According to reports in The Times, Arsenal are ready to steal a march on a number of their Premier League rivals in the race to sign £45m-rated Bordeaux winger Malcom, who has scored seven goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season.
What’s the word, then?
The Times reports that Gunners representatives met the agent of the 20-year-old starlet on Wednesday in an attempt to bring the wide-man to the Emirates before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month, with any deal likely to pave the way for Alexis Sanchez’s exit.
The Times says that Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur have also been monitoring the Brazilian, while French media outlet Mercato 365 claimed in November that Manchester United and Chelsea are also keen.
How has Malcom done this season?
He has been brilliant.
The left-footed winger has often played on the opposite flank and he has caused havoc by cutting inside, with seven goals and a further four assists in 21 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit this term.
Those seven goals have included a number of strikes from outside the penalty area to show the goal threat that the 20-year-old would bring to Arsenal.
According to WhoScored.com, Malcom has averaged 2.3 shots per game in 18 French top flight outings this season, while he is also quick and has successfully completed 50 of the 72 dribbles he has attempted.
Will they get him this month?
It’s difficult to say.
It is unclear whether Arsenal’s interest in the Brazil U23 international depends on them selling Sanchez this month, or whether they will push ahead with a deal even if the Chilean stays in order to win the race for the in demand 21-year-old.
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With Sanchez looking to be on his way out and the future of Mesut Ozil still in doubt, the Gunners certainly need to start making some statements in the transfer market to convince their current players – and potential new additions – they are ambitious, and bringing Malcom to the Emirates before the window slams shut on January 31 would certainly do that.
While £45m may seem like a lot of money, it is the going rate for a good player these days and the young Brazilian certainly looks to be one with a big future ahead of him.
New research by BT Sport has revealed that over a quarter (27%) of sports fans aged 18-24 would give up their Christmas dinner to be able to watch sport on the TV.
– More than a quarter (27%) of sports fans* aged 18-24 would give up Christmas dinner to watch sport on the TV.
– 26% of sports fans would sacrifice family time to watch sport on the TV over Christmas.
– 39% of UK adults watch sport on the TV over the festive period.
– More than one in ten men (11%) arrange their Christmas plans around football TV schedules.
The survey shows that one in four (26%) sport fans in the UK would also sacrifice spending time with their family over Christmas in favour of watching their team on the television, a figure that rises to over a third (35%) amongst 18-24 year olds. A further one in five (19%) sports fans would be prepared to miss opening presents with the family to watch sport on the TV.
The research reveals that 39% of UK adults will watch televised sport this Christmas with further 25% saying they would watch live Barclays Premier League football if it was played on Christmas Day. Over half of all (56%) of men will watch sport on the TV over the Christmas and New Year period compared to just over a fifth (22%) of all women. People aged between 25 and 34 are most likely to watch sport over Christmas with almost half (47%) planning to tune in.
More than one in ten of UK men (11%) will plan their Christmas and New Year celebrations around the Barclays Premier League TV schedule. People in the North East are most likely to put TV sport first with 15% of all adults willing to change their Christmas plans to make sure they can watch sport on TV compared to just 5% in the East Midlands.
The research show that London has the lowest number of festive sports followers, with only a third of adults (33%) planning to watch sport over the Christmas period, while in the North West as many as 47% will be tuning in to watch their team. Sport fans in the North East are more willing than anywhere else to give up family time with 53% saying they would rather watch their team on the television.
Marc Watson, CEO TV Group BT, said: “The UK is a nation of sports fans and our research shows that watching live sport is a priority for a large proportion of the people over Christmas. The festive season is one of the busiest periods in the sporting calendar and it seems Christmas is a popular time for watching your favourite team on the television.”
He adds: “BT Sport aims to bring more sport to people’s homes and we have a fantastic line up of exclusively live sport over the festive period with top pick Barclays Premier League matches, Aviva Premiership Rugby and five NBA matches from the US on Christmas Day.”
BT Sport has a packed schedule over Christmas with top pick Barclays Premier League ties including double header feasts of football on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. On Boxing Day, viewers can enjoy West Ham United v Arsenal at 3pm, followed by Manchester City v Liverpool, kicking off at 5.30pm. On New Year’s Day, fans can nurse their hangovers by tucking into the double delight of Southampton v Chelsea at 3pm and then Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur at 5.30pm.
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Rugby fans can also enjoy some top rugby fixtures as 2013 Aviva Premiership champions Leicester Tigers take on current leaders Saracens on the 21st December. Exeter Chiefs also travel to Twickenham stadium to meet Harlequins for the “Big Game” on 28th December.
BT Sport will also show five exclusively live games from the NBA on Christmas Day with a further eight live match-ups before New Year Day.
Patrice Evra has endured one of the most difficult years in his career so far, as he struggles to perform consistently at the highest level for club and country. The Metro reports.
Since joining Manchester United from Monaco in January 2006, Evra has stamped his authority on the left-back position and proved to be a real attacking threat down the left-hand side for United.
But the France international admits it has not always been plain-sailing during his time at Old Trafford.
He said: “When I hear people say ‘Patrice never had someone to fight him for his place’, I think they have bad memories.
“I fought with two great players in Gabriel Heinze and Mikael Silvestre.”
The 31-year-old now faces a fresh challenge from Alexander Buttner, who made an impressive home debut in this month’s 4-0 win over Wigan- scoring the Red Devils’ third goal.
Meanwhile, Evra’s defensive fallibilities have been highlighted in recent months, with the 2011/12 campaign arguably being his poorest season in a United shirt.
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Evra was reinstated to the side in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, but Buttner could start again when United host Newcastle in the Capital One Cup tomorrow night.
The rivalry between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool has never been intense until this season.
The competition between Spurs striker Harry Kane and Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah heated up as both fought for the Premier League Golden Boot.
In the end, Salah took home the individual award, but it was still an impressive campaign for Kane as he netted 30 top-flight goals.
This week, the 24-year-old was given a very big honour as he was named England captain for the World Cup in Russia this summer.
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Manager Gareth Southgate has not had a permanent skipper since taking over as England boss in November 2016, but on this occasion, Kane is the lucky one.
Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson would also have been a contender, but he was overlooked.
Unsurprisingly, Reds fans were disappointed with Southgate’s decision, and even the Liverpool Echo launched a dig at Kane by reminding Tottenham of their failed Champions League campaign.
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Liverpool are one win away from lifting the European trophy, but they will have to get past Real Madrid this Saturday in order to do so.
Tottenham fans were not best pleased with the publication’s tweet.
Over the course of the last month, managers of the so-called top six sides in the Premier League – Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur – have all been guilty of criticising and moaning at the tactics deployed by some of the teams they have been playing against.
While it may be getting towards the stressful and busy festive period, their comments certainly won’t have painted them in a good light to the bosses and fans of the other 14 teams that make up the English top flight.
Southampton travelled to leaders Manchester City at the end of November on the back of an impressive 4-1 win at home to Everton at St Mary’s, but with Pep Guardiola’s men looking almost invincible and winning 12 of their 13 Premier League fixtures – drawing the other – Mauricio Pellegrino decided to set up with a defensive 5-3-2 system at the Etihad Stadium.
The hosts also had a goal difference of +34 at that time, so it was no surprise that the Argentine boss decided to ultimately keep things tight at the back and then try and use the pace of Nathan Redmond and Shane Long up top on the counter.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City vs Southampton – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – November 29, 2017 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts as Southampton’s Nathan Redmond prepares to restart play Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/play
Saints came so close to a point before Raheem Sterling’s cruel 96th minute winner, but the final whistle was followed by an unsavoury looking incident where Guardiola was right in Redmond’s face and appearing to shout at him after what would have been a bitterly disappointing end to the game for the forward.
The Spaniard – and the winger – confirmed afterwards that they were just chatting about why Southampton had played quite defensively and been happy to play for a point considering the attacking players they have, but Guardiola did not come over well in the incident.
He has no right to tell any of his counterparts how they should play against him – especially when he has a free-scoring team put together with the biggest budget for transfers and wages in the division – and it showed a complete disrespect to Pellegrino.
Arsene Wenger had a similar moan against the south coast outfit in the Gunners’ 1-1 draw at St Mary’s earlier this month, when he accused them of time-wasting before Olivier Giroud scored an 87th minute equaliser.
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As reported by the Daily Mail, the Frenchman said: “The waste of time is becoming a real problem in England in the last two seasons. First, it has to be in the head of the players to respect the game and to play.”
On the same night that Guardiola spoke to Redmond, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte was sent to the stands during his team’s 1-0 win against Swansea City at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian shouted in the face of fourth official Lee Mason and referee Neil Swarbrick after Swans goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was accused of taking too long over a goal kick.
As reported by The Independent, Conte said: “I hope also the referee will learn something about this, because Swansea were wasting time. In this situation the referee has to protect the team that wants to play football, to try to win the game.”
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The club that has perhaps got it most in the neck in the last few weeks is undoubtedly West Bromwich Albion though.
It all started against Tottenham at Wembley last month when they came into the game managerless and on the back of four successive Premier League losses.
The Baggies were slipping ever closer to the relegation zone and they managed to secure a 1-1 draw in the capital, but Mauricio Pochettino and his players weren’t impressed with the tactics of the visitors.
As reported by The Sun, Spurs’ Eric Dier said: “If you watch the game from the first minute and add up the amount of time wasted by their keeper [Ben Foster], it would be a big number.”
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was similarly unimpressed by the west Midlands outfit as they picked up a goalless draw at Anfield last week, and according to Sky Sports the German said: “I told the ref after the game, three minutes [added on] in a game like this where there are six changes, time played from the first second from the opponent, and he said it was right.”
According to ESPN FC, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was concerned about the Baggies’ time-wasting ahead of their clash at the Hawthorns on Sunday, although he had little to worry about afterwards as they ran out 2-1 winners.
At the end of the day though, West Brom haven’t won a Premier League match since August, so why shouldn’t they go to the likes of Wembley and Anfield and play tactically to pick up what could prove to be a crucial point come the end of the season.
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The reality is that staying in the top flight is arguably more important and lucrative than it has ever been, and the managers of those clubs fighting to stay in the division know what they have to do – even if it means setting up not to lose rather than trying to win.
If they want to waste a bit of time here and there then it should be accepted – the top six clubs would do exactly the same in the Champions League or if they were winning by a one-goal margin against one of their Premier League rivals.
With the money he has spent on his squad and the fact that his team had been so prolific in front of goal, Guardiola had no right to call out Pellegrino on his tactics at the Etihad – ones that almost got his team a point.
If Southampton had have attacked up there, they probably would have lost 4-0 or 5-0, and it would have been the same for West Brom and Swansea too.
The budget and the quality of players available to the top six managers means that they have no right to moan and whinge for something that is part and parcel of the modern game, and they should perhaps concentrate on why their teams are struggling or failing to beat the sides towards the bottom of the league instead.
Manchester United full back Patrice Evra has caused yet more controversy while representing his native France, reports the Daily Mail.
Evra, 32, who has been capped 50 times by Les Bleus, called four television pundits which included 1998 World Cup Winner Bixente Lizarazu, “tramps and parasites” on French TV channel, Telefoot.
The Manchester United left back has accused the French media for trying to tarnish his reputation as a footballer.
“There are some pundits with whom I will soon settle my differences with…they want to sell a lie to the French people that Evra is disliked. But that is not the case at all,” he said.
“I do not know what Lizarazu has against me. I was twice voted best left-back in the world, four times the best left-back in the Premier League.
“I don’t even know if he was ever voted best left-back in the world. People have a good impression of me; it won’t be these tramps who dirty my image. They must stop lying to the French people.”
In France’s 4-2 victory against Belarus last month, the full back somewhat gave a colourful team talk to his team mates at half time when only being a substitute, which caused irritation from the fellow French players, and after successfully beating Finland to book a play-off match against Ukraine for next year’s World Cup, The FFF (French Football Federation) have asked the left back for an explanation for his comments.
An FFF statement read: ‘Following the remarks made by Patrice Evra in an interview to Telefoot after France v Finland, president Noel Le Graet and coach Didier Deschamps, while recognizing that no attack was made against the FFF, the France team, the coach or the players, have decided to ask Patrice Evra to come to explain certain statements about the broadcasters.’
Lizarazu, who represented France at seven different major tournaments, also joined the debate.
“His first cap I was no longer even there (in the squad) and yes I was once voted best left back in the world,” he said.
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“He blames us for dirtying his image but he is doing a great job of it himself. As regards the timing, it sucks.”
At the 2010 World Cup, Evra led a player protest after Nicolas Anelka was sent home from South Africa by then manager Raymond Domenech following France’s 2-0 shock defeat against Mexico.
Despite looking like an actor hired to play the role of Ronald McDonald, Marouane Fellaini is one of the most intimidating and fierce competitors in English football. His physical presence and unyielding strength is coupled with textbook technique and a portfolio of sublime passing skills. The new Premier League season may still be in its infancy, but both Manchester United and Aston Villa have already been slayed by Everton’s latest talisman.
Fellaini arrived at Everton as a promising 20-year-old from Standard Liege in a deal worth somewhere north of £15m. Fours years on and the Belgium international is beginning to justify his status as the club’s record transfer signing, a welcome relief perhaps given such limited financial resources. His newfound versatility to play as both a box-to-box midfielder and a robust target man raises the question as to whether Fellaini is the perfect candidate to fill the much desired ‘False 9’ role?
For those of you bewildered by this modern formation, the ‘False 9’ is a player who appears to be operating as a centre-forward but instead drops much deeper, meaning the team are effectively playing without a striker. This intriguing strategy allows the team to attack in waves as a single unit and leaves the lonely centre-backs to batten down the hatches as they await the swarm of players heading towards them. Lionel Messi adopts the ‘False 9’ role for Barcelona while Wayne Rooney may also act in a similar fashion if he’s the lone forward and isn’t seeing any of the ball. Oh, and Spain recently won the European Championships – in some style I might add – using this exact same system.
The main drawback of the ‘False 9’ is that the more disciplined and experienced teams will simply line up with two banks of four, frustrating teams by suffocating space in the middle of the pitch. This is essentially how Chelsea conquered Europe last season, although their incredible counter-attacking pace and the exploits of Didier Drogba were also contributing factors. Teams that employ the ‘False 9’ tend to be stubborn in their refusal to switch to ‘plan b’ and place a big centre forward as a fixed point of attack. This is where Fellaini has a chance to shine.
Whereas most midfielders don’t possess the ruthless clinical edge of their attacking team-mates and most strikers can’t muster a tackle without conceding a foul, Fellaini forms a rare breed of player who boasts both attributes. Almost every defender would admit their biggest fear involves Messi hurtling towards them followed by his Catalan brethren but imagine Fellaini doing the same, he would smash through even the most resilient of defensive barricades.
The departures of Jack Rodwell and perhaps more significantly, Tim Cahill, has enabled David Moyes to fashion a new-look Everton. Fellaini has effectively been handed the keys to Goodison Park, using his new found freedom to flex his creative muscle at the heart of the Toffees’ attack. He is no longer confined to the anchorman position in front of the back four and can therefore hassle and intimidate the opposition further up the pitch.
Fellaini was a worthy man of the match in his sides opening fixture against Manchester United but alongside the flurry of plaudits Sir Alex Ferguson suggested their famous victory was down to simply “lumping the ball forward”. While his comments were not without foundation, Everton castrated Rooney and co with relative ease while laying siege to a weakened United backline in the most direct and effective manner possible. They were quick to revert to their attacking prowess against Villa and even former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was quick to point out “If you can’t handle that, it’s a weakness in your team, not a criticism of the opposition for playing the way they do.” (The Mirror)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard perhaps issued Fellaini with the biggest compliment when he compared him to former fan favourite and opposition battering ram Duncan Ferguson.
“Duncan had the same make-up in terms of being able to dominate someone for 90 minutes. I was happy to be on the right end of it this time. United just couldn’t cope with him.”
“There’s a certain point at which you say it’s impossible to defend against him because he’s so tall, and takes up such good positions you either have to come through the back of him and concede a foul, or stop him controlling it with his chest, which is hard.” (The Sun)
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Of course this discussion of a ‘False 9’ role is rather futile considering Moyes has both Nikica Jelavic and new signing Kevin Mirallas at his disposal. However, there remains plenty of potential and it only requires one or two injuries – a recurring theme at Everton – and Fellaini could be thrust into this role in the same way which saw Tim Cahill emerge as Moyes’ main goal threat.
I can’t help but draw comparisons with Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, both players have been revitalised after having their defensive shackles removed while both will be instrumental in any success their club sides are destined to achieve, and with two goals in as many games, it’s safe to say Fellaini is relishing his new role as the Merseyside Menace.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I am anticipating the ‘False 9’ will prevail in tonight’s Spanish Super Cup match.
According to France Football, Newcastle United are considering a move for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
It would be fair to say that Newcastle had a goalkeeping issue in the first half of the 2017-18 campaign, but that was solved in the January transfer window when they signed Martin Dubravka on loan from Sparta Prague.
The Magpies reportedly have the chance to sign Dubravka on a permanent deal this summer, and that is something that the club’s supporters want to happen.
However, according to France Football, Rafael Benitez’s side have been made aware that Areola could be available from PSG this summer, and the Premier League club are closely monitoring proceedings as they eye a surprise move.
The report claims that Crystal Palace are also watching developments, with PSG said to be considering the likes of Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak and AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Would Areola be a good signing?
In short, yes. The 25-year-old, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has developed into a fine goalkeeper.
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This term, Areola managed 21 clean sheets in 43 appearances in all competitions, and with PSG said to be keen to sell, it is unlikely that Newcastle would have to break the bank for his signature.
The news comes as a bitter blow to Dubravka, who has previously spoken of his desire to move to St James’ Park on a permanent basis.
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Areola is a title-winning goalkeeper with Champions League experience, however, and it would be a fine signing for Newcastle if they managed to pull it off this summer.
That said, Italian giants Napoli are also said to be in the hunt as they prepare to replace Pepe Reina, and it will not be plain sailing for Newcastle in their pursuit of the Frenchman.
There’s a contradictory paradox surrounding Raheem Sterling’s £49m move to Manchester City.
For the most part, the 20-year-old has been condemned as the spoiled kid of English football, accused of kicking his toys out the pram and conducting daily temper tantrums – probably doing that arm-flailing-seizure-type ploy you’ll see from toddlers in shopping centres – to force his way out of Liverpool.
Has Sterling gone about the situation in the wrong way? Probably. That interview with the BBC wasn’t a particularly bright idea; neither was letting agent Aidy Ward tell the Evening Standard that he wouldn’t sign a £900k per-week contract at Anfield; and neither was pulling a sickie for the first two days of pre-season training. The England international’s PR team have done him few favours over the last four months.
Then again, criticism of Sterling’s hesitance to extend his Reds contract past 2017 started way before the BBC interview in April, and there weren’t too many complaining about Gareth Bale taking an unsanctioned leave of absence before he headed off to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013. In fact, why would Liverpool or Spurs even want such players in training just days before selling them for sizable fortunes? Nobody’s going to smash the world-record transfer fee on someone with a broken leg.
Likewise, the Merseysiders have hardly come out of the situation embarrassed; they’ve made £48,400,000 on a £600k signing that a) didn’t want to play for them anymore and b) had publicly refused to sign a new contract. City paid Liverpool almost the same amount Chelsea did for World Cup winning striker Fernando Torres in January 2011, for a player with less than 100 league appearances under his belt who might well have already reached the limits of his footballing powers. What’s there really to complain about?
Most hypocritical, however, is the general consensus amongst English pundits of Sterling being ungrateful and disloyal to Liverpool; from the same pundits who continually harp on about the dearth of home-grown talent and how young English players aren’t given the same opportunities at major clubs anymore.
Let’s face it. Liverpool aren’t exactly a winning ticket at the moment. They’ve won two major trophies in the last decade, qualified for the Champions League just once in six seasons and haven’t lifted a league title since 1990. They’re a crumbling empire who have been forced to sell all their talismanic entities to Europe’s top clubs spanning back to Steve McManaman and Michael Owen. Even the last bastion of Liverpudlian loyalty, Steven Gerrard, was once just a car ride away from joining Chelsea.
So if you’re Roy Hodgson or an England fan, you should be rejoicing right now. Instead of propping up a side who appear doomed to the Europa League, Sterling will be involved in Premier League title races and the Champions League for the best part of the next decade with virtual guarantee. It can only improve him as an international player, with regular exposure to high-pressure, extremely technical games, large pitches and paramount quality of opposition, so once again, what the heck is everybody moaning about?
In my opinion, it’s no different to Manchester United prising Wayne Rooney away from Everton back in summer 2004. The future England skipper hadn’t gone public with his desires to leave Goodison Park, but did hand in a formal transfer request after rejecting a £50k per-week contract.
I don’t remember too many pitchfork mobs turning up at Rooney manor eleven years ago; I don’t remember too many journalists painting him out as some spoiled brat who didn’t know he was born, despite joining United when he was younger than Sterling, after fewer top flight appearances, and actually being a Mersey-born, boyhood Everton fan. Sterling, on the other hand, grew up in London and was poached from QPR’s academy in 2010.
So what’s the difference? Primarily, the idea that Everton are a small club and Liverpool are a big one, that Manchester United are an irrefusable club but their noisy neighbours, despite winning two Premier League titles in the last four years, still aren’t. In other words, snobbery – powered by the weight of history, prestige and reputation whilst ignoring what the future most likely holds.
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Sterling may have played the game a little to ensure he’d leave Anfield this summer, but what footballer hasn’t? Rooney handed in two transfer requests in three years at United before becoming club captain and the best-paid player in Premier League history. That’s not a coincidence.
In my opinion, the only true outrage is the size of his transfer fee. At this point, he clearly doesn’t deserve to be the most expensive Englishman in the history of football, the third-most expensive Premier League transfer of all time or for that matter, probably not even City’s club-record signing. But in a capitalist society you’re worth whatever somebody’s willing to pay, and whether it will prove shrewd or stupid, City were prepared to break records to bring him to the Etihad.
Kyriakos Papadopoulos has made quite a name for himself in Germany. Back in 2010 Olympiacos sold the Greek defender to Shalke for €2.5million (£2,164,000) with the centre back going onto make 57 appearances for the Royal Blues. He has also earned plenty of attention in the Greek national team especially after last year’s Euro where he was one of the side’s best players, along with Vasilis Torosidis and Fulham’s Giorgos Karagounis.
Recently though, the 21-year-old has also been garnering a lot of attention from the Premier League and more specifically – in Liverpool. This is a player that makes a very interesting case as to whether or not he is top flight material, with him making a good impression in both the Bundesliga and at international level.
The Greek centre back is recognised for his speed, strength, confidence and ability to adjust quickly – which are all very important assets for a Premier League defender. When he joined Shalke he was able to adjust quickly, which he would also be expected to do should he move to Anfield with the Premier League season starting in just 11 days.
When Olympiacos signed him in 2007 from his hometown team, Svoronos Katerinis, he made his Championship debut at the age of 15 and became the youngest footballer to ever play in the Greek Super League. He was described as a rising star by the Greek press and never failed to live up to his billing.
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He is now beloved by Shalke fans, mostly because he is a fighter that always battles to win possession of the ball and clear it from danger. He also has the second highest tackle success rate of 84.83 per cent, and has made the most interceptions (3.77) and most clearances (6.51) per game in the Bundesliga.
Centre backs are not known for their scoring abilities but Papa is no stranger to hitting the back of the net – scoring four goals in 16 games for Greece.
Liverpool have recently lost Jamie Carragher to retirement and are now carefully looking for a replacement for the Merseyside stalwart. The Anfield side recently signed Kolo Toure from Manchester City who is a very capable defender with a great history at Arsenal where he cemented his legacy as a key member of the 2004 Invincibles. Nevertheless, he is now 32-years-old and perhaps has less stamina than what Papadopoulos might have, even though he definitely has more experience.
Liverpool’s defence also consists of Daniel Agger who has made 209 appearances for the club but rumours of Barcelona circling will be worrying for Reds fans. Therefore, Liverpool couldn’t afford to lose Carragher’s replacement this summer. Martin Kelly is also a very talented defender but is mostly contending for the right back position with Glen Johnson. Martin Skrtel’s future is also in doubt with Brendan Rodgers not appearing to have much faith in the Slovakian. Sebastian Coates has also been described by many as an up and coming talent and is called ‘Luganito’ by Uruguayan fans abecause they see him as Uruguay’s next captain after West Brom’s Diego Lugano retires.
Therefore, it looks like there is room for Papadopoulos in the Anfield defence and he could also be considered as a safe bet for the centre back position with his attributes of great stamina, talent and reputation as a huge investment for the future.
Nevertheless, Papadopoulos also has his flaws. He needs to work on his passing, which is essential for an English side as most gameplans (especially Liverpool’s) are based on good circulation of the ball. He also has a fiery temper that has led him to commit 2.13 fouls per game. He gets easily frustrated as proved by a Suddeutsche Zeitung journalist, who told The Guardian that if Shalke are losing at half time the staff find it very hard to calm him down, which later affects his game and makes his defending wilder.
It hasn’t been a very good year for the Greek international as he underwent a knee operation which kept him on the sidelines for the last seven months. Nevertheless, he is expected to make a big comeback and, according to The Guardian, Brendan Rodgers sees him as a potential leader of the Liverpool back line for years to come.
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Check out a video of Papa’s best performances below…