Transfer Deadline Day Roundup: £214,525,000

We have all been treated to quite a large slice of juicy transfer dealings this January in the busiest January transfer window I can remember. It has been absolute chaos as clubs have paid well over the odds for transfer targets - many of those clubs leaving their dealings to the very last minute in what has become a fashionable feature of these windows.

Firstly, Chelsea spent big. Very big. Roman Abramovich took a massive leap of faith and once again dipped into his deep, deep pockets to revive the Chelsea team to its winning ways once again. Just to reiterate how deep Abramovich's pockets actually are, the Russian billionaire pulled out a mightily generous £75 million in just one day to sign both Torres of Liverpool and David Luiz of Benfica.

As news broke that Fernando Torres had decided his future did not lie with Liverpool and so handed in a transfer request to his club among bids from Chelsea, Premier League teams and managers must have been bracing themselves for an invasion. Liverpool needed a new striker. They needed striker who could, to some degree replace the Spaniard and someone who could score goals - match winning goals to pull Liverpool up the table and push for that all important 4th spot. They would be guaranteed a lot of money to spend, but very little time to spend it in.
 
Liverpool got their £50 million - a massive amount for a striker off form, apparently always unhappy, and prone to injuries in what is likely to turn out to be a better deal for Liverpool than Chelsea. Liverpool also got Andy Carroll.

They already had Luis Suarez in the bag, and wanted someone with Premier League experience. They went for Newcastle number 9, Andy Carroll. A £25 million bid was rejected, and Newcastle asked for more. A second Liverpool bid was submitted, and rejected again, this time for £30 million, but the final bid was the one that sealed the deal. Carroll had submitted a transfer request - obviously unsettled by the interest of Liverpool, and a £35 million offer was too much for Newcastle to refuse.

Now Newcastle had £35 million, and even less time to replace their top striker. They were linked with Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey and Bolton's Johan Elmander - the latter rumour being fuelled by the fact that Chelsea's Danny Sturridge was being lined up for Bolton as a replacement. In the end, Newcastle failed to sign any one of those mentioned, but they did show some signs of life with £10, and then £12 million bids for Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia. Wigan saw the efforts as too late in the day, and both offers were rejected.

Charlie Adam of Blackpool stayed put in a bit of an anti-climax. Everyone thought that he was being driven to Liverpool by a car sent by Liverpool to sign for Liverpool. That rumour was probably started by an over enthused Liverpool supporter. It didn't turn out to be true, and even late bids from Tottenham were not enough to see the stubborn Blackpool manager Ian Holloway rethink his decision and Adam was to stay.

Shaun Wright Phillips was subject to interest from several clubs, none of which wanted to part with any money to bring him to their clubs. Newcastle, Bolton, West Ham, Everton and Portsmouth all tried to take Wright-Phillips out on loan. None were successful.

Stephen Ireland, who hasn't had the best time at Aston Villa has joined Newcastle, but none of that £35 million from the Carroll sale was spent, as it is only a loan deal. The 24-year-old has so far made 13 appearances – eight starts and five as substitute - in all competitions in claret and blue and ironically made his Villa debut against Newcastle at St James Park.

That covers most of the main transfers, but if you want to see a full list of every in and out this transfer window click here.

Manchester United and Arsenal were looking on in shock most probably at the enormous amounts of money being thrown around by their rivals. Both Ferguson and Wenger have been in agreement that there has been no real value in the transfer market and they were unlikely to add to their squad. With number like £50 million, £35 million and £25 million being coughed up for players, United and Arsenal probably did the right thing in keeping out of it. Neither club would be willing to spend that much on a player anyway.

Gasp in shock at the number that has been spent in just 31 day: £214,525,000. Just look at the number, and think what you would do with that. Of all the things that over two hundred million pounds could be spent on, it is spent on individuals who play football every week. The numbers are astonishing, but it is the quality of the football we all want to see now, not the vast amounts being spent.

Bolton Get Sturridge Instead of Vela

There have been some massive transfers this deadline day involving big players, big clubs and big money. This transfer isn't as big as those including Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez or Andy Carroll, but it sees Danny Sturridge of Chelsea joining Bolton Wanderers in a loan deal until the end of the season.

After Chelsea's £50 million signing of Fernando Torres from Liverpool, Sturridge will obviously find it harder than it already has been for him to grab a place in the first team ahead of Drogba, Anelka and now the new Spaniard. A move away which guarantees him games is a great move for the promising young English forward where he can prove his obvious talents ad grow as a player with some decent time on the pitch at an increasingly talented Bolton side.

Bolton had tried to sign the Arsenal striker Carlos Vela, but the Mexican's agent was a big stumbling block for the transfer, and in the end, Vela joined West Brom from Arsenal rather than Bolton. Sturridge is, nevertheless, a big scoop for Bolton.
It seems both parties are very pleased with the transfer. Owen Coyle, the Bolton manager said of his new signing:

"I'm really pleased to have Daniel with us,"

"He's a terrific young talent and one of the most exciting strikers in the country. We're all looking forward to working with him."

While Sturridge, who was linked to a move to Liverpool in a part exchange deal for Torres said:

"I spoke with the manager and he outlined what he hopes to achieve and his plans. It was an easy decision to sign for Bolton Wanderers and I'm looking forward to linking up with the squad on Tuesday."

The 21 year-old also said that Jack Wilshere, the Arsenal midfielder who spent a good spell at Bolton on loan had encouraged him to join the Bolton set up:

"I'm good friends with Jack (Wilshere) and he told me all about the club too. He said how much he had enjoyed his time here and how good the set-up was."

Carroll to Liverpool Confirmed, Adam on His Way

Liverpool announced on their website that the club have agreed a fee for Newcastle and England striker Andy Carroll. The deal is apparently worth in excess of £35 million, which is absolute madness when you consider Torres was bought for £20 million in 2007, while David Villa, World Cup winner and proven goalscorer was bought by Barcelona for £34 million.

 There is a whole host of players that can be named who were bought for better value in the market, and considering Carroll has only spent 6 months in the Premier League with a newly promoted side, it is certainly a big gamble for Liverpool as they throw over half the expected transfer money from the Torres sale at Newcastle's gaping mouth and impossibly wide eyes probably filled with pound signs.

I suspect the hefty price is to do with the fact that Carroll is English, which always raises the price of players; Darren Bent and James Milner for example. Not to mention the fact that Liverpool are desperate to find a Torres replacement before the window closes, and will evidently do all they can to find one.

Charlie Adam of Blackpool is on his way to Liverpool in a car sent by Liverpool to sign for Liverpool. The car is an Audi, if that is of any importance. Oh yes, and the deal is reportedly worth £14 million. Madness.

But let us remember, that it is goals that win games, not massive transfer fees, so the players that are bought, although massively overpriced with inflated figures of stunning magnitude, must have time to prove their worth with the thing that counts the most - match winning goals.

Nasri Could Miss Barca Game but Wenger Won't Buy

Samir Nasri has been Arsenal's best player this season, so Wenger must have been feeling his compatriots pain when the 23 year-old midfielder pulled up with a hamstring injury against Huddersfield in the F.A Cup. After chasing a long ball from the returning Almunia, Nasri pulled up, and every Arsenal fans' breath was held, hoping that it would be nothing serious, and Nasri would be back to terrorise the opposition defence in a couple of short minutes. But it won't be minutes that Arsenal will have to wait for Nasri's return, it will be weeks.

Wenger had risked Nasri for the game, and now admits his regret at doing so, as it looks as if the injury could rule Nasri out for the next thee weeks - that is including Arsenal's massive clash with Spanish giants Barcelona. But will Wenger buy a replacement for Nasri in the remaining day of the transfer window? Take a guess.

The Arsenal manager was reluctant to predict when Nasri would return, but had a go nevertheless:

"Nasri looks to have a serious hamstring injury. Usually it is three weeks. We have to see if it is a grade 1, it will be two weeks, so we will see. It is very difficult to predict.

"I have now regrets because the plan was to play Rosicky, but he was still too weak because he was sick, so I took the gamble on Nasri. It backfired, but he could have come on and that happened as well.

“We are at the stage of the season where we play so many games that to lose bodies is very difficult for us. But Samir is a big blow."

Arsenal play Barcelona on the 16th February, which means that if Nasri recovers in two weeks, he could play some part at least in the Champions League match. However, if it is three weeks out that Nasri must suffer, he will certainly miss Arsenal's biggest test of the season. It is so unlucky for Arsenal that the player who has been in such fantastically blistering form this season is the one who could miss the match that he could make such a difference in, and showcase his skills against the likes of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and so on.

A familiar quote that passes Wengers lips nowadays is:

"No, we will not sign anyone."  

He has said it again.
Instead of splashing the cash on a player like Eden Hazard who has expressed his desire to play for Arsenal, Wenger will recall Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Henri Lansbury, who are currently on loan spells. This could irritate those Arsenal fans becoming more and more frustrated by the lack of movement in the transfer window, especially considering the big games coming up as Arsenal challenge for both the Premier League and Champions League in the next few games or so.


The calmer Arsenal fans with more faith in Wenger will once again respect his decision not to sign anyone in the January transfer window, and happily see the younger players step up and help to take on the big teams. Wenger has never been one for a knee-jerk reaction, but we will have to wait and see if his patience and relaxed attitude towards transfers pays off against such a good side in Barcelona without their top player in Nasri.

Today's Transfer News

There has been a surprising amount of big name and big money moves going on this window, especially considering that the January window is usually quite slow and over hyped. Names such as Fernando Torres, Gareth Bale, Andy Carroll, Sulley Muntari and Stephane Sessegnon are the big names today, the day after Luis Suarez finally signed for Liverpool.

First of all, is Luis Suarez the partner or replacement for Torres at Anfield? The Spanish striker has submitted a transfer request to his club which has swiftly been rejected with a club statement asking Torres to honor the commitment he made to both Liverpool and the fans. His current contract ends in 2013, and it is believed that Chelsea have offered £35 million for the privilege of Torres playing in the blue shirt. Liverpool are now awaiting an improved offer, and despite a reported bid of £40 million and Danny Sturridge in the pipeline, Liverpool will do everything they can to fend Chelsea off their star striker.

Gareth Bale hasn't expressed his desire to leave Tottenham like Torres has Liverpool, but he is certainly attracting attention from top clubs around Europe. Inter Milan have felt the full force of Bale's brilliant left foot already and feel it would be better for them if he was on their side rather than the oppositions. However, they don't want to pay the £40 million valuation that Spurs have placed on Bale. Inters sporting director said that he received an email from the Tottenham chairman stating £40 million wouldn't be enough, and the Inter director replied by saying that the large amount isn't compatible with their strategies.
Perhaps Liverpool should value Torres at something ridiculous and get rid of pursuers that way?

Newcastle have rejected a bid for Andy Carroll of £23 million. The Magpies have once again been forced to reiterate the simple fact that the England striker is not for sale, and a Newcastle source called the bid 'paltry in the current climate'. The strikers 11 goals this season have helped his club to a respectable 9th in the League, and it his frightening presence up the field that has made him such a threat for Newcastle against opposing defenders that is attracting Spurs. Spurs know from Bale, that clubs with good players can be ever so stubborn about letting them go.

As Newcastle try to fight off interest for top players, their local rivals Sunderland are bringing them in as they try and snatch a European place. Inter Milan may not want to part with £40 million, but they don't mind letting Sulley Muntari go. Muntari is no £40 million, but he is still a good player, and certainly someone who can help out alongside Lee Cattermole in the Sunderland midfield.

Muntari is on loan until the end of the season, and the 26 year-old said of his move: "It feels great to be at Sunderland and to be back in English football. I'm very happy and from what I have seen here, it's going to be great."

Another 26 year-old joining Muntari at Sunderland is Stephane Sessegnon, for £6 million. The midfielder, who is described by his new manager Steve Bruce as someone who "can play on the left, on the right, through the middle - he's lightning quick and he's a match-winner." Bruce added that he thinks that Sessegnon will be a crowd favourite at the Stadium of Light. He has a while to prove his worth to the fans, as he signed a three and a half year deal at Sunderland.

Finally, Carlos Vela has officially joined West Brom on loan. The Arsenal striker was strongly linked to a move to Bolton, and Owen Coyle revealed that he had spoken to the players agent, but after being demanded to pay both the wages of the player and additional fees, pulled out.
Vela made only 13 appearances for Arsenal this season and 62 in total, scoring 11 times for the Gunners and the the West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo welcomed Vela to his club:

''I'd like to officially welcome Carlos, who is an exciting signing for this club. Carlos is a new attacking option for us who can play both centrally and in the wide areas.

''He also has great technical ability and pace and we're hoping he can make a big impact during the remainder of the season."

1-2-1 With... Jeremiah Johnson (US Football Writer)

America, the motherland of baseball, basketball and that the annoying sport that shares its name with our beautiful game. But today we've put those sports aside for the fastest growing sport in the US, Football. To find out more about Major League Soccer (MLS) I went to Jeremiah Johnson. Jeremiah writes for his site goalkeepergrades and is an expert on goalkeepers but today he took some time out from his day job to reflect on US football as a whole.

Full Name: Jeremiah Johnson

Website: www.goalkeepergrades.com

Football Team Supported (MLS and Foreign):

Unfortunately my hometown doesn't align me with any top flight club geographically. There is a USL (2nd division) team in Minneapolis called the NSC Stars (formerly the Minnesota Thunder)... but I don't feel like the club has historically done a great job of marketing their product which makes them hard to follow through the local media.

In the MLS, I tend to vacillate between several teams I pull for.  In the early days, it was DC United because I enjoyed their consistency and the style of play. Recently I've found myself aligning with the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake (for the same reasons I liked DC United).  I've also become a fan of the Seattle Sounders and I wear my Seattle Sounders warm-up all the time. The club's fan following is infectious.

Globally I follow all the big clubs... Man U, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Inter, Real Madrid, Barcelona.   Otherwise I tend to gravitate towards clubs spotted with guys from the US. Wolverhampton, Aston Villa, and Everton showcase some US goalkeeping talent and Fulham just seems like a really cool small club in a big city (Clint Dempsey).

What is the top football club in the US and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe? And also when compared to other North and South American teams?

Landon Donovan playing in the CONCACAF Champions League defeat to Puerta Rican outfit PR Islanders

The MLS features a playoff system to determine the league champion which makes the end of the season very dramatic, but doesn't always end up featuring the best squad. The 3 clubs that standout as today's best are the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, and the New York Red Bulls.

None of these clubs would hold up in the European Champions League, but could potentially avoid relegation from some of the top leagues around the globe. In friendly matches, MLS teams have been gaining ground. The Red Bulls completely outplayed Juventus and Sporting Kansas City (Wizards) defeated Manchester United in their summer friendly matches of 2010.

Historically, the CONCACAF Champions League hasn't been a priority for MLS clubs but the new format, which started in 2009, mimics that of the UEFA Champions League and seems to be gaining popularity. Real Salt Lake has made it an organizational priority to succeed in this competition, which has been dominated by Mexican clubs, and intends to do well in order to advance to the FIFA Club World Cup.

Who would you say are the top 3 top young players playing in the MLS? And why? (please state their positions also)

Fredy Montero, 23, F, Seattle Sounders, Columbia

Andy Najar, 17, M, DC United, Honduras

Tim Ream, 23, D, New York Red Bulls, USA

Could these three players play in Europe and do you see them moving in the future?

Yes. I think that they are best served getting a few more seasons under their belt in the MLS before testing European soil.

Who do you consider to be the greatest US footballer ever? And why?

Aston Villa man Friedel greatest US player of all time?

Brad Friedel, GK

No US player can claim to have more of a long-term impact in top-flight club football than Friedel. He currently  holds the Premier League record for consecutive appearances (250 as of 1.17.2011) and still has a tight grip on the starting position with Aston Villa at nearly 40 years old.

Since winning a collegiate championship with UCLA, he has gone on to play professionally in Turkey, the US (Columbus Crew), and England (Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa).  

Internationally he has played in the Olympics, started for the US in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups before retiring from international play in 2005. It is my opinion that Friedel would have been the starting GK for the 2006 World Cup had he not retired and currently ranks as the #2 US goalkeeper only behind Tim Howard (Everton).

Which foreign players would you say have had the biggest influence on the MLS?

From a marketing perspective, David Beckham. Unfortunately he has been more focused on impressing England National Team Managers than winning MLS titles.  His impact on the field has been marginal.

Other players have brought excitement to the MLS with their notoriety. Carlos Valderrama (Columbia), Preki (Yugoslavia), Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Thierry Henry (France), Lothar Matthäus (Germany), Walter Zenga (Italy), Piotr Nowak (Poland), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico), Rafael Márquez (Mexico) and Hugo Sánchez (Mexico).

Marco Etcheverry (left) beats Landon Donovan (right) during an MLS All Star Match

The foreign player who made the biggest impact on the field is, by far, Marco Etcheverry (Bolivia). Etcheverry played eight seasons with DC United and led them to 3 MLS Cups, a CONCACAF Champions Cup, and a Copa Interamericana title.  He was also named an MLS MVP,  MLS Cup MVP, MLS All-Star Game MVP, and to the MLS All-Time Best XI. 

Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in US?

Milutinovic has now been mentioned twice in 1-2-1 With... During an interview about Chinese football and now America ironically

Bora Milutinovic (Serbia) - led the US National team into the second round of the 1994 World Cup

Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in America?

Manchester United. It's probably due most to the fact that the Premier League is a highly visible league on television in the US... and they are perennial contenders in the EPL and Champions League.  Manchester United is one of the wealthiest and most widely supported football teams in the world... and just happens to be owned by an American (not that he's well liked).  People in the US who don't know soccer (football) know Manchester United. It's kind of like going to other parts of the world and talking to people who don't know baseball but they know the New York Yankees.

Has the popularity of football increased in recent years in America or do you still see American Football, Basketball and Baseball dominating American sport in the foreseeable future?

The game is growing but still sits behind (American) football, basketball, and baseball when it comes to exposure to the masses. A large part of the problem is inconsistent media coverage. Until the MLS can get a high-visibility television deal, people can't pay attention. We live in a ESPN SportCenter world where most of the time we can only keep up with the highlights rather than full matches.

Attendance at MLS games is growing, especially with these clubs moving out of major NFL stadiums and building soccer-specific stadiums. The atmosphere is much better at a full 30,000 seat stadium than at a less than half-full 75,000 seat NFL stadium.  

For the 2010 season , the average MLS attendance was 16,675. These numbers fall behind the NFL (67,508) and MLB (30,129) but are on par with the NBA (17,110) and NHL (17,004). The club with the highest average attendance numbers for 2010 was Seattle Sounders FC with 36,173.  

If the Sounders were in the MLB they would rank 10th in average attendance. If the Sounders were in the NHL or NBA they would rank 1st in average attendance. If the Sounders were in the Premier League they would rank 9th behind Aston Villa and ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in average attendance. The MLS needs more clubs like the Sounders. 

Which European player is the most popular in America, other than David Beckham of course? 

Thierry Henry (France) 

That do you think of the decision to allow Russia to host World Cup 2018 instead of England?

Russia was an acceptable choice. I would have rather seen it go to England, but FIFA has no ability to grow the game further in England. FIFA will benefit from giving more visibility to the game throughout Russia.

However, I am interested to see how they work out teams potentially playing across 9 time zones. 

And how to you feel about the decision made to give the World Cup to Qatar instead of the US?

Horrible decision. 120 degree heat! Are they really going to build air-conditioned outdoor stadiums with technology that doesn't exist? Are they really going to build 9 stadiums to be used for 1 month? Qatar has never made it to the World Cup finals. Congrats on your automatic bid.

There is so much opportunity to grow the game in the U.S... it just needs that additional boost of visibility that another World Cup could provide.

Finally where do you think the MLS and the international team will be in ten years time?

MLS

The MLS needs to continue to build tradition and history. Remember, this league as only been in existence for 14 years. The league needs to continue to build relationships with their surrounding communities, just as the NFL has done since the 1920's and English football since the 1880's.

In my opinion, the best thing the MLS can do is move to a true pyramid structure with promotion and relegation as soon as feasibly possible. It's the one thing that would make professional (soccer) unique in comparison to any other American professional sport. 

US National Team

Our player development approach has been moving towards the utilization of regional  academy structures aligned with MLS clubs rather than the fragmented US Olympic Development Program that has traditionally served as the feeding mechanism for the national squads.  This will be a significant factor in the improvement of our senior national teams.

I would expect that the US would secure a berth in the World Cup quarterfinals either in Brazil 2014 or Russia 2018. Anything less than that is a failure. Anything more than that will be a bonus.

(END)

I hope you enjoyed that informative chat about the current condition of football in the US. After that I'm hoping that we get to see the next generation of Brad Friedels, Landon Donovans and Clint Dempseys playing in Europe in the future...

Suarez - Torres Partner or Replacement?

Just when things were looking good for Liverpool, along come Chelsea to ruin it. Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Ajax striker Luis Suarez, a top quality proven striker that could be the perfect foil for the out of form Fernando Torres. But while the Liverpool fans had a chance to imagine the beautiful link up and combination play that Torres and Suarez could perform together, banging in goal after goal and rejuvenating the Liverpool side to pull them back up the table, Chelsea bid a tempting £35 million.

Those dreams have been interrupted, temporarily at least, as Torres has apparently asked Liverpool not to just dismiss the offer, but to listen to it - to consider it. The offer has of course been rejected by Liverpool who value their star striker far higher than £35 million, but if Torres wants reconsideration, his heart and head can't be in the cause. His performances on the field suggest exactly that, with him dipping in and out of matches and not performing anywhere near the quality expected of him.

Since writing Torres has submitted a transfer request, and had it rejected by Liverpool. A Liverpool statement read:

"Torres has this even submitted a transfer request - this request has been rejected."

Some reports suggest that Chelsea will return with a renewed offer of £40 million and English striker Danny Sturridge. In Torres' current poor form and irritating knack for picking up strangely soft injuries this is certainly an offer that should be considered. The Reds have been linked to Danny Sturridge in the past, with the former Manchester City man reportedly asking to go out on loan to Liverpool for more first team opportunities. Sturridge is a very promising young striker, and has the ability to easily nail his name to the Liverpool team sheet on a regular basis, with Liverpool's attacking force still low on numbers despite the excellent addition of Suarez. They would then also have the £40 million to do what they like with; bring in a new left and/or right back, a winger and a creative midfielder, all involved in the process of building a new team for Kenny Dalglish.

If it is true that Torres has effectively asked to leave, it is a doubly big blow for Liverpool who thought the addition of a big name striker would persuade Torres of the high future aspirations of the club. Torres must know that he isn't playing well, and his team have been playing much the same for the whole season, so a way out for him to a club who, although not having a great second half of the season, look more likely to nick a Champions League spot, is an improvement.

So, Suarez may not even get the chance to play alongside Fernando Torres despite his multi-million pound move, and may have to settle for either David N'gog or Danny Sturridge.

I can't really see Torres moving to Chelsea, mainly because Liverpool will do everything they can to keep him. If Torres wants to go and makes it very clear he wants to go, then a deal would look more likely, but with the limited amount of time before the window shuts, Liverpool's stubbornness to keep their star strike should be enough to fend off pursuers for at least the summer window.

This is yet another transfer saga ready to drag itself through every news source possible until the summer, unless of course Torres dismisses the rumours and expresses his loyalty to the club. I hate hearing that ever familiar line we hear from footballers that although very true, is also very uninspiring not at all reassuring for fans: "Anything can happen in football".

My Favorite Teams This Season: FC Porto

This Porto side has arguably been the most explosive side in Europe bar Barcelona as usual. What I feel makes this side tick is their amazingly young manager Andres Villas Boas, he has galvanised the Portuguese side after their relatively poor showing last season when they finished third behind Benfica and Sporting De Braga.

He sold two stalwarts of the old regime Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles for a combined amount of over £30million and built the side around the axis of Argentine Belluschi and former Sporting Lisbon star Joao Moutinho.

Villas Boas at 33 is the youngest manager in the Portuguese top flight and learned his trade under one Jose Mourinho who had him as part of his backroom staff at Porto, Chelsea and Inter. Just like his mentor he is an excellent man manager as well as a tactician.

When asked about some of the fringe players he responded "Every player in the squad is an important player. They all have a place," he said . "I have praised both Andre Castro and Ukra (Andre Monteiro) publicly and privately. I don't want to lose them. James has incredible potential and I intend to make him realise it. He will have opportunities (in the Portuguese Cup and Europa League) against Juventude Evora and Sofia, which will be good opportunities for him and they won't be his last, that's for sure." Following these comments youngster James Rodriguez went on to put in two excellent performances helping Porto beat Sofia and Juventude de Evora in the Portuguese Cup.This is just one example of how Villas Boas gets the best out of even his players.

In his side Moutinho acts as the "Xavi", he keeps the game ticking and opens up space for his team mates with his accurate passing. He also brings ball winning industry to the midfield which he needs to have being in a midfield with one holding player. One well known football site when looking at him form this season has said "Given his performances this season, it seems inconceivable that he was not selected for the World Cup this summer, but it is true."

The full backs for Porto are the Romanian Sapanaru and Portugal man Pereira who both like to get forward but are nothing special. What its spectacular about this team are the front five, the midfielders I mentioned earlier and the trio of Hulk, Varela and Falcao.

Hulk (left) and Falcao (right) celebrate another goal

The thing with the attacking trio which is most notable is the fluidity of their play with especially Varela and Hulk switching positions. Varela is a left winger and has been described by IMScouting as a " fast player, with great overall technique and excellent dribbling skills." He is the only natural winger out of the trio but still manages to get on the scoresheet, this season he's played 16 games scoring goals and providing 1 for his teammates.

This side plays in a 4-3-3 formation which has been compared to the system Jose Mourinho played in his early seasons at Chelsea. Hulk is considered their best player and plays in the inside right position where is explosive shot and powerful runs can cause some serious damage. When describing him a Portuguese commentator said "With all due respect to the other professional footballers playing in Portugal, Hulk does not belong in our championship. He's too good." His statistics this season are amazing in 15 appearances he has scored 16 goals and provided 8 for his teammates, he is a one man defence wrecking machine.

His link up play with Belluschi has been key this season and was the main talking point in their 5-0 victory against rivals Benfica, in which all the goals came for the Porto right side both players occupy.



To top of this trident is Colombian hitman Radamel Falcao. He is what Arsene Wenger would call a "fox in the box" if there is a chance more than likely he'll be at the end of it. He's scored 8 goals in 14 games and can be seen scoring from a brilliant back heel in the clip above.

I have chosen this side more for their attacking flair than its defensive attributes which I haven't spoken about  for good reason. But people in England say that Arsenal are a good team to watch, I think Porto are far more aesthetically pleasing due to the intensity, pace and power at which they attack.

Adel Taarabt Would "be very happy" at Arsenal Interest

He may have been ineffective during his time at Tottenham, and unable to gain a regular first team place, but Adel Taarabt has become a major part of QPR's promotion push as they sit top of the Championship table, with the 21 year-old Moroccan wearing the captains armband.

He has been impressive for the Championship leaders, and has gained his admirers - namely, his manager, Neil Warnock, who believes that Taarabt is good enough to play for Real Madrid. The attacking midfielder, who is given licence to roam and really be a creative spark in the Rangers side, has scored 13 goals for his side, and is in top form. Form that is attracting the top sides, if reports are to believed.

When reading reports on the players performances, it is a running theme that the young midfielder can drift in and out of the game. Sometimes he can be world class, yet sometimes he can be completely out of the game. He does however, continue to create goals for his team mates as well as scoring goals, and is usually the biggest threat to the opposing defence in is team.

He is also a big admirer of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. The QPR manager insisted that the player is going nowhere this January, but Taarabt has suggested that if Arsenal were to come calling, he would jump at the chance of joining a French legend, Arsene Wenger:

"I would progress with Arsene Wenger. He is a legend in France. I like the way Arsenal play. If Arsenal come, I'll be very happy."

The question is, would Taarabt be able to make it in the Premier League? He may be lighting up the Championship, but as he is all to aware from his time at Tottenham, the difference in quality between the Premier League and Championship is, a big leap. Taarabt would argue that he has improved significantly since 2007, and his time at QPR has taught him more about English football with a regular team place, but one thing that must improve, must be his consistency.
He may have the quality for it, but does he have the consistency for the Premier League? He is certainly an exciting prospect.

Should 'Chicharito' Be Starting Ahead of Rooney?

One year ago Wayne Rooney was over half way through completing a season filled to the rim with goals. He was on his way to banging in a grand total of 34 vital goals for Manchester United with the hope of lifting the Premier League trophy for the fourth time in his successful on-field career. Alas, the coveted trophy was not placed in his hands to raise aloft to the Old Trafford faithful and scream with overwhelming delight, and since the end of that prolific goalscoring season, his form has taken an almighty nosedive to the depths of obscurity.

When will he surface? It is hard to tell. The 25 year-old United striker has scored only three goals this season, and despite creating and linking up well with his currently on-form colleagues of Dimitar Berbatov and Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, he has not been as sharp or anywhere near as prolific as he and everyone else associated with the club would have hoped. The saying goes, "Form is Temporary Class is Permanent", and this is one thing that everyone must remember, because if there is one thing that Rooney proved last season that he has in abundance, it is on the field quality - class.

This is the man who was given the job of stepping into Cristiano Ronaldo's boots after he left, with the burden of scoring goals heaped onto the England strikers more than capable shoulders. He delivered that season, and perhaps even grew out of the boots he was supposed to replace, with him handing in a transfer request during the summer. His reasons were because he did not think the club had the ambition for further success. This is the club who is probably the most successful in English football and one of the biggest names in the world whilst being managed by the most competitive of men on the planet, Sir Alex Ferguson.

The hopes were, that Rooney would redeem himself by proving his worth on the pitch with some more goals. By deciding to stay, he accepted a hefty pay rise, one that is quite extraordinary, even for the modern footballer. £250,000 a week isn't so bad is it? But this wage has only caused problems. His supposed worth each week has not been lived up to with his performances on the pitch often being pretty dire, especially in front of goal.

United can thank the one formerly nicknamed by the tabloids "Berbaflop", Dimitar Berbatov for the unbeaten season remaining in tact. The Bulgarian has covered for Rooney's lack of goals with his surge of them, and the former Tottenham striker just can't stop scoring at the moment with 18 goals to his name, and currently holds first place in the Premier League's top scoring rank.

Rooney's other competition, and perhaps the more threatening to Rooney's first team place is the "Little Pea", Hernandez. The Mexican 22 year-old is adored by Manchester United fans thanks to his "head down - job done" attitude which has earned him 8 goals, all at very important times.

At Blackpool on Tuesday, United were 2 - 0 down, and playing shockingly poor. Rooney included. The game changed when Giggs and Hernandez came on, with Rooney departing. The final score? Manchester United beat the Tangerines 2 - 3, in which both Berbatov and Hernandez scored. I think that very game summed up Rooney's season.

But why has Rooney been so disappointing? His ankle issues obviously disrupted his progress, and in time, affected his confidence and form. The allegations and troubled private life also proved a punch in the gut for Rooney, who we'd all thought had grown out of this stage of his life while the abysmal World Cup performance drained every ones energy. Then there was asking to leave Manchester United. When you do that, you know there are serious problems, and the problems are not with the club, but with the player.

The very thing that can revive Rooney's season is the same thing that made last season so very special for him. Goals. A couple of lucky ones in a game, a few truly world class moments in 90 minutes, even just a few exquisite touches and passes, any of these things could be the trigger, the spark that could set off Rooney's season one again. Does Sir Alex play him in his bad form, and wait patiently on the touchline to see the transformation, or does he replace Rooney with the deserving Javier Hernandez while Rooney has (more) time to sort his head out.

Form is temporary. Class is permanent. Lets see the class player change his form for the better, and fast.

Palestine: Football Burns Brightly In The Darkness Of War...

Palestine, a place which hasn't seen peace since 1948. The conflict between Israel and Palestine will be seen as a black spot in the history of the 20th and 21st Centuries. In the west this part of the world is more known more for Israeli air strikes, rocket fire and suicide bombings than any sporting achievements. There are few things to look forward to for the innocent people of Palestinian who live their lives constantly under siege. One of the few bright lights that continues to shine for the Palestinians is football.

Just like much of the Arab world football is the number one sport in Palestine and because of this I decided to speak to respected blogger on Palestinian Football (www.footballpalestine.blogspot.com) and sometimes political issues, Bassil, to gain an insight of the issues the beautiful game faces in the country and also to learn a little bit about the domestic players and league.

Khanage: What is the top football club in Palestine and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe? And also when compared to other Asian teams?

Bassil: This is a difficult question to answer. Traditionally speaking, the hotbed of footballing talent is Gaza but they have hadn't had a consistent, uninterrupted league for nearly a decade. Furthermore, the league in Gaza is essentially an amateur league. As far as the West Bank League is concerned, this is their first year as a professional league. There is a lot of parity, but before professionalization Shabab Al-Khaleel [Hebron] were the best team. At the current moment Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem] is the best team along with Al-Am'ary. I don't think there is any comparison, there is some raw talent there, but teams are devoid of resources. There are only 8 pitches in the entire West Bank!

Khanage: Who would you say are the top 3 Palestinian players playing in the Palestinian leagues? And why? (please state their positions also)

1- Ismail Amour (Jabal Al-Mokaber [Mount Scopus], RW, 26): Amour has a wealth of experience with the national team having been an ever-present for the better part of five years. The Gaza native is extremely quick and perhaps one of the most technical players in the history of Palestinian Football (since its rebirth in 1998, at least). In most national team games you can count on Ismail to penetrate into opposition territory and win a series of corners or send in crosses that lead to goal scoring opportunities.

2- Abdullah Saidawi (Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem], GK, 31)- A very capable goalkeeper with an imposing frame. He hasn't had a lot of opportunities to prove himself behind Ramzi Saleh who is the same age and has been the unquestioned starter since 2000. At the halfway point of the season, he is let in 5 goals in 11 games this season with a whopping 8 clean sheets. His form has attracted interest from Egyptian clubs Zamalek (he was there on trial in January) and Alexandria United but Hilal Al-Quds decided not to sell him.

3- Murad Alyan (Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem], FW, 33)- A very, very late bloomer... No one had heard of him before this season but then just started scoring goals. He has 12 in 11 games with Hilal Al-Quds, he's been so prolific that he forced National Team Manager Mousa Bezaz to call him up despite previously stating that the player was too old. He is a Palestinian citizen of Israel (what is commonly referred to as an Israeli-Arab) and has played football in the Israeli League for Beit Safafa and Hapoel Jerusalem.

Khanage: Which foreign players would you say have had the biggest influence on Palestinian domestic football?

Bassil: I can't really answer this question because there are almost no foreigners in the Palestinian League. Due to the Israeli occupation, foreigners can't remain in the West Bank for more than 3 months at a time. The Palestinian Authority really has no authority when it comes to issuing work permits and residency visas.

Khanage: Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Palestine?

Bassil: Well, none have really had an effect on the league setup. The league was relaunched in 2008, before that the last time a full season was completed was in 1997. Since then, league football in the West Bank has continued uninterrupted and has become a professional league, with the league and cup winners being allowed to compete in AFC continental competitions (the third tier competition known as the President's Cup). This was made possible because the international community (with the blessing of the US) decided to flood the West Bank with aid money to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party.

To answer your question, I think two managers have had a profound effect on our national team. The first is Nicola Shahwan, A Chilean of Palestinian ancestry who brought in many South Americans of Palestinian ancestry into the fold such as: Pablo Abdala, Roberto Kettlun, Roberto Bishara, Edgardo Abdala, and Francisco Alam. He started the trend of looking beyond our borders and the Arab states for Palestinian footballing talent. He also got the team to play free flowing football which was a departure from our bunker-ball tactics of the past. The other manager that deserves credit is his successor, Alfred Riedl, who coached Vietnam at the 2007 Asian Cup and is currently in charge of the Indonesian National Team. Riedl built on a lot of Shahwan's work but he got the team to a point where they started to expect to win games and not just hope for it.

Khanage: Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Palestine?

Bassil: Like many other places in the world Palestine is divided into Barcelona supporters and Real Madrid supporters. The other big teams in England and Italy also have a decent following. You'll have no problem catching a Champions League game if you're ever in Palestine.

Khanage: Do you see Palestine playing in the Asia Cup anytime soon?

Bassil: With Palestine, you have to take into account our inability to host home games. I think we're every bit as good as Jordan, but if Jordan didn't collect 7 points from three games at home (their total point haul was 8) they wouldn't have qualified. I think this rings true for most teams in the region. Until that changes I can't see Palestine qualifying via the qualification tournament. I do think they have a very good chance of qualifying through the Challenge Cup, the route India and Korea DPR (somebody ask Bin Hammam how they're classified as a developing association) took to punch their tickets to Qatar 2011.

Khanage: Which is your most memorable match the Palestinian national team has played in?

Bassil: 2006 World Cup qualifier versus Iraq, in March of 2004, the match ended in a 1-1 draw and allowed us to go top of our qualification group (we had won our first game against Chinese Taipei 8-0). I remember sneaking out of class as a High School Senior going to the library and firing up a grainy stream to follow the proceedings. The team showed so much resolve against a much more talented side, every single one of those players gave 110% and Roberto Kettlun's second half free kick to equalize was a thing of beauty.

Khanage: Who is the most successful Palestinian footballer of all time?

Bassil: I would have to say our current captain and goalkeeper Ramzi Saleh is the greatest footballer we ever produced. He has been the undisputed starter since he was 19. His amazing saves kept us in so many games and although you don't hear his name mentioned he is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in Asia. Ramzi was on trial with Sheffield United in 2005/06 but the deal fell through due to work permit issues. Three years later, he went from his tiny Gazan club- Shabab Jabaliya- to the biggest one in Africa and the Arab World. In his first season with the club, he didn't start a match until March but his commanding performances allowed a transitional Al-Ahly to win the league.

Khanage: Who are the top 3 Palestinians playing in foreign leagues?

Bassil: 1- Ramzi Saleh (GK)- He's currently unattached after deals with Zamalek and Harras El-Hodood of Egypt fell through. Both clubs raised concerns about an ACL injury Ramzi has played with since he was a teenager. In order to squash any concerns he will undergo surgery in Germany by the same team that operated on the ACL of Ahmad Hassan (Egypt's national team captain). He helped Al-Merreikh (Sudan) to the Sudanese Cup before demanding a release from his contract.

2- Roberto Bishara (CB/LB)- Bishara plays in the Chilean Primera for Palestino a club founded by Palestinian immigrants. He has appeared for the club over 300 times in the league and is a vice-captain. Will give his heart and soul for the team.

3- Abdelatif Bahdari (CB)- There are some that may disagree and choose to include one of our players that plays in Europe or South America. Bahdari plays in Jordan for Wehdat, when he arrived last year, he actually had to try out for the team. After 1 month with the club they were scrambling to tie him up for the long term. He is without a doubt a big reason why Wehdat are poised to win all four trophies in Jordan this year and make a serious assault on the AFC Cup. He's 6'1, comfortable on the ball, great in the air, and has a knack for scoring on set pieces. Zamalek of Egypt are reportedly interested in the player.

Khanage: How badly has the political situation in Palestine affected the football in the country?

Bassil: It is a struggle to even get a team to a location to play a match. We can't play official matches in Palestine, we play most of our matches in Qatar or Jordan. So we have to get our players from Europe and South America there (which is the easy part) and then hope Israel will let our players travel. There have been times where Israel has not allowed our players to leave. This logistical nightmare cost us dearly in our attempts to qualify for South Africa 2010. We fielded so many players that had literally just stepped off a plane hours ago and lost to Singapore in Doha 4-0 (this a team we beat 1-0 a year ago in an Asian Cup Qualifier). For the return leg, none of our players living inside of Palestine could travel, so we had to forfeit. There are many more examples: we only played 5 games instead of 6 in our Asian Cup qualifying group because of the same reason (the last match was a dead rubber against, Singapore so it was called off), we faced Uzbekistan in a game for first place in our 2006 WCQ group with a 14 man squad.

Israel also does more than just disrupt our travel. They have demolished some of our players homes, they also have killed four footballers (three died during the 2009 War on Gaza). There is no telling what we might have accomplished if we did not have to overcome these hurdles.

Khanage: Where do you see Palestinian football in ten years time?

Bassil: I can't answer that question because I simply don't know where we will be in 10 years as a people. I will continue to hope for the best, if there is one thing you can say about Palestinian football and its players it is that they are incredibly resilient. Most footballers today are more interested in money, fast cars, and their WAGs than the pride involved in representing their country. Palestine has no such problem, if there is a team on the pitch with a Palestine crest they will play with heart and passion for 90 minutes.

(END)

Following that discussion it does make you realise that there is a wider world out there and that there are bigger things than football. One of the striking things from that conversation with Bassil that has stuck with me is the suffering the people go through and continue to try their best to normalise their lives.

"They have demolished some of our players homes, they also have killed four footballers (three died during the 2009 War on Gaza). There is no telling what we might have accomplished if we did not have to overcome these hurdles."

The quote above puts things into perspective. The Palestinian players continue to play the sport they love despite the risks it entails. It's hard to imagine John Terry, Steven Gerrard or Joe Hart taking these risks even for the millions they earn every season. This clearly shows the strength and determination of the Palestinian people and hopefully one day this endurance will mean they are able to experience the peace and freedom we take for granted. 

Listen: Richard Keys Explains, Apologizes - And Resigns

Richard Keys apologised today for his part in the sexist comments he made to fellow Sky Sports pundit, Andy Gray. Further videos have been published on YouTube of Keys and Gray talking in a derogatory way about women and Keys used the 15 minute radio slot on Talk Sport to apologise as people are call for his sacking. Keys has since resigned from his anchor role as Sky Sports presenter.

I couldn't wait any longer for this blog to upload the recording of Keys apologising, after all, I left it for over four hours to actually upload. My patience ran out, so listen to his apology here.

Andy Gray, the former Scottish player and now ex-pundit, issued a statement rather than spoken apology which read:

'I am very sorry that certain comments made by me have caused offence. Such comments were made off-air to work colleagues, and were of course never intended to be broadcast.

'I was very upset when the comments were brought to my attention, and it was my intention to apologise on Monday night when I was back on air for the Bolton v Chelsea game.

'Sadly I was unable to do so as I was suspended from the show by Sky Sports and have now been sacked.

'Football is my life and I am devastated by losing the job that I love.

'I am equally upset that third parties have been dragged into this issue. I ask that the media respect their privacy so that they can continue in their roles.

'I have worked for Sky Sports loyally for over 20 years and I do not wish to comment further at this time.'

Watch: Arsenal 3 - 0 Ipswich

In the end, Arsenal cruised to victory to reach the Carling Cup final. Ipswich, under new manager Paul Jewell, held on for as long as they could to their impressive one goal lead that they brought from the first leg, but the quality of Arsenal was all too much for the Championship side who could do nothing as Arsenal scored three, gliding to the final as strong favourites to win their first trophy sine 2005.

Ipswich gave a very good account of themselves, with Arsenal captain Fabregas conceding that it was a tough two legs for them to play in, and despite the Gunners usual defence cutting quality play, struggled against Jewell's side. Ipswich got numbers behind the ball, had their attacking players tracking back and were very resilient in defence, whilst they sometimes tried to break out of their defensive play under enormous Arsenal pressure to venture on a couple of attacks themselves, unfortunately proving fruitless for them.

Arsenal grabbed their first goal through Nicklas Bendtner - a fantastic individual goal, as you can see below.
The two other goals, including a Koscielny header from a corner and a captains goal from Cesc Fabregas, you can watch here.

B'pool 2 - 3 United: This Is What Champions are Made Of.

An abysmal first half for Manchester United and quite the opposite for the brilliantly hard working, passionate, dedicated Blackpool. The Tangerines walked off at half time to jubilant cheers from their home fans as their excellent performance featured two well deserved goals, one for former United player Cathcart, and DJ Campbell. Manchester United's unbeaten record was in serious threat.

United were wearing the white strip that saw them lose their first game of the season against West Ham in the Carling Cup quarter finals, in which they lost 4 - 0. The way they were playing tonight, there would be no surprise if a repeat of that scoreline was on the cards. The first half performance simply was not good enough, and reflected United's away record this season. Questions of Sir Alex Ferguson's formation were raised along with the dedication of United players, including Wayne Rooney - on around £250,000 a week, and not showing any of the quality expected. Overall, the United team, specifically the midfield, were n absolute shambles.

Everything was perfectly placed for a typical Manchester United comeback. The performance had to be one hundred times better if United were to complete it, and substitutions had to be used to shake some sense and really just a level balance in the midfield. Ryan Giggs was first on the menu therefore. He had been in this situation countless times in his wonderfully successful career with United, and if anyone could come on and instill the calmness and togetherness that he has experienced throughout his career, it was Giggs.

Berbatov, who had been non existent in the first half, began the almost inevitable breakthrough and comeback with a typical poachers tap-in. Wayne Rooney, who had another poor game, was brought off for the "Little Pea" Chicharito. The little predator duly equalised two minutes later with a slick finish, and, with all of the momentum on their side, Berbatov grabbed yet another goal to win the game, to take all three invaluable points back to Old Trafford while counting their lucky stars that the hosts crumbled under the second half pressure.

Conceding late goals has been an unwelcome feature for the Red Devils this season, and they had 10 minutes of stoppage time to concede a late one. Sir Alex didn't prematurely persuade the fourth official (Mark Clattenburg) to add on a colossal amount for United to grab a winner just in case they hadn't already though. Poor Rafael was hurt in a collision with Marlon Harewood, and was stretchered off with concussion. His concerned twin brother followed him through the tunnel, and to the hospital. Hopefully all is okay there for Rafael, who although he didn't have the best of games, has had an excellent season so far.

Nevertheless, United held on to the end, and showed all of their title rivals just how to complete a comeback against such an inspirational, passionate and resilient side in Blackpool who played in the first half as if their lives depended on it. United once again played terribly at times and got away with it with a complete contrast performance in the second period. It is quite brilliant, but crushing for teams around them watching, as Manchester United move five points clear and still - yes still undefeated.

Inoha Into Semi-Finals

Masahiko Inoha ensure Japan qualify for the semi-finals of the 2011 Asian Cup after his goal in injury time to give the Blue Samurai team a 3-2 victory over hosts Qatar in the quarter-final match at the Stadium of Al-Gharafah, Friday [21 /] 1] night WIB . The result left Japan awaiting the winner of the quarter-final match between the champion three times in Iran and South Korea who underwent matches tomorrow night at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium. For Japan, the victory over Qatar to improve their attendance record in eight games. In seven previous matches, Japan's only won once, while Qatar twice. The rest ended in a draw 1-1. The victory achieved by the Japanese are very emotional. Because, they played with ten men since the 62nd minute after Maya Yoshida expelled out of the field when they receive a yellow card after a foul on Ahmed Yusef. In this game, Japan was shocked by Sebastian Soria Quintana scored in the 12th minute. Quintana who escaped from the off-side trap before Inoha finally managed to trick the hard kick off the left foot to break goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. Japan coach Alberto Zaccharoni protested these goals, and assess the referee does not give off-side penalty to Qatar. However, in a taped television looks Inoha stood slightly in front of Quintana. Japan's goal was to encourage motivation, and began to improve the organization of the game. Team Samurai Blue mengandalankan Shinji Kagawa, Shinji Okazaki and Keisuke Honda to dismantle Qatar defense that gets full support from his supporters. Japan's aggressive game to fruition after Kagawa managed to equalize in the 28th minute. It became the first goal for Japan's Kagawa during the 2011 Asian Cup scrolling. Despite dominating the games or during the first half and get some golden opportunities, the Japanese failed to add to the coffers of his goal, so the scoreboard remained unchanged. Japan resumed its dominance in the second round. But Japan's efforts to lead from his opponent a little experience obstacles when Yoshida rewarded red card. The advantage of this player Qatar. Public host cheered with joy after breaking goalkeeper Fabio Cesar Montezine Kawashima in the 68th minute through a free kick that can not be met by Kawashima. Japanese chance to get a ticket back to open the semi-finals when Kagawa Burhan force for the second time picked up the ball from gawannya in the 70th minute. By the game ended, the Japanese ensure the semi-final ticket when Inoha breaking wicket Kagawa Burhan use of bait is separated from the off-side trap rearguard Qatar, so the game closed with the score 3-2.

Related articles

• Late Inoha Strike Sends Japan Into Semi - Finals (nytimes.com)

Liverpool Bid Just £12.7 million for Suarez as Babel leaves

Not only has Blackpool's Ian Holloway voiced his displeasure of a lowly transfer fee offered for Charlie Adam received from Liverpool, but now Ajax have asked for a more "respectful" bid to be made for their star striker, Luis Suarez.

Ian Holloway was recently angered by a £4 million bid for his captain Charlie Adam, and subsequently went on a little rant in his usual passionate fashion at a press conference in which the Blackpool manager also confirmed that Adam had submitted a formal transfer request.

Now, Luis Suarez, who has been subject of much speculation as to where his future lies, has been bid for by Liverpool in what Ajax believe is another unsubstantial offer.
An Ajax spokesperson said:

We'll have to wait for them to come back with something more respectful. We want to keep him - at least until the end of the season and preferably for the rest of his contract."

"If you compare the 15 million euros [£12.7 million] Liverpool want to pay for Suarez with other transfers you can imagine that it's far too low for us. Luis is our top goalscorer for the last three years and also the man with by far the most assists as well.

"He was one of the big guys for Uruguay in helping them come third in the World Cup in the summer and he still has a contract with us for two-and-a-half years."

These comments are completely understandable. Luis Suarez is obviously an integral part of the Ajax side, someone who scores a lot of goals and wins a lot of matches for both his club and country. The fact is, £12.7 million really isn't enough to persuade a side to let their star striker go anymore, especially one of Suarez's calibre.

Darren Bent was only recently bought by Aston Villa for around £24 million - a figure which I believe is quite overpriced, and I question the ability of certain Aston Villa negotiators in coming to such a price. However, this is the climate of the market at the moment, and even small teams like Blackpool are able to ask for decent money and get away with it.
The fact is, if Liverpool want to sign a top quality striker, they have to pay the full price, especially now that they have left it so late in the window. Ajax need time to buy a replacement, and need the money to do that, so Liverpool must get a move on to pick up Fernando Torres' partner who can drive both Torres and Liverpool to success in the Premier League table.

In other news, Ryan Babel has accepted personal terms and agreed to move to German club 1899 Hoffenheim (as I reported on on January 18th). A brief statement on the Premier League club's official website read:

"Ryan Babel has agreed a move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The Dutch international will fly to Germany tomorrow to finalise the deal.