As reported by The Daily Mirror, Pep Guardiola is hoping to land Bayern defender Holger Badstuber on a short-term loan deal this January.

What’s the word?

With Manchester City’s defence not exactly looking watertight this season, Pep Guardiola would be sensible to seek defensive reinforcements in January.

The Mirror reckon that one option for the Spaniard is a 6 month loan deal move for German international Holger Badstuber.

The paper say Guardiola is seeking other targets after Southampton insisted they will not be selling Virgil van Dijk anytime soon.

Why Badstuber?

Holger Badstuber must be one of the most talented defenders in Europe not getting a game for his club right now. The German has made only 3 appearances for Bayern this season. Further to that, he’s completed a 90 minutes only once, away to FC Rostov in the UEFA Champions League.

However, Guardiola of course knows the defender well, working with him when he was Bayern boss for three seasons.

The 6ft 3in defender was once a regular for the German giants but has struggled in recent years to make the centre-back position his own.

He’d provide adequate cover for City’s defence and could provide a competition to the likes of John Stones that could raise the standard of the Citizens’ backline.

The reported 6 month loan deal means this would be relatively risk free and it could be the kind of signing that proves to be a vital difference maker when positions are finalised in May.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

It has been a sensational turnaround of fortunes for Jose Mourinho and his Manchester United side of late.

After a brilliant start to the season that saw the Red Devils win their first three league games, Mourinho’s men then went on a run of six draws and three defeats in their next eleven league matches – a sequence that raised suggestions that the Portuguese boss may have finally lost his magic touch.

But since then there’s been a brilliant response from Paul Pogba and co, with six wins on the bounce leaving just ten points between them in 5th and league leaders Chelsea. The title may be a little too far away now, but the race for a top-four berth and Champions League return is far from over with just under half the campaign still to be played.

So, why have things suddenly become so rosy at Man United? Well, here are THREE reasons…

Captain Carrick

Having been overlooked for most of the opening games of the season and tagged as one of the forgotten men in the Man United set up, the 35-year-old has been key to the Red Devils’ change in form in recent games.

Benefitting from gaining experience from former bosses, the ex-Tottenham star has grown in leadership, composure, security and stability and is giving the Red Devils what Chelsea and Liverpool are getting from N’Golo Kante and Jordan Henderson respectively. It is also a plus to know that Man United have not lost any game that the Englishman has been involved in so far this term.

With Mourinho’s men back in the contenders’ positions, Carrick will play a vital role between now and the end fo the season.

Pogba’s progression

Paul Pogba’s transfer has been one of the interesting stories of the season – the £89m paid was a world record, after all. That came with a lot of expectation, so it was not a surprise to see the Frenchman being criticised by the press for not showing enough in crucial games against Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea.

But the France midfielder has responded in emphatic fashion, scoring a wonder-goal in the 3-1 win away to Swansea, which was followed by his best display in a Man United shirt in the 1-1 draw against rivals Arsenal.

He is looking more confident now and his relationship with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his other team-mates is getting stronger and stronger. Mourinho will surely be happy with what he is seeing now from his star man.

The backline

With the six straight wins Man United have enjoyed in recent games, it looks like Mourinho has found the right mix all over the pitch, with each player finally knowing what is expected of him.

But, we all know the big characteristic of a good Mourinho team – the defence. In Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo, the ex-Chelsea boss seem to have found the partnership he cherishes, and the Red Devils currently have the third best defence in the league behind Chelsea and Tottenham.

It remains to be seen if the ex-Porto boss will stick with the full-back options of Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian for the long-term, but, presently, all is looking well again at the Theatre of Dreams.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Jose Mourinho has made the midfield area a massive transfer priority and has an interest in Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez.

What’s the word?

Everton confirmed the signing of Man United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin on Thursday night and that’s left a lack of depth at United, especially in the long-term, given Carrick’s age and the fact he is out of contract at the end of the season.

A potential solution for Jose Mourinho is Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, according to the Manchester Evening News.

They say Mourinho holds an interest in the Spanish star, alongside long-term target Antoine Griezmann.

Is he the answer?

Saul Niguez exploded onto the Atletico Madrid scene in 2014 and hasn’t looked back since, making over 100 appearances in all competitions in the heart of their midfield.

At 22, the Spanish cap is one of the hottest prospects in La Liga and looks destined to move from Atletico to an even bigger club in the future.

He’s been in fantastic form of late, scoring two goals in his last four games despite being utilised in a mostly defensive capacity. It’s that defensive nature that makes him an ideal replacement for Schneiderlin as he makes his move to Everton.

At 6ft, he has the physical presence required to dominate a midfield and accompanies that with excellent tackling ability and a strength in the air.

He’d be an exceptional partner to the likes of Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba in the middle of the park and with Carrick’s future uncertain, United badly need a classy player in that position.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Leicester City welcome Manchester United to the King Power Stadium on Sunday, with both sides looking to bounce back from a string of poor results with a win.

The hosts are without a victory in four, having lost their most recent fixture to fellow Premier League strugglers Burnley, thanks to Sam Vokes’ dramatic 87th winner. Before that, Claudio Ranieri’s side had previously drawn to Championship side Derby after consecutive 3-0 defeats at the hands of both Southampton and Chelsea.

The visitors are not on the best run of form themselves. Jose Mourinho’s side have only won one of their previous five fixtures in all competitions, that being a 4-0 thrashing of former FA winners Wigan Athletic. Three draws on the bounce in the Premier League against Liverpool, Stoke and most recently Hull leave United stranded in sixth place, 14 points behind league leaders Chelsea.

Both sides will be hoping a victory at the weekend can put behind what has been a relatively poor start to 2017 and kick-start the rest of the season.

While Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United are favourites, we think Leicester could just cause and upset and here are THREE reasons why …

The Great Escape

The story of Leicester City’s escape from relegation in the 2014/15 season, where they won their last seven league games straight to beat the drop, was quite remarkable. Clearly, not as remarkable as them going in to be crowned Premier League champions the very next season, but nevertheless, a fine achievement.

The Foxes have it in their locker to do it, and they may just have to do it again this year considering their poor form up until now had them only two points clear of the bottom three going into this weekend. With sides around them improving such as Swansea and Crystal Palace, the realisation that relegation really is a threat for the champions will have set in.

For Claudio Ranieri and his men, the great escape starts this weekend. You know what they say, when the going gets tough…

Lack of Firepower

Leicester haven’t exactly been in fine goalscoring form themselves, but I am actually referring to Manchester United. The Red Devils have scored only twice in their past three Premier League fixtures and they seem to have forgotten just where the net is. Even their top scorer and main man Zlatan Ibrahimovic has lost his golden touch, having scored only twice himself since the turn of the year.

Add into the mix that Leicester signed Malian defender Molla Wague from Granada during the January transfer window who will be keen to impress on what will surely be his Foxes debut, and we could find that United may struggle to break down their opposition once again as they have done in recent weeks.

Upcoming Internationals

England resume their Word Cup Qualifying campaign next month as they take on Lithuania, however the Three Lions also have a friendly fixture against Germany earlier in the month, too. The English boys from the King Power Stadium will be aware of this, and putting in a big performance at the weekend and of course in subsequent weeks is absolutely vital if they are to be in contention for being named in the squad.

Jamie Vardy, whose form has been poor so far this season, has generally impressed on the international stage and will be keen not to lose his place in the England squad having done so well to earn it last season. Meanwhile, Danny Drinkwater is in danger of becoming the forgotten man for Gareth Southgate’s side.

According to talkSPORT’s Micky Quinn, Liverpool are set for a significant squad overhaul during the summer transfer window.

Indeed, the lifelong Reds fan and former Newcastle striker told The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast yesterday…

“What I know is that Sturridge could be on his way, Mignolet could be on his way and in could come Joe Hart. The owners are also promising a lot of money to go and buy five to six high-profile players – read into that what you want.

“I think it’s going to be a very, very positive summer for Liverpool. Klopp knows what he needs. That squad this season is not strong enough to win the league, but hopefully it’s enough to be in the top four.”

No doubt, some improvements are needed if Liverpool intend to challenge for the Premier League title next term, especially at both ends of the starting XI; Loris Karius has hardly alleviated concerns between the sticks, whilst Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi are all yet to hit double figures this season.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

But we’ve been here before with Liverpool – in fact, it’s hard to remember a summer window in which they didn’t make a whole host of signings, many of which struggle for impact at Anfield, and move a similar number of players on.

More often than not, the approach hasn’t worked. And although Liverpool have endured a poor start to 2017, surely Klopp’s strategy in the transfer market should be one of evolution rather than revolution.

But there are two sides to every argument and with that in mind, we’re opening the floor to our Liverpool readers. Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Roll up, roll up, the EFL Cup Final is almost here, and by the time the sun sets on Sunday we’ll know who is the first victor in the battle for English silverware this season.

Southampton and Manchester United will face off at Wembley as they compete for the trophy, and it’s fair to say that this is a massive game for both teams – which is why it’s our Fixture in Focus here are FootballFanCast.

Claude Puel’s Saints have risen up through the divisions of English football, losing managers and key players on an almost annual basis, so claiming a trophy would really be testament to the well-run nature of the Hampshire club, while Man United will be desperate to secure just their second trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 departure. Jose Mourinho himself is a veteran when it comes to winning the League Cup with three victories on his CV from his Chelsea days, so he knows all about getting over the line and the advantages it brings, which could be vital.

In the build-up to this intriguing tie we asked Southampton fans which Manchester United players they would like to have most in a purely hypothetical exercise, and here are the top THREE…

3) Eric Bailly

In at No.3 we have summer addition, Bailly. The Ivorian has had his injury issues since arriving in England, but the former Villarreal man has really impressed following his big money switch, with his pace and brute strength well-suited to the Premier League’s style of play. Given their injury woes, Saints fans would clearly love to have the commanding centre-back in their camp heading to Wembley.

2) Marcus Rashford

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s fine start to life in England, Rashford has been somewhat forgotten. The pacey striker was, arguably, the standout performer in what was an underwhelming 2015/16 for Manchester United, but Mourinho has been reluctant to thrust him into his XI with regularity. However, the 19-year-old has still impressed when called upon this term, and, interestingly, a move to Southampton actually makes real sense. One to think about for all involved ahead of this summer…

1) David de Gea

Even though Fraser Forster has been a big hit at St Mary’s Stadium, Saints fans would love to have De Gea between the sticks in Hampshire. The Spaniard is one of the finest goalkeeper on the planet, with his shot-stopping second to none – we cannot imagine where they club would have finished last season without him.

CLICK THROUGH FOR THE FULL RESULTS

Results

Enner Valencia has told Everton’s official website that he wants to stay at Goodison Park beyond the end of his loan deal from West Ham United.

What’s the word?

The Ecuadorian joined Everton on a season-long loan in August with the option of a permanent move.

So far in the campaign, though, the 27-year-old has started just three Premier League games, and coming on as a substitute in 11 others.

In those appearances, Valencia, who has been on West Ham’s books since his 2014 switch from Pachuca, has registered two goals.

Despite the lack of regular game time under manager Ronald Koeman, Valencia wants to join the Toffees permanently.

He told Everton’s website:

“It’s all about focusing on the present rather than the future. I’m focusing on getting the best performances in these 10 games and then that will be the time to look ahead in the future. But I can say from my point of view that I would love to stay. It’s a top, top club.”

Should Valencia get a permanent deal?

It is unclear whether specific targets were inserted in the loan deal that can trigger a permanent switch, but Valencia has not shown enough to warrant a contract.

As mentioned, the attacker has started just three top-flight games, and in fairness to him, the challenge of getting into the team has been made harder due to Romelu Lukaku’s impressive form.

In 401 minutes of league action, Valencia has scored just twice and he has so far failed to get an assist on the board.

Having said that, if the player is happy to stay at Goodison then he is a positive option for the bench, but there are aspects of his game he needs to work on.

In terms of in front of goal, Valencia’s finishing is not the best, but he is good at tracking back and carrying out defensive duties.

It will all depend on how much West Ham will demand for him.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=‘center’]

According to reports in the London Evening Standard, Chelsea have added former Blues defender Ryan Bertrand to their list of summer targets.

Antonio Conte is looking for competition for both Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses in the wing-back positions, and he believes the Southampton star can provide that on the left-hand side.

The Premier League leaders only sold the 27-year-old to Saints for £10m in 2015, but now their Italian manager wants to bring him back to Stamford Bridge – although the south coast outfit are said to value him at more than £25m.

Bertrand made just 27 Premier League starts during his time with the Londoners, but he did become the first player to make his debut in a Champions League final when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in 2012.

Blues supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, with many backing the attempt to bring the England international back to the Bridge.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to the story…

Some questioned whether he is needed by Chelsea right now…

There are few footballers who are more beloved by a club’s fans than Robbie Fowler is by Liverpool’s.

Nicknamed “God” by the Anfield faithful, Fowler brought an intense, physical style to the game that helped make him one of the best goal scorers the Premier League has ever seen.

Ever since signing with the Liverpool youth team in 1991, Fowler has exhibited quick and opportunistic striking abilities. He could score from anywhere on the pitch, with either foot, and was especially effective in the air. A complete scorer like Fowler only comes around so often.

After breaking through to the first team in 1993, it did not take long for the Liverpudlian to become a star for the Reds. He scored more than 30 goals in three consecutive seasons, and scored the Premier League’s second-fastest hat trick ever at the time, in just four minutes and 33 seconds.

The 2000-01 season was by far Fowler’s most successful, as he helped captain Liverpool to a unique cup treble, winning the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and Worthington Cup. His inspirational performances, like scoring in the League Cup Final against Birmingham City, were instrumental to the Red’s success.

Fowler’s former midfield wizard teammate at Anfield, Steve McManaman, said that Fowler was the “greatest goalscorer of all time.” Stan Collymore, a strike partner of Fowler’s at Liverpool, wrote in his autobiography that Fowler was the best player he had ever played with. When footballers like Collymore and McManaman speak so highly of him, it is a great indicator of the immense talent Fowler possessed.

He played for four other Premier League teams, including Leeds United and Manchester City, but despite playing for a handful of clubs outside Merseyside (and, in the case of his stinst in Australia and Thailand, outside the UK), Fowler and Liverpool will always go hand-in-hand. He ended up returning to Anfield in 2006, before his stint abroad, playing one more year for the Anfield faithful who adored him so much.

The striker wound up finishing sixth in Liverpool’s all-time scoring ranks with 183 goals. He also finished sixth in the all-time Premier League goal charts with 162 in 379 appearances despite an unfortunate history of injuries.

Of course, as an elite footballer, Fowler had a presence at international level too. He first appeared for the England team in 1996 and was called up for Euro 96, Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup England squads. He ended up earning 26 caps and scoring seven goals for his country.

Fowler retired in 2012. He still attends Liverpool games, an example of the strong bond between club and star.

Robbie Fowler will look to bring his accuracy and power to the golf course for the ICONS of Football 2017 Tournament at Belfry on 23rd-25th June. The 41-year-old will play for the England team, captained by Lee Westwood.

Tickets for Icons of Football 2017 are available now at icons-series.com

After impressing in an FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at the weekend, Tottenham seem to have shown the world that they are capable of challenging repeatedly at the very top of the English footballing pyramid, yet at the very same time proved their Wembley curse is still alive and kicking.

The next day, another impressive young side, Monaco, dealt with the pressure to see off a tricky fixture away to Lyon and keep themselves right in the box seat of the Ligue 1 title race.

At a glance, these are two very similar football teams right now. Both are filled with young players who form a nucleus of talent  and who will become some of the sport’s biggest stars over the course of the next decade. Both have young and hungry managers whose philosophies revolve around combining high intensity pressing with a modern, vibrant attack and width coming from full-backs. Both are also taking on the moneyed elite in this year’s title race, looking to break into Europe’s big time with youth development and a solid strategy rather than financial dominance.

And yet there is one subtle difference which may just make the difference later in the season, at the crucial moments when trophies are lifted and medals are won.

At Parc OL on Sunday night, Monaco won 2-1 to go back level on points with PSG at the top of the table; ahead on goal difference but with a game in hand, their first title since 2000 is more than just a possibility. It’s in their own hands.

They didn’t have it all their own way, though. After two goals late in the first half from Radamel Falcao and Kylian Mbappe, Leonardo Jardim’s side looked out of sight: they led 2-0 at half-time, having scored as many goals as Lyon had attempted shots. The second half was a different story as Lucas Tousart pulled on back for the hosts and almost equalised with a late header. It was a nervy ending for the league leaders.

But despite their youthful team, what Monaco had on the bench was a man who has vast experience at the top level of the game. With Lyon pushing for an equaliser, and with just three minutes left on the clock, Jardim called for Joao Moutinho, a man who has played in two Europa League / UEFA Cup finals, has won three league titles and three Portuguese cups and a European Championships. Portugal’s Liga Nos may not be the most glamourous league in Europe, but the experience of getting over the line is vital, especially to a team of young players who are still raw at such a level.

They may still have seen the game through without him, of course. But his presence was a calming one.

On Saturday, Tottenham could have done with Moutinho’s experience. The two situations at the weekend were very different, of course. Spurs were always chasing the game and didn’t throw away the lead. They were the better side and probably should have won, but few would argue they bottled it, they were simply beaten by a team of hardened winners.

But maybe with an older head, Spurs would be, too. And that’s probably the next step.

They say the first trophy is the most important one in the development of a squad. But when your squad is as young as Tottenham’s is, that takes on extra significance. The first one for this team will be the first for so many of the squad, though it’s not like there’s no-one in the squad with experience of winning a trophy, even if triumph in England or in Europe would be a step up for all.

Hugo Lloris won a French Cup with Lyon, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen won league titles with Ajax, while Victor Wanyama has winners’ medals in Scotland with Celtic. But only Alderweireld has won a league title in one of Europe’s top leagues, winning La Liga with Atletico Madrid in 2014, though he only played 12 times in the league that season before being loaned to Southampton the following year.

There’s no one who has been around quite as much as Moutinho has at Monaco, even if Spurs can count some more experienced players.

To take the next step, Spurs should look to add an older head to the team. Not necessarily as a starter, and not to take the place of any of the young players coming through, but as someone who can help lead at the most crucial times of the season.

Monaco’s strategy is one that Spurs are espousing, too. It’s even harder to do in England than it is to do in France, though success in the Champions League is something that has eluded Spurs, partly thanks to the brilliance of the Principality club. But the know-how of Moutinho and even Radamel Falcao is priceless, and might well be the reason Monaco win a trophy this season and Spurs don’t.