Deadline day is crazy! Lots of teams have needs, and this is the last day to fill them. Teams need wingers, defensive midfielders, inverted fullbacks, false 9's, trequartistas, deep-lying playmakers, target strikers and many more types of soccer players.
One team, though, just needs something to get leaves off their field. Barton Rovers FC have filled a major squad need on deadline day by going to the store and buying a rake.
Among the big-name signings of Frank Lampard, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, New York City FC owners, the Abu Dhabi United subsidiary City Football Group, were also keen to add one of America’s own. They got that in the form of USMNT midfielder Mix Diskerud, but he didn't come cheaply.
China has big plans for 2017. The Chinese Football Association gathered in Beijing to go over financial details in hopes of transforming the country into a soccer powerhouse. President Xi Jinping is the country’s number one soccer fan and intends to have China perform in future World Cups, an achievement they've only managed once.
Those who seek sustenance on unfounded transfer gossip and rumor mill nonsense will now need to look beyond Christian Pulisic for nourishment — the 18-year-old American attacker has extended his deal with Borussia Dortmund until 2020.
Life has not been easy for French defender Mamadou Sakho over the last nine months. Ever since the failed drug test debacle that kept him on the sidelines for over a month last season, the defender has failed to earn his place back in Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Klopp, who had nothing but praise for the 26-year-old center back when he first took over as Liverpool manager, has since gone as far as demoting Sakho to training with the U-23 squad.
According to multiple reports, Chelsea have dropped Diego Costa for Saturday’s match against Leicester City amidst an argument between the Spanish forward and the Chelsea training staff and a lucrative offer from the Chinese Super League.
“I love West Ham. We had a fantastic season and I can’t wait to play in the Olympic Stadium. I’m 100 percent staying at West Ham, I love the club. I can tell the Hammers fans that.” — Dimitri Payet, July 15, 2016
Last week, social media erupted amid news that Premier League side Arsenal had attempted to spend a huge amount of money on Serie A’s latest striking sensation, Andrea Belotti. Figures in the tens of millions were bandied about, converted from euros to pounds and back again until it seemed as though Arsenal’s penny-pinching ways had prevented their transfer business yet again.
The rumor mill has been heating up as clubs start making moves this January. One big-time rumor that might make waves in the coming weeks, should it turn into reality, is Manchester City’s reported interest in Ivan Rakitic.
The Barcelona midfielder has been warming the bench for Luis Enrique’s side since early December, and a move to play under Pep Guardiola might prove alluring to the Croatian playmaker.
Still, how well would he fit into Guardiola’s team?