As with almost every other season, the January transfer window came and went with Arsene Wenger keeping his wallet safely tucked away in his pocket. Well strictly that may not be true, but the £7m purchase of Mohamed Elneny from Basel a relative drop in the ocean in monetary terms for a club like Arsenal.

Despite many fans clamouring for a big-name signing to be brought in, a major transfer to make their competitors sit up and notice, one to give them the edge in the most open and winnable Premier League in recent memory, the frugal manager once again shied away from any mid-season spending.

And perhaps nowhere else is the verdict more split between Gooners than the need for a world class striker. Some claim that Arsenal will never truly be a force to be reckoned with without a talismanic front-man, while others remain assured that they already have a ‘top, top’ striker in Olivier Giroud.

Those in favour of the Frenchman can point to his link-up play, aerial ability and consistent (if modest) goal return, whilst his detractors will highlight a lack of pace, a poor work ethic and the inconsistent nature of his performances.

And therein lies the main problem with Giroud – he may look ‘world class’ in a particular game or run of games – his hat-trick against Olympiakos or brace against Liverpool this season testament to this – but then he’ll disappear for long stretches, the goals drying up quicker than his hair gel.

His ability to link up play is out-weighed by his ability to ‘go missing’ all too frequently, a truly elite striker remains a constant threat and presence for entire games, every game. Following his blank against Bournemouth recently, the Gallic striker has now gone 420 minutes without a goal.

‘But all strikers have droughts’ I hear you cry. Sure, but a persistent goal-threat almost always remains. Take Sergio Aguero at Man City for example – on the rare occasion he fails to score, he remains a constant threat to the opposition defence, buzzing around, making runs and getting in behind.

He may not be blessed with great pace, but aside from the odd near-post run you often see him score from, his movement can be lacking. His finishing, when he’s in the mood, is great but you get the feeling that a striker playing for a club like Arsenal should be scoring with more regularity than the 29-year-old does.

Indeed, looking at other ‘world class’ strikers, the minutes per goal ratio held by Giroud is somewhat lacking. Giants of the European game such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski average around a goal a game, or better. Similarly Gonzalo Higuain or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, both mentioned as possible targets for the North Londoners in the past, are lethal.

Of course the Premier League is a tougher league to play and score in, but the aforementioned Aguero maintains an average just the other side of a goal every 90 minutes. In truth, Giroud’s Premier League ratio sits at a similar level to youngsters Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku. Even league newcomer Odion Ighalo has similar statistics, whilst form players like Leicester’s Jamie Vardy or Leverkusen’s Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez are significantly better.

The point I’m trying to make here is that, whilst Giroud is unquestionably a good striker, able to finish well and show sporadic brilliance, his inconsistent nature and lack of real menace means he will never truly be a great.

Club legend Thierry Henry recently back-tracked on his pre-season claims that Arsenal would win nothing with Giroud leading the line, claiming that he had discovered a consistency in his game. That came just after his brace against Liverpool and just before his current goal drought.

Sure, Arsenal have goal-scorers all over the pitch but they also have suppliers all over the pitch. A truly World-class striker would score 20+ goals every season in the league alone and, whilst the Frenchman may be slowly improving during his time in North London, he will never really be a truly great player, a factor that may stop this talented Arsenal side from becoming a truly great one.

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Liverpool star Jordan Henderson believes Daniel Sturridge will bring the fear factor back to the team after his goalscoring return against Aston Villa, according to reports from the Mirror.

Sturridge has been recovering from a series of injuries for much of the season, but the England international started his first game in fourth months and grabbed his team’s first goal in a 6-0 romp.

This will come as a big boost to Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who was reportedly ready to sell Sturridge in the summer amid his injury concerns.

However, with the 26-year-old now back in the fray, club captain Henderson believes that the former Chelsea star is the player that will make Liverpool a force to be reckoned with in the remainder of the campaign.

He said: “He definitely gives us that fear factor back. When he is firing, he is one of the best in the world, really. He is that good.

“Finishing, touches, movement – he has everything. He gets one chance and scores and that is the difference.

“Any centre-half in the world would be worried about coming up against him. He makes a huge difference.

“You can see in the games that he has played how much he has been missed.

“He has been brilliant since he has come back training and is looking really sharp. Hopefully he can continue to stay fit and cause problems when he plays.

“Everyone knows how good he is but because he has been out for a while, you do forget the quality he has got and how good he actually is.

“His sharpness is top drawer. He is a massive bonus for us.

“His biggest problem is getting a run of games, finding consistency and just staying fit. That is the only issue. If he stays fit, he becomes world class.”

Along with Sturridge, star midfielder Philippe Coutinho has also returned from a hamstring problem that has kept him out the past month, with the Brazilian supplying three assists in their 6-0 win over Villa.

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Brit’s abroad don’t always do well. From sunburnt, lager-swilling stag parties, to ignorant folk who believe talking louder in English is a reasonable attempt to make contact with foreign men and women, we are often looked at as bad travellers. These may seem like terrible stereotypes, but they must have a semblance of truth to have been formed in the first place.

Much the same with the typical British footballer. A handful have taken steps to improve their game by moving to clubs on the continent, but as a whole Brit’s tend not to leave the comforts of football at home. After all, the number of English or British players plying their trade on foreign soil over the years far fewer than many other of the top nationalities.

But, one young man from Cardiff bucked the trend of the majority of British players in the Premier League and has now become the leading British goal-scorer in La Liga history. Not even three years into his spell at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale has succeeded where many fail, or even fear to tread. Recently surpassing Gary Lineker’s feat of 42 goals for Barcelona, set nearly 30 years ago, the Wales talisman has already won more with Real than he ever would at Spurs – or arguably any other Premier League side – joining a club as ambitious as himself.

But where might the next Bale come from? I don’t necessarily mean in talent – his is a unique one that is not easily replicated – but in terms of being a quality British export from the Premier League making as big of a splash as the 26-year-old Welshman has at Real Madrid? David Beckham and Michael Owen both tried of course, part of the Galacticos era at the Bernabau in the early/mid 2000’s, but neither really had the kind of effect on the pitch that the current No.11 at the Madrid side has.

Is there anyone playing in the Premier League right now who can cope with the very different demands of European football as well as the Welsh winger? Who can represent the best of what the UK has to offer and help enhance the reputation of the Brit abroad, in footballing terms anyway? Is there anyone with enough skill to attract the attention of one of the premier clubs around Europe? Or are our players destined to cozy up at home, safe in the familiar surroundings of the Premier League?

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The most obvious candidate that springs to mind is actually plying his trade at Bale’s old club Spurs. Harry Kane is currently setting the the Premier League alight with his goalscoring feats for Mauricio Pochettino’s high-flying Tottenham side. He may not have the pace or the flair of his former team-mate, but his natural goalscoring ability is sure to attract some admiring glances from the continent’s biggest clubs. If he continues to match, or surpass, his goal tallies from this and last season then the lure of a scorer may be too great to ignore, even if he is from a country not really known for it’s footballing exports. And with Daniel Levy as his chairman, it likely wouldn’t take too much persuading to see the north Londoner’s prize asset sold off in the future for the right fee.

Looking around the rest of the league, you don’t really see too many other Brits with the kind of talents that would attract the bigger European sides. Bale’s fellow countryman Aaron Ramsey is rumoured to be on Barcelona’s radar, but aside from the Arsenal man, few stand out. Looking at the current England squad for example, it’s hard to highlight one player who has both the talent and the character to play abroad. Eric Dier came to this country from Portuguese football and it seems to have stood him in good stead, the 22-year-old rapidly becoming as important as Kane or Dele Alli for Spurs.

Indeed, given his prior experience of the continent there is every chance Dier may move back one day. Team-mate Alli has the skill, but at such a young age it’s hard to predict whether he will challenge himself and move abroad in his career as, at the moment at least, he seems like a very family orientated ‘homeboy’, but then the same could have been said of Bale when he was at Spurs.

No one really knows why British footballers plying their trade on foreign soil are so few and far between, and it’s a topic that no doubt warrants a much longer discussion than is possible here. Perhaps the comforts of their own language and culture are too great, or maybe the Premier League brings all the best the world has to offer to them, meaning there is no reason to move. But, whatever the reason, hopefully it won’t be another 30 years before we see a British player setting records in a continental league.

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Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton has denied that he is seeking a move away from Parkhead, but claimed that he is keen to play in one of Europe’s top divisions.

The Israeli has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months but the 24 year old says he is happy to stay at Celtic.

WANT MORE? >> Celtic transfer news | Scottish Premiership transfer new

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Bitton said that the transfer rumours were not at the forefront of his mind:

“I have heard all about the interest in me, but there has been nothing concrete. Celtic are a big club and I like it here. I am not thinking about leaving and it doesn’t concern me.”

Pressed further in the interview about where he would like to play if Celtic received an approach which was too good to turn down, Bitton did state that a move to the Premier League would be the most likely option.

“I guess if I got an offer that was too good for both sides, Celtic wouldn’t stop me from moving forward. If I could choose, I’d obviously like to play in one of the main leagues in Europe like England, Spain, Germany or Italy. Because Celtic are in Britain, it’s more likely the options will come from England. But I like it in Glasgow and we are settled.”

The holding midfielder has been a regular in Ronny Deila’s side this season, making 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing one assist.

He will be hoping to keep his place in the starting line up next season under a new manager.

An appointment is expected in the next couple of weeks to fill the vacant managerial role at Celtic Park.

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Group F – Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Portugal

Prediction: Portugal, Austria, Iceland, Hungary

The teams of Group F will have to wait until the 14th June to kick off their tournament. It won’t matter too much to Iceland and Hungary, however, who have had to wait a long time to compete in a European Championships. Hungary since 1972, whilst Iceland have never competed in the Euros.

It may also be worth the wait for the other two teams in this group, too, as both Portugal and Austria will fancy their chances of doing something special in this edition of the tournament.

Austria hit form in qualifying, and their all-action team talisman David Alaba will be the heartbeat of their side in the tournament just as he was in qualifying. But he’ll be surrounded by quite a few form players. Christian Fuchs has had an incredible season winning the Premier League with Leicester, and he’ll captain his country this summer alongside Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic and Werder Bremen’s free-kick wizard Zlatko Junuzovic. If they can replicate their qualifying form – nine wins and a draw in ten games – they could be dark horses for the tournament.

Whilst Portugal themselves could be considered dark horses. You get the feeling that any team with Cristiano Ronaldo always has the potential to go far in the tournament, but Portugal have a very exciting young team these days. Ruben Neves, Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes, Bernardo Silva and William Carvalho will all be part of the supporting cast for the main attraction that is Cristiano Ronaldo. Like Turkey in Group D, this tournament may come too early for Portugal’s youngsters, but the combination of a reasonably soft group and a genuine world beater up front makes them serious contenders – top the group, get a nice last 16 draw and anything can happen once the form starts flowing!

The other two teams are simply happy to be at the finals. But that doesn’t mean they can do nothing at all in the tournament. Most of Hungary’s players play in their own domestic league, but English audiences will be familiar with Gabor Kiraly – at 40 years old, he could become the oldest ever player at the European Championships – captain Zoltan Gera and striker Tamas Priskin. Though perhaps Hungary’s most dangerous player will be Adam Szalai.

Iceland, however, have Gylfi Sigurdsson and a 37 year old Eidur Gudjohnsen. Alfred Finbogasson will be a danger man up front, whilst Basel’s Birkir Bjarnasson will keep things nice and tidy in the midfield.

Things to watch out for: Two dark horses, Cristiano Ronaldo babysitting young talent, Iceland and Hungary fans enjoying their moment in the sun.

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A crucial few weeks lie ahead for Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham as they aim to improve on last season’s third place finish, in what is gearing up to be the most competitive Premier League season ever.

With Victor Wanyama already signed up and Dutch striker Vincent Janssen set to follow this week, Spurs are readying a squad capable of challenging at the very top of the English football pyramid.

However, with both Manchester clubs seemingly in the market for almost every available global superstar, Arsenal set to strengthen, Chelsea ready to spend big, Liverpool attracting impressive names and Leicester desperate to shock the world again, Pochettino has a mammoth task on his hands assembling a squad proficient enough to compete with the aforementioned.

Here, we take a look at five players who could follow newest signing Vincent Janssen to White Hart Lane…

Georginio Wijnaldum

After relegation with Newcastle, Dutch star Georginio Wijnaldum is in high demand, especially as he was one of the only players who impressed last season on Tyneside.

Tottenham have reportedly declared their interest in the playmaker but Newcastle have slapped a £30million price tag on the 25-year-old, something which may dissuade Spurs from making a move.

Roberto Pereyra

Argentinian international Roberto Pereyra is reportedly wanted my numerous English clubs including West Ham, Watford and now Tottenham.

The 25-year-old has struggled to make a serious impact at Juventus since his move from Udinese two seasons ago.

Pereyra can play in any number of positions across the midfield and would be very able cover for Spurs’ superb playmakers.

Jonas Hector

A man in high demad, Jonas Hector will almost certainly be subject to a number of bids this summer, after impressing for Germany at the European Championships.

The left-back, who currently plies his trade at Koln is rumoured to be wanted by Liverpool, West Ham and Tottenham.

While Hector has undoubted talent, Spurs have sufficient talent at left-back in Ben Davies and Danny Rose, meaning a move for the German may be futile.

Ragnar Sigurdsson

After a superb showing at Euro 2016, Icelandic star Ragnar Sigurdsson is in high demand.

His agent has announced to the media that various clubs have made enquiries for the centre-back, reportedly Leicester, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Currently with FC Krasnodar in Russia, Sigurdsson would be extremely capable cover for Spurs’ stellar back line, while his transfer fee would remain relatively modest.

Franco Vasquez

While Franco Vasquez may not be a familiar name to Premier League fans, Serie A aficionado’s will be well aware of the talents of the 27-year-old.

An attacking midfielder, Vasquez has earned two caps for his adopted country, Italy.

The Palermo star was top of the assists leaderboard in the 2014/15 Italian domestic season and continued to impress last term.

West Brom have also declared their interests for Vasquez but it is thought that the Argentine-born playmaker would favour a move to the Lane.

Jose Mourinho is Manchester United manager now and we have been treated (tortured) with his usual sniping press conferences already. He is back, he is grumpier and he is (probably) going to win the league with the most boring team to have ever played football.

Investment has been flowing at Manchester United, as you may have expected, and the Portuguese manager has his mate Jorge Mendes to thank for that.

Without playing a properly competitive game to date, there is already a pretty good idea floating around of what Mourinho’s first choice Manchester United eleven will look like. We can just about envisage the shape and the majority of the personnel.

He is one of the best in the business, there is no doubt about that, so we may expect to see some marked improvements on last season. It’s never plain sailing, however, will it be boom or bust for Jose?

These THREE will be pivotal in whatever happens…

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Many of Manchester United’s problems over the previous couple of seasons have been down to a lack of creativity in the final third. Henrikh Mkhitaryan – who was the highest rated Bundesliga player according to WhoScored last season – should bring this in abundance.

Likely to be starting from the right hand side, we can expect to see the Armenian star drift centrally on a regular basis as he looks to find the space to create for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A regular goal scorer himself too, Mkhitaryan’s role will be to compensate for the lack of a primary creator in the ten space – that’s not to say Paul Pogba won’t be creating himself.

For this very reason, Mkhitaryan’s fitness and form will be pivotal to Mourinho’s tenure. Without his incisive passes and defensive splitting runs, United risk looking blunt in attack once again.

Chris Smalling

As much as Eric Bailly has impressed in pre-season, the young defender still is not as assured as a more experience star would have been. Bailly will no doubt become a top class defender, but he is currently under the mindful eye of the vastly improved Chris Smalling.

Having impressed in an unstable United defence recently, Smalling was all at sea for much of the Euros with England and United cannot afford to see that sort of instability again.

As leader of the backline and senior defender, there is a huge amount of responsibility on the ex-Fulham man’s shoulders.

Mourinho’s side rely on a solid defence, usually in a low block, and Smalling must be at his best.

Morgan Schneiderlin

As with Smalling, Schneiderlin is going to be central to whether Mourinho can replicate the defensive solidity that has made him such an astonishingly successful manager to date.

Although Michael Carrick may be fancied to start the season, it would be a shock to all if Schneiderlin did not become first choice at some point in this campaign. The Frenchman can play as the more advanced of a two in midfield – which we may see in the tougher games – and has all the attributes to be the ideal screening player for Mourinho.

Smalling and Bailly, such are their weaknesses, will need protection. Schneiderlin is going to be the man to offer that.

Michail Antonio has been a revelation at West Ham. Other than those rather misleading, failed games at right-back, the winger has been a joy to watch in the Premier League. Any question over his ability to adapt to a higher level have been shunned before they could even raise their ugly heads.

Only a handful of players can succeed in any new surroundings so quickly, Antonio did just that. An integral member of Slaven Bilic’s new-look West Ham side last year, he has found the net four times in the opening four Premier League games to assure himself of a place in the starting XI. Despite the arrivals of Sofiane Feghouli and Gokhan Tore, Antonio’s role at the club is unquestioned. He is quickly on his way to becoming a West Ham hero, which has been reinforced by his early performances at their new stadium.

As other clubs look to make additions in the January window, Antonio could become the centre of transfer speculation. How this will impact his game is an unknown quantity, the pressure and attention of the rumour mill can do odd things to an individual’s on-pitch performances.

For many clubs, this is the price of success. Making good signings, having talented players, makes other clubs watch on with admiration and will quickly lean towards their chequebooks when in need of an addition or two themselves. Antonio has caused problems for sides up and down the Premier League and his physical game, combined with an under-rated technical arsenal, would make him an ideal winter signing.

Ready for the Premier League and an in-form man, this current trajectory of Antonio’s career might suggest that the rest of Europe are keeping a close eye on the former Nottingham Forest man.

Few full-backs will look forward to the prospect of marking Antonio this season, and rightly so. He challenges both towards the byline and down the inside channel, making him an unpredictable man to mark. His well-publicised aerial prowess is no myth, either. Any player able to dominate like that and so often produce a well-timed back post run will draw attention from many managers. As much of an asset as he is to West Ham, other clubs will be aware of the threat he could pose in their sides.

However, after retaining Dimitri Payet over the summer, West Ham will be optimistic of holding off any potential advances for Antonio.

Turning Antonio’s head will be a challenge for any team. An integral member of a talented, ambitious West Ham squad, a move would most likely be of detriment to his career.

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As Arsene Wenger’s tenure as Arsenal manager gets ever closer to its finish, there is one trophy that has eluded the longest-serving manager in English football – the League Cup.Close scrapes with success have been and gone, Wenger now needs just the early season trophy to have – as it would be called in many other sports – a career Grand Slam. Lifting the League Cup, of course, would not compensate should Arsenal fail to lift the Champions League or Premier League before Wenger hangs up his clipboard, but it is an anomaly that Wenger has never won the competition. There are a number of reasons why he hasn’t won it, yet it always seemed an obvious answer to the trophy drought that Arsenal suffered until they won the FA Cup in 2013.With Champions League progression looking almost nailed on, EFL Cup distraction could be a hindrance to a potentially great season for the club. The team has a balance that hasn’t been witnessed on a regular basis at the Emirates in years, they’re playing with the verve of winners. It has all been seen before, mind. These spells of irresistible brilliance have appeared almost annually for the Gunners, with the inevitable slump in form, injury crisis and fan anger being the bane of the club for the best part of the last ten years.It will be weeks until we know if this season will be different. Wenger’s career record in the months of November and December is significantly poorer than in the early, or later, months of the English season. This has been one of the downfalls to any potential success in the League Cup. The timing of the competition means that Arsenal’s mid-season woes make success nigh on impossible.

Traditional patterns for Arsenal’s campaigns have often been blamed on – sometimes fairly – injuries. Regular crises, paired with an insufficient squad, have seen Wenger forced into naming some obscure line-ups in vital periods of the season. But this current squad has a depth that has been so rare at Arsenal: it has almost become a foreign concept. In all areas of the team, there are players who have experience, talent and are more than able deputies. History makes it hard to determine how this campaign will pan out, but the signs are there that Wenger and Arsenal are ready to break out of their rut.

Murmurings surfaced from Arsenal’s annual general meeting that Wenger’s retirement is now an immediate possibility. With chances of silverware limited and a fierce race for the Premier League title in the offing, the EFL Cup is a welcome opportunity for Wenger to win some silverware. Wenger currently has one of his very best Arsenal squads at his disposal, giving him the perfect chance to end his career with a trophy-littered finale.

EFL Cup success might not suffice for the Wenger doubters, but it would allow him to join an elite smattering of managers who have lifted all the trophies on offer in English football.

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For those unfamiliar with his career path, Chelsea’s decision to sign Marcos Alonso seemed to be unwise.

With a new full-back – either on the right or left – one of the top priorities for Chelsea and Antonio Conte this summer, Alonso was an underwhelming pick for many. Remembered in England as the former Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland left-sided player, it was overlooked that he has had a fairly substantial career elsewhere.

That place was Florence. Playing in the regal purple of Fiorentina, Alonso developed both as a defender and an offensive asset down the flank. His game has benefited from his physical limitations. Where many full-backs rely on their stamina and pace to save them from perilous defensive situations, Alonso has no such luxury. Often he will come up against wingers who will have the legs to beat him over five yards – he has had to learn how to defend properly, judge when to tackle, intercept and learn his trade positionally.

Having watched consecutive defensive calamities against Arsenal and Liverpool, Alonso was given his chance from the off against Hull City this weekend. Conte changed his tactics to open the door for the former Real Madrid academy player. 4-3-3 became 3-4-3 and Alonso, along with Victor Moses, was handed a place in the starting line-up. The result was Chelsea’s most complete performance of the season, both looking defensively stronger and able to commit more bodies into the final third.

The midfield had greater freedom, while Alonso and Moses provided natural width that the Blues have lacked with Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic in the full-back roles. Alonso on the left allowed a rejuvenated Eden Hazard to leave his nominal role on the wing in search of possession and wreak havoc wherever he fancied.

Alonso’s inclusion aided Chelsea defensively, too. Enabling Conte to play three central defenders, the new signing has given Chelsea the chance to change their shape, and his performance may well allow them to do so in the future, too. Conte has already claimed that 3-4-3 will be used on a match-by-match basis, but the display against Hull suggests that this will be more than an experiment against bottom half sides.

Playing as a wing-back is not simple, it requires a rounded footballer, with understanding of the game in all thirds of the pitch. Alonso will rarely excite with racing runs down the outside, nor will be provide the last ditch defensive dramas of Ashley Cole. Instead, he is on course to become a vital member of Chelsea’s XI. The 3-4-3 cannot function smoothly without Alonso and his performance against Hull guaranteed he will remain in Conte’s plans.