Arsenal could face stiff competition in the race for Inter Milan‘s Mauro Icardi next summer, as Manchester City are reportedly prepared to offer €40 million for the striker.

That’s according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia), with Football Italia noting the Gunners and rivals Chelsea have also been linked with the 22-year-old.

The Inter captain has been one of the few highlights at the San Siro in recent years and last season bagged 27 goals and nine assists in all competitions.

Though he hasn’t been able to replicate the same form so far in this campaign with four goals and an assist in 12 appearances, Italian football expert Adam Digby believes the forward remains a potent hitman:

Arsenal could use another forward to share the workload up front for the Gunners, as beyond Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez, they have few reliable options—Theo Walcott can be prolific but can’t be relied upon due to injury, Danny Welbeck isn’t nearly clinical enough and Joel Campbell, though encouraging, is not yet scoring regularly.

Likewise, with Sergio Aguero often out injured, City are frequently forced to rely on the hit-and-miss Wilfried Bony and teenager Kelechi Iheanacho, so another striker would be useful.

Gazzetta‘s report (h/t Football Italia) indicates Icardi is hopeful of staying with the Serie A side, and the club are likely to try to hold onto their best players as they seek to rebuild and return to their position among Europe’s elite.

However, it also reports that to recruit further talent to aid their project, Inter may equally be forced to raise the cash through sales, so Icardi’s position at the club may not be quite so secure.

The Argentinian could well be subject to a bidding war in the future, and he is an exceptional talent—if Arsenal are hoping to lure him to the Emirates Stadium, they’ll need to be prepared to spend big.

Returning to north London could be on the cards for on-loan goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, as according to the Mirror‘s Ed Malyon, temporary club Roma are pursuing a January deal for Paris Saint-Germain stopper Salvatore Sirigu, and as a result, the Pole’s spell in the Italian capital may be cut short.

The 25-year-old has kept just three clean sheets in his 17 appearances for the Giallorossi this season and recently came under fire after being caught smoking—something he was fined for at Arsenal last season.

However, one of his clean sheets was the 0-0 draw with BATE Borisov in the final match of the UEFA Champions League group stage, which saw Roma progress to the next round.

As football writer Conor Kelly notes, Szczesny played a key role in the result with a magnificent save:

Nevertheless, Sirigu is an upgrade on him, and Roma would be wise to recruit defensively if they’re to avoid humiliation in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

With Petr Cech and David Ospina firmly ahead of him in the pecking order at Arsenal, Szczesny no longer has a future at the club, so if he does return to north London in January, he’s likely to be loaned out again or sold if the club can find a suitor.

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Brazilian World Cup winner Lucio has urged Philippe Coutinho to forego any potential move to Barcelona and remain at Liverpool if he wants to become one of the best players in the world.

Coutinho has been a key part of Liverpool’s resurgence under manager Jurgen Klopp, but people have previously linked him with a move away from Anfield to Barca, per Spanish outlet Sport (via MailOnline’s Nicholas Godden).

Lucio, who played alongside Coutinho at Inter Milan between 2009 and 2012, believes Liverpool is the ideal place for the 23-year-old to develop, per Sky Sports:

I am very happy that he is having success at Liverpool. There is potential to be the best player in the world, of that there is no doubt. But it will depend on what happens around him. He is only going to get better.

[…]

I think that is a personal decision for him [Barca move], but Barcelona have a lot of great players, but that can put a shade [sic] on his play. Liverpool is the right place for him to become the best. He has his space, and can play where he wants.

Coutinho was absent for the Reds’ recent 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League, and they sorely missed him, per former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann:

The Brazilian is arguably Klopp‘s most important player, and his influence on Liverpool’s creativity is huge.

Lucio is correct in saying that Coutinho would be far less prominent if he were to move to Barca, not least because of the presence of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Any potential move to Barca would undoubtedly attract him, given how competitive they are at the top of the European game.

But Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe believes Klopp‘s arrival has made Liverpool genuine Premier League title contenders once again:

Even if the Reds do not win the title this season, if they can make a genuine tilt for the top four and display a marked improvement, they are much more likely to be able to keep hold of the vital Coutinho.

Elsewhere, Liverpool legend John Barnes has urged the club to keep faith with striker Daniel Sturridge despite his persistent injury issues.

The team recently ruled the Englishman out of action again for 10 days, per MailOnline’s Dominic King.

Fitness worries have consistently plagued the 26-year-old, and he has reportedly spent more than half of his Liverpool career absent through either illness or injury, per the Telegraph‘s Alistair Tweedale.

As a result, Hamann recently suggested the Reds cut their losses on Sturridge, but Barnes has urged Liverpool to keep the faith, per Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (via talkSPORT’s Joe Moore):

He’s one of our very important players and we need him. He, along with Coutinho, gives us that little bit of extra class. As to what the solution is, whether you give him four months off to get everything right… I just don’t know. But because of his quality I don’t think it’s necessarily time to cut our losses with Sturridge. He’s obviously still a great player and we need to keep our quality players at the club.

When he is available, Sturridge is fantastic, and it would be wasteful to get rid of him any time soon.

But should he not be able to prove his long-term fitness in the future, the Reds may yet show him the door at Anfield.

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Liverpool have held talks with talented Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic, but the 19-year-old is determined to snub any advances during the January transfer window and see out the season with the Serbian outfit.  

Grujic has been one of the driving forces behind Red Star’s superb start to the season, and he is being followed by a host of top clubs from around the continent, including the Reds, Inter Milan, AS Roma and Chelsea.

As reported by the Liverpool Echo‘s James Pearce, Liverpool watched him closely during his team’s 7-2 win over Cukaricki, and they were granted permission to speak to Grujic after the match about a potential £5 million move.

Grujic confirmed the talks but immediately expressed his desire to stay in Serbia for now:

I’ll try to respect the club, the fans and the general public, but again I think that for myself I have to choose the best environment where I get the chance to play and where I work with good coaches in good conditions.

It is certain that I remain here until the end of qualifying for the Champions League. I had a talk with Liverpool but I did not receive yet any agreement. I’m still a Red Star player.

According to Pearce, Grujic has already scored five goals this season and has played a large part in Red Star’s dominant title challenge. The team currently leads Serbia’s top division by a whopping 19 points.

The central midfielder is an excellent passer of the ball and displays tremendous burst and vision. He has the versatility to move into a more advanced role, and given his attacking instincts, a future as a pure attacking midfielder may be in store.

Here’s a look at what he’s been up to in Serbia:

Grujic made his senior debut at the age of 17 and plays with a ton of confidence. He wants to be on the ball all the time and looks comfortable running Belgrade’s midfield, despite his young age.

He seems to be most comfortable playing in space, where he can use his athleticism and has the time to pick out his passes. If he does decide to move to the Premier League, he will have to get used to tighter marking and will need to speed up his thinking process.

A transfer is becoming ever more likely. As explained by Sports Witness, it’s no coincidence his name keeps popping up in rumours and transfer reports:

There are certainly agents working on the future of Grujic, the constant reports about transfers underline that. It’s unclear how much of the Liverpool claims are true, but Grujic has also been linked with several other Premier League clubs.

When players move from Serbian and Croatian football it can often be very complicated and begin with lots of claims of serious interest. The same happened before Lazar Markovic moved to Benfica, Andrej Kramaric to Leicester and Alen Halilović to Barcelona. 

We now know the Liverpool claims are in fact true, as the player himself confirmed the talks, and he sounded quite optimistic a deal will get done, saying nothing has been agreed yet. That doesn’t mean he’ll actually end up at Anfield, but it does seem like Grujic will be leaving Serbia in 2016.

If he’s so determined to finish the season with Red Star, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a club like Liverpool made Red Star an offer slightly lower than the proposed £5 million and loaned him back to his current club for the rest of the campaign.

It would be a minor investment into a player who shows plenty of promise, although one has to wonder exactly where he would fit in with Liverpool. Between Jordan Henderson, Lucas Leiva, James Milner and Joe Allen, the Reds aren’t exactly short on quality central midfielders.

Grujic would be another young prospect who would need time to develop and adapt to the Premier League, and Liverpool’s main focus should be on impact players who immediately make the squad better. That shouldn’t stop the Reds from going after Grujic, but more established signings are needed as well.

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The transfer window can be a frustrating time for Arsenal fans. Arsene Wenger can be famously stubborn when it comes to recruiting new players, refusing to bring in new signings unless he is absolutely convinced they provide value for money.

In the last transfer window, Arsenal did not sign a single outfield player. The consequences of that decision are being felt keenly now as the Gunners struggle to cope with a predictable injury crisis. 

However, it’s not as if Arsenal aren’t linked with a huge variety of top players. They have vast resources at their disposal and are a desirable destination for many of the game’s best talents. In this piece, we take a look at the Fantasy XI that could be assembled from the players Arsenal have been linked to in the past 12 months.

The Gunners did actually recruit a top-class goalkeeper this summer, signing Petr Cech from London rivals Chelsea. Had Roman Abramovich failed to sanction a move, it seems Arsenal might have moved for Hugo Lloris. According to Charles Perrin of the Express, reports from France suggested the Gunners were willing to test Tottenham’s resolve to keep their keeper and captain. Had Lloris followed Sol Campbell in moving across north London, it would have been both controversial and expensive, but he would certainly still have represented an upgrade on Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina.

It’s somewhat surprising that Arsenal were linked with any right-backs at all given the fact that they have Hector Bellerin, Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers and Carl Jenkinson on their books. Nevertheless, the January transfer window saw them linked by Italian website Tutto Mercato (h/t the Mirror) with a swoop for Portuguese international Joao Pereira. The move never came to pass, but he’d doubtless provide a competent option at full-back.

On the opposite flank, Arsenal were said to be one of the clubs tracking former Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings. According to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, the Gunners were hot on his trail after his impressive performances in the Championship. Ultimately, Mings moved to Bournemouth, where he presumably felt he would stand a better chance of first-team football. Unfortunately, injury has sidelined Mings for the foreseeable future, but he remains a big prospect.

A recent story from Steve Stammers of the Mirror suggested Arsenal are now considering a move for Everton’s John Stones. Stones has been one of the outstanding performers in this season’s Premier League and would have the potential to follow in the tradition of great English centre-halves at Arsenal that includes Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown and the aforementioned Campbell.

Alongside him, French powerhouse Samuel Umtiti would be a very complementary partner. Arsenal were linked with Umtiti back in the summer, per James Cambridge of the Express, but ultimately he chose to sign a new deal with Lyon. Nevertheless, his combination of power and technical ability would be a great fit for this Gunners XI.

Moving into midfield, Arsenal might already rue allowing Morgan Schneiderlin to join Manchester United. Although reports had suggested Arsenal were very interested in the former Southampton man, the emergence of Francis Coquelin convinced Wenger he did not need to pursue the holding midfielder. Jack Wilson of the Star claimed that Arsenal simply didn’t think Schneiderlin offered value for money. Coquelin’s subsequent injury has made the folly of that decision plain.

Another French international who impressed the Emirates Stadium faithful was Geoffrey Kondogbia. He starred in Monaco’s 3-1 victory over the Gunners, eventually earning himself a move to Inter Milan. However, Sky Sports Italia (h/t the Star) had previously insisted he was a target for Wenger and Arsenal, with the Gunners boss even said to have met Kondogbia personally to try to secure a deal. How Gunners fans wish they had the marauding midfielder at their disposal right now.

On the left wing, Arsenal fans would love to see Marco Reus take to the turf in their colours. During the summer, SportBild (h/t Metro) suggested the Gunners were willing to pay a massive £48 million to sign the German international from Borussia Dortmund. His speed and skill would delight the Emirates crowd, and his combination with the overlapping Mings would be a fearsome prospect.

On the right-hand side, Arsenal could field Edinson Cavani. Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail claimed the Uruguayan was a deadline-day target for Wenger‘s side, but ultimately he ended up staying with PSG. Although more comfortable as a central striker, Cavani has the versatility to operate from the right wing, having been forced to do so to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Paris.

The identity of Arsenal’s fantasy No. 9 should come as no great surprise. Arsenal were linked with Karim Benzema for much of the summer, and Spanish website Fichajes (h/t the Mirror) have even suggested they may be preparing a new bid to prise the Frenchman away from Real Madrid. Although Benzema‘s subsequent off-field troubles suggest Arsenal may have dodged a bullet, his on-field ability is not in doubt. With Reus and Cavani supporting from the flanks, Benzema would surely stand to become Arsenal’s most prolific centre-forward since Robin van Persie.

Finally then, who should fill the coveted No. 10 spot? Arsenal’s 4-2-3-1 system is currently constructed around liberating Mesut Ozil, and it will take a special talent to replace his playmaking abilities.

Step forward Lionel Messi. In one of the strangest rumours of the last 12 months, Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star suggested that the Gunners were in pole position to land the Argentine should he ever decide to leave Barcelona. A pay packet of £600,000 per week was even mentioned, which would shatter Arsenal’s current wage structure and make him the highest-paid player in world football.

It would surely be worth it. A front line of Messi, Cavani, Reus and Benzema would rival any in the history of the English game.

Such a line-up is, of course, pure fantasy. The reality is that it would thrill Arsenal fans to see any of that stellar quartet in an Arsenal shirt. Well, the transfer window is coming up. The onus is on Arsene Wenger to transform fantasy to reality.

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Liverpool have reportedly “made contact” with Paris Saint-Germain over the potential signing of winger Lucas Moura.

According to French outlet Le10Sport (via Luke Gardener in the Daily Star), the Reds have joined Manchester United and Arsenal in the race to sign the Brazilian.

Recent reports have indicated that PSG are willing to sell Moura as he has failed to make himself an indispensable member of the first team since his €45 million move from Sao Paulo in 2012, per French website Buzzsport (via the Telegraph).

Per Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe, new manager Jurgen Klopp has turned Liverpool into Premier League title contenders since he took over from Brendan Rodgers in early October:

The January transfer window will be the German’s first opportunity to bring some of his own players into the fold at Anfield, and Moura could be an exciting addition.

He is an unpredictable player, but he is capable of wonderful flashes of skill and can terrorise defences with his direct approach.

Given that he is only 23 years old—and given Klopp’s history of getting the best out of players—Merseyside could be the ideal place for Moura to progress into a world-class player.

Able to operate on either flank, Moura could add pace and width to Klopp’s setup and also provide cover and competition for the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana.

Indeed, the prospect of Sturridge playing up front ahead of an all-Brazilian midfield three of Moura, Coutinho and Firmino is quite an exciting one.

Per France’s Foot-Sur 7 (h/t Gardener), Arsenal are preparing to table a bid of £21.5 million in an attempt to sign Moura.

Liverpool could easily afford to match or better such an offer, and Moura would constitute an interesting, if risky, addition to Klopp’s squad in January.

Elsewhere, the Reds are reportedly pursuing the signing of Red Star Belgrade’s young midfielder Marko Grujic—see a glimpse of his talent below:

According to translator Joseph Musker on GianlucaDiMarzio.com, the 19-year-old has been scouted by a number of top clubs—including Inter Milan—but the Reds are eager to snap him up.

Musker added that the Serbian youngster could be available in January for £3.5 million in a deal that may see him loaned back to Red Star for the rest of the season.

As with Moura, Klopp will need to be certain that he can get the best out of Grujic if he is going to sign him, but given his potential, he could be a valuable player at Anfield over the coming years.

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Chelsea are reportedly prepared to offer Zlatan Ibrahimovic remarkable financial terms in order to persuade him to move to Stamford Bridge when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the season.

According to Spanish outlet Don Balon (via Luke Gardener in the Daily Star), the Blues are ready to offer the Swedish striker a short-term contract worth £215,000 a week.

The report also indicated Arsenal are interested in the 34-year-old, but Ibrahimovic’s preference is to move to Chelsea when he is a free agent in the summer.

Though undoubtedly nearing the end of his career, Ibrahimovic is still remarkably effective in front of goal and has netted 12 goals in 12 Ligue 1 appearances already this season, per WhoScored.com. 

The same cannot be said of Chelsea’s attackers in 2015-16, with the likes of Diego Costa and Eden Hazard having gone off the boil dramatically.

As a result, the defending Premier League champions are struggling down in 14th place in the English top flight and have little to no chance of finishing the season in the top four, per Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe:

If the Blues do indeed miss out on Champions League football next season, they could well lose out on signing up Ibrahimovic also.

However, such a huge prospective deal could well tempt Ibrahimovic either way, as could the chance to work again with Jose Mourinho—assuming the Portuguese manager is still at Stamford Bridge come the summer.

The pair were together previously for a season at Inter Milan, and the forward has stated publicly his regret at the partnership being so short-lived, per Telefoot (via MailOnline’s Rohan Banerjee).

While the addition of Ibrahimovic would be an exciting prospect at Chelsea and potentially a quick-fix to their strike problems, the Blues also undoubtedly need to look elsewhere for a longer-term solution.

A return for Costa to Atletico Madrid has been mooted as a potential January option, with French forward Antoine Griezmann reportedly moving the other way, per Fichajes.net (h/t Metro‘s Mark Brus).

Griezmann, 24, is one of Europe’s most exciting attacking talents and could add some much-needed creativity to the Blues’ attacking line—he has netted seven times and provided two assists in La Liga this term, per WhoScored.

However, he has reportedly played down the links to Chelsea, indicating the Blues may have to look elsewhere for reinforcements in the winter window, per football writer Peter O’Rourke:

Chelsea’s drop in form this season has been remarkable and they clearly need fresh blood in the squad.

Ibrahimovic would be a galvanising addition, but given he is set to stay at PSG until the summer, the Blues need an alternative solution to help them out in the second half of the season. 

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Arsenal are in the hunt to sign one of Serie A’s brightest talents, and they hope to add Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne to their squad.  

Italian media outlet Calciomercato (h/t George Bellshaw of Metro) claim the Gunners are “ready to seal the transfer” of the attacker, who has been hugely influential for the Naples club this year.

The Italy international has been directly involved in 12 goals in 15 appearances, scoring seven and providing five assists for the Partenopei in 2015-16, according to Bellshaw.

Calciomercato said manager Arsene Wenger will bid for the player in the summer after “carefully monitoring” Insigne in recent months.

Transfermarkt (h/t Bellshaw) rate the forward at £14 million, but if his great form continues in the months ahead, the figure is sure to rocket. 

Insigne has pace to burn, and he can provide service on the left of the attack or through the middle. His skill set mirrors Alexis Sanchez, and the player could be considered a replacement for the Chile superstar if interest from Real Madrid comes to fruition, per Spanish outlet Don Balon (h/t James Phillips of the Daily Star).

The 24-year-old is a youthful talent, but he is at a good age to confidently make the move to a bigger club, if given the opportunity of a switch to the Premier League.

The Guardian’s Paolo Bandini recently lauded the diminutive maestro, as Napoli crushed AC Milan at the San Siro in October:

And then came Lorenzo Insigne. One might easily imagine Napoli’s featherweight fantasista to be older, given that he is married, father to two children and has been playing regularly in the top flight for four years, but he only celebrated his 24th birthday this past summer.

He had already shone through Napoli’s first six league games of this season, scoring against Juventus, Lazio and Empoli. At San Siro on Sunday he was even better, the man of the match in a 4-0 rout of Milan.

There is a craving from certain quarters to see Wenger buy a world-class striker, but Insigne fits the mould of a typical Arsenal attacker.

His movement and skill would let him seamlessly slip into life at the Emirates Stadium, and he would provide guaranteed entertainment for Gunners fans with his style of play.

Arsenal are also watching Porto future superstar Ruben Neves, and they have sent scouts to watch the teenager in the Primeira Liga.

Max Miller of Metro reported it is the third time Wenger has watched the defensive midfielder, and suggestions of a possible £22 million bid have been made.

Football writer Jan Hagen also confirmed Arsenal’s attendance to run the rule over Neves:

Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Miller) also claim Wenger is eyeing Inter Milan loan player Marcelo Brozovic, who is owned by Dinamo Zagreb.

The Nerazzurri are yet to agree to a permanent deal for the midfielder—despite having the first option—potentially opening the door for the Gunners if they fail to move.

All three talents would strengthen core areas of Arsenal’s squad, but none of them are the famed striker fans of the club want to see in their shirt.

Insigne has been in the Italian top flight for a few years, but he is very similar to the players the club already possess. If Sanchez remains at Arsenal, the Italian might struggle to feature. 

Neves would be a shrewd capture because Arsenal are desperate to add a defensive midfielder with a sure skill set.

The teenager appears destined to become one of Europe’s most prized talents, and he will generate incredible interest if he is still available next summer. 

Wenger should move for Neves in January and develop the burgeoning talent under his wing. 

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Marko Arnautovic and Xherdan Shaqiri stole the show for Stoke City on Saturday lunchtime, producing a stellar attacking performance to blow away Manchester City 2-0 at a blustery Britannia Stadium.

The former netted two goals inside the opening 15 minutes from two wonderful assists from the latter, as City crumbled without a host of key men. In a minor positive for the visitors, David Silva started his first Premier League game for two months, but without Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany, Manuel Pellegrini’s side were overpowered and outplayed.

The win takes Stoke up into ninth position ahead of the day’s later fixtures, while City, who remain top despite this poor showing, could be usurped by Leicester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Although both teams’ starting lineups were packed with intricate attacking players, the elements in the Potteries were not really suited to technical football, as we can see courtesy of the Press Association’s Carl Markham:

They were conditions that City struggled with from the off, but backed by a typically raucous home crowd, Stoke capitalised after seven minutes.

Shaqiri, a marquee summer signing making steady progress in the last few matches, bustled past his marker and fizzed in an inch-perfect cross. Arnautovic, who scored the winner against Chelsea for the Potters earlier this season, had the simple task of slotting home from close range, sending the home fans into delirium.

The wing wizardry of the Swiss was to be applauded, but the defending from the visitors left much to be desired. As Squawka Football noted, without captain Kompany at the back, City have struggled to keep opponents out:

With a team bursting with attacking quality on the pitch, the home side didn’t really possess the personnel to sit back and seek to soak up pressure after that early goal. They continued to keep the heat on their illustrious opponents, with Shaqiri in particular running riot down the right flank against Aleksandar Kolarov.

So it was no surprise to see the Switzerland international heavily involved as Stoke doubled their advantage in the 15th minute, again putting one on a plate for Aranutovic. This time, the former Inter Milan and Bayern Munich man drifted infield, turned his man with a dazzling spin and threaded an immaculate pass into the path of his team-mate.

Although the Austrian had bagged an eight-minute brace against the league leaders, social media was purring over the early exploits of Shaqiri, per Bleacher Report UK:

The Potters remained insatiable in their forward forays, as City’s midfield pairing of Fernando and Fernandinho were overrun. Indeed, Arnautovic should have completed his hat-trick before the break, as one header drifted just wide of Joe Hart’s post and another shot, after yet another fine pass from Shaqiri, hit the woodwork.

At half-time, City trudged off two down and having failed to test Stoke ‘keeper Jack Butland with any significant strikes at goal.

NBC Sports Network summed up the size of the challenge facing Pellegrini’s side, per World Soccer Talk:

After the break, the pattern of the game remained the same, with City floundering in their attempts to get back into the contest. So it was no surprise to see Pellegrini take decisive action early in the second period, with Kelechi Iheanacho, Fabian Delph and then Jesus Navas introduced before the 61-minute mark.

Stoke continued to pile forward, though, and just to rub salt into the wounds, they seemed to be really enjoying themselves.

In the 69th minute, they put together a delightful pattern, as Bojan released Arnautovic with a delightful flick, who then squared it for Shaqiri for what should have been a tremendous team goal. The Swiss was agonisingly short of prodding the finish past Hart, but a cacophony of cheers from the home crowd followed nonetheless. 

The Guardian’s Nick Miller was also thoroughly enjoying the standard of football being exhibited by the home side:

Although they were profligate with their chances, Stoke never really looked threatened by the visitors’ star-studded squad.

City were tepid in all aspects of their play, and when an injured Fernando was withdrawn, leaving them to play with 10 men for the final 18 minutes of the match, their chances of an unlikely comeback were completely curtailed. It allowed Stoke to withdraw Shaqiri, to an inevitable standing ovation, and see out the remainder of the game with ease.

A windy day in Stoke used to pose an entirely different problem for visiting sides, with the hosts formerly intent on bombarding the opposition with long balls and heaved throw-ins into the box. But Mark Hughes and his men deserve enormous credit for this win, as they went toe-to-toe with City’s world-class attacking talent and came out emphatically on top.

For City, this was a concerning display. The manner in which they have crumbled at times this season without key men is an indictment on a squad that has been so expensively assembled. Pellegrini’s side missed a major opportunity to put some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack here, raising big doubts over their title credentials in the process.

Reaction

Afterwards, Shaqiri revealed the link-up with Arnautovic is something the pair had been working on in the build-up to the game, per BBC Sport:

We tried this [partnership with Marko Arnautovic] all week in training so we of course are happy that we scored in the game like this. It is important that we play how the coach wants and today we see that from the first minute we want to win the game. The two goals were very nice.

We have a very good team, we can win against every team in the Premier League. This year the league is weird, every team can lose. We must work hard together and that is the key for the season. We have a lot of potential.

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With less than a month to go before the January transfer window opens, the rumour mill has hit hyperdrive when it comes to the Premier League—and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have, unsurprisingly, been linked with a host of targets in recent weeks, to varying degrees of feasibility.

This is despite Klopp’s squad hitting top form as we head into December, with the German making the most of the resources at his disposal as well as looking to benefit from the returns of long-term absentees Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson.

The 48-year-old’s group look in good shape ahead of a busy festive schedule, just months after his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, uttered the immortal “if you give me the tools, I’ll do the work.”

“I think I have shown in the early stages of my management—without being arrogant—that with a talented group of players I can compete at the top end of the league,” Rodgers told the Guardian‘s Richard Jolly at the end of September. “I know how to manage top players.”

Klopp has proven the benefits of appointing a top-level manager, having coaxed form out of even the weakest of Rodgers’ former charges, with Dejan Lovren serving as a prime example of his man management.

Nevertheless, Klopp will no doubt be looking to the January transfer window to strengthen his fledgling side.

Here we discuss three recent Liverpool transfer rumours and make a judgement on their credibility, starting off with the possibility of a Dortmund reunion at Anfield.

Neven Subotic to Boost Klopp’s Defence

After clarifying at the end of November that he was free to target Dortmund players after making the switch from the north of the Rhine to the shore of the Mersey this season, Klopp is said to be interested in BVB centre-back Neven Subotic.

“I have no agreement with Borussia Dortmund,” Klopp said, as relayed by Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo. “I heard about an agreement, but no. Yet in my opinion it only makes sense to go for players we think we can get.”

While Dortmund hold a clutch of desirable yet unreachable talents in the likes of Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, one player that represents a realistic target for the Reds is Subotic.

Writing for the Independent, Simon Hughes suggested that while Klopp would be interested in signing Hummels as he looks to add to his defensive ranks this January, his Serbian colleague is a more likely arrival.

Hughes claimed that Subotic would be available for “less than £15 million,” and with the 26-year-old marginalised under Klopp’s replacement, Thomas Tuchel, this season, the possibility of a move is high.

This is reinforced by German publication Bild (h/t the Express), who have suggested that Subotic is looking for a move away from Dortmund in January in search of first-team football; he has made just one appearance in the Bundesliga so far this season.

His peripheral role could be a cause for concern for Liverpool supporters, however, as while Liverpool require cover at the heart of defence, Subotic is not necessarily an upgrade on Klopp’s current first choice for the right side, Martin Skrtel.

But as a player with close ties to Klopp and a useful option as cover for Skrtel, likely available for a low price this January, Subotic would make a stable stopgap to flesh out Liverpool’s relatively thin defensive ranks.

Verdict: True

Liverpool to Revive Interest in Martin Montoya

While adding a centre-back to his squad this January would be a sensible move by Klopp, adding cover at both left- and right-back should be made an absolute priority.

With Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno his only established, senior options for the flanks of his back four, and Connor Randall and Brad Smith lacking the experience to offer consistent cover at this stage, signing able deputies for the first-team duo is imperative.

Perhaps ideally, this would be one player capable of covering either side.

A player who ticks all the boxes for Liverpool on paper is Inter Milan‘s on-loan Barcelona defender Martin Montoya—a long-rumoured target for the Reds, predating Klopp’s appointment—and with the Spaniard struggling to make his mark on Serie A since joining the San Siro side this summer, he has been linked once again with a move to Merseyside, with Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror citing Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.

“The Reds were thought to be interested in Montoya over the summer but the 24-year-old opted for a move to Italy on a temporary basis,” Flanagan relayed.

“But Montoya’s spell at Inter is set to be cut short next month meaning that he will be looking for another loan club where he can see out of the rest of the season. It is thought he would like to stay in La Liga this time around, but could be open to a Premier League switch.”

Like Subotic, Montoya’s lack of game time should be a red flag for Klopp as he assesses his targets ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Though able to operate comfortably in a number of positions across the defensive line, Montoya is yet to make his Serie A debut—more than three months into the campaign—and though this is a bizarre reality, it should be an alarming one for Klopp.

Furthermore, as Flanagan suggests that Montoya “would like to stay in La Liga,” mark this one as false; a classic case of 2+2=5.

Verdict: False

Alberto Moreno to Join Real Madrid

As adding to his full-back ranks is likely a priority for Klopp in January, the prospect of Alberto Moreno departing would be catastrophic—but according to the left-back’s agent, a move to Real Madrid would make him “happy.”

“If Real Madrid were to make an offer that would make him really happy,” Javier Moya told Spanish radio station Radio 4G (h/t ESPNFC.co.uk).

“But Liverpool would have to take the first step. If a team as important as Real Madrid were to speak with us and Liverpool were satisfied with the operation, we would talk.”

This follows on from reports in Spanish publication Marca, who claimed that Madrid manager Rafa Benitez had made Moreno a primary target following another injury to first-choice left-back Marcelo.

Moreno is said to have joined VfL Wolfsburg‘s Ricardo Rodriguez, Lyon’s Samuel Umititi and Ludogorets defender Natanael on a four-man shortlist.

Liverpool are even rumoured to already be in line for a replacement, with talkSPORT citing French outlet Mercato 365 in reporting that the Reds “are lining up Lorient defender Raphael Guerreiro” in the event of Moreno’s departure.

Some might say Moya would not be a good agent if he did not tout his client around to other clubs in the search of a better deal, and as Moreno took to the club’s official website to express his commitment to Liverpool, the likelihood of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu rapidly diminished:

We just like to play matches, as many matches as we can, and at the moment I’m managing to do that.

The manager has been putting his faith in me and I’ve being doing pretty well. I think that’s the dynamic that I need to continue with.

Keep playing well, keep winning games, continue to put a good run of games together and importantly, keep entertaining the fans.

I don’t think that at any point in my professional career have I had such a long run of consecutive games, and I can tell you that I’m enjoying it.

It’s nice to know that I’m in good form and feeling ‘fit’ like you say over here! I’m happy too, happy with myself and happy with the team.

Encouragingly for Liverpool supporters, the 23-year-old seems content with life under Klopp at Anfield.

Verdict: False

Statistics via WhoScored.com.

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Chelsea will not be offering Branislav Ivanovic—who is out of contract in the summer—a new deal at Stamford Bridge in the immediate future, despite reported interest in him from Inter Milan.

According to Matt Lewis of the Mirror, at his press conference on Friday Blues boss Jose Mourinho claimed it was “too early” for a deal to be given to either Ivanovic or club captain John Terry.

It’s important to note that he didn’t rule out offering contracts to the pair later in the season, though, as when asked what fellow defender Gary Cahill’s new four-year deal meant for them, he replied, “It means they can sign as well.”

Ivanovic has been linked with a move to Inter recently, with Peter O’Rourke of ESPN FC citing unspecified sources claiming that the defender is “frustrated by the club’s policy to only offer one-year extensions to players over 30.”

The 31-year-old will therefore be free to negotiate pre-contracts with foreign teams in January, so failing to secure him by then could see him depart at the end of the season.

The Serbian has been one of the club’s most consistent performers since arriving in 2008, but this season has seen his—and many of his team-mates’—form take a dramatic downturn.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker noted the change in Ivanovic‘s performance level as early as the second game of the campaign, while as the Guardian‘s Sachin Nakrani demonstrated, his form hadn’t picked up well into September:

With two wins and a draw and no goals conceded in their last three games, Chelsea are slowly showing hints of a revival, though they still remain far from their best.

The club’s one-year extension policy on players over 30 was presumably conceived for just this situation—should an older player decline suddenly, the club aren’t committed to paying a long-term, big-money deal with him.

In that case, Chelsea are likely waiting to see if Ivanovic can get back to his best in the coming months. If not, they won’t view his departure as a major loss.

The Blues could be set to miss out if Tottenham Hotspur renew the contract of Mousa Dembele, though.

Darren Lewis and Dave Kidd of the Mirror recently linked Chelsea with a January move for the Belgian, but according to the Telegraph‘s Matt Law, Spurs are making a new contract for Dembele a “priority” as they tie up their best and brightest on long-term deals.

Dembele has had his ups and downs at White Hart Lane since joining in 2012, but this season he has re-established himself as a driving force in Spurs’ midfield.

The Evening Standard‘s Tom Collomosse and FourFourTwo‘s Seb Stafford-Bloor hailed the 28-year-old after their 4-1 win over West Ham United in November:

Dembele has scored three times in all competitions this season and in 11 Premier League showings has completed 33 take-ons from just 38 attempts and won 34 tackles, according to Squawka.

Chelsea could really use some reinforcement in central midfield, as Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas have regularly failed to inspire this season. There’s also a lack of quality backup options behind them.

Though not quite as solid as Matic or as creative as Fabregas, the dynamic midfielder falls somewhere in between, but he would make a very useful acquisition. If they are to land him, they’ll need to act quickly.

Welcome news for Blues fans will be Thorgan Hazard’s comments that his brother, Chelsea star Eden, is happy at Stamford Bridge, amid rumours of an exit from the club.

Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Metro‘s Mark Brus) recently reported that Real Madrid are “interested” in landing the Belgian, but according to the MailOnline’s Matt Maltby, his brother told Omnisport:

Until now, he never said he was unhappy so I think he’s happy.

He’s part of one of the best clubs in the world, he won many titles last year… this year it’s a bit more difficult but it’s football; every player, every club, goes through hard times.

I think he’s happy but you need to ask him, I can’t answer for him.

I think he already proved last year that [Mourinho] worked really well with Eden and Eden worked really well with Mourinho.

Hazard has been thoroughly disappointing this term after winning the PFA Player of the Year award for his outstanding exploits last year, which helped Chelsea win the title.

Nevertheless, he remains key to their fortunes. When he returns to his best form, it’s likely the rest of the team will be equally reignited, so it’s vital Chelsea keep hold of him for as long as possible.

The 24-year-old has the potential to be considered among the best in the world—indeed, he has already been thought of as such during the heights of last season—but what he needs to do now is show that consistently week in and week out.

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