Arsenal and Chelsea boosted as Madrid seeks to find replacement

This would come as a welcome boost for Arsenal and Chelsea. Reports from Spanish newspaper El Confidencial have reported that Champions League winners Real Madrid are on the look put of Wolfsburg’s Brazilian midfielder Luis Gustavo. This comes as a major development and would certainly hint at Sami Khedira’s contract situation at the Bernabeu. Both Chelsea and Arsenal are interested in the Wolf Cup winner but those rumours which had gathered pace in the middle of July broke off after neither of the English giants.

Khedira’s contract at the Spanish capital is set tend in the coming summer and with Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich are also interested the Tunisian born is caught in transfer tussle between three clubs.  The 27-year-old Khedira would be an ideal signing for Arsenal with manager Arsene Wenger fully on the lookout to enhance his squad depth.

So why have Real moved early for Gustavo who did quite a good job for Brazil in the World Cup? There is no doubt that the player acts a true defensive midfielder screening his defense while his passing ability is second to none.  So with Khedira yet to sign a contract extension and the arrival of Toni Kroos at the Galacticos it appears Carlo Ancelotii has the frowns on his forehead and hence wants to sign a replacement before they are out of ‘depth.’ This in a different tilted angle certainly means Khedira’s time is well and truly over at the Spanish giants.

As far as Gustavo is concerned, the 26 year old joined Wolfsburg  at the beginning of the 2013-14 season when he was deemed surplus to requirements  at the Allianz Arena. La Liga winners who have endured a mass exodus of their players already to Chelsea are also contemplating a bid for Gustvao, the Rojiblancos who earlier failed to sign Gustavo as Wolfsburg offered the player a salary of €4.5m per season.  

Arsenal’s needs of a central defensive midfielder are well documented and with the Morgan Schneiderlin rumours dying down over the past weeks, who knows if the Khedira bid could just revive itself before the transfer window slams shut?

Manchester United Linked With Switzerland Left-Back - Why Luke Shaw Could Face Fresh Competition At Old Trafford

The Red Devils may have already brought in Luke Shaw but, according to the Daily Mail, that isn’t stopping them looking at other potential left-backs they could sign.  The latest name to be linked with Manchester United is Ricardo Rodriguez, who despite his age of 21 does not seem like much of a youngster when compared with 18-year-old Shaw.

Click to read more ...

Chelsea Could Live To Regret Selling De Bruyne

As it looks increasingly likely De Bruyne is heading out of West London to join Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, I can't help but think selling the highly rated midfielder will be prove to be a mistake in future years.

Click to read more ...

5 Defenders Who Could Replace Patrice Evra

It's never easy replacing a player that has been consistently brilliant at the club for a number of years. You get so used to seeing that player on the team sheet and what they bring to the team, the kind of things that make you go 'Wow, we're so lucky to have him'. Patrice Evra is one of those players because he combines attacking and defending excellently to make him one of a special breed of left-back. Not many can combine the two well and often a player excels in just one of the areas.

Click to read more ...

Bundesliga Playmaker Hints At Arsenal Move - Statistical Player Report

With Wolfsburg midfielder Naldo suggesting that Arsenal and Southampton are interested in his services, I thought that I would take a look at what the 28-year-old could offer the Premier League sides mentioned by The Sun.

Click to read more ...

5 Defenders Who Could Sort West Ham Out

West Ham are in a rut at the moment. Just one place outside the relegation zone with ten points, the only thing keeping them out is their goal difference, which is better than Fulham's. Without a win since the start of October, without a point since the start of November, shipping nine goals since their last victory against Tottenham and only scoring two, it is a real sorry state of affairs for the East London club. On paper, they have a good team, but injuries, form and abilities of some players have severely hindered them in this campaign. Because of their relatively dry spell in front of goal, you'd expect me to create a list of strikers that Sam Allardyce could sign but, because I've already covered it, why not develop a list for their other problem area: defence. Who could come in and plug the gap that Winston Reid looks like he'll be leaving through injury?:

Click to read more ...

3 Bundesliga Centre-Backs Arsenal Should Be Looking At In January

Arsenal's centre-backs have had a mixed bag this year in the Premier League, with Per Mertesacker dominating and Laurent Koscielny struggling to hit any form. Ahead of the January transfer window here are three Bundesliga centre-backs who the Gunners should be looking at.

Click to read more ...

8 Bundesliga Players Whose Contracts Are Nearly Up

To continue the topic of free agents available at the start of the next season, I will be looking at the Bundesliga and what bargains could be had there. After looking at the Premier League and looking at the Bundesliga in this article, I will name a few more free agents from a couple of other leagues to provide an idea of the quality that may well be available this time next year.

Click to read more ...

Friday Night Football - VfL Wolfsburg vs Bayern München

This evening ESPN are covering Bundesliga fixture Vfl Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich have not dropped points against Wolfsburg since 2011 and a win tonight could see them go 18 point clear of second placed Borussia Dortmund.

Click to read more ...

Has Michael Owen still got it? (Video)

Having just turned 33 years old, can Michael Owen have another good Premier League season before he eventually retires?

Click to read more ...

Dzeko is the man (VIDEO)

There is certainly a competition at Manchester City to have the chance to lead the attack each week. Roberto Mancini has a task difficult decision to make each week that all managers could only dream that they had. He has four world class strikers that are fit and capable of scoring goals.

Click to read more ...

The rollercoaster career of Steve McClaren (Video)

Steve McClaren's failure to qualify England for Euro 2008 will no doubt harshly haunt the rest of his career in football, despite his success in becoming the first Englishman since Bobby Robson in 1996 to win a top-level domestic league.

Click to read more ...

Rise of Wolfsburg: Can Magath’s madness lead Die Wolfe back to the top?

As a manager Felix Magath is known as “Quälix” to his players. “Quälix” is the mashed up word of his first name Felix and the German word for torture ‘quälen’. Quite a word, to describe your manager; but that’s what Magath is all about. Fitness, discipline, conditioning; “Quälix” is all about prepping up his players to battle it on the pitch. His detached man-management and strict methods, while harsh on players have produced the goods during his management career. Back at Wolfsburg, he’s aim once again is simple: make them champions. 

Click to read more ...

City start ominously but United also hit early rhythm

The latest twist to the early stages of what is shaping up to be the most exciting title race in recent memory is that Manchester City have ended their long running pursuit of Samir Nasri by finally managing to land the Frenchman for a fee of £22 million. The midfielder will add to the attacking guile and fluidity that has been on display in the opening two games of the season that has yielded two convincing wins, seven goals and an immediate return from the marquee signing of Sergio Aguero. The shackles finally appear to have been taken off by Roberto Mancini and the impending addition of the mercurial Nasri to such flair is ill-boding for the rest of the league.

Click to read more ...

Kun Falcao prove there is life after Aguero at the Vicente Calderon?

Die hard La liga followers will acknowledge that Athletico Madrid have now been lampooned with the label of a ‘feeder club’, despite winning the Europa league, players such as Jurado,, Simao, Aguero and De Gea have all left respectively over past seasons. Thus, it is fair to say selling has well and truly become embodied within the clubs DNA. 

Click to read more ...