Standout team of the year - Who will make the 2017/2018 season, their season?

Season after season we see a new group of players stepping up and taking the games their involved in by the scruff of the neck, season after season we see a new group of players announcing themselves to the world as truly stand out talents, season after season we have breakout stars. We don't just have players coming from no where and showing what they can do to the world, we have the already established names stepping up a level and becoming world class. It's those kind of players I'm going to focus on now, the players who are already known to the fans, but the players who I can see changing up a gear and running their respective divisions over the next 12 months.

Goal Keeper - Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)

The Italian shot stopped right now might not even be the best Gianluigi in the Italy national team (Then again there is no shame being second to the greatest of all time) but Donnarumma is destined for great things. In 2016, at the age of 17 years and 189 days, he became the youngest player to represent the Azzurri in history, just under a year prior, at the age of 16 years and 242 days, he became the second youngest player to even play in the Seria 'A'. At this moment in time he is the number one for his boyhood club AC Milan, and has just signed a new 5 year contract, despite controversy over whether or not he wanted to leave. It's easy to forget that he is just 18 years old and has potentially over 20 years of a professional career ahead of him, he truly could grow to become the greatest keeper of all time. But why is next season such a big deal? Well because of Milan's transfer activity so far in the window. They have spent over £100 million so far, which includes £35 million on Donnarumma's Italy team mate Leonardo Bonucci, arguably the best centre back on the planet! As well as Ricardo Rodriguez from Wolfsburg for £17 million and Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal for £15 million. Milan have built almost an entirely new defence, and supporting the back line will be Gianluigi. With the new foundation to their side we could see the 7 time European champions beck in the big time very soon, so for the Italian keeper to start making his way up the ladder, the time is now.

Defender - Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

£50 million. That's how much Manchester City spent on the English full back, making him the most expensive defender of all time and the most expensive Englishman of all time. During his time in the limelight so far Kyle has came under fire for his attacking mindset, saying he spends far too much time high up the field and not enough time actually being a defender. But that is where people are going wrong, Walker's primary focus isn't defending, it's attacking. He's a wing back, and this is why the huge price tag makes perfect sense. Pep Guardiola has a reputation for loving attacking wing backs, and during his time at Manchester City so far he has tried to force a 5 at the back system without the players to make it work, the English full back slots perfectly into that system. And when you look at the £50 million that was spent on Walker, and you look at the context of the deal, it isn't as shocking as it appears. This summer has seen £75 million spent on Lukaku, £30 million spent on Jordan Pickford, £53 million spent on Alexandre Lacazette, right now you have to pay to get the players you want, and if the signing will help your team going forward in a big way, the cost of the player is almost irrelevant. You could say the best right back over the last decade is former Barcelona star Dani Alves, a player mentored and moulded by Pep, if the Spaniard can have a similar effect on Walker, this season could really see the Englishman moving into up in the world. 

Defender - Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea) 

Rudiger has flown relatively under the radar over the past couple of seasons. Anchoring the second best side in Italy, the German has came on leaps and bounds to earn his big money move to English champions Chelsea. Antonio has spent this summer so far winning the Confederations Cup with Germany, staring in the final against Chile and marking Alexis Sanchez out of the game on the way to a clean sheet and the winners medal. When the signing of Rudiger was completed, Bonucci was still available, the Italian centre back was a favourite of Conte's for the national side and the former Juventus centre back has been heavily linked with Chelsea since Conte arrived last summer. So going for Rudiger over Bonucci shows the faith the Italian manager has in his new centre back, and by joining the best defence in the country Antonio is only going to improve. Last season we saw David Luiz go from a heavily criticised, some would say 'laughing stock', of a defender have an outstanding season under the coaching of Antonio Conte and if we see that same improvement undergone by Rudiger, a player who is already forcing himself into the most heavily stacked defence in the world, the German national team, the sky is the limit! 

Defender - Danielle Rugani (Juventus)

At 22 years of age, the young Italian centre back now has the opportunity of his life to reach his incredible potential. Playing in the Juventus back line is the perfect place for any defender to grow and develop their game, the Italian champions have perhaps the best defence in the world, but that defence is in a period of change right now. Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci have both already left, with Alex Sandro reported to be close to sealing a move to Chelsea, now is the biggest chance Rugani has ever had to break into the side. The Italian only featured in 15 league games last season, as he struggled to push his way into the defence, strong armed by Bonucci, Chiellini and Barzagli. However with Bonucci's departure that leaves a stop open, and with Juve's history of complete Italian hearts of defence, Rugani has to be the favourite to take his place. Also, with Chiellini and Barzagli both north of thirty years of age, Rugani could be the youthful injection into the defence that it needs to keep going. Also there aren't many better pairings in the world to learn from, then Barzagli and Chiellini. Both men are closing in on 100 caps for the national team and have a winning mentality ingrained into them by now. Rugani has been tipped for greatness since breaking into the first team, but his first team opportunities have been limited, now is his chance, and there isn't a better place for him to show the world how good he is then Juventus. Now is his chance, if he takes it, he can be world class!

Midfielder - Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain)

When you're a primary target of Barcelona you know you must be doing something right! Verratti is the latest in a long line of talented Italian midfielders, with his style being viewed very similar to that of Andre Pirlo. With an eyes for a pass and the ability to unlock the defence it is no surprise PSG are trying their hardest to hold onto the 24 year old. His creative footballing brain would be a perfect fit in Catalonia, and the opportunity to learn from the great Andres Iniesta is one which could see Veratti take the next step. One was he differs from the comparisons is his incredible work ethic. Marco covers huge amounts of ground during a game and he knows when to put in a tackle, he is a very well rounded and almost perfect midfielder. The only downside to his game is his tendency to let his aggression take control. Despite his short stature the Italian isn't one to back down from anyone, a quality many see as desirable, not one which has seen him pick up 9 yellow cards this season as well as one red card. Now picking up cards is all part of playing in the midfield, and don't let that distract you from just how good a player Veratti can be! Unlike most of the players in this side, I don't expect Veratti to reach his potential in the next 12 months, all he needs to do is continue to improve. Once again, the comparisons to Andrea Pirlo comes into play, the dynamic style the PSG star plays is great, but his stand out attributes are, and always will be his technical abilities. On the ball there are few better in world football, and once he drops into a more Italian style of midfielder I can see him reaching, and perhaps surpassing the levels Pirlo reached. To hit this heights however I feel he shouldn't spend too much more time at PSG, and the move to Barcelona should be one he jumps at! I say again the chance to learn from Iniesta could see Veratti fine turn his game in the style he needs to become a decade defining midfielder, a level I, and the world know he is capable of reaching. 

Midfielder - Phillipe Coutinho (Liverpool) 

Last season Coutinho continued to do what he has been doing for a few seasons, showing the world how big of a bargain Liverpool got when the brought him in from Inter Milan for just £8 million. Coutinho scored 13 league goals and provided 7 assists during the 2016/17 season, which becomes even more impressive when you consider he was playing out of position for the majority of his games last season. The Brazilian has always been a tricky, creative number 10, playing just behind the striker and finding those key passes to create goals, as well as chipping in with a fair few himself. However with the lack of a left sided midfielder, and Klopp's insistence to play a three up top system, Coutinho moved into a left side role, a role which he took to incredibly easily. The Brazilian continued to win games for Liverpool, providing a moment of magic whenever it was needed, however it still didn't feel right. That was until the final two games of the season, where due to an injury for Sadio Mane, Klopp adjusted his line up and moved Coutinho back into the number 10 role, where he scored three goals and provided an assist in two games, securing Liverpool Champions League football. Recently PSG enquired into how much is would cost to buy Phillipe, and Liverpool responded with an £88 million price tag, showing just how much the club value their number 10 at. With the signing of Mo Salah it looks certain that we will see Coutinho permanently moving back into the attacking midfield role, just behind Roberto Firmino, with Sadio Mane and Salah out wide. The fire power up top for the five time European Champions truly is a sight to behold, and with the Brazilian pulling the strings it is a frightening possibility for any opposing defence. And you can always bank on the Brazilian to pick the ball up, 25 to 30 yards from goal, on his right foot, and find the top corner with extreme accuracy! Now Coutinho is on the verge of being one of the world best, injuries and a paper thin Liverpool squad have hampered him so far, but if he manages to make it through the entirety of the upcoming season, the potential next legendary Brazilian number 10 could could end the campaign and go into the 2018 World Cup in Russia as just that.

Midfielder - James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich - On loan from Real Madrid) 

What else is there to say about the Colombian that hasn't been said already? he's been tipped form greatness and truly announced himself at the 2014 World Cup, before earning a huge move to Real Madrid. However since then it hasn't all gone James' way. He was been forced out of Zidane's team, watching from the sidelines and he's wasn't getting the game time he needs to develop. Now however, Rodriguez is with the German champions, Bayern Munich, and the fan fare around his signing was huge! Now it is a loan deal, for two years, with an option to buy for £35 million, with is a steal for a player the quality of Rodriguez. Bayern may be walking to the Bundesliga title season after season, but their side isn't getting any younger, and the 26 year old has plenty of years ahead of him as he reaches his prime. He can strike a ball, moving or dead, as clean and as crisp as anyone in world football, and his ability to pull the strings could be exactly what help Bayern Munich hack to the top of European football. James Rodriguez, my word this boy is a star. I keep going back to that line because it perfectly captured the ability of one of football's greatest prospects. There has been a bump in the road, but I see this move to Bayern Munich becoming the biggest master stroke of the decade. It is now that James shows just how good he is, it is now that he will become world class, truly on another level. 

Midfielder - Victor Wanyama (Tottenham Hotspur)

Victor Wanyama last season had a very similar campaign to that of N'golo Kante in the season prior. He was the clubs signing of the summer, held the midfield and played an integral part of a season which went above and beyond expectations, and despite this he was over shadowed by two star attackers. For Kante at Leicester it was Mahrez and Vardy, for Wanyama at Spurs it was Ali and Kane. Victor Wanyama's role in the Spurs midfielder can not be over estimated, the Kenyan holding midfielder played 36 league games last season, only Dele Ali played more, and game after game he ran the midfield, picking up loose balls, throwing in solid tackles and giving the likes of Dele Ali and Christen Eriksen freedom to roam. He is the heart of the midfield and was instrumental in Spurs' incredible final season at White Hart Lane. Despite this he went drastically under the radar, but like Kante last season, I can see Wanyama truly being recognised as the class act he is in the coming campaign. For Spurs to reach the heights they want to, they need to compete on all fronts, and having a player the likes of Wanyama to fall back on, game after game, knowing exactly what they're going to get, will go a long way in Spurs ending their run on no silverware. With the sale of Kyle Walker to Manchester City, an extra £50 million has just been made available to spend, and if Pochettino can strengthen his side in the areas he needs to, I can see Tottenham carrying on from where they left off last season, challenging for the title. And if they can reach those heights again, I'm certain that Wanyama will be at the fore front, and will get the recognition he deserves. 

Attacker - Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid) 

At the time of writing this, 16th July 2017, Chelsea have just made an approach for the Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco. Reportedly Carrasco has been offered a 5 year deal and upwards to double his current wages if he is to join Chelsea. No official response has been put forward by Atletico so far but if the deal is pulled off, Chelsea will have once again, gotten a hold of one of the brightest young stars in European football. Since arriving from Monaco for a reported 20 million euros, Yannick Carrasco has turned heads, and earned many plaudits for his performances. He fired in 10 league goals last season, 14 in all competitions, only being topped by Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gemeiro. As well as racking up four assists in the previous campaign, he also scored the equaliser in the Champions League final against Real Madrid in the 2015/16 season. He has also broken into the national team, scoring four goals in his first 19 caps for the red devils of international football, it is no surprise that Chelsea want him at Stanford Bridge. Carrasco is said to be intrigued by the possibility of playing in England, and it is now down to Simeone to convince him to stay. Carrasco is an incredibly skillful winger, with an eye for goal and a brilliant final ball. He is incredibly unpredictable, with the defenders never knowing what he will do, and that is what sets him apart from the rest. He makes it all look so simple, and if he does make the move to Chelsea, I'm certain he will fit right in. But even if he stays at Atletico, he really has the chance to make the world stand back and watch. He will be entering his third season in the Spanish capital, and now he has planted himself firmly in the first team for both club and country, it's time to push on. Despite staying around for now, the possibility of Griezmann leaving Atletico in the near future is still very large, and I can see Carrasco being his lined up replacement headliner. In the history of Atletico Madrid, they never let a top star go without someone ready to step into their boots. With Torres is was Aguero, with Aguero is was Forlan, with Forlan it was Falcao, with Falcao is was Costa, with Costa it was Griezmann, and with Griezmann I think it will be Yannick Carrasco. If the Belgian can continue to improve, and handle the responsibility of being made the star of the show, international team mate Eden Hazard may have some competition as the most talented member of their squad. 

Attacker - Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) 

Klose, retired. Gomez, inconsistent. Muller, adopting a midfield role. Timo Werner? The RB Leipzig striker is coming off of a breakout season in Germany, scoring 21 league goals and impressing the world with his pace, his eye for goal, and such incredible composure at such a young age. At just 21 years old Werner just helped lead German to the Confederations Cup, winning it for the first time in their history, he started in the final and created the only goal of the game. This is before being awarded the golden boot with three goals in the competition as well as two assists. Despite this, as of right now, no big clubs are coming in for the young German which is great for Germany, and it's great for Werner. With Leipzig qualifying for the Champions League next season, Werner will have his first glimpse of top level European club football, and he will have all the opportunities to develop. Should he continue to improve at the rate he is, next on his radar will be the 2018 World Cup, with Werner heavily fancied to be the latest German number 9. At such a young age Timo has the chance to become world class, and he has shown signs of it already in his very young career. With all of the supply in the world, Werner could make staring for the national team a regular thing, he has averaged a goal every other game for the first team, a very impressive strike rate at International level. And last season in his first for Leipzig he scored 21 league goals in 31 league games, again a very impressive strike rate. He has proven he has the talent, he has the ability to make it, the next test is if he has the endurance to go for a full season. Coming off of the Confederations Cup he will have the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League all to compete in, with Leipzig looking to challenge and replying on Werner to be their star man. And then of course to cap it off we will have the World Cup, with Werner, if he continues to bang in the goals, potentially leading the line for the world champions. That is a massive responsibility, and if he can live up to it, he could be a future world beater. 

Attacker - Douglas Costa (Juventus - On loan from Bayern Munich) 

Being one of a host of talented Brazilians at Shakhtar Donetsk, the world has been watching Douglas Costa for several years year. And after a 30 million euro move to Bayern Munich in 2015, everyone got to see what he could do up close and personal. The speed he runs with the ball at is frightening, full backs never know what he's going to do next, and with the ability to beat anyone who challenges him, Costa truly is the perfect modern day winger. The only thing missing from his game is goals, he only managed 8 league goals across his two seasons with Bayern Munich, before he penned a loan deal to Juventus, for two years, with the option of a permanent move valued at 40 million euro at the end. Costa has already played 21 times for Brazil, and will be hoping this season he can earn his spot on the plane to Russia. Now with the raw pace and skill Costa possess, he can make it work in any team, in any league, what he needs to do is add more goals to his game! This is why the move to Juventus could be massive for the winger's career. The old lady are currently champions of Italy, and have won six Scudettos in a row, a record for the Seria 'A', this means Costa is all but guaranteed the chance to improve his game in front of goal. Juventus tend to dominate possession in their games, and have Dybala and Higuain leading the line and finding the net, what they don't have, is a player like Costa, a player who can beat a man and get into the box with relitive ease. Juventus played an almost flawless season last year, with Real Madrid in the Champions League final their one slip up. They got found out in that game, but that is where Douglas comes in. Much like Mane at Liverpool, like Reus at Dortmund, like Mbappe at Monaco, Costa has a unique ability unlike anyone else in his team, no matter how the game is going, if he has the chance to run at an opponent, you know he will create a chance. His raw ability is right up there with the very best, there are just a few points of his game that need fine tuning to truly reach his potential. But when he reaches it, he could be seen on par with Neymar. 

There we go, there are some of my predictions for the stand out players of the upcoming season! And i'm sure some of these players won't quite meet expectations because on football, you can't predict anything, you can just sit back and watch. But if any of what I have just said turns out to be true, there could be a hand full of future world stars in this article, and even potential future Balon D'or winners. We'll just have to wait and see. 

Summer 2017 - Highlights so far of the craziest transfer window in history.

This years summer transfer window has seen an incredible amount of money spent so far. In the Premier League alone over half a billion pounds has been spent by the time of writing this, with last summers total finishing at £1.165 billion on 31st August 2016, it is looking incredibly likely we will have a new record for a transfer window in terms of spending. Now with the likes of Jordan Pickford signing for Everton for £30 million and Kyle Walker signing for Manchester City for upwards of £50 million it is easy to see how the figure has grown to such a large amount. But what are the highlights? We've seen some questionable spending so far, as well as some head turning deals including Dani Alves snubbing Manchester City in favour of a move to PSG. I'm now going to look into the main talking points from the summer transfer window 2017 so far.

James Rodriguez to Bayern Munich. (2 year loan with an option to buy.)

Perhaps a bit controversially I'm starting this piece on the summer transfer window with a loan move. However it isn't your typical loan, this isn't the young English striker going to the Championship to get some game time, this is the young man who won the 2014 World Cup golden boot despite being knocked out in the Quarter finals. The winner of the FIFA Puskas award from the same year. The man who Real Madrid paid approximately 80 million Euros to bring in. James Rodriguez. Now, the Columbia captain has been in and out of the Real Madrid side for the past couple of seasons, and has slipped behind Isco in the pecking order of the European champions. James only started 13 league games last season, coming off of the bench on 9 occasions. Despite this he managed to be involve in 14 league goals, scoring 8 goals and providing 6 assists, an example of the impact he can have when given the time. What makes this deal so ludicrous is the fact, that after paying a 5 million euro loan fee, Bayern have the option to sign Rodriguez for just £35 million. Less then half what was paid for him by Madrid just three years ago. And despite falling from the first team in the Spanish capital the Colombian attacking midfielder still has bags of potential. At just 26, he is coming into his prime, and under the coaching of Carlo Ancelotti I can see James proving to be the player we all know he can be. He was tipped as a future Balon D'or winner three years ago, the man is world class and a steal for Bayern Munich! Bayern already walk to the German title every year but where they want and need to be is competing for the title of champions of Europe. Since winning the Champions League in 2013, they have been unsuccessful at the Semi-Final stage every year since. Rodriguez has now been a part of two Champions League winning campaigns with parent club Real Madrid and that winning pedigree in Europe could be what Bayern need to prove that they are the best club side on the planet. Bayern's new number eleven is a truly world class player and I say with 100% certainty that he is going to set the world alight in Germany, Go back and watch his volley from the 2014 World Cup against Uruguay and remember the commentary. My word this boy's a star.

Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United. (£75 million + add ons)

From a deal which has cost virtually nothing to one which is the fifth largest in football history. The Belgian striker's move from Everton was pretty much a certainty when the Premier League season ended, but not many people would have predicted Lukaku returning to former manager Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese man was in charge of Chelsea during Lukaku's spell at the club, and it was Jose himself that saw him as surplus to requirements. However after impressing for the blue half of Merseyside during his time there, the big Belgian is Manchester United's newest number 9. With reported add ons and Wayne Rooney moving in the other direction also being part of the deal, the total transfer cost reaches an incredible £100million, and as it looks unlikely any club will spend more on one player this summer, for the second year in a row Jose will have out spent the rest of his challengers. However £75million on any player would always come under scrutiny, and with a lot of people claiming that the Belgian forward is not the finished article yet, maybe you have to question the decision making. When put one on one with any keeper, Lukaku is always the clear favourite and with his incredible strength and speed he is a constant threat. However his big criticism for years has been his first touch, and his ability to hold up the play. In a recent piece with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, the Englishman said that if he was to defend against Lukaku, he'd just give him a yard of space, banking on a loose touch from the attacker and then clear. This rings remarkably true with Romelu who was guilty on plenty of occasions last season of giving the ball away cheaply. His ability, or lack of, to hold up the play rarely effected situations at Everton last season. In the league he scored 20 more goals then his side's second top scorer, he was the constant and only real outlet. But United have the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard, all of which who will be expecting Lukaku to use his size to hold up the ball and to bring them into the game, in a similar vain to how Zlatan did last season. Is it right to spend so much money on a player who may limit your style of play? Only time will tell how this deal will work out, Lukaku has been tipped for greatness from a very young age, everyone knows just how good he can be, and very importantly so does he. The Belgian knows he belongs in a top side, and being in Europe with Manchester United is a real opportunity to show the world what he can really do.

Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan. (£35 million)

Now this one caught me, you and the entire footballing world off guard. The Italian defender is arguably the best in world football. Playing in arguably the best defence in world football at Italian champions Juventus and is being heavily tipped for a move to English champions Chelsea and former Italian National team coach Antonio Conte. So where on earth did this come from? Bonucci has officially signed for AC Milan, a side which isn't even featuring in Europe's top competition for the upcoming season. Now it is known that Bonucci and Juventus manager Allegri had a major falling out last season, which saw the Italian being dropped for a league game against Palmero, so it is understandable as to why he would leave. But to AC Milan? The 7 time European champions have been on an incredible decline for much of this decade and I'm sure would not even be considered by many of the worlds top players at this point in time. However, with the signing of Bonucci, Milan have taken their summer spending over the £100million mark, with the likes of Ricardo Rodriguez and Hakan Calhanoglu both coming in from Germany. The contract will keep Leonardo at the Milan club for 5 years, and alongside the other new recruits coming to the San Siro, maybe we could see the resurrection of AC Milan in the coming years. Not much more is known about the deal as it all came out of no where, but one thing is for sure, what a move by AC Milan. He is set to have his medical over the coming weekend but it all seems like a formality now. Coming from a Liverpool fan, a club with a big history involving AC Milan it would be a welcomed return to the top table of world football for the club, who last won the Champions League in 2007 and are still the second most successful side in the history of top level European competition.

Mohamed Salah to Liverpool. (£36 million)

The Egyptian Mo Salah is getting his second opportunity to show the Premier League what he can do after a poor showing during his all too brief time at Chelsea. However since becoming Liverpool's record signing, the potential of things to come is getting the fans excited. His stats from last season speak for themselves, the winger scored 15 and created 11 in 31 league games while playing in Italy's Calcio 'A' for Roma, beating massively hyped Argentine and Juventus youngster Paulo Dybala on both counts while he played for champions Juventus. His lighting pace and play style is very similar to that of Sadio Mane, the Senegalese winger proved to be an incredible signing for the red's last season and I'm sure they're hoping for more of the same from their newest addition. However, bringing Salah into the team is only half the story, the other being how it will effect the rest of the side. Salah has been given the number 11 shirt, with it's former owner Roberto Firmino made Liverpool's newest number 9, making it more clear that he will be the number one striker for the club in the coming season. Firmino impressed massively last season but only managed 11 league goals, a fact which was made more telling whenever either Mane or Philippe Coutinho didn't play, both of whom out scored the Brazilian, with 13 league goals each. The pressure was on Firmino to be an out and out striker which he simply isn't, he is no slouch in front of goal but will never be a 20 goal a season centre forward. This is where Salah comes into play. What Firmino does better then any other striker in the league in my opinion is the 'dirty work', closing down defenders, forcing mistakes and creating opportunities for his team mates. Liverpool looked unplayable with Mane, Coutinho and Firmino all playing, and with Salah in there as another outlet it takes more pressure off of Firmino to be the star striker, and he can focus on the main plus points of his game. Roberto will still score goals, but his running, chances created and assists will be where his quality is shown next season. Also with the addition of Salah into the side, Jurgen Klopp no longer has to restrict Coutinho to a wide position and he can instead play the Brazilian midfielder in his preferred number 10 role, one he plays as good as anyone in the world. In the last two games of the previous season the little magician returned to the position and put in a man of the match performances in both, scoring three goals. Inside he is given more space to roam, and more of the pitch to work with. Also with the additional movement coming from Salah, he can fully utilise his incredible range of passing. And finally just imagine the look of fear on a defenders face when they're closing down a loose ball against either Sadio Mane or Mo Salah. The pace of both men is frightening and Liverpool will have it coming from both flanks, the options going forward for the club is endless. If they play the rest of this window smart, improve at the back and add much needed squad depth, we could see potential title challengers.

Alexandre Lacazette to Arsenal (£52 million + add ons)

Much like Bonucci this is a signing I didn't see coming, not because I didn't think the Frenchman would leave Lyon, but because of his choice of clubs. Lacazette fired in 28 league goals in 28 league games last season, and he almost single handedly got Lyon to the Europa League Semi-Finals. Before Atletico Madrid were handed a transfer ban at the start of the summer it looked as if the striker was on his way to Spain, however that deal obviously never came to be, but why Arsenal? The London club aren't even in the Champions League next season, and you'd think as Alexandre is one of Europe's top strikers he'd want to play amongst Europe's best sides and I'm sure very few teams would have turned him down. Lacazette has however said on record how long he's relished the idea of playing in England for, and living in London may have played a big part in his decision making as it does with many other players. What is also very big about this deal is it shows intent from Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. With star Alexis Sanchez reportedly on his way out as he is unhappy with the direction of the club, maybe this move might persuade him, and team mate Mesut Ozil, to stay for a while longer. On the flip side however, where does this move leave Alexis? Over the last twelve months the Chilean attacker has been moving in and out of the centre forward position, a position he claims to prefer. Lacazette will have been brought in to add goals to Arsenal and to fire them back into the Champions League, meaning Sanchez is likely to be back playing out wide, will he be happy about that? Especially after 'carrying' the side through a lot of last season. It is however no doubt a brilliant bit of business by Arsenal, bringing in a world class striker, something the fans have been crying out for, for years! It shows intent to not only the fans and the players, but also to the other Premier League sides, Lacazette is a big threat, and much like Liverpool, if the rest of the window goes in their favour, Arsenal could be in a very strong position for next season.

Antonio Rudiger to Chelsea (£34 million)

Shocking announcement video aside (Look it up, it really is that bad! So bad I'm asking you to go and watch it before reading on!) Rudiger signing could be the best 'under the radar' deal we will see in the Premier League this summer. Antonio Conte's Chelsea won the title last season based on a solid defence, and the adjective solid is perfect to describe his new German centre back. The now former Roma defender featured in 4 of Germany's 5 Confederation cup games, including the 1-0 win in the final, a game in which he kept Alexis Sanchez very quiet. After Chelsea had been linked with Bonucci for such a long time, the deal to bring in Rudiger came sort of out of no where, but one that makes perfect sense. The German played in 41 games in all competitions last season for Roma and Germany, demonstrating his incredible resilience, and throughout those games he stared as he played a key part in 14 league clean sheets. With Chelsea back in the Champions League next season the games are going to be coming thick and fast, and having a player like Rudiger who you can rely on to play each and every game you need him to play without signing signs of fatigue is invaluable. Possibly the least exciting of the signings I have mentioned so far today but also possibly the most effective. Just when you thought Chelsea's incredible defence couldn't get any stronger, they go an sign one of the best young defenders in Europe. At just 24 years old he has so much more room to grow, and under the guidance of his name sake Antonio Conte I feel the German centre back will prove his transfer fee to be pennies!

With over a month and a half of the transfer window yet to take place, there are a lot more potentially big deals to happen, including the rumoured signing of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig to Liverpool for an incredible £70 million. Juventus potentially losing another incredible defender in the form of Alex Sandro to Chelsea, and with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang's future still very much up in the air, there is still a lot of news to be made and a lot of money to be spent. It's getting to the point where money in football is meaningless, with every transfer a bit more crazy then the last, it should make for a pretty incredible upcoming season and I for one can't wait!

Premier League vs La Liga - Which is the best?

For years, the English premier league as been the undisputed king of football. Producing the best teams, the best drama, and the best competition. However over recent years the quality of football coming from our shores pales in comparison compared to that of the likes of Spain's La Liga.

In the 2007 - 2008 season the English premier league had all four representatives in the UEFA Champions League quarter finals, and three of the four teams in the semi finals where also from the premier league, the exact same scenario took place in the following season. However in the 2014 - 2015 season not a single English team made it past the first knockout round. However in the 2013 - 2014 season, the final of the champions league included two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid. and in the 2014 - 2015 season Real Madrid and Barcelona both progressed to the semi final of the competition, with the Catalan giants eventually winning the competition.


The English top flight boasts to have the best competition out of Europe's elite, poking fun at leagues such as the Bundesliga & La Liga for constantly having one or two front runners year after year. However in recent years this theory can perhaps be proven otherwise. The premier league may claim to provide the best competition, but the title race in England has only really seen the addition of Manchester City in this century, with the 'big four'(Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool) dominating England, even with Liverpool dropping down the table in the last few seasons. Well if it was a battle of those said teams season after season England may still have a case for the best competition, as a five way title race is very rare in football. However it isn't as straight forward as that. Since the introduction of the premier league we have seen five different teams walk out champions, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers. Now, if you remove the pre mentioned sides, only two other teams have featured in the top two of the Premier League (Newcastle United and Aston Villa), but like Blackburn Rovers these two sides have since dropped off massively, and are no where near the title picture.

Season after season the Premier league, which claims to be the most competitive of Europe's top leagues, is dominated by the same big names, however if you look deeper, the competition again takes a hit. Two of the 'giants' of English football have failed to win a league title in a long period of time, Arsenal have not been champions on England since 2004, and Liverpool have failed to win a title in the premier league era! This reduces the competition levels even more, meaning since 2005 only Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have been crowned champions of England. However, although Manchester United have won the most league titles since that year, in the last couple of seasons we have seen a decrease in success for the red devils, which has lead to Chelsea and Manchester City dominating the division. These two teams have won one Champions league title between them (Chelsea 2012), how can the Premier league claim to be the best league in the world if out of their two front runners, they have only one champions league title between them? When the Champions League is seen as the elite competition of European football. So not only do the English top flight sides pale in comparison in Europe's elite competition compared to other European league competitors in recent years, but it also fails to produce the 'competition' that had made it famous.

The main reason other European Leagues have, particularly La Liga, have struggled the stake a claim for the best league in the world is the lack of competition, between 2003 and 2013 Only Barcelona & Real Madrid won the league title in Spain, and this is perhaps the main reason for an argument against the Spanish top tier being the best in world football. Since 2009, La Liga has also had, without a doubt, the two best players in the world, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two men who have won the last seven Ballon D'ors between them. However many people have said that due to the poor quality of sides these two players where playing on a weekly basis, because of this, although those two players where playing of Spain's shores, it does not contribute to La Liga's argument to be the best.

However, just like the performances in the champions league can argue against the Premier League for being the best, it helps argue La Liga's case. In the last seven years, four of the seven champions league winners have been Spanish clubs, including the winners of the competition for the last two years (2013-14 Real Madrid & 2014-15 Barcelona). Being the top competition in European football, the success in the champions league by Spanish clubs really helps argue the leagues case for being the best.

Despite Continental success, until 2014 the argument still stood against La Liga that the competition level was far to low to be considered the best, that is until Athletico Madrid won the league title, at the home of the Catalan giants Barcelona, in the same season Athletico also reached the champions league final (losing after extra time to Real Madrid). In their attempts to retain their title in the 2014-15 season Athletico pushed city rivals Real Madrid all the way in the battle for second place, showing that Diego Simeone's side have the capabilities to compete with the best in Spain, showing that the competition levels in the domestic league in Spain is increasing. Also players such as Neymar, Luis Suarez, Garath Bale, Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez and many other big signings have helped increase the quality of players playing week in, week out in Spain. The increasing competition, dominance on the Continental stage, and outstanding class of players really makes it hard to argue against La Liga being one of, if not the best the best league in Europe.

Other leagues such as Germany's Bundesliga & Italy's Seria 'A' both also could have claim to the spot as Europe's number one league, but both perhaps are missing either the competition in the League, for example, Bayern Munich's dominance on the Bundesliga. Or the competition on the bigger stage, such as Seria 'A' , the Italian top tier only have had one finalist in the competition since 2010 (Juventus 2015).

In my opinion, the La Liga has recently became the out right best league in the world, personally i believe the dominance on the Continental stage by Spanish sides is to big to ignore, and the lack of success for English teams in recent years is the reason for them being knocked off of the podium. Will the Premier League ever get back to the top of world football? only time will tell and with Lionel Messi's Barcelona currently dominating world football, and Cristiano Ronaldo's goals leading to success for Real Madrid, La Liga looks like it could be on top for a long time.

 

Euro 2016 - Can anyone stop the Germans?

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil showed the entire football world a lot of things. James Rodriguez is destined for greatness, Neymar can produce on the big stage, England are not as good as we all think they are, Spain's age of dominance is over, and that Gary Linekar was right. "Football is a simple game, 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes, and at the end, the Germans always win."

Germany showed the world the quality they possessed by almost effortlessly at times, walking past some of the worlds elite, including crushing hosts Brazil 7-1 in the semi finals breaking many World Cup records in the process, before beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final to secure their fourth World Cup title. Portugal, France, Brazil and Argentina are all teams that had high hopes for a successful tournament, and Germany beat all of them clinically and efficiently, typical German football. With the next major tournament being Euro 2016 in France the question is... Who can stop them? That is the question I will be trying to answer today.


The current world champions have consistently been one of the dominant forces in world football throughout the history of the game. Four world titles and Three European championships just starts to describe the impact they've had on the world game. Throughout the years, Germany have produced some of the worlds greatest stars, players that would set the benchmark for other to aspire to, however perhaps a major point in Germany's success over the years is the abundance of talent they have to call upon at any time. Two of the best players ever to represent the German national side where Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer, these two great players featured in the same great german national side which went on to win the 1974 FIFA World Cup, defeating Johan Cryuff's 'total football' giants Neatherlands, with Muller scoring the winner and captain Beckenbauer lifting the famous trophy at full time. This is just one example of German national sides having many world stars in their side at one, even looking at the most recent German side from the 2014 World Cup win, the side included the highest goal scorer in World Cup history in Miroslav Klose who is also Germany's all time leading goal scorer. Lukas Podolski, who is the national sides third all time leading goal scorer and appearance maker, making him one of the most consistent and successful players to represent the country. Philip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Per Mertasaker who all, like Podolski, have made more then 100 appearances for the national team. Also you have to mention the man who went on the win the bronze award at that years Ballon D'or, Manuel Neuer, the goal keeper who is known as the best in the world. Other world stars such as Thomas Muller, the man who won the golden boot at the previous World Cup (2010 South Africa), Toni Kroos, the playmaker who had just signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid and has made an incredible 60 appearances at the age of only 25! And of course the Bayern Munich star Mario Gotze, the man who scored the winning goal in the final!


Now although a number of first team regulars have retired since last summers World Cup, the German pool of talent has just promoted many future world beaters to take their place. Liverpool defender Emre Can is tipped to be a future world class player, he has recently been called up to the first team in preparation for next years European championships. Marco Reus missed the world cup triumph with injury, but the Dortmund winger is one of the worlds fastest growing player, and he is a tip to star at the tournament. Finally Julian Draxler,the creative midfielder has been tipped for greatest through his entire career, he has already made 15 appearances and scored his first goal for the national side at the young age of 22, the Wolfburg star looks all but certain to be a first teamer for the German's for many years. So... who will stop them?


France. The French are hosting next years tournament and the hosts of major tournaments always seem to have an instant advantage, home field advantage. Despite poor performances at international level since reaching the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, France have a history of winning when it matters at home, with their only World Cup title (1998) being won when they hosted the tournament. A new influx of young talent is making the football world stand up and take note again, after a few years in the wilderness due to not being able to replace their stars who had led to such success in the late 90's early 2000's. The inability to replace Zinadine Zidane, Thiery Henry, Patrick Viera,  Robert Pires, David Trezeguet and many other lead to failures in major tournaments from 2008 all the way through last summers World Cup. However recently the French has been promoting a much younger side, a team including players who are tipped to be future stars and could revive French football.


Juventus youngster Paul Pogba is the winner of the 2014 Golden Boy award, an award with the goal of picking out the next big stars in the world of football. Pogba has been turning heads over the last few seasons with incredible goals and eye catching performances despite still only being 22. Pogba was also awarded with the 2014 young player of the tournament at the World Cup despite only progressing to the Quarter Finals. Pogba looks like he really could be one of the next big things in football, and after receiving many comparisons to French legend Patrick Viera, we could be looking at a future French captain in Pogba. Anthony Marital is now the most expensive teenage footballer of all time, the 19 year old has recently signed for Manchester United for an initial £36,000,000 and despite having critics over the price, the Frenchmen had started the season brilliantly, with four goals in four games, including the final goal on his debut against rivals Liverpool, a goal which earned him comparisons to the great Thierry Henry. Now it is much to early in his career to compare Marital to Henry, but the signs all look promising, and after appearing in both of the recent international fixtures, his first two appearances for the national side, Marital looks set for greatness and could be a star for France in next years championships. Another French youngster to watch for at next years tournament is Chelsea centre back Kurt Zouma. In his first full season with the club he helped them to a domestic double, earning early praise from fellow professionals for his mature performances despite his young age. Zouma has just turned 20 and appears to be improving with every performance, with this season the Frenchman looks like a first team regular for the English champions. A commanding centre back is something France has drastically missed in recent years, and Zouma could be the answer to their prayers.


Could this newly formed side of young talent bring about a change in the footballing world? Could the French be the next side to dominate international football? Only time will tell.


Holland. The Dutch national side is perhaps the biggest under achieving side in history. Considering the 'Total football' style of play revolutionising football and basically inventing the 4-3-3 formation, despite producing some of the best teams and the best players in history, The Netherlands have only ever won one major competition (European championships 1988). To put it into perspective, Holland have lost three world cup finals, the most of any national side to never win the competition, an incredible statistic which just shows how Holland struggle when the pressure is really on. However, their performance at the recent 2014 World Cup could suggest otherwise. Throughout much of the tournament, many people backed the Dutch to be Germany's closest rivals for the title, only eventually losing to Argentina in the semi-finals on penalties when perhaps they deserved to go through. On that basis the Dutch should be able to mount a strong challenge in France... If they get there. Despite being an early front runner, The Netherlands have struggled in their qualifying group as far. Now although they have struggled so far, you'd have to back them to qualify and if they do, the new look Dutch side could mount a real Challenge on the Germans.


The new Manchester United signing Memphis Depay could be a real catalyst of change in Holland, as he is one of the hottest prospects to come out of the country in years. The fee to United is a reported £25,000,000 and he has shown glimmers of the class which made the former Dutch manager Van Gaal spend that kind of money on him. Depay's style of football is one the resembles current Dutch captain Arjen Robben, one of the Dutch's best players over the last decade. If Depay continues with his development and grows up to meet those expectations, he could really help to push Holland to the top of world football. Holland have always been a side with class in abundance, particularly in its midfield, and the current side is no different. With veteran Wesley Sneijder still pulling the strings in the heart of the side, the young future stars of Holland's midfield have one of the very best to learn from. Davy Klassen is a player with a lot of hype surrounding him in the new look side. The Ajax attacking midfielder has had perhaps one of the biggest compliments you can have in Dutch football. Comparisons to Johan Cryuff. Now its far to early in the Holland career of Klassen to be saying he will be as good as the legendary number 14, but hearing those kind of things can only increase the confidence of the people of Holland, that perhaps a new era could be drawing close. One thing you cant do when talking about the Dutch national side is forget to talk about their captain. Arjen Robben. Some love him, some hate him but what no one can deny is that he has been Hollands best player for years, and despite getting older, is still producing the goods for his country every time he pulls on the famous orange shirt. Alongside Robben The Netherlands have a rich collection of veterans still producing for the side. Robin Van Persie, Klass Jan Hunterlaar, Wesley Sneijder and Nigel De Jong are all big names in Dutch football who are acting as teaching for the future of their national team, and keeping these names around for as long as they have mean that the young stars coming through are going to learn about the national side from the best.


Total football. An idea that changed football, but never gained to success it deserved, well maybe the new look Dutch side can finally bring their country the glory it has missed out on over the years.

The final side I will be looking at as a potential team to end the German reign of dominance is a side many teams backed as dark horses for last summers world cup but didn't live up to the hype. Belgium. A team with bags of potential, with a wide selection of stars of the footballing world and players who look like being future world beaters. Belgium have struggled on the world stage throughout most of the history of the game, with their best performance in a major tournament being finishing second in the 1980 European championships. Six years later they where knocked out in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in the most successful period in the countries football history but the team they have put together now has a possibility of challenging that period.

The 'red devil's' side boasts a strong combination of experienced veterans and young players with potential to be great. We'll start with the captain, Vincent Kompany. The Manchester City captain has lifted two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one Capital One cup in the last five years so he is more then use to success and brings the winning mentality the side will need. At 29 years old, despite being one of the oldest players in the current team, the skipper is certainly going to be leading his side out in France next year and that could be essential to their success. Kompany received plenty of criticism last season with poor performances, however at the start of this term we're seeing the best of the big Belgian again and it couldn't have come at a better time with Euro 2016 right around the corner. Now onto the man I cant see ending his career without a Ballon D'or to his name, Eden Hazard. The winger has came on massively since his move to Chelsea in 2012, and he is highly regarded as one of the best players in the world. The current PFA Player of the year is without a doubt the Belgium national sides biggest threat, and threat which could see them turn over even the traditional big guns in European football. Despite a slow start to this domestic season, the Chelsea number 10 is without a doubt of of the outstanding players in the world, and on top of that, possess the potential to grow into one of the best in the generation. Hazard could be a catalyst of change for his national side, and lead them to their first major title next year in France. Belgium boast some of the highest potential stars in the world right now, and Kevin De Bruyne is one of the most raved about members of the current side. Despite a unsuccessful spell at Chelsea, De Bruyne has continued to grow, and after regrouping at Wolfsburg, he returned to the Premier League for a record fee of £55,000,000. While watching the midfielder it is obvious why Manchester City spent that money, his play style has earned him comparisons to some of the greatest play makers in football, his game as a whole is a joy to watch and one that looks set to keep improving. De Bruyne proved he can handle himself on the big stage at last summers world cup, scoring the winning goal in extra time again the United States, which is one of seven international goals in his thirty appearances. The Premier Leagues most expensive player could play a pivotal role in Belgium's future success.

With a squad made up of experienced veterans and high potential youngsters, the dark horses of last years world cup could pose a real challenge in next years UEFA European Championships.

If the German dominance is to come to a stop any time soon, these three sides may have the best chance of doing it. One nation under a rebirth, one nation trying to fix their underachieving history, and another trying to get a permanent invited to the top table of world football. At Euro 2016 i personally believe Germany's dominance will continue, however they will be pushed all the way by the hosts, France. France are my pick to end the German dominance over the next few years.

Battle for bronze - Who is the third best in the world?

Football is very much an opinion based sport. Who is the best manager? The best team? The best League? The best national side? These questions and many more in the world of football are up for debate, but one thing is without any doubt, and that is who are the two best players in the world. In the last seven years these two players have won a clean sweep of Ballon D'ors, Lionel Messi (4) and Cristiano Ronaldo (3), these men are by far the two outstanding players on the planet right now, and perhaps two of the greatest of all time. Every year, these two players split opinions on who is the best in the world, both breaking incredible amount of records, and both producing stats that in any other era would be seen as unheard of, yet these two men produce them on a yearly basis.

With Messi and Ronaldo being so far ahead of the rest of the field, the right to be called the third best player in the world has become shrouded in mystery, as no one man has made a claim for that title to be 100% theirs. That is the question I will try to answer today.

 There are many players who can stake a claim to be the third best in the world, players such as Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, James Rodriguez and Andres Iniesta are all players who are right up there, however I will be focusing on the three players I believe are the top contenders for the third place crown. Luis Suarez, Neymar and Manuel Neuer. I will be looking at both team and individual success for these three world stars and try to decide who deserves to be standing next to Messi and Ronaldo at this year’s Ballon D'or ceremony.

 Lets start with the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner, Manuel Neuer. In the 2014 Ballon D'or (won by Cristiano Ronaldo) Neuer placed third, which officially makes him the third best player of 2014, but with those awards being nine months ago, you have to wonder if the Bayern Munich goalkeeper can still claim to be the world’s third best player. When voting for the Ballon D'or, the voters and judges take a few things into consideration, club & country success as well as personal performances. During 2014 Manuel Neuer was a big part of the Bayern Munich side which walked to the Bundesliga title, winning it in record time. His side also reached the Champions League semi-finals (falling out the Real Madrid, the eventual winners) and they finished runners up in the DFB - Pokal (German domestic cup), so on a club level the goalkeeper had a relatively high level of success. But the main contributing factors towards Neuer’s third place finish in the 2014 Ballon D'or was his international success. He was named in the team of the tournament in the 2014, and was also one of the stars of the show in Germany's winning campaign; he also won the golden glove for the tournament. During 2014, and in the couple of seasons before, Manual Neuer has been revolutionizing what it means to be a goalkeeper at the very highest level, playing very much a 'sweeper keeper' role. The unwritten rule over the years is that a goal keeper can never be the best player in the world, but after Neuer's 2014 he was very much within a shout of winning the Ballon D'or thanks to a combination of club & country success and the way he revolutionized his role.

 The next candidate I'm going to take a look at is Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker has massively improved his game in the last few years, leading to masses of individual success, and success at a club & international level. At the end of the 2015 Champions League, Suarez was placed second in the UEFA best player awards (losing to Lionel Messi), beating Cristiano Ronaldo who came in at third. Over the past few seasons individual awards have been plentiful for the Barcelona striker, in the 2013/2014 season, while at Liverpool, Suarez picked up the PFA Player of the year award, football writers player of the year award,  as well as finishing joint first in the UEFA Golden boot, with 31 goals. Suarez's Premier league tally of 31 is a joint record, and he did it without taking a single penalty all season, and missing a few games at the start of the season with suspension. But that brings me on to Suarez's weakness, his reputation. Over the years Luis Suarez has been involved in a lot of controversial situations many believe has hindered his individual success in the Ballon D'or, where despite his success in 2014, he wasn't even nominated for the title of the worlds best player. Suarez has been caught biting an opposition player three times, once while at Ajax which lead to an 8 game ban, once while at Liverpool which lead to a 10 game ban, and most controversially in the World Cup game between Italy and Uruguay, which lead to a ban from all domestic football until October, as well as a 9 game international ban. Originally Suarez was not able to attend training due to his ban, as well as being unable to attend charity events, clue projects; he also received a stadium ban, meaning... he wasn't even aloud to be in the club photo! While those extreme simulations where overturned, it remains one of the most extreme bans in football history. Not long after receiving the ban, Suarez was signed by Barcelona for a reported £75,000,000, although the number tends to vary. The season following his transfer saw Suarez play a key role in a historic treble for the Catalan giants Barcelona, and at the start of the 2015/16 season, he has already helped Barcelona secure the UEFA super cup title, taking his tally at Barcelona to four trophies in under a year! At an international level Suarez has also had levels of success, guiding Uruguay to the Copa America title in 2011, in which he won the player of the tournament.  Despite his controversial career, Suarez's levels of success individually and at a club & international level over the past few years, gives him a very strong case for the title of third best player in the world.

 And finally, the third world star I will be looking at today with a claim to the title of the world’s third best player is a player who many believe is one of the most gifted players of his generation, the Brazilian star Neymar. A player who has been hyped for greatness since a very early age, Neymar is very much in with a claim for the title of the worlds third best footballer. Now while Neymar is considerably younger then the two candidates I have looked at so far, he has used his time well and is one of the fastest growing stars in football. Neymar moved from Brazilian side Santos to Barcelona at the start of the 2013/2014 season, for a transfer fee that to this day is still debated, the fee released by Barcelona was 51,100,000 euros, however reports claim that the deal was in fact a world record transfer fee of 130,200,000 euros, however whether this will be proven is a completely different question. At a club level since Barcelona, Neymar has scored 54 goals in 92 games, a very impressive strike rate for a player who spends most of his time on the wings. Like the previous candidate Luis Suarez, Neymar played a very large part in Barcelona's largely successful 2014/2015 season, scoring in the Champions League final and the Copa Del Rey (Spanish domestic cup) final, proving that he has the quality to perform in the big games, a question commonly asked to young players at the biggest stage. As well as success at a club level, Neymar's international success is perhaps the reason he is seen as one of the world’s stars. At just the age of 23, Neymar has played 65 games for his country, scoring 44 goals, placing him fifth on the all-time record of Brazilian goal scorers. Neymar has provided goals for his country at every level, as has proven he can live up to the hype on the biggest stage of them all, the FIFA world cup. In the 2014 World Cup, Neymar won the bronze boot after finishing third top goal scorer with four goals, however Neymar was injured in the quarter final victory vs Columbia, meaning he was unable to complete the competition. Neymar collected four assists in the competition as well and was named in the team of the tournament. Neymar also lead Brazil to the 2013 Confederations Cup title, winning the golden ball as player of the tournament, and winning the bronze boot. Neymar's success at both club and international level shows he is without any shadow of doubt, a world star and at such a young age, he looks set to just get better and better!

 All three of these players have a very strong argument for being the third best in the world. Manuel Neuer's incredible 2014, and the way he has revolutionized the way we look at goalkeepers means it’s impossible to leave him out of this list. Luis Suarez's genius on the ball has lead his club and country to incredible amounts of success, as well as his goal scoring and all round play leading him to the most individual success on this least. And finally the Brazilian wonder kid Neymar, a player without a doubt who was born with a gift, his international record at such a young age is unheard of and he is almost certain to just keep getting better.

 After going over all of the arguments I personally believe that Luis Suarez has the biggest claim to the third best player in the world title, I believe his incredible success at every level over the last few seasons is just too hard to ignore.