There’s a budget hotel across the road from Old Trafford—the kind that comes attached with a carvery restaurant. Given the level of recent speculation, it’s not too difficult to envisage Jose Mourinho has pitched up there in recent weeks; ordering takeaway pizza to his room under false names, peering out the window for a glimpse of any black smoke from the Manchester United chimney.

Indeed, so many reports of Mourinho’s impending appointment at Old Trafford (like this one by Dominic King of the Daily Mail) have surfaced over the past few weeks that it’s difficult to envisage a scenario where the two-time Champions League winner doesn’t take over at United for the start of next season. The Special One, finally, appears to be the Chosen One.

But regardless of how badly Mourinho wants the job, is he really the right man to take over from Louis Van Gaal—assuming the Dutchman is handed his papers between now and the summer?

Of course, the 53-year-old is arguably the greatest football manager of his generation, but something seems wide of the mark about his expected appointment at United.

Instead, club executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward should be looking to make an appointment that’s more in keeping with United’s identity. It has been repeated more than once recently that Mourinho is the only option for the Old Trafford side, but that’s not true. Mauricio Pochettino holds just as strong a claim for the job.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 away win over Manchester City on Sunday further highlighted the extent to which he has turned around the north London side in the space of just over 18 months, taking top-four wannabes and turning them into bona fide title challengers. But Pochettino’s United suitability is about more than just results.

The Argentinian’s style of play is in sync with what is expected by those at Old Trafford who have become accustomed to watching dynamic, free-flowing and, most importantly, exciting football over the past two decades.

The standard of Spurs’ play this season offers a teaser as to what Pochettino could achieve at United—where he would be afforded even greater resources.

But Pochettino’s suitability goes beyond his ideology and practices as a football coach. His current standing in the game also makes him the perfect fit for Manchester United—a club that has always done best when acting as a finishing school for football’s up and coming. It’s a thread woven through their makeup as a club.

Time and time again, United have been stung by buying the finished product in a manner that isn’t befitting of the club’s greater identity.

Angel Di Maria was regarded as one of the best in the world when he arrived at Old Trafford for a Premier League record £59.7 million fee, and yet the Argentinian winger flopped in England. The same happened with Radamel Falcao, with Bastian Schweinsteiger something of a disappointment so far as well.

The trend can be traced all the way back to the signing of Juan Sebastian Veron nearly 15 years ago, with the £28.1 million signing from Lazio largely failing to live up to his billing. Even Robin Van Persie—an undoubted success in his first season at United—faded quickly. 

Contrast such fortunes with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, David De Gea and Nemanja Vidic, who were brought to England with great promise and were given the chance to make good on that at Old Trafford. Pochettino is the coaching equivalent of such company. 

And yet Mourinho is still widely considered the man in-waiting at United. The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid coach is known to be keen on a return to England (per James Walker-Roberts of Sky Sports), with his dismissal from Chelsea earlier this season still stinging. From his perspective, the allure of the Premier League’s biggest club, in need of a saviour, is obvious.

In so many ways, Mourinho’s appointment at United makes no sense at all, and yet it’s widely agreed to be the only possible response the Red Devils can offer to the looming arrival of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City this summer.

Mourinho is seemingly the only adversary to ever get the better of the former Barcelona boss, even if the Portuguese ultimately unravelled himself.

But United’s reported pursuit of the Portuguese only underlines the existential crisis the club is currently suffering. The Old Trafford club were once one of the most characterful in Europe, but they are unsure of their personalty in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson age. By edging closer to United, Mourinho’s arrival would only serve to accentuate that.

There are still those among the Old Trafford hierarchy (most notably Sir Bobby Charlton, per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian) who remain suspicious of Mourinho.

They are wary of his off-the-field antics and abrasive public persona. Despite his recent efforts to prove to the contrary, the arrival of Guardiola in Manchester might bring out such traits in Mourinho once more. 

Pochettino is a different type of manager, cutting a more reserved and measured figure in the media. In essentially every way, he is the better fit for Manchester United, on and off the pitch. He has demonstrated enough at Spurs to suggest that he could handle the step up in expectation, just as he did in swapping Southampton for White Hart Lane. 

The appointment of Mourinho would only paper over some fairly sizeable cracks at United. His track record illustrates his lack of capacity in sustaining anything over three years, and after the stop-gap hiring of Van Gaal, another short-term fix is not what is needed at Old Trafford. Instead, the club could give Pochettino the opportunity to mould the club in his own image.

If United are open to the idea of looking beyond Mourinho—doing their research beyond whatever stats and reasoning the Portuguese coach provided in his letter—then Pochettino is surely a credible candidate to take over at Old Trafford. He might, in fact, be the only credible candidate.

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Arsenal have reportedly been “scared off” signing Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while long-term target Adrien Rabiot is now being eyed by Serie A giants Inter Milan. 

According to John Cross in the Mirror, Manchester United are preparing a £60 million move for Aubameyang in the summer and will offer him a £200,000-a-week contract, but Arsenal are not able to meet Dortmund’s high demands. 

As a result it seems they will have to look elsewhere for a new striker to complement Oliver Giroud in their attack.

Aubameyang, 26, has proved himself as a top-quality forward this season as he has been prolific in every competition he has played, per Squawka Football:

He is exactly the kind of player Arsenal need to give them the variety and depth to challenge for titles both domestically and in Europe.

However, Aubameyang has now become one of the hottest properties in European football, and given that he is contracted to Dortmund until 2020, they are not prepared to let him go on the cheap.

Given the fee United are reportedly prepared to pay for the Gabon international, Arsenal would have to smash their transfer record to sign him, not something they are seemingly prepared to do.

Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones recently admonished Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for failing to sign Alvaro Morata in January, and Aubameyang looks to be another striker that got away:

Elsewhere, the Gunners have been dealt a further blow in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s Rabiot, as Inter president Erick Thohir has arranged a visit to France in an attempt to negotiate a deal for the 20-year-old, per Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (via the Daily Star‘s Jamie Anderson).

Per ITA Sport Press (via Anderson), Arsenal were strongly linked with the young defensive midfielder in January, with Rabiot’s mother reportedly travelling to London to discuss a a deal with the club.

However, now that Inter are involved, the Gunners may have missed their chance.

Rabiot asked to leave PSG on loan last month, to the disappointment of club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, per Anderson: “I was very disappointed—I said it to his face. He’s 20 years old, plays regularly in a big team. He’s come through the youth academy—the club has given him a lot.”

It seems the Frenchman could be there for the taking if his relationship with PSG is deteriorating, and he could add quality and depth to the Arsenal midfield, as well as being another talent for Wenger to mould.

But the north London club now look to have a fight on their hands if they are to return for Rabiot in the summer. 

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Mario Balotelli is one of the biggest enigmas in world football.  He has a supreme natural talent.  When he’s in full force, he is difficult for any defender to stop.

However, the 25-year-old has never been able to hold himself in that form for very long.  

On the field, he switches from locked-in periods where no one can contain him to times when he looks like he wants to do anything but kick a ball.  

If his service dries up, he becomes frustrated and kicks more advertizing boards—and opponents—than footballs.  Off the field, a mess of bizarre incidents have distracted his focus even further.

After attempts to settle at Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan and Liverpool all failed, Balotelli made a surprise return to the Rossoneri at the end of the summer transfer window on loan.  

After his utter failure in his first season at Anfield, it seemed clear to all observers that this go-round at Milan would be his last chance in big-club football.

After Sunday’s game against Genoa, that chance may have come and gone.

Balotelli‘s season started well.  He made his debut three rounds into the season in the most high pressure of situations—the Derby della Madonnina, something he has experienced from both sides.  He had an instant impact on the game, nearly pulling a draw out of the fire only to be denied by Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

His good form continued in a 20-minute appearance in the next week against Palermo before being granted his first start against Udinese.  He responded with a man-of-the-match performance, scoring a beautiful free kick and looking dangerous throughout the game.

After another good performance the next week in Milan’s 1-0 loss to Genoa, Balotelli unexpectedly ended up out of action.  A hernia put him on the shelf for nearly four months.

In that time, Carlos Bacca emerged as a monster.  By the time Balotelli returned for a cameo appearance in Milan’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro, the Colombian had scored 11 times in all competitions and developed good chemistry with M’Baye Niang, who has been largely irremovable as the South American’s partner.

In the month that Balotelli‘s been back, he’s been a bit player at best.  He’s only started once, the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal against Alessandria; he hasn’t played more than 45 minutes in a league game.

Now it looks like he may not play again.

Thrown on as a last-minute sub on Sunday against Genoa, Balotelli‘s mind was anywhere but the San Siro.  To call him lethargic would almost be an insult to lethargy—and his disinterest brought down the ire of his coach.

Sinisa Mihajlovic was irate in general at his post-match press conference.  Milan had had several chances to kill the game off with a third goal, and they let Genoa close in during stoppage time with a very soft goal.  

But the Milan coach saved a special message for Balotelli.  “Those who don’t sacrifice themselves for the team to the 94th minute,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia), “will no longer set foot on the field.”

Balotelli wasn’t the only player Mihajlovic was referring to—he alluded to two or three more in his comments that he was similarly dissatisfied with—but given his past he is the one who will be focused on the most.

It’s obvious that the lack of consistent playing time since his return is allowing Balotelli‘s mind to wander.  He isn’t focused as a sub, and his play has been lackluster to say the best.

Balotelli needs to change his mindset.  With Bacca and Niang the first choice, Luiz Adriano competing for time behind them and Jeremy Menez finally healthy, his playing time is going to be hard to come by—if it comes at all after Sunday’s tirade by Mihajlovic.  

Balotelli needs to treat each minute he gets as a jewel rather than loaf through it.

Former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli, long one of Balotelli‘s biggest advocates, wrote this week in his regular column on Calciomercato (h/t Football Italia) that he should look to Juventus forward Simone Zaza for an example about how to behave in his new role.

A starter for the last two years at Sassuolo, Zaza has found minutes few and sometimes far between at the Juventus Stadium, but when he has played, he has given 100 percent effort all the time.  Sometimes it’s been to his detriment—see his red card against Chievo two weeks ago as evidence of that.  But no one has ever accused him of lacking effort once he’s stepped onto the field.

Balotelli‘s career is now at the ultimate crossroads.  If he doesn’t shape up mentally and show some form on the field, his time as a major-club player will be over.  He will become this generation’s Antonio Cassano—an extraordinarily gifted striker who bounces between mid- and low-table sides because he could never get his attitude right.

If Mihajlovic‘s threat on Sunday is more than just motivational talk, that fate is already sealed.  If he can work his way out of the doghouse and back onto the field, Balotelli will have to work overtime to ward it off.

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VILLA PARK, Birmingham — Liverpool got back to winning ways in style on Sunday, romping to a 6-0 victory at relegation favourites Aston Villa in a performance of all-round quality, with the contribution of their attacking trident of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge hogging the headlines.

“The theory goes had this trio been fit for selection for most of the season—or for even half the number of games in which they’ve been missing—Liverpool would be pursuing a top-four position rather than striving for consistency in mid-table,” the Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe evaluated, encapsulating the feeling of the away support.

The travelling fans were rousing in their vocal backing throughout, buoyed by this attacking might.

In Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge, Jurgen Klopp has a trio of top-level forward options, and in this overwhelming victory at Villa Park, they hinted at a strong finish to the 2015/16 campaign. 

Naturally, it was far from a three-man show on Sunday afternoon, with six different goalscorers and a steadfast clean sheet printed into the record books, serving as evidence of a solid, all-round team performance.

Lining his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Klopp made nine changes to the side that lost 2-1 to West Ham United in Tuesday night’s FA Cup fourth-round replay, with only Coutinho and Simon Mignolet keeping their places in the starting lineup.

This saw Kolo Toure fielded alongside Mamadou Sakho at centre-back, flanked by first-choice full-backs Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno and shielded by a two-man midfield unit of Jordan Henderson and Emre Can.

Joining Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge in a fluid attacking line was vice-captain James Milner, whose industry and guile on the right wing provided Liverpool with the impetus to overrun Remi Garde’s Villans.

Pressing high, holding a compact defensive line and flooding forward in numbers, the Reds overcame a congested start to gain dominance of the fixture, with Villa centre-back Joleon Lescott taking to Twitter after the game to apologise for his side’s “lack of commitment for the 90 minutes.”

Coutinho‘s sumptuous delivery from the left wing gave Liverpool their first of the afternoon, with Sturridge finding space behind a worryingly off-form Lescott to nod beyond Mark Bunn to make it 1-0, before Milner’s free-kick from the same area bounced past the former Norwich City goalkeeper nine minutes later to give the Reds a comfortable lead.

Heading into the break at 2-0, Klopp will have encouraged his side to continue their impressive work, and he was rewarded with further goals from Can, substitute Divock Origi, Clyne and Toure.

“That’s the best thing: I can’t tell who scored the goals!” Klopp told reporters after the game. “Clyney and Daniel and Divock with his first touch. That’s perfect!”

Toure, speaking to the Liverpool Echo‘s James Pearce following his first goal in five years, echoed this sentiment, lauded his side’s “perfect” performance, saying “that’s what the manager wants: everyone being part of the game. When we attack, we all go forward, and we all have to defend too.”

As Toure continued his post-match appraisal, he turned the focus to the decisive contributions of Coutinho and Sturridge, who were making their second appearances back in the first team after missing much of 2016 through injury:

Just look at the first goal.

Coutinho cross, Sturridge scored. First chance for us, first goal. They make the difference. They are both top players and we are really happy to have them.

We have a great squad. We just need to repeat that type of performance.

Though, as the 34-year-old points out, Liverpool have the squad capable of producing slick, attacking displays such as this Villa Park thrashing, what has been missing for much of 2015/16 is star quality.

In Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge, Klopp is now able to call upon a trio of genuine match-winners.

Coutinho, operating in his typical role on the left flank, spent the majority of his 66 minutes on the field drifting inside, closer to his natural No. 10 position, and produced a stunning performance of true creative zeal.

The Brazilian laid on two goals for his team-mates, providing Origi with a simple, side-footed finish for the Belgian’s first touch of the game on 63 minutes by playing an inch-perfect ball through the Villa defence.

An hour-long highlight reel, Coutinho‘s display was complete with flicks, tricks and no-look passes, with the former Inter Milan midfielder looking back to his best after a muted run of form before suffering a hamstring injury in January—and much of this is due to the support of his compatriot, Firmino.

Dropping back into an attacking-midfield role on the return of Sturridge, Firmino floated in the hole behind Villa’s midfield, pressing Lescott and Jores Okore back and dovetailing brilliantly with Klopp‘s No. 15.

Firmino made the most key passes of any player, with three, but it was his work rate and intensity that were most valuable; the 24-year-old provided the grit to match Sturridge‘s flair.

After a promising display off the bench in the defeat to West Ham in the FA Cup, Sturridge made his first start of the year at Villa Park, leading the line as a floating, off-the-shoulder centre-forward.

The England international has been the subject to much speculation throughout 2015/16, as injury issues persisted and dubious claims—via Sami Mokbel and Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail—hinted that he was looking to leave the club “over his fury at criticism questioning his desire to play for the club.”

These reports, of course, have proved to be unfounded, and an exceptional display—full of pace, movement and a much-needed predatory instinct—on Sunday served to compound this.

Klopp described Sturridge as a “real striker” after the game, perhaps indicating what Liverpool had been missing in his absence. 

Remarkably, given the fluency and efficiency of their attacking work, this was the first time supporters had seen Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge together in a Liverpool lineup.

As Bascombe highlighted, the absence of Sturridge—and the wavering fitness and form of Coutinho and Firmino—has undermined Liverpool’s push for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season; during his post-match debrief, the Telegraph reporter continued to gush over the England international’s influence on Klopp‘s side:

It does not matter how many different ways you try to describe it, Liverpool are a different team when Sturridge is on the pitch.

They’ve tried several personnel, numerous formations and a couple of managers this season—the difference between poor performances and excellent displays needs no significant analysis.

Sturridge played, everyone around him was better.

In Sturridge, Liverpool have a world-class centre-forward whose talents outbalance the frustration of his injury problems. Now, having approached the former Chelsea striker’s recovery with patience, Klopp is seemingly reaping the benefits.

“We can only speak about this when he’s available. Today was brilliant, you saw he was not too happy when we took him off,” Klopp continued to tell reporters, praising Sturridge‘s contribution.

“It made sense to take him out. It was okay, it was perfect for him. Hopefully he’s available for the next game too.”

The German should continue to take a cautious slant on Sturridge‘s reintroduction to the first team, but as he proved on Sunday afternoon, he is the centre-forward Liverpool must build around—and in Coutinho and Firmino, he has the perfect supporting cast.

Thursday night’s trip to take on FC Augsburg in the UEFA Europa League provides Klopp with his next opportunity to witness this attacking trio gel into a cohesive, accomplished unit—expect them to continue to fire.

Statistics via WhoScored.com, all quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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Entering 2016, Keisuke Honda’s AC Milan future was up in the air.

The Japanese playmaker had struggled for game time in the first half of this season, and the indications were that he would soon be on his way. He had started just four times in league action since Sinisa Mihajlovic took the reins last summer and seemed to be edging closer to the exit door.

He made several comments in public that hinted at his own unhappiness, telling Kyodo News (h/t Football Italia) in early January that, “the situation has become even uglier. I arrived at Milan in the hope of being able to … change things, but since then the club has continued to keep changing coach.”

Less than two months later, however, and Honda’s situation is markedly better. He starred in Milan’s 2-1 win over Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday, scoring a fantastic goal to round off a strong all-round display.

His individual showing in the victory was merely the latest in a string of performances evidencing an improved work rate to go along with his longstanding technical skills. In many ways, it was the confirmation of a complete turnaround in personal fortunes.

In facing Genoa, Honda looked into a alternate version of what his future could have been. Former Milan players Suso and Alessio Cerci—both left-footed playmakers—appeared for the opposite side having moved to the Grifone in the January transfer window.

The Japan midfielder was rumoured to be on his way too, though club chief executive Adriano Galliani stated otherwise recently, telling MilanNews (h/t Football Italia):

He always states his opinions politely. He wants to stay at Milan, and we want to keep him, he’s never been for sale and he’s never asked for a transfer.

We’re very happy with what he’s doing now. He’s doing very well, he works very hard and sacrifices himself so much for the team.

That willingness to put in the hard yards is something that has impressed in Honda’s performances, establishing him in Mihajlovic’s starting lineup. Even when his passes, dribbles or shots aren’t coming off, the minimum he has offered to the team is his maximum effort.

Against Genoa, Honda added a productive edge to his effort. It was his cross that ended up at Carlos Bacca’s feet on five minutes, setting the Colombian up for a routine finish to put Milan ahead.

Then, after the hour mark, Honda cut inside and unleashed an accurate, curled finish to double his team’s lead. It was a stunning strike; a goal so good that it was surprising to realise the player previously hadn’t scored since October 2014.  

He was immediately surrounded by his team-mates, celebrating what must have been a huge milestone with him.

After the match, Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo commented on how pleased he was with Honda and his contribution to the team, telling Sky Sport Italia (h/t Forza Italian Football): “Honda is a reliable and trustworthy player. I’m happy to have a player like him in the team, with guys like him you reach your goals.”

Honda’s attitude isn’t just winning over his fellow players, though. In the aftermath of the derby win over Inter Milan, Mihajlovic remarked of the 29-year-old, when speaking to Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), that “when you explain clearly what he needs to do, he does it. He sacrifices himself.”

Self-sacrifice isn’t a trait commonly associated with trequartistas. Honda’s ability to adapt to a new role on the right of a four-man midfield, combined with his determination to aid his team not only when they have the ball, but when defending, make him unique in this respect.

BeIN Sport’s football commentator Matteo Bonetti stated that, in his opinion, Honda has been “one of Milan’s best performers since (the) derby.” He isn’t wrong.

A matter of months ago, it seemed as if Honda was set to waste his prime years sitting on the substitutes’ bench in a perpetual state of frustration. That has all changed now. And, if he can continue his current form, he can play a big part in Milan’s future.

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Chelsea are reportedly plotting a sensational summer swoop for Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, via Tom Olver of Metro.

Busquets has been a virtual ever-present for the Catalan giants since he made his debut for the club back in 2008, with solid and composed performances in the heart of midfield, giving Barca’s flair players the chance to shine.

He’s also proved the perfect foil for creative midfield partners Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta this term, so it’s little surprise Chelsea are chasing his signature.

However, the 27-year-old is currently tied down to a contract at the Camp Nou until 2019, with the option of an additional season on top of that.

That means that it’ll cost the Blues a pretty penny to convince Barca to send Busquets to west London, and it doesn’t look as if manager Luis Enrique will be willing to listen to offers anytime soon.

The Barcelona manager said Busquets is one of the most important members of his remarkable squad—via ESPN:

“He was one of the players who has played the most minutes this season, and that shows how important he is for us. He is a top player. I won’t hail him anymore because we already know his importance to the team.”

Persuading Busquets himself to leave could be rather tricky, too, as he has often voiced his love for Barca and his desire to stay at the club.

And although the midfielder did, in fact, open up to the possibility of leaving Barcelona during an interview with ESPN, Stamford Bridge wouldn’t be his planned destination:

I have always said there are just two people who could make me change my decision to stay at Barcelona. One of those two people is my wife. And she is happy here right now, so I don’t think there will be any issues on a personal level. On a sporting level, that other person is Guardiola.

It’s clear that I owe Pep a lot and I would be honoured to work with him again. He knows that Barcelona are my club and it’s his club as well. He knows it’s best for the club and for me to stay here and I don’t think he will ask me to leave Barcelona.

So, unless Busquets’ wife is a die-hard Chelsea fan, the Blues will have to shop around to find a new anchor in the heart of their midfield.

Elsewhere, Chelsea have reportedly joined the chase to land Lille striker Sofiane Boufal in the summer transfer window, per TalkSport, via Olver of Metro.

The Ligue 1 front man has scored seven goals this season—via WhoScored.com—and put together a string of impressive performances to make his way onto the Blues’ radar.

However, Chelsea aren’t alone in chasing Boufal, as Olver writes that Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Stoke, Southampton, Juventus, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in landing the Moroccan.

Chelsea are slowly but surely becoming a team to be feared in the Premier League, but if they can’t secure Champions League football for the 2016/17 season, luring players to Stamford Bridge could be a tough task.

Winning Europe’s elite competition could prove the Blues’ only ticket back into the big time, and their mission to do exactly that starts on Tuesday, when they take on the in-form PSG at Parc des Princes.

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Rumoured Manchester United target Edinson Cavani will reportedly leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with the striker said to be unhappy in the French capital.

That’s according to Le 10 Sport (h/t Sport Witness), which claim PSG are happy to see the forward leave for the right price. It’s noted in the piece that the Red Devils remain keen on the Uruguay international, although so do a lot of teams from Serie A, a division in which Cavani shone previously for Napoli.

Here is a look at why United fans should be excited about these latest rumours, as Cavani has proven himself to be one of the finest strikers around:

Still, he’s not actually playing as a centre-forward at the Parc des Princes, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic regularly deployed at the point of the attack. It means Cavani is primarily utilised on either flank, and while he’s still effective in these positions, he’s not at his best there.

Indeed, as noted here by the Brazil Stats Twitter account, recently it seems as though PSG manager Laurent Blanc is happy to use more natural wingers in the wide areas:

United look to have been on the hunt for a forward too. But Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has insisted he would turn down a future move to the club, having heard the Premier League side were seeking to sign him in the January window.

There have been rumours surfacing that the young striker could leave the San Siro after a breakdown in the relationship between himself and manager Roberto Mancini. However, when asked about potential interest from the Red Devils, Icardi was adamant his future will be in Milan.

“I heard something, but I want to stay at Inter,” he said to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Will Giles of Metro). “My answer will always be the same: I want to stay here. If Manchester try again, it will not be the first club or the last that I refuse. I feel good in Milan and I will not leave. The club has a major project and is making big investments to get back to winning and I want to help out.”

Here’s how he, Cavani and United’s current starting centre-forward, Wayne Rooney, all compare in league matches this season:

If United want a forward who can offer a lot more in general play, who is willing to work hard and is versatile, then it’d be no surprise to see them go all out for Cavani, who turns 29 on Feb. 14, at the end of the season. However, if they feel as though they need a poacher who is young and with room for improvement, then Icardi could be the best bet.

As these statistics show from WhoScored.com, the Inter man is a player who finds himself in brilliant positions because of his clever movement in the penalty area:

Icardi, as is evident by his quotes, seems happy at Inter, though, meaning it’ll likely be more difficult to potentially prise him away if there is genuine interest.

At 22, he’d be a brilliant capture for United and another youthful talent in an exciting young squad.

Cavani looks more and more like a gettable target. Should he find himself continually out of the starting XI in the French capital then there will be plenty of top sides willing to take him off PSG’s hands.

United, with just Rooney and Anthony Martial as genuine options up front, would be a brilliant home for the Uruguayan in the peak years of his career.

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Inter Milan defender Yuto Nagatomo has revealed he was approached by Manchester United during the January transfer window, but he turned down the opportunity to join the Red Devils on loan.

The Japan international made the revelation in an interview with Inter TV (h/t Mail Online’s Jonny Singer): “I like everything about Inter, I want to stay here and renew my contract. I turned down an offer from Manchester United, as my desire is to stay here. I have an excellent rapport with Roberto Mancini.”

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News confirmed United’s offer was a loan deal, similar to the deal the club tried to strike for Olympiakos defender Omar Elabdellaoui.

Nagatomo has plied his trade in Italy since 2010 and moved to Inter from Cesena in 2011. The 29-year-old has been a valued member of the Nerazzurri ever since, although he has been limited to just nine Serie A starts this season, per WhoScored.com.

A classic left-back who can play further up the pitch if needed, Nagatomo has flown under the radar in the past few years as Inter have rarely made much of an impact outside of Serie A. The Japanese star is a fine player, however, as you can see in the video below:

He does most of his damage with his quickness and displays a phenomenal work rate on the pitch. Nagatomo can run for days and will drive opponents mad with his tendency to keep moving and harass them at every turn.

He’s not a fantastic technician or a particularly good crosser, but Nagatomo is the type of player fans can’t help but love because he always gives it his everything. Under normal circumstances, a club like United wouldn’t pay too much attention to the Japanese defender, but in light of the Red Devils’ struggles with injuries, the approach makes a lot more sense.

Manager Louis van Gaal spent the better part of the season’s first half looking for answers at the left-back position, as designated starter Luke Shaw suffered an injury during the UEFA Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven.

The Dutchman tried a variety of options, including moving Daley Blind out wide, shifting Matteo Darmian to the left and using centre-back Marcos Rojo in the position. None of the variations were ideal, and it wasn’t until the emergence of young star Cameron Borthwick-Jackson when some consistency was found.

The 19-year-old has seen his playing time gradually increase during the last month, and given his strong form, the club no longer has a dire need for another full-back. But as recently as four weeks ago, the Red Devils could have used an experienced veteran to bring some stability to the position, and Nagatomo would surely have fit the bill.

A loan deal would have been ideal, as Shaw is expected to return at some point in the future, and while some fans may frown upon hearing their club tried to bring in a little-known Japanese player, the reported approach makes a lot of sense.

Inter likely wouldn’t have been too keen on handing the Red Devils one of their most valued players unless the loan fee was significant. And as Nagatomo has spent the last half-decade playing in the Italian fashion capital, it’s easy to see why he preferred an extended stay with his current club.

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