Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Why the Dortmund man is NOT the answer to Arsenal's prayers.

I started quite the debate on Wednesday night when I said on Twitter (@HSJPalf) that I did NOT believe Aubameyang was the correct target for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, in their attempts to save their season and replace Alexis Sanchez. This brought quite a reaction from Arsenal fans, defending the striker as if he was already a Gunner. However the man from Gabon is still very much a Dortmund player, despite the German club stating they would sell their number 17 if the money was right. Having been left out of the Dortmund side yesterday in the Bundesliga, Arsenal fans have declared that the deal is done. This is very much not the case, which if you ask me, is a blessing in disguise for Arsenal. Before another set of Arsenal fans attempt to crucify me, let me explain myself.

Disclaimer: I am in no way saying Aubameyang would be a bad signing for Arsenal. He will score goals. There is a reason he has attracted the attention in the first place. He is a top drawer striker. 

Now... to the real reason you clicked on this.

The statement I made that really angered the Arsenal contingency on Twitter was as follows. 

"I've been saying it for years. Aubameyang is a Balotelli. Bags and bags of talent, but such a p*** poor attitude meaning that he's more of a hindrance then a help. Why have Bayern Munich stayed way away from signing Dortmund's best player for the first time in a decade? Attitude." 

Minor exaggeration? Perhaps. But I stand by everything I said. The Gabonese front man has created more headline for his off the pitch antics in the last year then he has for his performances in a Dortmund shirt. His flamboyant lifestyle has drawn attention of social media football fans all around the world, in particular his chrome Porsche super car. Turning up late to training has became a trait of Aubameyang, and club rules put in place by manager Peter Stoger have been quick to be broken. 

The details of Aubamyang's actions have been hard to come by, but the indication is that there is more then meets the eye. The striker's attitude has always been an issue, and despite a desire to back their man at all times in the past, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke and Sporting Director Michael Zorc have both publicly criticised P.E.A in recent weeks. 

Reports also coming from the Dortmund camp indicating that the players have tired with the extremely long least Aubameyang is being restrained with by the Dortmund hierarchy. Reportedly expressing their concerns with the board in a recent meeting. 

Comments made on Aubameyang's attitude aren't solely coming from Dortmund or irrelevant journalists on the internet. But also from outside sources, namely Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes. The legendary manager was quoted referring to the want away striker as a 'rotten apple' and that in the footballing world, a players attitude does not suddenly change when moving to another club. These comments, supported by Frankfurt coach Niko Kovac, were meant as a warning to Arsenal.

An argument can be made that this attitude is a result of Pierre's desire to leave Dortmund. And to that I say. Coutinho wanted away from Liverpool, as did Luis Suarez. Alexis wanted out of Arsenal. All world superstars on the level of Aubameyang. All openly and publicly wanted out. But the key difference is not none of them went to every extreme to force a move through breaking club rules. The attitude shown by the Gabonese striker is not one you find with all want away footballers, just the ones with a lack of respect for their employers. This lack of respect that surely will not be tolerated at Arsenal. A club, ran by the men at the very top. Arsene Wenger is said to have a huge amount of power at the North London club due to his long tenure in charge. Any manager to follow you imagine will not have this same power. So suddenly, no amounts of goals could protect Aubameyang from the board who run Arsenal like a business more then any club in the land. They will likely not see the goals tally, but more likely they will see a negative public imagine on their club, due to the business of their striker. And in the business world, what happens to an employee bringing the business into disrepute? They get fired.

It appears clear that Dortmund have given up with Aubameyang, and wish to move on. No figure has been stated, just a statement that should Arsenal meet their requirements, they get their man.

Now a big part of Aubameyang's recent almost exile from BVB has been the players distaste to his actions. I'll keep this one short. P.E.A's attitude and lifestyle will not change should he get his move to Arsenal. So imagine this. It's late April, early May 2018. Arsenal have no silverware to their name (providing Manchester City beat them in the League Cup final, and how could you back against Pep's side!) Out of the title race, and are struggling to or perhaps even certain to fail in their race for a top four place. Imagine the reaction on the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, and other senior members of the squad when Aubameyang rolls up to training. Once again, is his chrome Porsche, late, laughing and joking, filming something for Twitter, or Instagram. All while he earns over £200,000 a week. And while his team mates are working hard to try and save a decidedly poor season. That would get anyone's backs up, and just like that, the distaste for Pierre has made its way to North London. 

The signing of a big player will raise the moral temporarily in any side, it is then up to said player to keep that moral boosting. Not infuriate his team mates, something I am certain it will take the now former Dortmund striker mere moments to accomplish.

Coming back to that point about moral. Yes, a big name signing would always raise the moral of a side. But, in this case. Does that signing absolutely, 100%, have to be Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

Let's look at this logically. Arsenal are a club riddled with issues. Top players wanted out, fans wanting their manager out, the board seemingly not caring about on the picture results. Not to mention the contract debacle that saw Alexis leave for a snip of what he is worth, and could lead to the departure of Ozil and Wilshere this summer. So if you have £50 million to play with, why spend that money on a man who will simply add more fuel to the fire?

And to this I say. Edison Cavani.

Now I'm not saying I am a member of Arsenal's recruitment team (It seems to me that they actually seem to pay far less attention to actual football then they should!) But if I was, I would say this to them.

"So we have a lot of money and want a big name signing. How about, just a thought. Instead of a player who is a known trouble maker, we sign a professional."

To this I am met with a round of boo's (In my mind the Arsenal recruitment team are Arsenal fan TV) and they all tell me that Aubameyang's attitude is nothing when you look at his goals. So my response is.

"Yes but how about we sign someone who is a true professional as well as a brilliant goal scorer."

Who? Who? Who? (The recruitment team are now the New Day.)

"Why not Edison Cavani? Doing virtually no research will tell you that last season, in Aubameyang's best ever season for goals, Cavani out-scored him. He also averaged more goals per game then Pierre, had a better pass success rate which would play a big part when you consider Arsenal's style of play and he registered double the amount of assists. And that is just in the league. He out-scored Aubameyang in the Champions League too. And despite being deployed out wide for much of his time at PSG, a tactical decision Edison clearly was not fond on. He still played to an incredibly high standard and showed a first class attitude for the good of the team."

But Cavani is older then Aubameyang (As someone pointed out on Twitter the other night as if I had no idea.)

"Irrelevant. Cavani is a goal scorer, who is not incredibly quick, not a muscle bound Goliath, and despite being by no means short, he is only 6ft, so no giant either. And yet look at his goal record. He is a goal scorer with a goal scorer's brain. You never forget how to get into the right positions and you never forget how to put the ball in the back of the net. You never lose it despite your age. But do you know what you do lose? Physical traits. You know, like speed. Aubameyang's number one goal scoring tool. At 28, Pierre will probably have two, maybe three years before those legs can't carry him at an incredible speed anymore. At 30 years old Cavani is in the best form of his life as his knowledge of the game grows, and I don't think it's overly dramatic to say I can see him being a better player in three years time then he is now.

And now the recruitment team say to me that Aubameyang wants away from Dortmund, making the deal just a case of paying the correct fee, not convincing the player to leave a club he loves. (Again, this makes me question how much football this group of people watch.)

"Again, an irrelevant point. Because one, you could convince virtually any striker to move if you offer them a big enough pay packet (sad but true) And two, this in no way makes the Cavani deal a non starter because of one name. Neymar. The Uruguayan striker is clearly frustrated and sick of PSG's record signing. Sick of being pushed to second and potentially even third in command after Mbappe, and sick of his achievements being over looked. (He is now PSG's all time leading scorer.) Cavani would not take much convincing to come to North London.

I feel like this has gotten away from me a little bit, but to put it simply. The point I am making is that Arsenal should sign a big name to bring about a rise in moral within the club. But that signing should be a player who ticks all of the boxes. A player who wants to be there, be part of the side, only ever help the club grow as well as providing the goods between the white lines. Not a flamboyant trouble maker who's goals aren't enough for his current club to put up a fight to hold onto him.

The only reason I can think of for choosing Aubameyang above all else is his relationship with Henrikh Mkhitaryan. At Dortmund the two were sublime together, and with Mkhitaryan moving to Arsenal in a swap for Alexis, a chance to rebuild their connection could be what Arsenal are after. Which is a very fair point, but to this I'd say that quality always recognises quality. The great players player their best football with the other great players. Yes a ready made connection is a way to fast track to success, but that's not to say that Mkhitaryan couldn't play to the same standard with any other team mate.

Now watch this, in true style, P.E.A will complete his move to Arsenal, become a perfect professional and fire in goal after goal. In the unlikely event of this happening I am ready to stand corrected.

I feel as if Arsenal, a club in such turmoil need stability, and this move is just not a way to get it. 

How on earth do you spend £147 million?

So... Barcelona finally got their man. £147 million is what it took for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp to finally let go of their number 10. The 'little magician' Philipe Coutinho. Now the Merseyside club find themselves with a huge transfer kitty but without their best player.


However, the month is still young. With 24 days left until the transfer window slams shut, Liverpool have to act fast. But simply, how do you spend £147 million in just over three weeks?


Step one - Thomas Lemar.


Despite a deceivingly average first half of the season, the French midfielder has bags of ability. And he contains plenty of the same traits as the man he would be replacing. Excellent on the ball, with a technical prowess unmatched by his team mates at Monaco, it's easy to see why Klopp has been so keen to get him in. A brilliant eye for a pass, as well as a keen ability to shot from range, Lemar is Coutinho if the Brazilian was French. One more plus point is the Frenchman's ability from dead ball situations, a trait of Coutinho's that will perhaps be missed the most. So the addition of Monaco's number 27 could go a long way to filling the hole at Anfield.

Reports are coming out now saying that the club WON'T try to sign Lemar in January. This appears to be down to Monaco's insistence that they will not sell. However, that doesn't rule out a pre contract agreement. £70 million and a sell on clause could persuade Monaco to let him sign for Liverpool on July 1st.


 Persistence is key in this market to get the man you want. Much like Barcelona's constant attempts to sign Coutinho, Liverpool should employ similar tactics to bring in Lemar.


 £147 million - £70 million = £77 million remaining.


 Step two - A NEW number one.


 Simon Miglonet and Loris Karius. Both keeper had shown signs of greatness before signing for LFC. And both keepers appear to have lost it almost instantly. It's time for change between the sticks and  anyone involved with the club can clearly see, if there is one position Liverpool can't compete with the other top 6 teams in. It's in goal.


 So where, and more accurately, who is the money invested in next?

 Roma's Alisson and Atleti's Oblack both are rumoured to be targets. Now if LFC stuck the whole £77 million left from the sale of Coutinho on Oblack, it MIGHT be enough for Atleti to sell. I haven't seen enough of Alisson to compare him to Oblack, but he looks far and away better then what Klopp currently has at his disposal. And much like Ederson to city, could be a wise investment. Around 30 million seems like a sensible price as that is the current record signing fee for a goal keeper (Ederson from Benfica to Man City in the sumer of 2017.)


 Also reports that Mignolet could be used as part of a swap? The addition of the Belgian keeper to the deal would see the asking price fall and get a big wage bill off of the books. Let's say then the club pay £25 million + Mignolet for Alisson.


 £77 million - £25 million (And Mignolet) = £52 million remaining.


 Step three - Van Dijk's centre back partner.


 With £52 million left after the signings of Lemar and Alisson, you could argue the remaining money could be invested in two or three players to help boost the squad. And to this point I say. Liverpool need another centre back. VVD looked completely comfortable and at ease during his debut against Everton in the FA Cup. But, frighteningly better then his partner, Joel Matip. Now the likes of Matip, Klavan or Lovren would make for suitable rotation players, but no more then that. If Klopp is to take his team to the places he sees, Van Dijk needs a partner up to his standards.

Now this is tricky, as over the last six months the only defender talked about joining Liverpool was VVD, with other names and rumours being turned aside almost instantly. Klopp set on getting his man and refusing a plan b. However one name sticks on the head. Koulibaly.


 Napoli (in the summer) were reportedly looking to offload the defender, for a fee of around £57 million. Now while they challenge for the title in Italy, I imagine they would not be looking to sell Mane's international team mate. And i'm sure, with January very much being a sellers market, Napoli would be in no rush to change their minds again. However though. Much like Mignolet being part of the deal to bring Alisson to the club, maybe Klopp could persuade Napoli with a name. Dejan Lovren. Dejan. With the signing of a new centre back, in the eyes of most at least, would fall to AT LEAST fifth choice centre back. Behind the likes of VVD, Matip, Klavan and of course the new addition, in this case, Koulibaly. And this is without taking into consideration the rapid improvement of youngster Joe Gomez, which, by the summer, could see Lovren as Klopp's sixth choice.


 An offer of £45 - £50 million for Koulibaly, with Lovren added for good measure, could be enough to tempt Napoli into selling.


 £52 million - £50 million (And Lovren) = £2 million remaining.


 That does actually leaves £2 million, which we'll just say FSG can keep. So for the £147 million the club will make for Coutinho, Klopp gets: his first choice replacement in Lamar; a potentially world class keeper in Alisson; and solid partner for VVD in Koulibaly.


As well as two big wages bills off of the books in Mignolet and Dejan and FSG still turn a profit. Then January ends, February begins and the club push on. Right now, Liverpool are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League next season, a competition they are still in this time around, facing FC Porto in the round of 16. Klopp's side are also still within a shot of winning the FA Cup, Liverpool being one of the favourites at this stage.


 And then, just like that, the season ends. The world cup happens over the summer, and then it all starts over again. But in this scenario, Klopp has HIS team, a side he has built, and a side he will mould to go on and do great things.


 (Or they'll just blow the whole £147 million on Southampton players like Liverpool did with the Suarez money!)

The calm before the storm - The day before deadline day.

August 31st is a strange day for football, the summer transfer deadline day! Over 100 days for clubs to do their business and over the years so many have left it right until the last minute to bring in the players they want for the upcoming season. This summer has been one of, if not the most, crazy transfer periods in football history. We have already seen the first two £100 million + players this summer, and could very possibly have a third and a fourth by 11pm tomorrow. So many clubs spending way over the odds for players in a market so overran with TV money, that no clubs REALLY need to sell. Some of Europe's giants have floundered, not willing to put their hand into their pockets, while others have spent fortunes. So much can happen between now and the window closing, and I am going to go into what could be making the back pages when August becomes September.

Coutinho to Barcelona - Okay, so lets start with the big one, the longest running story of the summer so far! I have written an entire article on the Coutinho saga already, so in summary. Barcelona want Coutinho, Liverpool don't want to sell Coutinho, Coutinho hands in and sees his transfer request rejected, Coutinho has a 'back injury' (back injuries are notoriously used when a player wants out of his contract as it's close to impossible to tell if the player involved is lying) and hasn't played or trained for Liverpool while the saga has gone on. However what has changed in the past 48 hours is that, Coutinho has been training for Brazil, and has been cleared fully fit by the national teams doctors. This all but proves his injury was entirely fabricated by either Coutinho or his representatives. Also this week it was reported that the Brazilian has asked NOT to be in the Champions League squad for Liverpool, this is because if he was to play for Liverpool in the competition and then sign for Barcelona in January, he would be cup tied and unable to play for the Catalan club in said competition. With all of this going on, Barcelona's final offer of £148 million is still on the table, and within the last hour Coutinho has reportedly sent a message to Klopp saying if he is not allowed to join Barcelona, there is no going back. Stating that things will never go back to normal, from both a performance and relationship stand point. It is being reported that Liverpool and FSG are close to caving to Coutinho's demands and representatives of the club are on their way to Barcelona to finalise the deal. If the deal is completed the Brazilian will become the second most expensive player of all time, over taking Barcelona's newest signing Dembele from Dortmund for a reported total of £138 million. For the first time in weeks this deal looks like it is going to happen, but where does that leave Liverpool? Well...

Liverpool (Van Dijk, Lemar and Oxlade-Chamberlain) - ... I right now can say with confidence, Liverpool don't really need Coutinho. Now before I am attacked by thousands of Coutinho fans, of which I am one, I am not saying it wouldn't be a huge loss for the reds to lose their number 10. From a technical standpoint he is in a class of one, and throughout the summer I have been firmly behind Klopp's stance to insist he stays. But not only have Liverpool looked sublime going forward early in the season, knocking in 14 goals in 5 games so far. The huge injection of funds could lead to the few deals currently in the pipeline being pushed over the line. At the time of writing this Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is scheduled for a medical with the club, transfer fee and contract negotiations have both been finalised and the deal is all but done. Naby Keita FINALLY completed his move to Liverpool earlier this week, however will not join the club until the summer of 2018 but this is still a massive step going forward for the club. The question marks are around two players who could both break Liverpool's transfer record, Thomas Lemar and Virgil Van Dijk. Starting with the French wide man Lemar, this deal looks certain to be completed if Coutinho does leave. Liverpool have offered a reported £60 million so far and Monaco have demanded £70 million, that extra 10 million will feel like pocket change to FSG should Barcelona get their man. The French international is one of the brightest young stars in football today and has been linked with a move to Arsenal all summer, however over the last couple of days it appears his has his eyes on a move to Anfield. He will offer a very similar ' it factor '  to Liverpool's side that will be lost with Coutinho, and should the move be over the line by 11pm tomorrow it could be huge for Jurgen Klopp and his side. Reports are also coming from France that, despite an offer not yet being agreed, Monaco has given Lemar permission to undertake his Liverpool medial TONIGHT.

And then of course, we get to the only saga more messy then Coutinho to Barcelona this summer... Virgil Van Dijk. The player was on his way to Liverpool months ago, however Southampton reported Liverpool for tapping up and the deal was dead in the water. However over the last two days it appears Liverpool are making one final swing at it. No offer has been made official yet but it is suggested that a £75 million offer will be made, and there is massively contrasting reports going around suggesting how likely the deal is to be completed. Now I am fairly confident a bid will be placed tomorrow, the problem lays with how committed Southampton are to sticking to their guns to 'sell to anyone apart from Liverpool'. If Van Dijk was to sign I feel like Liverpool could place a claim for the best transfer window out of any Premier League side. It will be a case of better late then never, but the Dutch centre back is exactly what Klopp needs in the heart of his defence, and the Southampton captain is improving every day. Without a transfer Van Dijk will be left, it appears, to rot in the reserves for the remainder of the season and maybe beyond and with no other buyers coming in as of yet, Liverpool seem to be back in the drivers seat. It could all of course be a case of wishful thinking on the part of the reporters, Southampton have given off no indication what so ever that they will sell Van Dijk, and until an offer if officially made there is no confirmation that Liverpool are even going in for him. However I can see this deal in particular being VERY active over the next 24 hours.

Alexis to Manchester City - Alexis Sanchez played his first game back for Arsenal at the weekend in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. A picture really can tell a thousand words. It has been clear all summer the Chilean has no intention of staying at Arsenal, and he has been linked with many clubs in the process. However only one has came in for the man, and that club is Manchester City. On Monday, City came in with a £50 million offer, which was instantly shot down by Arsenal. It has been clear since day one that Arsenal do not want to sell, and Wenger would rather Alexis ran down his contract then left for money this window. So £50 million, in today's market, does seem a little low for a player of Sanchez's ability. It is however being reported that Arsenal would be willing to consider a money plus player offer, with Raheem Sterling being used to account for the rest. City favour a straight money deal (of course they are the richest club in the world) but it has been reported that Sterling would be open to the idea, as the signing of Sanchez would see him fall down the pecking order at the Etihad, this despite his impressive start to the season. Manchester City are reportedly coming back in with an improved offer, whether or not that will include Sterling is another matter. I feel like this is a move that has been dragged out so much longer then it should have been, Manchester City have made their approach so late they risk not getting their man at all. And Arsenal have held onto him, expecting their number 7 to still be the same player he was for them last season, but against Liverpool he looked like a shadow of his former self, he simply doesn't care. For the sake of the player, both clubs involved, and the fans who want to see a world class footballer play some world class football, I do hope and expect this deal to be finalised by the deadline.

Mbappe to PSG - A deal that has flown relatively under the radar with everything else that has been going on, and it is perhaps the most interesting! Teenage Kylian Mbappe fired himself into the limelight in last season's Champions League and the world has't stopped talking about him since. When it became apparent that he wanted out of Monaco, the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid have been rumoured to be coming in for the Frenchman. However it looks as if he will be staying in France, just moving to the capital and Paris Saint Germain. That's right, PSG are set to spend close to £200 million for the second time this summer, but much like the Neymar signing, the details of the transfer are really quite strange. Mbappe is to sign for a reported £166 million... next summer... after a season long loan at PSG. This is purely to give the French club more time 'balance the books' to ensure they stay within the guidelines of financial fair play. The signing of Neymar would make this impossible if the permanent switch was made this summer, and what is even more strange is Monaco agreeing to this. The current champions of France could get £100 million + for Mbappe from several clubs around the world, but they're willing to not only sell to their main rivals, but in such a way that PSG are likely to avoid reciprocation for violating FFP. Now although the deal is yet to be agreed to by all parties, Monaco have jumped the gun and announced the signing of Stevan Jovetic, and the forward was given Mbappe's number 10 to wear for the season. Mbappe will potentially become one of four players to be signed for north of £100 million this summer, and this is even more incredible when you consider Mbappe is 18 years old. If this deal comes off and Mbappe can help PSG push for the Champions League this season, and he continues to grow then it is great for all parties, what is essential however is that the teenager does not let the huge figures get to his head. It was however reported earlier this month that, when in contact with Real Madrid, Mbappe demanded a wage so high that the Madrid representatives simply responded with 'good luck in Paris'. A wage demand so high that even Real Madrid won't pay it, hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come and we have a new Thiery Henry on our hands and not another Mario Balotelli.

And the rest (Renato, Aurier, Barkley, Drinkwater, Sakho) - I'm just going to run through the 5 Premier League deals that, although won't end up going around the world, could have huge impacts for the future. Renato Sanches, Euro 2016 winner, 2016 Golden Boy winner, £30 million move to Bayern Munich, on loan to Swansea City. Pick the odd one out. Swansea manager Paul Clement worked as Carlo Ancelotti's number two at Bayern before taking the job in Wales, and this incredible deal you can imagine is down to the managers contacts within Bayern Munich. Spurs are FINALLY spending some money, Serge Aurier of PSG has been granted his work permit and with negotiations progressing at a very fast pace, Pochettino could finally have his Kyle Walker replacement. Ross Barkley was told if he did not sign the contract offered to him in May that he would have no future at Everton, yet the club have rejected an offer from Chelsea for the Englishman? A £25 million offer was turned down by the Toffee's, the champions however are ready to come back with an improved offer! This isn't the last you will hear of this. Another English midfielder who could be on his way to Chelsea is Danny Drinkwater. The Leicester man has handed in his transfer request, and a £40 million move is on the table. No official approach has been made by Chelsea, this is all just a rumour at this point, but reportedly both parties are very keen on the deal being completed, and with Chelsea in need of more squad players, Drinkwater could fit that bill. Liverpool and mainly Jurgen Klopp have been trying to push Sakho out of the door for over a year now, however when Liverpool finally received an offer for the French centre back, an offer of £25 million from Crystal Palace, it was rejected. Liverpool are holding out for £30 million for the defender, but Palace are confident they can get the deal done before the deadline. Much like Southampton with Van Dijk, there is really no point Liverpool keeping Sakho for him to rot in the reserves.

No matter how many potential deals you cover in the build up to the final day, there simply is no way to predict deadline day. In a summer where we have seen records broken and history made, it would not be at all surprising to see this years deadline day be the busiest ever.

The Coutinho Saga - Are both Liverpool and Barcelona trying too hard to prove a point?

In the last game of the 2016/2017 Premier League season, an inspired performance by the amply named 'little magician' saw Liverpool secure a place in the top four, and Coutinho's status as a fan favourite was solidified even further. A very impressive season, alongside signing a new 5 year deal to make the Brazilian the highest paid player in the clubs history, Liverpool's number 10 appeared at home at Anfield and set for a long and fruitful future at the club, under the leadership of manager Jurgen Klopp. Then came the summer, and the yearly rumour mill started up again. Instantly 'Coutinho to Barcelona' was published in every news outlet across England and Spain. Liverpool, and particularly Jurgen Klopp were adamant, Coutinho was not for sale at any price. The deal appeared to be dead in the water, and with no official bid made, it looked as if Philipe would be playing his football at Anfield for another year. And then... well let's start from the beginning.

£200 million. That is how much Barcelona received for the sale of Neymar to PSG. Now due to the extraordinary details of the transfer, unlike most big money moves in football, the full amount was paid instantly, not in instalments which seems to be the trend right now. And just like that, Neymar was off. What were the details of the transfer? I'm glad you asked! Due to Spanish transfer laws, a club can not pay out a buyout clause, only the player himself can. So the Qatari owners of PSG paid Neymar a reported £400 million, half of it was to be used to pay his way out of his contract with the Catalan club, the other half to work as a representative during the 2022 World Cup. Neymar then signed a deal with PSG. So effectively Qatar bought Neymar, not PSG. At no point did the £200 million directly go through the French club, meaning they theoretically can't be touched by financial fair play rules. It's both genius and incredibly dodgy but it's Qatar? What more did you really expect? Anyway back to Coutinho. So all of a sudden, Barcelona had a massive Neymar sized hole in their side, and an extra £200 million to play with. Now Barcelona have always been a rich club, but have shied away from spending the real big bucks, the kind of money the likes of their huge rivals Real Madrid spend on their 'galacticos'. The philosophy has always been to grow players from within, to find a replacement in their youth set ups. But this was different. This wasn't the typical, an older player fading out as a young up and comer pushes through the ranks. This was a Balon D'or nominated, world beater, the proclaimed future of the club being taken, and they simply did not and do not have the time for a youngster to grow up to Neymar's level, so they need a replacement now! SO what did they do? Well they needed a replacement. Typically someone good on the ball. Capable of playing wide left but also able to drift inside. Someone the Catalan fans would love, and someone who appeared quiet enough to play under Messi. Also a Brazilian would be a big bonus. Who had Barcelona already contacted this summer? Who had they been interested in for years? I don't know why I'm asking all of these questions, it's been obvious since I wrote the title... It's Coutinho. Now the signing of the Brazilian midfielder had initially been seen as a way to keep Neymar around, with him and Philipe being childhood friends. But since that was first theorised Countiho has grown into a world star, a simply incredible player and a perfect fit for Barca.

Barcelona had to show their intentions, so an official bid was made. £90 million! A bid that, a month earlier, would have been a world record amount. Rejected. Liverpool's owners FSG held their stance, Coutinho was not for sale. At this point we had heard nothing from the player himself. Barcelona come in with a second offer, reported to be around £100 million plus add ons. Rejected! Still no word from Coutinho, it looked as if Liverpool were being true to their word. But then came one of the most confusing days of the summer for Liverpool fans.

10th August 2017 -

10am - FSG gave out an emphatic statement, saying that, under no circumstance will any offer for Coutinho be considered. Shutting the door on ANY possibility of the number 10 signing for Barcelona.

11am - Jurgen Klopp repeats FSG's comment in a press conference. Stating that FSG had been 100% on their stance with the Coutinho rumours.

1:30pm - Coutinho's family hit out at FSG and Klopp. Criticising the club for the way they handle their big players and their wishes to leave, quoting Luis Suarez. This criticism was meant to have came straight from Coutinho's mouth.

2:30pm - Reports leaked to the media that Coutinho had 'emailed' in a transfer request. Almost instantly afterwards more reported suggested that FSG had rejected the request.

3pm - Liverpool Football Club release a statement that they have not received a request of any sort from Coutinho or his party.

5pm - Liverpool confirm they have received a transfer request from Philipe Coutinho, and officially refuse it. Once again stating that he will not be going anywhere.

With the news of a transfer request being handed in, Barcelona continued their pursuit of Coutinho, which brings us to Friday 18th August, Barcelona approach Liverpool with an offer in the sum of £114 million. Which, of course, was rejected immediately. But this is where it gets strange. Barcelona stated that Liverpool had until 8pm on Sunday 20th August to reconsider and accept the offer, or they would end their pursuit of Coutinho. Now Barcelona know they're offering an amount way over the odds for Coutinho, and you'd imagine in any other summer,  Liverpool would accept. But Liverpool had been and continue to be very stern with their stance, so the ultimatum just indicates that Liverpool have won, when in reality. No one really has won.

Okay so that brings us to today, the 8pm deadline has passed, so Barcelona have reportedly ended their interest in the Brazilian. It's been two weeks since the deal for Neymar to leave was drawn out, and we have just 11 days left in this summer's transfer window, and Barcelona have just wasted 2 weeks chasing a player they were told months ago would not be joining them. Why? Pride. That's why. Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but right now, they don't look so good in the eyes of the world. They have, as I previously mentioned, just lost one of their big hitters in Neymar. Also they were humbled, twice in the space of four days, by Real Madrid in the Spanish super cup, as summers go it's been a very poor one! That could be why the Coutinho deal is so big to them, because a genuine star, with bags of potential, coming to Barcelona could help to mask the summer that has been nothing other then a failure so far. Simply put, Barcelona aren't used to being told no. Even though Coutinho has handed in a transfer request, and his representatives have spoken of his desire to play for Barca, the deal is no further along. The idea of 'player power' that has been growing for years usually means that if a player wants a move, he gets that move. But as we've seen this summer with Keita, Van Dijk, (More on them later) and Diego Costa, potentially the power is swinging back in the clubs favour, and contracts are starting to mean something again! Now, as a Liverpool fan, I know just how good Coutinho is, he is world class, but £114 million? No amount of 30 year screamers will make Philipe worth that kind of money! So why are Barcelona offering it? Because their pride won't let them come out. They're being stubborn, almost like a child who loses his toy, they'll kick us a fuss until they get what they want. After being seen to be weak all summer, a monumental deal would be enough to show Barcelona still are a world power house. Barcelona could have gone after Eden Hazard, you'd imagine £80/£90 million would be enough for bring the Belgian to Spain? Even Garath Bale from Real. Yes he'd cost silly money but Madrid are looking to sell the Welshman to raise funds and... Barcelona are offering silly money for Coutinho. But now the deadline has passed they'll probably move on to another target right? Well actually reports are suggesting Barcelona are lining up a 4th bid... with 11 days left in the transfer window, for a player they've been told, over and over and over, will not be joining them for any amount of money. It appears that, in the eyes of anyone, football fan are not, the Catalan giants are trying to prove they're just that, giants. In a year where their main rivals have towered above them, Barcelona are throwing their weight around to prove they're still number one, and that seems to result in offering insane amounts of money for Coutinho. SO why have Liverpool said no? Well...

Pride. Yes I'm saying that both of the sides are coming out as losers because of their pride. Let's go back a couple of months, to when Liverpool looked set to bring in both Keita and Virgil Van Dijk. Now the accusations posed by Southampton towards Liverpool are mainly what stopped the deal for Virgil to join Liverpool, afterwards the Saints have been very clear, holding strong 'We will not sell to Liverpool.' And then we have Keita. Since day one, RB Leipzig said their big midfielder was not for sale. But Liverpool kept going in. £40 million bid, £50 million bid, £60 million bid, all categorically rejected. Leipzig, much like Southampton, stood by their word and would not budge. What Leipzig and Southampton have done to Liverpool is exactly what Liverpool have done to Barcelona, despite all along, the bidding club looked the favourite because of the numbers being thrown around, the selling club saw no need and had no desire to sell. You'd imagine the way clubs have dealt with Liverpool this summer has effected the way they have dealt with Barcelona. Taking the power away from the players and giving it back to the club. So good for Liverpool right? Staying strong and keeping hold of their best player right? The same player who, hasn't been in the squad for the first three games of the season due to an 'injury', an 'injury' barely mentioned by anyone surrounded by Liverpool as it appears simply Coutinho has no desire to play for the club while this all goes on. Either that or Klopp doesn't want to play the want away Brazilian. So the German currently has a £114 million midfielder, sat at home, not playing, not training, all to prove a point? Let's just look at that number again... £114 million! That is a massively over inflated price for Coutinho, if Barca had came in with that offer BEFORE the problems with Keita and Virgil, Liverpool you'd imagine would have snapped Barca's hand off to accept it. In a summer where FSG seem reluctant to spend the money promised, bar the primary targets of Salah, Keita and Van Dijk no one of note has even been considered, and a huge injection of cash could lead to Liverpool reinvesting in their incredibly leaky defence and light weight midfield. Lets face it, with or without Coutinho, Livepool will score goals. Going forward they have the numbers, they have the depth, it's everywhere else where the problem lays. With the potential money for Coutinho, Klopp could have bought in 3 or 4 players to go straight into the bottom two thirds of the side, and to give much needed depth to the squad. An incredibly thin squad being asked to play in four competitions this season. In yesterday's victory against Palace, Klopp named a weakened side to 'rest' certain players ahead of the Champions League qualifier in the coming week. There is NOTHING wrong with that... four months into the season. But the SECOND league game of the season! If that doesn't show how paper thin Liverpool's squad is nothing will. From my point of view, I can see more positives from Coutinho leaving then i can from him staying, well I'd have said that if this had taken place two months ago. But now, with the season started and only 11 days left until the transfer window slams shut, Jurgen Klopp could find himself in the same position as Barcelona if he does sell. Trying to replace your best player with very little time to go. And in a market like this one, where as £114 million would have bought  3 or 4 guaranteed world beaters two months ago, now that isn't a guarantee. Clubs simply have enough money now that they have no need to sell, and if they are to sell their star players, they ask for incredibly high sums. (See almost every Everton signing so far.) So what are we left with? I'd say, right now, Liverpool simply can't sell Coutinho, one because there is no time to replace him, and two because they'd look incredibly weak after holding such a strong stance all summer.

As I've mentioned already there is 11 days left in the transfer window, and Barcelona are still without a replacement for Neymar and are looking the weakest they've looked in years. With a thin squad, and a new manager with an incredible lack for experience who looks way out of his depth. Not to mention ageing top stars and a lack of youngsters to integrate into the team, as well as Real Madrid looking stronger by the day, leaving the Catalonian's in the dust. Then we have Liverpool, who have held onto their star so far, but he is either refusing to play or the manager has no desire to play him. Their squad simply isn't big enough to fight on all fronts this season and the problems from last time out haven't been addressed so far in the window due to lack of investment. When, I say again, they have a £114 million midfielder who hasn't played a single minute of football during the first three games of the season.

Both Barcelona and Liverpool are five time European champions. Both sides are the second most successful side in their domestic leagues history, and both sides have had very busy transfer windows without getting much work done at all. Both the English and the Spanish side have done everything they can to look strong this summer, to look like they won't back down, and somehow, are both worse off then they were before this whole ordeal began. So who has came out the worse?

Well if Liverpool, get Coutinho to play for them again, and he reaches the heights of last season. As well as finally investing in their defence and bring in some depth before the end of the window, I'm sure fans will see this summer as a positive.

And if Barca do now show the intelligence to stop with their pursuit of Coutinho, and instead complete a move for the likes of Hazard, or much more likely the Frenchman Dembele from Dortmund, they will have saved face. If new manager Ernesto Valverde can take the world record sum his club received for Neymar, and spend it on much needed reinforcements for their squad, then Barca could save their season before it really gets bad!

Only time will tell if either of these sides have made a good decision with their actions this summer, but you can't deny it has made for very good viewing! And hopefully good reading.

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!

Chinese Super league - What Just Happened?

It's been threatening to for a while, but it appears the Chinese Super league is finally making its claim to become a new power house of world football. As another rather uneventful January transfer window in England has drawn to a close, the window in China is still open, and the incredible list of player who have taken the journey to China is continuing to grow. After Didier Drogba signed for Shanghai Shenhua in 2012, the Chinese league appeared to calm down for a period, with only a few top name players moving to the country, and much like the MLS, these players where heading towards the back end on their career, which makes this January's transfer spectacular even more incredible!

With still two weeks to go in their winter transfer window, the top tier of Chinese football has seen a staggering £105,445,598.18 spend on incoming players so far, comfortably topping the English Premier Leagues spending for this window and making it the highest spending league in the world for the winter window. As well as this, four of the top five spending individual clubs in this window have been Chinese, with only Norwich City bucking the trend. Now, we have seen obscure leagues spend incredible money on a lot of big name players in the past, the most recent examples being the MLS, bringing in the likes of Kaka, David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo all in a short space of time, the reason why this Chinese spending spree is so different and is making the whole football world take note is that, these players are not only big names, but still in the prime of their career and could force their way into some of the top teams in world football. Former Arsenal winger Gervinho made the jump this window, as did Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin and the ever present, now former Chelsea deep lying midfielder Ramires. However, the two biggest deal of the window both broke the record transfer fee for Chinese football, and both 100% made the world of football stand back and watch, especially those in England!

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil saw a lot of players showcase their talents on the biggest stage of them all, and one striker who certainly took advantage of this was Jackson Martinez, despite stiff competition from team mates restricting his time on the pitch, when he started the group game against Japan, Martinez scored a very impressive brace, and showed the world what he could do! Alongside an incredible goal scoring record of 67 goal in 89 games for FC Porto in Portugal, in the summer of 2015 Jackson made a 35 million Euro move to Atletico Madrid, turning down long term suitors Arsenal in the process. Martinez has been on the radar for the London based club for quite a while, so when things failed to click at Atletico for Jackson, it was widely rumored that Arsenal would make another attempt to sign the front man. However, almost out of no where, 3rd February 2016 saw a Asian transfer record fee of 42 Million Euros agreed to bring Jackson to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao. This deal shook the world of football, seeing such a big name, coming from one of the worlds elite in Athletico, moving to China, however this wasn't the biggest deal of the window. 

Liverpool Football Club, the five time champions of Europe, 18 times champions of England, one of the world recognised super powers of the beautiful game, so who'd of thought they'd ever lose out in signing their number one target to a side from China? Well that's what happened. Brazilian attacking midfielder Alex Teixeria has spend the last few seasons letting the world of football know about his ability! With 46 goals in 62 games over the last two season for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, it appeared the Brazilian was to follow in the footsteps of fellow former Shakhtar stars such as Douglas Costa, Willian and Fernandiniho to make a big money move away from the club. When Liverpool approached the Donetsk based side about signing Teixeira in January of this year, they where turned down, and told they would have to offer upwards of 50 Million Euros to sign the Brazilian, despite trying to lower the price for most on the month, the English transfer window closed with the deal dead in the water. Alex Teixeira came out and said he wished for the deal to go threw to increase his chances of representing his national team. When the deal didn't happen, it appeared as if Teixeira was very disappointing with this decision and his comments hinted at a move to the club the following summer. However, no more then three days later, the 50 Million Euro price tag set on the Brazilian by Shakhtar had been met, not by Liverpool, but by Jiangsu Suning for a record Chinese transfer fee, meaning the record fee had been broken twice in two days! This deal ran riot in the English media, and made many people who has tried to ignore the Chinese Super League's spending stand up and take notice! A player with such high potential, has moved to the league, after failing to secure a deal to a traditional giant of the game! 

The back to back record transfers saw the Chinese Super League burst into the spot light, with many people questioning how and why this had happened! And then, days later it was revealed that Chelsea had declined a 60 Million Euro bid for Brazilian midfielder Oscar, which would have made him the third most expensive transfer in English football history (After Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, and Fernando Torres to Chelsea). When this offer came to light, you certainly have to wonder what has caused this sudden influx of talent and this, almost obsession with the game which hasn't been seen before from the Chinese league. Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a goal to create a domestic sport economy worth $850bn by 2025. At the heart of this goal and the accompanying plan is the aim of hosting and winning the World Cup. The influx of money being pumped into Chinese football is of course going to attract many players to get involved in this country wide push, as well as top players coming to China, former England and Manchester City boss Sven Goran-Eriksson, and World Cup winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari have started managing in the top tier of Chinese football. The increase in both playing and managing staff will see the standard of the league grow drastically, now the overall goal of the Chinese national side winning the World Cup may be very, very, very far in the future but the increase in talent in their top flight can only lead to good things for Chinese football. 


Well the Leicester City owner said he would invest to ensure a top five finish for the foxes, and now they're six points clear at the top of the table, so you never know, in 2026 we may be seeing China win their first ever World Cup!