Paris Saint-Germain ended their competitive calendar for 2015 in style last Saturday, beating SM Caen 3-0 at Stade Michel d’Ornano. Since that victory over Patrice Garande’s men, every member of the French champions’ squad has been on holiday.

Speaking after the win over Caen, Les Parisiens coach Laurent Blanc revealed how hectic his team’s schedule was in the buildup to the last Ligue 1 fixture of the calendar year. The 50-year-old also admitted the winter break has arrived at the right time for his players.

The context was a little special as the players are on holiday as of now, so there were a lot of preparations for the game but also for travelling. You might have thought Paris would not have their minds on the game, but from the opening five minutes, we were reassured about this. What I’m interested in is having 51 points after having had 11 away games and eight at home. Trust me, we need a break. That was our ninth game in 27 days. Yes, we have a big squad, a quality squad, but you still have to play the matches.

Now that Ligue 1 is inactive for a few weeks, PSG will not be back in Le Championnat action until the opening round of games in 2016. SC Bastia will be the visitors to Parc des Princes for that first match of the new year at the end of the first week of January.

Between the win away at Caen and the reception of the Corsicans in Paris, the French capital outfit have a four-day training camp in Qatar. The short stay in Doha is known as the Qatar Winter Tour (QWT), and Blanc‘s men will face Inter Milan in a friendly.

After that clash with the Italians, PSG will be in Coupe de France round-of-64 action away at ES Wasquehal before Bastia arrive in Paris five days later.

Speaking to the capital club’s official website ahead of the QWT, Blanc expressed his hope that the time spent together in Doha will strengthen his team’s collective spirit and give the players some intensive tests.

I want the team to bond even more, although they know each other quite well already. It actually is part of our strength. We only made small changes to the squad, but we want the new players to adapt even more. We want to continue the progress we began four years ago. We will also have fantastic working conditions, with amazing weather, as Qatar is the perfect place for this. The tour will be short, but I am hoping to see some intensive work, and the players will be very busy with the sponsorship activation and the media presence.

For the second half of the season, PSG‘s immediate focus will be on preparing themselves thoroughly for the UEFA Champions League doubleheader with Chelsea in February and March and then any potential continental fixtures that follow on from that.

In preparing for the encounter with Guus Hiddink‘s men, the Ligue 1 leaders already have a significant advantage over the English Premier League outfit.

While PSG are enjoying a relatively light Christmas and New Year’s schedule, with just four games in the month following the win over Caen, the Blues will be experiencing a gruelling run of six fixtures in 21 days before normal service resumes in mid-January.

The intensity of that run of games could be detrimental to Chelsea’s chances of ousting the in-form PSG over two legs in the round of 16 and progressing further, while the relative calmness the French giants will enjoy should keep more of their players fresh.

Les Parisiens‘ Europe-based stars will be in Doha for the duration of the four-day training camp. However, their sizeable South American contingent will only join up with their team-mates more than halfway through their sojourn in Qatar.

That extended break for the likes of captain Thiago Silva, Angel Di Maria, David Luiz, Edinson Cavani, Maxwell, Javier Pastore, Lucas Moura, Marquinhos and Ezequiel Lavezzi should leave them all feeling reinvigorated.

It should also ensure there is no repeat of the farce that saw Cavani and Lavezzi fail to report for duty on last year’s midseason tour of Morocco.

Keeping the likes of Silva and Di Maria fresh is of particular importance to Blanc and PSG‘s Champions League chances. Both players are enjoying excellent seasons, and ideally they will be in the same shape when Chelsea visit Parc des Princes in February and the return leg takes place in March.

Allowing the South Americans to enjoy the maximum amount of time with their families and eliminating the pressure created by travelling between different time zones will also keep the players in high spirits when they return to club duty.

Blanc played down the impact of the time-zone changes and also lauded the conditions in which he and his players will be working in Doha.

They are amazing. Everything, from sports to medical facilities, will be at our disposal. Another big advantage is the climate. It is the best possible weather to work with the squad and there is not such a big time difference between Qatar and Paris. We will avoid the usual endless plane journeys that you need in order to get this sort of weather. With such short tours, the time difference can be a problem, especially when you come back. But this won’t be the case for us.

The winter break with a small training camp in Doha also gives Blanc the chance to address a few lingering concerns he may have about his squad ahead of the business end of the season.

If Le President has issues with some of Kevin Trapp’s wobbly displays in goal or Cavani‘s ineffective performances in attack, the French tactician will have a chance to discuss them with the players during this time.

Equally as important—if not more—Blanc will also be able to work on solutions to some of his team’s minor issues, such as the inconsistency in attacking displays and notably the chemistry between Cavani, Di Maria and Zlatan Ibrahimovic when played as a front three.

In theory, this long winter break will hand PSG a considerable edge in the Champions League. Not only will the players get some real rest, but they will also be able to work on a few things over the break without being involved in exclusively competitive games.

In terms of preparing for an assault on the Champions League over the second half of the season, the French champions’ time off could prove decisive, and Chelsea will be envious of their bonding trip as they try to adapt to new coach Hiddink.

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For Arsenal, the January transfer window represents a vital pit-stop in the race for the Premier League title.

Arsenal are in a strong position, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t do with strengthening. Actually, the very fact that the opportunity to win the league is so apparent means the Gunners must go all-out to ensure they do everything they can to improve their chances of ending their wait for a title. 

Although Wenger typically prefers to do his business in the summer, it appears he may be prepared to do some midseason business this time around. Speaking to BeIN Sport (h/t the Daily Express), Wenger seemed open to the possibility of bringing in at least one new player in January: 

Yes, we are short and the number of games we have to play in January are very important.

God knows how we will come out of the Christmas period, with a lot of demand on the physical front so we need to do something.  

I would love to give you names, downstairs in the bar with a coffee but not in front of your camera. 

Wenger is unwilling to identify the players he’s interested in, but we’re able to play detective and analyse his squad requirements.

Holding Midfielder

The first area the Gunners need to reinforce is the base of their midfield. For most of this season, Wenger’s first-choice pair comprised of Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin. However, he’s now set to be without that pair until the spring. 

In Aaron Ramsey, Wenger arguably has a ready-made Cazorla replacement at his disposal. Ramsey has been playing wide-right for much of 2015/16, but his preferred position is in the centre of the park. The Spaniard’s injury presents a huge opportunity for Ramsey to establish himself in his ideal role.

However, he is quite a different player to Cazorla. While the Spaniard’s game is predominantly about methodical possession, Ramsey has a more all-action approach. 

That could require a different partner. At the moment, Mathieu Flamini is standing in for Coquelin. The two Frenchmen share a combative style. However, Arsenal may need to add someone with a slightly different skill set to offset Ramsey’s risk-taking game.

Back in 2013, Ramsey formed an effective partnership with the disciplined distributor Mikel Arteta. Although Arteta’s body no longer seems capable of withstanding the rigours of Premier League football, someone in that mould could provide a complementary partner for Ramsey in the short-term, and an excellent option in the long-term, too.

Forward 

Were Danny Welbeck fit to return to action in January, Arsenal would probably not be interested in recruiting another attacker. However, speaking to Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail, Wenger confessed that Welbeck is still some way away from a comeback. He said:

He is still not available because of bone bruising that deteriorated. It is a big blow for us, especially because we could not rotate and lost Alexis Sanchez.

Welbeck’s injury has now kept him out for the best part of a year. After such a long absence, who knows what further set-backs could befall him. 

Wenger has Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott to rotate at centre-forward, but it’s in the wide areas where he could arguably do with more support. Recently, he’s been forced to play Joel Campbell regularly on the flank. Although the Costa Rican has been surprisingly effective when cutting in from the right-hand side, it’s true that Arsenal could upgrade.

Ramsey’s redeployment in the centre has effectively created a vacancy on the right-hand side. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was expected to make the position his own, but he is seemingly struggling for both fitness and confidence.

Acquiring an attacking player who is capable of improving Arsenal’s options in January will not be easy, but Wenger’s scouts will be charged with identifying any potential additions in that area. One such man could be Celta Vigo’s Nolito. According to Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo (h/t talkSPORT), the Gunners are monitoring the Celta Vigo star’s situation after it was revealed he has a buyout clause of £12.6 million in his contract. 

A muscular dribbler with great goalscoring instincts, Nolito is the sort of wide forward who would immediately improve the attacking portion of Wenger’s squad.

Right-Back

Wenger probably hopes he will not have to buy a defender in this window. That part of his squad has been relatively settled. There is an established first-choice back four of Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Hector Bellerin, with a number of experienced back-ups waiting behind. 

However, some of the reserves are unhappy with that hierarchy—particularly France international Mathieu Debuchy.

Debuchy has lost his regular place to the Spaniard Hector Bellerin, and with Euro 2016 on the horizon, he is desperate to secure the regular football required to reclaim his international place.

Back in November, he told Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail:

It’s certain that being on the bench every weekend is not easy for me to handle. It’s the first time for me in my career.

I am putting up with it and trying to stay mentally strong, but it’s true that sometimes it’s more difficult than at other times, when in your mind things are complicated.

It’s a case of staying focused until December and then we’ll see what happens after that.

Wenger must be tempted to keep Debuchy on as cover. However, he also has form for letting unsettled players leave halfway through the campaign—12 months ago, Lukas Podolski was allowed to join Inter Milan on loan despite Arsenal’s many injury problems.

It’s possible Debuchy will also be granted a move. That could leave Arsenal looking for short-term cover for Bellerin. Although they still have Calum Chambers, he seems much more comfortable as a centre-half, and he may even be called upon to fill in in midfield. Carl Jenkinson is out on a season-long loan, the terms of which may stipulate he cannot return to the club in January. 

If Wenger allows Debuchy to go, he could be left scrabbling around for a replacement.

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Manchester United and Liverpool will reportedly go head-to-head in a battle to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian winger Lucas Moura.

The Daily Telegraph claimed the two longstanding rivals are keen on the 23-year-old, who is rated as one of the most exciting young players in world football. In the piece it’s noted that the French champions appear to be “prepared to listen to offers” and a fee of £22 million may be enough to prise him away from Parc des Princes.

For United, it’d be quite a coup. As we can see here, Lucas is a player who is enthralling to watch when he’s at his very best:

We’ve seen his best in flashes for PSG this season. The Brazil international has become a much more regular feature in the first team in the French capital, starting 13 of their 19 league matches to this point. With four goals and two assists, Lucas has been a major positive for the Parisians too.

So it makes it difficult to see him potentially leaving the club any time soon, especially for such a meagre fee. As noted by Joe Wright of Goal, PSG parted with a massive €35 million to sign Lucas in 2012, staving off interest from the Red Devils and Inter Milan to bring him to the Parc des Princes. 

Given the steady improvements made by the player during his time in Ligue 1, you suspect if PSG were to entertain the possibility of a sale, they’d only do so to earn a profit.

United could certainly do with a player of his guile. As noted here by Stats Zone, for all their possession in matches, they lack a creative edge:

Moura would bring that to the table, but any hopes of a deal seem a long way off at this point. Therefore, manager Louis van Gaal should look to his own wingers like Jesse Lingard and Memphis Depay to showcase that kind of ingenuity if the Red Devils are to be a major threat in front of goal again.

Ayoze Perez Happy at Newcastle

Newcastle United forward Ayoze Perez has confirmed there is genuine interest in him from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, but for now he’s happy where he is.

“There is truth in the talk about interest in me,” the 22-year-old told Radio Club Tenerife (h/t Harry Slavin of the Daily Mail). “It’s rewarding for me. There is much truth in the interest from Tottenham and Man United, but my place is at Newcastle.” 

Since joining the Magpies in the summer of 2014, Perez has impressed in bursts. He’s a player who can alter the course of a match with one moment of quality and although he’s been in and out of the Newcastle team this season, the striker seems to have developed a penchant for making decisive contributions.

He operates in a position United are currently short of depth in, striker. As noted here by Copa90, captain and star forward Wayne Rooney has really struggled in front of goal as of late:

Perez looks like a player who is more at home in a withdrawn role, though, even if he has played at the point of the attack for Newcastle at times.

What United need is a player who can lead the line, offer support to Rooney and Anthony Martial, and when chances do come in the box, have the predatory instincts to take them.

That’s not Perez’s game and it’s encouraging to hear him say his future is likely to be at St. James’ Park.

He still has plenty of developing to do before he thinks about moving on to a club like United or Spurs.

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Barcelona star Lionel Messi has previously claimed he would like to play for Inter Milan one day, according to his compatriot and former Nerazzurri man Juan Sebastian Veron.

The playmaker, who also enjoyed spells with Sampdoria, Lazio, Chelsea and Manchester United, revealed he spoke to Messi about a possible move a while ago, insisting the Blaugrana star was keen on the idea. However, Veron also admitted it’s likely the transfer will never happen.

“It’s been a few years, but one time he (Messi) told me he would like to play for Inter,” he told Tuttosport (h/t David Manuca of Goal). “But let me be clear, this was something that happened in the past. Massimo Moratti was still the owner of Inter and, frankly, I see it impossible for Leo to leave Barcelona.”

Inter have suffered something of a fall from grace in recent seasons, having failed to challenge at the summit of European football since their Champions League triumph in 2010.

However, under the shrewd tutelage of Roberto Mancini, they’re top of Serie A at Christmas this season and will be tough to topple in the race for the title.

As commentator Adam Summerton noted here, the omens look good for the Milan giants, who were last crowned champions in 2010:

Even if they were to reassert their spot among European football’s elite, Inter would find it tough to prise Messi away from Barcelona. The forward remains the most influential attacker in world football and for the Blaugrana, selling him would represent a huge gamble.

Indeed, as this remarkable statistic from the Champions League Twitter feed illustrates, Messi is still the most important player at the Camp Nou:

One day Messi may seek to explore his horizons and sample football in another country. But for the time being, he’ll want to continue playing alongside the best players in the world and challenging for the biggest honours in the sport. Barcelona is currently the best place for him to do so.

Barcelona’s January Approach Discussed

According to Luis F. Rojo and Ramiro Aldunate of Marca, Barcelona will not be spending big money in the January transfer window to improve their squad, meaning the club may have to tap into the loan market if they are to add to their ranks.

As noted in the piece, the Blaugrana are said to be targeting a central midfielder and a forward player. However, they are unlikely to move for Celta Vigo winger Nolito, who has an €18 million (£13.2 million) release clause in his contract at the moment.

Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal can both join the group in the new year and that’ll help relieve the pressure on a Barcelona squad that has been pushed to breaking point at times this year.

However, the Blaugrana will still be a little light, especially in midfield, with Rafinha out for the rest of the season.

In terms of attacking players, as good as Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are, there’s little in reserve should any of the trio be unavailable.

Barcelona will have to be savvy in the January window by the sounds of it, but if they can get in a capable forward to deputise for their stellar trident, they’ll be in a fine position to defend the three trophies they won last season.

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Arsenal are ready to say goodbye to reliable midfielder Mathieu Flamini in the summer. But the Gunners could bolster their options in the middle before then, with a winter move for Inter Milan‘s Marcelo Brozovic.

Arsenal need solidity and numbers in midfield to boost their challenge for this season’s Premier League title. At the moment, the burden is on Flamini while the normal central pairing, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin, nurse long-term injuries.

In fairness to Flamini, the 31-year-old has answered the call. He’s used his typical tenacity and energy to provide a vital physical presence alongside the forward-thinking Aaron Ramsey.

But it seems the Gunners aren’t keen on carrying the Frenchman’s £80,000 per week wages beyond next summer, according to Mirror writer John Cross. He reveals how Flamini is one of three veteran midfielders, along with Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky, who are out of contract at the end of this season.

Of the three, Flamini has the unique distinction of never having lost a league game at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, per Cross: He “has never finished on the losing side in the 52 Premier League games he has played at the Emirates, winning 36 of them.”

Flamini has proved useful since Gunners chief Arsene Wenger gave him a second stint with Arsenal back in the summer of 2013. But as Cross points out, Wenger is keen on a full-scale revamp of his midfield “in January—and again in the summer.”

Part of his plan could involve taking one of Serie A’s most intriguing talents during the January transfer window.

Arsenal Begin Talks to Sign Marcelo Brozovic

The Gunners have started talks with Inter over a deal for Brozovic, according to Italian source TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Daily Express writer Charlie Phillippe). The report claims the Milan side is willing to sell the player also wanted by Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Chelsea, but that the talks are yet to bear fruit:

Roberto Mancini is willing to let the Brozovic leave in January, with the 23-year-old only featuring 13 times this term.

Inter paid £5million to sign the Croatian from Dinamo Zagreb in January on a loan deal until June 2017, but his valuation has more than trebled since then.

Discussions between the two clubs are still in the early stages and a deal is not thought to be close.

More scepticism about the deal comes from Sport Witness‘ Tom Coast. The issue concerns Inter’s full ownership or lack thereof, of the player: “The Serie A side loaned the player for 18 months last January, and still need to pay the Croatian club the €3 million loan fee, as well as the €5 million clause to make the deal permanent if they so wish.”

The Croatian club in question is Dinamo Zagreb.

Coast states Inter could want as much as €25 million from the Gunners next month, assuming they can wrap things up with Dinamo. That’s a hefty fee, despite Arsenal’s obvious need.

Brozovic is certainly a talent. The player dubbed the Croatian Xavi is described as a “difficult player to categorise” by ESPN.com‘s Nick Dorrington: “Indeed, he performs best as the adaptable third wheel in a midfield three in which the others take charge of the dedicated defensive (Arijan Ademi at Dinamo) and creative (Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric for Croatia) tasks.”

Many may feel like the Gunners need a more natural holding midfielder, one with the physicality to handle defensive chores in England’s top flight. But the Brozovic to Arsenal talk isn’t going away.

Earlier this month, the Daily Telegraph cited unnamed reports from Italy claiming the Gunners are ready to bid £11.9 million to tempt Inter boss Roberto Mancini into a sale.

Regardless of style, Wenger knows his squad needs midfield options. Jack Wilshere is another long-term injury absence. Meanwhile, Wenger has had to trust defender Calum Chambers as an auxiliary midfield substitute. Chambers has been joined on the bench by 17-year-old Jeff Reine-Adelaide, as Arsenal wait for the injury list to finally shorten.

The Gunners need numbers and quality in the middle to inspire their bid for the title.

Wenger knows he’ll get maximum effort from Flamini, a player he’d no doubt love to send off with a league winner’s medal. Meanwhile, Brozovic is an exciting talent the Arsenal manager would surely develop into a formidable midfield man.

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Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Watford provided Jurgen Klopp with another dose of realism as he contends with life in the Premier League, closing in on his third month in charge of Liverpool. The German will have been fully aware of the challenges he would face on replacing the outgoing Brendan Rodgers in October, but the multitude of flaws on show at Vicarage Road underlined significant room for improvement on Merseyside.

But, according to the Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe, this is unlikely to see Klopp add to his squad in the January transfer window, despite reported moves for both Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic and Schalke defender Joel Matip in the offing:

Klopp was already working on moves for a midfielder and centre-half which, although completed next month, will not bring the players to the club until next summer.

[…]

Liverpool’s hierarchy are ready to make further funds available immediately if the new manager makes a request, but Klopp has made it known he wants to give his squad the rest of the campaign to prove themselves.

With a League Cup semi-final on the immediate horizon the latest setbacks are seen as inevitable bumps in the road as the new manager makes a more thorough assessment of his long-term needs.

This may disappoint supporters itching for a major squad overhaul in the winter, but Klopp has long stood as a bastion of frugality, preferring to mould talented players into a cohesive, successful unit—as he proved during his time at Borussia Dortmund, rarely sanctioning big-money signings. The 48-year-old has a belief in his current crop, and suppressing expectation for the season may be for the best in the long term.

Nevertheless, as Philippe Coutinho told David Lynch of the club’s official website this week, Liverpool are a club with perennial aspirations to secure silverware, saying “we’re all focused on fighting for the trophies and I think we have a great chance in the competitions we’re in this year.”

So how can Klopp improve his squad without significant spending, both in January and moving into the future?

Training-Ground Work

Klopp’s arrival at Liverpool brought speculation from all angles as to how he was going to change his side’s approach on the field of play, with the famed high-intensity, attacking football of his seven-year reign at Dortmund at the forefront, with supporters frantically researching terms such as “gegenpressing.”

As with any change in manager, Klopp’s appointment saw a change in emphasis at Liverpool’s training ground, as Alberto Moreno explained at the beginning of December.

“With Klopp the training sessions are all about tactics, in order to have the team well-positioned on the pitch, and to know how and when to press,” he told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope (h/t Kristian Walsh in the Liverpool Echo). “He doesn’t do games or things like that. It’s all tactical. It’s what he likes and what we work.”

Though Moreno went on the describe these sessions as “boring,” the Spaniard highlighted the Reds’ immediate improvement as testimony to their worth, saying “they are the ones that give results on the pitch.”

Moreno is not the only player to discuss Klopp’s work on the training field following his arrival, with Dejan Lovren going into more depth in a recent interview reported by David Lynch of the club’s official website:

He certainly has strong ideas and we have noticed a difference.

Each manager has a different way of training and his own thoughts on how he wants us to play. I believe we have adapted very quickly as a squad. 

We are definitely working hard on the training ground but now it is all about the mentality. I think the English and the Germans are different in this aspect. 

It is a big thing to change, but I think the stats and so on show that we have been doing okay with Jurgen so far.

As Bascombe discussed, Klopp’s training methods have largely resulted in an improved performance on the field—particularly in terms of Liverpool’s distance run as a collective; something that Klopp focusses heavily on.

“Liverpool’s running statistics were elevated to impressive levels beyond 115 kilometres (71 miles) per game when Klopp took over in October,” he detailed, “but the German coach will be perturbed to discover a significant drop against Watford, where Liverpool’s players covered 107.5 kilometres (67 miles) in the 3-0 defeat.”

Typically, Liverpool are running further, tackling harder and attacking with more vibrancy than the latter months of Rodgers’ spell in charge, but as Bascombe attests, the defeat to Watford underlines a lack of consistency at this stage.

This may well be due to a fatigue pervading the squad, and this is something Klopp could address when it comes to his more injury-prone talents, with training regimes potentially tailored to certain individuals, with both Daniel Sturridge and Mamadou Sakho—key players under Klopp and central to any future success—particularly susceptible to muscular injuries that could be linked to overexertion.

On the whole, however, the German’s good work should continue, and it can be argued that the Reds’ Vicarage Road loss was more to do with their mentality than their physical conditioning.

Foster a Winning Mentality

Speaking to Talksport’s Stan Collymore after Sunday’s victory over Liverpool, Watford striker and captain Troy Deeney said:

The most impressive thing about our performance today is that we bullied them. They just didn’t fancy the fight.

We scored after a few minutes which settled the nerves and then we dominated. [Martin] Skrtel went off, he didn’t fancy it, and it was a great victory.

We’ve shown we’re not scared of anybody. We were written off by everybody at the start of the season. We’ve had all these questioned fired at us, ‘can we score goals, are we good enough for the Premier League, can we avoid relegation’, and we’ve answered them tenfold.

As Deeney suggests, Liverpool underestimated the Hornets, and the brutish Englishman, along with two-goal star Odion Ighalo and the likes of Etienne Capoue, Almen Abdi and Nathan Ake, overran the Reds as a result.

Liverpool showed no steel, with disappointing contributions from a number of senior players such as Skrtel, Lucas Leiva—both at fault for Ighalo’s first goal—Adam Lallana and even Coutinho, who told the club’s official website in November that “though I’m young, I feel like a senior player now.”

Juxtaposed miserably by the increasingly animated, immeasurably passionate Klopp on the touchline, the German’s squad crumbled under pressure from a hardworking Watford outfit. This is something that he will look to avoid in the future, and to do so, Klopp must foster a winning mentality at Liverpool.

So far under Klopp, Liverpool’s away form has been substantially improved, with big victories at Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton underlining just how devastating the German’s sides can be when in full flow, and as Coutinho, Lallana and Roberto Firmino tore apart City at the Etihad Stadium, Klopp will have been encouraged by their ruthless streak.

This is something seen in flashes in the 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion, too, with Divock Origi’s late, long-range equaliser sparking a deafening reaction from the stands, with the Anfield support finally reaching Klopp’s expectations.

The German rewarded their efforts by herding his side over to the Kop to salute them at full-time, and Liverpool need more of this as he looks to unite a fractured club.

This was a symbol of a restored belief, and while defeat to Watford may have betrayed this as superficial, these slow steps are what Klopp must continue to take to ensure his side develop that winning mentality—a belief, reinforced by supporters, that they can triumph in adversity.

As a long-term measure, however, it may be that Klopp will be required to add to his squad.

Trawl the Free-Transfer Market

As his time at Dortmund proved, Klopp is a purveyor of the bargain signing, with Ilkay Gundogan, Nuri Sahin, Robert Lewandowski, Shinji Kagawa, Lukasz Piszczek, Mats Hummels, Sven Bender, Kevin Grosskreutz, Neven Subotic and Felipe Santana all joining the club for below £5 million.

Each went on to play a key role under Klopp, with the free-transfer signing of Piszczek serving as a reminder of the benefits of trawling the market for expiring contracts and free agents.

This looks set to continue at Liverpool, with Klopp’s projected move for Matip, on the expiry of his current deal with Schalke, representing a shrewd move by the German; a versatile, 24-year-old defender, Matip can strengthen Klopp’s squad in a number of positions without breaking the bank.

If Matip joins the Reds in the summer, this is one to be followed, as the free-transfer market will be a fruitful one.

Experienced talents such as Valencia’s Sofiane Feghouli, Sevilla‘s Ever Banega and Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovic would boost Klopp’s squad significantly, while Marseille centre-back Nicolas N’Koulou would provide Klopp with the ideal partner for Sakho at centre-back.

N’Koulou’s team-mate, goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, has suffered a drop in form in recent seasons, but could be drafted in to bolster Klopp’s options between the sticks, with both Simon Mignolet and Adam Bogdan lacking the quality required to thrive in the long term; Fiorentina left-back Marcos Alonso would be a similar risk, but the Spaniard would offer much-needed competition for Moreno on that defensive flank.

Meanwhile, with one eye on the future, Partizan Belgrade winger Andrija Zivkovic (19), Feyenoord‘s European Golden Boy nominee Tonny Vilhena (20), Leeds United‘s Sam Byram (22) and River Plate centre-back Eder Alvarez Balanta (22) are all young players with potential to star at the top level of European football—all approaching the end of their current deals.

Moving to sign any of these prospective free agents would allow Klopp to flesh out his squad without sanctioning a big-money outlay—providing a stark contrast to Rodgers’ reign, with a potential £32.5 million mistake looming over his successor in Christian Benteke.

Recent results may have dampened spirits on Merseyside, but with a few sensible tweaks, Klopp can continue to improve his side.

Crucially, this can be done without wasting millions in the transfer market.

Contract details via Transfermarkt.co.uk.

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Jose Mourinho will reportedly move to make Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder his first signing at Manchester United, should he eventually replace under-pressure manager Louis van Gaal.  

According to Martin Lipton of the Sun, the former Chelsea manager is already making plans in case he does end up at Old Trafford in the near future and has cited Sneijder as a “game-breaker.”

The Dutchman and Mourinho have worked together before, of course, with the midfielder a central part of his Inter Milan side that won the Champions League in 2010. Lipton writes Sneijder is currently “unhappy” at Galatasaray, and should he move to Old Trafford under Mourinho, he’d be a “perfect fit.”

Lipton continued, stating that Sneijder would be “a dressing room acolyte, capable of telling the rest of the squad how good the manager is, and also someone who buys into his work ethic.”

Here’s a look at what the 31-year-old, who joined Galatasaray in 2013, could potentially add at Old Trafford:

Mourinho isn’t the manager of United yet, despite being the big favourite to take over should Van Gaal get the boot.

The Portuguese is currently unattached after Chelsea sacked him last week, with the champions enduring a horrendous start to the season. Van Gaal finds himself in a precarious position at the moment, with a 2-1 defeat against Norwich City at the weekend serving as the final straw for many supporters of the Dutchman.

According to Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC, some tentative talks have been held between Red Devils’ and Mourinho’s representatives. Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette feels Mourinho would be worth the hassle:

Whether or not it’d be worth bringing Sneijder along is another matter entirely. The Dutch midfielder enjoyed the finest spell of his career under Mourinho at Inter, and as is evident in the clips above, he still possesses the guile to have a positive impact on games at the highest level.

As we can see here, courtesy of OptaCan, Sneijder has been in brilliant form as of late for the Istanbul giants:

Even so, the midfielder is past his best, and while the quality of the Turkish Super Lig is constantly on the up, it doesn’t compare to the furious nature of English football. Sneijder remains sharp cerebrally and can still pick a pass, but the industry that made him so good under Mourinho would be tough to rekindle in a second spell together.

Indeed, if United were to appoint Mourinho, history has shown us the Portuguese will target players who are at the peak of their powers. Ultimately, it’s an approach that has been his downfall in a lot of jobs, with no clear path to the first team for young players. 

But for Red Devils fans who want to see their club challenge for titles again immediately, Mourinho would be ideal. For those of that mindset, if Sneijder can come in and make a short-term impact, it’ll be a deal worth doing.

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is reportedly keen on adding Inter Milan defender Jeison Murillo to his squad in January, as the German’s rebuilding programme at Anfield begins in earnest.

The Reds reportedly want to reinforce their back four in the second half of the season, and Italian outlet Ilsussidiario.net (h/t Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror) claimed the 23-year-old Colombia international would cost £22 million. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the central defender, who resides on Klopp’s winter “wishlist.”

Murillo has played 13 times in Serie A for the Nerazzurri this term, according to WhoScored.com, and his team leads Serie A, three points clear at the top of the division. 

It has been a difficult few seasons for Inter, who have crashed from perennial champions to also-rans, but Murillo has helped the side rise to the top of the league once again.

Here is a video displaying why the defender is being considered by Klopp:

Murillo spent four years with Granada, featuring on loan for Cadiz and Las Palmas, before moving to the San Siro last summer. On signing for the club, Inter president Erick Thohir said, per Peter Hanson of Goal: “Jeison Murillo has determination and talent. He’s a quality young player, we are pleased to announce his arrival. Roberto Mancini will get the best out of him and the fans will love his never-say-die attitude.”

The player’s performances in Italy have brought him to the attention of Liverpool, who have struggled to attain consistency during Klopp’s short reign. 

A five-game winning streak was recently brought to an end by no wins in three in all competitions, per WhoScored.com, and the German manager certainly needs to revamp his defence in January. 

Liverpool have missed the presence of centre-back Mamadou Sakho, who has struggled with injury this season, but Klopp revealed he is due to return soon, relayed by James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo:

Mamadou has trained completely normal.

It is a good situation. He started normal training last week and now he has completed this week. If it stays like this he will be ready.

Now he’s had many weeks out, everything is different, but when we all work together as a team it is easier for the centre-halves to play a normal game.

We want Mamadou’s quality and his strength but the team has to help him too.

In other news, Klopp also reportedly has his eyes on a striker and could move for Basel starlet Breel Embolo.

Italian outlet Calciomercato (h/t Flanagan) reported Liverpool “could be edging closer to a deal” for the teenager, who is one of Europe’s most lauded young talents. 

Klopp has seen his options squeezed because of the injury record of Daniel Sturridge, and the 18-year-old Embolo would strengthen the squad and have time to develop at Anfield.

If Klopp can tempt Murillo from Inter, he has a ready-made partner in Sakho, allowing Liverpool to build their new team from the foundations upwards.

The pair would give the Reds a combative edge against English attacking lineups and would help Klopp add aggression to his options. 

Liverpool sit only a few points outside the Premier League top four, and a good run through Christmas and January will see them primed to compete for a Champions League spot.

If Klopp can reinforce his defence with Murillo, a chase for the league title is not an impossibility.

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Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly keen on luring Luis Suarez away from the Camp Nou in the summer.

Guardiola seems poised to leave his post at Bayern Munich come the end of the season, with a host of Premier League clubs said to be interested in procuring his services, per Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail. According to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star, should the iconic coach end up at Manchester City, as is anticipated, he wants Suarez to come along with him.

“Suarez’s agent just happens to be Pere Guardiola—Pep’s brother,” said Hetherington. “When Suarez was leaving Liverpool, Guardiola wanted to take him to Bayern, but lost out in a £71m battle with Barca.”

It’s also suggested Suarez, who signed for the Blaugrana in the summer of 2014 from Liverpool, would cost a whopping £100 million. Here’s a look at why he’d potentially be worth that kind of outlay:

Suarez has proved himself to be one of the finest footballers in the game in recent seasons, and wherever he goes, the Uruguayan would thrive. Indeed, if Barcelona were to cash in on one of their stellar attacking trio, the former Liverpool man is surely more likely to go than Neymar or Lionel Messi.

However, there’s no denying Barcelona would not want to lose a player who’s become so vital to the cause. Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez hopes the Uruguayan will stay at the Camp Nou for a while yet:

You suspect he will. Suarez is a popular figure in Catalonia and is a tremendous, feisty foil for the flair of Neymar and Messi. When you blend his quality on the ball with the unrelenting industry he shows week after week, the Uruguayan is right to be revered by many as the finest No. 9 in world football.

So if Guardiola does move to the Premier League, it’d be little surprise to see Suarez targeted by his the coach’s employers. However, any approach would surely be met with major resistance from the Blaugrana.

Marcelo Brozovic Boost

According to Chris Hatherall of the Daily Mirror, Barcelona have been handed a boost in their pursuit of on-loan Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.

Hatherall wrote that the sacking of Jose Mourinho has set back any interest from Chelsea, who were previously favourites to sign him, potentially paving the way for the Blaugrana and Arsenal to move for the impressive Croatian. It’s also claimed Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain are keeping tabs on the Nerazzurri star.

The 23-year-old has steady progress since joining Inter on a two-year loan deal from Dinamo Zagreb in January and as is evident by the names linked to him, he has really caught the eye at the Giuseppe Meazza. Here’s a look at some of his standout moments in an Inter shirt so far:

For Barcelona and Arsenal, the midfielder would be a savvy addition. While he’s still a little rough around the edges, there is masses of potential to work with when it comes to Brozovic. Both teams could certainly do with a player who is as adaptable, tenacious and as hard-working as the Croatian too.

The Blaugrana will be hoping any potential auction for the player won’t surface until the summer. As reported by Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport, Barcelona are not in a position that permits them to spend big money on players in January. So if Arsenal, Chelsea or any other team seek to secure a midseason deal for Brozovic, the European champions could be left trailing.

Additionally, given the quality midfield options currently at the Camp Nou, Brozovic would have to seriously consider whether he’d get enough playing time to continue progressing.

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