Inter Milan have accepted a £12 million bid from Premier League side Stoke City for the transfer of versatile midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, according to Sky Italia (via Sky Sports).

However, the highly rated Swiss international is yet to agree to terms with the club.

Continue for updates.

Inter Accept Stoke City’s £12m Offer for Shaqiri

Wednesday, July 1

“Inter has an agreement with Stoke City for the transfer of Xherdan Shaqiri. Player still hasn’t agreed,” tweeted B/R UK’s Matteo Bonetti, who cites Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio.

Football Italia also cites Di Marzio and suggests “the deal now hinges on whether Shaqiri will accept the move to England, which may prove a stumbling block, as he’s made it clear he wants to stay at San Siro.”

The 23-year-old joined Inter from Bayern Munich in January, but he struggled to hold down a first-team spot under Roberto Mancini. Shaqiri scored one and assisted two during eight starts and seven substitute appearances, per WhoScored.com.

Despite being a leader for the Swiss national team—scoring three at last summer’s World Cup—he is yet to reach his potential in club football. Simon Jones of the Daily Mail believes Everton are also interested in acquiring the player’s services, while Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked in recent times.

He remains one of the continent’s top talents, so many will ask the question as to how Stoke can be in the reckoning for his signature. The answer stems from the Premier League recently securing a £5.136 billion television rights deal after selling coverage to Sky Sports and BT Sport, per BBC Sport.

The distribution of cash will allow Premier League clubs outside the elite spend to handsomely this summer, as already highlighted by Dimitri Payet’s £10.7 million move from Marseille to West Ham, reported by the Independent‘s Tom Sheen.

Newly promoted Bournemouth recently spent £8 million on Ipswich Town defender Tyone Mings in another example of added wealth in the division, per Stuart James of the Guardian.

Stoke were gutsy in last summer’s transfer market and managed to lure ex-Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic to the Stadium of Light. Shaqiri would be another example of manager Mark Hughes trying to progress the club away from the overbearing physical style employed by former boss Tony Pulis.

The player’s arrival at any Premier League club would mark one of the coups of the summer. Stoke finished ninth last season, and if they’re going to progress, they need to make acquisitions of Shaqiri’s quality.  

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In among the Luis Suarez-led chaos that was Uruguay’s World Cup campaign last summer, there were the calm, composed performances of one of the youngest players at the tournament.

After the Suarez-less Uruguayans suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica in their opening match, the then teenage centre-back Jose Gimenez came into the team for the ageing Diego Lugano, and order was restored.

Gimenez’s performances in the wins over England and Italy, which put Uruguay into the last 16 didn’t hit the headlines due to the deeds—both good and bad—of Suarez, but it was hard to believe this was a player who had featured just twice for his club Atletico Madrid the previous season.

Playing alongside his club colleague Diego Godin, Gimenez was assured and not afraid to put challenges in, not being overawed by the reputations of opponents such as Wayne Rooney and Mario Balotelli. Where some players often seem to get forever billed as “one for the future,” here was Gimenez making an impact in the here and now.

The reason that Atletico fans had seen so little of a player their club had signed from Danubio the previous summer was due to the form of Godin and Miranda, the central defensive pairing which shone as Atletico won La Liga and came within a whisker of winning the Champions League.

He managed to appear 26 times in all competitions in the 2014/15 season—memorably scoring in a win over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey—but always as an understudy to one of the best centre-back partnerships in the European game, a pairing which has now been broken up due to Miranda’s move to Inter Milan.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the Brazilian’s £10.6 million switch to Serie A brings to an end a successful four-year stay in Madrid for a player who came, along with Godin and others, to embody the spirit instilled in the team by Diego Simeone.

Having arrived at the club from Sao Paulo in 2011, Miranda leaves having just captained Brazil at the Copa America, a remarkable rise and a reference point for Gimenez for the months and years ahead. Atletico is a club where reputations have come to be forged in recent years, none more so that Simeone’s, and he could be able to see the same qualities in his young defender.

An all-Uruguayan pairing with Godin is now a real possibility as Simeone shapes his team for the challenges ahead in 2015/16, with the 20-year-old’s skill set complementing a player who is nine years his senior.

He has just as many caps for Uruguay as La Liga appearances for Atletico, but the sale of Miranda gives Gimenez the perfect chance to earn the trust of Simeone in the same way he has with his national team manager Oscar Tabarez.

One of the standout young defenders in the world game, Gimenez’s presence will save Simeone the task of trying to replace Miranda with a big-money signing, as a new Atletico back line is formed.

As is always the case with young defenders, his manager will have to show a great deal of patience and bravery in selecting him, but if the Atletico boss does choose Gimenez to be Miranda’s long-term replacement then you get the feeling that he’s going to be rewarded.

And with no Suarez around the steal the headlines, we might soon be talking about the 20-year-old centre-back a lot more.

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Starting his career at Olympique Lyonnais as a prodigious youth talent in 1996, Karim Benzema played at Lyon, in their various tiers, for 14 years. After five top-flight seasons in Ligue 1—directly creating 82 goals in 133 appearances—the French international secured a £25 million move to Real Madrid, arguably the world’s foremost footballing institution.

From 2009/10 to 2014/15, Benzema has been largely successful at the Santiago Bernabeu. Despite residing forever in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo’s magnificence, the Frenchman has made 220 goals in just over 280 matches, winning four major pieces of silverware—including the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti has left the Spanish capital, and with Rafa Benitez taking his place as Real Madrid manager, no stone has been left unturned as the former Napoli boss searches for a winning combination.

One of the first reports concerning the Spaniard’s tactics was—as noted by the Daily Mail‘s Adam Shergold—Cristiano Ronaldo being deployed as a centre-forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The “BBC,” consisting of Benzema centrally with Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on the wings has been a staple of the past two seasons under Ancelotti, but the French centre-forward is not exactly an attacking midfielder.

According to the 27-year-old’s agent, taken last month from Jack Bezants of the Daily Mail: “Benzema would only leave if Real Madrid told him he was surplus to requirements.”

So might Benitez’s appointment upset the proverbial applecart?

If Ronaldo is indeed Madrid’s “No. 9” for the upcoming season—playing as a lone centre-forward—it seems in Benzema‘s best interest to look elsewhere.

Linked with the Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United specifically) via the Daily Express‘ Ben Jefferson, a more pertinent option exists for the French international—one which probably requires his services.

Paris Saint-Germain have been attempting to figure out the Zlatan Ibrahimovic puzzle for the past three seasons. His larger-than-life aura renders customary centre-forwards (i.e. Edinson Cavani) to wide roles and Laurent Blanc seems unwilling (or unable) to devise a system better suited to his striking talent.

Ibrahimovic has never played longer than three seasons (plus four games) at the same club, making the 2015/16 season Zlatan‘s longest stint at any destination. Malmo FF, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan over 14 seasons saw differing versions of the now-33-year-old, but he has produced his best work in Paris.

The Swedish international’s best, however, has only bred domestic trophies; with the embarrassment of riches PSG have—relative to their French counterparts—this success is largely expected, and therefore less impressive. For the three-time defending Ligue 1 champions, the barometer for success is not in France, but the Champions League.

Entering the last year of his contract, Ibrahimovic might have one more season left to fill the only glaring absence from his trophy cabinet, which just so happens to coincide with Paris Saint-Germain.

An argument could be made the best of Ibra has passed and, having never won the Champions League during his numerous pit stops around Europe, Zlatan may not be the footballer to carry a club to European glory. Regardless of the sentiment’s veracity, those in power might consider it nonetheless—as the notion cannot be disproven.

Ibrahimovic unquestionably has the talent to deliver Paris Saint-Germain’s holy grail, but needs assistance in bringing the dream to fruition.

Were one to poll PSG supporters, Benzema—though a Champions League winner and French international—would probably be second choice to another Olympique Lyonnais product.

Alexandre Lacazette, the free-scoring 24-year-old, is a highly coveted commodity this summer. James Cambridge of the Daily Express posits the Lyon born-and-breed footballer is rated at £21 million, with Arsenal and Chelsea listed as heavy contenders for his signature.

Were Ibrahimovic five years younger, and had a few seasons to bring the younger centre-forward up to speed in the Champions League, Lacazette would be a perfect candidate to work with—but the 33-year-old Swede is running out of the most precious commodity on planet Earth—time.

Paris Saint-Germain—were they in the summer transfer market for another centre-forward—must give Ibrahimovic a plug-and-play strike partner.

One possessing experience, both domestically and continentally, and who has been in deep European waters. Possibly being pushed out of Real Madrid, Benzema is the perfect compliment to football’s ageing Superman.

Provided Lacazette stays at Lyon in 2015/16, he could serve as Ibrahimovic‘s replacement come next summer’s transfer window—but finding Zlatan immediate help means buying a proven partner who can maintain PSG‘s Ligue 1 stranglehold, whilst adding an extra dimension in the Champions League.

Ticking all the boxes, Benzema is the forward Paris Saint-Germain need, but whether the French champions can pry him from Spain, or whether the 27-year-old would even entertain starting a Parisian adventure, can only be accurately answered by the summer’s end.

Follow @danieltiluk

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

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Italian central midfielder Andrea Bertolacci, 24, finalised a captivating transfer from Roma to AC Milan.

It’s the platform Bertolacci needs to transition into a star.

Bertolacci Transfer Details

Suffering a public relations own goal due to the Geoffrey Kondogbia switcheroo, AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani invested heavily in Bertolacci.

Genoa and Roma shared Bertolacci’s playing rights.

After a career-defining campaign as an integral component in Genoa’s sixth-placed finish, Roma bought out Bertolacci’s contract for €8.5 million (£6 million), per Roma’s website (h/t Ben Gladwell at ESPN FC).

Galliani presented Roma a quick cash-grab opportunity, per David Amoyal at Gianluca Di Marzio’s website:

• €20 million (£14.2 million) transfer fee. 
• Galliani temporarily diverts attention away from the Kondogbia embarrassment by announcing the signing of Bertolacci.
  
• Roma make an easy €11.5 million (£8.2 million) profit.

The deal heavily favours Bertolacci’s bank account.

He was earning around €600,000 (£430,962) per year at Genoa, per Carlo Laudisa at La Gazzetta dello Sport.

According to Amoyal, AC Milan will pay about €2 million (£1.4 million) per year to Bertolacci, which elevates to €3 million (£2.2 million) per year if the Rossoneri qualify for the UEFA Champions League. 

“It was always my first choice to come here. Galliani showed great enthusiasm to sign me,” Bertolacci said, per AC Milan’s website (h/t Sky Sports). “I have always said to CEO Adriano Galliani that I wanted to come here and it’s a great feeling to see it happen.”

Bertolacci Tendencies

Naturally left-footed, Bertolacci is able to shoot with either foot, as 31.2 per cent of his Serie A goals have come via his right foot since the 2010/11 season.

Despite being a technically gifted shooter, Bertolacci failed to convert 85.1 per cent of scoring chances, per Squawka.

Bertolacci’s shooting accuracy is inefficient (37.1 per cent).

There were 45 Serie A players, including Fiorentina centre-back Gonzalo Rodriguez (seven goals), who outscored Bertolacci (six goals) last season.

If Bertolacci is burdened with scoring responsibilities, AC Milan cannot justify spending €20 million (£14.2 million) on him.

It is overspending.

But what drew AC Milan to Bertolacci was his imaginative playing style.

Possessing nifty change of pace and an abundance of flair, Bertolacci produces a positive outcome 77 per cent of the time he isolates the opposing defender in one-on-one situations, per Wyscout.

Compared to Juventus (72 goals), Lazio (71 goals) and Napoli (70 goals), AC Milan’s attack (56 goals) was stagnant.

AC Milan’s leading creator last season was Ignazio Abate (six assists), a right-back. 

Signing Bertolacci, who registered eight assists last season, injects much-needed creativity into AC Milan. 

How will Bertolacci fit tactically?

In Genoa’s 3-2 win over Inter Milan, Bertolacci started as a central midfielder in a 3-4-3, which morphed into a 3-4-1-2.

Genoa manager Gian Piero Gasperini began with a 3-4-3 in 63.2 per cent of Serie A games.

When Gasperini alternated to a 4-3-3 in a 1-0 win over AC Milan, the average positioning of the Genoa players resembled a 4-2-1-3.

Bertolacci was the most advanced midfielder.

Flanked by left-central midfielder Juraj Kucka and right-central midfielder Stefano Sturaro, Bertolacci functioned as a quasi-No. 10.

Gasperini’s tactical adjustment provided Bertolacci the freedom to get himself into advantageous attacking positions, per Wyscout: “Operating as a roving playmaker, he found space intelligently.”

Bertolacci was in the zone in the attacking half, scoring and creating a combined 14 goals (six goals and eight assists).

If treated similarly to Roberto Soriano, Bertolacci can adapt to AC Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic’s system.

Managing Sampdoria at the time, Mihajlovic afforded Soriano some flexibility, as he switched between No. 8 and No. 10.

During a 2-2 draw against AC Milan, Mihajlovic started Soriano as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3.

However, Sampdoria’s formation shifted into a 4-2-1-3.

Alfred Duncan and Pedro Obiang formed the “2,” while Soriano was the “1” in the 4-2-1-3.

Duncan and Obiang complemented Soriano, who drifted into a central attacking midfield role.

The advantage of playing Bertolacci in a free role is that he wins back the ball in the attacking half.

He is a more prolific tackler than Giacomo Bonaventura and Keisuke Honda.

“I spoke on the phone with new coach Mihajlovic and he has a great desire to bring back an AC Milan side of true greatness,” Bertolacci said, per AC Milan’s website (h/t Sky Sports). “I’m ready to prove myself.”

Bertolacci now faces the demanding task of living up to his €20 million (£14.2 million) transfer valuation.

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored. 

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