both the promise and failure of his second tenure as Liverpool manager. Dalglish may have coached the club to a League Cup triumph and FA Cup Final, but the project ultimately collapsed, with Carroll struggling for fitness and form.

Until this point Rodgers has typically avoided these sorts of transfers, happy to work within the parameters set by chairman Tom Werner and the Fenway Sports Group.

Given the importance of the role of the Carroll transfer in Dalglish’s exit from Liverpool, you get the sense that Firminio’s arrival will also be a defining moment for Rodgers.

Of all of the Liverpool arrivals this summer, the Brazilian is clearly under the most pressure: not only to perform, but also to force his way into a first-team in a top-heavy squad.

Did the shadow of the big-money move to England occupy the striker’s mind during the recent Copa America? He and his Brazilian teammates struggled and Rodgers would have been hoping for more encouraging displays.

The issue for Firmino is that he is in a unique situation within this squad and will begin to feel ostracized if he struggles to adapt quickly. Danny Ings, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne have also been signed but the English trio are expected to perform different roles this season.

Liverpool need a talisman in the wake of Luis Suarez’s departure and Mario Balotelli’s failure to flourish within any of Rodgers’ systems. Firmino will need to be that man, as well as shoulder the goal-scoring burden, despite not arriving with an imposing goal-scoring record.

None of his fellow arrivals seem set to compliment the player on the pitch but Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho – all Rodgers signings – still remain at the club and are cultured footballers who might work well with the newcomer.

The likely sale of Raheem Sterling this summer (Liverpool and Man City have reportedly agreed a transfer fee of 49 million British Pounds) takes on a fascinating complexion: if it is confirmed, Rodgers might get the opportunity to re-invest those funds and perhaps assemble a supporting cast for Firmino.

Other high-profile arrivals would not only take some of the spotlight away from the Brazilian but also add quality and variety to a squad lacking in depth when compared Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.

It would also do the same for Ings, Clyne and Milner, who would form part of the base of the squad, allowed to contribute to in a more rudimentary and consistent fashion. That is not to suggest they are limited players but rather than they are players who will be at their best when allowed to focus on their particular strengths.

Ultimately, Rodgers will also need to strike a balance between quality and quantity. Having already made a clutch of signings, the temptation could be to continue on in the same vein, but Benitez, Hodgson and Dalglish struggled to bring consistency and results after signing a larger pool of players.

Sterling’s likely departure and the arrival of replacements mean Rodgers is likely to go down a similar path this season, where a positive start – particularly in the league – will be crucial.

 

Written by Chris Paraskevas

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Bastian Schweinsteiger: Man United capture the imagination as well as the Bayern legend

  By O-Posts Team | July 12, 2024 - 13:23 | , , , ,
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Perhaps it was the speed of it that surprised. Even when Pep Guardiola had informed Bastian Schweinsteiger that a path out of Bayern Munich was free if he chose to take it, not many would have expected the midfielder to leave the club he has served for 17 years. But virtually out of nowhere arrived the news that Manchester United were closing on a deal to take the 30 year old to Old Trafford in what is one of this summer’s more captivating transfers.

Though Schweinsteiger will receive a significant increase in salary, signing a three-year deal worth £140,000 per week, a fee of £15 million for a player who still remains in the elite bracket is excellent business. Though Guardiola’s desire to freshen his team with his Barcelona prodigy Thiago Alcantara has accelerated Schweinsteiger’s exit, United are still getting a significant member of Germany’s World Cup winning squad of last year as well as a pivotal figure in Bayern’s last three consecutive Bundesliga triumphs.

Schweinsteiger brings with him a wealth of experience and perhaps more importantly for a team who are aiming to restore themselves as title challengers, a winning mentality as a veteran of eight Bundesliga titles, seven German Cups and one Champions League across the 536 appearances for his country’s most successful club.

He is Germany’s current captain and tasked with leading the World Champions into next year’s European Championships in France, manager Joachim Low has said how he feels the move will benefit the player.

“I know that he still has big ambitions and goals. He will face the new challenge in England as we all know, with dedication and highly-motivated” said Low, “I expect them [United] to also provide him with a further boost and incentive in terms of the European Championship in France, in which we [Germany] will rely on him and he will lead the national team.”

The number of the midfielder’s appearances and the influence he carries has gradually declined since Guardiola took over from Jupp Heynckes and introduced a more measured approach to the spine of his side, dabbling with both Phillip Lahm and David Alaba as holding-midfielders before Xabi Alonso was signed and Sebastian Rode emerged, pushing Schweinsteiger to a peripheral role.

He would start just 21 times in all competitions last year, exactly half the number he managed in 2012/13 when he was named German footballer of the year as Bayern secured a glorious treble in Heynckes’s last year at the helm.

German football magazine Kicker named him in a continent best XI that season while UEFA ranked him at seventh in their Best Player in Europe award. It is that footballer that Manchester United and Louis Van Gaal are now hoping they have got their hands on, the swashbuckling force who provided Bayern’s centre-midfield drive alongside the more reserved Javi Martinez.

Van Gaal of course knows Schweinsteiger well having coached him for two years between 2009 and 2011 and is likely, having first-hand experience of the German’s vast pedigree, to see no issue with expecting the 30 year old to assume most of United’s midfield responsibilities.

Van Gaal is also still in pursuit of Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin who, as the Premier League’s second best tackler last term, would add a large amount of bite in what would be a fearsome engine room when partnered alongside Schweinsteiger and Ander Herrera.

The two possible new arrivals would indicate a permanent shift to a 4-3-3 which makes sense when taking into account the signing of Memphis Depay and Van Gaal’s desperation to find a spot in which Angel Di Maria can settle having watched the Argentine struggle in his first season after making the £64 million switch from Real Madrid.

Furthermore it would also hand Van Gaal with more viable alternatives to Michael Carrick, with whom Manchester United’s best form last season came with him in the side, and the balance he offered that the Dutchman found hard to replace during the 33 year old’s time out with injury.

Of course there has to be some trepidation over the signing of a player who is now advancing into his 30’s, isn’t accustomed to a winter break and has suffered a series of recent knee and ankle problems, but Van Gaal has once again delivered in the aim of delivering world class talent and sparking the excitement in his supporters that accompanies such ambition.

Though he will be hoping that Bayern’s decision to relinquish the player amiably and without too much restraint isn’t a foreboding to another high-profile flop in the mould of Radamel Falcao or even Di Maria.

Despite the collective despair from Bayern fans over the fact they have lost one of their most loyal players, Guardiola shouldn’t have too much trouble in the post-Schweinsteiger transition given he set in motion his gradual phasing out last season. Van Gaal shouldn’t have too much trouble fitting him in either, provided the German stays free of the injuries that have dogged him since 2011.

“Bastian wanted to do something new at the end of his career” said Bayern’s chief executive Karl Heinz Rummenigge on Saturday. With Depay already secured, Matteo Darmain on his way to add defensive steel to the right-back position and possibly Schneiderlin and Valencia’s Nicolas Otamendi to follow, that “something new” is likely to be very successful if the right blend is found.

With their first ever German player in tow as a result of their standing as off-field behemoths, Manchester United are ready to be powerhouses on the field once again.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Radamel Falcao: Is Mourinho taking a gamble in signing the struggling goal-getter?

  By O-Posts Team | July 11, 2024 - 16:52 | , , , , ,
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It is indicative of the enduring faith that Jose Pekerman still has in Radamel Falcao that the Colombia coach abandoned the 4-2-3-1 that saw them light up last year’s World Cup in Brazil for this summer’s Copa America, reverting back to a front two in order to fit the 29 year old into the side.

Carlos Bacca, who hit 28 goals for Sevilla last season, partnered Falcao for their opener against Venezuela but he would then be dropped for Teo Gutierrez for the next two games against Brazil and Peru. Meanwhile Jackson Martinez, coming off a season in which he struck 32 goals from 41 games for Porto, sat patiently on the bench until he was introduced late against Peru before starting the quarter final, ahead of Falcao, against Argentina.

Pekerman’s reluctance to drop Falcao resulted in Colombia looking laboured on their run to their penalty shoot-out elimination to Argentina, ceding the attacking intent from full-back and the central influence of James Rodriguez, two big factors behind their run to the World Cup quarter finals a year ago, who was shifted out wide.

Jeison Murillo’s strike against Brazil was their only goal in four games as Pekerman’s refusal to discount Falcao contributed to a stagnant and immobile attack. In his 252 minutes on the pitch, Falcao managed 0 goals, 6 shots, of which just 1 found the target, and just a single chance created.

It was a continuation of the attacker’s miserable decline in form since suffering the ACL tear in January 2014 that would rule him out of that year’s World Cup. Manchester United would present Falcao with a chance to restore himself to the fearsome goal-scorer that was in deadly effect at Porto and Atletico Madrid, but 4 goals from 29 games in England saw him head in the opposite direction.

Pekerman clearly still believes that the devastating Falcao of Porto and Atletico still exists within the Colombian, the same intuition that convinced Louis Van Gaal to bring him to Manchester a year ago and now Jose Mourinho is the latest manager to assign himself to that notion.

Chelsea haven taken Falcao on a season-long loan deal similar to the one United arranged last August. With his reputation hit by his time at Old Trafford, the Colombian has taken a £145,000 wage cut to secure his move to Stamford Bridge where he will now compete with Loic Remy to be second in line to Diego Costa.

Chelsea are still haunted by the hat-trick he claimed against them in the 2012 Super Cup for Atletico while Mourinho’s own bad memories are influenced by the Copa Del Rey final of a year later. The Portuguese will be driven by a motivation to help Falcao recover that ominous touch and with Monaco unable to find a buyer but desperate to get one of their biggest financial liabilities as they aim to tighten their belts after the lavish spending in the early days of owner Dmitry Rybovlev, it represents a low-risk gamble for the champions.

That gamble has been designed by Didier Drogba’s second exit from the club and if Falcao can replicate the Ivorian’s contribution from last term- 7 goals from 14 starts- then he will be an invaluable cover option, together with Remy, to Costa, who is of course familiar with the Colombian from their time together at Atletico, as Chelsea chase glory on four fronts.

It is worth noting that Drogba, in his bit part role at the age of 37, appeared for the club 38 times last season, so Falcao should be optimistic that he will not be short on playing time.

His poacher instincts will be an asset when Chelsea are challenged with breaking down stern defensive opponents and is likely to thrive on the service provided by the likes of Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas should he rediscover the confidence that had evaporated during his time in Manchester.

The situation has now also changed for both Falcao and Mourinho, with the Colombian now established as a diminished force in need of restoration the Portuguese will be under far less pressure to get the best out of the striker than Van Gaal was at Old Trafford.

Mourinho has of course faced this task before, most notably with Hernan Crespo whom he convinced had a future in London in 2005 after being loaned out to Milan. The Argentine would win the Premier League in 2006 having scored 13 goals.

Diego Milito was transformed from journeyman to Champions League winner, along with Samuel Eto’o who was ditched from Barcelona, at Inter Milan in 2010 while Drogba and Costa have thrived under Mourinho’s guise at Chelsea.

The fortunes of Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres at Stamford Bridge will present stark reminders of how a switch to Chelsea may not always ensure success but there is a difference; Falcao will be of Mourinho’s own choosing and he will be determined to get it right.

With the Colombian equally intent on rewarding his new manager’s faith, then Chelsea’s low-risk gamble may yet pay the highest-dividends.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Paulinho to Guangzhou: Can the Spurs flop reignite his spark in China?

  By O-Posts Team | July 11, 2024 - 13:53 | , , , ,
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In the summer of 2013, Tottenham thought they had made a bargain by signing Paulinho from Corinthians for a fee of £17 million. Two years on, some might say Spurs were lucky to recover £9.8 million from what turned out to be a disastrous transfer.

In late June Paulinho signed for Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande, a club managed by fellow Brazilian Luis Felipe Scolari – a manager that included him in the Brazilian squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup.

 

Club-record fee

The Brazilian’s fee was a club-record transfer at the time, since beaten by the signing of Erik Lamela, but the midfielder struggled to find his place in a hit-and-miss Tottenham team.

As an all-round midfielder with an eye for goal and decent tackling abilities, expectations were high as he was handed his debut.

In his first couple of months at White Hart Lane, Paulinho did in fact deliver some of what was expected of him.

 

Out in the cold

Despite the good start he later he hit a slump of form in which he never recovered from, especially not after Andre Villas-Boas - the manager who brought him to the club – was sacked in December 2013.

As Tim Sherwood took charge of the club, Paulinho was already out in the cold. The 26-year-old never managed to convince Sherwood he should be given a chance to cement his place in the team, which again was the story under Mauricio Pochettino last season.

Over the two years in North London Paulinho got 10 goals and 67 appearances to his name, 20 of which were as a substitute.

Last season, he only started three Premier League games under Pochettino. His confidence was clearly gone and as it turns out, so was he.

 

Return to form in China?

Few players have successfully transferred from the English Premier League to China, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka being the most obvious and recent examples. However the move might be a perfect one for Paulinho to find his feet again.

The focus on his failure at Spurs will disappear, so will the intense pressure for English media constantly reminding him of his big price tag at Tottenham.

At Guangzhou, he will start fresh under a manager who knows him well. He will be able to focus on what he does best, what he did at Corinthians but never managed to do at Tottenham – play good football.

There is no doubt the talent is there, it simply seems as if the Premier League wasn’t the right league for him to blossom and continue his development.

Having said that, we should not be surprised if he transfers back to Europe within a couple of years – however probably not to the Premier League.

 

 

Written by Lars H. Thomesen

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