Transfer Rumors

After a rough November in The Premier League, which saw Arsenal collect two points, the Gunners are back on track for a second-half surge for England’s most coveted trophy as they only trail Leicester City by two points. Throw in the 3-0 result against Olympiacos to propel them into the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, as well as the impending chase for a third-consecutive FA Cup, and Arsene Wenger’s team have quite the full plate in front of them.

After Manchester United’s dismal Champions League elimination at the hands of Wolfsburg this week, Manchester United fans from around the world must have looked at each other and said: “What the hell just happened here?”

All the promise going into this season has disappeared. United’s inability to put together a cohesive and effective attack has lead to their early Champions League exit, and all the people who were excited about the madman master Van Gaal last season are just about ready to call for his head.

He started out as one of the most promising strikers of his generation. Fans raved about him and managers wanted to coach him, but he hit a wall of injuries all of a sudden and his career went crashing down. Regarded by Mexico's manager Juan Carlos Osorio as one of the best wingers in world soccer today, this player is nicknamed after a bird. And like the legend of another famous bird, he is rising from the ashes of his crumbled career. Yes, I’m talking about Alexandre Pato. 

Barcelona have perhaps the greatest forward line ever assembled, but for how much longer?

According to The Sun (so take this information with however many grains of salt you feel are appropriate), Barcelona's wage bill is 73 percent of its total revenue.

The Sun also reported that Barca are planning a £423 million renovation of the Camp Nou.

Neymar's astounding string of performances has managed to get him in the mix to be one of the top players in the world. Nonetheless, off-the-field issues keep the superstar's future very murky.

It's a question posed to any footballer who succeeds in the relative atmospheric comforts of Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1: "but could he do it on a cold Wednesday night at Stoke?" The implication being that in the cold of England in winter, players from lesser footballing areas like the Mediterranean and South America would wilt like the dead flowers they are. It is a perfect example of (false) Premier League exceptionalism.

His return to Brazil did not end up like he expected, but it seems Ronaldinho is not done with professional soccer just yet.

His possible next stop: the MLS.

In an interview with FutbolMLS.com, the two-time FIFA World Player of the year talked about his love for the United States and how the league’s growth is attracting talented and experienced players.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Careless Whisper in the ear of PSG coach Laurent Blanc has received a lot of attention this week. 

To hear the press tell it, there is no way Cristiano whispered anything other than "I will totally force a move to PSG this summer and then we can use the oil money to take over the world. Of European football."

Of course, the chances of him actually having whispered that are slim to none. We, personally, do not believe Ronaldo whispered anything of the sort. 

Miguel Layun has impressed so far this year during his loan from Watford to Porto, so much that Porto have reportedly opened negotiations with Watford to acquire Layun on a permanent basis.

Porto negotiating to keep Miguel Layun at the club beyond his season-long loan from @WatfordFC. https://t.co/w0QzUa6F8F

It's been speculated that Cristiano Ronaldo will leave the comforts of Real Madrid for the MLS when his contract is up in 2015, but the 30-year-old striker has admitted to having different plans.

“I want to win more. I still feel good, I feel young,” he told Marca. “I am 30 and I want to play five or six more years, and in that time I want to do things right and maintain the level of recent seasons. I know that it gets harder all the time, but in my head I think it’s possible."