Chelsea have seemingly lost out in the race to sign Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri after the Argentine club’s president revealed the 22-year-old is on the verge of a move to Italy.

The Blues have long been linked with the young Argentine star and were recently said to be closing in on signing him, per Calcio Mercato (h/t Tom Olver in Metro).

However, Boca president Daniel Angelici has now said that Calleri—who is valued at €9 million (£6.5 million)—is all but guaranteed to join a Serie A club, per Telam (h/t Gazzetta World’s Juan Arango):

“Calleri’s sale is 99 percent complete. He will be sold to an English investment group and will play in Italy.”

Inter Milan seem the most likely destination for Calleri having been heavily linked with him recently, per translator David Amoyal on GianlucaDiMarzio.com.

The Argentine was Boca Juniors’ top scorer in their 2015 league-winning campaign, netting 10 times in 26 matches, per WhoScored.com.

He is unquestionably a major talent, as can be seen below:

Calleri could potentially have been a useful and good value addition to Jose Mourinho’s struggling Blues side in January, especially with Diego Costa currently misfiring and mooted for a potential departure from Stamford Bridge, per Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones:

However, it seems they will have to look elsewhere for added firepower, and West Bromwich Albion‘s Saido Berahino could perhaps be an option. 

The £20 million-rated English striker has been linked with a move to the Blues, but the Baggies director of football, Richard Garlick, is insistent Berahino will not be sold in the new year, per David Armitage in the Daily Star:

“The club’s position remains unchanged. We can’t stop people if they want to bid, that is up to them. But he is not a player we have identified as one we want to move on. The jungle drums are not sounding. There is always going to be speculation in the press, but we have not had any discussions or been approached.” 

This could perhaps be a blessing in disguise for Chelsea as Berahino, 22, has arguably not yet convinced that he has the quality to make an impact at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

He has impressed in fits and starts, but this season has only returned three goals in 11 top-flight appearances, per WhoScored.

Chelsea have to guarantee maximum impact from their January signings, should they make any.

As they are currently struggling in a lowly 14th spot in the Premier League, top-quality additions need to be made, and Chelsea could bring in a higher-calibre player than Berahino with £20 million.

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Liverpool’s star midfielder Philippe Coutinho will reportedly be targeted by both Barcelona and Real Madrid at the end of the season.

That’s according to Sport (h/t Aaron Flanagan of the Daily Mirror), who claimed the two La Liga giants are both keen on the Brazilian playmaker. Flanagan said the Reds “could be inundated” with bids for Coutinho after a brilliant beginning to the season at Anfield, although they are not looking to cash in at this point.

The Brazil international has been in tremendous form in recent weeks, looking rejuvenated under the tutelage of new Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, the former Inter Milan is a driving force for the Reds with the ball at his feet:

It’s not just this season in which Coutinho has excelled, though. In what was a difficult 2014-15 campaign for Liverpool, the intricate midfielder was a bright light in advanced areas, adding some spectacular goals to his refined link-up play and wonderful passing ability.

They’re contributions that not only saw Coutinho win Liverpool’s Player of the Season award, but grow in stature in the eyes of supporters. For a player who is operating off the centre-forward for a club like the Reds, a regular stream of goals is vital, and it’s something the Brazilian has carried into this season, especially since the arrival of Klopp.

As noted by the UEFA Europa League Twitter feed, with the German in the Anfield hot seat, Coutinho has pushed on to new levels:

Whether he’s quite to the standard of Real or Barcelona is another matter entirely, though. There’s no denying Coutinho’s talent, but he performs well in bursts for the Reds, rather than on a regular basis; the two La Liga sides are teams whose fans command impeccable and consistent high standards.

Still, as we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, Coutinho does fare pretty well in statistical comparison to Andres Iniesta and Isco in league matches this season, two players who are the key creators for Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, as of late:

It’s a deal that wouldn’t make sense for any party currently. Coutinho wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting spot at either the Camp Nou or the Santiago Bernabeu, and at the moment, he doesn’t quite possess the consistency to complement his undeniable ability, something that is vital when playing for one of the world’s biggest football clubs.

Liverpool is a wonderful place for him to continue striving for this consistency, too. There have already been signs that Klopp is going to turn Coutinho into a much more rounded footballer and a player that’ll be at the crux of what the manager will be hoping is a red renaissance in years to come.

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to solve the Blues’ goalscoring problems next season, as reports suggest the Special One will make a move for the out of contract superstar. 

Matt Heath-Smith of the Sun said the Portuguese boss will try and convince Ibra to move to Stamford Bridge for a season before he ends his career in the MLS. Chelsea face the prospect of losing Diego Costa in the summer, after the player’s love affair with his club soured, and Mourinho sees the mercurial Swede as the perfect replacement. 

ESPN Deportes (h/t the Daily Star’s Jamie Anderson) reported Ibrahimovic is considering the move to west London, as no extension to his £210,000-per-week deal has been agreed, making him eligible to agree terms with a new club in January. 

Costa risked further conflict with the Chelsea manager after being spotted leaving a nightclub at 3.15 a.m. with Ramires, Kenedy and boxer James DeGale, as they partied into the early hours of Thursday morning, and the players pushed Mourinho’s rule of no late nights 48 hours before a match close—as reported by the MailOnline’s Ashley Clements.

Swedish international Jonas Olsson recently “urged” Chelsea to sign Ibrahimovic from PSG, as the player becomes a free agent with the Ligue 1 champions. Neil Moxley of the Mirror quoted the West Bromwich Albion defender:

For me, he would be a great signing for any team. He’s coming up to 34 now but you all saw the game against Denmark.

He’s at the top of his game. He could play for any team in the Premier League. He’s that good. He’s the strongest player I’ve been up against in my career. It’s not over for him.

I hope he comes. He has played under [Jose] Mourinho before and the only place where he is not 100 per cent appreciated is in the UK.

Ibra played for the Special One at Inter Milan, and was Serie A’s top scorer in his solitary year under Mourinho as the Nerazzurri romped to the Italian title, per Heath-Smith.

The PSG player is still undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world, and despite his ageing legs, he shows no signs of slowing down at the top level. Ibrahimovic has 10 goals in as many starts in Ligue 1 this season, including five assists, per WhoScored.com.

However, the physical demands of the Premier League might not be appealing to Ibra at this stage of his career—especially for one season—and a transfer to America would be both financially rewarding and exciting to the maverick. 

Semedo To Potentially Replace Ivanovic

Mourinho has his eyes on young Benfica starlet Nelson Semedo after rumours emerged Branislav Ivanovic could be about to join Inter. 

Portuguese outlet O Jogo (h/t Alex Wood of the Daily Star) reported the Special One will battle Arsenal for the player’s signature in January after Semedo impressed in Lisbon for his club.

The full-back recently made his debut for Portugal’s senior squad, featuring in his country’s 2-1 win against Serbia.

Ivanovic is a free agent at the end of the current campaign, per Wood, and the experienced defender has struggled for the Blues this term.

Semedo is a star of the future, but Chelsea need cold, hard steel as they consider a future without John Terry, who has seen his best days.

The youngster would need stability and time to settle in England and could get swamped in the reorganisation process at the Bridge.

Ivanovic has been a great servant for Chelsea since joining from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2008, and despite recovering lost form in recent weeks, he is unlikely to be retained as the Blues rebuild their fallen club.

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Arsenal will battle Chelsea for rising Benfica star Nelson Semedo, as the Blues prepare to swoop for the defender in the January transfer window.  

Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (h/t Alex Wood of the Daily Star) reported Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will return to his homeland to secure the 22-year-old’s services, but he will have to “fight off” Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, as the pair battle for the prodigy.

The right-back recently made his debut for Portugal in a 2-1 victory over Serbia, and he has continued to impress at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.

Mourinho has turned his attentions to Semedo after Branislav Ivanovic was linked with a switch to Inter Milan, with the Serbian’s deal about to expire at Stamford Bridge, per Wood. 

If Semedo chooses the Emirates Stadium ahead of the Bridge, he will have to compete with Hector Bellerin for a spot in the first team, and this could prove too much of an initial obstacle. 

However, full-back Mathieu Debuchy has hinted he could be about to exit Arsenal in January, leaving a positional vacancy in Wenger’s squad, per Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror. The French international spoke about being displaced by Bellerin, and he admitted: “I am dealing with it. I am trying to stay strong. We are going to remain concentrated until December, after that I will see.”

If the Gunners lose out to Chelsea in the race for Semedo, they might be able to console themselves with the capture of Lars Bender from Bayer Leverkusen in January.

Jamie Sanderson of Metro quoted Leverkusen supremo Michael Schade speaking about the club’s current position on transfers: “Bayer Leverkusen can’t be as arrogant to say that we are creating world stars and they will retire here. If we are able to create a world star or top player, then one day this player wants to play for one of the top [clubs in the world], of course.”

Vaishali Bhardwaj of the London Evening Standard reported odds have been slashed by bookmakers for Bender to join Arsenal, as Wenger attempts to address Francis Coquelin‘s injury layoff. 

Bender has feature nine times for his club in the Bundesliga and the Champions League this term, according to WhoScored.com.

In other news, David Ospina might soon be on his way from north London, as speculation mounts about his future. 

The goalkeeper has been rooted to the substitute bench since the arrival of Petr Cech, and there is the possibility Wojciech Szczesny could return to the Emirates after his loan spell with Roma expires. 

Will Giles of Metro said Ospina has “liked” a number of tweets linking him with a potential switch to Besiktas, suggesting he might be “open to the move.” The Colombian stopper has liked 11 tweets from fans of the Turkish club, fuelling rumours of a deal. 

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has given his backing to a return for Szczesny, as reported by Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror: “Wojciech wants to compete. I think he’s a good goalkeeper and he can still develop. The team wants him back—that’s good for him. He’s shown great character already in this team and I think he has got a bright future.”

If the former No. 1 returns to Arsenal, it is unlikely Ospina would stay—given the competition for places. 

The importance of the capture of Bender is now paramount for Wenger, as he loses vital members of his squad to injury, heading into the winter months.

Bender is a cool operator, who would add steel to Arsenal’s core, and his experience in the Champions League would be a valuable commodity to the Gunners.

Semedo is a less likely purchase, but Arsenal have a future world-class right-back in Bellerin, as Wenger considers tweaking his defensive options.

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Now we’re into December, we are tantalisingly close to the January transfer window. For Arsenal, that could prove a particularly crucial time.

Although Arsene Wenger typically prefers to do his business in the summer, the recent spate of injuries at Arsenal may leave him little choice. Having neglected to make an outfield signing last summer, Wenger may be forced into adding a new recruit in January. The Gunners boss has already admitted his intentions, per David Hytner of the Guardian: “We are in a position where we want to do something. If I find the right quality, I will do something.”

In this piece, we examine the likelihood of three recent Arsenal rumours coming to pass.

Riyad Mahrez

Leicester playmaker Riyad Mahrez has been one of the Premier League’s most impressive players this season, so it’s no great surprise that he finds his name linked with some of the biggest clubs in England.

According to French outlet Foot365, Arsenal are one of the clubs in pursuit of the Algerian international this winter (h/t Metro‘s Will Giles). His imaginative style would certainly fit well with Arsenal’s intricate approach play, and the prospect of him combining with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez is an appealing one.

However, Arsenal don’t necessarily need Mahrez. In January, Jack Wilshere is expected to return to fitness, and it’s more likely Wenger will seek to incorporate the academy product into this XI than add a new attacking midfielder to Arsenal’s ranks. Mahrez may well be in demand come January, but Arsenal are unlikely to be one of the clubs fighting for his signature.

Verdict: False.

Ruben Neves

Arsenal’s greatest need is arguably for a defensive midfielder. With Francis Coquelin set to be sidelined until February at the earliest, the club’s lack of appropriate back-up has been exposed. Neither Mathieu Flamini nor Mikel Arteta convince as understudies, so Wenger may be forced onto the market.

The man being mentioned most frequently as a potential target is Porto’s Ruben Neves. Liam Corless of the Mirror reported they have already made sure to watch him in person:

Arsenal are lining up a £22million move for Porto defensive midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports.

The Gunners want to sign the 18-year-old as cover for Francis Coquelin who has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury.

Scouts from the north London club have already been to watch Neves on a number of occasions this campaign.

While Neves’ age does not make him an obvious candidate to come into the team straight away, Wenger is known to be a manager who specialises in developing young talent. Given the need for a new holding midfielder who can provide long-term cover and competition for Coquelin, Neves seems a plausible target.

Verdict: True

Mauro Icardi

Jamie Sanderson of Metro reported on claims from Spanish outlet Fichajes that Arsenal are working on a £35 million deal for Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi.

Inter are currently in second place in Serie A, and Icardi’s all-round performances have played a crucial role in their assault on the title.

However, it’s difficult to envisage Wenger moving for a forward in January. By then, Danny Welbeck should join Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in contention for a first-team place. That ought to be enough firepower to see Arsenal through until the end of the season.

Verdict: False

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Chelsea are reportedly struggling to find an interested suitor for Monaco loanee Radamel Falcao as they look to offload the underperforming Colombian in the winter.  

For the Blues to offload Falcao in the new year, they will need to find another club to take him for the rest of his season-long loan period, as Monaco are reluctant to take him back to the Stade Louis II.

According to ESPN.co.uk’s Peter O’Rourke, Blues boss Jose Mourinho cannot find a club to take the 29-year-old following his consistent poor form in the Premier League.

Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones recently indicated that La Liga club Valencia were interested in taking Falcao for the rest of the season:

O’Rourke’s report says Monaco do not want to take him back early because they are reluctant to cover his huge wages, likely a key factor for any other potential suitors.

Furthermore, Falcao simply does not look like a top-class striker any more, and he hasn’t for the last 18 months.

He was remarkably poor in his season-long spell with Manchester United in 2014-15, and there was some surprise expressed when Mourinho opted to take a risk on signing him despite his Old Trafford malaise.

It is a risk that has not paid off as Falcao has netted just once in nine Premier League appearances and spent much of the campaign out injured, per WhoScored.com.

With Chelsea’s No. 1 striker Diego Costa also out of form, rumours have abounded the Blues will look to add another forward in the January transfer window, per Jack Lang of the Daily Mirror.

But if they cannot ship out Falcao to make way for a new No. 9, Chelsea may have to rethink their winter transfer strategy.

Another of the defending Premier League champions’ underperformers this season has been right-back Branislav Ivanovic.

The Serbian’s current deal at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of 2015-16 season, and Inter Milan are reportedly looking to sign him to a “lucrative pre-contract” in January, per Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard.

At 31 years old, Ivanovic is only eligible for a one-year extension at Chelsea under the club’s general rules for players over 30, and he may well be tempted if Inter offer him a longer deal.

Equally, Chelsea may not be overly concerned about keeping him past the end of the current season, as he has been largely poor for the Blues in the 2015-16 campaign.

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If Roberto Mancini was looking for reason to believe, then he found it at Stadio San Paolo on Monday night, even in defeat. Rarely has a team gained so much in losing this season as Internazionale did at Napoli, as the Serie A weekend came to a close in tumultuous fashion.

As owner Erick Thohir told the club’s official website (see tweet below), this was a moment for Inter to be proud and celebrate progress, rather than to curse a missed opportunity to stay on top of the table—however agonising that might be.

It was that kind of night. There was plenty of anecdotal encouragement, such as knowing that Adem Ljajic became the first player to score against Napoli in Serie A since Fiorentina’s Nikola Kalinic in mid-October. Yet the feelings of achievement for the Nerazzurri went beyond what could be squeezed into statistics, or even past the image of Stevan Jovetic and Miranda each hitting a post with stoppage-time efforts.

Over a third of the way through a season in which Inter have gathered plenty of points but few plaudits for the quality of their football, this was finally the evidence of Mancini’s team having some substance to them. His biggest challenge this season was always going to be creating an identity and a soul for his side. Their refusal to accept defeat, even when Yuto Nagatomo was sent off in the first half, showed that they are a long way towards having both.

This performance was a tribute to the coach’s influence, and a timely one. Much is expected of Mancini, and not just because of the history of his successful first spell at the club. He has been backed generously by Thohir—not once, but twice, since returning to the San Siro in November last year.

The owner had already made a considerable leap of faith in bringing Mancini back, offering the biggest salary of any coach in the division (€4m, as per Gazzetta World) while still paying off his sacked predecessor, Walter Mazzarri. Thohir also found budget for transfer fees and wages from somewhere to help his new man immediately reshape the team, bringing in Lukas Podolski, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marcelo Brozovic in January.

This summer saw the facelift continue, with Jovetic, Miranda, Felipe Melo, Alex Telles, Ljajic and Ivan Perisic all arrive. Yet, the outs that created wriggle room—with Mateo Kovacic sold to Real Madrid and Shaqiri being rapidly moved on to Stoke—underlined the degree of change since Mancini’s first spell at the club. There was no bottomless pit, and there was major surgery required on the team.

Mancini is creating a new image for himself as a coach, for he is being forced to do so. There are always those who insisted he had led a charmed life in terms of the jobs he took and the timing with which he took them. It began with his first post, when he took over the reins at Fiorentina after Fatih Terim’s abrupt departure and picked up a Coppa Italia with the team that the Turkish coach left.

The case exhibits stacked up; Calciopoli cleared the way for Mancini to guide Inter into a dominant position after they were retrospectively awarded the 2006 Scudetto, which had been won by Juventus. Then he was furnished with Manchester City’s millions in order to lead them to the 2012 Premier League title, the club’s first top-flight championship in 43 years.

At Galatasaray—when he again inherited a winning team from Terim—he was unable to maintain a grip on the Super Lig, although Cim Bom won the Turkish Cup. More alarming was his admission when he quit the post in mid-June 2014 (eight-and-a-half months in) that he left because the plentiful resources promised were no longer there. “When I accepted the coaching post, Gala’s aims were different,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport (as per the Guardian).

Yet, Mancini has already evolved the view that he is only a good-time coach. He came back with his eyes wide open, knowing that he was inheriting little more than a shambles and showing himself grateful for a mere point on his second debut on the Nerazzurri bench, in the derby with a similarly diminished Milan.

“We had great spirit, so it’s a positive night for me,” he said after the game (reported, again, by the Guardian). To build from that to contending for a return to the Champions League, in the face of competition from a superior Roma and a reinforced Milan among others, is arguably more daunting than the prospect of matching up to the silverware haul of that first spell.

Mancini has been brutally realistic and has made some tough calls. One imagines that the vaunted Mauro Icardi was frustrated that he was the one chosen to make way when Telles was introduced at the beginning of the second half, plugging the gap left by Nagatomo’s dismissal at the end of the first period. Yet the decision to leave on Ljajic was completely the right one and almost helped turn the game.

Juventus’ four successive wins, which have taken them to within six points of Inter and only seven shy of Napoli at the top, mean that the current top four have every right to feel a bit twitchy all of a sudden. Yet, Inter can be confident going forward, at least in terms of carving out a spot in the top three, which is their avowed target.

It is easy to forget in rose-tinted hindsight that the football wasn’t always fabulous in Mancini’s all-conquering first reign (although the same could be said for Jose Mourinho’s subsequent, highly successful spell at the helm). That may be the case again, but they have found a personality. That is a huge start in terms of getting to where they want to be, and Mancini must take a huge portion of the credit for it. At last, Inter are a force to be reckoned with again.

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Barcelona fans should thank Luis Enrique. Not just for their historic treble or the Clasico humiliation of Real Madrid, but because he may well have salvaged the next great La Masia player from the scrapheap.

Sergi Roberto was on the brink of leaving the club at the end of last season, but the Asturian coach sat him down and convinced him that his future remained at the Camp Nou.

There were offers from clubs far and wide, including Everton, Stoke and Tottenham in the Premier League and Inter Milan in Serie A, but in the end, the Reus-born midfielder decided to stay.

Roberto had renewed his deal in the autumn of 2014, but it soon became clear that he wasn’t in the manager’s plans. When any of the first-choice midfield trio were injured, suspended or otherwise not picked, it was Xavi Hernandez who stepped in.

The 23-year-old only started eight matches for Barcelona in the 2014-15 campaign, playing less than 1,000 minutes in total, but Lucho told him that things would be different this season. And they have been.

Roberto confirmed, per Sport, that his manager had “told me that he counts on me.”

He added:

I had a conversation with the manager and he told me that this season I would have more chances in central midfield.

I don’t know where I will get more game time, in Xavi‘s role, as Arda (Turan) can’t play until January, which leaves possibilities.

Or as the deep lying midfielder like last year, in order to give Sergio (Busquets) a rest. This year the opportunity has been presented to me to play as a full-back.

He was speaking after the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, where Lucho had deployed him as a right-back, with Dani Alves away after his summer at the Copa America and Martin Montoya out of the picture.

Sport’s Ivan San Antonio detailed how Luis Enrique had told Roberto at the end of last season, when his doubts about continuing at Barcelona were at their peak, how he saw a role for him in defence.

The coach not only told the player this, but also others at the club, showing that playing there in Alves‘ absence through injury earlier this season was not something done out of necessity but “careful planning.”

Although Roberto had doubts at first, they began to fade during training sessions where Lucho worked closely with him, all the time insisting he had what it takes to be a fine full-back. And that’s where he started, in the first game of the league season, away against Athletic Bilbao.

Roberto was excellent, and he maintained his level in the following game at home against Malaga. Two games, two clean sheets, two top performances. Possibly even the best two games he had played for the club to date. Both in a position which wasn’t even his own.

Many had given up hope of the midfielder making it at Barcelona. He just didn’t seem to have the flair or confidence needed to excel the engine room of the team. Being given regular football and the chance to stretch his legs down the right gave him that.

Eusebio, formerly of Barcelona B but now Real Sociedad manager, thought he was the natural successor to Alves.

He told Sport:

Sergi Roberto has a great fighting spirit and is excellent at driving the ball forward.

After three years the chance has arrived for his characteristics to be maximised.

I see him as the club’s future right-back. [Dani] Alves is getting older and he will need a replacement and that is Sergi.

After several years in which he didn’t realise his potential, he’s been a fantastic discovery for Barca this season.

Even Alves agreed that Roberto had been hugely impressive, though it was far from a shock for the Brazilian.

“It’s not been surprising to see the quality of Sergi Roberto. A surprise is when you don’t expect something. I see him every day working,” Alves told Barca TV (h/t Sport).

And when he was brought back into the midfield, when Alves was fit and Luis Enrique wanted to give oxygen to Andres Iniesta or Ivan Rakitic, he did not regress to the timid wallflower of a player had had been before. He was transformed.

Roberto had become the player that Barcelona and Real Madrid fought over to sign, after he played against the Catalan side for Nastic, back at just 14 years old.

Both clubs faxed through offers for him, according to Sport, but he had a dream to play for Barcelona and his family backed him on the decision.

It was Roberto who scored the equaliser against Bayer Leverkusen, as Barcelona struggled for inspiration with Lionel Messi out and Neymar yet to become the force he currently is.

It was Roberto who helped break down a gritty Getafe side at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, creating both of Barcelona’s goals with brilliant assists. The first was a magnificent volleyed back-flick for Luis Suarez, the second a long, arced cross for Neymar to volley home.

And it was Roberto who unlocked Real Madrid’s defence in the Clasico, playing in Messi‘s position on the right wing, cutting inside and feeding Suarez, who broke the deadlock. It was a move that Messi himself would have been happy with.

Roberto has made a fairly clear-cut starting side of 11 into a pick of 12 for the coach. Thanks to injuries Enrique hasn’t been forced to make a decision on whether the player would be part of his first-choice team, but if form were the only deciding factor, he would be one of the first names on the team sheet.

He now feels more central, integral to the club. Roberto was even picked to represent the team, alongside Iniesta, at the floral offering at the monument of Rafael Casanova on the Diada, Catalonia’s national day.

Far from the outcast of last season, he is now brimming with purpose. No longer on the fringes, not even a wildcard, just a trusted member of an elite band of players.

Pep Guardiola had given Roberto his debut in 2011, but in the years after that it seemed like he had over-estimated the quality of the Spaniard. Of course he hadn’t. Sport say the club want to give him another new contract, this time to bump up his wage and ensure he’s comfortable staying at the Camp Nou for the long-term future.

If Roberto doesn’t live up to the likes of Xavi and Iniesta, he will not be a failure. Players like those two are once-in-a-generation phenomenons. Except somehow Barcelona had two.

But finally Roberto’s potential is becoming a reality. And though reaching the stars is hard, the ceiling above his head has been smashed to smithereens and his sights are set on the sky.

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