In a round-up of recent transfer speculation, we look at an Argentine youngster compared to
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, and linked with
Chelsea and
Liverpool, a young English winger said to be interesting
Sunderland,
Everton and
Tottenham, a
Manchester City target often compared to
Arsenal great Patrick Vieira, Jose Mourinho’s favourite gallivanting Brazilian fullback and the answer to
Manchester United’s goalkeeping problems.
Angel di Maria
Age: 21
Club: Benfica
Nationality: Argentine
Position: Left winger
Linked with: Chelsea and Liverpool
Di Maria is a very skilful winger, with superb dribbling skills, a good range of passing and a great first touch. He also has the kind of skill and pace that would give any Premier League fullback nightmares.
The youngster is also capable of scoring some spectacular goals, although one of the criticisms levelled at him is that he doesn’t score often enough. What he does do with great regularity is creates chances – and that’s exactly what you look for first in a wide man.
Predominately left footed and with all the attributes required to become a true great, lofty comparisons are already being made to compatriots Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, but in Portugal they prefer to compare him to Benfica great, Simao.
Chelsea are said to be very keen, no surprise when you see what he did to the usually defensively proficient Everton in last months’ Europa League clash, while Liverpool were also linked in the summer. If the Blues can successfully appeal, or even dely their transfer ban, they will want to spend well in January, and in Di Maria, they’d certainly be looking at a pretty much nailed on hit.
Adam Johnson
Age: 22
Club: Middlesbrough
Nationality: English
Position: Left winger
Linked with: Sunderland, Everton, Tottenham.
This highly-rated England under-21 burst on to the scene at The Riverside during 2007-08 with a string of impressive performances in the absence of then Boro star Stewart Downing.
The England winger’s move to Aston Villa following the club’s relegation has allowed Johnson an extended run in the side this season, and he has continued to impressed, causing the queue of clubs interested in his services to grow ever longer.
Johnson is a tricky winger with a keen eye for goal, and is fast becoming one of English football’s most-talked about young players, with Sunderland said to be joining the likes of Everton and Spurs in the ever growing queue of teams interesting in sealing a deal for the winger.
Yaya Toure
Age: 26
Club: Barcelona
Nationality: Ivorian
Position: Defensive midfielder
Linked with: Manchester City, Arsenal.
When his brother, Kolo, was at Arsenal, Yaya Toure was regularly linked with a move to the Emirates. Now the defender has moved to Eastlands, so too has the prolonged speculation as to which side the Barcelona midfielder is to join.
Often compared to former Gunners great Patrick Vieira, Toure is very strong on the ball and an excellent passer – capable of both sitting deep to protect the back for or driving from box-to-box.
City aren’t exactly short of options in the middle of the park - with Stephen Ireland, Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong among Mark Hughes options – Toure’s potential arrival may provide the ultimate test of the old adage that you can ‘never have too many good players’.
Maicon
Age: 28
Club: Manchester City
Nationality: Brazilian
Position: Right back
Linked with: Manchester City
There are many, many things we learnt about Jose Mourinho during his all too short stay in English football – one of which is that he’s a big fan of full-backs who love to bomb forward, and that’s exactly why he’s taken gallivanting Brazilian right-back Maicon to his heart during his time at the San Siro.
Aside from his defensive duties - where he times his tackles well and uses his size and power to great effect - Maicon also regularly pops up from to score crucial goals and acts as a regular supply line for the centre forwards, providing the kind crosses and high angled balls into the box that the all big strikers thrive on.
Mark Hughes is said to be keen to take the Brazilian to Eastlands, and obviously will have the funds to turn Inter’s head, but perhaps not the man himself, with his agent today described talk of his client joining City as a ‘joke’.
Manuel Neuer
Age: 23
Club: Schalke 04
Nationality: German
Position: Goalkeeper
Linked with: Manchester United
With Edwin van der Sar not getting any younger, and Ben Foster still sadly looking a long way from being the world class goalkeeper required by a side with title aspirations both at home and in Europe, it has come as no surprise to see Manchester United linked with a batch of top goalkeepers in recent months.
The latest, Schalke 04’s Manuel Neuer is perhaps the most promising of the lot – having already played over 100 matches for the Bundesliga side’s team, frighteningly quick work for a 23 year old goalkeeper.
To date, Neuer best moment was quite possible the Champions League clash with Porto in 2008, during which the keeper, then just 21, pulled off a string of superb saves, including two in a penalty shoot-out, as the German side knocked out the Portuguese giants.
In time Neuer is expected to compete with Leverkusen’s Rene Adler for the German No. 1 jersey - the 6ft4 Schalke stopper made his full Germany debut in a friendly against the UAE, before returning to the U21 side and picking up a European Championship winner’s medal later the same month.