Inter Milan enjoyed extended periods on the front foot during their Tuesday match away to Juventus.

Although there were the usual shortcomings—they gave the ball away far too cheaply and, but for better finishing from their hosts, would have been punished for an abundance of defensive errors—they succeeded in stifling the Bianconeri’s buildup play. Following Mauro Icardi‘s 64th-minute equaliser, they looked the more likely side to take all three points from the encounter.

Sensing the win was there for the taking, manager Roberto Mancini looked to his bench for the attacker who would drive the Nerazzurri on to victory. The best he could do was introduce Dani Osvaldo into the proceedings.

The 28-year-old’s most notable contribution was attempting to spar with Icardi (he had to be restrained by Fredy Guarin), after which he lashed out at his manager.

Mancini didn’t have the difference maker he needed that night.

He has him now.

On Thursday, Inter Milan acquired Xherdan Shaqiri from Bayern Munich, as per BBC Sport. Initially a loan deal, the signing will become permanent in the summer and, according to Tuttomercatoweb (via Football Italia), will see €15 million pass from the Serie A giants to their Bundesliga counterparts.

Snapped up by Bayern from Basel in 2012, Shaqiri could never quite displace the likes of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Thomas Muller at the Allianz Arena. Few players could. But that doesn’t mean the 23-year-old won’t be a roaring success elsewhere, and surely, the personal disappointment of his time in Bavaria will only ensure he becomes just that.

A stocky, powerful attacker with a low centre of gravity, the left-footed midfielder is the sort of player who can burn a full-back down the flanks, cut inside his marker and take a shot from distance or bring the ball into the goalmouth on the dribble.

In other words, he’s exactly the sort of option Mancini would have coveted in Turin, and the former Manchester City manager’s power of persuasion cannot be overestimated when it comes to this transfer.

For one thing, it’s highly unlikely the 50-year-old would have returned to the San Siro last November in the absence of a war chest of some significance. And while club owner Erick Thohir‘s investment to that point had been rather modest, it’s probable the two men targeted the next few transfer markets as their time frame for transforming Inter from Europa League challenger to Scudetto contender.

If the loan signing of Lukas Podolski was the initial splash, Shaqiri‘s arrival is the plunge.

Thohir has signaled he’s willing to enhance Inter’s competitiveness through spending, and Serie A as a whole will be better for it as a result.

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Bayern Munich have reached an agreement to send winger Xherdan Shaqiri to Inter Milan. All the sides must do is finish the paperwork to complete the move.

Inter confirmed a deal was in place:

Fabrizio Romano of Sky Sport provided some further information about the transfer:

Shaqiri is a promising player who enjoyed some initial success after joining Bayern from Basel. His playing time has dropped off this term, however. Only three of his 13 appearances across Bundesliga and Champions League play have been starts.

The 23-year-old Switzerland international has scored two goals and tallied two assists in those matches. He’s struggled to find top form given the lack of consistent match action, though. It’s always a concern while playing on a squad with as much talent as the Bavarians.

He should move into a more regular role with Inter. The side has underperformed so far this season, sitting near the middle of the Serie A pack as the halfway mark nears. As a result, the Nerazzurri came into the January window looking for players who could provide a spark.

Shaqiri certainly fits the bill with terrific pace and distribution ability. With regular playing time in Milan, don’t be surprised to see the talented Swiss resume his rise to stardom at the San Siro. 

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We’re now one week into the January transfer window, and there are still no immediate signs of new recruits arriving at Arsenal. That has led to Gunners fans wondering aloud what they can expect from manager Arsene Wenger this month.

One player has already left the club. Lukas Podolski joined Inter Milan on loan, and it seems he could be followed by Yaya Sanogo: The French striker has been closely linked with a move to Bordeaux, although Wenger has told French paper L’Equipe (via Joe Short of the Daily Express) that he would prefer Sanogo to gain experience at another Premier League club. It remains to be seen where they can find an English club willing to take him.

Despite allowing two forwards to leave the club, it’s difficult to see Wenger bringing anyone in to replace them. Theo Walcott is back and available for selection, and Wenger will regard him as more than capable of plugging the gap left by two squad players.

With Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Joel Campbell, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott in his squad, Wenger will believe he has more than enough attacking options. He may even be able to give the odd game to promising youngster Chuba Akpom, who will want some guarantee of first-team opportunities if he is to extend a contract that is due to expire this summer.

If not in attack, then where will Wenger look to strengthen? Well, for a long time, it appeared his priority would be a centre-half. Arsenal only have two senior central defenders in Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, the latter of whom is struggling with a persistent Achilles injury. The likes of Calum Chambers, Nacho Monreal and Mathieu Debuchy have been called upon to fill in, but all are more comfortable at full-back.

However, in recent weeks, there have been indications that Wenger’s wish list has been reshaped. Koscielny’s renewed availability has coincided with a spate of injuries in midfield.

Speaking to David Hytner of The Guardian, Wenger appeared to confirm that was his biggest area of concern: “If you look at the number of games some players played and the injuries we have with Wilshere, Ramsey and Arteta, we are a bit short at the moment in midfield.”

It seems that Wenger would like to add a midfielder, but surely, he’s also conscious that he still needs a defender, too.

His problem is that he finds January an awkward time in which to buy. Wenger doesn’t like laying down money for an emergency option. In most cases, he’d rather wait until the summer than pay for someone who isn’t his first choice.

As he puts it, per Simon Rice of The Independent: “There is a need there [to enter the market] but the right opportunity has to come up. To buy, simply to buy, is not what we want to do but if the right opportunity comes up, we will do it.”

It seems Arsenal are set to be reactive rather than proactive in this window. They’ll have a list of targets and will hope one of them becomes available during the window. It’s unlikely that they’ll deviate from that shortlist: Wenger will not sign a player on a permanent basis if he is not a ratified and researched long-term target.

That suggests that, much like last January when they moved to sign Swedish midfielder Kim Kallstrom, Arsenal might end up with an emergency loan signing. Wenger might look for one player who can provide temporary cover in both midfield and defence, while he waits to secure higher-profile targets in the summer.

If Arsenal had a plan to spend big this January, one suspects we might have seen some evidence of it being set into motion already. Instead, it seems the club are waiting to see how the cards fall. It’s unlikely their primary targets will become available before the month is out, so Arsenal fans may have to make do with a single stopgap utility loan.

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Just under 12 months since Yohan Cabaye made his move from Newcastle United to Paris Saint-Germain for an initial 19 million pound (24.25 million Euro) fee, as reported by BBC, it is time to check in on the French international to see how he has fared in the capital.

After almost a full calendar year back in Ligue 1, it is safe to say that things have not gone as planned for the 28-year-old or how PSG envisaged.

Cabaye has failed to break into coach Laurent Blanc’s regular starting XI and the cultured midfielder has not added much to the team when played. Aside from goals against Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s run to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and RC Lens in Ligue 1 earlier this campaign, the former Lille OSC star has done precious little to justify the money spent on him.

Les Parisiens’ No. 4 has added two assists to those two goals, but just two goals and another two provided is below the least that was expected of Cabaye when he arrived in Paris almost one year ago. On top of that, he also seen red once in Le Championnat since arriving and has had a number of injury problems.

When he signed for PSG, Cabaye was expected to carry on his impressive Newcastle United form and eventually work his way into Blanc’s plans. Initially, things started well enough with a goal and an assist in the team’s two wins over Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16, but that is as good as it has got so far.

Back in October, Cabaye even admitted to L’Equipe (h/t ESPN FC) that he is not happy with his situation at Parc des Princes and could see himself leaving if the situation does not improve.

However, realistically, he has nobody but himself to blame.

Cabaye has allowed his form to drop dramatically and it is only now, with the massive decline in Thiago Motta’s form, that the Frenchman genuinely has a chance to make one of the starting midfield roles in Blanc’s team his own. The former Newcastle star must address his floundering form before thinking about securing a regular role though.

Such was his decline in form, that it also hindered his performances with France in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Cabaye was a key player for Les Bleus‘ coach Didier Deschamps, but he was not at the same level as his late 2013 and early-2014 showings. 

Recent performances, like in the 1-0 friendly win over Inter Milan and the 3-0 Coupe de France success away at Montpellier HSC, suggest that an improvement in Cabaye’s form could be just around the corner. However, it will now take more than a pair of decent showings to convince Blanc and the PSG hierarchy that he is worth persevering with.

More likely is that the French giants persevere with him until the end of the season, giving him plenty of chances without handing him Motta’s role in the team on a permanent basis, before trying to find a buyer in the summer as part of a reshuffle ahead of next season.

Cabaye’s stock remains high in England, despite his disappointing opening year of his second spell in France. A few eye-catching performances between now and May could alert some of those potential suitors and boost his price tag up to something close to the fee paid by PSG for his services last year.

He is also under pressure to perform with his place in the national team now under scrutiny.

The likes of Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti remain far ahead of Cabaye in the pecking order at club level, though, and the return of Adrien Rabiot to the first-team squad has complicated the situation further. In fact, it was a knee injury to the talented teenager Rabiot that prompted PSG to move for Cabaye in the first place.

January transfer moves often prove to be hastily thought out and rarely meet with resounding success and this transfer has been no different. Cabaye and PSG are not a good fit, but now is not the right time for the capital club to jettison the French international.

There is still time for a departure this month, but it is more likely that another of Les Parisiens’ peripheral stars like Clement Chantome heads for the exit instead. What is more probable is that, based on his disappointing first year with PSG, there will not be a full second to report on for Cabaye.

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Harry Kane faces another test of his true credentials in the coming weeks, with Tottenham Hotspur’s forthcoming run of favourable fixtures set to crank up the pressure on their rising star.

The 21-year-old answered questions as to whether he is the real deal with his brace in the New Year’s Day 5-3 victory over Chelsea, taking his tally to 17 goals in all competitions this season.

However, that performance will count for little if Spurs fail to meet expectations and win their three remaining Barclays Premier League fixtures this month.

They will also be heavy favourites when they meet Sky Bet League 1 outfit Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup semi-finals, after hosting Burnley in their FA Cup third-round replay.

Kane’s importance was emphasised as Spurs failed to produce a single shot on target on Monday night at Turf Moor, as per the BBC’s match report, before he was introduced at half-time, eventually having a hand in their opener before the Clarets salvaged a draw.

Roberto Soldado was handed a chance to impress against the Clarets but “did little to suggest he will ever score again” according to ESPNFC’s John Crace, while Emmanuel Adebayor remains absent from the squad, despite returning to White Hart Lane following personal leave.

A run of Crystal Palace (A), Sunderland (H) and West Brom (A) could well see Mauricio Pochettino’s men perched in the top four heading into February, which begins with the visit of north London rivals Arsenal.

Speculation has already turned to Kane gaining his first full international call-up, with Roy Hodgson doing little to talk down his chances.

Hodgson told SiriusXM FC, as reported by the Guardian:

We have watched [Kane] for a while and I worked with him briefly in the Under-21s when I filled in for one game. Harry has come on in leaps and bounds and I’m not surprised because I know [the former coaches] Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand very well.

They have worked with him at Tottenham and they always believed in him as a goalscorer.

It’s tremendous to see people like him doing so well and quite strange that in the Under-21s a year or two ago we were bemoaning the fact we didn’t think our forwards were up to the level of the midfielders – and yet suddenly Kane, Saido Berahino and Danny Ings are all doing exceptionally well. It will be a headache for Gareth who he picks to play in the summer.

Tottenham fans will be more interested in him playing Champions League football next season, although they will be aware that Kane cannot bring such success alone.

Gareth Bale left Spurs fans with many great moments to cherish, but the club failed to secure top-four finishes in his final two campaigns at the club.

Kane produced one of those memorable performances against the Blues—the sort that make you sit up and reassess your views on a player—akin to Bale’s self-announcing hat-trick against Inter Milan in 2011.

However, unlike that night at the San Siro, Spurs prevailed victorious as Kane’s team-mates stepped up collectively, with Danny Rose, Andros Townsend and Nacer Chadli also finding the net.

The latter has been another revelation this season, scoring nine times, while Christian Eriksen’s seven goals, many of them at crucial times, have also been key.

However, it is the young Englishman who is capturing the headlines, with the BBC’s Stephan Shemilt describing it as “a Harry Kane-inspired Tottenham” that sunk the Blues.

In Kane, Spurs seem to have found a prolific marksman with the ability to dictate results.

However, the former Spurs trainee, who had to prove himself with loan spells at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City before getting a chance at White Hart Lane, remains grounded, insisting: “We all enjoyed the win against Chelsea but we won’t get carried away. We’ll keep our feet on the ground,” as per the London Evening Standard.

With the club still competitive in all four competitions, Spurs fans could be forgiven for getting a little carried away, but balancing a congested fixture schedule is sure to prove tough.

Pochettino’s men have already played more games than any other Premier League side this season and are set to continue that trend up until the end of March according to Sky Sports News HQ:

If Tottenham are to continue to progress, they will need their new star to continue to shine and his supporting cast to play their part.

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Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah have been handed the opportunity to save their Chelsea careers, according to reports.

Sam Wallace of the London Evening Standard believes Jose Mourinho is “unwilling to make major changes to his squad this month unless an opportunity arises which he feels is too good to ignore,” providing the duo with extra time to impress.

Mourinho‘s squad is well-rounded and crammed with quality. Recent away defeats to Newcastle and Tottenham suggest the side’s resiliency needs improving if they are to compete across all fronts this season, but this isn’t a group the manager desperately needs to improve if success is to be achieved.

Schurrle and Salah continue to disappoint, so it’s no surprise they continue to be linked with exits. The former has just five Premier League starts to his name this season, scoring two goals across a total of 419 minutes’ play, per WhoScored. Salah is yet to start a league tie and has registered just half an hour in the top flight this season.

Mourinho shifted his squad last January, selling Kevin De Bruyne and Juan Mata before signing Salah and Nemanja Matic. This business allowed Chelsea to spend big during the summer on stars such as Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas. While Wallace‘s report suggests Mourinho craves minimal change as the Blues’ title charge takes shape, he is still linked with a handful of likely January signings.

Inter Milan‘s Mauro Icardi is a name who won’t go away, perhaps more so now Manchester City are reportedly close to signing Chelsea target Wilfried Bony, noted by Owen Rawlings of BBC Sport. Icardi isn’t the like-for-like powerhouse replacement for Didier Drogba, but is an improving force at the San Siro.

The Argentinian has 10 goals in 21 matches this season, per WhoScored.com, but is unlikely to be needed until Drogba departs Stamford Bridge.

It’s more conceivable that Mourinho will opt to improve the selection of youngsters available at the club. Real Betis winger Dani Ceballos is said to be attracting the interest of Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, reported by talkSPORT. He is valued at £6 million after breaking into the Liga Adelante side’s first team and is a more likely bet than Mourinho securing a big-money move during January.

The Chelsea boss has already proven himself unwilling to surpass certain budgets this month. Ian Baker of the Express writes how the club were “not prepared to pay over £8 million” for Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric, allowing him to join Leicester for £9.7 million. If the price isn’t right, Mourinho simply won’t act.

Club specialist Garry Hayes certainly doesn’t believe the club will act on rumours linking them with Lionel Messi, as told to B/R UK’s Ryan Bailey:

Sky Sports’ Graham Hunter also questioned whether such a move would be possible:

It’s dangerous to uproot a confident squad during the January transfer window. At this point, it’s questionable whether the addition of a player like Icardi would upset the balance of the side.

Quality cover is available throughout the team, highlighted by Schurrle and Salah‘s residency on the bench, so a lack of new signings could leave Chelsea in a better financial position heading into the summer.

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