Chelsea offered Manchester United target for World Cup winner

According to reports in Madrid based daily MARCA, Chelsea’s Andre Schurrle could be headed to Atletico Madrid with Brazilian defender Miranda heading the other way to Stamford Bridge. The Rojiblancos have well and fully understood the price of success with their major players Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois all joining Chelsea in what would be rightly called a mass exodus.

Manager Diego Simeone however has acted quickly in the transfer market to acquire French sensation  Antoine Griezmann from Real Sociedad and is now on the prowl to sign German midfielder Schurrle whose assist for Mario Gotze at the Maracana against Argentina won the World Cup for the Die Mannschaft.  Schurrle has primarily been a bit part-player for Jose Mourinho, with his majority of appearances coming from the bench.

The 23 year old former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder has hit the back of the net 8 times and grabbed a couple of assists in 30 outings for the Blues from London. However it is believed that his enormous work rate that has convinced Simeone to land him at the Vicente Calderon by offering Manchester United target Miranda to Chelsea.

Both Chelsea and Manchester United’s need for a central defender are well documented and MARCA reported a couple of days ago that Mourinho is insistent to sign Miranda and is set to offer €25m for the player.  The Brazilian has the same super agent as Costa and Luis, i.e Jorge Mendes and Mourinho is confident that a deal can be agreed upon. Chelsea were earlier interested in Raphael Varane after their pursuit of Roma’s Mehdi Benatia had hit a roadblock but it is believed that Real Madrid have no intentions in selling the young Frenchman with Pepe entering his early thirties.

Miranda however has a €30m release clause and should both Chelsea and Atletico agree on a deal, the English giants will have to pay some significant cash worth around €10m and also allowing Schurrle to witch loyalties for the La Liga winners. Finally after breaking the Real Madrid and Barcelona hegemony in Spain last season can the Rojiblancos defy the odds and defend their title successfully?

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Chelsea man wants one more year in Spain (video)

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Courtois seeks more time at Athletico

Since his extended stay at Athletico as the on loan 'keeper gains vital match experience, the young Belgian number 1 wants even more time at the La Liga club to continue his already fine progress.  

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The politics of a transfer between rival clubs

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Radamel ‘'El Tigre' Falcao

I watched Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid on Sunday and believe me, there were some beautifully taken goals. Barcelona's Brazilian right back Adriano scored a blinder, smashing the underside of the bar with a beautifully placed left foot curler. However first to step up was the Colombian everyone is talking about, ‘El Tigre' aka Radamel Falcao. 

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Pitch Invaders Does What We All Want To Do

Barcelona vs Athletico was an enjoyable game. Maybe a bit too much enjoyment for one fellow to contain though.

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Thursday night, Channel Five: a case for the Europa League

As I watched a very entertaining game between Liverpool and Udinese in the Europa League last week, I realised it was fourth game of the competition I was watching already this season. For all the jesting that the competition is a 'poor man's Champions League' it throws up some brilliant fixtures and gives us a chance to watch teams and players we wouldn't normally get to see if you're not an avid follower of the other European leagues.

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Simeone’s Atletico provide the side-track to the Clasico

As with every passing week over in Spain, the Jose Mourinho soap opera seems to dominate the landscape as his battle for squad politics with defender Sergio Ramos rolling over into the build-up to the always contentious Clasico at the Nou Camp this Sunday evening.

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European “competition” highlights the financial gap

With the proposition of UEFA’s big, bad Financial Fair Play ruling looming on the horizon, there was no better time than European cup quarter-final week to expose the various pitfalls and loopholes that the European footballing authorities should encounter when implementing rigid measures into place in the summer of 2013, to ensure European Clubs spend within their means.

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