With the January transfer window opening up again later in the week, there is no doubt that clubs up and down the country will have drawn up their late Christmas wishlist.
While the likes of might have their sights set on trying to bolster their dwindling defensive options when the window reopens, there still remains plenty of question marks surrounding some of the Premier League s biggest names.
On a list that includes a World Cup winner and the world s most expensive goalkeeper, we have taken a look at four superstars who should be desperately seeking a career kick-start over the coming weeks.
Mesut Ozil
With managing to pick up a shock 3-1 win against Chelsea on Boxing Day, there is no doubt that would have cherished an evening of questions that weren t c…
According to a recent report from AS, Arsenal midfielder Dani Ceballos has informed the club that he wants to cut his loan spell at the Emirates short in favour of a return to parent club Real Madrid. Ceballos started off brightly during his time in North London, but as the weeks and months have gone on, he hasn’t really been positioned as an important piece of the puzzle in this squad – especially since Mikel Arteta took charge.
Ceballos has all the talent in the world and is clearly capable of doing some big things with Arsenal Football Club, but in the end, it all comes down to whether or not he fits into Arteta’s system. That was certainly the case under Unai Emery, but a change at the top can always be a difficult thing for a player who is still trying to s…
Reigning champions Brazil and 2016 finalists Germany have been drawn together in the group stages for the men s football tournament at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Brazil secured the gold medal on home soil in Rio five years ago when defeating Germany via a penalty shoot-out, Neymar with the clinching spot-kick for following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
The two nations are together again in Group D, along with Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia, and are in the same half of the draw as Argentina and Spain, who are both in Group C.
Hosts Japan are joined in Group A by France, Mexico – who claimed the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London – and South Africa.
Les Bleus will be involved in the opening match when they take on Mexico on July 22 at Tokyo …
Sofyan Amrabat has been at the centre of Morocco s surprise success at the World Cup, and his performances have put the Fiorentina midfielder on the radar of several Premier League clubs.
Amrabat, 26, had his first taste of Serie A football when he was loaned from Club Brugge to Hellas Verona for the 2019-20 season, catching the eye of Fiorentina, who scooped him up the following year.
The defensive midfielder has steadily increased his role at Fiorentina, making 10 starts and three substitute appearances in the league this season.
He played every minute of Morocco s three group games, guiding his side to an undefeated record (W2 D1) with clean sheets against both Belgium and Croatia, and now he is reportedly wanted by the English elite.
TOP STORY – AMR…
January has so far been a quiet month for Milan – not that the Rossoneri will necessarily complain.
While technical director Paolo Maldini has failed to this point in his pursuit of a new centre-back – Lille s Sven Botman was a target – he has crucially kept together a Milan team who are again contending for the Serie A title.
The side s progress under Stefano Pioli has prompted links between a number of their players and super-rich suitors, with each possible departure having the potential to derail Milan s season.
Indeed, Theo Hernandez s future could so easily have been the subject of a mid-season soap opera, such is the demand for superstar full-backs in the modern game.
Hernandez certainly falls into that bracket. Just three defenders in Euro…
Freddie Ljungberg always knew it would take Nicolas Pepe time to find his feet in the Premier League so he was thrilled to see the Arsenal forward turn on the style.
Signed in August from Lille for an Arsenal club record fee of £72million, the 24-year-old Ivory Coast international has struggled to make the transition to the English top flight.
However, a sparkling goal and an assist from Pepe against West Ham on Monday helped interim boss Ljungberg guide Arsenal to a 3-1 win at London Stadium.
Pepe s all-round performance impressed Ljungberg, with the former Gunners midfielder acknowledging the price tag for Pepe means there is an expectation that he should consistently deliver.
People always ask me about Nico and I try to explain, Ljungberg said. He …
Harry Kane s penalty miss in England s World Cup defeat to France may have been influenced by the long VAR check, according to Jurgen Klinsmann, who feels there is more to come from the Three Lions.
England suffered an agonising quarter-final defeat to the reigning champions on Saturday, as Kane blazed an 84th-minute spot-kick over the crossbar after scoring an earlier penalty.
Referee Wilton Sampaio – who was criticised by some England players after the game – was initially unmoved by Theo Hernandez s push on Mason Mount, only awarding England s second penalty after a long VAR review.
Speaking in his role as part of FIFA s Technical Study Group on Monday, former Tottenham forward Klinsmann blamed that wait for Kane s costly error.
From the time that…
Barcelona president Joan Laporta said a cycle has finished for the LaLiga giants and he wants to carry out a renovation after an underwhelming 2020-21 campaign.
Barca have fallen off the pace late in the LaLiga title race and will likely finish third in Ronald Koeman s first season as head coach at Camp Nou.
Koeman s Barca lifted the Copa del Rey title last month but crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
Laporta, who assumed office for his second tenure as Barca president in March, said he is seeking an off-season shake-up amid links with Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland, Lyon captain Memphis Depay, Manchester City star Sergio Aguero and defender Eric Garcia, and Liverpool s Georginio Wijnaldum.
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Milan have been drawn away to Shamrock Rovers in the second round of Europa League qualifying, while Tottenham face a long trip to Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
Serie A giants Milan and Jose Mourinho s Spurs are among the big names entering the competition at this stage.
And in Monday s draw, the pick of the ties pitted Milan who are set to renew Zlatan Ibrahimovic s contract against Irish outfit Rovers.
Rovers only previous experience against Italian opposition was in a 3-0 aggregate defeat to Juventus in 2010-11, but they will host seven-time European Cup winners Milan in a one-legged tie.
| We have been drawn to play AC Milan at home in the 2nd Qualifying Round.
— Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers)
Tottenham are away in Bulgaria, meanwhil…
Prediction: Celtic to win 3-0
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Celtic and St Mirren will face each other in the Scottish Premiership this week. The match between the Bhoys and the Buddies will take place at Celtic Park in Glasgow and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm UK time on Wednesday.
Celtic
Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title with relative ease last season, and it seems that the Hoops will clinch the championship again this campaign. Ange Postecoglou s side are simply running away with the title at the moment, and it is hard to see their bitter Old Firm rivals Rangers stop them this season.
The Bhoys are at the top of the Scottish Premiership table at the moment with 58 points from 21 matches. Celtic are as many as nine points clear of secon…