Liverpool identify Hamburg's Dutch international winger Eljero Elia as the man to spark a Reds revival - with Lacina Traore, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez also targets. Full story:Daily Mirror
Everton will bid to bring Manchester United striker Michael Owen to Goodison Park. Full story: caughtoffside.com
Chelsea are to make a move for Borussia Dortmund's Serbian international defender Neven Subotic in an attempt to shore up their leaky defence. Full story: caughtoffside.com
Wolves are to make a £500,000 bid to sign Barnsley winger Adam Hammill. Full story:Daily Mirror
Juventus have stepped up their chase to sign Liverpool's Danish defender Daniel Agger. Full story:IMscouting.com
Liverpool fear they will lose out to Napoli in the chase to sign Utrecht striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Full story: talkSport
Bolton have joined the chase to land Danish international midfielder Michael Silberbauer, with Arsenal's Carlos Vela another target. Full story: talkSport
Everton have joined West Ham in race for Monaco's Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani. Full story: Daily Mail
OTHER GOSSIP
Fulham target Steve Morison is "not for sale", says Millwall boss Kenny Jackett. Full story: Daily Mirror
David Beckham could be coach for the British 2012 Olympic football team, reckons Lord Coe, chairman of the organising committee for the London games. Full story: Daily Express
Former Chelsea defender Paul Elliott has backed Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti as the best man to lead the west London club forward. Full story: talkSport
Arsenal's Manuel Almunia has played his last game for the Gunners after an ankle injury ruled him out for the next two to three weeks. The keeper may return to Spain after Malaga and Atletico Madrid have registered an interest. Full story: Daily Telegraph
Former Arsenal player Dennis Bergkamp has officially been named Ajax youth team manager after the previous incumbent Frank de Boer was promoted to the senior team hotseat. Full story: Daily Mail
Southampton have offered midfielder Adam Lallana a bumper new three-year deal to fend off interest from Newcastle and Wolves. Full story: Daily Mail
Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp denies being approached by Liverpool to replace Roy Hodgson. Full story: The Guardian
AND FINALLY
Tottenham's Gareth Bale credits cross-country training for turning him into an iron man. Full story: Daily Mirror
Back To Two Points
Real Madrid cut the gap between themselves and Barcelona back to two points after an exciting 3-2 win over Getafe. The hosts caused a scare by cutting the deficit to one in the late stages in a match where Kaka made his comeback after a lengthy injury lay off from the substitutes' bench...
Blackburn Make Bid
Blackburn Rovers owners the Venky's Group have confirmed that they have made a €7.2 million bid for departing Milan ace Ronaldinho, despite denying they were interested in the player earlier on Monday morning. It is believed that Rovers will increase their offer if necessary to lure 'Dinho to Ewood Park.
Come And Get Me
It has emerged today that Manchester City may run into problems when trying to sign Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg. While the Citizens have been heavily touted as the favourites to sign the Bosnian, reports now claim the striker sent a message to Juventus, asking them to make an offer...
Ryo Unfazed By Comparison
Arsenal's new signing Ryo Miyaichi is unconcerned by comparisons to Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and Gunners legend Thierry Henry. The 18-year-old Japanese is focused only on doing his best and fulfilling his potential, but he is confident that he will be able to make an impact at the club.
Ranocchia Joins Inter
Inter have signed Andrea Ranocchia on a five-year deal, the club revealed on Monday. Ranocchia joins Inter after having spent the first half of term with Genoa on a co-ownership deal - reports suggest Inter buying back their share from Genoa would have costed around €12 million
BEST XI IN EUROPE SO FAR THIS SEASON
Please note that all club football in Europe, including continental cup competitions, were taken into account when making this selection...
Goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer (Schalke): Simply the best goalkeeper in Germany, if not the world. Schalke may have struggled this year, but the 24-year-old has been one bright spot in die Knappen’s campaign. His heroics - particularly against Bayern - have not only saved goals, but matches; without Neuer, Schalke would be much worse off. The Germany international has skippered his side to the knock-out rounds of the Champions League too after Felix Magath's side negotiated a tough section.
Goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer (Schalke): Simply the best goalkeeper in Germany, if not the world. Schalke may have struggled this year, but the 24-year-old has been one bright spot in die Knappen’s campaign. His heroics - particularly against Bayern - have not only saved goals, but matches; without Neuer, Schalke would be much worse off. The Germany international has skippered his side to the knock-out rounds of the Champions League too after Felix Magath's side negotiated a tough section.
Defence
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) – At just 22 years of age, the centre-half has become by far and away the best defender in Germany. Hummels is an absolute wall at the heart of a Dortmund defence that has conceded just 10 goals thus far. In another era, the former Bayern man could have been a model sweeper: his marking is always spot on, his tackling is immaculate and he also has the soft touch of a midfielder and can serve as an auxilliary attacker. The only downside to the defender's season has been the disappointing exit from the Europa League.
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) – At just 22 years of age, the centre-half has become by far and away the best defender in Germany. Hummels is an absolute wall at the heart of a Dortmund defence that has conceded just 10 goals thus far. In another era, the former Bayern man could have been a model sweeper: his marking is always spot on, his tackling is immaculate and he also has the soft touch of a midfielder and can serve as an auxilliary attacker. The only downside to the defender's season has been the disappointing exit from the Europa League.
Thiago Silva (Milan): Quite possibly the best defender in the world right now. The Brazilian is the complete stopper - fast, strong, excellent in the air, a fine tackler, elegant in possession, and unlike most defenders today a brilliant reader of the game. Milan desperately need to find an adequate backup to both Silva and Nesta in January, as they are irreplaceable at the moment.
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United): A return to form for the bullish Serbian who has been a colossus at the back for United after a frustrating 2009-10 season. Sir Alex Ferguson's side have kept 10 of their 12 clean sheets this season in all competitions when the burly centre-back has been on the team sheet.
Midfield
Milos Krasic (Juventus): The most explosive force in Serie A. Krasic has lit up the championship with his electric raids down the right wing. At times the Serbian has been almost unplayable and he has been the main outlet for Juventus offensively. The 26-year-old has scored five times in Serie A, including a few gems, as well as providing a host of assists.
Milos Krasic (Juventus): The most explosive force in Serie A. Krasic has lit up the championship with his electric raids down the right wing. At times the Serbian has been almost unplayable and he has been the main outlet for Juventus offensively. The 26-year-old has scored five times in Serie A, including a few gems, as well as providing a host of assists.
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
While Xavi suffered post-World Cup injury concerns, Iniesta looks fitter than ever after struggling last season, and he has been the orchestrator of the Blaugrana as they reach new levels of brilliance.
The 26-year-old has never been the most prolific of contributors from midfield, but he has netted four goals already this season, and his level of understanding with Xavi, Lionel Messi and David Villa is now bordering on the telepathic. Collecting the FIFA Ballon d’Or next month would be a fitting end to what has been an astonishing year in the life of Iniesta.
While Xavi suffered post-World Cup injury concerns, Iniesta looks fitter than ever after struggling last season, and he has been the orchestrator of the Blaugrana as they reach new levels of brilliance.
The 26-year-old has never been the most prolific of contributors from midfield, but he has netted four goals already this season, and his level of understanding with Xavi, Lionel Messi and David Villa is now bordering on the telepathic. Collecting the FIFA Ballon d’Or next month would be a fitting end to what has been an astonishing year in the life of Iniesta.
Nuri Sahin (Borussia Dortmund) – On their way to a near-record-setting fall campaign, Dortmund have had a tremendously strong backbone in Sahin. The Turkish midfielder has a certain elegance about him that only affords heaps of confidence in his ability; he distributes the ball with uncommon accuracy and vision, has an uncommon work rate, defends well, and is almost always within 10 yards of the ball.
And with four goals and six assists to his name, the defensive Sahin has also proven to be a formidable threat in the attacking third. Before the season, he said he could play at the level of Bastian Schweinsteiger. Certainly, he has done just that. Player of the season thus far in the Bundesliga.
And with four goals and six assists to his name, the defensive Sahin has also proven to be a formidable threat in the attacking third. Before the season, he said he could play at the level of Bastian Schweinsteiger. Certainly, he has done just that. Player of the season thus far in the Bundesliga.
Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur): A player unlikely to make the Christmas card list of Maicon. The Brazil and Inter full-back was shaken from his podium of best right-back in the world when the Welsh tour-de-force swept him aside with ease across the two matches between the two sides in the Champions League. Bale's Premier League form has not been as consistent but he merits an inclusion on the list due to his phenomenal introduction to European audiences.
Hernanes (Lazio): The Serie A signing of the summer so far after arriving from Brazilian giants Sao Paulo. The attacking midfielder has been the talisman of a Lazio team who find themselves in joint-second just three points behind league-leaders Milan. Hernanes has scored five goals in 16 games, created numerous others, and displayed all the skills, tricks, flicks and free kick fantasy that the best Brazilians are associated with.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The Portuguese has been just as pivotal to the way in which Los Blancos play as Messi is to Barcelona, and CR7 has played with real intent this season, desperate to win his first silverware at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He has struck 17 league goals as Jose Mourinho’s side fight to stay in touch with the Blaugrana with each passing week, and his influence in the side cannot be underestimated. He remains their most important player, and he will need to produce a similar second half of the campaign in order to oust Barcelona from their pedestal.
FORMATION
Attack
Lionel Messi (Barcelona): The superlatives have almost ran dry when attempting to describe the genius of the diminutive Argentine. The fact that his genius is now taken for granted goes some way to explaining how utterly unplayable he has been on a regular basis for the Camp Nou giants this season.
He has racked up 27 goals already before the winter break, 17 of those in the league, and in the process has scored some majestic goals that for him, appear commonplace, but that no other player could score. His duel with Cristiano Ronaldo for the world’s best player still rages on, but for now it can't be argued that Messi is No.1.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona): The superlatives have almost ran dry when attempting to describe the genius of the diminutive Argentine. The fact that his genius is now taken for granted goes some way to explaining how utterly unplayable he has been on a regular basis for the Camp Nou giants this season.
He has racked up 27 goals already before the winter break, 17 of those in the league, and in the process has scored some majestic goals that for him, appear commonplace, but that no other player could score. His duel with Cristiano Ronaldo for the world’s best player still rages on, but for now it can't be argued that Messi is No.1.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The Portuguese has been just as pivotal to the way in which Los Blancos play as Messi is to Barcelona, and CR7 has played with real intent this season, desperate to win his first silverware at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He has struck 17 league goals as Jose Mourinho’s side fight to stay in touch with the Blaugrana with each passing week, and his influence in the side cannot be underestimated. He remains their most important player, and he will need to produce a similar second half of the campaign in order to oust Barcelona from their pedestal.
FORMATION
Neuer
Hummels Thiago Silva Vidic
Krasic Iniesta Sahin Bale
Hernanes
Messi Ronaldo
Hummels Thiago Silva Vidic
Krasic Iniesta Sahin Bale
Hernanes
Messi Ronaldo
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