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After their dismal season, Manchester United are planning a big summer of transfers, to get themselves back to the foot of the Premier League table. Whilst Louis van Gaal may be busy with his attempts to leading Holland into the knockout stages of the World Cup, back in Manchester Ed Woodward and his team will be busy lining up targets, just a month after the season ended.

One of the big names being linked with the Red Devils is Arturo Vidal. The Juventus midfielder scored 11 goals in Serie A last season, whilst setting up another 5 for his teammates. The Chilean continued his scoring form in the Champions League too, scoring 5 goals from their 6 group games.

One of the key players in Chile’s squad that has made it through the group stage of the World Cup, Vidal is one of the hottest midfielders right now, and would light up Old Trafford next season. So who else could move with Vidal and change United’s fortunes after their last campaign? Here are 6 players who could follow the midfielder to M16 this summer.

[ffc-gallery]Click on Toni Kroos to reveal

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Toni Kroos

United have been heavily linked with the Bayern Munich midfielder even before the two teams played each other in the Champions League back at the start of April. Despite having to fight for a place with Thiago, Robben, Ribery, Shaqiri, Javi Martinez and Schweinsteiger, The 24-year-old actually made more appearances in the league for Bayern than the rest, as the Bavarians dominated the Bundesliga. It’s not just Pep Guardiola who is a fan of the midfielder. Joachim Löw has picked Kroos for all 3 of Germany’s World Cup fixtures so far, as the nation topped Group G, titled the group of death.

The 24-year-old’s current deal at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of next season, meaning this is Bayern’s only chance to receive a transfer fee for the midfielder should Kroos look to leave the Bundesliga champions. Bayern want the midfielder to extend his deal, but have refused to exceed financial boundaries in order to keep the midfielder. With United ready to pounce, could they be adding one of Germany’s best midfielders to their squad?

Mats Hummels

Another German, and another top player that could join United. Hummels is one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga, with two league titles and a Champions League runners-up medal to his name. Strong at the back and tough in the air, Hummels would be an ideal replacement for Nemanja Vidic, who has moved to Inter Milan this summer. With United looking for a new captain and new leader at the back, the 25-year-old would certainly fill the gaps left by Vidic, and secure up United’s leaky defence.

Now Dortmund’s time at the top of the Bundesliga has passed, with Guardiola’s Bayern Munich dominating the league last season, Hummels could easily be tempted to change things up and join United, especially as they are about to start a new chapter with van Gaal in charge. With everybody around Old Trafford anticipating an enjoyable future with the Dutch manager, Hummels may see this as the perfect time to try life in England.

Paul Pogba

Possibly Fergie’s biggest embarrassment, although we’re sure he had his reasons, Pogba was allowed to leave Old Trafford for free in 2012, but is fast becoming one of the hottest youngsters in world football. Vidal’s teammate at Juventus, the Frenchman has become a star player for the Old Lady, at just 21-years-old. Pogba scored 7 goals in Serie A last season, as he won his 2nd league title with the club, and Ed Woodward could be easily entertained by just watching some of the Frenchman’s stunning strikes on YouTube.

It would be a fantastic story for Pogba to return to Old Trafford, two years after leaving on a free transfer. An exciting prospect, the Frenchman definitely wouldn’t be a free transfer this summer. Juventus would be reluctant to lose such a promising midfielder, who has helped France reach the knockout stage of the World Cup. Fergie made the mistake of letting Pogba go, but van Gaal could fix things with a summer bid.

Diego Godin

Both Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have departed Old Trafford this summer, meaning the Red Devils are light on centre-backs. But a fantastic replacement for the two would be Diego Godin. The Uruguayan has been constantly under the radar from most clubs for the last few seasons, as he’s helped Atletico Madrid win the Europa League in 2012 and the Copa del Rey in 2013. But it’s been during Atletico’s incredible campaign this year that has earned him the headlines he deserves. Godin scored the vital equaliser against Barcelona that won the club the league, scored in the Champions League final, and scored the header to beat Italy and qualify Uruguay for the knockout stage of the World Cup.

So as well as being an arial presence going forward, Godin is also one of the top centre-backs in Spain. Strong with a great eye for reading the game and anticipating danger, the Uruguayan could make life much easier for goalkeeper David De Gea. A born leader and inspiring defender, the 28-year-old would be an ideal fit for United, and a great role model for Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

Arjen Robben

The Bayern winger is lighting up Brazil as we speak, tearing up defences with his pace and trickery. Sergio Ramos is still out of breath after being left for dead by the Dutchman during Spain’s humiliating 5-1 defeat to van Gaal’s men. Robben has scored 56 Bundesliga goals for Bayern since joining them back in 2009, winning 3 league titles and the Champions League during that time. But is it time, 7 years since he last played in the Premier League for Chelsea, that he moves back to England?

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With morale high in the Dutch camp at the World Cup, van Gaal could easily tempt Robben to join him at Old Trafford this summer. A new chapter for van Gaal could be made much easier by a familiar face with the pace and ability Robben has. At 30-years-old, the former Real Madrid winger will soon have to think about whether he has unfinished business in England, with the opportunity to play against Chelsea in their rivals’ colours.

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Alexis Sanchez

The Barcelona winger has been heavily linked with a move away from the Camp Nou this summer, with Liverpool the favourites to pick up the attacker. But United could swoop in and steal their rivals’ target, adding some well needed pace and flair to their attack. The Chilean lit up the La Liga stage last campaign, scoring 19 goals for the Catalan side, enjoying the time without Lionel Messi in the side. 3 seasons for Barca, 38 goals. Not a bad return for the 25-year-old.

As he prepares to face his club mate Neymar in the knockout stages of the World Cup, Sanchez could bring some needed consistency to the attacking midfield at Old Trafford. Nani has rarely been reliable in a United shirt, whilst Kagawa has struggled to get regular first-team football, be it under the management of Ferguson or Moyes. But Sanchez could easily make himself a key member of United’s attack, linking up with Mata to cause mayhem for opposition defences.

Last season marked Hull City’s most successful campaign in their 110-year history. After recording their highest league finish of 16th in their second spell in the Premier League – a position which is closer to the trapdoor of the relegation zone than the summit of the league or even mid-table safety, though in truth the Tigers were never seriously threatened by relegation – the club then went on to compete in their first ever FA Cup Final, running Arsenal close in a thrilling five-goal game in which Hull scored twice in the opening ten minutes.

The famous trophy was beckeded in the red ribbons of the North London club rather than the amber and black of the Humberside outfit as the referee called time on the game, and with it the season, though the Tigers could still reflect on a memorable and undeniably successful campaign, despite the prospect of a first piece of silverware being agonizingly snatched from their grasp in the depths of extra time.

Many Hull City fans could be forgiven for being satisfied with a slightly less memorable season this year, with Premier League survival the one modest wish. Reaching the cup final saw another milestone for the Tigers as they qualified for a European club competition for the first time, and though this was a source of pride and excitement for the club, there were worries that a demanding European campaign could have a detrimental effect on their domestic performances. As it happens, Hull exited the Europa League in its early qualifying stages to Belgian club Lokeren, which for many came as both a disappointment and a blessing, allowing the club to focus on their primary aim of consolidation in the league.

Hull City manager Steve Bruce, however, is not one to rest on his laurels. After a miserable spell in charge of Sunderland which was destined to end badly, this is a man who still feels he has a point to prove, despite having overseen two successful campaigns at the KC Stadium. Bruce knows that he possesses the tactical nous to cope with the challenges of Premier League football, with his tinkering between a back three a conventional back four impressing many last season. His astute dealings in the transfer market also caught the eye, with the excellent Tom Huddlestone – a £5million signing from Tottenham Hotspur – bringing composure to the Hull midfield, whilst January acquisitions Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long showed early signs of becoming an effective striking duo.

Long’s stay at the club ended up being short-lived following his move to Southampton in the summer, and knowing full well that strengthening would be needed to see the club develop on their promising second stint in the Premier League, Bruce wasted no time in delving regularly into the transfer market. After early deals for Robert Snodgrass, Jake Livermore, Tom Ince and Michael Dawson – useful additions no doubt, but unlikely to generate much attention outside of Humberside – Hull City became one of the stars of Deadline Day, the transfer window’s grand finale.

Their quartet of last-minute signings suddenly sees the Tigers boasting a seriously impressive squad for a recently promoted side – with the vastly underrated Mohamed Diamé, the mercurial, fleet-footed Hatem Ben Arfa and the skilful Uruguayan duo of Gaston Ramirez and Abel Hernandez, Hull now possess players who have the potential to show that an FA Cup Final appearance does not have to be the apex of the club’s achievements.

This influx gives Bruce a wealth of options with regard to his formation and his starting eleven, though with such an array of wide attacking players a 3-5-2 may no longer be best suited to the team. A provisional 4-2-3-1, however, would allow Hull’s new recruits to slip seamlessly into the side, with the experienced Dawson and club captain Curtis Davies forming a central defensive partnership, a midfield pair of Diamé and Huddlestone to protect the back four, an attacking midfield trio of Ben Arfa, Ince and Ramirez – the latter occupying the number 10 position – and a lone striker in the form of Hernandez or Jelavic.

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It must be remembered that Hull City’s impressive outlay in the transfer market – Hernandez was a club record signing at £10 million – has only been made possible due to the generosity of owner Assem Allam and his continued faith and belief in Bruce’s vision for the club. If Allam could only abandon his universally derided plans for a rebranding of the club, then Hull City fans may be able to look forward with cautious optimism and see last season’s exploits as a mere stepping stone to further success, rather than the absolute limits of the Humberside club’s capabilities.

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One thing that most clubs’ fans usually do when a key player is due back from injury is to wait with anticipation until his return, in the hope that when he is back he will get straight back into the team and start making a difference for them again. That is of course unless that team is playing well already and the players that have covered said injured player’s position are currently in such good form that you wouldn’t want to see them dropped – not even for your record signing.

This is the case at West Ham United with the pending return from the injury table of Andy Carroll. The crocked star is making good and speedy recovery from his latest spell on the sidelines and is due to make his return around Christmas time, with some media outlets reporting as early as November.

Last season anyone associated with the club would have snapped your hand off at the chance to have him back from injury due to the fact that there was no one else able to play upfront and make any sort of impact, whether that be creating chances or actually scoring some goals. The squad there was thinly spread and very poor quality, especially in the striker department.

This season, however, is a completely different kettle of fish for the Hammers with an embarrassment of riches in the talents they boast all over the pitch, not just up front. They have acquired some exceptional players who are currently doing the business just fine thank you very much Andy Carroll.

Diafra Sakho has made the biggest impact so far, scoring in each of his Premier League starts; he has been partnered with Enner Valencia upfront who himself has shown moments of pure magic and creative play which has captivated everyone who has been lucky enough to watch him.

Some of the old boys have started to shine as well, Stewart Downing in particular in his new more central role at the top of the new diamond formation rather than on the wing has really come in to his element in recent games and has been a revelation.

With such a strong attacking force in place and a newfound ability to score goals this season, it begs a few vital questions now that there is an Andy Carroll shaped elephant in the room waiting to come back and upset the apple cart. First of all, who would he replace? Secondly, where does he fit in to the new system which involves a lot more on the floor, attractive football than last season? And lastly, should he even be given a chance considering that the squad depth and quality is so high?

It would be foolish to think that Carroll has nothing to offer. When fit and playing at the top of his game, he is unstoppable and a major threat to any defence that faces him. There is perhaps no one in the present team that deserves to lose their place based on present form, however, form does dip at times, fatigue or injury can come into play at some point and let’s not forget the African Cup of Nations which will see top scorer Sakho leave for a period of time. Carroll for now could be used as a substitute, imagine having been given the run around by Valencia and Sakho for 60 minutes only to see that the big Geordie is coming off the bench to give you an extra half hour of grief!

Should he be needed once fit, he can come in and replace or step in whenever the time will come for him to do so. Like with any player at any club at any level, there is always a chance to come back and try prove yourself one way or another.

The new system looks like it suits Andy less than the old one, being so tall, he likes the long ball pumped up high so he can feed off it to another player. Just because West Ham are now playing a different way does not mean that he cannot still have a good impact off the lofted ball from time-to-time. He has a lot more talented players to actually mop up his headers for him than he has ever had before. Rather than heading it into empty space, this time round he has so many decent players that will be there, ready for the knock down and will be pouncing on the opportunity to score – which means if anything Carroll’s return actually compliments the new style of play and the new faces in the squad and can help add even more goals to the equation than they already have.

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There is no doubt that Andy brings a lot of positives to the table and it will not be at the expense of dropping someone from the team, he will add to what they already have as a great impact sub, and assistant manager Neil McDonald has also said that the current formation and tactics will stay the same regardless, they would even consider playing two up front meaning Carroll could combine with Sakho or Valencia as a partnership-again, adding to the positives rather than taking anything away.

West Ham fans, you star is about to make a return, welcome him with open arms, the kid is hungry for goals and success and only good can come from it. Ignore the lazy journalism linking him away from the club in January because your gaffer has got the powerhouse firmly in his plans.

A hostile home crowd can be a problem for football teams, but hostile home crowd for a home side in their home stadium is hell on earth… according to Emmanuel Adebayor.

As if being a former Arsenal player was not enough of a problem for the Togo ace in the white half of north London, the often-lethargic striker has now claimed that Lilywhites fans are making it difficult for him, and his team-mates, to perform at White Hart Lane.

Quotes below… they’re astonishing!

“It’s kind of hard when you know the first bad ball you make the fans are going to boo you,” he said.

“When you are playing in front of your own crowd you want them to support you. But now it is like going through a sad moment and your family not welcoming you home. That’s the worst thing ever because you have nowhere to go. At the moment I don’t know whether we should play at home or whether we should play away.

“Obviously I was on the bench against Stoke and, though I could not see everything as clear as night, I could see that nobody wanted the ball. It’s hard for the players. It’s not their fault and it’s not the fans’ fault either because the fans want to see a result, the fans want to see a response and things are not going our way at the moment. We just have to fight as a team and as a club to find a solution. The quicker the better.

“You always want to have the crowd on your side. That comes and leads from the field. If a game doesn’t go well then it’s normal that the crowd has every right to be a bit pessimistic. That’s normal. I actually thought the crowd tried to give positive energy to give them a push. The 2-1 (against Stoke) came and I had the feeling that the equaliser would be right there. But it wasn’t meant that way.”

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The pendulum of Manchester City’s European fate swung back and forth this evening, but eventually the Sky Blues came out on top to secure a priceless win against Bayern Munich. Despite it being their first victory in the competition this season, City can now guarantee qualification in their last game by beating Roma in Rome, as long as CSKA Moscow don’t get a victory against Bayern in Germany. Madness.

Is the dream alive once again? Maybe… and here are THREE reasons why.

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CLICK ON AGUERO TO REVEAL THE THREE

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AGUEROOOO

Well, what can you say about the Argentine? He’s simply wonderful to watch, staggeringly strong and deadly in front of goal. The complete centre-forward. And tonight he proved why he’s so highly rated once again with a lovely hat-trick. The first from the penalty spot was a routine, but the last double strike to seal the win showed his range of talents.

Bayern are pretty handy at home….

Bayern Munich are yet to lose at home this season… So the odds would suggest that CSKA Moscow won’t get the victory at the Allianz Arena they need to prevent City from going through… so long as they win in Rome!

Toure will be back in Rome

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A suspension kept the big Ivorian out against Bayern, but he will be back in time to face Roma, barring injury. Criticised for lethargy in big games sometimes, there’s no doubting that the 31-year-old’s presence will be a boost, as he is capable of moments of magic.

Upon becoming West Brom’s marquee signing this summer, Nigerian front-man Brown Ideye has simply failed to live up to the expectations at the Hawthorns. Alongside the likes of on-loan Porto forward Silvestre Valera, the former Dynimo Kiev man was part of a carefully selected attacking line-up by the former Baggies boss, Alan Irvine.

Unfortunately though, things just haven’t turned out that way for the club or their ever passionate fans. Valera himself has moved on to the Seire A and Brown Ideye has looked nowhere near the player he was first touted to be. Despite costing the midlands team in the region of £10 million according to The Daily Mail – a price that incidentally happens to be West Brom’s club record transfer fee – the faith shown in the Nigerian has simply not been matched by his output in the Premier League.

As Brown Ideye has successfully notched two goals in his last two appearances for West Brom however, is the tide finally starting to turn for the pricey striker, or will the unpredictable 26-year-old seemingly never reach his full potential at the Hawthorns?

Before arriving in England, Ideye was commonly known as a burley centre-forward who was not easily knocked off the ball. He brought with him a potential ability to play out wide when required, and although the former Kiev man may have lacked that bit of pace and mobility needed to survive in that position, his instinctual deadliness in front of goal often gave him enough flexibility to make it. Despite not being considered worthy of a World Cup place in Brazil this summer, West Brom fans would nevertheless have been excited by the potential on offer from their new man up top.

However, three Premier League goals for the newly acquired striker has simply not been good enough from the Nigerian this season. Yes, playing for a side such as West Brom, who are seemingly constantly on the brink of relegation, would not be an easy task for even the most promising forwards in European football. But as 21-year-old Saido Berahino has already proved that it can be done, the signs just don’t look too good for Brown Ideye.

As he only amassed a mere five Premier Liga goals last campaign, and even Shola Ameobi made the cut for the Nigerian national squad in Brazil, perhaps the warning signs should have been clear for the Baggies long before they went through with the signing.

Whilst the sensation and gossip surrounding Brown Ideye’s faltering Hawthorns career has got some sections of the footballing community talking this season, it important not to get too carried away with the whole affair. West Brom look somewhat more comfortable under Tony Pulis, and whilst relegation fears will still be rife among many Baggies fans, the situation could be a lot worse for them this season.

In light of such context, Ideye’s recent – albeit brief – goalscoring exploits may just show enough light at the end of the tunnel for the 26-year-old to justify his place in the Premier League. After all, this is his first season in England. Strikers in particular tend to need one full term of Premier League football to ‘bed in’, so it may be a tad premature to give up Ideye completely.

The Nigerian’s reputation doesn’t come completely unwarranted. He seemingly has got it in him to do the business in front of goal, and whilst progress may be slow for the marquee man right now, it is important to give him the time and trust that his record breaking fee deserves.

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Ultimately though, Brown Ideye has not been able to give West Brom an immediate impact upon signing for the club in the summer. He has needed quite a while to settle into his new surroundings, and if the Baggies were just a little bit closer to the relegation zone at this current stage, Ideye’s bedding-in time could have proved too much of a sacrifice for Tony Pulis and his determined side. As the Nigerian seems to be slowly pulling his socks up however, the jury is still out on whether or not Brown Ideye can finally reach his full potential with his new team.

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I don’t think many fans were surprised when the news broke that Gus Poyet had been relieved of his duties at Sunderland earlier this week.

Football fans around the world were shocked at the scenes at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in their match against Aston Villa. The Black Cats were 4-0 down at half time and thousands of fans walked out- refusing to stay for the second half.

At least three supporters tried to break through the stewards guarding the dugout, yelling abuse at Poyet- but were things that bad at Sunderland for so much action and emotion?

It is well known that Black Cats fans are passionate and the side have always been known for showing their passion in more extreme ways than other teams across England. Things have not been going well for them since Christmas as they have slipped closer and closer to the relegation zone.

The defeat to Aston Villa has left them just one place above Burnley and the bottom three, and they have won just one game in their last 12 league outings.

Many fans had already left before the half-time whistle but those who were there made their anger heard as boos sounded around the stadium.

Those fans who stayed after half time could not believe their eyes when they spent the first four minutes playing with 10 men as Seb Larsson was in the dressing room having treatment on a leg injury when the action restarted.

Fans around the ground chanted: “We’ve only got 10 men” in shock and disgust and when the final whistle went it was and afternoon many Sunderland fans wanted to forget.

When you are not around a team 24/7 you cannot possibly understand every little detail as to why there is so much anger. For those neutral fans, it looked like an over-reaction by Sunderland supporters but really they were right to be unhappy.

Until the weekend, Aston Villa had only scored four goals away from home all season and they managed to double that in 45 minutes. The results have been getting worse and the thing that has angered fans the most is the lack of passion and pride the team have been displaying in recent weeks.

Many fans can agree that while they never want to be relegated but if they do so playing their best and playing with pride for the club, it can slightly soften the blow.

The mass walkout and boos seemed to have had some impact on the Black Cats’ board, who did not take long to announce Gus Poyet had been sacked from his position. His quick departure should mean a fresh start for the club with enough fight against relegation

Fans can now look forward to the last games of the season and hopefully temporary boss Dick Advocaat is the man to steer them clear of the drop zone.

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One thing is for certain – when you go to the North East, be prepared for the extreme. Gus Poyet found that out.

Last year’s hero became this year’s villain.

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What a few weeks it has been for Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez. His loan move to Real Madrid had seemed like a massive waste of an entire season as he had spent the vast majority of it on the bench for the current Champions League holders.

It was Chicharito who sent his side through to the Champions League semi-finals, in an attempt to retain their title. 

Karim Benzema has been sidelined for the last two weeks due to an injury he picked up in the first leg against Atletico Madrid. Benzema will always be the first choice for the lethal front three of Real Madrid. It is unfortunate that it has taken an injury for Chicharito to prove himself, but he has used his time wisely. One massive goal against Atleti to knock them out of the Champions League, and two in La Liga against Celta Vigo.

Chicharito’s rediscovered talents as a preadtory goalscorer drum up many questions and criticisms. For one, Thierry Henry voiced his opinion in regards of Chicharito’s goal celebration vs Atletico. “What I don’t like is Chicharito seems like he’s won the World Cup with that celebration.” Seemingly, Chicharito should have used his hand to score, judging by Henry’s footballing standards.

And, let’s be honest, the Mexican spent so long on the bench it probably had his own indents on it, so can we really blame him for being elated? It is a huge goal to come out of a dire season. Forgive the guy for being proud of himself.

Next on the list, of course, is whether Hernandez has a future at Manchester United or not. In hindsight, their goal difference could have been higher had Chicha stayed. We all know Falcao has not delivered what we all had hoped. Chicharito scored almost the same amount of goals in the week as Falcao has for the season. But is the Mexican still deemed relevant under Louis Van Gaal or still part of a surplus? And how would the current formation work around him? Because no matter what happens, Wayne Rooney cannot drop back into the midfield.

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Has this revival of Chicharito’s career come just a little too late for him? It will bring him to the forefront of the minds of various clubs, but he must make his next move wisely. Ancelotti believes if Chicharito can hold his form, his inclusion in Real’s starting XI will be non-negotiable. Easy to say now, but what happens when Benzema returns from injury, and returns to form?

Mexican head coach Miguel Herrera thinks the best thing for the Little Pea is to find a smaller club to showcase his talents. This of course is in order to get the minutes he needs. Let’s not forget, Chicharito became a super sub at the World Cup because of this role in United. Benzema is likely to be back for the clash with Juventus; what Ancelotti decides to do will be detrimental to Chicharito.

When former Atletico Madrid star and long-term Chelsea loanee, Thibaut Courtois, finally made his return to Stamford Bridge at the beginning of the 2014/15 campaign, it became clear that Jose Mourinho had a huge task on his hands in when it came to sorting out his goal-keeping department.

Would the fresh faced young Belgian come in straight away and oust club hero Petr Cech from the first team squad almost immediately, or did the experienced Czech Republic international still have a meaningful future left with the Blues in the Premier League?

As we are all well aware by now, the latter outcome seemingly never took place for Cech in the end, with this season so far turning out to be not much more than an extended bench warming exercise for the 32-year-old shot-stopper.

So, with a number of Europe’s most high profile clubs, including Arsenal, reportedly expressing a clear interest in ending the keeper’s somewhat stagnant time at Stamford Bridge, just where will Chelsea’s Petr Cech eventually end up plying his trade next season?

Well for one thing, it must be conceded at this stage in the debate that the player is still more than capable of doing the business between the sticks at the highest level. His very best days may in-fact be behind him at the moment, but even at the peaking age of 32-years-old, Cech still has what it takes to represent his team in the Premier League and Europe.

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On his day he turns his respective goal-mouth into a simply impenetrable proposition. The former Sparta Prague man often displays sheer confidence when claiming the ball in and around his penalty box, he is able to organise the Chelsea back-four into a more than solid unit worthy of testing any strike-force in Europe – and with a strong emphasis also placed on shot-stopping and quick distribution – Petr Cech still has to go down as one of the best all-rounders currently occupying the talk of the modern goal-keeper’s circuit.

Despite the many plaudits that have gracefully come the no 1’s way throughout the years however, it must also be admitted that Jose Mourinho made a tough, but ultimately correct call by favouring Thibaut Courtois over the Czech Republic star. Cech remains a reliable option no doubt, but Chelsea’s up-and-coming new boy simply has to go down as one of the best keepers in European football at the moment.

With that in mind then, perhaps an emotional move away from Stamford Bridge has now become a necessity for a player who was once considered to be completely un-droppable. As Arsenal will reportedly be in for the famous shot-stopper across the summer transfer window – with their own history of chopping and changing things around in the goal-keeping department at the Emirates – maybe a switch to North London could be the perfect answer for Cech in this somewhat transitional phase of his career.

The Gunners certainly need someone with the experience and know-how that the Chelsea star brings to the table, the Emirates faithful would likely be satisfied with the keeper’s own individual skill-set and match winning qualities – and even though Petr Cech has been representing one of Arsenal’s major London rivals throughout his Premier League career so far – the player in question still seemingly arrives as a very viable option for Arsene Wenger.

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There is nevertheless one unavoidable spanner in the works within this potential deal however – and that simply comes in the form of Colombian World Cup star, David Ospina. The South American has been in impressive form for his new side since successfully ousting Wojciech Szczesny for the no. 1 spot this season, so even though it’s still certainly early days for the newly acquired keeper in his Arsenal career, a bright Emirates future is nevertheless expected of the promising 26-year-old.

A move to either Real Madrid or PSG, with both teams also recently being linked to the notorious shot-stopper, could therefore represent a more plausible outcome for the skull-cap wearing Stamford Bridge hero – even if the prospect of warming the substitutes bench once again raises its head for the ever ready and determined Petr Cech.

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Manchester United legend Edwin van der Sar has claimed that Real Madrid-bound goalkeeper David de Gea is replaceable, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

De Gea has been heavily linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu the past season, and Van der Sar believes that the Spain number-one is close to securing the switch.

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“There’s been a lot of talk lately and if he wanted to stay he probably would have signed a new contract by now,” Van der Sar said.

“At the start of the season you start with 11 players…nobody is irreplaceable, that’s always the case.

“I’m sure United, if David is going to leave, they are going to find a good successor.”

The former Red Devil shot-stopper is adamant that De Gea can be replaced, but hopes that United do not come bidding for Ajax star Jasper Cillessen this summer.

“I hope United aren’t getting him!” said Van der Sar.

“Luckily I have some influence on that part, being on the board of Ajax. But of course, Jasper is a fantastic goalkeeper.

“In the winter break I went to Qatar for a week and I trained with the goalkeepers there and had a session with them. He has also improved immensely.

“He played great for the national team in the World Cup and is, like David here, a very reliable goalkeeper for us in Amsterdam. We would like to keep him for a while.”

Van der Sar went on to add that United manager Louis van Gaal may not even need to go and find a replacement, with three-time Champions League winner Victor Valdes capable of manning the posts for the first-team.

“Louis also likes a goalkeeper who can play with his feet also and just behind the defence,” he explained.

“Victor Valdes has also played like that at Barcelona for a while,’ he said. ‘Or maybe they are looking for different one also.”

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Despite this, United have been monitoring goalkeepers to succeed De Gea this summer, with Chelsea’s Petr Cech, Tottenham ace Hugo Lloris, and Stoke City star Asmir Begovic joining Cillessen on Van Gaal’s wishlist.

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