Congratulations, Freddie!

Almost three months to the day of his $2,000,000 transfer from Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer to Benfica in Portugal, the America’s greatest soccer prodigy scored his first goal for his new club in league play when he tapped an 87^th minute goal to lift Benfica to 2-1 victory over Maritimo. Adding to the drama of the goal was the fact Adu was inserted into the game just seven minutes prior to netting the game-winner. In addition, Benfica had been reduced to playing with just ten players, as a result of the 30^th minute ejection of their goalkeeper, Quim, for a foul on an opposing striker.

Though this was not Adu’s first goal since making his move to Portugal (he has scored twice previously in Portuguese Cup matches, once on a penalty and once from open play), this is his most significant goal to date, as it came at a vital moment in, at a time when his team needed him, and secured two additional points for Benfica, lifting club to second place in the league table with 16 points, one point ahead of Sporting Lisbon and Guimaraes, and two points ahead of Vitoria Setubal and today’s opponent, Maritimo.

Congratulations are in order for Freddie Adu. In the short time he’s been at Benfica, he’s been praised by his coaches for both his skill and his attitude, and he’s shown a knack for scoring goals.

Good job, Freddie! You are on your way!

The Future Is Now for Lionel Messi

There’s some thing special happening at the Nou Camp. Something Once-In-A-Generation special.

Lionel Messi, one of football’s all-time great prodigies, is not only adding his name to short list of top-tier superstars in today’s game, he looks poised to enter football lore as this generation’s transcendent star. To watch him make the incredible seem mundane is to know that you are watching greatness. Messi’s game does not feature the step-overs and theatrics that we’ve come to see from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. His greatness is defined by a combination of speed, agility, maneuverability, and footballing genius that only comes around once in a generation.

Going back to the mid-20^th Century, roughly once every decade, a phenomenal talent whose star outshines those of his contemporaries emerges. In the 1940s and 50s it was another Argentine, Alfredo Di Stefano of Real Madrid and River Plate; the 1960s belonged to the legendary Pele; Holland’s Johan Cruyff dominates the 1970s for Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona; the 1980s brought us the brilliance of Messi’s controversial countryman, Diego Maradona; and the 1990s and early-21^st Century brought the greatness of Zinedine Zidane. More than any other player in the world today, Lionel Messi has the look of world football’s next legend.

At just 20 years of age, with just 90 senior level matches under his belt (75 for FC Barcelona, 15 for Argentina), Lionel Messi has cemented himself among football’s most electrifying players. He is often compared to Argentine legend Diego Maradona, not the least of these comparisons coming from Diego Armando Maradona himself. His Argentina side won the 2005 FIFA Under-20 World Cup (Messi was both top scorer in the tournament and named its most outstanding player), he is the youngest Argentine to appear (and score) in the World Cup, he’s played 3 seasons of top-flight club football in Spain with FC Barcelona, having scored 32 goals in 75 games with the club (including 6 goals in 6 games so far this season), he is the youngest goal scorer in Barcelona’s history and the owner of two Primera Liga winner’s medals as well as a European Champions’ League winner’s medal. He has been named 2005 Argentine Player of the Year and 2006 Young Player of the Year by both World Soccer magazine and FIFPro. In June 2007, he won the EFE Trophy, awarded to the top Ibero-American (Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Central and South America) player in Spain.

Did I mention that until June 24, he was still a teenager?

While his resume compares favorably to any 20-year-old footballer in history not named Pele, the true magic of Lionel Messi’s game cannot be quantified. It’s even difficult to put into words. What makes him so special? The way the ball sticks to his feet? The way he slithers through, and flies past, world-class defenders, making them look like their stuck in cement? The way he always seems to make the right decision at just the right moment? Yes… but there’s more.

Maybe it’s his size, or rather, his lack of size that makes him relatable to average fan. Due to a growth hormone deficiency, he stands just 5’7” tall and weighs about 140 lbs., but his abilities command the attention of every defender on the field. His counterparts, not to mention his own uniform, which often appears several sizes too big for him, dwarf him, but he never seems overmatched. It’s as though the football gods thought it unfair to couple his otherworldly speed and skill with an imposing physique.

He commands the attention of everyone watching, from opposing defenders to television viewers thousands of miles away. Whether he’s playing for a championship or in a preseason exhibition, Lionel Messi not only lives up to the hype, he exceeds it. From his hat trick on March 10, in El Clasico against Real Madrid (the first hat trick in a Barça-Real match since 1994-95), to his awe-inspiring, Maradona-like goal against Getafe in the Copa del Rey semifinal, to his two goal performance in Barça’s must-win season finale against Gimnastic, Messi seizes the big moments in a way that only the truly special ones do, often in spectacular fashion.

All this before his 20th birthday.

This past summer, while playing for Team Argentina in the 2007 Copa America tournament, Lionel Messi continued his run of outstanding play, establishing himself as the premiere talent in Latin American football. Despite Robinho’s goal scoring binge for Brazil en route to the tournament title, and the presence of top-class talents like Juan Roman Riquelme and Carlos Tevez on his own star-studded Argentina side, Messi established himself as the must-see star of the tournament.

Now, just over a month into the 2007-08 season in Spain, it is obvious that Messi has not only picked up where he left off last season, he’s taken his game to all new heights, occasionally delivering plays that seem to take the game to its highest elevation. From his first goal of the young La Liga season, an awe-inspiring combination of a flick and volley that left Sevilla keeper Andres Palop frozen in his tracks, to his amazing two-goals-in-six-minutes at the start of Barcelona’s match against Real Zaragoza just four days later, Messi’s play early in the La Liga season has emphatically sent the message that the future of football has arrived.

Despite my best efforts, it’s impossible to describe the nature of a feeling. One can only comprehend what separates Lionel Messi from his peers by watching him play. Only then does it become apparent that the smallest player in the game is its biggest star.

EPL Talking Points- Week 2

I apologize for the belated arrival of this article. Personal commitments, along with a debilitating addiction to the late night Team USA basketball games hijacked my brain for much of this week. But this may prove to be a blessing in disguise. In addition to some observations on last weekend’s games in the Premiership, the past couple of days have seen the development of the two most important talking points outlined here- one on the field, the other in the owner’s suite.

The talking points from Week 2 (plus a few days) of the EPL:

David Dein cashes in his Arsenal stake, accepts position with buyer to accumulate more. This week, Red and White, a company jointly owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and UK fund manager Farhard Moshiri, purchased former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein’s 14.58% stake in the for a reported £75 million (about $150 million). Dein, who left Arsenal in May, has been named chairman of Red and White and charged with the task of accumulating more of the club’s shares. Usmanov said that he’s been an Arsenal fan for eight years and called Arsene Wenger “the best manager in England”. The Russian steel and iron ore tycoon also stated that he sees Arsenal’s business as undervalued, and that the deal is an investment decision, not a political play. Ok… whatever. What part of London is this, again?

Nikolas Anelka extends his contract with Bolton Wanderers through 2011. This has to be the most puzzling four-year decision since the American electorate re-elected George W. Bush. With former manager Sam Alardyce now at Newcastle United, the club’s next best player, El-Hadji Diouf, expressing his desire to exit the club and Bolton looking like a very likely relegation candidate, there seems to be no logical explanation as to why Anelka, who one of the most talented strikers in England, if not all of Europe, would want to stay. He’d better have gotten A LOT of money and an out-clause if the event of relegation.

A very manageable schedule is likely to extend Liverpool’s early-season roll. Despite being robbed of two points at Anfield against Chelsea, the Reds are just two points behind Premiership leaders Manchester City, with a game in hand. Looking ahead at their next four league games (Derby at home, away to Portsmouth, Sunderland at home, away to Wigan), expect the club to reside atop the table by the end of September. With their depth and quality, it is not a stretch to call Liverpool the most impressive side of the young EPL season. A quick side note: Fernando Torres is REALLY good! His pace and skill may even be better than advertised. Unfortunately, he probably only capitalizes on one out of every three chances he gets- just as advertised.

Kasper Schmeichel looks like world football’s next superstar goalkeeper. The 20 year-old son of former Manchester United (and City) star goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, Kasper has looked fantastic in the first four games of 2007-08, conceding just one goal, a point-blank rocket from Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas. In the hard luck loss at the Emirates, Scheichel made a variety of saves against the Gunners, from the mundane to the spectacular, not to mention saving a penalty kick from Robin Van Persie in 67th minute. He even took a page out of his father’s book, coming up to join the attack for a late corner- he won the ball and put his header on target, nearly equalizing for City. It is definitely still very early in his career, but Kasper Schmeichel looks like the real deal.

Cesc Fabregas’ goal against City is worth more to Arsenal than just two points. The manner in which Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal’s 20 year-old playmaker (and the object of both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s desire), celebrated his clinching goal against Man City should be very comforting to Arsenal supporters. To see him stand before his fans and kiss the club crest on his shirt was compelling evidence of his commitment to Arsenal. Plus, if it’s ever a huge payday he’s after, nothing beats a Russian billionaire owner!

Chelsea secure two additional points against Portsmouth thanks to Ashley Cole’s brilliant goal-line header. Not a whole to say here. I’m particularly fond of Chelsea or of Ashley Cole, but I will give respect where it is due. Cole’s 87th minute save of Hermann Hreidarsson’s point-blank header was an absolutely brilliant display of awareness and reflexes.

EPL Talking Points- Week 1

We’re just over a week into the 2007-08 Premiership season, and have already seen the emergence of several intriguing storylines. Just ten days into the season, and we’ve already got quite a bit to talk about:

At this moment in time, Manchester City is the EPL’s top club. Granted, an away win at West Ham and home wins against Derby and a depleted Manchester United side aren’t enough to establish City as championship contenders, but you can only play whoever’s on your schedule- an so far Man City has looked impressive in securing full points, without surrendering a goal, from its first three matches. Their biggest test of the young season will come when City travels to London to take on Arsenal at the Emirates. To be clear, I am not predicting that City will continue its dominance, but it’s only fair that they receive their just due as the lone Premiership club with 9 points after three matches.

It’s far too early to declare them dead in the water, but Manchester United’s season is teetering on the brink of disaster. Having earned just 2 points from three games, United has put itself in a very precarious position- they already trail Man City by 7 points, Chelsea by 5, and Liverpool and Arsenal (each with a game in hand) by 2 points. It’s still very early in the season and United does boast a very talented lineup, but with Wayne Rooney unlikely to return before October and Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo suspended for the club’s next two matches at Old Trafford against Tottenham and Sunderland, Man United must find a way to accumulate some points and not fall too far from the top of the table.

Of the Big Four English clubs, Liverpool has been by far the most impressive. Had Chelsea not been awarded an absolute joke of a penalty, Liverpool would have 6 points from its first two games. Despite only a relatively unimpressive win and a hard-luck draw to show for its two matches, Liverpool looks to be the most talented, focused and balanced side in the Premiership, and doesn’t look to face many serious challenges in the EPL until October (Next 5 matches: @ Sunderland, Derby, @Portsmouth, Birmingham, @ Wigan). Judging by their play thus far, once the Reds manage to integrate all of their new faces into the squad the Premiership title may be theirs for the taking. Fernando Torres looks to be having little trouble adjusting his game to the pace of the Premiership, and Ryan Babel has the look of a future star in attack.

Despite two wins and a draw in three matches, Chelsea has yet to put together more than few minutes of dominant play at once. Had it not been for some very suspect goalkeeping from Birmingham in its home opener at Stamford Bridge, about 5 minutes of brilliant play against Reading and a gift penalty at Anfield against Liverpool, Chelsea, not Man United, would the Premiership’s biggest disappointment.

In addition to first place Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Everton have been the most impressive non-Top Four clubs in the EPL. Blackburn has shown a solid combination of skill and strength in amassing one win and one draw from its two matches, dominating much of its second half draw against Arsenal. The coming weeks will tell us a lot about Blackburn, as they face away matches against Everton and Chelsea, with a home match against Man City sandwiched in between. Everton’s most challenging matches between now an October will home matches against Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United, so they have a good opportunity to accumulate some early points before facing the teeth of their schedule.

Apparently Sam Allardyce is quite a difference-maker. Although Newcastle still look a bit inconsistent and likely won’t be challenging for any silverware this season, Big Sam has the club playing solid football and should be eying a top-10 finish. Equally telling about Big Sam’s impact is the absolutely atrocious start his former club, Bolton Wanderers has gotten off to (3 matches, 0 points, 3 goals), as well as the recent announcement that one of the club’s top players, El-Hadj Diouf, wants out.

Barring a small miracle, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers are already as good as relegated. After an impressive Premiership debut, drawing 2-2 at home against Portsmouth, Derby has surrendered 5 goals, while scoring none, in its two most recent matches. Looking ahead, after this Saturday’s home match against Birmingham, Derby’s next three matches will be (in order): @Liverpool, home vs. Newcastle, @ Arsenal. They are not likely to right the ship during that stretch or, sadly, at any point during this season. As for Bolton, Big Sam is gone El-Hadj Diouf wants out (can Nicolas Anelka be far behind?), they’ve lost all three of their matches thus far this season and have failed to hold a single opponent to less than three goals.

Hard-luck Fulham has been impressive thus far, though you’d never know it by looking at their record. Fulham has deserved points from all three of it matches thus far. The Cottagers held Arsenal scoreless and led 1-0 until the 81st minute of their opening day match, before surrendering a penalty kick and the eventual winner to Alexander Hleb in the 90th minute. And on Saturday, Fulham was absolutely robbed of another point when the officials of the club’s match at home against Middlesbrough failed to spot the ball crossing the line on what would have been a late David Healy equalizer. These painful results, along with injuries to both Brian McBride and Hameur Bouazza could take much of the wind out of Fulham’s season. But it should be mentioned that the Cottagers have looked like a solid side in the season’s opening week.

Not only does Arsenal’s chronic inability to finish still seems to be plaguing the club, in the absence of Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg, and Gilberto Silva (granted post-Copa America rest until the start of September), the Gunners seem to be lacking a certain on-field leadership and maturity that championship sides possess. This was particularly evident in Sunday’s match away to Blackburn Rovers, when Blackburn was able to use its physical tactics to frustrate Arsenal and disrupt the rhythm of their play. For all of the talent that Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Alexander Hleb and Theo Walcott bring to the pitch, none of them seem capable (yet) of stepping to the forefront and leading a team to victory in a tough match in a hostile environment- a problem that could be slightly magnified by recent injury to new captain William Gallas, who is expected to be out for up to three weeks. By the way, Jens Lehmann could destroy the Gunners’ season. Does he really plan to give away a goal with a new-and-exciting amateur mistake every week?

These are a few of the biggest talking points to emerge from the first nine days of the Premiership season. Stay tuned as there will undoubtedly be more to come!

Opening Day Thriller Between Arsenal and Fulham

I want to start by mentioning that Arsenal's season opening win against Fulham at the Emirates is one of the most entertaining games I've seen in some time- and up and down tempo, plenty of chances and a thrilling, comeback finish. A real pleasure to watch!

Some observations on Arsenal-Fulham:

The departure of Thierry Henry will not be a crippling blow to Arsenal, but Arsenal's incredible ability to create chances and their chronic inability to capitalize on them could prove costly as the season goes on. The Gunners were held scoreless for the first 82 minutes of this match, although they could have at least two or three goals on the board. Despite creating several excellent goal-scoring chances, Arsenal had great difficulty finishing off their chances. On the bright side, however, several of Arsenal's attackers seemed much more willing to shoot the ball.

Tony Warner, Fulham's back-up keeper who called upon to start just 10 minutes before kick-off, turned in an absolutely sparkling goalkeeping performance. For over 80 minutes, Warner stodd tall in the Fulham net, making a host of outstanding saves. His performance was worthy of far more than a hard luck defeat.

The play of Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal 19 year-old Danish striker, may be exactly the kind of change-of-pace this club needs. A departure from Arsenal's fluid passing and beautiful build-up style of play, Bendtner is a physical, pragmatic striker who seems more concerned with putting the ball in the net than most members of the Arsenal team.

Theo Walcott still has a long way to go. For all of his skill and his blinding pace, the teenage sensation does not yet seem to have a knack for making the correct decisions in the flow of the game. He's breathtaking to watch and still has a lot of time to develop, but if he doesn't make strides soon, it could be slightly worrisome- remember, even in his teens, Cesc Fabregas was a natural creator and brilliant decision-maker.

All in all, this was a fantastic game to watch, with few lulls in the action and plenty of skill on display. It will be very interesting to see how Arsenal perform next Sunday against stiffer competition, when they travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rover. As for Fulham, they played a very competitive game and probably deserved to come away with a point. They will next take the field on Wednesday against Bolton Wanderers.

2007-08 EPL Preview

We’re less than two days from the kick-off of the 2007-08 English Premier League season, when Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur will face off at the Stadium of Light. From Liverpool’s spending spree, to Big Sam Allardyce’s immediate impact at Newcastle, to the Carlos Tevez transfer saga, it’s been an intriguing off-season whose results are about to play out on the pitch.

Let’s take a look what the latest season in the Premiership may have in store for us. Some thoughts on how the season will play out:

• Who will represent the Premiership in the Champions League? Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur (In order). Once again, the Premiership is Manchester United’s to win. With additions of Owen Hargreaves (finally!), Nani, Anderson and Carlos Tevez (probably) to last season’s league championship side, United boast the best all-around side on the EPL. Even if Gabriel Heinze moves to Liverpool, and despite some depth issues at the striker position, a healthy ManU is the class of the Premiership. Coming off of a busy transfer season, new-look Liverpool, who bolstered their attack with the additions of Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel, will have just enough to edge out Chelsea, their only true competition for second place. Sadly, this may be Jose Mourinho’s last dance at Stamford Bridge, with his team competing against a retooled and highly motivated Liverpool squad, and still not having the quality top to bottom to overcome ManU. After a relatively subdued transfer season, midfielders Arjen Robben and Michael Ballack have both been rumored to be out the way out, and Chelsea could make a splash by signing Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves, who may be a difference-maker, from Sevilla. However, there’s just too much uncertainty here to predict a top-two finish. Rounding out the top four is Martin Jol’s Tottenham Hotspur side. A potentially down year for Arsenal coupled with an active transfer season with, among others, Darren Bent and Gareth Bale joining a talented side that already features Robbie Keane, Jermaine Jenas and the ultra talented Dimitar Berbatov, will be enough to put Spurs in the top four.

• Which Premiership clubs will be fighting for the UEFA Cup? Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Reading. Let’s be clear. A “down” year for Arsenal is still a more than acceptable season for virtually any other club. Despite the departure of Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s core of Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have the quality to beat anyone on any given day. They will likely need time to adjust to their new roles, but they’ll be competitive all season. With an attack led by Benni McCarthy, David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pederson, as well as Robbie Savage in midfield, Blackburn Rovers are a very talented side that played well last season and could turn heads in the EPL this year. The final Premiership side to get into Europe this season will be Reading. Despite the loss of Steve Sidwell Chelsea, Reading will get quality play in 2007-08 from the like Kevin Doyle, Leroy Lita and Dave Kitson in attack, as well as Nicky Shorey in defense.

• Which clubs should not be getting too comfortable in the Premiership? Derby County, Wigan Athletic, Fulham. Despite each spending some money on new talent in the transfer period, neither Wigan nor Fulham, both of whom narrowly avoided relegation last season, appear to have the quality to survive another year in the top-flight. Joining them in their Spring 2008 trip to the Championship will be one-and-done Derby County.

• Who will be the top player in the Premiership at season’s end? Cristiano Ronaldo. Maybe not the most creative prediction, but it’s the most likely to be correct. Ronaldo is coming off a season that saw him take his already spectacular game to new heights and become the EPL’s best player and one of its top goal-scoring threats. Much like last season, United will need goals from all over the pitch again this season, with or without Carlos Tevez. This could lead to an even larger role in attack for Ronaldo.

• Which player will take his game to another level in 2007-08? Robin Van Persie. Van Persie is one of the most skilled attackers in world football, and he’s now got the opportunity to show it. The only problem in his first three seasons with the club was that as long as Thierry Henry was at Arsenal, there would always be a limit to just how much Van Persie would be showcased. To draw a comparison from the NBA, think of Van Persie as Andre Iguodala to Thierry Henry’s Allen Iverson. As the new centerpiece of the Arsenal attack, look for him to have a fantastic season.

• Which new acquisition will make the biggest positive impact for his club? Yossi Benayoun. Will have a great impact on the Reds’ attack this season. Benayoun will thrive in an attacking midfield role at Liverpool. The combination of Benayoun and fellow-newcomers Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, along with holdovers Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch, should make Liverpool the most improved offensive side in the EPL.

• Which new acquisition is most likely to disappoint his new club? Joey Barton. Aside from being a disappointment to humanity as whole, a broken foot suffered in his Newcastle debut will sideline Joey Barton until September at the earliest. Ignoring his inability to steer clear of trouble, this injury makes it unlikely that Big Sam’s £5.8 million man will be able to make a significant contribution to the club any time soon, given the fact that the schedules of Premiership teams do not provide many opportunities for extended rest.

• Whose departure will be the most damaging to his former club? Alan Smith. This has less to do with Alan Smith than it does the lack of depth in Manchester United’s attacking corps. The delay in Carlos Tevez’s arrival, coupled with the departure of Giuseppe Rossi and Smith will have Sir Alex holding his breath every time Wayne Rooney goes to the ground.

• Who could exceed expectations and be a pleasant surprise? Blackburn Rovers. Aside from the Big 4 and Spurs, Blackburn is the most talent team in the Premiership. Their attack features Bentley, McCarthy, Matt Derbyshire and one of the truly talented and underrated wingers in the EPL, Morten Gamst Pederson. The Blackburn midfield is also very capable, with talents like Tugay and Robbie Savage. The team could be slightly hindered by its defense, which is somewhat suspect, having surrendered 54 goals in 2006-07. However, this looks like a side loaded with talented young attackers that can compete within anyone and belongs in the top half of the Premiership table.

• Who will be the EPL’s biggest disappointment? West Ham United. Activity does not necessarily signal accomplishment. While they probably won’t have to fight for their Premiership lives until the season’s closing day again, the Hammers are not likely to find themselves near the top half of the table in 2007-08. The aggregate sum of West Ham’s numerous arrivals and departures this summer is, frankly, a loss. Trading Carlos Tevez, Marlon Harewood, Yossi Benayoun and Nigel Reo-Coker for Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy, Freddie Ljungberg and Julien Faubert, which is effectively what West Ham has done, does not set the stage for significant improvement.

Alves Would Have a Huge Impact on Chelsea

In what may be the most significant transfer of this season, Chelsea appear poised to secure the services of Sevilla fullback and Brazilian international Daniel Alves. Despite being under contract to Sevilla until 2012, the multi-talented Alves, 24, recently stated publicly that he would like to explore the options available to him with larger, more prominent clubs, namely Chelsea. On Wednesday, in Spanish newspaper Marca, Alves said of a possible move to Chelsea: “I wan to try. Out of respect to me they have to do it. I have behaved well for four and a half years and I ask Sevilla to also behave well and evaluate an offer.” Any deal for Alves is likely to exceed £20 million ($40 million).

For those unfamiliar with Daniel Alves, he is one of the most multi-dimensional defenders in world football, not only able to play his natural fullback position, but also capable of stepping into the role of an attacking winger as well as sliding forward into a central midfield role. Alves has been more than just an individual standout- he’s been a vital member of some successful teams. With Alves playing a key role, Sevilla has won the 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup championships (Alves was the UEFA Cup MVP in 2006) and the 2007 Copa del Rey in Spain. In addition to his club successes, Daniel Alves has won at the international level as well.

On July 15, in Brazil title-clinching 3-0 victory over Argentina in the 2007 Copa America final, his versatility was on full display. In just his ninth international appearance for his country, Alves not only assisted on one of Brazil’s first half goals, he put the game out of reach in the second half with a powerful strike to the far post after making a beautiful run down right side of the pitch.

Given his versatility and style of play, Alves is an excellent fit at Stamford Bridge for two reasons. First, teaming Alves with defenders John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole, as well as Michael Essien and Claude Makélélé, Chelsea’s talented, defensive-minded midfielder, should give Chelsea the most talented defensive unit in the Premiership. Second, Alves’ affinity for attacking football will help Chelsea play a much aesthetically pleasing brand of football than in recent seasons, bringing a smile to the extremely wealthy face of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s billionaire owner, who craves not only victory, but beautiful football.

Deco To Chelsea? What About Lamps?

Apparently Deco would like to play for Chelsea. At least that's what he told The Sun... Over, and over, and over again. In the same interview, the 29 year-old Barcelona midfielder provided all of the following statements. More accurately, he produced the following different versions of a single statement:

• "The Premier League is absolutely on par with La Liga- and playing there absolutely appeals to me."
• "The English league is a possibility and it would definitely be somewhere I'd like to play."
• "There's no doubt that you can compare Manchester United and Chelsea to Barcelona."
• "They are both huge clubs and playing for clubs like that would always be an attractive proposition."
• "The idea of working with Jose again appeals to me." (Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was Deco's manager on the 2003-04 Champions League winning Porto side)

That's not an interview! That's a contrived, articulate tantrum. In Deco's defense, however, I can kind of see why he felt the need to do this- this may he best opportunity to dictate the next chapter of his career. It has been widely rumored that Deco could be on his way out of the Nou Camp in the summer transfer window, with Newcastle United of the Premiership being mentioned as a possible destination. Staying at Barcelona could be the worst-case scenario for Deco, as his diminishing role at the club, along with club management's desire to overhaul the 2006-07 side that collapsed in the final weeks of the La Liga season and failed to win any hardware, hardly combine to create an idea situation.

With that said, a Deco-to-Chelsea deal would create a whole new series of questions:

• With Deco's arrival at Stamford Bridge, what is the status of Frank Lampard (whose fiancée just happens to be of Catalan decent), who is still awaiting a new long-term deal the like of which was given to team captain John Terry?
• Other than Deco, Andres Iniesta is Barcelona's one true midfield playmaker. Unless Ronaldinho is asked to play further back than he currently does in his attacking midfielder role, who will fill that gap on the squad?
• Would Deco be brought in to serve as a replacement for Michael Ballack, who has been a disappointment at Chelsea is may be a target for another Spanish giant, Real Madrid?
• Despite repeatedly expressing his desire to stay at Arsenal, could Deco's departure free up both money and a place in the team for Cesc, Fabregas, Arsenal's all-world playmaker?

I've enjoyed watching Deco play for the side and feel that he's one of the most gifted midfielders in the world. However, if he's not happy at Barcelona, both the club as well as his performance on the pitch are likely to suffer. As a Barcelona fan, any time there is talk of prominent midfielders moving around, I can't help but get excited at the prospect of Cesc Fabregas joining his former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry at the Nou Camp. While hope spring eternal for such a move, a simple swap of midfielders between Chelsea and Barcelona could benefit each club significantly.

Given their similarities in age and quality on the pitch, Deco's and Frank Lampard's values on the open market are likely comparable, making a potential Deco-for-Lampard swap plausible for both teams without either having to strain too much financially. Also, with Deco expressing such a strong interest in playing at Stamford Bridge creates the perfect resolution to Chelsea's problem of what to do with Lampard, who is pursuing a new, big-money deal.

Finally, we get to Mr. Lampard's personal life. Frank Lampard's fiancée, and the mother of his two daughters, Elen Rives, was recently rumored to have broken of the couple's engagement. In this instance, he's not a millionaire footballer, he's a guy who presumably doesn't want to de dumped by a woman he loves and already has a family with. What better enticement could he give her to reconcile than making the move to her homeland?

This may all be just idle speculation that culminates with nothing happening between the two clubs and me looking like I may need to institutionalized. Who knows? But you must admit that this makes at least a little sense all the way around.

Breaking Down the Tevez Transfer

In a recent article I touched the lack of depth at the striker position for Manchester United. I noted that beyond Alan Smith, provided he remains at United for the season, there is little support in attack for Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha. I didn’t mention Man United’s latest transfer target, West Ham United’s (for now) Carlos Tevez, whose obstacle-laden move to Old Trafford has become almost comedic in its inefficiency. The omission of Tevez was not an oversight. I had hoped that I could write a follow-up to my original piece once Tevez’s transfer was complete. Although the Argentine striker is anything but signed, sealed and delivered, this is an appropriate time to examine the details of this bizarre deal.

What makes this transfer deal so unique is the arrangement between Tevez, his agent, Kia Joorabchian, and the bidding clubs. Under the arrangement, Media Sports Investments (MSI), a company formed by a group of football investors, which was headed by Joorabchian until June 2006, technically owns permanent rights to its clients’ footballing careers. The players are then “loaned out” on long-term deals, which, for all intents and purposes, play out like traditional transfers, except for the fact that MSI receives a healthy portion of all transfer fees for its players and never relinquishes control over the player to the team for which he plays (it’s kinda like a company that sells timeshares). Prior to this episode, MSI was best known for its controversial deal with Brazilian football club Corinthians, in which MSI would bolster the club’s bank account and roster of players in exchange for a significant degree of control over the club. This deal led to Tevez and his fellow Argentine international, Javier Mascherano, arriving at Corinthians, and ultimately, it played a central role in their controversial September 2006 move to West Ham United in the Premeirship.

In February 2007, Mascherano departed West Ham, going to Liverpool on either on a deal whose financial details are still somewhat sketchy. As for Tevez, he was pursued in the transfer market by a number of top clubs, including Manchester United and Italian champions Inter Milan, finally agreeing to personal terms with United in early July. Because the Permiership has serious questions regarding the distribution of the proceeds from the deal, what should have been a relatively routine £20 million transfer deal has turned into a complete circus. The Premiership has insisted that any deal for Tevez must be completed between Manchester United and West Ham United (not MSI), with a majority of any transfer fee going to West Ham.

As things stand now, Carlos Tevez is still a member of West Ham and Manchester United are still in pursuit of his services, reportedly willing to pay as much as £30 million to buy his rights. Earlier this month, ManU and West Ham agreed to call in FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, to rule on the matter. Sadly, on July 24, FIFA declared that it could not render a decision on the matter of Tevez’s ownership and recommended that the case be sent to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the world’s highest court for sporting matters. Oh yeah, just one other thing! Remember Carlos Tevez’s slightly sketch agent? On July 13, an international arrest warrant was issued for one, Kia Joorabchian, for money laundering at Corinthians, the Brazilian club where MSI is a majority stakeholder. Joorabchian has denied all wrongdoing, but, seriously, if the Brazilian government thinks you’re corrupt, you probably did something wrong.

What does all this nonsense actually mean? In the end, probably not a whole lot for anyone that does not have a stake in Carlos Tevez’s transfer fee. In all likelihood a ruling will be handed down outlining the proper recipients of Manchester United’s money and Tevez will likely be on the pitch at Old Trafford, helping ManU defend its Premiership title. The greatest long-term effect of any ruling handed down on this matter will not be felt in this transfer deal, but it will be the precedent that will be set, setting the boundaries for agents and keeping shady organizations like MSI out of professional sports.

There! I’d felt that it wouldn’t be appropriate to address the issue of Carlos Tevez on the pitch without addressing this ongoing fiasco off of it. Be sure to look for my forthcoming article in which I will examine Carlos Tevez on the pitch and analyze his potential impact on the United attack.

It Is Wayne Rooney's Time

It's time for Wayne Rooney to establish himself among the world's best footballers. Wayne Rooney's power and skill have never been in question. He is a good striker. But good is not enough. It is time for Rooney to learn how to stay calm, play within himself, and realize his immense potential. If he does this, not only will he be regarded as one of the world's top players, but his team could be one for the ages.

The 2007-08 Manchester United squad has a chance to be truly special. The midfield is one of the Premiership's best, featuring reigning Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. Also joining the United midfield are incoming transfers, Anderson (Brazil) and Nani (Portugal). These talented youngsters could make an impact right away. As for the defense, the long-awaited addition of Owen Hargreaves, who will play defensive midfield, combined with a deep defensive corps filled with experienced players, like captain Gary Neville, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic, and a world-class goal keeper like Edwin van der Sar should produce fantastic results.

The only question mark on the United roster is the lack of depth in a striker corps. In attack, the side features Rooney and the talented Louis Saha, with little depth behind them. The pair will be backed up by the likes of Alan Smith and the aging Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. In order for this side to realize its potential, the team's strikers will have to deliver consistently strong results. This undermanned group will need a very strong effort form each member. As the most talented of the group, the club will look to Rooney to anchor its attack. This is the year that Manchester United truly needs Wayne Rooney to take that next step and become a superstar.

Who is the World's Best Footballer?

I recently spent some time thinking about who is the best footballer in the world. Considering physical gifts/technique, individual statistics and team success, I was able to narrow the field down to three candidates: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United, AC Milan’s Kaká and Didier Drogba of Chelsea. Let’s be clear, these are not the only players that warrant consideration, but I felt these were the three top candidates based on 2006-07 results and overall form during the season. Based on the above criteria, a strong case can be made for each of these three players.

Cristiano Ronaldo

• Was the top player for the 2006-07 English Premier League Champions
• Scored 24 goals in 49 games in all competitions (Premiership, Champions League, FA Cup, Carling Cup) for Manchester United
• Placed third with 17 goals in the English Premier League
• Won the Professional Footballers’ Association awards for Best Player and Best Young Player
• Has evolved his game from all-flash-all-the-time to a far more “functionally spectacular” style of play

Kaká

• Scored 18 goals in 46 games in all competitions (Italian Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia) for AC Milan
• Led AC Milan to the Champions League title, scoring a staggering 10 goals in just 14 games in the competition, which made him the top scorer in the Champions League
• Was named the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League Fans Player of the Season
• In two Champions League Semi-final ties against Manchester United, he scored three world-class goals. Two of these goals were not only spectacular, but also doubly valuable, as they were scored in Milan’s away tie at Old Trafford.
• Played a role in both of Milan’s goals in the Champions League Final against Liverpool, despite being the marked man on the ptich. Just before halftime, he made a run, and was subsequently fouled, resulting in the free kick that led to the first goal. In the second half, his beautiful through-ball to Pippo Inzaghi set up Milan’s second, and title-clinching. goal

Didier Drogba

• Scored 33 goals in 54 games in all competitions (Premiership, Champions League, FA Cup, Carling Cup, Community Shield) for Chelsea
• Led the English Premier League with 20 goals
• He scored the lone goal in the 116^th minute of Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup Final victory against Manchester United at the New Wembley Stadium
• Won the English Golden Boot and African Footballer of the Year awards
• After being criticized in the past for inconsistency and diving in the box. He’s learned to utilize his awesome size and strength, as well as his surprising quickness, inside the penalty area to become the Premiership’s deadliest striker.
• Member of the 2006-07 Carling Cup winning Chelsea side

After looking at all of this, my inclination is to say that Kaká is deserving of the title of World’s Best Footballer. After all, he was clearly the best player in the most prestigious club competition in the world, which his team won. His virtuoso performance against United in both ties of the Semi-final was absolutely incredible. Finally, his Milan side does not have the depth of talent of either Manchester United or Chelsea. With Kaká in the top spot, how do the other two shake out? Here’s where I kinda surprised myself.

Disclaimer: Although I watch a lot of EPL matches, the only football team that I am a FAN of is FC Barcelona. I don’t like Chelsea and Manchester United is my favorite Premiership team to watch.

I neither wanted to, nor thought I’d end up doing this, but my vote for #2 footballer in the world goes to Didier Drogba. Drogba’s development has been nothing short of phenomenal. After enduring a lot of criticism in his time at Chelsea, he has transformed himself into the best pure goal-scorer in the world. His great goal-scoring record, coupled with Chelsea’s Carling Cup and FA Cup titles, puts his season on par with Ronaldo’s campaign with United.

Finally, there’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Ironically, he’s my favorite player of the three. Ronaldo, who was spectacular as usual, had his finest scoring season with United and was vital in helping secure the Premiership title. Maybe I penalized him for having just a consistently excellent season, but without a true “defining moment”, like Kaká’s domination of the Champions League or Drogba’s clutch goal to clinch the FA Cup.

What do you guys think? Which of these is the world’s best footballer? Are there others I should have considered?

Heavyweight Showdown in 2007's Copa final

Sunday afternoon, Brazil and Argentina will meet in the final of the 2007 Copa America. Not unexpectedly, this Brazil-Argentina meeting, like many before it, will be a contest between two sides with contrasting styles, both loaded with talent. The departure from historical norms is that, this time, it is Argentina that is free-flowing and pretty to watch, while the normally rhythmic and artistic Brazilians have been the grind-it-out, pragmatic, occasionally cynical, counter-attacking side.

In addition to the switch in styles of play, this latest matchup between the giants of South American football will include several intriguing story lines:

- Will heavily favored Argentina, with its devastating attack, spearheaded by all-world playmaker Juan Román Requelme and the incomparable Lionel Messi, continue its mesmerizing performance and supplant Brazil atop South American football?

- Can Brazil, in the absence of two of the world’s top players, Ronaldinho and Kaka, cap its solid, workmanlike run in the Copa America with its second straight title, and fourth in five years? Will an unsung hero step to the fore and clinch the title for his country?

- Which young superstar will shine in the limelight of an international cup final? Will Leo Messi, Argentina's 20 year-old footballing genius, continue his rise to the ranks of the world’s best? Or will Robinho capitalize on finally having the opportunity to lead Brazil to glory and flash the form that earned him the title of the “next Pele”?

- Can Brazilian goalkeeper Doni vault himself into the world’s top tier at his positon by capping off his outstanding Copa America performance against Argentina’s potent attack?

After dodging a bullet in its semifinal against Uruguay, narrowly escaping in a penalty shootout, Brazil enters the 2007 Copa America final as a decided underdog. Plagued by inconsistency and unable to produce the beautiful “joga bonito” style of football that has come to be associated with Brazil, there is some doubt as to Brazil’s chances of victory on the eve of the final. In spite of this, Brazil is still a team comprised of world-class professionals, with strength and athleticism at both ends of the pitch. The Brazilian defense, comprised of Daniel Alves, Juan, Maicon and Gilberto will have a significant task ahead of it trying to contain the potent attack of Argentina, but given their talent, and goalkeeper Doni’s rise to world-class status, it isn’t beyond them, as they have surrendered an average of just one goal per game thus far in the tournament. Also, despite the perceived shortcomings in their style of play, Brazil boasts a diverse collection of talent in attack, with powerful attacking midfielder Julio Baptista and Vagner Love complementing the amazing talent of Robinho up front.

Argentina enters the Copa America final against Brazil with a string of dominating all-around performances under its belt and a well-deserved status as the overwhelming favorite to hoist the trophy. Not only has Argentina's defense, led by team captain Roberto Ayala and Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze, put a stranglehold on the opposition, (just 3 goals allowed in 5 tournament games), this side also boasts a gifted and diverse attack. In addition to the team-leading three goals scored by Riquelme, Messi, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and the injured Hernan Crespo have each added two goals apiece. This along with a comparison between each side’s respective performance against Mexico, the only common opponent for the two teams (Mexico, who shut Brazil out 2-0 to open the group stage of the tournament, but was dominated 3-0 in its semifinal match against Argentina), seems to indicate that Argentina is on course to a enjoy a comfortable victory against Brazil in the final.

For all coverage of Argentina’s dominance and Brazil’s solid, if “un-Brazilian” performances, one would be tempted to predict a convincing 3-0 or 4-0 victory for the Argentines, but it may not be so cut and dry. There is no doubt whatsoever that right now Argentina looks to be the superior team, but public opinion seems to have gotten out of control, making Brazil, a team loaded with talent and international experience, nearly a 3-to-1 underdog. Look for physical battles in each team's attacking third to determine the upper hand in this game. If the Brazilian defense is able to catch up to Lionel Messi and force him and J.R. Riquelme to surrender the ball, Argentina will have a difficult time on attack. On the other side of the ball, despite the small number of goals they've allowed in the tournament, Argentina’s defense can be penetrated down the middle. It will be Robinho’s responsibility to maintain possession for Brazil in the attacking third and creat scoring opportunities, either for himself or for Brazil’s other scoring threats, such as Vagner Love and Julio Baptista, the only Brazilians other than Robinho with multiple goals in the tournament.

Even without Ronaldinho and Kaka, the talent and pride on the Brazilian side should not to underestimated. This game will be closer than expected, likely ending in a 2-1 Argentina victory or, possibly even requiring penalties to find a winner.

Copa America Semi Pushes Brazil to the Brink

The first semifinal of the 2007 Copa America between Brazil and Uruguay was a highly competitive and entertaining match between two of South America’s strongest teams that culminated in a Brazil victory following seven rounds of penalty kicks and truly showed the fickle nature of momentum in football.

The game’s first ten minutes did not produce any serious threats to either goal, as both teams cautiously felt one another out. In the 13th minute, with Brazil attacking down the right side, defensive midfielder Mineiro received the ball in the box. His shot was stopped by a fantastic save by Uruguayan keeper Fabian Carini but the ball bounced to Brazil’s Maicon, and with Carini out of position following his save, the Inter Milan defender fired the ball into the net to give Brazil a 1-0 lead. It seemed as though the game had finally begun to find a rhythm, but it lasted just five minutes as, in the 18th minute, a section of lights at the Uruguayan end of the pitch went dark, leading to a 14-minute stoppage in play while officials debated the proper course of action. Play resumed at the 32-minute mark, with Brazil gaining a slight edge in momentum, culminating in a Robinho cross across the face of the Uruguayan goal intended for Vagner Love. As the ball moved across the field, a second Brazilian goal seemed a foregone conclusion. That is, until Vagner Love was taken down right in front of the goal by a Uruguayan defender before he could redirect the ball into the net, seemingly earning Brazil a penalty kick. The officials, however, were not convinced, and allowed play to continue. This would prove to a vital moment in the match.

Not long after, following several corner kicks for Uruguay and an impressive string of defensive plays by Brazilian goalkeeper Doni, Uruguay broke through. In the 49th minute, Doni failed to clear an Alvaro Recoba corner, and the ball bounced out to Diego Forlan. From the edge of the box, the new Atletico Madrid forward, gathered the ball and fired a low shot past Doni, who had gotten tangled up with one of his own defenders, evening the score at one goal apiece.

Brazil regained the lead just five minutes later on a header from Julio Baptista following a free kick. Brazil maintained its 2-1 lead until the 70th minute, when Diego Forlan, the spearhead of the Uruguayan attack, struck again, this time setting up Uruguay’s equalizer. Following a Cristian Gonzalez cross, Forlan headed the ball along to Sebastián Abreu. Abreu, who replaced Recoba at halftime, received Forlan’s header at the far post and put the equalizer past Doni.

With neither team able to find the winning goal in the game’s final twenty minutes, a trip to the Copa America final came down to a game of chance- penalty kicks. Robinho opened by firing his shot past Carini, putting Brazil ahead, 1-0. Uruguay’s first penalty was taken by Diego Forlan, the man of the match through 90 minutes. Doni dove to his right while the ball went left, but the Brazilain keeper made a brilliant kick save of Forlan’s penalty, preserving the lead for Brazil. After both sides converted each of their next two penalties, Afonso Alves of Brazil gave Uruguay new life by missing Brazil’s fourth attempt. Following the Afonso miss, Cristiano Gonzalez converted to make the score 3-3. After Brazil’s midfielder Diego converted is attempt, the spotlight shifted again to Sebastián Abreu. After equalizing in regular time, Abreu evened the tally at 4-4, pushing the shootout into sudden death.

Brazil was forced to face its tournament mortality after Fernando missed the first sudden death attempt, leaving Uruguay just one penalty kick from punching its ticket to Sunday’s final. Against that backdrop, Pablo Garcia stepped up and sent his effort toward the right side of the Brazilian goal, but he pushed it a bit too far, as the ball smacked off the post and stayed out. Brazil was still alive! Next, Gilberto coolly stepped up and converted his penalty, giving his team a 5-4 lead. Uruguay’s Diego Lugano, with his team on the brink of elimination, needing to convert its next penalty to extend the shootout, had had his attempt saved by Doni, who appeared to move a considerable distance before the kick was taken. As with the tackle on Vagner Love in the first, the referee elected to let the play stand as it occurred on the field.

In spite of the final save, Brazil fairly earned its place in Sunday’s final match after a hard-fought match-up with a Uruguayan side that is much stronger than its #30 international ranking would suggest. This was a thrilling test that forced both sides to endure a bizarre mid-first half stoppage of play, dramatic swings in momentum, both in regulation as well as the penalty shootout and questionable refereeing decisions on both sides.

Robinho Taking His Game to New Heights

Given the opportunity to grab the spotlight for his national
team, Robinho, Brazil's prodigiously gifted forward, is
leading his side admirably and looks poised to establish
himself as one of the superstars of the 2007 Copa America
tournament. With All-Universe midfielders Ronaldinho and Kaka
asking out of the competition, citing fatigue, the door was
left wide open for the emergence of a new Brazilian superstar
on the international stage. Robinho, the most talented and
highest profile member of this side, has stepped into this role
as fluidly as he steps over his dribbles on the pitch, scoring
an amazing six goals in the team's last three games, netting
all four goals in back-to-back victories against Chile (3-0)
and Ecuador (1-0), and adding two more in a 6-1 thumping of
Chile in the tournament's quarterfinal. With the exception of
its 2-0 opening match loss to Mexico, Brazil has produced an
impressive march to the semifinals, due in large part to
a world-class effort from Robinho, who has transitioned
smoothly from Real Madrid's championship run in the Spanish
Primera Liga to the Copa America competition.

At just 23 years old, Robinho has already spent an inordinate
amount of time in the spotlight. He joined the youth program
of Santos, one of Brazil's best-known professional clubs and
the club with whom the King of football, Pele, spent his entire
Brazilian career, at age 9. Over the years, due to his
relatively small frame and masterful ball skills, combined with
his relationship with Pele during his time in Santos' youth
program, inevitably led to Robinho being tabbed "the next Pele."
Despite an excellent record in his four years at Santos, scoring
60 goals in just 137 games, as well as being named 2005 World
Soccer Young Player of the Year and securing a big money
transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid, Robinho has yet to
confirm his superstardom on the global stage. In the 2007 Copa
America, this is changing before our eyes.

Robinho's solid performance in Real Madrid's championship run
in La Liga was apparently just a taste of the bigger-and-
better things that were to come. While it's true that even in
the absence of Ronaldinho and Kaka, Brazil's Copa America
side is hardly devoid of world-class talent, featuring, among
others, talents like Arsenal's Gilberto Silva, Werder Bremen
midfielder Diego, as well as Anderson, a recent big-dollar
addition to English champions Manchester United. With that
said, Robinho's outstanding performance thus far in the
tournament has him at the forefront of the Brazilian team, and
has team Brazil just a July 10 win over Uruguay away from a
place in the final match.

The stage is now set for Robinho's breakthrough. If his next
180 minutes of football are anything like his last 270,
Robinho's star will spectacularly rise to new heights. 

Bayern Munich Look to Return to Bundesliga Dominance

Bayern Munich is NOT happy about having to relinquish its Bundesliga throne and is determined to regain it by flexing its financial muscle. The 2006-07 season saw Germany’s largest club, and winner of 3 of the past 4 Bundesliga titles, finish fourth in the league, ten points behind league winners Stuttgart, and fail to bring home any domestic or international silverware. Additionally, finishing out of the top three, a decidedly “un-Bayern-like” finish, leaves the club out of next season’s Champion’s League, a competition in which the club is a mainstay. Stung by these sub-par results and determined to leave them in the past, Bayern Munich has aggressively attacked the summer transfer market, spending about £47 million ($94.2 million) to bolster its squad and fill holes in the lineup left by a series of outgoing transfers.

While Bayern Munich’s entire 2007-08 squad will feature new faces at several positions, the club’s attacking corps will have undergone the most dramatic facelift, with German international Lukas Podolski the only prominent holdover. Following the exits of its 2006-07 leading scorer, Dutch striker Roy Makaay (Feyenood) and Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro (Chelsea), Bayern added Fiorentina striker and World Cup champion Luca Toni for £7.5 million ($15 million), as well as Werder Bremen’s Miroslav Klose for £10 million ($20 million), Germany’s leading scorer in the 2006 World Cup, where he teamed with Podolski, who is also a Polish-born German international. The club also looked to the bottom of the Bundesliga for another attacking option, spending €1.2 million to bring in striker Jan Schlaudraff from newly relegated Alemannia Aachen.

In its midfield, Bayern lost a talented duo, but more than made up for it by going on a bit of a midfield shopping spree. The club, at long last, completed the £17 million ($34 million) transfer of 26 year-old defensive midfielder Owen Hargreaves to Manchester United. The English international and Manchester United had been engaged in a protracted public courtship, which was delayed due to Bayern Munich’s refusal to part with the player at less than full value. In addition to Hargreaves, Bayern Munich will lose talented playmaker and 2004 Asian Player, Ali Karimi, whose contract expired following the 2006-07. Due to poor form likely brought about by injuries, the Iranian international, whose exceptional ball skills have led to his being called the “Asian Maradona, will continue has career elsewhere.

In response to these losses, the club has not only revamped every aspect of its midfield, but has also added one of the world’s top attacking midfielders. The crown jewel of Bayern’s off-season spending is French international Franck Ribery, most recently of Marseille. Combined with the clubs collection of world-class strikers, the French international

Van Bronckhorst Returns to Holland

FC Barcelona fullback and Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst will continue his career in Holland, returning to Feyenoord. Despite being under contract through 2008, van Bronckhorst, 32, was granted a release from his Barcelona contract due to clause allowing him to opt out of his contract early in order to return to Feyenoord. In his four years at Barcelona, van Bronckhorst won two Primera Liga titles and was a member of the 2006 European Cup winning side.

Barça Remains Active in Transfer Market, Strengthens Midfield

One day after adding all-world striker Thierry Henry to its squad, Barcelona has added some much needed strength to its midfield by signing Monaco’s Yaya Toure, younger brother of Henry’s former teammate, Arsenal's Kolo Toure. Toure, a member of the Ivory Coast team that participated in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, signed a four-year contract with the Catalan club worth £6 million ($12 million), with a possible future payment of £2.7 million ($5.4 million), contingent on results.

Txiki Begiristain, sports director at FC Barcelona, said of Toure, “He is a strong player with a great physical presence and an ability to distribute the ball well. He’s a ball winner and is good in the air.” Begiristain went on to add that he is “similar in style to [Inter Milan midfielder and World Cup champion with France] Patrick Vieira”, a player that Toure has great admiration for and views as a role model.

The addition of Toure is a significant step toward improving the versatility and all-around quality of the Barcelona midfield. For Barça, bolstering its talented but, at times, soft midfield was an even more pressing need that adding another prolific goal scorer. While the addition of Henry will likely grab the lion’s share of headlines, the contribution of Yaya Toure could prove to be equally significant to Barcelona’s return to the Spanish throne.

It should be noted that Barcelona does not appear to be finished in the transfer market. It has been reported that the club is also looking to add Romanian defender Christian Chivu, currently in Italy’s Serie A with AS Roma. The fee for his transfer will likely exceed £10 million ($20 million)

Inter Targeting Even More Goals in 2007-08

Fresh off a season in which absolutely dominated Italy’s Serie A, winning the league title by an astounding 22 points, Inter Milan is showing no signs of allowing the competition to close the gap. Spearheaded by 15 goals from Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 14 from Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, and 10 from everyone’s favorite Zidane antagonist, defender Marco Materazzi, Inter scored a league-leading 80 goals (6 more than #2 Roma, 18 more than #3 Fiorentina), but the club is not relying on past successes, aggressively bolstering its frontline in the summer transfer window.

Earlier today, Inter completed its signing of Cagliari striker David Suazo to a four-year contract for an undisclosed amount. After breaking Gigi Riva’s club record with 22 goals in 2005-06, the 27 year-old Honduran international led Cagliari with 14 goals this past season and shared the honor of best foreign player in Serie A with AC Milan’s Kaka, arguably the top footballer on the planet today.

The signing of Suazo was the culmination of a truly bizarre two week transfer battle between city rivals Inter and AC Milan. Two weeks ago, Inter announced the signing of Suazo but, after failing to finalize the deal, Suazo was offered to AC Milan, who would have signed him had he not already signed a contract with Inter.

In addition to Suazo, another world-class striker, West Ham United’s Carlos Tevez, has expressed a strong interest in joining Inter Milan this summer. Top clubs from around Europe, including Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid, have expressed an interest in adding Tevez to their squads, but the Argentine international has made it clear that Inter is his club of choice, saying that “Inter’s team is like an Argentina colony”, referring to the presence of fellow Argentines Crespo, Julio Cruz and Javier Zanetti on the club’s roster.

Tevez, whose controversial transfer from Brazilian club Corinthians to West Ham with fellow Argentine international and now-Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has come under the intense scrutiny of the English FA, played brilliantly in the final weeks of the English Premier League season, helping West Ham avoid relegation with a beautiful goal on the season’s last day against Manchester United.

In the event that Inter is successful in adding Tevez as well as Suazo to its attack, it may signal the end of the road at the San Siro for another of the clubs’ talented strikers, Brazilian international Adriano. Following another disappointing season for the Nerazzurri (5 goals in 14 games), Adriano will likely be made expendable by the arrival of two world-class strikers. This would open the door for not only his return to Fiorentina, where he played 15 games in 2002 on a loan deal, scoring 6 goals, but a reunion with Adrian Mutu, a Romanian international with whom Adriano formed a potent scoring combination at Parma in 2002-03. Fiorentina recently lost more than a quarter of its goal production (16 of 62) following the £7.5 million ($15 million) sale of Italian striker Luca Toni to Bayern Munich.

The Widespread Impact of Thierry Henry's Move to Barcelona

Over the weekend, Barcelona and Arsenal agreed to the transfer of Arsenal’s superstar striker Thierry Henry. With this deal, Barça has not only added a world-class striker to an attacking corps that already boasts the likes of Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o, but it has done so at a significant discount. Thanks to an injury-plagued 2007 season, the £16 million ($32 million) fee that it took to bring Henry to the Nou Camp is slightly more than half the £30 million ($60 million) that it likely would have taken to acquire the Frenchman just a year ago.

Members of the Barcelona squad have acknowledged that the team was not in top form this season and have vowed to approach next season with greater dedication and resolve. While this alone might have been enough to signal improvement for next season, the addition of Henry could provide an added spark that will return the Catalan club to the top of world football. Following a disappointing season that saw them fail to advance deep into the Champion League and stumble down the stretch and lose the La Liga crown on the season’s last day to arch-rivals Real Madrid, management at Barcelona has taken initiative and sent this message to its supremely-gifted-but-sometimes-complacent team: We will not hesitate to do whatever it takes to field a championship team. Now, you do your part!

Thierry Henry’s much-speculated move of to Barcelona may just be the latest in a chain of events whose impact will be felt around the world of football. First, the sudden departure of former-Arsenal Vice Chairman David Dein, whom Henry respected and admired a great deal, calling Dein “Mr. Arsenal”, was a severe blow to Henry’s relationship with the club. Additionally, Arsene Wenger, Henry’s countryman and the only manager he’s known at Arsenal, as well as the coach that gave him his first big chance at the age of 15 at French club Monaco, does not have a contract beyond the upcoming season. Henry had been clear that in order to maintain his services, Arsenal would have to extend Wenger’s contract, which never happened. Most recently, Franck Ribery, Henry’s friend and teammate on the French national team, was transferred to Bayern Munich for £17.5 million ($35 million), despite both Henry and Wenger’s obvious interest in having Ribery join them at Arsenal.

For supporters of the club, the truly frightening thought is that, for all the collective damage that has already been done to the team, the worst may still lie ahead. Conceivably, Arsenal may have a mass exodus on its hands. In this scenario, here is a possible global domino effect:

• With Thierry Henry’s arrival, there will be an embarrassment of riches on the Barcelona frontline. This will likely lead to sale of one of Barça’s talented attackers. With Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Anderson Deco firmly entrenched in the lineup, and the club reportedly in pursuit of Rodrigo Palacio of Boca Juniors in Argentina, either Samuel Eto’o or Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen could be pushed out. Given his, relatively speaking, moderate salary, Gudjohnsen, who is a fine striker coming off of a disappointing season, is an ideal backup attacker for Barcelona. This leaves the young and very gifted Eto’o, who is prone to disagreements with teammates and club management, is the object of AC Milan's desires, and has also expressed his admiration for Liverpool and the English Premier League. His sale would net upwards of £25 million ($50 million) on the open market, more than double what the sale of Gudjohnsen would fetch.
• In the wake of the departures of both Dein as well as Henry, it now appears less likely that Arsene Wenger will keep his post as Arsenal manager beyond the upcoming season, perhaps even following Henry to Barcelona, where manager Frank Rijkaard, despite repeated statements expressing his commitment to Barcelona, is the subject of persistent rumors suggesting that he may be the future manager of Italian giant AC Milan.
• Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal’s 20 year-old Spanish midfield playmaker supreme, who left Barça’s youth system to join Arsenal, has openly stated that he would one day relish the opportunity to return to Barcelona, saying in a recent interview “I hope there is a chance to return (to Barça). People who know me already know this… There is always hope.” Following Henry’s move, Fabregas will likely be even more inclined to return to the Catalan club. In the same interview, Fabregas expressed his desire to continue playing with Thierry Henry saying, “If it was up to me, Henry and I would play together for the rest of our lives.” Despite being under contract with Arsenal through 2014 and public overtures from Spanish giants Real Madrid, the departures of his manager and most-talented teammate could hasten Cesc Fabregas’ return to Spain.
• Another Frenchman and friend of Thierry Henry, Arsenal defender William Gallas, who has also stated his desire for the club to be more competitive, is unlikely to be encouraged by this latest development. This could lead to Gallas request a transfer away from Arsenal, likely to a club in Spain (Barça or Real Madrid) or Italy (Juventus, AC Milan or Inter-Milan).
• Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, now the Gunners’ longest tenured player, could also be nearing the end of his Arsenal days. As there had already been questions regarding his future with the club, Henry’s departure (and its possible fallout) may serve as the catalyst for his exit.
• Arsenal has developed a reputation for having a world-class youth system, so the Gunners’ cupboard is hardly bare, but Arsenal must now pragmatically assess its personnel and determine how drastic a move needs to be made to retool its frontline. With Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor and teenage sensation Theo Walcott in attack, there is no shortage of talent for the Gunners, but the club is a bit short on experience and depth. Aside from these three, Arsenal’s only remaining striker is the talented, but young and inexperienced Nicklas Bedtner. More bodies will have to be introduced into the mix, both for insurance from injuries, as well as for added talent and experience.
• Should Arsenal look to the transfer market to replace Thierry Henry, their best options look to be either Newcastle’s Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Ajax Amsterdam in the top Dutch league, each of whom will likely command an eight-figure transfer fee.