Spain and their strikers: Around major tournaments in recent years, it’s been one of international football’s topics of intrigue, and ahead of Euro 2016, it’s no different. 

In Alvaro Morata and Aritz Aduriz, Spain enter this summer’s UEFA European Championship in France with an interesting blend of striking qualities. Morata is the likely first choice who brings pace and dynamism to La Roja’s front line, while Aduriz is the late bloomer of significant contrast who stands as a valuable alternative. 

The intrigue goes beyond their skill sets, though. Both Morata and Aduriz are relatively new to Vicente del Bosque’s side and thus are yet to ingrain themselves in La Roja’s approach. They’ve also been picked ahead of several prominent forwards: Diego Costa, the country’s highest-profile striker; Fernando Torres, who burst back into form in Atletico Madrid‘s late-season push; and Paco Alcacer, the natural fit and Spain’s leading scorer during qualifying. 

Again, then, there’s both fascination and uncertainty over Spain’s striking options. Can the speedy Morata link the attacks together? Can the more rugged Aduriz adapt to La Roja’s highly technical existence? Can they play together?

Here, we take an in-depth look at Spain’s striking options and how they can function within Del Bosque’s setup. 

Single-Striker System 

Alvaro Morata

Morata will almost certainly begin Euro 2016 as Spain’s first-choice striker in a system that might be presented on paper as a 4-1-4-1 but will function like a 4-3-3. 

In that, the 23-year-old will likely be flanked by Nolito and David Silva on the left and right, respectively; as group, they will give La Roja a nice blend of scoring and playmaking ability across the front line. 

In such a system, Morata will be tasked with dragging opposing defences out of shape with darting runs in and around the box, opening spaces for Nolito, Silva and the team’s midfielders. His pace and ability to change gears rapidly will be valuable in that respect, and it will also help Spain launch attacks more swiftly than they’ve done previously when possession is won in midfield.

In the Juventus forward, Spain also have an opportunist with a knack for scoring big goals: He struck the goal that won this year’s Coppa Italia final; he scored twice against Real Madrid in the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, and then again in the final against Barcelona; his stunning left-footed strike defeated Manchester City in last season’s edition; he’s scored in four separate derbies against Inter Milan; and there was that dazzling run and assist against Bayern Munich. 

In the crunch moments, Morata always seems to be there, putting away rebounds, firing home through a crowd and sweeping in balls at the back post. He’s not yet prolific, but his potential is immense, and he’s already shown signs of a potent relationship with Nolito in this Spanish side. 

There are issues, however. 

Though his technical ability is strong, the Real Madrid product is at his best in space—the sort of space Spain rarely see. 

As a possession-heavy outfit, La Roja are often confronted with tightly packed defences, and Morata is not the sort who will play with his back to goal and act as the fulcrum for others to play around. Instead, he likes to run at the opposition, and when he presents to his midfield it’s done with the intention of turning and dribbling into space:

It should be noted that Morata can create a yard or two of space for himself in the box with neat footwork while on the ball, but he won’t be a perfect fit for when Spain are trying to unpick a defence camped in its own penalty area. 

Aritz Aduriz

Aduriz is the ultimate late bloomer: At 35, he’s fresh off the finest season of his career in which he scored 32 goals for Athletic Bilbao in all competitions, and remarkably, he’s been getting better every year since turning 30. 

For a striker, it’s not supposed to work like that. 

The Basque’s late-career explosion is also significant for Spain ahead of Euro 2016, as he brings something very different to this La Roja side. 

Physical, aggressive and dominant in the air, the Athletic striker gives Del Bosque the option of playing a target man in the same system depicted above. With him in the box, Spain can take a different route, using crosses and longer balls, and feeding off the knock-downs. 

The use of Aduriz would also make a lot of a sense for Del Bosque on the occasions when wide men like Lucas Vazquez and Pedro are introduced. 

Vazquez in particular is a sideline-hugging right-winger who excels at beating his opponent and whipping in crosses. Throughout his tenure, Del Bosque has often valued such players for the way they contrast with his side’s plethora of central technicians, and the Real Madrid man has been brought into the squad for Euro 2016 for exactly that reason.

On Tuesday against Georgia, Vazquez and Aduriz put together a neat example of how it can work when the winger picked out the veteran striker from the right. If Aduriz’s powerful header had found the net instead of going inches wide, it would have been hailed as Spain’s Plan-B template. 

Two-Striker System

Spain have rarely used a pair of strikers together during Del Bosque’s tenure, but when considering systematic options, it’s worth noting how Morata and Aduriz fared when played alongside another striker domestically last season.

At Juventus, Morata was regularly introduced as a second-half substitute to play with Mario Mandzukic, and he scored numerous times doing so. At Athletic Bilbao, Aduriz struck up a wonderful partnership with Raul Garcia, who consistently pushed ahead from midfield to act as a second forward. 

At Euro 2016, Spain can do something similar, and in small moments they’ve already shown it can work, as explained in detail here at Bleacher Report.

During qualifying, Del Bosque used Costa and Alcacer together to good effect in a 4-0 win over Luxembourg, while against South Korea last week, Aduriz and Morata combined for the last 30 minutes and together crafted Spain’s sixth goal—a significant goal. 

Indeed, that strike from Morata was created by Aduriz’s gambling instincts as a striker. Having pushed into midfield, the Basque set off in a direct line for goal before Sergio Busquets’ pass had even reached an under-pressure Nolito to Aduriz’s left:

Whereas a midfielder would likely have looked to retain possession, Aduriz was bold. His more aggressive instincts as a striker took him straight toward goal, his desire being to either score or link directly with his partner in attack. 

Spain could benefit from more of that. That single-mindedness strikers possess is unique, and when opponents are enjoying success with tight and deep-sitting defences, the switch to a two-striker system is a potent option that Spain have available. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/24EUMbt
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

With the 2016 UEFA European Championship set to begin this week, it remains somewhat surprising that Italy—perennially among the favourites to win such an event—are widely expected to underperform in this summer’s edition of the tournament.

Indeed, according to the Oddschecker website, no fewer than six teams are believed to have more chance of lifting the trophy, with the Azzurri available at an eye-opening 18-1 with some bookmakers.

Among the major reasons for this, as Bleacher Report’s own Sam Lopresti explained in this previous post, is the makeup of the squad selected by Antonio Conte.

The coach has omitted men such as Sassuolo‘s Domenico Berardi, Franco Vazquez of Palermo and Napoli midfielder Jorginho, instead opting for uninspiring choices such as Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain) and Eder (Inter Milan).

Yet if the four-time World Cup winners—who have tasted European Championship glory on only one occasion—are to enjoy success in France, their hopes undoubtedly rest on the block of Juventus players that has travelled en masse as part of the Azzurri setup. 

Having moulded Gigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini into a watertight unit during his own time in the dugout of Italian football’s grand Old Lady, Conte explained at a recent press conference how fortunate he is to be able to reunite them in the national team.

“Definitely, for us the defence is a certainty from which we start,” Conte said. “I’ve worked with these lads for many years, and I hope they can pass everything on. We all hope that they’ll give us a major boost. I also hope they can repeat their success for the national team.”

The launch of their glory years in Turin coincided with the appointment of Conte in May 2011. Juventus turned to their former captain after finishing Serie A in seventh place for two consecutive seasons. 

“We won the Scudetto at the first time of asking and the success was all his,” Andrea Pirlo explained in his autobiography I Think, Therefore I Play (h/t BBC Sport), going on to label it “a triumph of bloody-mindedness that went beyond everyone’s expectations.”

They would add two more league titles before Conte left, as the Italian quit in the summer of 2014 and quickly took up his current role. What he left behind in Turin was a clear blueprint for success, one that remains intact even now—with Buffon and that trademark back three proving to be among the best defences ever assembled.

In their five title-winning campaigns, Juventus have conceded a total of just 111 goals, and while other players such as Stephan Lichtsteiner, Patrice Evra and Martin Caceres have featured heavily, it is the Italian quartet that forms the backbone of this almost impenetrable unit.

Over the 190 league games the club has played over the past five seasons, Buffon has missed just 22 and has managed to keep a staggering 96 clean sheets, but the trio in front of him have also been vital to that tally.

While the club captain has made 168 Serie A appearances over that period, Bonucci has recorded just two fewer, developing into a fine leader in the centre of that vaunted three-man back line as 2015/16 saw him become one of the best defenders in the world.

According to statistics taken from WhoScored.com, the 29-year-old averaged 1.1 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per league game, also connecting with an impressive 87 per cent of his 63.6 pass attempts.

The same source shows that latter figure was a team-high, a fact that highlights Bonucci’s importance when Juve win possession, as the Viterbo native steps out into midfield with ease.

That was evident in Conte’s first game in charge of the national team, as Bonucci set up a goal for Ciro Immobile against the Netherlands (as seen in the video below).

He has weighed in with vital goals of his own this term, including a strike against former club Inter Milan and a penalty against the same opponent that sealed Juve’s place in the Coppa Italia final. Bonucci has also found the net for the Azzurri in qualifying for Euro 2016, scoring against Norway back in September 2014 to get the team on the road to France.

Yet his defence remains the main reason he is so highly regarded, with the block in the video below arguably deciding the destination of the Serie A title—his outstretched boot somehow denying Gonzalo Higuain the chance to score for Napoli.

Such play has won him many admirers, with Pep Guardiola featuring prominently among them. After his Bayern Munich side eliminated Juventus from the Champions League back in March, the Catalan coach felt prompted to tell reporters at his post-match press conference that Bonucci is “one of my favourite ever players.”

But he is of course not alone for club or country, and the man himself is clearly aware of the importance of playing beside his two team-mates in the national team, as he explained in a recent interview with the UEFA website (h/t Football Italia):

We know each other perfectly well having played together so well at Juventus, and when we get to the national team we don’t have to test too many defensive movements.

Giorgio and Andrea are two great champions, they can be very aggressive when we play with a three-man defence, while my role is to cover them when attackers press very well.

They’re two bulldogs, definitely among the best defenders in the world.

Despite both men struggling with injuries during 2015/16, the table below—compiled using statistics from WhoScored—shows both Barzagli and Chiellini still made a vital contribution to the success enjoyed by the Bianconeri.

Conte clearly has little doubts over their ability to maintain their club form when pulling on the blue shirt of Italy, with the quartet expected to start together with West Ham United’s Angelo Ogbonna—himself a former Juventus player—in reserve on the bench.

“It’s definitely an advantage to be able to count on three or four Juventus players who have played together for a long time,” Conte told UEFA‘s official website (h/t Football Italia). “They know each other perfectly. Of course we’ll try to build something spectacular on these solid foundations, because we also want to play attacking football. Balance will be important.”

While it remains to be seen if Italy do look to take the game to Belgium, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, Barzagli believes that the Bianconeri core—which set a new Serie A record by going 10 matches without conceding a goal—will at least give confidence to the rest of the side.

“Our defence is well-drilled, as we’ve been playing together for a very long time,” the 35-year-old told a press conference earlier this month. “We therefore feel confident around each other and hopefully that confidence spreads to the rest of the team. Hopefully we can be one of the strongest defences in Euro 2016.”

Given the lack of options ahead of them after Conte’s squad choices, the hopes of Italy adding to their 1968 European Championship triumph rest on the shoulders of the Juventus defence. Fortunately, the last five years have proved they are strong enough to carry them.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/22UKXqA
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has denied any knowledge of a reported £23 million bid made by Paris Saint-Germain in an attempt to sign him from the Reds.

The Brazilian playmaker, who is on international duty at the Copa America Centenario, insisted he had not been told about an offer and is concentrating on playing with the Selecao, per Goal (h/t Yahoo Sports).

“As far as I know, there’s no offer,” Coutinho said. “I’m here with the national team, this subject is for my representatives. More important for me is to be here, focused on the national team and having a good tournament. That’s where my head is.”

Coutinho, 23, is arguably Liverpool’s best and most important player, and the Reds will be desperate to keep him at the club over the summer, but, along with PSG, Barcelona have also been reported as interested in signing him, per Marca‘s Joshua Byers.

Byers’ report suggested PSG’s initial bid of just over €30 million (£23.6 million) is “nowhere near enough money to tempt Liverpool into selling” but hinted that Barca may be willing to offer significantly more.

However, surely only an astronomical bid would be acceptable to Liverpool, and it has long been expected that Barca will not splash out on attacking players this summer—they already have Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar—per the Mirror‘s Ed Malyon:

The former Inter Milan player’s reluctance to completely rule out a move away from Liverpool could be a concern for the Reds, though.

Moving the impetus onto his “representatives” will hardly fill Liverpool fans with confidence that Coutinho plans to stay at Anfield. 

PSG’s interest in him will also be increasing, as he is showing fine form at the Copa.

His hat-trick in Brazil’s 7-1 drubbing of Haiti showed him at his best, the first goal a stinging 20-yard finish after a driving run, the second an opportunistic tap-in and the third a textbook curled effort from outside the box, per the Anfield Wrap:

And PSG have the financial power to up their bid significantly if they feel Coutinho is the man to bolster their squad following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

They also can offer Coutinho UEFA Champions League football and title-winning potential, not something currently on the cards at Liverpool despite their improvement under manager Jurgen Klopp.

The good news for Liverpool is that Coutinho is still tied to his contract until 2020, meaning that he will either stay at the club or leave for a large transfer fee.

However, despite dismissing the PSG bid claims, he did not close the door on a potential departure, and it seems likely the French giants may move again for Coutinho over the summer.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1UCVMHq
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Real Madrid have reportedly set their asking price for the much sought-after Alvaro Morata at €75 million (£59 million) with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all interested in the Spanish striker.

Morata is currently a Juve player, but Real are set to activate the €32 million (£25 million) buyback clause on their former player before selling him on to the highest bidder, per Marca.

According to Calciomercato, the Old Lady “won’t offer more than €25 million (£19.7 million),” in order to buy him back—totalling a €57 million (£44.8 million) offer if the return clause is added—but, for Real, “€75 million (£59 million) is the asking price, with €65 million (£51.1 million) accepted.”

Morata, 23, is currently one of the hottest young properties around after enjoying two successful seasons with Juventus—winning back-to-back domestic doubles—and proving that he is a man for the big occasion, per Squawka Dave:

It is clear that Juve are loath to let him go, but they will be powerless if Real activate their buyback clause, and the Serie A giants will have to endure a convoluted repurchase process if they want him for next season.

Per Marca‘s report, United manager Jose Mourinho is interested in reuniting with Morata—to whom he gave a senior debut at Real—while Calciomercato reported Chelsea and PSG’s interest, and indicated Bayern are “piqued, if not as involved as the others.”

Barely could there be a more high-profile selection of suitors for Morata and, if all the clubs mentioned are interested, Real can effectively set their price.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe previously suggested Sevilla may be a good destination for Morata, but it is unlikely the UEFA Europa League champions will be able to contend financially with the likes of United, Chelsea and PSG:

Meanwhile, Real have also reportedly priced midfielder Mateo Kovacic at €25 million (£19.7 million), but primary suitors Juve are only prepared to go as high as €20 million (£15.8 million) and are also considering “offering a loan with option to buy,” per Calciomercato.

Los Blancos signed the 22-year-old Croatian from Inter Milan for €32 million (£22.5 million) last August, but he has failed to make much of an impression at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

He started only eight times in La Liga in 2015-16 and only three times in Real’s triumphant UEFA Champions League campaign, missing out on a place in the squad for the final win over Atletico Madrid, per WhoScored.com.

Per Calciomercato, however, Juve have been interested in Kovacic since his time at Dinamo Zagreb and are keen to offer him a way out of Madrid if the two sides can agree on a price.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1YfSi3s
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Real Madrid have reportedly set their asking price for the much sought-after Alvaro Morata at €75 million (£59 million) with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all interested in the Spanish striker.

Morata is currently a Juve player, but Real are set to activate the €32 million (£25 million) buyback clause on their former player before selling him on to the highest bidder, per Marca.

According to Calciomercato, the Old Lady “won’t offer more than €25 million (£19.7 million),” in order to buy him back—totalling a €57 million (£44.8 million) offer if the return clause is added—but, for Real, “€75 million (£59 million) is the asking price, with €65 million (£51.1 million) accepted.”

Morata, 23, is currently one of the hottest young properties around after enjoying two successful seasons with Juventus—winning back-to-back domestic doubles—and proving that he is a man for the big occasion, per Squawka Dave:

It is clear that Juve are loath to let him go, but they will be powerless if Real activate their buyback clause, and the Serie A giants will have to endure a convoluted repurchase process if they want him for next season.

Per Marca‘s report, United manager Jose Mourinho is interested in reuniting with Morata—to whom he gave a senior debut at Real—while Calciomercato reported Chelsea and PSG’s interest, and indicated Bayern are “piqued, if not as involved as the others.”

Barely could there be a more high-profile selection of suitors for Morata and, if all the clubs mentioned are interested, Real can effectively set their price.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe previously suggested Sevilla may be a good destination for Morata, but it is unlikely the UEFA Europa League champions will be able to contend financially with the likes of United, Chelsea and PSG:

Meanwhile, Real have also reportedly priced midfielder Mateo Kovacic at €25 million (£19.7 million), but primary suitors Juve are only prepared to go as high as €20 million (£15.8 million) and are also considering “offering a loan with option to buy,” per Calciomercato.

Los Blancos signed the 22-year-old Croatian from Inter Milan for €32 million (£22.5 million) last August, but he has failed to make much of an impression at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

He started only eight times in La Liga in 2015-16 and only three times in Real’s triumphant UEFA Champions League campaign, missing out on a place in the squad for the final win over Atletico Madrid, per WhoScored.com.

Per Calciomercato, however, Juve have been interested in Kovacic since his time at Dinamo Zagreb and are keen to offer him a way out of Madrid if the two sides can agree on a price.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1Piu9SF
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Jose Mourinho is the third permanent manager in charge of Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and both of his predecessors have bought in players with whom they were already familiar.

David Moyes signed Marouane Fellaini from Everton—a signing many United fans continue to bemoan. Louis van Gaal brought in Daley Blind and Memphis Depay whom he knew from the Netherlands national team, Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich, Victor Valdes from Barcelona and Sergio Romero had been his goalkeeper at AZ Alkmaar.

Mourinho has a rich assortment of former players to choose from. His time at Inter Milan came to an end six years ago, and though United have been heavily linked with one of his charges from that period—more on that to follow—most of these names are from his two most recent clubs.

His tenure at Real Madrid ended in 2013 and there are plenty of players still performing at a high level whom he managed there. He also guided Chelsea to the 2014/15 Premier League title.

Unfortunately, Cristiano Ronaldo looks unlikely to be set for a reunion with either Mourinho or Old Trafford. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner told AS (h/t Sky Sports), “I am going to retire at Real Madrid at more than 40 years of age. I am very happy here and I work hard to achieve that.”

With Ronaldo ruled out, let’s take a look at some players Mourinho could bring along for his new Old Trafford ride.

Willian

One of the first former Mourinho players linked with United in the wake of his arrival was Chelsea’s Brazilian attacker Willian.

Shaun Custis of the Sun wrote on 25 May: “It is understood Willian, 27, would be keen to link up with his former boss again.” 

That may be, but it seems remarkably unlikely that Chelsea would be prepared to sell one of the few players who actually had a good season in 2015/16.

If they could somehow be persuaded, though, he would make an excellent addition to the United squad.

He played 30 league and European games on the right of a 4-2-3-1 last season, and right wing is certainly one of the positions United could do with strengthening. His five goals and six assists in the Premier League were added to by five goals and an assist in the UEFA Champions League. 

Per Custis, Willian said:

Jose is one of the most successful coaches in the world and Manchester United will be stronger with him as manager.

I played some of my best football under Mourinho. He is a special coach and I
have a great relationship with him.

Willian certainly never let his former manager down. He averaged 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes of Premier League football last season in a badly underperforming Chelsea side. That is considerably more than anyone in a United shirt managed. 

His direct style is shown in his dribbling statistics—he took on his man an average of 4.1 times per 90 minutes in the league, succeeding with 2.7 of those. Only Anthony Martial in the United side attempted more—6.2 per 90 minutes, succeeding with 2.9. 

Willian would add balance to United’s attack, but with no pressing reason for Chelsea to sell one of their few guaranteed performers, this one seems a long shot.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

A more likely arrival would seem to be Mourinho‘s former Inter charge, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

While the rumour mill is still mid-churn on the Swedish striker’s future, he will shortly be out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain and has been heavily linked with a move to United.

Mark Ogden of the Independent reported on Wednesday: 

Manchester United are ready to allow Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Paris Saint-Germain contract to expire on June 30 before securing the forward on a free transfer next month.

Ibrahimovic, 34, is set to become Jose Mourinho’s first signing at Old Trafford after positive talks between United and the player’s representative, Mino Raiola.

But with both Ibrahimovic and Raiola due to receive a lucrative loyalty bonus from PSG should he see out his contract at the Parc des Princes, United are prepared to wait until the Sweden captain officially becomes a free agent before formalising a one-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months, worth £250,000-a-week.

For more on what Ibrahimovic could bring to United, see here. 

Nemanja Matic

On Tuesday, Anthony Chapman of the Sun wrote: 

Chelsea star Nemanja Matic has told new boss Antonio Conte he wants to join Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho brought the Serb back to Stamford Bridge during his second spell with the Blues and is hoping to sign him again this summer.

Matic, unlike Willian, was one of those who attracted a good deal of criticism for his performances in Chelsea’s awful title defence in Mourinho‘s final season.

In SB Nation’s Chelsea blog, We Ain’t Got No History, David Pasztor wrote: 

It strikes me as rather crazy for Mourinho to dip into the Chelsea well for any of the players who so famously betrayed all his hard work this season, but things don’t always make sense in Silly Season. Matic struck a distinctly unhappy figure towards the end of the season, having dropped down in the pecking order behind John Obi Mikel, so perhaps it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him leave.

The 27-year old would be an interesting acquisition in terms of United’s existing midfielders. Given that Mourinho is likely to opt for a 4-2-3-1 in most games, Matic could line up alongside Morgan Schneiderlin in a combination that would provide a good deal of defensive solidity.

Michael Carrick could also feature in games where opponents were less likely to apply a lot of physical pressure, assuming he remains at the club. For all the veteran’s waning physical characteristics, the latter part of last season showed his eye for a pass remains.

What it would mean for the United futures of Ander Herrera, Fellaini, Schweinsteiger and even Wayne Rooney remains unclear.

In Chelsea’s title winning season, Matic made an enormous contribution. He made 3.7 of the 5.9 tackles he attempted per 90 minutes of league football. He added 2.1 interceptions per 90 minutes, a number which increased to 2.5 last season.

He also has a knack for carrying the ball out of defensive midfield into more attacking areas. He succeeded with 1.6 of the 2 dribbles he attempted on average per 90 minutes in the league in 14/15.

There are big questions to be asked, though, about how steeply his performances dropped off last season. Was his initial impact on re-entry to the Premier League some kind of fluke? Or were the travails of last season the exception to the rule?

Mourinho is probably better placed than anyone other than Matic himself to answer that question. If he is convinced that the Serbia international would help fortify Old Trafford, few would argue.

There are other players to consider, from a dream signing like Luka Modric to the nightmare of the potential arrival of John Terry—a perennial hate figure for United fans.

Mourinho has worked with some of the game’s greats. For now, in a way they were never able to do with Moyes and quickly lost the ability to do with Van Gaal, the United faithful will trust that the Special One knows what he is doing if he chooses arrange a Manchester reunion with any of his former players.

Advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1U7iCd0
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Manchester United will reportedly battle with rivals Manchester City to bring Leonardo Bonucci to the club this summer. 

That’s according to La Stampa (h/t calciomercato.com), which has stated while Chelsea were initially expected to be the team that would go after Bonucci, the two local rivals have emerged as the main candidates, with both seeking to rebuild the defensive structure of their respective sides.

It’s also made clear that while managers Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are keen to acquire the 29-year-old, Juve “does not want to sell its defensive lynchpin.”

Bonucci has been such a vital player for the Bianconeri, excelling in a three-man defence under incoming Blues boss Antonio Conte, then for Massimiliano Allegri in the same setup and in a back four. Here is a look at what makes the former Inter Milan man such a special footballer:

In Turin he has blossomed into a wonderful stopper, playing an important role in Juventus’ five successive Scudetto triumphs.

Alongside Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, and with Gianluigi Buffon between the sticks, the Bianconeri’s defensive shape has been impenetrable at times. These numbers from WhoScored.com are an indication of just how effective the triumvirate have been at the base of this successful spell in the club’s history:

Bonucci would tick a lot of boxes for both Mourinho and Guardiola. For the former, the rugged defensive presence he provides will be particularly appealing, as the Italian is a player that relishes physical battles and committing in the tackle. Additionally, he’s a superb distributor and a very intelligent player, attributes the latter coach would love to harness.

However, getting him out of Turin will be difficult. “I’m happy in Turin, my family is happy here,” said the player himself recently to Quotidiano Sportivo (h/t ESPN FC’s David Amoyal). “I’m proud to be part of Juve and see no reason to leave.”

The Italian giants are certainly a team on the up and will want to fight for the UEFA Champions League this season. While the Premier League, Mourinho and Guardiola may be enticing prospects for the player, so too will that challenge.

Hirving Lozano Approach Revealed

Pachuca’s vice-president Andres Fassi has confirmed that Manchester United have made an offer for their 20-year-old winger Hirving Lozano.

“There have been approaches [from United],” he said, per Jack Gaughan of the MailOnline. “There will be time to focus on the future of [Lozano]. Over] several years [we have] a structure of great relationship with many teams of England, in Portugal in Spain, in France, in Italy and in Germany. There are some agreements that allow the player to go to Europe in the future.”

The Mexico international is rated as one of the country’s most exciting young prospects having excelled with Pachuca last term. He netted 12 goals in total and dazzled with his pace and quick feet. Here are some of his best moments:

Lozano would excel in a lot of categories when it comes to the standard United blueprint. He’s direct, skilful and willing to take risks in the final third; FOX Sports’ Keith Costigan was struck by his talent early in the player’s career:

It’d be a big step up for the Mexican, although United have had success buying from the Liga MX previously; Lozano’s international team-mate Javier Hernandez, now of Bayer Leverkusen, was a big hit in his first season in the Premier League, helping his club to the title.

Expecting similar things of Lozano would be unfair if he was to make a move, although the talent is evidently there for him to become a big hit wherever he opts to play his football. With chief scout Jim Lawlor said to have “made checks” on the player personally according to Gaughan, it seems as though the Red Devils’ interest is very real indeed.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/215jMaX
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Gigi Buffon had a stellar 2015/16 campaign, the 38-year-old arguably enjoying the best season of his career and setting a new Serie A record of 973 minutes without conceding a goal. He did so during a streak of 10 consecutive clean sheets—another new league-high mark—on his way to an incredible tally of 21.

That was six more than any other player despite the Bianconeri captain playing just 35 games, highlighting the gulf between him and the other goalkeepers on the peninsula.

Buffon was rewarded with a new contract and told a press conference to announce the deal that he was “looking forward to the next two years.”

While the Old Lady can be confident of the veteran’s ability to perform over that period, what has also become apparent is that she must begin to prepare for life after the Italy international calls time on his incredible career.

It is a frightening prospect, but it is one that the club has seemingly been preparing for over the past few seasons, signing a number of talented goalkeepers who could one day replace the skipper.

Brazil native Norberto Neto arrived last summer on a free transfer, but perhaps the most interesting prospect was snapped up by the Turin giants four years ago.

Nicola Leali signed a five-year contract for Juventus in June 2012 and discussed the significance of the move with club’s official website (h/t Sky Sports):

This is a dream come true.

To join such a prestigious club at my age is extremely gratifying and a great motivation to keep developing further.

Being part of the same club as a champion like Gigi Buffon is hugely satisfying, but it also makes me realise how much I will have to work for the opportunity to repay the trust placed in me.

Having previously spent time with Brescia in the top two divisions, he would make a few brief pre-season appearances for the Bianconeri before being sent on loan to Lanciano and Spezia in Serie B.

He then spent the 2014/15 campaign in the top flight with Cesena but was unable to help the Seahorses avoid relegation, meaning that last summer saw him once again looking for another club.

On July 13, Juventus announced via their official website that he would spend the season with Frosinone, another small club where Leali could expect to see his goal come under major pressure.

There would seemingly be little competition for the 23-year-old with the newly promoted side, but the Canarini were immediately proved to be outmatched in Serie A, opening the campaign with losses to Torino, Atalanta, AS Roma and Bologna.

Week five of the season would be something of a watershed moment for both the club and their underfire goalkeeper, however, heading to Juventus Stadium with few giving them hope of emerging with a positive result.

Yet they would manage to do just that, eventually snatching a share of the points in the 1-1 draw. However, they were only able to do so after Leali had frustrated his parent club, with ESPN FC showing he had made no fewer than six saves over the course of 90 minutes.

The same source showed he had made a staggering nine in the loss to Atalanta—including a penalty save from Mauricio Pinilla—and would continue to impress as a difficult campaign progressed for coach Roberto Stellone’s men.

The January transfer window would allow Frosinone to add Francesco Bardi to their squad, the Inter Milan man—who had kept Leali out of the Italy Under-21 side—arriving on a six-month loan deal. He was fielded in a 3-3 draw with AC Milan in early May but suffered an injury in the following week’s loss to Sassuolo.

Having battled in the relegation zone all season, Frosinone were unable to avoid the drop and their defensive woes make it difficult to properly analyse the standard of Leali’s play as he was continually left exposed by a subpar back line.

He had reminded the Bianconeri of his quality with another solid display in February’s rematch; conceding twice but pulling off another string of excellent saves that underlined his natural ability and added to his case to one day represent Italian football’s grand Old Lady.

By the end of the season, Leali had managed to keep seven clean sheets in 33 Serie A appearances, plus another one in the Coppa Italia. Statistics courtesy of Fox Soccer show that only Emiliano Viviano of Sampdoria (194) had faced more shots than the Frosinone man’s tally of 178, a figure he shared with Palermo captain Stefano Sorrentino.

The same source shows that only Viviano (140) and Sorrentino (123) were the only players to make more saves than Leali, who managed to repel no fewer than 120. Looking at the table below, what is even more impressive—given that goalkeepers mature much later in their careers—is his age compared to those around him.

Standing out as the only one of the division’s top six shot-stoppers still in his 20s, he still has much to learn. His distribution, particularly when throwing the ball out, is remarkably poor, but that is an aspect of his play that he can work on in the coming years, while his natural agility is second to none.

While many of his statistics clearly depend upon the performances of his team-mates and the coaching they receive, it is worth looking at what Leali achieved this season compared with the previous campaign.

The table below—compiled using data from Fox Soccer, WhoScored.com and the Squawka website—offers a glimpse into that, showing his passing and ability to claim crosses had got statistically worse while his punching and percentage of saves had risen.

All in all it was a fine season for the young netminder, who has begun to attract attention from other clubs ahead of the 2016/17 campaign. Indeed, the Calciomercato website (h/t Football Italia) has listed Atalanta, Empoli, Fiorentina and Deportivo La Coruna with a move for Leali, who will undoubtedly be loaned out again next term.

He has yet to hit the kind of form that would lead the Bianconeri to see him as Buffon’s long-term heir at present, but that new two-year contract for their captain means that the Lombardy native has plenty of time to grow into that role.

“He’s a promising youngster,” Italian goalkeeping legend Dino Zoff told the La Stampa newspaper (h/t Football Italia) back in 2012. “When you buy a player of that age then you are trying to secure the future.”

Based on his performances for Frosinone this term, Leali could—if he continues to mature and develop the way he has—prove to be just that.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/22LRW54
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J