It was January, a weary-looking Real Madrid had just been dumped out of the Copa del Rey by Atletico Madrid and a gruelling schedule was still to come. Los Blancos, who’d plateaued after their record-breaking ways of late 2014, needed a freshen-up.

The preferred XI from top to bottom appeared spent, run into the ground by a six-month stretch which for many had featured games in the World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, European qualifying and the Club World Cup. But still, manager Carlo Ancelotti stuck with the familiar, insisting squad rotation wasn’t the answer. 

“There is no need right now to do rotations, I think the team are fine,” the Italian said after a 2-2 draw with Atletico at the Bernabeu that confirmed Real’s exit from the cup.

Ancelotti‘s position was understandable to an extent, but it was also flawed. By season’s end, fatigue was a major factor in Madrid’s season of underachievement. A collection of players who’d been called upon too often, their tanks drained, couldn’t summon the fire necessary to overcome Atletico, Valencia, Juventus and Barcelona.

Among midfielders in La Liga, no one played more minutes than Toni Kroos. Among forwards, only Lionel Messi played more than Cristiano Ronaldo. At left-back, Marcelo was only behind Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel Balenziaga. And when they were fit and available, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric always played. 

All the while, fresh legs sat on the bench, the likes of Asier Illarramendi, Lucas Silva, Jese, Nacho, Sami Khedira, Fabio Coentrao, Javier Hernandez and Keylor Navas grossly under-used. 

But will it be different under Rafa Benitez?

As the former Napoli boss closed in on the manager position at the Santiago Bernabeu, Marca described the essence of his coaching in a telling manner: “Benitez is methodical. He is all about order. Tactics. Organisation. Devising solutions. Videos. Statistics. Control”—essentially, a list of things that had become areas of criticism for Ancelotti. Such traits, however, should benefit those on the fringe of the first XI in Chamartin. 

Benitez is a known rotator. He’s used the concept everywhere he’s been: Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Napoli. To the Madrilenian, rotation means fresh legs, active minds and tactical awareness. On his personal website, there’s even a blog post explaining the importance of squad rotation that delves into running intensity and distance covered under the effects of fatigue. That’s the mentality he’s bringing to the Bernabeu. 

At Real Madrid, it’s likely Benitez’s desire to rotate will be seen most often in midfield. Under Ancelotti, Real’s hybrid 4-4-2/4-3-3 was heavy on attacking and creative talents, with Kroos, Rodriguez, Modric and Isco regularly crammed into the lineup. But Benitez is expected to change that, with his preference for a 4-2-3-1 likely to give the team’s midfield a very different dynamic. 

In the double pivot or the “two,” the 55-year-old—particularly against stronger opposition—may look to use a more traditional midfield anchor alongside Kroos. As explained this week, such a role could be filled by a new face, with Lucas Biglia and Radja Nainggolan representing possible options. But Benitez might also turn to those already at the Bernabeu—the likes of Illarramendi, Silva and Casemiro. In certain situations, he might even use two of them together. 

It’s why such men may feature considerably more often in 2015-16: Benitez will likely look to utilise different combinations depending upon the opponent, with Real Madrid possessing the options to deploy both attack-heavy and conservative central groupings. 

Such a situation, with players chosen for specific matchups, may not apply to the same extent at the back or up front. Settled back fours are the hallmark of strong defensive units, and the star-studded attack is suitable for almost every opposing outfit. However, fatigue prevention could still drive rotation at certain times in those positions. 

For instance, when Real Madrid were dumped out of the Copa del Rey in January, the club had the perfect opportunity to rest its stars for the high-profile clashes that would come from February onward. Following the second leg at the Bernabeu were league meetings with Getafe, Cordoba and Real Sociedad. All three were won, but all three featured Real’s best possible lineup available at the time. In the two months that followed, Los Blancos lost to Atletico, Athletic Bilbao, Schalke and Barcelona, and also dropped points at home to Villarreal.

Benitez, a manager who fusses over fatigue and injury prevention, is unlikely to repeat that. When low-key clashes against Spain’s lesser teams arrive (particularly when sandwiched between bigger games), Jese, Nacho, Coentrao and maybe even Denis Cheryshev could see significant playing time. The lesser-used men in the likely positional battles—Pepe or Raphael Varane; Daniel Carvajal or Danilo—could do too. Whereas Ancelotti spread his XI thin, as Marca put it, Benitez, with his managerial history, has shown he’s more inclined to use the full depth of a squad.

For those on the fringes of the XI, Benitez’s methods should prove beneficial. 

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Iker Casillas’ agent “has been in contact” with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, among other clubs, as Real Madrid speed up negotiations to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.

Carlos Carpio of Marca reports “as more time passes, the De Gea deal gets more expensive” for Los Blancos. He also notes United are “offended” by the agreement already put in place between their goalkeeper and the Spanish club, and that a figure “of no less than €30 million (approx. £21.3 million)” is needed to prise him away from Old Trafford.

This could have huge ramifications for Spurs, who, according to French publication L’Equipe (h/t Neil McLeman of the Mirror), have given Hugo Lloris a “verbal agreement” he can leave if a €25 million (£17.8 million) bid comes in. 

United are linked with signing the Frenchman as a replacement for De Gea, as reported by Richard Parry and Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard. This could make Casillas’ possible switch to White Hart Lane the final piece in a transfer carousel involving the three clubs.

Carlo Cutropia, Casillas representative, “has been in contact with the clubs that over the last few weeks have shown interest in employing his services,” according to Carpio.

Despite appearing on the brink of signing Chelsea icon Petr Cech, as reported by David Ornstein of BBC Sport, Arsenal are mentioned alongside Spurs.

French champions Paris Saint-Germain, plus Serie A sides Inter Milan and Roma are also touted to make an approach for Casillas. Although Turkish clubs Fenerbahce and Besiktas are mentioned, Carpio notes “playing in a lesser league does not interest Casillas.” He is also not willing to remain in Spain unless he’s at the Bernabeu.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino will need to find a suitable replacement for Lloris if he does leave. However, it’s easy to forget the club possess a more than capable alternative in Michel Vorm.

The Dutchman earned his move to north London after starring for Swansea City in the Premier League, but he made just four Premier League appearances last season. These were brought on by Lloris picking up an injury, per WhoScored.com.

Casillas is a proven winner who has suffered a downturn in form over the last few years. The 34-year-old hasn’t been able to put together a run of consistent quality since former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho dropped him in 2012. It would be tasty to see Casillas face the current Chelsea boss in England.

B/R UK’s Guillem Balague recently discussed the difficulties Casillas will face when he departs Madrid:

Losing Lloris would be disappointing for Spurs, particularly as his sweeper-keeper style is difficult to replicate with such quality. Casillas isn’t the type to rush off his line and dive into tackles. He was a commanding force and excellent shot-stopper in his prime but needs confidence to reach this level again.

If (or when) De Gea moves to Madrid, it’s likely Casillas’ reign as Spain’s No. 1 international goalkeeper will also come to an end. No player proved more pivotal to United’s Champions League qualification during the recently concluded campaign, and at 24 years old, De Gea is ready to take on greater responsibility.

This is likely to see a rejig at three of the continent’s biggest clubs, with Spurs being pulled into a situation which is beyond their control.

The north London side have a “special partnership” with Los Blancos—one which has seen Luka Modric and Gareth Bale sold to Madrid—so Casillas’ arrival could finally help Spurs get a return on their decision to hop into an odd, uneasy relationship with the Spanish powerhouse club. 

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Real Madrid‘s reported interest in Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea may be dominating the transfer headlines, but according to the Daily Mail‘s Mike Keegan, Los Blancos haven’t made a single official offer yet to the Red Devils.

There have been initial talks, but reports of a £13 million bid, which was widely panned by pundits like the Times’ Oliver Kay, were apparently premature:

Keegan claims Real’s first bid will likely be in the region of £13 million, which will be nowhere near enough to secure his services. De Gea has a buyout clause of £145 million in his contract, but with one year left on his deal, the Spanish giants won’t go anywhere near that astronomical fee.

A likely compromise will be a fee somewhere near £25 million, which would be the second-highest fee ever paid for a stopper, per Infostrada Sports:

At this point in time, De Gea‘s future seems less clear than it was two months ago, when everyone assumed the Spain international would return to Madrid during the summer. Rumours of a £13 million bid almost insulted United fans, and unless Real are willing to pay significantly more for his services, it makes little sense to move the stopper for such a low fee.

His contract situation means the Mancunians are never going to receive more than £30 million for their star goalkeeper, but if Real’s fee isn’t to the club’s liking, it makes more sense to keep hold of De Gea for one more year, ride his skills to a strong finish in the Premier League and Europe and let him walk for free.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson still believes De Gea will move to the Spanish capital during the summer, and while that remains the most likely scenario, it’s no longer as cut-and-dry as it was before the end of the season:

Juan Mata recently told Manchester Evening News‘ Rob Dawson he wants his compatriot at Old Trafford next season, although he also acknowledged he wants his team-mate “to be happy,” more than anything else.

This transfer saga will continue to go back-and-forth until one of the clubs involved finally makes some kind of official statement, either confirming De Gea‘s move to Spain or telling us he’ll be staying in the Premier League for another year.

Until then, expect both the British and Spanish press to continue digging.

Fabio Cannavaro Weighs in on Gonzalo Higuain Future

Italian football legend Fabio Cannavaro doesn’t believe Gonzalo Higuain will leave Napoli during the summer, telling Il Mattino (h/t Football Italia) the Argentina international told him he is happy at the San Paolo: “Why shouldn’t he stay? When we last spoke, he told me he was very happy at Napoli.”

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Old Trafford ever since the Partenopei lost out on Champions League qualification for next season, via the Daily Express‘ Charles Perrin.

The departure of manager Rafa Benitez also impacts the situation, with plenty of changes expected at the San Paolo during the summer. Amid all that turmoil, Higuain may believe it’s time for him to move on.

He may have been Napoli‘s top scorer in the past two seasons, but things haven’t gone smoothly for Higuain since leaving Real Madrid. He suffered through a disappointing 2014 World Cup with Argentina and has failed to crack the 20-goal mark in Serie A since completing his move.

Higuain is still a solid forward, but he no longer looks like the world-class striker that was such a popular name on the transfer market in 2013. La Liga blogger Rafael Hernandez even wondered why he made the Albiceleste team over Inter Milan‘s Mauro Icardi for the 2015 Copa America:

Despite the drop in popularity, Higuain is still an important figure for Napoli. He’s the club’s biggest star and primary scorer, and the Partenopei won’t be willing to part with him cheaply.

United don’t have to worry about their finances and have a clear need for a new striker, but Higuain might not be the answer. Even though there’s a shortage of world-class strikers on the open market these days, you have to assume that the Red Devils could do better than Higuain, who reportedly won’t be sold for anything less than his £72 million release clause, per Gazzetta dello Sport (via ITV).

All things considered, it’s hard to see anyone pay that kind of cash for Higuain, so Cannavaro‘s assessment of the situation may prove to be correct.

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Italian club Parma have declared bankruptcy and will now be forced to start anew from Serie D, the nation’s highest amateur division.

Continue for updates.

Parma Officially Declared Bankrupt

Monday, June 22

“The administrators of Parma FC, Dr. Angelo Anedda and Dr. Alberto Guion, communicated that as of 14.00 today, June 22 2015, no offers have been received for the sporting rights of the club,” read an official statement on the Parma website (h/t Ian McCourt of the Guardian). “In the coming hours the administrators will meet with the creditor’s committee and the bankruptcy judge Dr Pietro Rogato to make the necessary arrangements for the bankruptcy proceedings.”

McCourt’s article notes two potential buyers pulled out before the deadline, one on Sunday and the other on Monday.

Although recently relegated from Serie A, Italy’s top flight, Parma cannot compete in Serie B during the 2015-16 season. Instead, a new incarnation of the club must work away from the professional scene when the new campaign arrives.

Parma finished bottom of Serie A in 2014-15 with just 20 points from 38 matches, despite securing home wins over the likes of Inter Milan, Fiorentina and champions Juventus. The side’s last victory in the division came on April 26, when Antonio Nocerino’s penalty saw them beat Palermo 1-0.

The closest the club has come to winning Serie A was in 1996-97, when they finished two points behind Juve. Three Coppa Italia victories arrived across a decade from 1992, while Parma also won the UEFA Cup in ’95 and ’99.

BBC journalist John Bennett is one of many who remembers arguably the club’s greatest side:

B/R UK provided another poignant team shot:

Parma supporters may take heart from Glasgow Rangers, who were relegated to the Scottish third division after going into liquidation in 2012.  They recently missed out on a third successive promotion and entry into the Scottish Premier League via a playoff defeat to Motherwell.

A new era now looms for Parma. The likes of Antonio Cassano, Raffaele Palladino and many others are likely to move on to help the club start afresh.

Although it was a necessary step, supporters of the Ducali will want to see the foundations of the club kept intact before the new journey begins.  

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Inter Milan confirmed Sunday the signing of Geoffrey Kondogbia from Monaco. 

Alec Fenn of Goal.com translated the tweet, with the club stating Kondogbia will be taking a medical on Monday.

Kondogbia has been in demand this summer ever since it became apparent Monaco were willing to sell.

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani was confident his club had a deal in place to sign Kondogbia for €40 million.   

“Monaco had given us the all-clear for the sale at €40 million with payment spread over two years, €20 million and €20 million,” he said in La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia). “The agreement with Geoffrey had already been sorted out the night before and was confirmed that same morning by him and his father.”    

Galliani added that the involved parties all departed by the afternoon before the transfer could be made official.

Milan’s loss is Inter’s gain. Kondogbia remains one of the more promising young defensive midfielders in Europe. Squawka Football highlighted how his combative nature on the pitch will help out Inter Milan:

With that said, this transfer isn’t a slam dunk for the Italian giants. Kondogbia still isn’t the finished product just yet. Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thought Inter might be paying just a bit too much for a player who can disappear during games:

Regardless, Inter need to make some major splashes in the transfer market this summer if they’re to get back into the Champions League. The club is laying down a marker by signing Kondogbia. While Inter can’t afford to make a high number of big transfers, this deal at least shows ownership is willing to open up the checkbook.

It’s still way too early to consider Inter contenders to win Serie A next year. Between Kondogbia‘s potential and having a full season of head coach Roberto Mancini, the club should be much better positioned to compete for the top three in Italy.

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Napoli‘s Gonzalo Higuain is expected to leave his current club during the upcoming summer transfer window, and according to the latest rumours, Arsenal will be among the clubs vying for his services.

Squawka’s Oisin Fahim references reports from the Daily Mirror and Metro, claiming the Argentine international is “certain” to leave Napoli after the Partenopei missed out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League. And while Manchester United are the front-runners to land his signature, AS Roma and the Gunners are also keeping an eye on the situation:

Higuain has been strongly linked with a move away from San Paolo in recent weeks with many suitors vying for his signature.

Serie A side Roma are keen on the player, as per the aforementioned source, whilst Premier League rivals Arsenal are also said to be monitoring his situation, according to the Metro.

Italian football legend Fabio Cannavaro thinks the 27-year-old will stay, as he told Il Mattino (h/t Football Italia), but he’s certainly in the minority. Napoli are in turmoil after missing out on the Champions League and losing manager Rafa Benitez, and big changes are expected at the Sao Paulo.

Higuain moved to Napoli from Real Madrid in 2013, and while he’s been productive during his time in Serie A―18 goals last season, per Fahim―he’s no longer regarded as the world-class striker who led the charge for Los Blancos.

He had a disastrous 2014 World Cup with Argentina and has failed to elevate his play for the national team since then, to the point where Spanish football blogger Rafael Hernandez couldn’t understand why he made the squad for the 2015 Copa America over Inter Milan‘s Mauro Icardi:

Higuain isn’t a scrub―he led Napoli in scoring in each of the past two seasons for a reason, and it’s no stretch to assume he would instantly become Arsenal’s most prolific striker should he make the move to the Emirates.

But Napoli will be expecting a fee worthy of a world-class forward, or they won’t part with their biggest star. And given the absurd transfer fees we sometimes see in this day and age―more on that later―Higuain may not be worth the gargantuan fee Napoli will demand.

For a club like Arsenal, who traditionally only spend big on players who come with few question marks, an investment in Higuain would be out of the ordinary. The Gunners could use a forward whose biggest strength is scoring goals, and the Argentina international isn’t scoring at a higher rate than Olivier Giroud, who is a lot more versatile.

Unless the Partenopei are willing to sell for significantly less than his reported buyout fee―£72 million, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via ITV)―a move to north London seems highly unlikely.

£30 Million Price Tag for Saido Berahino

Speaking of unlikely moves and absurd transfer fees, the Daily Star‘s Steve Brenner reports West Bromwich have placed an astonishing £30 million price tag on Saido Berahino, who seems desperate to leave the club but still has two years left on his contract.

The report comes just one day after former England international Rio Ferdinand took to Twitter to complain about the ridiculous transfer fees being tossed around for young English talent, and it seems West Brom were paying attention:

There’s no denying the 21-year-old is a talented player, scoring 14 Premier League goals last season―via WhoScored―and impressing with a nice blend of athleticism and finishing ability. He also led England’s under-21 team in goals, scoring an incredible 10 in the same amount of matches, per WhoScored.

Clearly, he’s worth a significant investment based on what he has shown during his short career and his obvious potential. But £30 million? As Ferdinand suggested, the likes of Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez didn’t cost that much more, and both were established star players before they moved to the Premier League.

Not everyone disagrees with West Brom‘s valuation of their star striker, mind you. Michael Graham of the Chronicle believes the fans’ reaction to the Baggies’ reported asking price is a bit hypocritical:

West Brom have every right to try to get as much cash as they can for Berahino‘s services, but given the player’s apparent desire to leave the Hawthorns, it’s unlikely any top club will be willing to spend that kind of money on a disgruntled youngster with just the single productive Premier League season under his belt.

This transfer saga looks like it may not get resolved until late August, but don’t expect any club to pay that kind of cash for his services. West Brom may be able to net anywhere between £20 and £25 million for his services, and such a fee would already be more than fair for Berahino.

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Manchester City are reportedly ready to meet Liverpool‘s £50 million asking price for Raheem Sterling, opening the door for a summer transfer move for the England international.

According to the Daily Express‘ John Richardson, the Citizens’ two previous offers had been rejected, but they’re now willing to meet the Reds’ demands:

As Sunday Express Sport has revealed Liverpool are prepared to sell the 20-year-old but not for a penny under £50 million.

Sources close to the Merseyside club have indicated that City won’t drop their interest for the sake of another £10 million in a summer in which they are committed to bringing in top English talent.

The City hierarchy also know that other clubs including Rafa Benitez’s Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea are lurking.

Sterling seems all but certain to leave Anfield after a rocky finish to the 2014-15 campaign, and Bleacher Report’s Graham Ruthven fully expects a transfer to completed by the end of the summer:

The 20-year-old was one of Liverpool’s key contributors last season but seemed almost disinterested by the end of the campaign, and at this point, fans don’t even seem to mind his potential departure all that much.

As one of England’s brightest young talents, he should net the club a significant fee, and the reported bid of £50 million could be used to upgrade the squad in other areas, most notably the attacking third.

Some will question City’s decision to spend such a large sum on one player who shows plenty of promise but hasn’t produced like some of the elite stars at his position, but English talent always comes at a premium. Former England international Rio Ferdinand acknowledges Sterling’s potential but still doesn’t agree with the valuation:

In many ways, a £50 million move would suit both clubs. Liverpool know they’ll likely be forced into a sale, and while they’d rather not strengthen a direct rival, the youngster seems destined to stay in the Premier League for now.

As a home-grown player with incredible upside, he’ll inject some much-needed youth into City’s squad, and if his progression continues, he could be one of the club’s biggest star for the next decade.

It remains to be seen whether another club will jump in and out-bid the Citizens, but even if that’s not the case, Liverpool should be happy to receive £50 million for a player who was likely to leave in the immediate future anyhow.

Mateo Kovacic‘s Future Unclear

With Geoffrey Kondogbia all but certain to join Inter Milan, questions over the future of longtime Liverpool target Mateo Kovacic have started to surface once more.

Sky Sports’ Fabrizio Romano shared these images of Kondogbia signing his new deal with the Nerazzurri, and unless his medical reveals any irregularities, he should be officially announced at some point during the coming days:

That news was immediately followed by conflicting reports regarding Kovacic. David Amoyal of Gianluca Di Marzio remains adamant the Nerazzurri want to keep him, while Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Metro‘s Will Giles) believe the Reds have nearly met Inter’s valuation of the player and will complete the transfer at some point this summer.

Inter were hit with punishments after breaking the financial fair play rules earlier this year, via Sky Sports, so they will have to find a way to clear the books. Moving Kovacic could be a solution, and with Kondogbia now in the fold, the Croatia international seems like the perfect player to be sold.

Bursting with talent, Kovacic had a disappointing 2014-15 campaign that saw him get benched on multiple occasions. He flashed his potential throughout the year, but overall, 2014-15 was not a good season for him.

He remains an intriguing young player, however, and WhoScored’s Ben McAleer thinks Inter would be mad to cash in now:

FFP regulations might not give the Nerazzurri much of a choice, as tantalising as a combination of Kovacic and Kondogbia in midfield sounds, and for the right offer, it should be possible for the likes of Liverpool to convince the Italians to sell.

As mentioned before, Kovacic looked far from convincing last season, but the 21-year-old is an emerging talent who may just need a change of scenery to unlock his vast potential. A gifted playmaker and scorer, he should make for a fine addition to a group of midfielders that just lost Steven Gerrard.

Kovacic would need some time to get used to the Premier League and still needs some seasoning, but his long-term upside makes him well worth the significant fee it would take to bring him to England.

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Geoffrey Kondogbia’s move to Inter Milan is all but official, and the AS Monaco midfielder is ready to spurn Liverpool in favour of a transfer move to Italy in the coming days.

The France international, who is a Liverpool fan and was linked with a move to Anfield, per Goal.com’s Duncan Castles, has already agreed to personal terms with the Nerazzurri, signing a contract Saturday, per Sky Sport’s Fabrizio Romano:

As soon as Inter and Monaco can come to an agreement, the move will be made official, and according to Romano, the two clubs are close to a deal.

A number of top clubs around the continent have been chasing Kondogbia, per Castles, and of all the Premier League clubs, Arsenal appeared most likely to win the race for his signature. The fact that he is reportedly a Liverpool fan gave the Reds a massive advantage, however, and it’s surprising to see that manager Brendan Rodgers didn’t push harder to bring him into the club.

The 22-year-old overcame injury problems early in the 2014-15 campaign and broke out in a big way, impressing for Monaco in the Champions League. He plays a similar position to compatriot Paul Pogba and is regarded as a cheaper alternative to the Juventus star.

Kondogbia’s move to Inter may have a silver lining for Liverpool, however. While he doesn’t play the exact same position as Mateo Kovacic, it’s still likely that the Italians brought him in as a replacement for the Croat, and Football Italia wonders whether he will now make the move to Anfield:

Kovacic has tremendous potential but suffered through a disappointing 2014-15 campaign that saw new Inter manager Roberto Mancini bench him on multiple occasions. The 21-year-old is still a part of Inter’s plans, but given his recent struggles, they may be willing to cash in and let someone else try to develop him.

With Kondogbia set to sport the iconic blue-and-black kit next season, the Nerazzurri can afford to let Kovacic walk, opening the door for Liverpool to snatch a potential replacement for Steven Gerrard.

Kondogbia is undoubtedly the better of the two players right now, but Kovacic has the potential to be just as good in a few years. Maybe all the Croat needs is a change of scenery to bounce back after his disappointing season, and with Kondogbia heading to the Italian fashion capital, Liverpool’s bid to land his services becomes a little easier.

Reds Keeping Tabs on Dries Mertens

Belgium international Dries Mertens could leave Napoli during the summer, and according to Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Metro‘s Will Giles), the Reds are considering an offer to bring the versatile forward to Anfield.

His agent, Soren Lerby, recently told Radio Crc (h/t Football Italia) that Mertens is considering his options after Napoli’s season ended on a sour note:

It’s been a difficult year for Napoli. After being knocked out of the Champions League, they got very close to winning the Europa League, but we all know what happened in the League. We’ll see what will happen now.

There are clubs interested in Dries, but at the moment I can’t say anything. … I don’t know if the problem is Napoli or Mertens, we’ll have a meeting soon to decide the lad’s future. It’s true that Mertens has a contract with Napoli, but we’ll make our decision together with the club.

Mertens moved to the Partenopei from PSV in 2013 and has steadily developed into one of the club’s most versatile attacking weapons. He played as a winger and attacking midfielder last season, scoring 10 goals and handing out nine assists, per WhoScored.com.

He’s also become a key part of Belgium’s national team, where he regularly outshines the likes of Eden Hazard. While not as physically gifted as his Chelsea compatriot, his motor never stops, and he’s more comfortable playing in a central role.

In many ways, he looks like a perfect replacement for Raheem Sterling, who seems destined to leave the club during the summer, per Bleacher Report’s Graham Ruthven:

Mertens has a great scoring touch, something Liverpool could use after the club’s strikers failed to deliver in 2014-15. He won’t score over 20 goals next season, but he will add to the club’s tally while providing plenty of assists—and he won’t shy away from doing his defensive duties.

His contract doesn’t run out until 2018, but if he decides to force a move away from Napoli, he should cost less than half of what the Reds should receive by selling Sterling. Napoli failed to qualify for the Champions League and will have a hard time convincing Mertens to stay, given the departure of manager Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool’s lack of Champions League football will hurt them in the chase for Mertens, but given their impending need of a creative, productive attacking midfielder, they should present him with an attractive wage packet if they do make a bid. And if that’s the case, it’s hard to see Mertens turning down a move to Anfield.

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French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia has been linked with a host of big clubs this summer.

The Monaco man has been mentioned as a target for Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan, AC Milan and even Barcelona this summer, according to Sport. The Daily Mail suggests Arsenal as possible suitors, too. 

However, it is being reported that the 22-year-old is such as big fan of Liverpool that he could be tempted to snub all of those clubs for a move to Anfield. 

As reported by Duncan Castles for Goal in an article about Kondogbia’s future: “As for the emotional advantage, that lies in an unlikely place. Kondogbia, it is said, is “a huge Liverpool fan”; fanatical enough that an offer from Anfield might even sway his decision. Whether this Liverpool administration has the sense to find out is another matter entirely.”

Kondogbia is valued at around £20 million, although according to Castles there is “a clause in Kondogbia’s Monaco contract allowing him to move to (Real Madrid) for €20 million (£14.2 million).”

[Goal.com]

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Before there was Alexis Sanchez, before there was Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira and before there was even Arsene Wenger, there was Dennis Bergkamp.

June 20 marks the 20th anniversary of the mercurial Dutchman’s arrival at Highbury from Inter Milan, the pre-Wenger Arsenal still seems something of a curiosity—an era that today’s young Gunners supporters can only read about or watch on YouTube.

Make no mistake, when Bergkamp arrived in north London in June 1995, Arsenal were in the midst of a crisis.

Not today’s version of a crisis, which might see them lose back-to-back games, exit the Champions League disappointingly or temporarily look as though they might not finish third or fourth in the Premier League, but a full-blown crisis.

George Graham had been sacked after he was found guilty of profiting financially from transfers, Paul Merson had only recently returned from rehab as a result of gambling, drug and alcohol problems, Nayim’s goal from near the halfway line had beaten the Gunners in the Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Paris and Arsenal had lost 17 games on the way to finishing 12th in the Premier League below the likes of Queens Park Rangers and Wimbledon and a massive 11 points behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Bergkamp must have questioned what he’d wandered into.

It was an Arsenal now overseen by Bruce Rioch, who had signalled his intent by tripling the club’s transfer record to sign the then-26-year-old Bergkamp for £7.5 million.

There was a less than auspicious start before the new No. 10 scored his first two goals for the club in a 4-2 win over Southampton at Highbury, a feat that led to the Independent’s Bob Houston to claim that “this was the day the doubters of Dennis Bergkamp’s worth were routed.” There were never to be any doubters again.

With Bergkamp at the fore and feeding the prolific Ian Wright in attack, the Gunners rose to a fifth place in the table and a return to European football, largely achieved thanks to the Dutchman’s classy winner at home to Bolton Wanderers six minutes from time on the final day of the campaign.

Had Bergkamp not scored that goal, Everton—who finished the campaign on 61 points, level with Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham—would have pipped Arsenal to a UEFA Cup place on goal difference. It may seem of little consequence now, but that immediate return to the continental stage was so important at the time.

Four months later came the arrival of the relatively unknown French coach Wenger from footballing obscurity at Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan. The rest, as they say, is history.

It is a history Wenger has shaped but owes a lot to Bergkamp for his doing so.

As a bridge between the old, defensive, long-ball playing, “1-0 to the” Arsenal and Wenger’s sleeker continental approach, Bergkamp was in place for the arrivals of the likes of Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Marc Overmars, Nicolas Anelka and Henry.

He played his part in the education of all of them and more, his obvious and genuine quality shining through during an 11-year spell in which he played 423 games, scored 120 goals and won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.

Today, a statue of the Dutchman resides outside the Emirates Stadium. Inside it, Bergkamp’s presence is still being felt.

When Wenger arrived at Arsenal, he obviously did so with his own coaching ideas and philosophies, but the fact that Bergkamp was already at the club made it much easier for him to adapt and get his methods across.

The Dutchman was so good he could have played for any manager. This is a player who finished in the top three of Ballon d’Or voting prior to joining the Gunners and was third in the FIFA World Player of the Year vote at the end of Wenger’s first season in charge.

The Arsenal manager wasn’t being carried by his team’s star player, but his life would certainly have been a lot tougher if he wasn’t there, and he gained in confidence as the years went by and the trophies followed suit.

There is also an elegance to Wenger’s teams that, again, Bergkamp helped to create.

Wenger’s Arsenal have always had fast players, such as Overmars, Anelka, Henry, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez, but they have also always had thinkers in the team, such as Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil—perhaps the closest thing to Bergkamp the Gunners currently have, especially if he could improve his scoring rate.

Doing things with style was always the Dutchman’s way, and that seems to have become the Arsenal ethos during Wenger’s 18 years in charge.

It doesn’t always end with success—and there always seemed to be a European player or two more highly regarded than Bergkamp—but it ensures the Gunners will remain forever watchable, just like their £7.5 million signing from Inter Milan was in his heyday.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1I1yPfr
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