Mateo Kovacic had been a Real Madrid player for barely five minutes, and already it needed answering. 

“What is your position?” the Croatian was asked almost immediately after his unveiling in the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabeu last August. “I’m not going to decide my own position,” replied Kovacic, “that’s the manager’s job, but I feel best as a defensive midfielder. In my opinion that’s where I’m most comfortable, but that’s the manager’s decision.”

At the time, it was an important question. Arriving from Inter Milan, the then-21-year-old had spent a season playing in almost every position there is—deep playmaker, winger, forward, trequartista; you name it—but despite his obvious talent, no one really knew which he was best in. 

And nine months on, well, ditto. 

In the time that’s elapsed since that unveiling and that question (and despite his own assertion), we haven’t really got any closer to working out exactly what Kovacic is. In the opening months of the season, he was used quite regularly by former boss Rafa Benitez, but it was a similar story to the one at Inter: sometimes central, sometimes wide, sometimes further forward. 

Benitez, it seemed, valued the Croatian’s versatility, but in football the term “versatility” has two sides to it: At its best, it translates to “excels anywhere”; at its worst, it’s more like “position-less” or “without definition.”

At present, Kovacic is probably somewhere in the middle of such a spectrum, but the simple fact he’s to be found on it is potentially problematic. 

Since Zinedine Zidane replaced Benitez in early January, the midfielder’s (can we call him that?) appearances have become increasingly infrequent. With the Frenchman preferring to use a very defined XI whenever possible instead of the more specific-lineups-for-specific-opponents approach employed by his predecessor, there’s been little room for Kovacic.

For Zidane, the result of such a method has slowly seen Madrid develop a greater sense of structure and identity—the manager’s iconic status and greater feeling of authority has been helpful here, allowing him to shape the side to his designs—but quietly significant behind that has been the nature of Zidane’s use of secondary options.

When key players have been missing or rotation has been required, the Frenchman has opted for players from whom he knows exactly what he’s going to get.

Jese: straight-line runs.

Lucas Vazquez: industry out wide.

Isco: connector between lines. 

But Kovacic? 

Zidane is likely as unsure as the rest of us.

This is hardly the Croatian’s fault—it’s not his decision to play all over the place—but concurrently, when you evaluate his skill set, it’s difficult to know where he should play.

Indeed, for an attacking role, he possesses the technical quality but not the ability to be the game’s pulse, games often drifting by him. For a central role, he possesses the crisp passing but doesn’t yet have the poise, an erratic streak evident. For a deeper role, he has the energy and ability to cover ground but not the grunt or ball winning.

Perhaps it’s this that’s led to a somewhat makeshift existence, which has in turn seen continuity and form disrupted. “[Kovacic] plays like the turn signal in your car,” wrote Gazzetta dello Sport‘s Matteo Brega when the player was at Inter, per the Guardian‘s Paolo Bandini, “now he’s on, now he’s off, now he’s on, now he’s off again.”

It’s somewhat perplexing as, despite the absence of clarity, there’s a lot to like about the 22-year-old.

A lot.

Back in September, there was a moment in Madrid’s clash with Athletic Bilbao at San Mames that was fleeting but compelling. Kovacic had carried the ball through the middle of the pitch before moving it out wide to Karim Benzema and continuing his run. Benzema reached the edge of the Athletic box and then checked back inside, looking for the man who’d given it to him. 

The Frenchman then played the pass, “pass” in this case meaning “blast,” the striker having truly thumped it at Kovacic with little grace. Ninety-nine times out of 100, the ball would ricochet away, but here it didn’t.

With one touch, Kovacic stopped it dead. Then he swivelled, shot with venom. The whole thing unfolded in less than a second, but it was flawless, Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz forced to make a fine reflex save.

He’s got it, you thought to yourself. 

Now, though, with an entire season having almost passed, we’re not sure exactly what it is.  

As had been the case at Inter, Kovacic at Madrid has continued down a path where “pfffs” are as regular as head scratches. 

Time after time, he’s displayed impeccable touch and has radiated energy, but rarely has it amounted to much. Where those skills fit isn’t clear; what Madrid and Zidane need to do with him is difficult to pinpoint. 

As such, you sense Kovacic needs to take control of this himself. To avoid drifting through positions (and possibly clubs, too), he needs clarity and definition and purpose. That means finding a niche, essentially saying: “I’m this, and I’m going to be damn good at it.”

“This” could be an attacking midfielder, a No. 10 type. It could be a central conductor. It could be a deep-lying playmaker. It could be a defensive-minded sit-in sort. 

As it is, he has a lot of the raw tools to be any one of them, but that’s the problem: He isn’t any one of them. 

At Madrid right now, Kovacic isn’t really anything; he’s a little bit of everything but not completely something. 

And there are two sides to versatility. 

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Arsenal are reportedly keeping an eye on AZ Alkmaar striker Vincent Janssen, Juventus’ Alvaro Morata and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi, while Leicester City star N’Golo Kante is also a summer transfer window option if rumours of his £20 million buyout clause are true. 

According to the Daily Mirror’s John Cross, Janssen has attracted interest from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with a sensational breakout campaign in the Dutch Eredivisie.

The 21-year-old has scored 26 goals in 33 matches for AZ, and he also scored and assisted during the international friendly between the Netherlands and England at Wembley Stadium in March.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

According to the report, the Gunners have yet to make a move for Janssen and are currently assessing whether or not he would be a good fit at the Emirates Stadium. That makes sense, as Eredivisie strikers are notoriously difficult to scout.

The Dutch top division has produced some fantastic strikers, like Luis Suarez, Robin van Persie and Ruud van Nistelrooy, but players such as Mateja Kezman, Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar failed to establish themselves as the world-class talents they appeared to be during their time in the Netherlands.

Janssen looks the part, as his game revolves around superb instincts and incredible finishing ability, instead of his raw physical skills. He’s relatively new to the Eredivisie, so don’t be shocked if he opts to stay with AZ this summer.

Morata and Icardi appear more likely to be on the move. According to Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Football Italia), Morata’s future remains unclear, as Real Madrid can trigger a buyback clause in his deal set to activate this summer, and they could look to sell the forward on for a profit.

Per Mediaset Premium (h/t Goal’s Jamie Smith), Juventus director Beppe Marotta remains adamant the Spain international wants to stay in Turin, although he also admitted Los Blancos have “everything needed to change his mind.”

Here’s a look at some of Morata’s highlights from the past season:

Morata overcame a major scoring slump during the first half of the season to play a big role in Juventus’ run to their fifth straight Serie A title, and he’s expected to battle Mario Mandzukic for the starting position next to Paulo Dybala in Turin next year.

Icardi is also an option, and the 23-year-old might be even more keen on a move after several disappointing seasons with Inter. The Argentinian has established himself as one of Serie A’s most gifted scorers in the last two seasons, but the Nerazzurri have failed to build a competitive team around him or supply him with the service he needs.

Finally, Cross reported Wenger is also keeping an eye on Kante, who could be one of this summer’s most wanted men if reports of a £20 million buyout clause turn out to be true.

Per the report, Borussia Monchangladbach’s Granit Xhaka remains the priority in midfield, as he would be a better fit for Arsenal, but the Leicester City star could be a cost-effective alternative who has already proven himself in the Premier League.

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AC Milan scrambles to recover after losing their hold on a European position in the table as they travel to Bologna for their penultimate game of the Serie A season.

Date: Saturday, May 7

Time: 8:45 p.m. local time, 7:45 p.m. BST, 2:45 p.m. EDT

Venue: Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna

TV Info: beIN Sports Spanish feed (US)

Live Stream: BT Sport Connect (UK), beIN Sports Connect (US)

The nightmare scenario has come to pass for Milan.

The team has been fighting to qualify for European competition for the first time in three years, and they have two ways to get there.  

Beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia final will see them enter the UEFA Europa League.  In years past, the fact that Juve would finish in the top five got them to Europe’s second competition regardless of whether they won or lost, but a rule change this year now gives the Coppa‘s place in the competition to the sixth-placed team in the league in that scenario.

That’s where the Rossoneri were until Sunday, when they were nearly embarrassed by a team in the relegation zone for the second consecutive week.  Not that their come-from-behind 3-3 draw with Frosinone was something to be proud of, but it was better than the alternative.

Regardless, that result—combined with Sassuolo‘s 1-0 win over Hellas Verona—saw Milan relinquish the all-important sixth place in the standings.  They now trail the Neroverdi by a point with only two matches to go.

This is a major problem.  The prospect of beating the five-time defending champions of Italy in the Coppa final is a daunting one—the Bianconeri have already beaten Milan twice this year.

Now they have two rounds to regain sixth place.  That quest starts in Bologna.

In one way, Milan have found a soft landing.  The Rossoblu are not mathematically out of the running for relegation, but in all practical terms they’re safe.  That didn’t look like it would be the case as late as November, when they were 18th.

Replacing manager Delio Rossi with former Milan star Roberto Donadoni improved their form and lifted them out of the relegation zone, but it’s not like the team is in stellar form.  In fact, Bologna has only won twice since the beginning of February, along with six draws and six losses.

Much of their struggles come from a lack of punch in attack.  Bologna are tied with Udinese with the second-worst scoring record in the league.  They’ve only managed to score 33 times this season.  During that February-to-May period, they were shut out nine times in 14 games and only scored multiple goals once.

With a defense that is actually in the top half of the league—they’re ninth, having conceded 44 times—a bigger scoring punch would make this a dangerous team.  As they are, without striker Mattia Destro, scoring will be their biggest problem.

The question in this match is whether Milan will be able to take advantage of that.  They started brightly in the wake of the dismissal of coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, winning newly promoted Cristian Brocchi‘s first game 1-0 over Sampdoria.

But since then they’ve played three relegation strugglers and only picked up two points.  They followed that with a limp scoreless draw against Carpi that cost them more than just two points.  Giacomo Bonaventura suffered leg and hip injuries during the match, depriving the Rossoneri of their only real creative outlet.

That’s had the effect you would expect.  Milan only managed a penalty in their embarrassing 2-1 loss to Verona two weeks ago, and it took a spectacular overhead kick from Luca Antonelli and a controversial late spot-kick to draw level with Frosinone.

Brocchi said in his post-match press conference (h/t Football Italia) that he didn’t consider the 4-3-1-2 system he switched the team to upon his promotion from the primavera team viable while Bonaventura is out, so he may return to the 4-4-2 that was the fixture under Mihajlovic.  That would require tweaks itself, but his statements indicate he’s leaning in that direction.

Whatever he does, he needs to claim all three points.  With red-hot AS Roma looming and Sassuolo facing a run-in of Verona and Inter Milan, the possibility of losing out on that sixth position is very real.

Form Lines

Projected Lineups

Unavailable Players

Bologna: OUT: ST Mattia Destro (fractured finger), LB Archimede Morelo (thigh), M Luca Rizzo (muscle injury).  DOUBTFUL: MF Godfred Donsah (muscle injury), CB Domenico Maietta (thigh).

AC Milan: OUT: FW M’Baye Niang (ankle), MF Giacomo Bonaventura (hip), LB Luca Antonelli (calf)

Key Players

Scoring goals is Bologna’s major weakness.  Only 10 players have netted this year for the Rossoblu, and only two have scored more than four.  Without leading scorer Destro, much of their effort to get to goal will hinge on Emanuele Giaccherini.

The former Juventus man is on loan at Bologna from Sunderland, and he’s been a huge part of their season.  He’s scored seven times, and, according to WhoScored.com he’s completed 80 percent of his passes and made 1.4 key passes per match.

The Italy international played a decisive role in the first meeting between Bologna and Milan in the first game back from the winter break in January.  In the 82nd minute, Giaccherini controlled a cross and fired the ball through the legs of Gianluigi Donnarumma to score the only goal of the game.  

It was a jarring opening to 2016 for Milan, who were left scrambling for answers after a negative result right out of the holidays.

With Destro sidelined and replaced by Sergio Floccari, Giaccherini will be a major part of their efforts to get the ball past Donnarumma.  If he can win his battle with Ignazio Abate on the attacking left, he could prove to be decisive.

For Milan, they key will be Jeremy Menez—in a different position than you might think.

If Brocchi‘s statements from the Frosinone game are truly an indication that he’s going to abandon the trequartista, Mihajlovic‘s 4-4-2 is the obvious alternative.

But Bonaventura‘s absence will require a tweak to that formation as well.  He manned the left side of the midfield in that system and there aren’t many players on the roster who can replace him there.

Indeed, Menez may be the only one.  He started last year as a false nine in Filippo Inzaghi’s 4-3-3, but after Destro was acquired on loan from Roma to be a more traditional striker, he was moved to the wing, where he remained for the rest of the season.

Menez‘s ability to play wide could be a key for Brocchi.  He would essentially be adding a third attacker to his lineup and covering Bonaventura‘s absence at the same time.  

It’s a move Brocchi can afford to make because Luiz Adriano gives him the tactical flexibility to change things up up front later in the game.

It remains to be seen just how Brocchi will deploy his team on Saturday, and who he will play where if he does.  Even though Menez usually plays far further forward, he would be an able deputy in a 4-4-2.  If he ends up there and does well, Milan could be primed for a high-scoring day.

Key Matchup

Alessio Romagnoli had a bad day against Frosinone, and he’ll look to bounce back here against Frosinone.  He’ll have to show a short memory when he deals with wily veteran striker Floccari.

The 34-year-old started the year at Sassuolo, where he scored four goals in seven matches. He was caught behind several younger players, though, and he made the move to Bologna in January.  He has since started eight games and come on as a sub for eight more.

Romagnoli is more of a denier than a tackler.  He uses his intelligence and positional sense in order to deny attackers the ball in good spots.  He’ll look to do that here, but he must beware—Floccari has a good long shot, and if he doesn’t have a man in his face, he can unleash a bomb.

If Romagnoli is able to shut Floccari down, the offensively challenged Rossoblu will be hard-pressed to find another major to break down Milan’s defense.  

If Floccari can get some shots in, though, it could end up being a long night for Donnarumma in goal.

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Bologna win: 23-10

Milan win: 23-20

Draw: 23-10

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The postmortem of Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City is already in full swing; with the Citizens now officially out of the running of domestic and UEFA Champions League glory, we have nothing to look to bar the impending arrival of Pep Guardiola and what he might do.

The lethargic, limp showing the Citizens put in at the Santiago Bernabeu was regrettable in so many ways. Yaya Toure’s non-performance typified the entire approach, as the Ivorian simply stood and watched as Real Madrid bypassed the midfield without pressure and attacked in relentless fashion.

When Guardiola watches the game back, he’ll see myriad good performances from Los Merengues’ players; Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Isco and Gareth Bale all starred in a showing that could easily have yielded four goals, not one, on another night.

Picking out strong Manchester City performances is a far tougher exercise, as Joe Hart (and maybe Fernandinho) are the only two to emerge with any semblance of credit.

The viewing was so abject it prompted a post-match discussion on BT Sport regarding how much of an overhaul this squad needed.

Owen Hargreaves and Rio Ferdinand both agreed approximately half the team would be different once Guardiola had had his way, and while these sorts of comments can often be over the top due to the fact they’re based largely on the most recent performance (in this case, a tepid one), the duo’s assertions probably aren’t too far wide of the mark.

Guardiola will bring a unique playing style to the Etihad Stadium which will force every footballer on the books to rethink everything they think they know about playing the game.

He changes the sheer basics of your movements and actions. If you can hack it, you get to be a part of the coolest party in the sport; if not, you’re sent packing almost immediately.

So who stays, and who goes? Who fits and who doesn’t? Is the overhaul going to be quite as ferocious as Hargreaves and Ferdinand suggest, or does Guardiola merely need to sprinkle the finishing touches in terms of player recruitment and focus on remoulding what he has?

Guardiola’s tactical flexibility and versatility knows no bounds—he’ll try any formation, even a 2-3-5—but there are certain staples he rests his hat on. Possession, pressing and width are key parts of every game plan he constructs, as he values controlling the ball, stretching the pitch and stressing the opposition highly.

The possession strand starts from the back, and a goalkeeper equipped with good passing feet and one-on-one skills is a must. He is exposed more often and more openly than most, so confidence in space and in dealing with pressure is key.

Hart is an underrated goalkeeper—or was, perhaps, before he starred against Real Madrid over two legs these past two weeks. He’s actually excellent one-on-one, saving a high percentage of those types of chances and exudes confidence for the most part.

His distribution will need some work in order to play his part under the incoming manager, though, and that’s perhaps why reports suggest Hart could leave (he’s been linked to Liverpool, per the Liverpool Echo) and that Guardiola has identified Barcelona reserve ‘keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen as the ideal replacement, according to the Daily Express.

The defensive line’s modus operandi is set for radical change too. They’ll play higher up than ever before, be required to contribute to build-up play more and have to refine their sweeping skills.

Guardiola’s possession-oriented approach requires centre-backs who are comfortable on the halfway line with a sizable margin for error, and full-backs who are clean passers, intelligent movers and capable of creating overloads on their respective flanks.

Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones reported this week that Guardiola will make Vincent Kompany available for transfer, as the Belgian is not seen as capable of carrying out the same key role in his defence as he has done for previous managers. His injury proneness—displayed bare in front of the watching world in the eighth minute at the Bernabeu on Wednesday—is a serious problem; you can’t rely on or build around a player who misses so much football.

Eliaquim Mangala, too, will be in trouble. He’s not great in possession and struggles tracking runners over his shoulder. The channel between he and his full-back will be ripe for counters.

Nicolas Otamendi’s stunning 2014-15 at Valencia is proving to be anomalous despite suggestions here and there that he can return to that rock-like presence. He’s not a great fit either but may survive a chop given he’s only one year into his deal and cost a bomb.

That paves the way for one, perhaps two signings. In the video, Jones reveals Guardiola wants Athletic Club Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte and Everton’s John Stones, who are both exceptional fits for the sweeping role—though both have kinks to work out of their game, with Stones guilty of overcomplicating things at times and Laporte capable of genuine moments of chaos. Marc Bartra of Barcelona could be a great fit too.

Bacary Sagna has the football IQ to survive and play the first season. He also has the defensive back-post awareness to cope with a common attacking play that Guardiola faces: the break and cross to the far post, where a taller winger or peeling striker tries to take advantage of a full-backs lack of height.

Pablo Zabaleta, though, has declined rapidly this season and links to Inter Milan (to rejoin Roberto Mancini), according to the Daily Star (via the Manchester Evening News), aren’t all that surprising.

Left-back doesn’t look anywhere near as good. Aleksandar Kolarov’s putrid defensive effort against Southampton should be the final nail in his City-shaped coffin, while Gael Clichy is obviously a better option, but he doesn’t offer anything outstanding at either end of the pitch.

Bernat, who Guardiola brought to Bayern Munich, could be an option, while Ricardo Rodriguez is the best left-back in the world who isn’t already at an elite club.

Midfield is even harder to project, largely due to the fact that, starting in his second season at Barcelona, Guardiola went formation crazy and threw an incredible amount at the wall to see what would stick.

Will it be 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3 or a midfield diamond with two strikers? The likelihood is he’ll flit between them all, and that means tactically flexible midfielders can prosper.

Fernandinho, a hard-working player who can defend, attack and shuttle from box to box, will be a key performer. The rest of that corps, though, are all in varying degrees of danger; Fabian Delph may just absorb enough to survive and fill a squad role, but don’t think that because Sergio Busquets was Guardiola’s crutch at Barcelona that Fernando is safe.

It is conveniently forgotten that Busquets is one of the finest passers in football—largely because he happens to be the best holding player in the world, and that focuses more on his defensive traits.

Fernando is a good anchor but is limited on the ball. Can he provide the impetus to the play by passing between the lines and setting attacking midfielders off on the turn?

Yaya Toure’s future—or lack of it—at the club seems open and shut. The Daily Mail reported in February that Guardiola’s arrival would spark his exit, as the two fell out at Barcelona and, as Wednesday night proved, the Ivorian is extremely unlikely to subscribe to the new template of play.

One player City are seemingly close to signing, per B/R’s Jones, is Ilkay Gundogan. A £30 million deal is in the offing, and the German could revolutionise this midfield, providing the sort of playmaking talents that Xabi Alonso and Thiago Alcantara do for him currently. He is exceptional at dictating the rhythm of Borussia Dortmund’s play, and they visibly miss him when he’s injured.

Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are all likely to feature heavily, and if Guardiola opts for a midfield diamond with two up top (a genuine possibility), they could be a fierce trio. Their talent is not in doubt, and they’d provide creativity, dynamism and end-product.

Someone who could well sneak a role against the odds is Jesus Navas. Fans will be expecting him to go back to Sevilla, but Guardiola has always kept a player who can provide game-stretching width in his squad even if they’re a lower calibre than the rest.

The Catalan has started Isaac Cuenca (now at Granada) and Cristian Tello (enduring a succession of loans away from Barcelona) in semi-finals before because of this one attribute they provide, and Navas can offer it too.

Up front things are easy: Sergio Aguero is the main man, Kelechi Iheanacho the rising star, and Wilfried Bony the odd man out. The first two are mobile, can drift, link play and contribute in several areas; the latter couldn’t be less of a Guardiola player if he tried.

Guardiola attempted the “Plan B target man” thing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Barcelona and it failed miserably.

Tallying it up, that’s three or four first-team signings required to morph this City side into a team who can play “Pepball.” One or two centre-backs who can sweep, pass and stay fit; one master-passer in central midfield who can switch play and dictate; and one tactically intelligent left-back who can fulfill his role at both ends.

It’s not the sea of change BT Sport’s pundits suggested, but it’s close. Those four players will easily cost in excess of £100 million combined, and if Ter Stegen is added to the list, it could exceed £150 million.

This may feel a little like performing the autopsy while the blood is still warm, but City have two Premier League games left and then it’s time for Guardiola. Pellegrini will leave the club, and the seismic changes will begin almost immediately.

Truth be told, there’s a fair bit to do.

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Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Mauro Icardi’s situation at Inter Milan as manager Arsene Wenger looks set to recruit further attacking options this summer. 

That’s according to the Mirror‘s John Cross, who noted the striker “is odds-on to leave” the San Siro in the summer and could be snapped up for £25 million.

Icardi has developed a reputation as one of Serie A’s most predatory finishers and his clinical play has seen him net 15 league goals this season. OptaPaolo revealed another telling stat:

Though the Gunners would undoubtedly hope a marquee forward signing could get closer to—or beyond—the 20-goal mark, the Argentinian has little to feed off at Inter, as football writer Richard Hall noted:

That shouldn’t be a problem at the Emirates Stadium, though, as Mesut Ozil alone has created a phenomenal 141 chances in the Premier League this season, according to Squawka.

With that kind of ammunition, a player as potent as Icardi would likely score for fun—a quality Arsenal desperately need as Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck aren’t nearly prolific enough to fire them to the title as first-choice striking options.

Cross lists Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool as among the other interested parties, though, so Arsenal may have a fight on their hands to get him.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are also “confident” of landing Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach, according to Cross. The 23-year-old looks set to be in demand this summer after an excellent campaign in the Bundesliga.

According to Squawka, the box-to-box midfielder has won 52 tackles and 87 aerial duels this season, as well as making 72 interceptions and completing 81 per cent of his attempted take-ons. Here are some of his highlights:

His dynamic play and bite in the centre of the park would be highly useful at Arsenal, who will need to replace Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky in the summer, according to Cross.

However, Gladbach director of sport Max Eberl is determined to keep his star, per Sky Sports’ Chris Lymberopoulos (h/t DW Sports):

Further, football writer Stefan Bienkowski doubts Wenger will wade into a tussle to get Xhaka:

If Arsenal are to recruit the top stars they need to improve, the Frenchman will need to be more willing to pursue them in the face of opposition.

The Gunners are also targeting defensive reinforcements and have scouted Atletico Madrid’s Lucas Hernandez, according to Cross, who reported they might equally make an offer for Leicester City youngster Ben Chilwell.

Hernandez was promoted to first-team duties at the Vicente Calderon earlier in the season and in his 10 La Liga appearances he has already made 15 tackles, 31 interceptions and 43 clearances, as well as winning 13 headed duels, according to Squawka.

The 20-year-old has a bright future, as does 19-year-old Chilwell, who has impressed in his cameos for the Foxes since returning from a loan spell with Huddersfield Town.

The Premier League champions will be eager to hold onto their exciting prospect, though, as will Los Rojiblancos, so it may take relatively large bids to convince them to part with their youngsters.

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Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has reportedly been offered to Manchester United and “a number of clubs.”

That’s according to the Telegraph‘s James Ducker, who notes the German’s “future at Real Madrid is uncertain.”

Kroos has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu in recent months, with Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague saying in March: “I do believe he wants to leave Real. It will be a fight for anyone to get him, but he would be ideal for Manchester United. There will be a fight for him this summer.”

As the Times‘ Henry Winter noted, Manchester City might also be interested in the midfielder:

Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez would not be surprised if he were to move:

Despite Hernandez’s assertion, Kroos has still been able to show his undoubted quality in a Los Blancos shirt.

Per Squawka Football, the 26-year-old has been at his creative best in the UEFA Champions League this season, and, as always, his distribution has been impeccable:

It has been a similar story in La Liga, with Squawka reporting he has created 54 chances and maintained a passing accuracy of 94 per cent. Further, he has won 48 tackles, completed 77 per cent of his take-ons and made 39 interceptions.

In all competitions, Kroos has provided one goal and 12 assists. He would make an excellent capture for United, City and many other clubs, but with Los Blancos potentially facing a transfer ban in the near future, letting such a reliable player leave as he enters his peak years would be a strange decision.

So too, would letting Mateo Kovacic go. According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central (h/t the Liverpool Echo‘s Kristian Walsh), Liverpool are set to “reignite their interest” in the midfielder after they missed out on him last summer.

The Croatian has started just 11 of his 31 appearances in all competitions this season and struggled to make an impact at the Bernabeu.

However, he’s still only 21 and has great potential. At Inter Milan, the youngster was known for his ability to contribute both goals and assists thanks to his outstanding vision, desire to get forward and composed dribbling.

Though he may have thus far failed to show his best with Real, he has plenty of room to grow, and, like Kroos, it makes sense to keep him in case an embargo is forced upon them.

Liverpool could benefit greatly from his signing too, though, so if they can convince Madrid to cut their losses on Kovacic they would acquire an excellent option for their midfield next season.

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AC Milan welcome Frosinone to the San Siro on Sunday afternoon in a match with serious implications at both ends of the Serie A table.

The Rossoneri are in need of wins to help secure a top-six spot and a return to European football next season. Meanwhile, the Canarini are desperately in need of points as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.

While the team faces an important run of fixtures, much of the focus surrounding Milan in recent days has been on a potential takeover, with Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Italia) reporting that President Silvio Berlusconi is set to sell the club to a Chinese consortium.

However, while the possibility of a new owner is of long-term importance, head coach Cristian Brocchi and his players cannot afford to take their eye off the ball in the short term. The next three games will decide if they play in the UEFA Europa League next season or sit out continental competition altogether for a third consecutive year.

Recent form has been poor, with a 0-0 draw at home to Carpi followed up by a shocking 2-1 defeat away to Verona, who have since been relegated, on Monday.

After the latest loss, Brocchi was unable to hide his frustration, telling a post-match press conference, per Milan’s official website:

Today’s match leaves me feeling angry. I am disappointed with the performance and we have taken a step backwards. With the kind of character that I showed during my playing days, I will try and lead us out of this situation. The only solution I know is hard work.

While Milan are heavy favourites for this weekend’s clash, it is worth remembering they were also expected to defeat both Carpi and Verona. And, for added spice, Frosinone enter the fixture aware that defeat could spell the end for their survival hopes.

Currently five points separate Roberto Stellone’s side from Carpi in 17th, meaning that, with three games and nine points left on the table, they need every win they can get. Their quest begins this Sunday in the San Siro.

Date: Sunday, 1 May

Time: 2 p.m. BST (9 a.m. ET)

Venue: San Siro, Milan, Italy

TV Info: BT Sport ESPN (UK), beIN Sports (USA)

Live Stream: Bet365.com

Form Guide

Verona 2-1 Milan

Milan 0-0 Carpi

Sampdoria 0-1 Milan

Milan 1-2 Juventus

Atalanta 2-1 Milan

Frosinone 0-2 Palermo

Chievo 5-1 Frosinone

Verona 1-2 Frosinone

Frosinone 0-1 Inter Milan

Genoa 4-0 Frosinone

Team News

Since Brocchi took his position as head coach of Milan, he has used a 4-3-1-2 shape with either Giacomo Bonaventura or Keisuke Honda playing in the trequartista role behind the strikers. However, with the former out with a hamstring injury, the Japanese playmaker will resume this position against Frosinone.

Andrea Bertolacci is also unfit to take part in this weekend’s game, so Jose Mauri will likely continue in the midfield trident alongside Juraj Kucka and Riccardo Montolivo.

Defensively, Alex should return to the back four, taking his place as right-sided centre-back next to Alessio Romagnoli. The Brazilian has been remarkably consistent this season, and his return should add solidity to a defence that struggled in their defeat to Verona on Monday.

One of Milan’s major difficulties this campaign has been opening up defensive opposition, an issue that has played a large part in their dropping points to lowly Serie A teams. Against sides that see a point as a positive result, the Rossoneri have had trouble creating scoring opportunities.

This issue should not be quite so prevalent against Frosinone, with Stellone preferring to set his outfit up in a fairly attack-minded 4-4-2 system, with one of the two strikers dropping deep situationally. While this shape and mindset is brave, it has led to their possessing the worst goals conceded record in the league.

Their more positive approach and leaky defence is, theoretically, good news for Milan, as it should offer them greater space to attack and subsequently lessen their difficulties with a lack of movement and effective combination play.

Honda’s role could be important here, with his freedom to roam between the lines offering an outlet for the Rossoneri to progress the ball into the final third, behind the Canarini midfield.

Frosinone will be without Danilo Soddimo, meaning Luca Paganini will take up the left-sided wide role in midfield. He could be the sole penetrative force for his team in this area, as his team-mates Mirko Gori, Paolo Sammarco and Alessandro Frara are far more focused on defensive matters.

Up front, Daniel Ciofani will provide an aerial threat should Stellone opt for a more direct route, with the nippy Federico Dionisi playing slightly behind him as a second striker, using his pace and direct running to trouble Milan’s defence.

Predicted Lineups

Milan (4-3-1-2): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Ignazio Abate, Alex, Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia De Sciglio; Juraj Kucka, Riccardo Montolivo, Jose Mauri; Keisuke Honda; Carlos Bacca, Mario Balotelli

Unavailable: M’Baye Niang, Andrea Bertolacci, Giacomo Bonaventura (injury)

Frosinone (4-4-2): Nicola Leali; Matteo Ciofani, Adriano Russo, Leonardo Blanchard, Roberto Crivello; Alessandro Frara, Mirko Gori, Paolo Sammarco, Luca Paganini; Daniel Ciofani, Federico Dionisi

Unavailable: Raman Chibsah (suspended), Danilo Soddimo (injured)

Players to Watch

Milan’s defeat to Verona was embarrassing, but—as discussed in this post—it could have been even worse were it not for the performance of their 17-year-old goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma.

He made several early stops, one denying Giampaolo Pazzini in a one-on-one, to prevent the Gialloblu from taking the lead, and when the game was level at 1-1, he pulled off save after save to keep his side on equal terms.

According to Opta Paolo, “Over the last 16 Serie A match-days, only Juventus (3) have conceded fewer goals than AC Milan (14).” A large part of the Rossoneri’s defensive record is down to Donnarumma, whose excellent reactions and increasing air of authority offer a sound last line of defence.

If Frosinone are to find the net past the young ‘keeper, Dionisi will no doubt have a part to play. According to WhoScored.com, no other Canarini player has been involved in more Serie A goals than he this season, with eight goals and four assists in total.

A hard worker and an aggressive runner, the 28-year-old attacker is a tricky proposition for opposition defenders. His versatility also enables him to be effective on either flank or through the middle, making him a useful player to have should Stellone opt for a change of system.

Key Battle

Daniel Ciofani will star alongside Dionisi up front for Frosinone, though he provides starkly contrasting attributes. At 6’3 1/2″, he is a genuine threat from set pieces due to his height, strength and heading ability. Indeed, per Squawka.com, the only two Serie A forwards to have a stronger aerial success rate are Leonardo Pavoletti of Genoa and Edin Dzeko of Roma.

Furthermore, Ciofani’s hold-up play enables him to bring team-mates into the game. The 30-year-old, whose brother Matteo plays alongside him and is also set to start on Sunday, uses his physical attributes effectively for the team, and Milan’s centre-back pairing have a tough job on their hands to combat this.

In this respect, Alex will be particularly important. He is a forceful presence, and he, rather than the slightly weaker, less experienced Romagnoli, will likely be handed the task of keeping Ciofani in check.

Odds

Milan: 100/303

Frosinone: 8/1

Draw: 17/4

All odds via Odds Shark.

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The new year had just arrived, and the most emblematic of weeks had just closed.

It was January 2, and at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal had moved two points clear at the top of the table with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United. In one way, it seemed relatively logical at the time, but in another, it felt absurd.

Just seven days earlier, Arsenal—then the division’s best, so said the table—had been bulldozed 4-0 by Southampton and owned a points tally that would have had them peering up at several above in any other season of the past decade.  

Again, the Premier League’s 2015-16 chaos was reigning supreme, so it was put to Wenger whether this frenetic unpredictability was indicative of a good league or otherwise. 

“That’s the question people ask at the moment,” said the Frenchman. “Is this the worst league ever, or is it the best league ever? I haven’t analysed it, but you can go both ways.”

You can.

This is a question that’s hung over the the Premier League all season, and one with strong arguments on each side. To its supporters, the current campaign is something to savour, with its entertainment, diversity, volatility and possibilities unrivalled; to its detractors, such an environment has been able to take hold because of an absence of top-end quality. 

Throughout, it’s felt that such a question would inevitably cease to be relevant, that the previous status quo would eventually resume. But no: Leicester City’s astonishing rise has continued. Tottenham Hotspur have surged. West Ham United are coming. The league’s middle class might be the strongest it’s ever been.  

Amid that, the country’s traditional elite have barely been able to comprehend what’s hit them; Wenger‘s question has remained pertinent. It will stay that way into the summer, too, and even into the beginning of next season due to the landscape-altering arrivals (and return?) that loom: Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Antonio Conte at Chelsea and maybe even Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. 

It looks juicy, and it’s significant. England has always had an obsession with the manager like no other and a love for the head-to-head narratives that come with it. But this goes beyond that.  

In relation to Wenger‘s line, these heavyweight bosses and their heavyweight clubs are extremely relevant here, as their success or failure next season will tell us much about this one.

Indeed, if Guardiola, Conte and Mourinho (Jurgen Klopp, too) struggle to reinstate the customary modus operandi, it will strengthen the argument the Premier League has become a brutal free-for-all and that 2015-16 is a forerunner rather than an outlier. But if they triumph—particularly if they do so with conviction—it will reinforce the counter-argument that the failures of the traditional elite are solely what have created this.

The question becomes, then: Can the incoming bosses rise above the chaos? 

In truth, the rise of this chaos has been multifaceted and in some ways perplexing, but what’s certain is that a primary driver has been the tidal wave of cash heading the Premier League’s way. 

Thanks to the historic £5.14 billion TV rights deal signed by the league last year (that deal doesn’t kick in until next season but the effects are already being seen, while the addition of overseas rights will take the figure beyond £8 billion), England’s top division now has a landscape in which everyone’s pockets are loaded.

Suddenly, squad depth across the league has soared. Mid-level English clubs are now buying players from title contenders in Europe and no longer need to sell their best to stay afloat. Last summer, Crystal Palace went shopping at Paris Saint-Germain; West Ham went shopping at Juventus; Stoke City dropped in and left with goods from Inter Milan. 

Sunderland have more money than Napoli. 

The result has been a league in which those who’ve lived in the shadows have shrugged off any inferiority complex. Now, they just go for it. West Ham can look at Chelsea and say bring it on. Bournemouth can eye up United and think we’re in this—full-steam ahead, foot flat to the floor. 

It’s turned the Premier League into a world of helter-skelter football, where freneticism is the overriding theme and reputation means little unless you can rise above what could be termed a movement. 

But—and this is possibly the key bit—there are potential lessons here, too. 

Right now, Leicester and Tottenham sit atop the Premier League and will almost certainly finish the season that way. For months now, it’s been clear they’re the division’s standouts, and yet neither club has many of the things you typically associate with leaders: the greatest number of stars, the deepest pool of talent or colossal resources.

But still, there they are. How? Why?

It’s because of tactical coherence. 

In 2015-16, no teams have had clearer identities than Leicester and Tottenham, and the clarity in their purpose has been striking. 

At the King Power Stadium, the fairytale-ness of it all and Claudio Ranieri’s endearing we’re-the-adorable-little-guys discourse has distracted many from the brilliance and sophistication of Leicester’s approach. 

Indeed, despite the club’s off-field moves and success in scouting, none of that translates directly to what Leicester are achieving unless you get it bang on come matchday.

And Leicester have.

The way they cover for one another is extraordinary. Ditto for their ability to close space, to deny teams the central channel, to avoid being run at and to wreak havoc with minimal possession. This is a team that’s only played a central “two” all season but has never been overrun in midfield. A team that, in the perceived madness of this campaign, has conceded eight goals since the turn of the year. Eight. 

Arsenal in that time? Conceded 16. Liverpool? 23. West Ham? 20. Chelsea? 17. The two Manchester giants? 14 apiece. 

You don’t achieve such an advantage because you’re “plucky” or “admirable” or merely “fighters”; you achieve it because you’re brilliant, because you’ve developed and cultivated a matchday method of clarity that has allowed you to rise above the growing chaos that has affected others.

Yet, that doesn’t mean the Leicester method is the method, the only one. It’s not.

Just look at Tottenham.

At White Hart Lane, Mauricio Pochettino has created a side that’s very different to the Foxes but similarly impressive. Spurs are now extremely athletic, relentless, suffocating and utterly painful to play against. In February, after his Watford side had been asphyxiated and then killed off, Quique Sanchez Flores dubbed Pochettino‘s men “animals.”

He’s right: First Tottenham physically overwhelm you, then they outplay you. Though they contrast with Leicester, the certainty in the encompassing idea is the same; the parts may change, but the identity doesn’t.

It’s identity the traditional heavyweights have battled with in 2015-16, and the incoming bosses and their existing high-profile rivals will be looking to address it. 

At Manchester City, Guardiola will soon arrive at a club whose Premier League points aren’t yet reflective of talent or resources, and who have existed in a disjointed funk all season. 

In the campaign’s opening weeks, City threatened to make all of this a non-event, but structural flaws have undermined them. In midfield, they remain too easy to play through; in defence, they’re curiously brittle, with each issue compounding the other. 

Admittedly, the consistent absence of Vincent Kompany has hurt them, but the difference seen in this side when the captain is there and when he’s not is reflective of a tactical approach lacking sophistication and durability.  

Just look at Atletico Madrid for contrast. On Wednesday against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, Diego Simeone‘s men played without the world’s premier centre-back in Diego Godin and were forced into fielding Stefan Savic, and yet it made no difference. Two weeks earlier against Barcelona in the competition’s quarter-final, Simeone had to make do without Jose Gimenez and turn to the 20-year-old Lucas Hernandez.

Again, it made no difference. 

It’s an important example for City: At Atletico, the tactical approach stands as the foundation for everything, with the talent there to build on it; at City, it’s the opposite.

In years gone by, such flaws might have been possible to mask in the Premier League, but in the current chaotic climate, they haven’t been. The freneticism and strengthened middle tier have exposed them. 

Across town at Manchester United, the specific issues are very different, but the presence of a muddled on-field structure has been similar. Sometimes United go forward, other times it’s sideways; sometimes they go short, other times it’s long; sometimes they go fast, other times it’s painfully slow. 

The dearth of goals clangs (42 in 34 games), but perhaps more damning is the lack of identity or personality to Louis Van Gaal’s side. Unlike at those who lead the division, it’s hard to discern a method or an idea that’s being embraced at Old Trafford. 

For possibly Mourinho and definitely Guardiola, this is what’s needing to be reversed in England’s north-west, while down in London, Conte faces something not too dissimilar.  

The incumbents are facing challenges, too.  

At Arsenal, a too-cosy relationship between ownership and manager continues to impose stasis upon the north London outfit, yet in 2015-16, just as problematic has been Wenger and his staff’s inability to oversee tactical cohesion. 

The current incarnation of Arsenal seems to lack both the power of Wenger‘s pre-2004 sides and the artistry or incision of those since. Now, it’s as if there’s a disconnect in attack, a sudden loss of clarity that has grown to exist in addition to the questionable balance, with the indifference now preyed upon. 

Remember the 3-3 against Liverpool in January? When Arsenal looked brilliant in flashes but ended the contest in a systematic mess trying to hang on, essentially playing without a midfield in a 6-0-4?

That game stands among the most stylistically symbolic of the Premier League season, and it said as much about Liverpool as it did about Arsenal. Indeed, the Reds that night were blistering at times, dominant in large stretches. Twice they took the lead emphatically.

And yet still, Klopp‘s men were 3-2 down in the closing minutes to a side without a midfield.

Since, Klopp has spoken about the intensity of English football and it’s relentless nature. The Premier League, it seems, has even surprised him. 

“We knew about it [prior to arriving],” said Klopp in January, “but to feel it is different.”

The German has now watched the chaos of England’s top division for six months, and as one of the game’s most high-profile managers, he will be joined by two and possibly three more in the months to come. It will be juicy. Fascinating. Packed with duels and narratives that will satisfy the appetites for such. 

Perhaps most intriguing, though, is what those men and their success or failure will tell us about this extraordinary season. Can Guardiola, Conte, Klopp and possibly Mourinho develop the superior identities and tactical methods that have been absent this season at their respective clubs to counter the league’s growing strength elsewhere? Can they restore the traditional elite?

Can they rise above the chaos of 2015-16?

If they can, this season will come to represent an outlier of sorts. If they can’t, it could stand as an indication of what’s to come.

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