Joe Kinnear’s transfer history as manager of Newcastle United didn’t exactly set the world alight during his brief spell in charge of the club during 2008 and 2009.

For some bizarre reason he’s been drafted in by Mike Ashley as the Director of Football at the club, making Alan Pardew’s eight-year contract look pointless but more significantly increasing further chances of poor transfer business.

“I will have the final say on transfers. My job will be to find players that will improve the club,” he said on his appointment.

Kinnear oversaw four deals during his time as Newcastle manager before his contract ended and there were two decent players coming in but his decision making in terms of letting players go was questionable.

Kevin Nolan and Ryan Taylor both joined the club under his managerial reign and formed two very respectable signings.

Indeed Nolan furthered his reputation as one of the best midfielders in the country and for some reason was moved on to West Ham United just two years later, joining West Ham in 2011.

Where the news will probably concern Newcastle fans majorly is the players that Kinnear let go during his time in charge; Shay Given and Charles N’Zogbia.

Given was highly rated and regarded as possibly the best goalkeeper in the Premier League during his time at the club and Kinnear allowed him to join Manchester City rather than putting up a more sever fight to keep him as the number one at St James Park.

“I believe I’m a very good judge of players, a good tactician and I intend to make Newcastle far better than they are now,” he added.

His decision to let Charles N’Zogbia leave the club as a 23-year-old after spells of inconsistency in the North East would certainly suggest otherwise.

The French winger has since gone on to be one of the most important attacking players for Aston Villa and his departure was embroiled in what seemed like personal issues Kinnear had with the player.

The issue seemed to lay at the heart of an apparent desire by N’Zogbia to force a move away from Newcastle United, which led to less than flattering comments, eventually resulting in the exit that everyone seemed to want.

The problem is Newcastle lost an extremely talented player and attacking midfielder, with good basic skills because of the individual they have now given control of transfers to.

Whatever the motives were behind Ashley’s decision to bring back Kinnear, it doesn’t seem to have gone down well.

The writing also appears to be on the wall for Alan Pardew in terms of his position at the club because Kinnear is now going to tell him who he can have rather than Pardew being allowed to say who he wants.

It’s only going to end one way and that’s with the exit of Pardew who is bound to be undermined in several ways, more so than he already has been.

Check the full list of Premier League transfers and transfer stories here.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

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Jose Mourinho has spoken of a pact between himself and Sir Alex Ferguson which suggests the pair share secrets and close guarded issues which have repercussions for both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Mourinho has just revealed how he knew about Ferguson’s retirement before plenty of others and how he was very open with the former United boss over how he wanted to leave Real Madrid and go back to Stamford Bridge.

“I knew that Ferguson was retiring many months ago and I was so happy to have his trust. It was big news for the world. I can imagine that just a very close circle around him knew that and it was a big responsibility,” he told the Guardian.

The news means that while Ferguson holds some sort of role in any capacity at Old Trafford, Mourinho will have to encounter him when it comes to any dealings with the club.

Where that is most contemporary is the case of Wayne Rooney with the Manchester United striker being linked with a summer move to West London.

Ferguson managed during a spell where he encountered two Wayne Rooney transfer requests combined with bringing the striker to United for a huge fee as a teenager from Everton.

Ferguson is a better judge than most when it comes to players and how disruptive they can be at a club and he holds all the power in terms of being able to put Mourinho off from signing Rooney.

That is a very important aspect for United in keeping him on as a director because regardless of Rooney’s character or nature, he remains a very important player for David Moyes looking ahead to next season.

As far as Chelsea are concerned, that is definitely something that works against them rather than this positive relationship working in their favour.

The apparent pact of trust also goes a long way to dispelling the myth that Mourinho was considered too unstable or too arrogant to be able to follow sir Alex Ferguson as the manager of Manchester United.

Ferguson’s decision to opt for David Moyes as his successor doesn’t seem to have been based on the fact that United were never going to get Mourinho, it seems to be based on the fact that he never wanted to ideally go to Old Trafford.

“Of course I told him. For Chelsea, I would turn down every job in the world,” he added.

Ferguson is now in the unique position where he’s under less pressure and can even grill his friend in London for little snippets of information he can give to David Moyes to try and get an edge over Chelsea next season.

Which team will benefit more, Chelsea or Manchester United?

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

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It’s the holiday season for the professional footballer. A time to slip off the boots, slither out of the muddy jersey, and jet off on a hard-earned vacation of sand, sea, and hard-earned recuperation. Fans will be flocking to Twitter to see the sneaky snaps of their favourite stars in unfamiliar territory.

Be it in a rather revealing pair of trunks on a far-flung beach; sipping champagne on a luxury yacht with their mates; or enjoying good, wholesome family time with their loved ones; the pro footballer’s vast wage-packet easily allows for a tailor-made, dream excursion.

Cristiano Ronaldo, always one for the shorter of shorts, has been spotted lounging like a fat cat aboard just such a yacht with some close friends in Miami.

The Portuguese flyer has been the subject of some curious musings in the rumour-mill, of which are included a massive-money move to the ominously wealthy, AS Monaco; as well as a shock return to Manchester United this summer. Yet, these concerns seem to have been temporarily banished in the Miami heat.

United’s current stars are themselves, enjoying exuberant getaways of their own. Danny Welbeck has cropped up in Ibiza, seen with some female companions as he unwinds from a successful Premier League campaign. Jonny Evans has been found in Barbados, enjoying a romantic getaway with his new bride, MUTV presenter Helen McConnell.

Tom Cleverley washed up in Bangkok this summer, ‘hash-tagging’ his love for Thai cuisine, while celebrating the birth of his new daughter, Nevaeh Rose.

Holiday photos can sometimes lead to dire repercussions, as Chelsea man, Ashley Cole may discover after he was photographed smoking while living-it-up in LA with some pals.

Returning boss, Jose Mourinho, is known to be a demanding coach, and no boss would stand for such flagrant displays of unhealthiness; especially if further reports that he is chain-smoking with abandon turn out to be true. A source told the Daily Mail,

“Ashley always smokes heavily during his annual summer holiday in LA. Even some of his friends have told him it is stupid.

“He has been spotted smoking before, but Mourinho wasn’t his boss then. He is known for expecting the best standards from his players and will not be impressed.”

Cole is regarded as one of the very best full-backs in the world, and his success has been arguably built upon his extraordinary athleticism. Ash may have his knuckles rapped on his return to Stamford Bridge, as any sort of complacency will surely not be tolerated by the ‘Happy One’, as we saw with his dealings with Real Madrid stalwart, Iker Casillas last season.

Some of Cole’s Chelsea and England teammates have opted for a more conservative approach to their time away from the field. Frank Lampard, with fiancée Christine Bleakley in tow, chose Ibiza like Welbeck, and have enjoyed lavish dinners, and relaxing boat rides in the sun.

John Terry, holidaying in Portugal, also hopped aboard a boat – a £430,000 boat to be exact – and rumour has it that the former England captain is looking to buy his own yacht outright. He can certainly afford it, what with his £150,000-a-week pay-check. 

If the highly unlikely were to happen in the transfer window, he could watch the Monaco Grand Prix from it, if he so wishes…

Perhaps quite aptly away from the glamorous, sun-soaked destinations, we find the much-maligned, Marko Marin. The German winger endured a torrid first season at Chelsea, and decided on a city break to Belgrade instead of an island paradise.

A snap with 007 legend, Pierce Brosnan is his offering on the world’s social networks, and he may well be hoping his chance meet with the actor somehow heralds the arrival of glad tidings for the coming season, or that he may die another day, if you would pardon the pun.

The Arsenal lot have hopped over to Vegas, with Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott experiencing the sweaty embrace of the sweltering ‘Sin City’. Wilshere was not part of the dismal England U-21 campaign in the European Championships in Israel, with the midfield man opting for ankle-surgery to avoid burnout.

England and Arsenal will both be hoping that this, along with his holidays, will bring a fit, fully-charged Wilshere back into the action next season.

It has not been all pedalos and sunburn for every player however, as the Confederations Cup is in full swing in Brazil, and with impressive squads being hauled over to South America, many top players will be having a tiring summer of activity.

The man-of-the-moment, Neymar, only took three minutes to remind the world that his is an awesome talent, and Barcelona are lucky to have acquired yet another brilliant Brazilian to add to their ranks.

With the likes of (the real) Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario, and Ronaldinho having donned the Barca colours in recent years, Neymar has an illustrious history to live up to. Something tells me he will simply take it in his swagger.

But soon we will be back to the weekly, 90-minute battles of the football season; us football fans’ lifeblood. The tans will fade, the foreign coins will be stashed in a drawer, and the blow-up floats will be deflated.

But for now, the uncertainty bred from yet another fascinating transfer window will surely keep us occupied, along with the respective international tournaments. Football never takes a break, and us patrons are glad for it.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

Manuel Pellegrini has only just been confirmed as Manchester City’s new manager and he’s already ruffling feathers in the new role.

If winning over neutrals was one of his main ambitions as Manchester City boss then he’s not doing a very good job because he’s made some big, bold claims over what City will win next season.

In short, he expects them to win the Premier League with the Champions League being the club’s other priority, setting himself up for a very big fall if he doesn’t make good on the promises.

“Everyone knows if you arrive at a club like Manchester City you need to win titles – I am sure we are going to win – maybe the Premier League, the Champions League. We will try to win a lot,” he told ManCityTV.

If he thinks it’s going to be as easy as his comments imply then he is greatly misguided and has been severely blinded by his spell with Malaga in La Liga.

Pellegrini is going to be seriously challenged for the title by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and David Moyes with Manchester United.

Mourinho guarantees success wherever he goes and the expectation with the Blues next season is going to be getting back to the top of English football.

He’s also a tactician who is more than capable of taking apart any system Pellegrini puts before him in a match between Chelsea and Manchester City next season.

Moyes is going to have a tough job getting Manchester United to maintain recent expectations and dominance over Manchester City but it’s more than capable.

Moyes has an edge over Pellegrini in the respect that he knows English football having just moved to Old Trafford after 11 years with Everton.

He knows all the tricks in the book, has seen all of the different tactics and systems managers use to get the better of his sides and he knows how to counter those tactics in high pressure situations.

“With Malaga I reached the quarterfinal of the Champions League, with Villarreal also and the semi-final. All my experience will be very useful for me,” he added.

That European experience will be needed because City have not performed well since their wealth pushed them into the folds of the best tournament in European football.

City struggled massively in the Champions League last season and they are a target for all clubs, both high and low profile, that would like nothing more than to City confined to another season in the group stages.

Pellegrini already has fans wanting him to fail and he’s already put himself under a lot of pressure.

He’s made all of the right noises as far as City fans and club officials are concerned but if he doesn’t deliver on what he’s just said the club are capable of, he’ll be shown the same amount of loyalty and time as Roberto Mancini.

How do you think City will get on next season?

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

The 2013 Confederations Cup kicks off this weekend in Brazil, with a number of the favourites for next year’s World Cup taking part. The mini-tournament only features eight teams, but the hosts, Spain and Italy will look to flex their muscles ahead of the real event next summer.

The trio of traditional giants are clearly keen to win the tournament, as all three have selected all but full-strength squads. If you fancy a bet on an outsider, the likes of Japan, Mexico or Uruguay will give good online betting odds, but chances are that it will be one of the big three that win the tournament.

Hosts Brazil have swapped managers and now have Scolari back at the helm. It is important that the home nation put in a good showing to build confidence ahead of next year’s competition, and the new coach has picked a squad capable of winning the tournament.

Although Internacional forward Leandro Damiao is unavailable through injury, all the other big names are there with the exception of omitted Kaka and Ronaldinho. Neymar, Oscar, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Hulk, Lucas Moura – the list of talent available to Luiz Felipe Scolari for the Confederations Cup is enviable.

Italy have been drawn alongside Brazil in Group A, and have also looked to take their best players to the competition. There is no off-season rest for mercurial veteran Andrea Pirlo, who is joined by seven of his Serie A winning Juventus club teammates. Mario Balotelli will look to makes amends for a recent red card, and Cesare Prandelli also has AC Milan star Stephan El Shaarawy in his contingent.

Spain go into this and every tournament nowadays as the team to beat. Although Xabi Alonso will miss out, the other big names such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and company are in attendance. 13 of the 23 players selected play for either Barcelona or Real Madrid, while seven play in the Premier League. Fernando Torres and Roberto Soldado are the designated strikers, making the cut ahead of Alvaro Negredo.

All in all it should be an interesting and exciting Confederations Cup. Tahiti get a chance to mix it with the big boys, while the hosts will be out to prove a point, and deliver success on home soil in this World Cup warm up.

Prove YOUR football knowledge to win £££ during the Confederations Cup at OLBG.com – Share tips and comments to win cash prizes. £5,000 to be won monthly! Join now!

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

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Liverpool have confirmed that a deal has been agreed for Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, who will become their second signing of the summer transfer window. 

Liverpool have agreed fees for Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas

The 25-year-old would join the club for €9 million (£7.6m) once all the documentation process is over, reports The Guardian. The Spaniard, who can play through the middle or out left wide, completed his medical on Merseyside earlier this week. A club statement read:

“Liverpool have tonight agreed a deal in principle with Celta Vigo for striker Iago Aspas, subject to documentation being completed.

“Aspas can play through the middle or out wide and he could become Brendan Rodgers’s second signing of the summer transfer window following a deal for Kolo Toure.”

Aspas was one of the star performers for Celta this season, scoring 12 goals for his boyhood club and helped them to avoid relegation on the final day.

It has been reported that Aspas was so desperate to join the Anfield club that he even cancelled his summer holiday. He said:

“I was forced to cancel my holiday in the Caribbean, but the reason I did more than justifies why.

“When I heard of Liverpool’s interest I did not hesitate even for a minute.

“Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world and although I had offers from Italy and Portugal and other countries I decided my future was in English football.”

Defence has been one of the major areas for the Reds that needs reinforcement in the summer, but Brendan Rodgers also insisted the importance of bolstering the attacking front as he targets “20 more goals” to his team.

The Reds are also looking to finalize deals for Sporting Lisbon defender Tiago Ilori and Seville’s Luis Alberto, both are expected to join in coming weeks.

The club is also preparing for few exodus as well. Defender Martin Skrtel, goal keeper Pepe Reina and star striker Luis Suarez, could all be sold in this transfer window, though no official bids have been received for the aforementioned players.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

While the future is filled with promise for AS Monaco now, this time a decade ago, it was very much up in the air.

For much of the last couple of decades of the 20th century, Monaco were a fixture at the top of French football. They were there before Marseille’s run of dominance started in the late 1980s, stayed steady in the top three during OM’s five-year run at the top, and scaled the summit again after it all came crashing down for Marseille in 1993.

In 23 seasons between 1977 and 2000, Monaco captured five first division titles, captured three Coupe de France crowns, and finished in the top four 18 times.

Under the leadership of club legend Claude Puel, Monaco captured their most recent title in 2000, with the strike duo of Marco Simone and David Trezeguet combining for 43 goals. However, in the close season, Trezeguet and three other key pieces of the triumph – Fabien Barthez, Willy Sagnol, and Sabri Lamouchi – all departed, and this is where the trouble started.

Following two awful seasons – their two worst seasons since relegation in 1976 – ASM’s finances were brought into full focus, and it wasn‘t a pretty picture. In October 2002, it was reported that Monaco had to borrow €180 million to cover debts related to their recent failures.

With one early Champions League exit followed by consecutive failures to make it back, much-needed millions were missed out on. Sure, the sales of Barthez, Trezeguet, Sagnol, John Arne Riise, and several others post-title brought in a lot of money, but Monaco invested heavily to build and rebuild, and the royal family didn’t do nearly as much to keep the coffers well in good stead as outsiders might have thought.

Meanwhile, fortunes on the pitch began to trend upward again. An 11th-place finish and Champions League and domestic cup failure brought about the end of Puel’s tenure a year after the title, and in came former France captain Didier Deschamps, who hung up his boots at 32 and immediately stepped into the role.

After finishing 15th in his first season and starting slowly in his second, things came together, and despite a large, dark, €50 million plus debt cloud hanging overhead, there was an emergence as a leading contender in a packed title race and a cup run to boot.

The title charge continued well into May, when a 3-1 defeat at Guingamp in the penultimate round handed Lyon their second of seven successive successes. But a runner-up finish was a massive improvement, and in the same month, Sochaux were brushed aside comprehensively in the Coupe de la Ligue final. With a talented, fairly youthful core in place, there should have been a lot to look forward to.

But shortly after the close of the season, the DNCG – the financial arm of the LFP, French professional football’s governing body – dealt what could have been a mortal blow, ordering Monaco to be relegated to Ligue 2 after failing to receive satisfactory assurances about the club‘s financial plight.

Fortunately, the royal family stepped in to save the day, and the decision was overturned on appeal. They were allowed to remain in the top flight and keep their automatic place in the group stage of that next season’s Champions League, but the reprieve came with a restriction on player movement into the club.

That could have proven quite troublesome when striker Shabani Nonda went down in late August with what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury (it wasn‘t, as he would return in April). Available on loan, however, was Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes, a three-time Champions League winner.

Cloud, silver lining, light, dark tunnel, etc. Morientes would score nine Champions League goals, including two vital quarterfinal strikes against parent club Real and a decisive goal against Chelsea in the semis, topping the competition’s scoring charts as Monaco stunningly reached the final.

In the final, they met another unexpected finalist in Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto side. After a bright start, captain and creative force Ludovic Giuly was forced off with a groin injury, and the tide soon turned. Porto scored three without reply, bringing a bitter end to what had been an amazing run.

To compound their misery, while they had been flourishing in Europe, they were floundering domestically. Once again, they entered the final months of the season well-positioned for the Ligue 1 title, and once again, they faltered and were overtaken down the stretch by Lyon (and by PSG, who nipped ahead to finish second).

The best could have been on the horizon, but the key characters didn’t stick around long enough to see if they could take that next step, and the positive momentum quickly faded. After several indifferent seasons, their luck finally ran out two years ago. They were closer to average than awful, but too many draws and too few goals and wins proved to be their downfall.

A draw at home to Lyon would’ve been enough for a last-day escape had SM Caen lost at home to Marseille, but Caen held on for a 2-2 draw, and Lyon scored twice in the last 25 minutes to win 2-0 and send ASM down to the second tier.

Fast forward to the present, and not only are Monaco back in the top flight, they’re armed and aiming to do much more, led by the wealth of Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.

When Rybolovlev completed his purchase of a majority stake in the club in December 2011, a second successive relegation looked much more likely than a quick return to the top flight. It took eight rounds to record the season’s first win, and that would be the only win in 18 matches before the takeover.

With the aid of the Russian, they went on to finish 8th and comfortably safe, and this past season, they topped the table for most of the way and secured the title with a round to spare.

Now, instead of simply trying to consolidate a Ligue 1 place, Rybolovlev is thinking much, much bigger and flashing the cash to back up his ambitions. The transfer bill is already well past the €100 million mark, and there’s more to come. Porto duo João Moutinho and James Rodríguez were signed for a combined €70 million, but the move that’s made the most waves is a €60 million deal for finisher extraordinaire Radamel Falcao.

Among the names on the club’s purported shopping list for the remainder of the summer are Hulk, ASM old boy Patrice Evra and his Manchester United teammate Nani, Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera, and last but not least, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Monaco’s previous Rybolovlev-era moves garnered a fair amount of attention, most notably their attempt to land Roberto Mancini before having to settle for renowned builder Claudio Ranieri, but by comparison, that was a mere ripple compared to the attention that’s now focused squarely upon them. And beyond no shortage of initial sniggers and snipes of jealousy and incredulity, there are many legitimate and understandable questions.

Is it the “right” approach? Perhaps not for the purists, but in this situation, it’s the only one there was ever going to be. A consideration of Rybolovlev‘s track record for extravagant personal spending and the intent that the club‘s shown since immediately after his takeover, and it looks a lot less shocking. And, there’s something more than a little fitting about a club based in Monaco exhibiting such flash and ambition.

An extension of the above is whether Monaco’s spending, and PSG’s along with it, is “good” or “bad” for Ligue 1. To fully dive into this would take much more than a few sentences, but here’s the short(ish) answer: When it’s time to negotiate a new TV deal (the present rights deal expires in 2016), the possibility is very high that those negotiations will end with far more positive feelings than last time.

The presence of top talents like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Falcao, and others that follow can only boost international interest, and success in Europe – which has been rare for Ligue 1 – will do that as well.

Yes, the presence of two teams with far superior talent makes it harder for everyone else to reach the top, but the most talented team doesn’t always come out on top (to use a couple of the most recent examples in Ligue 1, Nantes were not the most talented team when they won the title in 2001, and Montpellier weren’t last year), and money talks, money talks, money talks.

And this is why you’ll see Monaco’s current confrontation with the LFP end with a solution that is at least somewhat satisfying for both sides. To this point, both have played hardball and played a little he said/she said out of principle/stubbornness, but it‘s unlikely to continue.

For all that they’re spending, are they spending aimlessly? While their list of signings and reported targets looks a lot like a “Six Degrees of Jorge Mendes” game, there’s a method to the madness. Look down that list, and there’s a distinct lack of 30-something/past-it names. Immediate success is no doubt an aim, but there also looks to be the desire to form a core that can be built upon. And if worse comes to worst, there will be no shortage of salable assets.

What about the players who brought the club back to the top flight? There will be departures, sure. That would be the case even if the budget was much smaller. But several will, at the very least, provide quality depth next season, and there are also some real gems in the bunch.

The development and success of young talent, homegrown or acquired, was key to Monaco’s success in the past, and at present, there’s a bevy of gifted young attackers at the club, from new recruit Rodriguez, to Argentine teenager Lucas Ocampos, last summer’s big buy, and academy product Valère Germain.

So what about FFP? ASM should know all too well that the DNCG runs a pretty tight ship when it comes to keeping league clubs in line financially, so enough said there, even if there some question how a club that can‘t come close to filling the cozy Stade Louis II will stay above water in the long run.

Or what about the potential that Rybolovlev could cut and run whenever he feels like it? He speaks like a man who’s thinking beyond the short term, and while his wealth will take a hit whenever his divorce from wife Elena is finalized, the settlement she’ll receive shouldn’t affect his commitment to the club.

The biggest question of all, ultimately, if this will be where Ranieri is finally able to fulfill in the glaring holes on his CV and reach the heights that have eluded him to date. Whatever happens, his previous experiences with a billionaire Russian owner should have him well prepared.

His last season at Chelsea was Roman Abramovich’s first, as despite leading Chelsea to the aforementioned semifinal against Monaco -their first-ever Champions League semifinal – and second in the Premier League – their best First Division/Premier League finish in almost 50 years – his position was the subject of heavy speculation all season, and the inability to turn nine-figure spending into tangible success gave Abramovich a good excuse to dump him out and replace him with Mourinho.

Fortunately for Ranieri, Rybolovlev appears to be more committed to him than Abramovich ever was, and he also appears to have a realistic view in regards to expectations for next season. Time will tell if that remains the case, because football management and job security don’t exactly go hand in hand.

But if Rybolovlev is indeed a forward thinker, Ranieri will have more than the upcoming season to show where he can take the club… unless Deschamps or Arsene Wenger decide they’d be interested in returning to the scene of their first managerial successes.

There are no guarantees that this ambition will lead to the desired results. Anything, including spectacular failure, is possible. But for a club that’s had its share of great moments, the chances are high that the best days are ahead.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

Jose Mourinho has completed his first signing of his second spell at Chelsea with the capture of Bayer Leverkusen’s highly rated young attacking midfielder, Andre Schurrle for a reported transfer fee of £18 million. 

Chelsea have been targeting the 22-year-old for over a year while the deal was at an advanced stage for several months now.

According to reports from The Guardian, Leverkusen didn’t want to confirm the deal without finding any proper replacement. On Thursday afternoon, the Bundesliga outfit confirmed the signature of attacking midfielder Son Heung-min, who had joined from Hamburg and soon after Chelsea released a statement on their website that the German star will be joining them subject to completion of a medical.

The club statement read:

“Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement for the transfer of Andre Schurrle, subject to the completion of legal documentation and related matters, including personal terms and passing a medical.”

The Blues also explored the options of including Belgium winger Kevin De Bruyne into the deal as a part exchange offer. De Bruyne, who joined in the January transfer window of 2012 from KRC Genk has yet to play for the London club and spent the last season on loan at Werder Bremen.

The 21-year-old youngster is looking to seal a permanent move to Borussia Dortmund with Schalke 04 also interested in signing him.

Schurrle can play through the middle and on the left or right side of the pitch and in expected to add dynamism to an already star studded squad. The versatile winger is at his dangerous best when he operates from the left hand side of the midfield, where his natural tendency is to cut in on to his favoured right foot.

The youngster, who came through the youth academy at Mainz 05, where he was groomed under the watchful eye of Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp, has scored seven goals in 24 appearances for his country.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

Lionel Messi has everything going his way in his career and he is only a World Cup win away from being widely regarded as the all-time best player to have graced the game. His club career is undoubtedly unmatched and the fans love him. Back home, he is not any less of a celebrity.

But all that is about to be tainted. The crime prosecutors in the eastern region of Catalonia have accused Lionel and his father, Jorge, of fraud totaling more than €4 million (£3.4m). The Argentines have been alleged to have filed fraudulent tax returns for four years from 2006 to 2009.

According to the allegations, the fraud started before Messi came of age and while his father was in charge of his financial affairs. A complex netowrk of companies based in Britain, Switzerland, Belize and Uruguay were used to keep his income out of the sight of tax authorities. The authories told the Spanish news agency, EFE:

“The initiative to commit fraud came from his father.”

Although the court has yet to decide whether it will open a case against the four-in-a-row Ballon d’Or winner but tax prosecutors have lodged a writ at a court near Messi’s residence in Spain.

According to EFE, the punishment for the three separate crimes the two are accused of is six years in jail, with a fine six times the defrauded amount.

On his Facebook page, Messi made a status update in response to the accusations, he wrote:

“We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement.

“We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants who will take care of clarifying this situation.”

Messi is one of the world’s highest-paid footballers. Forbes have listed him as the world’s tenth highest earning athlete – raking in $ 20.3 million (£12.96m) and an additional $ 21 million (£13.41m) in endorsements; a total of $ 41.3 million. He’s the third highest earning footballer, behind Cristiano Ronaldo ($ 44m) and David Beckham ($ 47.2m).

If the court decides to open a case against Lionel Messi immediately, he may have to return to Spain. Though it seems the court might just wait until he returns to Barcelona. As mentioned in his statement on Facebook (hard to believe Facebook is now a legitimate source, isn’t it?), he will have his tax consultants sort this out.

Lets just hope for the best while the situation gets clarified. Meanwhile, give us your verdict in the comments below.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com

Arsenal have boasted big time about their new financial pulling power, which Ivan Gazidis says means they can compete for nearly any player they want in the transfer market.

One such player is Everton’s Marouane Fellaini but the logistics of pulling off a deal for the Gunners could be far more difficult than they realise.

There are several reasons why Fellaini may not jump at the chance to go to Arsenal but he will definitely be on the move after stating last season, he would only stay with Everton if they finished in the top four and secured Champions League football.

Here are five main reasons why Arsenal won’t be his destination.

Position

Fellaini has enjoyed a more forward position at Everton, playing in a more advanced role which has allowed him to give in to his more attacking tendencies.

He scored 11 goals last season as a midfielder from his Premier League appearances which is a tally that most other players would kill for.

Arsenal would buy him and use him as a defensive player, because they already have so many talented players forming the creative aspect of their team and that’s a role Fellaini may not want to go back to.

Price

Although Gazidis has made it clear the Gunners can now pay big fees, it’s unlikely that Arsene Wenger will go back on his recent transfer history for the sake of signing a player he sees as a defensive midfielder.

The base rate would be £20 million rising to around the £25 million mark or just enough to trigger the buy out clause in Fellaini’s current deal.

However, if another side comes into the equation, Manchester United for example, that price could edge up closer to £30 million, raising the question over whether Wenger is really happy to pay that much for a someone he’s going to use as a holding midfielder.

Money

Another point about money and the obvious case that Fellaini can protect himself better, earning a higher wage deal if he goes to a club like Manchester United or Chelsea.

Wenger decides roughly what his players should be paid and that’s created a socialist wage structure at Arsenal, which has been heavily criticised by some sections of their support base.

Football is about money now more than ever before and it’s always going to be a factor in the decision of any player looking to leave a club for a higher profile side.

Success

In Fellaini’s mind he wants to win things, which professional football doesn’t want to win silverware?

He won’t see Arsenal as his most immediate chance of doing just that because the Gunners haven’t won anything since 2005.

A move to Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea presents a much better and more immediate chance for him to start adding medals to his collection which is significant as he’s already in his mid-20s.

Location

Fellaini bought a house in Manchester last season, which he said at the time was to get away from the exposure and the attention that he received constantly in Merseyside.

He was apparently less recognisable in Manchester but it’s a massive opportunity which either of the two big Manchester clubs can take advantage of.

It saves a lot of upheaval in terms of the Belgian having to move his life, friends and family down South to London and it will be a factor in his first move to one of the mega clubs in English and European football.

For more transfer stories, keep checking the Premier League transfers page.

From Soccerlens.com – Football News

Soccerlens.com