Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho continues to be showered with praise for his excellent stretch of matches, and his compatriot Neymar became the latest to express his admiration for the 22-year-old on Thursday, claiming that he will one day be the Premier League’s best player.

As reported by the Daily Mirror‘s David Anderson, the Barcelona star believes fans and pundits are finally starting to see what his good friend can do:

He can be the star player in England. This season I think everybody in England is seeing how talented he is—and I know he has a lot more to show.

We have been good friends since we were 16. Not only is he a fantastic player, he is a good guy to have in the dressing room, always positive and making jokes.

The midfielder put in another fantastic performance for the Reds in their 2-1 FA Cup win over Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday, scoring a stunning goal to seal progression to the next round, per the FA’s official Twitter feed:

In the wake of that match, the young Brazilian was widely hailed as one of the Premier League’s fastest rising stars. The Daily Mail even believes he has the potential to emulate Barcelona legend Ronaldinho:

Team-mate Jordan Henderson told Liverpool’s official Twitter feed his job becomes a whole lot easier when he has guys like Coutinho and Raheem Sterling around him:

Coutinho has now scored three goals and handed out four assists in the Premier League and FA Cup, via WhoScored.com, and everyone seems to agree that this is only the beginning for the Brazil international, who joined the Reds from Inter Milan in 2013.

Liverpool’s 2014-15 campaign has been predictably inconsistent in the wake of Luis Suarez‘s departure for Barcelona, but Brendan Rodgers’ young squad has turned things around in the past two months, and the Reds currently sit just four points outside the Premier League top five.

Per Goal, Rodgers believes Coutinho has the potential to replace the Uruguay international:

While it’s tempting to get carried away with all the praise following Coutinho’s strong run of matches, it’s important to remember the Brazilian is just 22 years old. There are bound to be some struggles in the future, and putting too much pressure on his young shoulders now could hurt his development.

In many ways, Coutinho perfectly represents the current Liverpool squad: heaps of potential and the promise of a bright future, as long as people are willing to be patient.

All signs point to even bigger and better things for Coutinho, and if the youngster continues his rapid progression, the Reds should return to the Premier League title conversation in the 2015-16 season.

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Arsene Wenger managed to provide Arsenal with the much-needed defensive reinforcement of Gabriel Paulista during the January transfer window, but it’s fair to say the Gunners’ squad is still a few players short of challenging for the Premier League title.

Most obviously, a behemoth defensive midfielder needs to be attained.

French newspaper L’Equipe reports that Morgan Schneiderlin is set to leave Southampton at the end of the season (h/t Jack De Menezes of The Independent). De Menezes believes he will “snub” Tottenham and Manchester United “in order to join Arsenal.”

Wenger is reportedly eyeing a new contract for Francis Coquelin, reported by Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Italia, so he may step in more permanently if Schneiderlin cannot be lured. Krystian Bielik’s arrival may also see the combative midfield role filled in the future. B/R UK’s Ryan Bailey believes Arsenal missed a trick when failing to land Schneiderlin in January, however:

Eurosport suggests Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk, who continues to be linked with Wenger‘s side, “appears happy to stay until the summer.” Another potential target is Edinson Cavani, who Arsenal are reportedly ready to “wait” for, according to Lee Hurley of the Metro.

Wenger worked well to address squad concerns during January, noted below:

Lukas Podolski‘s departure is likely to be followed up with a permanent move, reported by James McNicholas in his article for ESPN FC. The German forward has made it clear he doesn’t intend on returning, saying, “I knew I had to move” after scoring two against Galatasaray and then being benched earlier in the season, per Sky Sports.

He rarely received the opportunity to play in his favoured central attacking role while at the Emirates. The summer arrival of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck indicated Podolski was surplus to requirements and perhaps only maintained while Theo Walcott battled with injury. He is yet to score in six appearances for Inter Milan, per WhoScored.com, but is at least getting a consistent run of playing time.

This is also the thinking behind the temporary departures of Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo, two potential stars who need to challenge themselves against the best. Wenger did well to secure a Premier League loan for the latter, who has the potential to be an excellent acquisition for Crystal Palace.

Questions continue to be asked of Campbell, however, as he embarks on a fourth loan stint away from the Premier League in as many years.

Arsenal supporters will likely be pleased with the side’s winter work. Wenger‘s signings certainly outpoint last year’s only deal, which saw an injured Kim Kallstrom head to the Emirates on loan. Arsenal’s play continues to improve, highlighted by the win over Manchester City and thrashing of Aston Villa, so the squad is in an excellent position to be successful this season.

A deep run in the Champions League and third in the domestic division would amount to a fantastic year for the side. Wenger has plenty of work to do in the summer—plugging that midfield remains a priority—but his January groundwork has Arsenal moving in the right direction.

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Super-agent Mino Raiola has verbally attacked Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola for his previous treatment of one of his star clients, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Guardiola purchased the mercurial forward for Barcelona during his tenure at the Camp Nou, but the Swede did not see his career get off the ground whilst working for Guardiola, leading to Raiola‘s criticism of the Spaniard.

The controversial agent is often outspoken, and in an interview with Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Raiola slammed the Bayern manager for his previous dealings with Ibra, per AS: “He [Pep Guardiola] is a nasty piece of work as a man, but a great coach. Guardiola was the man who took Ibra to Barcelona and later he treated him very badly.”

Ibrahimovic joined the Blaugrana from Inter Milan in 2009 but only lasted one season before Pep sent the striker out on loan.

The player has previously called Guardiola “a spineless coward” in his autobiography, serialised by the Daily Mail, in reaction to the manager’s treatment of him during his spell with Barca.

He also said the coach was a “brick wall,” concluding their relationship made him think, “Every hour with the club [Barcelona] I wished I could be out of there.”

Despite the problems between the two egos, Ibra‘s record at Barca was statistically good. He scored 16 goals and created seven assists in his 23 La Liga appearances, per ESPN FC, but the world did not get to see the full potential of Zlatan coupled with the brilliance of Lionel Messi.

The 33-year-old has since gone on to prove he is one of the greats of his generation but has been a nomad in terms of his footballing geography.

However, it is difficult to truly criticise Guardiola‘s handling of Ibrahimovic considering the success that followed for Barca.

The Swede may not have liked his treatment under the Spaniard’s care, but Pep’s first concern needed to be for the team—and Zlatan did not fit into Barcelona’s pressing style.

Guardiola‘s collective would defend from the front and make it difficult for their opposition to gain territory or possession. Although Ibrahimovic was skillful enough to play Barca‘s short passing style, he certainly did not have the work rate needed to fulfil Guardiola‘s vision.

His signing was a strange one when considered in the cold light of day, with the striker not suited to certain styles of football.

At Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan is the planet which all other moons orbit around, and the superstar needs to be in this kind of environment to play his best game. 

Raiola is a typical agent in terms of publicly defending his players, but his words will do him no favours if he wishes to do business with Guardiola or Bayern in the very near future.

However, Raiola did also call Guardiola a “great coach,” so damage limitation was also clearly in his thoughts.

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Manchester United have been linked with endless stars throughout the transfer window, but as of yet, none—bar free-agent Victor Valdes—have walked through the Old Trafford doors.

Manager Louis van Gaal spent heavily in the summer getting his squad up to scratch, but the team’s quality on paper hasn’t reflected on the pitch—meaning that the next few days could be incredibly important for the Red Devils’ season.

Here’s a look at the latest players rumoured with making the switch to United before deadline day, starting with a key addition to the defensive line.

Aleksandar Dragovic

After Nemanja Vidic departed Old Trafford for Inter Milan, the opportunity presented itself for any one of United’s defensive young guns to demonstrate their credentials to be the new leader.

However, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Marcos Rojo have been struggling to produce the goods in the heart of defence, which has led Van Gaal to look elsewhere for his defensive stalwart.

Standing elsewhere is 23-year-old Aleksandar Dragovic, who is rumoured to be close to making the switch to Old Trafford—reported by Jamie Sanderson of Metro.

Sanderson writes (h/t Tutto Mercato Web) that Van Gaal is ready to put an £11.2 million bid on the table to land the Dynamo Kyiv centre-back, but is he the right man to fill the boots of Vidic?

Well, his style of play certainly suggests as much.

Dragovic is the kind of defender who’s comfortable on the ball and reads the game brilliantly, with his intelligent style of play leading to a number of important, last-ditch tackles.

He’s a deep-lying defender who acts as a sweeper behind his partner, which would bode well for teaming up with any member of the existing United rearguard.

To put it in journalist Fabian Zerche’s words, per Sport Witness: “Dragovic isn’t the dominant and commanding tackling beast, but more of a smart defender who is able to anticipate dangerous situations.”

United are missing that kind of player at the moment. Jones and Rojo are reasonable on the ball, while Smalling and Evans defy being Premier League footballers at times.

With Dragovic in the setup, Van Gaal can resort to his old faithful formation of playing three at the back, as the Austrian is far more positive moving forward than any currently in the squad.

It’s all a case of whether Dynamo Kyiv will accept the £11.2 million offer from the Red Devils, but Sanderson writes that it should be enough.

Leading the back line at a club such as Manchester United won’t be easy for a player who’s still young, but Dragovic has the credentials to do just that.

Kevin Strootman

United’s transfer saga with Kevin Strootman has been running for months and months, but it could well reach a conclusion in the coming days.

The Dutchman was a favourite of Van Gaal’s during his time as Netherlands manager, and his lust for the midfielder hasn’t faltered since taking to the Old Trafford hot seat.

Strootman has been linked with United throughout January, but progress on a transfer looked to have stalled after 24-year-old was forced to undergo knee surgery.

However, Simon Mullock of the Daily Mirror writes that Strootman is still United’s top target, and a big-money bid could be in the pipeline.

That’s all it’ll take to lure the Dutchman to Old Trafford too, with Roma president James Pallota exclusively telling Bleacher Report that only an astronomical offer would tempt him into letting his star man go:

My view is that I don’t want Kevin to go, for example, but if someone offers a huge amount, you at least have to listen to them. You’re running a team, so you have to look at what’s best for everyone, not just one individual. That’s the way the world works.

Strootman is set to be sidelined for upward of six weeks with his latest injury, so he’s unlikely to be the man to save United’s season if Van Gaal makes an offer, but the future would be bright with him in the squad—the man himself took to Twitter to reveal the extent of his layoff:

The injury won’t force Roma into panic selling, but it’ll be a thinking point should United put an offer on the table.

Whether they can afford to stump up enough to land Strootman remains to be seen, but the ambition to bring in another world-class central midfielder is a cause for optimism for the United faithful.

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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal knows he could still lose star goalkeeper David de Gea to Real Madrid. He also knows he may have to bide his time before restocking a defence in need of new blood, after proposed target Aleksandar Dragovic reportedly began negotiations with Inter Milan.

Van Gaal is also switching targets in his proposed bid to shore up the base of midfield, following yet another injury for long-term target Kevin Strootman.

Starting with De Gea, Van Gaal has confirmed United remain anxious for the gifted 24-year-old stopper to agree a new contract. But the Dutchman acknowledged a move to Real Madrid remains a possibility, per Manchester Evening News reporter Stuart Mathieson: “Everything is possible in the world of football. We want to keep him.”

De Gea only has 18 months left on his current contract. There have been reports Los Blancos will wait 12 months before offering De Gea a free transfer next January, according to Mark Ogden of The Telegraph.

United’s counter to that idea will be to offer De Gea £140,000 per week, according to Daily Mirror writer David McDonnell. That contract would certainly seem worth it considering De Gea‘s emergence as a match-winner for an inconsistent United side this season.

However, there are one or two dissenting voices who believe United may be best served cashing in. They include Manchester Evening News writer James Robson.

He believes letting De Gea get to his final year at Old Trafford still without a long-term deal in place would make little business sense. Robson also suggested United could use De Gea as a makeweight to possibly land Los Merengues‘ forward Gareth Bale.

The Red Devils have reportedly set aside €150 million to try to tempt Real into selling Bale, per AS reporter Manu Sainz (h/t Daily Star writer Alex Harris). Robson thinks United would be wiser using De Gea to significantly reduce Bale’s fee.

That’s not an unreasonable argument. However, sections of the club’s support may baulk at the idea of selling a key part of the team’s spine for yet another attacker.

Quality goalkeepers the right side of 30 are tough to come by. They are certainly worth keeping around when you find one.

United are already more than well-stocked in attack. Van Gaal‘s squad boasts forward-thinking talent the calibre of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria and Juan Mata.

What the current team really needs is to be underpinned with a strong foundation that runs from back to front. De Gea can be a crucial part of that structure. So can a more physical holding midfielder.

That’s the cue for United’s interest in AS Roma enforcer Radja Nainggolan. Van Gaal is reportedly considering a bid for the fast-rising Belgian star, per French publication Le10Sport (h/t IBTimes.co.uk’s Naveen Ullal).

United are apparently prepared to pay €40 million for a player still part owned by both Roma and Cagliari. That’s certainly a hefty investment. However, Van Gaal‘s midfield needs balance and he already looks set to miss out on one prime target.

Strootman would be top of Van Gaal‘s list of potential midfield recruits. But the tough-tackling, smart passer just can’t stay fit.

The Netherlands international has suffered a setback in his bid to rebound from a serious knee injury, per ASRoma.it (h/t Manchester Evening News reporter Simon Bajkowski). Strootman is now out for at least four weeks.

Van Gaal has his own injury woes in central midfield, concerning versatile veteran Michael Carrick, per the club’s official Twitter feed:

Meanwhile, fellow experienced battler in the middle Darren Fletcher is inching closer to a move to West Ham United, according to BBC Sport. These factors could accelerate any move Nainggolan.

United need help in midfield, but the squad also needs a few talented bodies a little further back. Van Gaal needs quality centre-backs to make his 3-5-2 formation work.

But the Dutchman may have to count out Aleksandar Dragovic being one of them. The Austria international is still on United’s radar, but he is currently negotiating with Serie A side Inter Milan, per Daily Star reporter Alex Harris.

United had been considering moving for 23-year-old Dragovic, provided Van Gaal believes he could handle the Premier League pace, per Manchester Evening News writer David Lynch. Now it seems as though the decision will be taken out of the United chief’s hands.

Van Gaal may be stressing he doesn’t intend to sign new faces during the final days of the winter window, per ManUtd.com writer Mark Froggatt. But injuries and defections in midfield could change his mind.

If nothing else, the Old Trafford hierarchy may begin negotiating some summer deals now, while keeping a very close eye on De Gea‘s contract situation and Madrid’s intentions.

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We are down to the final eight teams in the Africa Cup of Nations 2015, with one of the most open tournaments in recent memory.

The competition is beautifully poised with all the sides in the knockouts feeling they have a shot at glory.

The Ivory Coast leapfrogged their way into the quarter-finals after their slim 1-0 win against a disappointing Cameroon.

Algeria placed second in Group C after a fabulous strike from Nabil Bentaleb helped his side beat Senegal by 2-0.

Here is how you can watch this exciting quarter-final match, with TV and streaming information:

When: Sunday, Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m. GMT/ 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

TV Info: British Eurosport (UK only) BeIN Sports (U.S. only)

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK only) BeIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)

Yaya Toure Problems For Ivory Coast

By watching Manchester City’s talismanic midfielder in recent times, you would think Yaya Toure had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The former Barcelona player has been largely anonymous during AFCON 2015 for the Ivory Coast as rumours swirl around about his future with his club, per Sky Sports.

Toure has been linked with a move to Inter Milan to rejoin former boss Roberto Mancini and it is difficult to know whether the player has had his head turned or not.

City have themselves been making odd statements about the player, with coach Manuel Pellegrini professing his side can cope without his presence, as tweeted by the club’s official feed:

But in the tournament, we have not seen the Yaya of old—or even the one from last season who recovered his form to drive City to another EPL crown.

However, despite the strange body language, Yaya has performed this season to a good standard.

He has hit seven goals in his 18 Premier League appearances this term, per WhoScored.com, but he has failed to register a strike or assist for his country during the Africa Cup of Nations.

This has led football writer Jonathan Wilson to surmise the player has had a less productive tournament than his more unfashionable brother, Kolo:

Wilson further elaborated in his piece in The Guardian, questioning Yaya‘s state of mind and contentment: 

The one major concern for Ivory Coast is the form of Yaya Toure, who has lolloped about without great success, trying to link the front of midfield to the two strikers and has been substituted twice.

Max Gradel has been rather more successful than him in that linking role, scoring the equaliser against Mali before hitting the winner against Cameroon with a vicious swerving shot.

The official line is that all is well, but Toure, who is usually extremely approachable, has marched through the mixed zone after each of Ivory Coast’s last two games without stopping. After the Cameroon game he made a point of shouting there was no problem as he walked through, which of course rather suggested there was.

And now the player is a doubt for the Elephants battle with the Warriors of the Desert after sustaining a hamstring injury during his side’s 1-0 over Cameroon, per Goal.com.

On his day, Yaya is the best midfielder of his type in the world. No one can drive through the centre of the park with the ball attached to his feet with the sheer power he possesses.

He has been key for City and his country for many years but there is a feeling he might be on the slide, in terms of his impact.

At 31 years old, you would expect Yaya to still have plenty in the tank but the current conception of the player seems to suggest his best days might be passing him by.

Match Preview

Algeria have no fresh injury concerns in their ranks after their impressive 2-0 win against Senegal, per WhoScored.

The statistics website says the Warriors are likely to line up with an unchanged 4-2-3-1, with star man Nabil Bentaleb once again patrolling the midfield after his beautiful strike in the previous match.

The Tottenham player has been in top form during the Africa Cup of Nations and he has not let his opportunity to impress go amiss.

But it has been striker Islam Slimani who has shined the most in the Algerian side, with WhoScored ranking him as his country’s best player of the tournament so far.

The Sporting Lisbon player was in fine form in the opening match against South Africa, scoring once in a 3-1 win but has suffered a muscle injury which has limited his minutes on the pitch, per Sport24.

Besides the knock to Yaya Toure as previous mentioned, Ivory Coast’s main concern revolves around Eric Bailly who was injured and substituted in the match against Cameroon, per WhoScored.

This game is very difficult to call but if the Elephants hit their top form, they will be difficult to beat.

Wilfried Bony is yet to score in the tournament—after his multi-million pound move to Manchester City—and it can only be a matter of time before he finds the net.

But much depends on Yaya. He is the leader of this Ivory Coast team, and without his full involvement they will find it difficult to progress.

Algeria are a plucky side and will feel they can take care of business on Sunday night.

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If Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure still doesn’t feel wanted at Etihad Stadium in the summer, he could end up bolting for an Italian club that seems to really, really want him.

Late last week La Gazzetta dello Sport, as per Football Italia, reported that Inter Milan were keen to sign Toure ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, with the Ivory Coast international already having sanctioned a wage reduction in order to expedite the move.

Nerazzurri manager Roberto Mancini confirmed his interest to il Giornale on Thursday, according to Goal, remarking that he was “working on” a swoop for the midfielder he initially purchased from Barcelona in 2010 while in charge of City.

“He played for many teams, in many leagues like Belgium, Spain, Russia, England. He only misses Italy, this may be a good chance for him,” Mancini said.

He added: “[Toure is] one of the best players in the world. He can still have his say.”

He certainly can, and just last spring he and his agent had plenty to say about a perceived lack of appreciation at City that came to a head when the club didn’t satisfactorily recognise his birthday.

“None of them shook hands on his birthday. It’s really sick,” Dimitri Seluk, Toure’s representative, told the BBC in May. “The most important thing is a human relationship and maybe this is his opportunity for Yaya to find that. If City don’t respect him, then, easy Yaya will leave.”

Seluk went on to say that his client had “enough money” and would prefer to play at a club “that respects him” rather than having “a few thousand pounds added to his salary.”

Incidentally, Toure is on £220,000 a week at City and is contracted through the completion of the 2016-17 season.

According to The Guardian, the reigning Premier League champions won’t offer him a new contract, and given that he’ll turn 32 years old before the completion of the current campaign—nevermind his wildly inconsistent performances this term—they may opt to make a little money off him while they still have a chance.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Football Italia, have quoted a price of €9 million, and while such a fee would hardly make a difference in City’s account books, it would help in their efforts to comply with Financial Fair Play, as would the stroking off of his wages.

At Inter, should the transfer be completed, Toure would join a fascinating project that has already seen Lukas Podolski, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marcelo Brozovic arrive at San Siro this month. Club owner Erick Thohir has shown a willingness to spend since Mancini’s arrival, and the plan is to challenge Juventus for the Scudetto next season.

“We just need three champions to close the gap,” commented Mancini in his il Giornale interview.

Toure could well be one of them, and if the desire to reach an agreement is mutual, it will almost certainly transpire before pre-season training begins—a sort of late birthday present for a player who seems desperate to celebrate himself.

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Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini has hinted at a potential summer move for Manchester City star Yaya Toure, praising the Ivory Coast international who he previously signed when in charge of the Citizens in 2010.

As reported by talkSPORT, the Italian spoke about Toure to Il Giornale, saying the 31-year-old is exactly the kind of player he wants for his new squad:

Yaya is one of the strongest players in the world.

He has played in so many teams. He has been in leagues in Belgium, Russia, Spain and England. Italy is the one missing. This could be the right opportunity for him to come and try.

We are building a team. There are players that change the look of a team, and Yaya is one of them.

Next year we could try. We need to bring three champions, and we will see that we will be ready to fight for the Scudetto.

Toure’s future at the Etihad Stadium has been uncertain for some time now, per talkSPORT, and the summer of 2015 might be the perfect opportunity to strike for Mancini. The star midfielder turns 32 in May, and the Citizens could decide it’s time to cash in on one of their best players before his play starts to decline.

Whether the Nerazzurri will be willing to pay big money for Toure is another matter, however. As reported by Football Italia, club president Erick Thohir seems less open to the idea of bringing him into the fold.

“He is a great player, but we have to ask ourselves if he is right for our team,” Thohir told Mediaset Premium. “We want to sign players for at least three years, not two.”

Inter have been one of the most active teams in the January transfer window, determined to give Mancini every opportunity to turn the disastrous 2014-15 campaign around. Sitting in 10th place in the Serie A standings, the Nerazzurri have already strengthened the squad with Xherdan Shaqiri, Lukas Podolski and Marcelo Brozovic.

Not afraid to spend big, adding a veteran contributor like Toure to the mix would make sense. The powerful midfielder is one of the very best around, and his impact on City is perhaps best illustrated by the club’s pedestrian record when he hasn’t been able to play, per Squawka Football:

Toure is a fantastic scorer—he has nine goals already this season, per WhoScored.com—and provides the club with a calming, physical presence in midfield, allowing the likes of David Silva and Samir Nasri to play without having to worry too much about their defensive duties.

Writing for Bleacher Report UK, Jonathan Wilson believes the Ivorian is one of the most uniquely gifted players in the Premier League, not understating how much his absence will hurt City’s chances against Premier League leaders Chelsea:

Selling a player with such a large impact on the squad seems absurd unless an adequate replacement can be found, and given Toure’s unique skills, finding such a replacement is easier said than done.

In any case, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the player himself is keen on a reunion with his former manager in the Italian fashion capital (h/t FourFourTwo‘s Adam Digby):

Ultimately, a potential transfer will likely come down to how City officials feel about Toure moving forward. The Ivorian is on the wrong side of 30 and currently reportedly earns around £210,000 per week, per The Independent’s Simon Rice.

If Inter can provide City with a fair offer, the chance to clear that much money off the wage bill for an aging player could simply be too good to pass up. Toure still has plenty to offer, but football is a business. With UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules in full effect, clubs are sometimes forced to make difficult decisions like this one.

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Roma’s Mattia Destro agreed to a loan move to AC Milan—with an option to buy—on Thursday, spurning reported interest from Arsenal and Chelsea to stay in Serie A, according to the Daily Star‘s Alex Harris.

As shared by BT Sport’s James Horncastle, the news was confirmed by Milan Channel, the club’s official TV network:

According to beIN Sports’ Tancredi Palmeri, Milan will pay Roma €700,000 for the initial loan deal with an option to make the move permanent included at €12 million. Those numbers favour the buying club, according to Palmeri:

Destro posted a message on his official Facebook (in Italian) to thank Roma fans for their support.

The Italy international rose to fame during the 2011-12 season with Sienna, catching the eye of a multitude of big clubs with a series of sterling performances and his tantalising potential.

The Giallorossi won the race for his signature and took a patient approach with his development, opting to sit the youngster on the bench and continue to start veteran Francesco Totti.

Destro quickly became an afterthought under new manager Rudi Garcia. He made just eight Serie A starts in the 2014-15 campaign, in which he scored five goals, according to WhoScored.com. That’s not a bad return for a player deemed unfit to be a regular starter, and GianlucaDiMarzio.com’s David Amoyal thinks Roma are making a mistake by parting with the forward:

He also noted Destro has an interesting link to his new club, as he used to play for city rivals Inter Milan, just like former star striker Mario Balotelli:

The Rossoneri have underperformed so far this season, and manager Filippo Inzaghi is desperate to add some quality to a squad filled with aging veterans and stars not living up to their potential.

The injury to Stephan El Shaarawy likely made the decision to chase another forward a lot easier, per Football Italia.

The club’s recent struggles—perhaps best illustrated by the controversial clash against Lazio that saw defender Philippe Mexes grab an opponent by the throat, per beIN Sports—suggest the San Siro might not be the best surroundings for Destro, according to StatsBomb’s Ted Knutson:

However, his talent is undeniable. With Milan desperate to improve their current run of form, Destro will likely receive every opportunity to start immediately.

Consistent minutes could finally unlock the potential that had Roma buzzing when they brought him in from Sienna, which in turn would aid Milan’s push for a top-five finish and a ticket for the Europa League. 

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Dear Frank,

First things first, hopefully all is going well with you and your family.

Ahead of your impending west London arrival this Saturday, I have to admit I’m conflicted about you; half of me wants to smile, the other is utterly confused.

Returning Chelsea legends are nothing new at Stamford Bridge, something you know well. When Jose Mourinho came to London with Inter Milan and Didier Drogba last season with Galatasaray, their names were shouted and chants were sung, but your situation has given many Blues’ supporters something of a headache—myself included.

I had little clue Norwich City was going to be your last game in a Chelsea shirt; Ashley Cole’s departure felt imminent, but yours came as a relative shock. The club’s policy with over 30-year-olds has always bothered me, but I never thought you would be a casualty—especially considering John Terry was given a new contract.

Fourth all-time in appearances, the club’s top goalscorer, and I don’t have the assist numbers at hand, but I would wager you are near the top of that as well: Your service to Chelsea Football Club was impeccable, so I was under the assumption, after the World Cup, you would return to west London as ever.

But that wasn’t the case.

I would love to know the particulars—whether Chelsea did or did not offer you a contract.

There has been speculation both ways concerning the matter. I have always assumed you were not offered a deal; I can’t imagine you turning one down, as your devotion to the club was never in question; we do live in a capitalistic society, however, so the notion Chelsea did not offer you what you wanted/deserved is possible.

In any event, the split felt unceremonious to say the least.

When it was announced you were headed to America, I can’t say I was surprised. David Beckham, Thierry Henry and other stars have seen/see the MLS as an option later in their respective careers; so I accepted the idea, but had a thought in the back of my mind—knowing New York City FC are owned by the City Football Group—the move could potentially turn sour for myself and other Chelsea supporters.

And indeed it has.

I’m not sure I can be too mad at Manchester City for taking advantage of “loopholes”—as Chelsea would have probably done something similar under the circumstances—but there is something off-putting about seeing you in a sky-blue shirt. Not only because you said you “couldn’t imagine playing for anyone else” in England, but you’ve kept your new club in the 2014/15 Premier League title race.

Were you to have gone to America, Australia or even trained with Chelsea, the Blues would be 12 points clear of Manchester City—as you’ve given the Citizens seven points. Getting mad at you scoring goals is like getting mad at the sun coming up, because that is what you’ve done your whole career, but you scoring them at the Etihad was beyond my wildest imaginations.

All that said, understanding football is a business, I’m more disappointed than anything.

Disappointed my club, seemingly, didn’t do its utmost to keep you around. Disappointed in rules that shocked not only Blues supporters but NYCFC fans (probably even more so). Lastly, disappointed your Chelsea legacy has come into question.

Being of a certain age (24), you are one of my footballing heroes; I never thought there would come a time when people would be placing you on a level with Sol Campbell as some sort of traitor.

I will forever consider you a Blues legend and arguably the greatest Chelsea player of all time, but as you return to Stamford Bridge wearing a different shade of blue, I can’t help but questioning myself a little.

All the best (except on Saturday),

A Chelsea Fan

*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.

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