Ginger Prince turns in his crown

At 36 years old it was no surprise that Paul Scholes would call an end to his career.  It was a shame that his final match was against Barcelona and he did not get the send off from the home crowd which he deserved but in typical Scholes fashion he managed to avoid being a distraction of spending to much time in the spotlight.  His retirement came about in the same fashion as he went about playing the game.  He put his head down and gave his all to the club for nearly 2 decades without ever forcing himself into the spotlight or seeking to be at the centre of attention.  He left the team in much the same way he played for them showing that his loyalty was beyond question and that he was never happy being less then the best.

Paul Scholes was always a player who let his performances do the talking.  He was not one to seek out the spotlight but his brilliant play often resulted in him being thrust into the spotlight.  He will be remembered by United fans as one of the best players to ever patrol the midfield at Old Trafford as well as a core member of the group fondly remembered as Fergie's Fledglings.  That legendary group that has brought United so much success in the past 2 decades is now down to one as only Ryan Giggs remains.  Nicky Butt, David Beckham, and Phil Neville have all been sold while Gary Neville decided to retire back in February when he was falling off the pace in matches.  So now with Scholes moving on to a coaching role at the club it is only Giggs that remains from the group that brought United the famous treble in 1999.

Paul Scholes will be remembered for his ability to score some of the finest goals as he was able to strike the ball from range with the very best of them.  One goal that will always stick with me is his effort at Camp Nou against Barcelona back in 2008 which led to a 1-0 United win and allowed him to finally get the chance to play in the Champions League finals.  Scholes had missed out on the 1999 final so it only seemed fitting that in 2008 he would play a key role in repeating that European success.  Scholes will also be remembered for the way that he adapted his game to meet the teams needs.  When he first came to United he was an attacking player who made a name for himself scoring goals but as United had a surplus of strikers he made the shift to being an attacking midfielder where he established himself as one of the greatest midfielders of a generation.  Later in his career he would move to more of a deep lying playmaker known for being able to spread passes around the entire pitch and bring a stabilizing presence to United.

As far as where Scholes ranks in the bigger picture of things it is really hard to say.  To me he is one of the best to ever play for United and along with Giggs will be long remembered as the corner stones of one of the best midfields ever assembled.  He won the Premier League a very impressive 10 times as well as picking up 3 FA Cups, 2 Carling Cups, and the 2 Champions League titles.  The list of people who have praised Scholes seems to go on and on and includes many of the biggest names in the game.  Zidane once said that Scholes was the greatest player of his generation which is very high praise when you consider that it is coming from a man that many would argue is one of the best midfielders to play the game.  Thierry Henry also said that Paul Scholes was the best player in the premiership at a time when the league was going through one of its best phases.  For me I would say that Scholes is one of the 5 best players that I have ever had the privilege of watching along with the likes of Ronaldo, Giggs, Zidane, and now Messi.  I am not sure where he would rank on that list but it is obvious to me that Scholes is one of the best around and he will be sorely missed at United.

Not to many central midfielders can boast a scoring record like Paul Scholes'.  He scored 150 goals for United and even if his scoring has been down the past 5 years or so his void will still be very hard to fill. Sir Alex Ferguson has promised that the team will be spending this summer looking to strengthen a side that won the Premiership and went the Champions League final.  The club already seems set to sign David De Gea to replace the also retiring Edwin Van Der Sar but now they will certainly have to move to sign at least one midfielder.  No offence to Anderson, Carrick, or Fletcher but they do not possess the skill set that Scholes has and can not be the driving force in the midfield that he was.  The leading candidates to come and try to help fill the void at Luka Modric of Tottenham, Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, and Ashley Young from Aston Villa.  Young is much more a wide player, Sneijder more of a goal scorer but Modric would be the kind of play marker who would help to make the attack go.

To me the club needs to make a pair of signings in the midfielder.  First move to bring in either Sneijder or Modric as I think that getting both of them would be a bit unrealistic and a real stretch on the budget.  I would like to see them get Sneijder to help with the goal scoring which was already low this Premier League season and will probably be ever lower next season if Berbatov leaves the club, which is looking likely.  They the club so look to sign Young if the price is right to allow Giggs to spend more time in the central midfield and be a creative force there rather then being worn out running down the wings.  Other then that if Young can't be signed I would like to see the club go after a cheaper, domestic option to provide a measure of depth in the position.  Signing someone like Jack Rodwell or Jordan Henderson would give the club one more option and someone with a fair bit of upside still assuming they are able to thrive in the Old Trafford environment.





















Regardless of who is brought in to try and fill the void left by Scholes, which is not possible, he will be sorely missed.  His time at United was brilliant and he was a loyal servant to the club the entire time which is something that seems to be lost these days.  It is also noteworthy that Scholes will be missed as a role model to the players out there who are not your typically athletes.  Scholes was undersized, has asthma, and other issues but he never let that stop him from making it to the very top.  Just like Gary Neville he made a made for himself through nothing more then hard work and that will just be one part of his legacy to me.

Trending Football Videos

Today marks the first post in a new series I will be working with. In this series I hope to make you laugh, make you cry, and sometimes stand up and cheer by sharing some of the best football videos to the be posted to Youtube.

Free Kick Fun

To kick of this inaugural post here is a very humorous free kick routine from an American high school soccer game. The hilarity of the play is highlighted by its impressive success. Enjoy.

Luis Moreno

From kicking an owl, the mascot of the opposing team, to kicking an opposing player, Columbian footballer Luis Moreno has made quite a rap sheet for himself. Here are both of the infamous videos to make you want to hate this player even more.

What kind of man kicks an owl?

Goalkeeper Tricks

An impressive showing of the skills of American college goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen. The UNC Asheville player puts on an amazing display for your viewing pleasure.

Hope you enjoyed this fantastic videos, stay on the look out for more to come.

French Champs Coming Part

Just weeks after being named Ligue 1 champions for the first time since 1954, Lille is on the edge of loosing many key parts of their team this summer. Interest in key players for the French champions appear to be high and some players looking to move. This summer could go from jubilation to disappointment in the blink of an eye.

Lille manager Rudi Garcia has revealed that influential midfielder Yohan Cabaye is set to join Newcastle United. The signing of the French international is believed to be a good piece of business for Magpie manager Alan Pardew. Cabaye was allowed to leave Lille because of a 5 million Euro release clause in his contract that Newcastle took advantage of. Lille will definitely miss the midfielder who will be tough to replace.

Newcastle are also rumored to be interested in the French side's Ivorian winger Gervinho, who also tops Arsene Wenger's wish list for Arsenal and is targeted as well by Liverpool. With interest in the winger high, Garcia has stated that Gervinho is under contract and will be staying in France. Gervinho has stated his desire to play in the Champions League next season whether it is with Lille or with someone else, which would most likely mean Arsenal. He also said that he has already made his decision but will not announce his intentions until June 5th, following an African Cup of Nations qualifier. Lille's desire to hold onto the creative winger means it will take a large offer to pry him away.

Belgian youngster Eden Hazard has long been linked with a move to many top clubs and now at 20 years old this summer looks like a prime time for the playmaker to move to a top club. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admitted his interest in the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, but also stated that he would prefer to sign players already playing in the Premier League. Luckily for Lille, Hazard seems content in France with the chance of playing in the Champions League next season and Lille's new stadium. After a break out season for the extremely talented player, he now appears set to stay in France and continue to see his stock rise.

With Cabaye already on his way out and Gervinho only days away from announcing his decision, Lille fans can breath a sigh of relief with the news that Eden Hazard seems set to stay and midfielder Moussa Sow has confirmed that he will be staying. But with a long summer ahead many things can change and Hazard could be on his way out still. It was a good season for Lille, who captured the Ligue 1 title but could this be a rough summer for the team that would lead to a rough season in France and Europe?

Vancouver Whitecaps need a lesson in virtues

The idea that patience is a virtue is more then just a nice thing to learn in Sunday School.  In fact it can even be applied to the development of any successful team.  This lesson appears to have been lost of the folks in charge of the Vancouver Whitecaps who announced earlier today that after only 12 games into the clubs first MLS season they are parting ways with head coach Teitur Thordarson as well as goal keeping coach Mike Salmon.  The reason for firing on the surface seems to be fairly obvious as the Whitecaps have only managed 1 league win thus far and that came back in the emotion filled season opener against Toronto FC.  The move means that for the rest of the season director of soccer operations Tom Soehn will take over the role of head coach.

Thordarson, who is from Iceland, took over as the teams head coach back in 2007 and played a big part in the success that led to them making it to the MLS.  He had a long resume as both a player and manager before the club signed him which had seen him have a fair bit of success in some of Europe's less prestigious leagues including Norway's first and second divisions.  With the Whitecaps Thordarson won a USL first division title, the second ever for the club, which he followed up with another run to the finals that ended in defeat to the Montreal Impact.  His success in the USL ensured that Vancouver extended his contract and took him with them to the MLS level.

As an expansion team in the MLS Vancouver would have been wise to look at the first 5 years of Toronto FC and try to learn from any mistakes that they made.  The biggest issue in Toronto has been a lack of stability as managers have come and gone without being given a real chance to make their mark on the club.  It was one bad season and you would be shown the door.  For Tietur I would have thought things would be different and that Vancouver would have a lot more patience with him due to the success that he brought them at the USL level.  They are an expansion team after all so to expect him to lead the 'Caps to success in the first season was asking to much.  It is fair to say that 1 win from the first 12 matches has to be seen as a real disappointment but it is to late to really turn this season around and this move is only going to destabilize the team.  Now they have to deal with having an interim head coach the rest of the way and by the time they kick off their second league season they might already have their third different head coach.  That kind of turnover will do no one any good.

The reaction around the country seems to be very similar to my own with many expects questioning the move on the part of Vancouver. Craig Forrest for example responded by tweeting: "I like what #Vancouver has done up to now. The firing of Teitur and Mike is a mistake. Lost sense of reality." and "WhitecapsFC were building a real solid foundation. TFC started like this if you remember. It has been dysfunctional ever since. Be careful".  Mr. Forrest is not the only one confused by the move though as the twitter account of Vancouver's largest supporters group, The Southsiders, has been very vocal in supporting TT and questioning this move going as far as to say: "We expect many things from the @WhitecapFC FO before wins: Class. Decency. Good decision making. This fails on all fronts."

It is clear that across the country people who follow the Whitecaps and know the game are left scratching their heads after this move.  The question is if 1 win in 12 games is not good enough for an expansion team who are still learning at this level then what are the actual expectations.  Do the people in charge at Vancouver seriously think that they were capable of challenging for a playoff spot in their first season because of thats the case I can see it being a very tough journey for the club to develop if coaches are given such a short leash in the future.  I am with the Tietur Tots on this one, poor move on the teams part and showed a lack of class and insight.

Barcelona are Simply the Best

As a fan of Manchester United this is one of the tougher posts that I am going to have to write since it is my personal reaction to the Champions League final which saw Barcelona defeat Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley on the 28th.  The match was the same day as my university graduation so I was not able to catch all of it but I saw enough to make some statements about where football in Europe currently stands.

Firstly I am not one of the people who wants to crown this Barcelona team as the best side ever assembled since I never like to try and compare teams across generations because the game is constantly changing.  For me though this team will go down as one of the best in my lifetime and one of the best that I have been able to watch without having to go back into the archives.  The team that Cruyff built in 1988 is in my opinion still slightly better then this one but it is hard to argue with the success that Pep Guardiola who has won everything there is since taken over in 2008.  His side with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and co has proven that they are the very best in Europe by winning 2 of the last 3 champions league titles as well as 3 straight La Liga titles.  They have clearly opened up a bit of a gap over free spending Spanish rivals Real Madrid as well as over Manchester United who they have now beaten out twice in the CL finals.

For fans of other clubs in Europe that have ambitions of winning the Champions League the challenge is clear.  If you want to be the very best then Barcelona are the standard by which you are going to be judged.  They have proven that if they are playing anywhere near their very best then not even the very best of any other club is going to be enough to stop them.  With Messi scoring at the rate he does and being supported by such a talented group they are a team that all you can really do is slow them down and hope that they make a costly mistake but even that is unlikely to happen.

In their four key meetings with Real Madrid this season Barca showed that they were simply the better side and even with Mourinho employing some questionable tactics to try and put them off their possession style of play they were able to win La Liga and the CL semi finals.  Real can take solace in the fact that they won the Copa but even then it took extra time and a bit of luck as they were forced to play a defensive game.  It was made clear that even the daring Jose Mourinho was not willing to come out and try to attack Barca but preferred to sit back and wait to try and hit them on a counter attack.  The approach worked 1 time out or 4 but in a one and done format like the Champions League format those are not very good odds.

For Manchester United it was clear that they learned a lot from their previous finals encounter with Barca but even all that knowledge was nothing when it came to trying to close down a clear skill gap.  Most United fans will admit that this was not a vintage side and was certainly not one that was expected to go all the way to this years finals along with winning the Premiership but once they got there you are always going to have the belief that you can win the match.  Luck was not on the side of United though and Barcelona showed that they are just that much better then United and when they are on their game not even the best effort from Sir Alex's men is going to be enough.

So the pressure is on for the Real's, United's, Chelsea's, Milan's, Inter's and anyone else out there who thinks they are Champions League contenders.  Barcelona make no secrets of how they are going to line up and who they prefer to play so now other teams are going to have to spend the money to bring in the sort of players that are capable of reaching the level that Barcelona routinely play at.  Right now United and Real seem to be the closest to reaching that level but even they still have some ways to go before they can stand toe to toe with the Catalan giants.  Sadly though the current Barcelona squad is not even all that old and will likely remain together for a fair few more years and is sure to win a few more trophies in that time so waiting for them to come back down to other teams levels seems hopeless.  There is a belief though in both Manchester and Real that they will be able to close this gap down and both sides will be hoping to get another shot at Barcelona on the biggest stage in next years Champions League.

Toronto FC beat down

It was made abundantly clear that when Toronto FC took on new management under Aron Winter that the club were going to be undertaking a rebuild and that fans would need to be patient through what was looking like another season of hardships.  Winter joined the club having enjoyed a very successful career playing for Ajax and several other top European clubs.  His resume as a manager might have been a bit lacking but his experience as a player at the highest levels seemed to be enough to convince TFC that he would be the man to finally get the job done for the club.  Winter promised to grow the club from the ground up by investing in young talent and developing players in a fashion similar to what made Ajax into one of the top clubs in Europe.

His first season at the helm has seen the club make a few big changes including shipping off star player and perennial leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario to the already star powered New York Red Bulls.  His departure made it clear that the club were going to give up success this season to ensure the long term plan would pay off.  It has led to a season of struggles and ups and downs so far but on the whole it has been pretty much par for the course compared to recent seasons.  The club are now sitting 7th in the east with 12 points but the main concern is that they only have collected 2 wins so far.  The 6 draws are nice but fans are sure to be getting impatient for the club to get a few more wins under their belt.  Things are only made worse for the fans when you consider that the club has only managed to score 13 goals in 13 matches while conceding a terrible 23 goals.  Sure a rebuilding team is supposed to struggle but it has to be getting hard on the fans who keep going to the games just hoping to see an exciting display from TFC.  Besides Maicon Santos who has scored 5 goals in the league so far the team has struggled to get any sort of consistent scoring with the next best total sitting on 2.  The one positive for the fans is that both wins have come at home where the club has only lost twice in 8 matches.

This weekend though the fans patience was put to a real test as the home team took a serious beat down at the hand of the Eastern conference leading Philadelphia Union.  Coming in to the weekend game the Union had been having success thanks to their defence which had only conceded 7 times in the first 10 matches.  On the other hand though they had only scored 8 goals in league action.  At BMO field though they discovered their scoring touch and it took them barely more the 10 minutes to get ahead 2-0.  Toronto did try and put up a fight at the start of the second half where a good spell of play allowed them to close to gap down to 3-2 but having gone down so far early in the match TFC were forced to open up and push forward in hopes of salvaging the match but that just left them exposed at the back and when all was said and done the Union managed to put 6 into their net and leave with a resounding 6-2 win.  The 4 goal margin of defeat was the worst MLS beating that TFC has received in 5 seasons and was sure to have left many fans with a bad taste in their mouth.

It is never easy to get beat down so badly but it has to be even harder on the players when it takes place at home and in front of your own fans.  Toronto FC have never conceded 6 goals in the league before so this result would have been a shock to the fans and a very hard one to watch. Many of the players were very apologetic for the performance and you could see that they were honestly embarrassed to have put in such a poor showing for the home fans. Toni Tchani tweeted "What a disaster that was!!!We r really embarrassed about what happened today n especially myself. Thanks for ur support n we need it" and he seemed honestly interested in what the fans had to say about how things could have gone so wrong for them on the field and was genuinely appreciative for the support that he received from fans.  He is just one example of players searching for answers and hoping to use the defeat as something to motivate them to be that much better going forward to ensure there is no repeat of the performance.

I do not expect Toronto to get beat like this again any time soon but the fact of the matter is that this match shows how far away they still are from being among the top sides in the east.  The team have been in various stages of building and rebuilding since they came to the MLS but at some point fans might start to get sick of waiting for the team to deliver on 5 years of promises.  I hope that Winter is the made to finally live up to what he has said and build the team in to one that can compete for the MLS crown but it is clear that he still has a long ways to go and it will be important to get things turned around fast so that the fans and players don't begin to lose faith in the team or themselves.  

Next up for TFC will be a replay of the rained out Nutrilite second leg which will give TFC a chance to win a trophy which will at the very least be a positive in a hard season and give the fans something to be happy about.  To win the game though they will have to play much better then they did against the Union and also better then they did in the first half of the rain cancelled match.

Nutrilite Disaster

Last night was the second leg of the Nutrlite Cup finals, or should I say the first attempt at it, but weather got in the way of what was potentially a good game.  With the first leg having ended in a 1-1 draw despite Vancouver controlling much of the play things were set up for an interesting match.  The weather forecast was clear that rain was expected around 8 which would mean that it would be around just in time for the second half and that is exactly what happened.

The first half saw Vancouver take a 1-0 lead thanks to Eric Hassli who scored a 17th minute strike which would have been his second of the finals having given Vancouver the lead with a similar shot in the first leg.  His goal had a lot to do with the deflection that it took but based on the run of play before the ran came the lead was nothing more then what Vancouver deserved. When the rain did arrive that is when the problems began for players, officials, coaches, and the powers in charge of the championship.  The turf surface at BMO field quickly became coated in water and it proved impossible to actually play the game as the ball was getting stuck and the safety of players was clearly being endangered.  Thankfully thunder and lightning arrived around the 60 minute mark and the officials were forced to stall the game.  This was actually the second stall as the match had been delayed by 30 minutes before the second half could kick off.  They tried to wait out the storm and get the rest of the game in but by the time 11 pm rolled around fans were being sent home and some kind of decision was needed.  It was clear that a match of only 60 minutes would not count and if they decided to make it official I don't think anyone would have been happy about it and it might have done irreparable damage to the cup itself and the reputation of soccer Canada.

Around 11 the coaches, refs, and officials in charge of the tournament all met behind closed doors to discuss what to do about the match.  Initially it was reported that the plan would be to play the final 30 minutes of the match the following morning but it would have been in front of an empty stadium which I personally think would have been a terrible solution.  That would have resulted in Toronto FC having basically lost its home field advantage for 1/3 of the match and it would also have been very physically draining on the players who would have been faced with a very quick turn around and playing a match at such an unusual time.  The 8 AM kick off time seemed quite insane in light of the fact that it would have been after 11:30 by the time that they players were all able to leave BMO.  


Thankfully this morning it became apparent that the field conditions had not improved since the rain had continued in the overnight overs and the whole 8 AM plan would have to be scrapped.  Instead they made the decision that I think should have been made in the first place which was to scrap the entire match and start it over again at a later date.  The date has been set for June 2nd when the Whitecaps are already in town for an MLS league game.  This way the whole match will be played under tolerable conditions, assuming the weather is better that night, and in front of the partisan crowd that Toronto FC deserve for their home leg.  I for one hope that this decision allows the match to be much more entertaining match that is fitting of ending in a team claiming the top club prize in Canadian soccer.


The strangest part of the whole night is how long it took them to come to these decisions when apparently it was all written down for them in the competition rules.  As I was watching it I wondered if they even had a plan in place for such an eventuality.  With the weather being such an unpredictable force it would have been very poor planning on the part of the Nutrilite championship not have put something in place.  I found out this morning that it was all clearly outlined in the rules for the tournament under the following rule:


Official Nutrilite Canadian Championship rule 12: If the match is abandoned before the completion of normal playing time because of extreme weather or for reasons outside the control of the host team, the match shall be replayed in its entirety the following day, thus avoiding the considerable extra expense for the visiting team. If it is still impossible to play the match the next day for the same reasons, the match may be postponed by another day, provided both teams agree. If the match can still not be played on the third day, the expenses thus incurred by the visiting team shall be split between the two teams. A decision will be taken within two hours of the referee’s decision to abandon the match, in consultation with the two clubs concerned. In case of dispute, the CSA Organizing Committee fixes the date and kick-off time of the match. Its decision is final.


So if they want things to go a lot smoother next time the right thing to do would be getting a copy of these rules into the hands of the people who are broadcasting the match so that they can convey something useful to the fans and spectators so we are not left staying up late wondering just what is going to happen.  The other issue I have here is that playing the last 30 minutes the following day does not seem to be anywhere in these rules.  They suggest that the whole match would have to be replayed no matter what and that is the correct thing to do.  In the end I am glad that they got this right and avoided turning this championship into a complete joke.  They have worked hard to improve the standard of it and increase its profile so thankfully they did not let some bad weather undo all of that hard work.

Support Local Soccer Campaign

A friend of mine on facebook posted the link to this video and I felt that it would be fitting for me to talk about on here.  Myself and my brother have recently begun our own quest to support local soccer in the form of being more committed to Canada's mens national team as well as getting behind Toronto FC in some way even if it has only begun with occasionally taken the time to watch a game on tv or following the Nutrilite Championship as well as my brother picking up a TFC kit even if it was on for a great sale price.  The fact is that for much of our lives as supporters we have only backed Manchester United as our club team and the Netherlands in internationals.  We will of course not be stopping with our support of them but we can do that as well as put more in to local soccer.  For me this is a matter of necessity since the best way to grow the game at a local level is to get behind it.  Toronto FC might not play the best soccer in the world and the games might not be as entertaining to watch but the fact is that they have increased the profile of the game greatly since joining the MLS.

The thing with this video that first struck me is that the opening commenter states that local football arrived in 2007 but that is not true.  It arrived at a new and higher level but it was not the first pro or semi-pro team in the country.  What TFC has done is provide Canada with a club at a level that felt worth putting our backing behind since it was in a league that we could see as being important.  For me the point of the video is not to call people to support any club but to start to care about Canada.  Many children now play soccer in this country so it is time that we all start to cheer for the national team.  We are Canadians and we can back our hockey team with so much pride and passion so why can we not do the same for the soccer team.

My biggest hope is that on June 1st when I go to the game I am greeted by a see of red and a stadium that is full of pride and patriotism.  It would be a shame to get to BMO field only to see that it is filled with Ecuador's colours and people who are Canadians but have chosen to put their support behind the visit side since that is where their background is.  There is nothing wrong with having a soft spot for the country where your roots are or even where your ancestors called home but if you are Canadian and you like soccer then you should consider getting behind the Canadian teams.

I will admit that I am never going to give up supporting Manchester United in favour of supporting TFC but what I am hoping to do is play my part in helping to grow the game in my country and if going to a game now and then or buying a shirt can do that then I am in.  I will admit that I am extremely excited to finally go and see a soccer game at such a high level and it has taken me far to long to do so.  The hope is that this experience does not let me down and in the future I hope that my stories of going to this game will allow me to convince others to come with me to support team Canada and Toronto FC.

Transfer Fun Begins

It may be only May 24th but it is clear that teams are not going to be waiting until July 1st to make an impact on the transfer market.  Today a couple of major rumours were broke in regards to United making moves and at least in the case of the first one the reports seem to be very plausible and has in fact been confirmed by Sir Alex despite an official announcement not being expected until Monday.  So it seems that David De Gea will move from Athletico Madrid who he back stopped to a Europa League title in 2010 to become United's new number 1.  The other United rumour of the day is still just that, a speculative rumour, as reports are beginning the come out that United are going to sign Aston Villa winger Ashley Young.  Most people around the game think that Young is going to move this summer but United are sure to have competition to land his signature.

In the case of David De Gea the signing is not one that comes as a surprise to the fans who have paid attention to things.  The 20 year old Keeper has long been on United's radar with the club scouting him on a number of occasions in the past.  Now with Edwin Van der Sar set to play his final match for the club on Saturday it was clear that a new keeper was going to be needed.  In his press conference today SAF stated that the club liked the athleticism, composure, and youth of De Gea and see him as being capable of playing in a similar fashion to Van der Sar with the ability to cover the entire net and make the big saves.  The capture of De Gea means that the club felt he was the best option despite having also been strongly linked with signing Manuel Neuer from Shalke and Maarten Stekelenburg from Ajax.  The price for the 20 year old keeper is expected to be just a bit under 20 million pounds which is probably similar or lower then the price tag that the other two keepers would have demanded.  For fans of Athletico the move must be a painful one as they are already dealing with the news that Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan both intend to leave this summer.  That will leave the club in rough shape going forward and major change must be in store if they want to get back to the highest levels in Europe.   But this is a case of Athletico's loss being United's gain as De Gea will hopefully provide the club with solid goal keeping for many years to come.  Some United fans have already expressed doubt in the fact that such a young keeper can handle the pressure of playing at Old Trafford and being the number one for such a big club but I for one feel that his time at Athletico exposed him to a fair bit of pressure and he started the final of a European cup with them so his composure is not in question for me.  I fully expect him to find success where many senior keepers have failed and put his name in a line that contains Van der Sar and the Great Dane Peter Schmeichel.  For me this move is a great start to what should be a busy offseason that has not even begun yet.

The second report of the day really is far from being substantiated so far.  We all know that Ashley Young is at least a possibility to move this summer with both Chelsea, Liverpool and United being linked with the talented english winger.  If Young were to move to United he would join a group of wingers that already includes Nani, Park Ji-Sung, and Antonio Valencia.  He would provide an very good attacking option for the club similar to Nani and would allow Giggs to spend even more time in the central midfield which seems to suit him better as he has aged.  The day began with reports that Darren Bent would spend the international time with England trying to convince his team mate at Villa to stay for at least one year but as the day progressed the rumours of United signing him began to grow once more.  So if there is a race for Ashley Young then it appears that United have become the front runners at least for the moment.  It is clear that Liverpool are interested in Young as well but recently City have been rumoured to be in the running so until this deal is confirmed by the club I will hold off on getting excited about the potential of seeing him at Old Trafford.  Young is likely to cost in the area of 15 million pounds which in this day and age is not a crazy price for an England international and I think would be money well spent.

Along with the two rumours that took most of the headlines for today United are still regularly being linked with both Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan as well as Jose Enrique from Newcastle.  Neither seems to be any where near a done deal but with with Sir Alex having promised to spend money these two potential signings may just be the start of a very busy summer.

United were not the only active team in the market today as Juventus confirmed that they had finalized a deal to sign Andrea Pirlo to a 3 year deal.  Pirlo had recently ended his 10 year stay at AC Milan which cleared the way for him to move to another club which was quickly speculated to be Juve.  This signing should provide a solid boost in the centre of the park for a team that has struggled of late and were disappointed to finish this season outside of European qualifying positions.  Being 32 years of age many are questioning the choice to sign Pirlo to a 3 year deal but for Juventus I am sure that they were willing to do what ever it takes to ensure that he would be playing for them for the good years that he has remaining.  Today Milan also agreed to a deal that would see them buy out the remained for the rights to Kevin-Prince Boateng from Genoa.  Boateng was bought by Genoa from Portsmouth this past summer when the club was forced to sell most of its players but he ended up at the San Siro instead as the clubs worked out an agreement which saw AC Milan become part owners.  Milan will now buy out the second half of his contract which will ensure that at least his immediate future is going to be with AC Milan.


















It is clear that despite the transfer window being a long ways away from opening the end of league seasons has ensured that the activity has already kicked off.  The rumours will now begin to swirl in earnest and it is likely that the De Gea transfer will not be the only big money deal to be confirmed in the coming weeks leading up to July 1st.

Big Week kicks off in big fashion

The road to the CL finals was put on the back burner for a few moments today as Gary Neville's testimonial match was played this afternoon at Old Trafford.  The fact that Juventus won the game 2-1 in the end did little to dampen the atmosphere as one of the most loyal Reds to ever kiss the United badge brought an end to his playing career in a grand fashion.  For many United fans this friendly match was a dream come true since it brought back some legends who have not put on the United colours for some time.  Today we got the chance to once again see David Beckham wearing the United number 7 and whipping crosses all over OT.  We also got to see Gary and Phillip Neville play together on the same field once more and if that was not enough to make it an evening to remember they you add in the fact that for the first time in 9 1/2 years United fans got to see the midfield of P. Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and David Beckham start a match together.  It really was a special night and as I fan I was once again reminded that I got to see something special through out the 90's when that class of talented young players were grabbing the world's attention by winning trophies year in and year out.  The only way that the match could have been made any more special would have been with Keano and King Cantona in the lineup as well or maybe even having Ole come back but with the timing of such an event it is no surprise that not all of the big names could make it out.  It was also a relief to see that all of the first team members that took place in the match came through it fine and should all be available for selection on Saturday.

The match was a fitting tribute to Neville who gave the club 20 years of loyal service and despite not being the most naturally talented defender to ever play the game proved that with hard work you really can accomplish great things.  Neville is likely now to go into broadcasting but having already completed some of his coaching badges I really hope that Sir Alex gives him the chance to return to the club in a coaching role at some point in the near future since Gary Neville is a Red and he belongs with the team in some capacity.

One of the moments for the night that struck me was the fact that on a night that was supposed to be all about Gary he made sure to point out that in Manchester it was all about saturday and this game was nothing in comparison to United going for their fourth European title.  Having been such a loyal Red it is no surprise that Gary would put the goals of the club above his own moment in the spotlight.  Gary may have been focused on the weekend and wanting United to go out and win but for the fans of the club tonight gave them a chance to look back to another chapter of the clubs glorious history.  The next chance to see such a spectacle may come in the near future when Paul Scholes retires but the fact of the matter is that the class of 92 is almost gone and I for one am glad that I got to watch all of them play and got to enjoy the success which they helped bring to United.  Plus did I mention that David Beckham was back in United's number 7 shirt?

Reminders of 1992

This weekend Manchester United took home the FA Youth Cup trophy for the first time since 2003.  The win was the tenth time that United have claimed the trophy and has brought back memories of the 1992 title winning side that is often referred to as "Fergie's Fledglings".  Comparing this years team to the one from 1992 might be to much of a stretch at this point in time but any United fan will be hoping that this side ends of having the same kind of success as the members of that team had.  It also brought back memories of when the trophy was first introduced when the likes of Duncan Edwards and George Best won the first five editions before going on to be stars at Manchester.

The fact is that most years to majority of the players on the team that lifts the FA youth trophy are not going to go on to be stars at the next level.  There are of course some exceptions to this with some of England's biggest names having won the prize including Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Joe Cole, Theo Walcott, and recently Garreth Bale.  Despite that no single team can compare to the side that won in 1991-1992.  That squad defeated Crystal Palace 6-3 in the final but is mainly remembered for what they would go on to do as they became the foundation for the success which United has enjoyed since then.  The 1992 team contained seven players who would go on to earn international caps and to this day they continue to shape Manchester United.  The seven members of the team that went on to become internationals were David Beckham, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Robbie Savage, Keith Gillespie, and Simon Davies (who did only get the one cap for Wales).  With Ryan Giggs almost certain to play on for at least one more season he will continue to be a link back to the fledglings.  The retirement of Gary Neville this winter meant that Giggs was the last man standing for the squad as all of the others have moved on or retired from professional football.  The 1992 final may have come to early for the likes of Paul Scholes and Phil Neville who would later play in the competition and join the others at the highest level in club football.  The other members of the title winning side all struggled to break in to the first team for United with most of them eventually moving on to lower league sides but there is no question that this team had a major impact on football at the highest level and United in particular.

This years team had many talented names but it would amaze most fans if they were able to reach the kinds of levels that the fledglings did.  Their 4-1 win at Old Trafford was an impressive victory to say the least and it gave them a 6-3 win on aggregate which is a familiar score line to those who know their history.  I do not expect anyone from this side to be the next Ryan Giggs or George Best but I do think that several of them have what it takes to make some impact at the top level.

Ravel Morrison:
He is almost certainly the most talented player of the whole bunch.  He scored a pair of goals in the second leg and at only 18 years of age the midfielder has shown that he has the skills to make it at United.  He was even handed his debut with the senior team this year when he made a sub appearance against Wolves in the League Cup.  As a local boy from Manchester he is quickly becoming a fan favourite despite having some personal issues.  If the off field stuff does not ruin his career it is likely that he talent will be able to take him as far as he wants to go.  He is one to watch starting as soon as next season when he will likely be included in a few more first team games assuming that he is not sent out on loan.

Will and Michael Keane:
The twins follow a tradition of family at United.  They will be looking to follow the same path as the Neville brothers and the Da Silva twins by eventually playing together for the senior team but for now they are enjoying playing together at Carrington where they have impressed.  Will scored a pair of goals in the final and has many considering him as being the best forward that United have in the youth system.  With the senior team having a strong selection of strikers in the form of Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov, and Welbeck who is likely to stay at the club next season Will is not going to be rushed along and should have time to develop.  His favourable comparisons to Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Teddy Sherringham show how highly he is thought of around the club as he just has a knack for popping up and scoring goals.  Michael is a defender and his progress has been a bit less spectacular and has been instead about making steady progress.  The twins are now 18 and will almost certainly both be given a shot to break in to the first team in the coming years.

Paul Pogba:
Yet another 18 year old from the team Pogba is a talent that a lot of United fans are excited about.  He can play all over the central midfield and his solid play in the position has led to many to compare him to some of the great french midfielders like Patrick Vierra and Abou Diaby.  He has also shown that he is capable of scoring some spectacular goals as he can strike the ball from long range as well as almost any one at the pro level let alone a youth team player.  United worked very hard to sign him out of France and they clearly have high hopes for him.  The central midfield is probably one of the clubs weaker areas with Paul Scholes nearing the end of his career so Pogba is going to get a real chance to make it at the club sometime soon.  Would not be surprised to see him feature in the Carling cup at some point next year.

There are a few other players in the team that might just make it into the first team one day but these four are the ones that I think have the best chance of sticking at that level.  A lot of United fans are excited about the talent coming through the ranks and that is why the memories/comparisons to the 1992 team are not quite as far fetched as they might seem at first.

Relegated Clubs to Sell

With the European football season drawing to a close, the clubs that have been relegated from the top division of their country's leagues will need to sell some top players to balance the books and keep key players happy. Relegation from the top divisions of European football means a lose of a large sum of money requiring the clubs to cut back wages. In England, the difference between playing in the Premier League and the Championship is an estimated 90 million pounds, and a similar sum would be lost for teams relegated in Spain and Italy.

A number of key players for the unfortunate clubs will need to be sold this summer to balance the books which will result in good deals for the buying clubs. English sides West Ham and Blackpool will be sellers, alongside Spanish outfit Almeria who may have to give up their talisman.

Carlton Cole

Financially West Ham would be able to keep the physical striker in the fold for next season because of a clause in his contract that would cut his wages in half. The clause would save the Hammers a great deal of money with Cole being one of the highest paid players at the club but a player of Cole's quality and stature would not except such a drop in wages.

West Ham will do their best to hold on to Cole, but it will not be long before the striker hands in his transfer request to the club. Newcastle are rumored to be interested in obtaining the striker to replace Andy Carrol who joined Liverpool in the January transfer window. Newcastle may be able to strike quite a bargain for the player as West Ham are likely to accept an offer of around half their 15 million estimated value for Cole.

Charlie Adam

The Blackpool talisman and captain has been garnering the interest of many of the top clubs in England and would fetch the Tangerines a pretty transfer fee estimated to be over 40 million pounds. Blackpool will do their best to hold onto the player who is likely to be willing to remain with the club, but when the big clubs come knocking, will the Seasiders turn down an offer that may be too good to refuse?

Blackpool may be loosing out on an estimated 90 million pounds by not playing in the Premier League next season, but with the sale of Charlie Adam they could possibly make up almost half of that amount lost. The large transfer offer that would be required to pry the 25 year old midfielder away from Blackpool would go a very long way to correcting the Seasiders's books after taking such a large hit.

Pablo Piatti

The little known Argentinean winger who plays for recently relegated Spanish side Almeria will be a hot item on this summers transfer list. Of all the players in the world, Piatti is the most comparable to the genius of Lionel Messi. What Piatti lacks in stature is made up in technical skill which has been on display at lowly Almeria who shocked the soccer world when they secured his signature in 2008.

Pablo Piatti's decision to join Almeria rather than one of Europe's bigger clubs from Argentinean side Estudiantes has proved dividends for the youngster who was able to gain invaluable first team appearances that he would not have at a bigger side. Now with Almeria no longer in La Liga, Piatti will once again be in Europe's shop window and many top clubs will come knocking for the winger's services.

An undeniably gifted footballer, Piatti will soon be given the opportunity to apply his trade on Europe's biggest stage where he looks poised to gain further comparisons to his great countryman. Despite Almeria's relegation, Piatti's price will still remain very high and it would likely require an offer of over 30 million pounds to get the Spanish minnows to give up their prized playmaker.

Conclusion

These are just three players from three clubs that may be on the move this summer, but many more teams will be required to relinquish their prized possessions when the financial implications of their relegation set in. Teams that survived the drop this season will be on the look out for bargains that can be scored when their unfortunate opponents are forces to give up top flight quality players.

Chelsea Sack Ancelotti

With the English Premier League season coming to an exciting end today with Manchester United being crowned champions for a record setting 19th time while Blackpool and League Cup champions Birmingham join West Ham in going down to the Championship, Chelsea made their own big news with the sacking of manager Carlo Ancelotti. A statement on the club's website said that Ancelotti had been fired because he failed to meet the teams objectives for the season.

Chelsea finished the season in second place to Manchester United, behind the champions by 9 points following a 1-0 defeat to Everton on the final day. Ancelotti's inability to repeat as Premier League champions is the primary reason for his dismissal as manager of Chelsea but it his failure to meet objectives probably included his inability to secure the UEFA Champions League crown for Roman Abramovich, who is obsessed with bringing the prestigious trophy to London.

Carlo Ancelotti's poor transfer record may have also played a part in his sacking as manager of Chelsea. The big money signings of David Luiz and Fernando Torres failed to prove their value through out the season. Luiz was no where close to a stable player in the central defense for Chelsea along side stalwart and captain John Terry. He made numerous key mistakes this season that constantly cost Chelsea including a key missed interception on Javier Hernandez's goal in Chelsea's title deciding game at Old Trafford only 3 weeks ago. Torres was by far the worst signing of the Premier League season. After completing a record 50 million pound transfer from Anfield to Stamford Bridge, the Spanish sniper did nothing to prove his worth. Torres scored one goal since his January move and it was only thanks to a puddle that stop his horrible touch from going away from goal.

When all of the evidence is examined, one can understand why Chelsea made the move to sack the Italian manager. But was this the right move for the team?

Last season, Ancelotti delivered the first double in Chelsea history when his side captured the Premier League title from Manchester United along with the League Cup. It was a trophy haul that any club could be proud of and pleased the crowds at Stamford Bridge.

Now, following what will be described as a disappointing season by a club and support base who's standards are too high, Ancelotti was sacked for keeping Chelsea in the Premier League title race the whole season despite a 6 game winless streak. Chelsea also made it to the quarter finals of the Champions League where they lost to a good Manchester United side in a tie two legged affair. At most other clubs, including Arsenal, a season like this one would be considered good enough.

I think it is a mistake for Chelsea to sack Ancelotti following this season. He delivered silverware to Abramovich in his first season in charge of the club and just lost out in a tight title race this season. His performance in the transfer market was disgraceful but but that is never enough to relinquish a manager of his duties. One can not expect Fernando Torres to continue his dismal form much longer and still can serve a purpose at Chelsea in the coming seasons with Drogba and Anelka aging.

The problem for Chelsea has been a lack of stability at the manager position since the departure of Jose Mourinho. Stamford Bridge has been home to 5 different managers (including intern managers) since Jose left London in 2007 with Ancelotti being the most successful one. If Chelsea are trying to create a standard of excellence that includes winning titles they need to settle down with a long term manager who can breed a culture of success. Ancelotti had brought the desired success to the club, but it was not enough for the board and this carrousel of managers can not be having a good effect on the Chelsea players.

With the manager seat now vacant at Stamford Bridge it is time to start speculating about who will be Chelsea's next "intern" manager. The position is a high profile one and rumors will swirl all summer about what world class manager will come in to keep the seat warm. Until one of these managers delivers Roman Abramovich his precious Champions League trophy, there will not be stability at Stamford Bridge.

Europa League: Exciting but Irrelevant?

Today was the finals of this years Europa League with two Portuguese sides meeting in Dublin with Europe's supposed second biggest club prize on the line.  It is hard for me to comment on the match itself since I missed out on watching it but the reports I have read make it seem like it lacked the quality and excitement that would have made it into a bigger occasion.  The fact of the matter is that Porto and Braga are not among Europe's biggest clubs and despite both having strong histories and several quality players this game was never going to be close to any of the knock out round games of the Champions League in terms of quality.

To me the Europa League is a decent tournament but it lacks the quality and prestige of the Champions League since in its very nature it is filled with the teams that are not good enough for the latter stages of the Champions League.  The Barcelonas, Real Madrids, AC Milans, Chelseas, and Manchester Uniteds are not regulars in this tournament and as such the world's best players are not on display.  That being said if you are a smaller club, or a top club from a less prestigious league, then this might be your one shot and playing European football.  If you are a fan of a club like Porto this year or Fulham last year then of course you are going to be excited and enjoy watching your team go on such an impressive run.  But if you are a fan of a team like Liverpool or Manchester City you are not to upset when your team goes out since winning the Europa League is a lot of extra games and when you are in a top league it can be an unneeded distraction from domestic challenges which clubs often prioritize.   Having seen what trying to win this cup can do to a squad on FM which is only a game I can imagine the impact that it can have in real life as they midlevel clubs lack the depth that allow the top teams to compete on 3 or 4 different fronts.  But for the players who do go deep, and for managers, it gives them a real chance to increase their profile and possibly set up a move to a bigger club.  This years final was filled with a few names who certainly did their stock a lot of good.

The first person who has moved into the spotlight and is now considered as one of the faster rising names in the game is Porto's manager Andre Villas-Boas.  He seems to be set to follow in the shoes of another Portuguese manager who led Porto to glory in Europe and proved to be one of the best tacticians around despite his young age.  The other manager who I refer to is of course the so called Special one, Jose Mourinho who has travelled around Europe winning almost everything since his days at Porto where he won a Champions League.  It seems that like Jose, Villas-Boas is almost certain to move on at some point in the not to distant future as he has proven to have the tactical skills required to manage at the top levels and one of Europe's big clubs is sure to come knocking.  It may not be this year but it will certainly happen and the youngest manager to even win the Europa League will take on an even bigger challenge.


If Villas-Boas stays at Porto for another season he will almost certainly be without a few of the players who were key to this run to the final.  Having set the Europa League on fire with his record goals total of 17 Falcao will likely use that as a launching pad to move to a top club.  Many sources have speculated that he could be in for a move to the Premiership with the potential of Manchester City signing him but they are not going to be the only club hoping to get a deal done for the man who has scored almost a goal a game since joining Porto for the start of the 2009 season.  Falcao has also been linked to Real Madrid so it seems all but certain that he will on the move come the start of the transfer window.

Another name that is likely to be on the move is Hulk.  The Brazilian forward was also a key part of the clubs success and if the whole confusing story of how he came to play for Porto and what share of the player the club actually owns is ever sorted out he will likely be on the move again.  This time his transfer is likely to be a lot more straight forward with no third parties owning his rights.  The main team that is being linked with him is Manchester City who would like to add him to the squad in preparation for their champions league debut.  They wont be the only ones interested in him and it is sure to be a fairly big money transfer with several top clubs being interested.

Those three are the main names that I expect to move in the near future but I am sure that some top clubs are going to be taking a good long look at Porto's strong centre back Nicolas Otamendi.  He only joined Porto this season but his debut season was a good one and he has proven that he can compete at the top level.  Joao Moutinho, the 24 year old midfielder, who has proven his value first at Sporting and now at Porto could also be a target for some of the top teams.  He may lack the size and strength to play in England but I am confident that some teams will at least try and bring him out of Portugal.  


Porto may have won today's final 1-0 but unless they are stubborn in trying to hold on to their players this offseason the club could have a very different look next year.  On the bright side they can celebrate their win by cashing in on several million Euro's this summer.

Nutrilite Cup: Is Professional Soccer moving forward in Canada?

So tomorrow night, May 18th, is the first leg of the Nutrilite Cup which is the corporate sponsor name for the Canadian Soccer Championship.  In past years this cup has been a bit of a joke as it has only included 3 teams, Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact and the format was basically that of a group stage so there was no winner takes all show down at the end and as a result the tournament lacked a real level of excitement in my opinion.  That was made worse by the fact that Toronto FC was an MLS team and they were competing against teams from a level lower that they really should have been far superior to.  In the end the 2010 edition of the Cup was exciting as Toronto FC needed to claim a massive win on the last day to win the prize but up until that last match it was dull and doubt it won over to many new fans.

This year things have been much different.  FC Edmonton have been included and the format has been completely revised.  The addition of the 4th team allowed a shift to two round format with both rounds featuring two legs.  In the first semi-final match up Toronto FC cruised to a win over FC Edmonton which should come as no real surprise due to the gap between the levels of the two teams.  On the other side the match between Vancouver Whitecaps, who are now in the MLS, took on Montreal Impact who will be the third Canadian team in the MLS next season.  This tie was a very exciting one with the White Caps winning the first leg on the road it set up for an exciting second leg.  To be honest the only reason that I ended up tuning in to the second leg of this one was the timing.  Since the game was in Vancouver it kicked off at 10 pm for me and by that time there was nothing else on tv and I decided to give the match a try.  It was a dull on for much of the game but in the dying moments Montreal started to try and get the goal that they needed and things really opened up.  Partially as a result of the lack of quality in the sides it seemed that once things got opened up the teams struggled to calm them down at all.  It made for exciting viewing as a neutral with Montreal drawing level in the 83rd minute thanks to Canadian international Ali Gerba.  Vancouver would go on to win the match in extra time thanks to a 100th minute strike but what really struck me was the way in which the extra time went.  I am used to seeing times completely shut things down after they score but this time it seemed that the Vancouver goal only opened things up more as Montreal created several chances of their own.

The semi-final results set up what is probably the final which most fans would have expected with both of the MLS teams managing to advance.  Toronto FC and Vancouver opened the MLS campaign against each other earlier this spring when they met in Vancouver.  That was a very exciting game with Vancouver come out on top 4-2 but again it was marked with the sort of sloppy defending that seems to have characterized games that involve Vancouver this season.  Since that game both teams have really struggled in their MLS campaigns as Toronto FC have only collected 2 wins in 11 matches while Vancouver have failed to win in their 7 matches since that opening night.

On that opening night of the season there was a real sense of excitement for the future of professional soccer in Canada.  Empire Stadium in Vancouver was rocking and both teams went out and put on a show to match the spectacle of Vancouver being back at the highest level.  That excitement seems to have died down a fair bit since then though with both teams struggling to make any progress in the MLS.  For Vancouver that is understandable since it is their debut season but with Toronto FC being around for 5 seasons now fans are sure to be expecting better from the club.  The gap between these two sides seems to be fairly small and that should lead to these two games being fairly exciting.  The first leg will likely be a bit of a nervy affair with neither team wanting to do anything that could cost them the tie before the second game but they will both be looking to try and gain the upper hand.  I think that these two games might just be the best chance to witness what sort of foundation there is for Professional soccer in Canada.  Hopefully both stadiums are load and supportive and both sides come out and show what they can do.  This is the only trophy that either of these teams is going to get anywhere near so lets hope they go all out to try and win it.

Beyond the improving of the Nutrilite Championship the teams are all improving.  It was only 5 years ago that the MLS decided it was time to expand into Canada by including a team from Toronto and now they have added Vancouver and Montreal will join in 2012.  That will give Canada three teams at the highest level and hopefully that will increase the competition between them.  The creation of strong rivalries between these teams will only help increase the fan base for the clubs and get people more involved.  The team still have a long ways to go in terms of reaching the quality needed to win an MLS title or even compete for a playoff spot but with strong management in place and the foundations there it looks like the future is getting ever brighter.  I would like to say that optimistically in another 5 years Canada could be home to 3 of the better teams in the MLS.  This growth can only help to develop the grass roots program as well which could lead to more talented Canadians coming up through the ranks and if the clubs keep increasing in stature they might even be able to keep top Canadians from going over to Europe, at least for a while.

Whose on the Move

With the summer transfer window approaching, it is time to take a look at some of the players who will be on the move at some point this off season. A number of highly rated youngsters appear to be on the move this summer with the possibility of other big money moves.

Eden Hazard

Its only a matter of time before the young Belgian star leaves France and Lille for a bigger club and league. Inter Milan and Arsenal are currently rumored to be interested in the 20 year old midfielder who scored 7 goals in 35 appearances this season. Lille are not a big enough club to be able to hold onto their starlet once the bigger clubs start making their advances but the club hopes that guaranteed first team appearances in the Champions League for the potential French champions next season will keep Hazard in the fold for at least one more season.

Alexis Sanchez

The fast Chilean winger has been in superb form for Italian side Udinese this season finding the net on 12 occasions which has made him one of the most desired players in Europe this summer. Manchester City have reportedly already opened talks with Udinese and a deal seems close to being complete. Manchester City’s cross town rivals, Manchester United have long had their eye on the Chilean international. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has reportedly had his eye on Sanchez since he was a youngster, even before his move to Italy. But with United likely to make a move for Aston Villa winger Ashley Young, a move for Sanchez does not seem to be on the books. Interested in Sanchez has increased recently with Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti throwing his club’s name into the race by urging the club to sign the young winger. Chelsea has also been rumored in the winger and with this much interest in Sanchez it is unlikely Udinese will be able to hold on to him.

Erik Lamela

River Plate’s highly rated Argentine midfielder has long been the subject of transfer rumors starting when he was 12 years old when River rejected Barcelona’s 300,000 Euro offer for the too “young to be called a youngster” player. Lamela is no longer a child and now at 19 he is once again drawing the attention of European giants. Lamela has become a key player for River Plate in recent years and the club has reportedly sold the player to a group of business men for 14 million Euros, who will sell the player once more in June. Juventus seem favored to secure Lamela’s signature this summer, but the Argentine wonderkid will end up somewhere in Europe this summer.

Paulo Henrique (Ganso)

Ganso is a member of Brazil’s current crop of wonderkids and the Santos midfielder is the prize of a reported battle between the Milan sides. The future Brazilian star has said that he will be signing for either Inter or AC with a move for the 21 year old playmaker likely to take place this summer.

Neymar

Neymar is another member of Brazil’s budding youth system and is Ganso’s teammate at Santos. The flashy striker, who has been compared to Brazilian great Pele, is unlikely to stay in Brazil much longer. Chelsea tried to sign the youngster last summer, but Neymar rejected their offer in order to continue to grow in Brazil. He recently signed a new contract with Santos that contains a 45 million Euro release clause and it is unlikely that Santos will except anything less for their star.

Michel Bastos

Yet another Brazilian that could be on the move, but this one his already in Europe. Bastos, a winger at Olympique Lyonnais, is in the crosshairs of rebuilding Italian giant Juventus but it appears that negotiations between the two clubs of the player’s future have stalled. Bastos has said that he is looking for a new challenge away from Lyons but has ruled out England and Germany leaving a move to Spain or Italy as his options.

Other Transfers to Look Forward To

With Edwin Van de Sar retiring in a couple of weeks, Manchester United is need of a new starting keeper to replace the Dutchman. David De Gea, Athletico Madrids young keeper, is a name often brought up in discussions. Schalke’s Manuel Neuer was considered an option before completing a reported deal with Bayern Munich leaving names like Ajax’s Stekelenburg and Olympique Lyonnais’s Lloris on the list of possible replacements at Old Trafford.

Manchester United have also been reportedly working out a deal for Aston Villa’s English international Ashley Young. Young would add to an already fantastic group of wingers with Nani and Antonio Valencia.

Interest in Porto’s Brazilian striker Hulk is rumored to be high with the likes of Manchester City and AC Milan pursuing his signature. It is unlikely that Porto will allow their talisman to leave after recently signing him to a new contract.

Kaka is also rumored to be leaving Real Madrid with a number of clubs in England supposedly interested in the former Ballon D’or recipient. Kaka has recently stated his desire to remain at Real Madrid and reclaim a spot in the line up following comments made by his mother about them moving to London for next season.