Here is a list of players that I feel should seriously consider a move in January – whether that be because they aren’t getting enough time on the pitch, are simply not up to the standard their current club expects, or are exceptional players that should make the next logical move in making their careers historic.
We are only a few months away from the January window opening, and these players have had a taster of the new season to see what role they may have to play – or not to play – in their clubs plans for the rest of the coming season. Worringly some of these players may opt to remain on the bench, sitting on hefty wages rather than forcing a move and getting more regular first-XI football.
Click on Kaka to get the ball rolling
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Who do you think should look at a January move? Any clangers that I’ve missed? Let me know on Twitter @dudeyoungy
The prospect of a long and ultimately debilitating injuring list, is one that every club in the Premier League will have to deal with at some point this term. But after a season in which they found themselves with the most atrocious injury record in the division, it appears that Manchester United are looking to take things into their own hands.
Work is well under way at the Red Devils’ Carrington training ground to develop a new £13million, state-of-the-art medical facility, in partnership with Japanese technology giant Toshiba. According to The Telegraph, the facility’s remit is to produce quicker and more private injury diagnosis on site, rather than rely on nearby hospitals in the region, encompassing MRI scanners and the like to boot.
But such was the damning nature of last season’s injury statistics, the timing of this development, set to open before the end of the year, doesn’t seem to be a coincidence.
Last season saw United pick up 39 injuries that lasted for duration of two weeks or more. The Premier League average is around 20. With United already suffering a defensive injury crisis at the start of the season – in which Michael Carrick had to play centre half – that would have most other teams baulking, the new facility couldn’t open fast enough.
Although United’s training ground remains one of the most advanced facilities in the country, 12 years have since passed since Carrington’s opening and in the world of medical advancement and sports science, that’s quite a long time. There’s nothing more to suggest that the current facelift to their medical department is anything more than an upgrade, rather than a dramatic reinvention.
But this isn’t the first time that United, or indeed the realms of English football, have come under fire for their track record with injury and injury prevention.
When Owen Hargreaves ended his injury-ravaged spell at United and moved to rivals Manchester City in 2011, he aimed a parting shot at the medical staff at his former club. Hargreaves made a series of startling claims, suggesting that the prolotherapy injections he was administered for his tendinitis issues equated to ‘guinea pig’ treatment. But perhaps more concerning, was the claim that he was made to star his final game against Wolves, when he made the medical staff well aware of a hamstring complaint. A hamstring that subsequently gave way after five minutes.
Of course, Hargreaves’ chronic knee issues are an extremely rare and difficult problem to manage, but it certainly gave an interesting insight into the medical travails at United.
Because similarly with Hargreaves, the long-term and often terrible injuries such as the knee ligament damage that Nemaja Vidic suffered last season, are relatively rare. A club can do little to prevent someone breaking their leg or the chronic bowel condition that Darren Fletcher has fought back from. But the majority of their 39 ‘significant’ problems, weren’t a series of cruciate ligament ruptures; they were muscles strains and pulls.
According to the Daily Mail, this is something that the Fergie has not been best pleased with and is perhaps an area in which both his side and several others in the country, could do well to improve on.
Dutch fitness coach Raymond Verheijen, famous to most on these shores as the former assistant to the late former Wales boss, Gary Speed, has been an outspoken critic of English training regimes. But his pedigree within the game goes a lot further than his work with the Welsh national side, and he’s been employed by Frank Rijkaard during his time at Barcelona, Guus Hiddink during his spell with Chelsea and a host of international tournaments with the Netherlands, Russia and South Korea respectively. He believes that many clubs are failing in the preparation of their training and that by overworking players and ignoring their previous injury records, they are catalysing disaster.
Indeed, Verheijen points to the change in his countryman Arjen Robben’s fortunes when he switched Real Madrid to Bayern Munich, following a reputation as something of a ‘man of glass’, during his time with Chelsea.
“What they did [with Robben] was reduce his training volume and all of a sudden, he was not injured anymore. The question is, ‘Was he a player of glass or was he trained by coaches of glass? Robben and all the other explosive players like Robin van Persie, when they make an action they use more energy than other players.
“If they train the same volume as the other players their energy expenditure is twice as high as the other players. So you have to reduce the training volume by 50 per cent, which is what Bayern Munich did with his programme.”
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Verheijen’s ideology is that fatigue due to overtraining, is the cause of many muscle related injuries and that a player’s injury history, style of play and body composition, should all be considered when devising a training routine. His methods, coined with a typically Dutch phrase in Periodisation, can be controversial and his claim that 80% of injuries could be nullified by doing so, are open to scrutiny. But his beliefs certainly offer some food for thought.
Because the facilities of a medical facility are only as good as the methods in which they are being utilised. Some have suggested that the influx of investment at United can bring their facilities up to a par with AC Milan’s fabled Milanello complex. But Milanello is more a laboratory, than just a series of expensive medical instruments. It’s there to prevent injury, to achieve ultimate physical performance, in complete tandem with managerial selection.
Manchester United will be looking to scratch something of a very irritating itch indeed, when their new medical facility opens. But the ethos needs to be centred around preventing injury – not just addressing it.
Do you believe anything can be done to stop the incessant flow of injuries at Old Trafford? Just bad luck or something a little deeper? Let me know how you feel on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and tell me what you think.
Southampton have agreed the signing of Japan defender and Olympic captain Maya Yoshida, subject to international clearance.
The 24-year-old will move to the Premier League side from Dutch Eredivisie outfit VVV-Venlo on a three-year deal. The centre back, capped 17 times by his country, captained Japan to fourth at the London 2012 Olympics and scored in their 3-0 last-eight win over Egypt.
In a statement on Southampton’s official site, Yoshida expressed his delight at joining the Saints: “To come to the Premier League was one of my biggest dreams since I was a child. I am very grateful to be able to become a Saint and I will do my best for the team and for the supporters.”
Manager Nigel Adkins added “We are delighted to bring in Maya to the Club. He is a centre half who is comfortable on both the right and left-hand side as he is good with both feet and has a good physical presence about himself. We are really looking forward to working with him here at Southampton.”
Yoshida becomes the second Japan international at St. Mary’s, joining forward Tadanari Lee.
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Swansea have agreed a £5.5 million fee with Valencia for Spanish midfielder Pablo Hernandez, Mirror Football claim.
The Liberty Stadium side have started to splash the cash made from the sale of Joe Allen to Liverpool, and have this week secured Ki Sung-Yueng from Celtic for a club-record £5.5 million.
However, Michael Laudrup’s spending is not over yet, and after having a number of offers for the right winger rejected, agreed a fee with the Mestalla side on Wednesday night.
Hernandez, who has been capped by Spain four times, will now travel to Wales to discuss personal terms, with a deal likely to be finalised before the end of the week.
Laudrup worked with the 27-year-old at former club Getafe, and the player is said to want a move to the Premier League to be reunited with the Dane.
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Swansea have started the campaign in convincing style, winning both of their first two fixtures.
Bacary Sagna is expected to be one of many players that will leave Arsenal this summer.
Arsene Wenger is planning a big summer shake up with lots of players expected to leave and join the North London club and the departure list is said to include the right back.
30-year old Sagna has been at Arsenal for 6 years and has been offered a one-year extension deal on his contract which expires next summer. Sagna is not happy with what Arsenal have offered and was hoping for a longer deal, but they have concerns over his long-term fitness after he broke his leg twice last season. The French player who has had some good years at Arsenal now believes he will leave the club in the summer with PSG and other clubs interested.
Wenger recently spoke to the press regarding his concerns over Sagna’s injury-prone history but also reiterated his support of the Gunners defender.
“He has criticised his own form recently but the things you never question from Bacary are his commitment, his mental attitude, his desire to win and his intelligence,” Wenger told The Guardian.
“If he has not been playing as he would expect, it is down to his injury. It takes time to come back, and he has played through a lot of pain – in fact, he is one of the strongest players I have met when it comes to doing that.
“He’s hugely respected here, and if he’s not at the level we know he can achieve then we are tolerant because we know it’s not down to a lack of commitment. It’s just because he has come back from a long-term injury”
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Arsene Wenger has already had his chief scout Steve Rowley looking at possible replacements for Sagna, amongst other players as the Emirates looks set for a summer clear out. There have been plenty of names bounced around but David Villa, Pepe Reina, Etienne Capoue and Victor Wanyama are some of the more likely players to be courted by Wenger.
The Arsenal board confirmed their support for their manager at a general board meeting this week and will continue to back Wenger in his rebuilding of the Arsenal team even if they don’t qualify for the Champions League next season.
Newcastle will turn their attention to West Ham striker Modibo Maiga, if they fail to land Loic Remy, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
The Marseille man remains Alan Pardew’s first-choice January target as he looks to strengthen his attacking options, but a deal is far from being concluded.
This may force the Magpies to look for alternatives, and Maiga is thought to be seen as the ideal back-up option.
The Mali international has been a bit-part player since his summer move to Upton Park, with Sam Allardyce appearing to prefer the likes of Andy Carroll and Carlton Cole.
With the Hammers tracking a number of January targets, including Nicolas Anelka, it is thought that they may be willing to cash in on Maiga to raise funds.
This has alerted Newcastle, who came close to signing him last year, only for issues surrounding his medical at the club to scupper the move.
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Should they fail to reach a deal with the London club, the St James’ Park outfit will look toward Saint Etienne’s Pierre-Emerick Aubamyang or West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie.
With current first-choice striker Demba Ba looking likely to leave, Newcastle are short on attacking options, making a goal scorer top priority during January.
Park Ji-Sung is on the verge of retiring from professional football as a result of QPR’s battle against relegation from the Premier League, according to his father.
The South Korean midfielder joined the Super Hoops from Manchester United in a £2m deal last summer, and has endured a tough spell in London.
His stint at Loftus Road has been blighted with injuries, limiting him to just 22 appearances.
During his brief playing time he has been helping the club in their battle against the drop, but has been unable to drag them from the foot of the table.
His father, Park Jung-Song, says that the toils of this season have effected his son, and confessed the could consider quitting the sport:
“Nobody knows the future, but I think he has made his mind up to retire. He thinks he’s played enough,” he is quoted by The Metro.
“He’s never had times like this with PSV Eindhoven or Manchester United. My son has had difficult times at QPR this season; it was a new experience to him.
“Ji-Sung said it’s difficult to keep his feel for the game as his playing time is inconsistent, but he doesn’t have any hard feelings.”
The 32-year-old retired from international football in 2011, in a bid to prolong his club career.
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He is set to discuss his future with manager Harry Redknapp at the end of the season.
Tottenham will be doing all they possibly to maintain their position in the top four this coming Saturday.
AVB’s charges will be looking to continue their rich vein of form as they sparkled in their 4-0 boxing day victory over Aston Villa.
The lunchtime kick off on Wearside though does give Sunderland an opportunity so continue their mini revival of late. A win against the Premier League champions last time out a notable scalp.
It was their third win in their last four outings and came as an extremely welcome relief for the Black Cats as they have managed to haul themselves away from the relegation zone putting a 7 point buffer in place.
The feel good factor is starting to come back at the Stadium of Light with the run of late masking the frustrations of the supporters just under a month ago.
Tottenham may be able to halt this festive cheer with their attacking disposal, and Gareth Bale looks ready to wreak havoc again.
Just one defeat in seven has been based upon have a resolute defence. They have not conceded and three and remain above Everton.
Sunderland will be without Danny Rose who is on a season long loan is ineligible to play against his parent club. Phil Baardsley could slot in on or Colback could move back from midfield. John O’ Shea missed out boxing day and could return too.
Clint Dempsey and Tom Huddlestone could return after groin and knee injuries respectively. Benoit Assou Ekotto could make his long awaited comeback too after a knee injury. Scott Parker may also be ready for his first start of the season, after recovering from his Achilles problem. Moussa Dembele could return (hip) despite coming off against Aston Villa.
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Andre Villas Boas’s side have scored in every away game this season and remain the only side to do this. They will hope for more of the same come Saturday.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham
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Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has called West Ham’s last gasp equaliser as “stupid” after the Black Cats were pegged back from a winning position for the third time this season.
The Belgian international produced one of the saves of the season denying Kevin Nolan in the first half.
But the ex-Newcastle man wasn’t to be stopped striking in injury time to leave the Wearsiders still winless having drawn all four Premier League fixtures.
Mignolet told the Sunderland Echo: “I was pretty pleased [with the save] at the time, it kept us in the game.
“However as a goalkeeper you are always frustrated to concede no matter when. When you get into stoppage time, you shouldn’t be conceding goals.
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“After the game you always reflect on the goals you concede rather than the saves you have made. I feel like the rest of the lads that if we had defended like we had for the rest of the game, we wouldn’t have conceded such a stupid goal.”
Manchester United are set to win the race to sign Malaga’s young midfielder Isco for £16 million.
The 20-year-old has been compared to United legend Paul Scholes and Alex Ferguson’s confident he can land the youngster to replace his veteran midfielder.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are all also interested in signing the Spaniard but the Daily Star believes that Manchester United is his preferred destination.
Malaga are going to struggle to keep hold of their highly talented prodigy as the club continues to experience financial problems as they initially forked out huge amounts of money to provide Champions League football for the southern Spain side.
The club have been forced to sell Santi Cazorla and Salomon Randon and Isco could well follow them out of the club in January.
Isco has already been compared to fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas and could be seen as the ideal remedy to the stuttering United midfield, but will face stiff competition as there are plenty of teams chasing the Spanish under-21 star.
The midfielder was a key part for the team as they secured Champions League football for the first time in their history and has been even more effective so far this campaign.
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Malaga currently sit in second place with just the one defeat in nine games. It’s Isco’s form in Europe which has caught the eye of many suitors as the Spanish club have won their first three games.