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Graham Hunter: What Manchester United fans should know about David de Gea, his character, and his future at the club

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That little notebook into which Louis van Gaal constantly scribbles while he’s on the bench during a match has become infamous – iconic of the irascible, eccentric but successful Dutchman.

Because we’re amongst friends, and this’ll remain hush-hush and strictly off the record, I’ll share with you what he was frantically jotting down on Tuesday night at about 9.35pm just after Manchester United scraped past Stoke.

(NB: Just like the very best method actors van Gaal insists on getting ‘into character’ so he writes in English now)

It went like this: Memo to Self

Tomorrow Morning: Phone José de Gea and thank him for travelling 100km per day to and from Atlético’s training ground when his kid was living in Illascas south of Madrid without which David would never have made it as a professional.

Next: Phone Martin Ferguson and praise him for spotting de Gea, with the Spanish youth set up as well as Atletico’s reserves, and identifying above all that this guy would become ‘a world class shot-stopper’.

Then: Fish out Eric Steele’s number and tell him he’s a ‘shtand-up fellow’ for insisting that despite de Gea’s lack of excellence [and physical power] in dealing with crosses – even in Spain, not just in Premier League terms – that ‘it’ll be fine, we can improve that aspect no problem. Tell the manager to sign him’.

Also: Have a quiet word with Giggshy who’s the guy that has ‘most surprised’ and deeply impressed de Gea since he arrived and who he still calls ‘the Number One!’ Get him to tell the boy we want more of the same.

Finally – FIX MEETING WITH ED WOODWARD. Subject: DE GEA NEW CONTRACT.

There you have it. It’s not always about Zonal Marking.

Louis van Gaal

Van Gaal then donned his ‘stone-face’ in the press room and trotted out some stuff about ‘De CHHHHHHEaaa’ not doing too badly. But that didn’t cover the debt he and United owe the Spaniard.

De Gea is now, in relative terms, almost precisely where he was with Atletico Madrid in mid 2011. Glitteringly good, a stand-out amongst the club’s assets, immensely popular with the paying punters and fellow players – but also in need of being challenged by ‘the next step’.

Which does not mean, automatically, that his next step in this phase of his career either requires to be, or is going to be, departing for a new challenge. Not at all.

Back in 2011 de Gea was part of an Atlético which was on the rise. Europa League and Uefa Supercup winners but surrounded by a third of a team which would survive and thrive, and another two thirds which would be moved on.

A bright future for Diego Godín, Diego Costa, Koke, Raúl García and Juanfran but lights out for Tomas Ujfalusi, Jorge Pulido, José Antonio Reyes, Antonio López, Quique Sanchez Flores, Elias, Paulo Assunção and Juan Valera.

United-watchers can choose whether Rafael, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans, Anders Lindegaard, Anderson, Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jones, and Radamel Falcao fit into the ‘bright future/lights out’ categories.

But de Gea is right up there with the current United equivalent versions of Diego Costa, Koke and Diego Godín in 2011.

Just as they were then, United’s Spanish keeper is on the brink of a handful of very special years. Already a trophy-winner, already of proven quality, he nevertheless has what van Gaal calls ‘room for improvement’ but is also on the verge of stepping up and dominating completely.

De Gea’s soft underbelly when he arrived – concentration, upper body strength, speed of English-learning, diet, cutting-edge attitude – is well enough known and understood not to need re-hashing here.

José De Gea admits: “We had no idea of the size and grandeur of United. “Everyone tells you it’s ‘not just any club’ but until you arrive and see how they work, how they manage their football, you’ve got no real idea of the scale of it.”

Suffice to say, you can choose your iconic moment which best signifies his son’s subsequent excellence.

Freeze frame of the save from Mame Diouf against Stoke?

Marcos Rojo lunging into his arms to embrace him for saving those points?

De Gea ecstatically lifting the 2013 Premier League trophy? [His dad, Joel, still calls it ‘winning La Barclays]

Or him being handed trophies for being in the Premier League best XI and after being awarded the United player of the season vote?

Twitter chose mocked-up images of de Gea from the Matrix, de Gea as Superman, de Gea as the son of god after the Stoke game. They get excited on Twitter.

If Ed Woodward were to allow fans and sponsors an ‘open day’ at his office they’d probably come to an understanding that while de Gea’s new deal hasn’t been ‘put off’ [he’s out of contract in summer 2016] such has been the flurry of buying, selling and sacking at the club, the Spaniard has moved into a holding pattern.

If once Sir Alex Ferguson was seriously mulling over a bid to either challenge, or replace, De Gea with Asmir Begovic, then United are totally clear that they are now not seeking a new No1 keeper. A right back, a central defender and a winger, yes.

Carlo Ancelotti840

Along with what’s on offer to de Gea financially if he renews [which I believe he will do] is the promise from United’s most important figures – board, executives, coaching staff – that next summer’s push will be to put them on a par, quality-wise, in terms of squad depth and in terms of trophy aspirations, with Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti (above).

That would signify the equivalent surge forward which de Gea is now ready to take in personal, physical, psychological and professional terms. Just turned 24, for all his quite-evident excellence de Gea remains a footballer who thrives best under pressure.

The pressure of being prodded, cajoled and bullied [in a good sense] into adopting new standards by ex keeper coach Eric Steele. The pressure of impressing and winning the trust of Ferguson, particularly while being rotated with Lindegaard. The pressure of having lots of work to do during games. Perhaps even the pressure of having Victor Valdés around the training ground too.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Catalan’s training/rehab spell at Carrington may have both troubled his international team mate – and driven him on to still greater effort.

De Gea always admired Edwin van der Sar, Iker Casillas and Peter Schmeichel but was most inspired, most influenced by Valdés, his football skills, his ferocity of attitude and his ability to deal with a defence playing as much as 30 metres higher up the pitch than him.

That the former Barça man is free, looking for a place to thrive in the Premier League and developed under van Gaal at the Camp Nou must have been unsettling. Typically, de Gea’s form has, if anything, improved.

Some keepers, like Valdés, thrive equally if they are making constant saves and interventions or if they have huge periods of inactivity then two or three crucial saves.

De Gea is beginning to emerge into that category – but United are not, yet, the team to take him there.

During this turbulent Van-Gaalization of the team and while the defending remains extremely raw the Spaniard will remain consistently occupied during matches.

But as/if the Woodward/Van Gaal revolution bears fruit United will once again dominate matches and de Gea will benefit from having his concentration tested differently.

The Spaniard is, if not timid, a quiet, home-loving, intensely serious and intense young man. He’s been fundamental in making sure that Ander Herrera settles in and is happy at United – the two of them and Juan Mata live within a stone’s throw of each other and they are the central core of the Spanish-society at United.

His sister and parents often come to stay with him in England, bringing Spanish food with them, and if anyone tells you that de Gea is in love with the climate of North Western England then challenge them on that assertion. The strategic question for de Gea and his representatives is whether United as a club, and as a squad, are in step with him – both now and over the next four years? Are they about to move up and become dominant?

The word on the training ground is that de Gea feels aware that ‘something is beginning to happen’ at the club. That the quality of signings is rising, that van Gaal is demanding in a way which will benefit those who wish to play and train as de Gea does.

Would Real Madrid love to have him? Yes.

Iker Casillas

With Iker Casillas on a mind-blowingly good contract for several more years and no more keen to hand over to de Gea at club than at Spain level would this coming summer be the time to succumb to that temptation rather than continue to develop, thrive and earn experience in the Premier League? No, probably not. Euro 2016 is at least a winnable tournament for Spain.

If de Gea wishes to be Vicente Del Bosque’s first-choice then better to be at a club where he is [while on form] guaranteed number one rather than take the huge risk of coping with the ire from fans of the club he supports [Atletico] and locking horns with Casillas at Madrid.

In order of priority Ed Woodward needs to convince de Gea that he’s at the right club, at the right time and renew his deal. Then de Gea must emerge into the category of Manuel Neuer and Thibault Courtois and Gigi Buffon – superb keepers but team leaders, intimidating rather than being simply impressive and must become a founding stone in the successful re-building of United.

Finally, if he has not already unseated him, he must be fully ready to take over from Iker Casillas in 18 months time as Spain’s number one.

Simples.

Graham Hunter is the author of ‘Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja’s Historic Treble’ and ‘Barca’. You can follow him on Twitter here

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What the signing of Juan Mata means for Manchester United fans and the future of the club

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Take away the names Juan Mata and Manchester United and simply describe the bare bones of what just happened in the Premier League transfer market and it becomes hard, not to say impossible, to understand why the business David Moyes has just conducted isn’t being heralded with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahhs’ of appreciation.

Gary Neville and Paul Merson each made it clear that they doubt either the need or the wisdom of this move, admittedly without specifically putting Mata’s quality in doubt.

But this is what’s just happened.

A rich, hugely competitive rival with a deep, immensely talented and experienced squad has just been maneuvered into selling a reigning world and European champion player who has played exceptionally since moving to England, winning six club, country and individual trophies in those two years, and selling to a rival which desperately needed a leg up.

What’s that eternal hard-nosed saying about ‘never give a sucker an even break’?

Moreover, and this is the key theme, the player being sold to a direct rival embodies all the elements which that rival desperately needed — both in match-winning terms and just about every single other facet which makes a ‘great’ footballer in today’s horribly inflated market.

Ed Woodward’s difficulties

Long before it’s important to begin to say ‘how will he fit if Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are both fit?’ or, the still more inane, ‘they needed a central midfielder or a left back as a higher priority?’ the key thing to look at is what made the purchase a phenomenally good piece of business.

Firstly, and no matter whether United fans who are suffering extreme pain at the team’s current performance give this any credit or not, the market has been an extremely difficult place for United to do business once it proved that Ed Woodward was only cutting his teeth in the summer.

  • In the lead-up to this market United’s scouts have done detailed work on up to 35 players. Mostly with a view to signing the right player at the right age for the right money this summer, but also to try and address the club’s current deficiencies.
  • David Moyes gave the go-ahead for a direct club to club enquiry for Marko Reus (below) of Borussia Dortmund but the idea got tangled up in what price it would take to get the player now and what price when a contractual clause kicks in this summer.

Marko Reus

So, who else is on the shopping list?

Alex Song was another player the United manager rated highly and was willing to move for but, like Diego Costa and left back Felipe Luis, the possibility of completing a deal isn’t something Barcelona or Atlético Madrid are willing to contemplate until the summer, at least.

Edinson Cavani, too, is potentially buyable, not being hugely impressed at having to play wide in Laurent Blanc’s Autumn-instituted 4-3-3 formation in order to accommodate Zlatan at centre forward. But, again, the potential for that to happen when PSG are tilting at a league and Champions League double is next to zero right now – different come May/June.

United are, right now, trying to make a deal for Luke Shaw happen irrespective of the player’s affiliation for Chelsea. Whether Shaw thinks he wants to work with Moyes right now or jockey for position when there might be a queue of clubs in the summer is an interesting dilemma which might not favour the reigning champions.

All of this is to emphasise that if anyone was confused that Mata was bought, instead of a ball-winning, organising central midfielder, a centre back or a left back then it’s important to understand that when quality becomes available you snap it up — even if that means a rescheduling of priorities.

So, back to Mata.

United need more ‘cojones’

I don’t think that anyone, not even United’s harshest critic this season, would say that the squad is without talent.

But they’ve lacked edge, flair, confidence. ‘Cojones’ they’d say in Spain.

The Ferguson-United ethos that ‘no odds are too great’, ‘no team will desire the win more than us’ — they seem to have evaporated to a great deal.

Rafa

At this early stage I judge it harsh to be laying culpability for that at the door of David Moyes. I’ve seen it happen twice before here in Spain.

  • Once when Rafa Benitez (above), an immensely demanding task master and someone who was inordinately attentive to every single detail of daily work, departed you could hear the collective sigh of ‘we can let our belts out now’ from the Valencia squad. Those who had chafed under his yoke, those who gave more because he demanded so much from them every hour of every day (yielding the most productive trophy spell in Valencia’s history) relaxed. Consciously or subconsciously.
  • The same happened when Pep Guardiola left Barcelona. Ask any of his players, any single one, and they’ll admit that he was ‘pesado‘. It means he could be a right pain in the backside. On their backs all the time: over diet, over intensity in training, over lifestyle, over how early they went to bed at night — he even swore crudely at Alexis Sanchez right in front of live TV cameras at match when the Chilean broke down injured right after coming back from international duty.

Standards have slipped

When Guardiola left, burned out, this fabulous group of players also let standards slip. Very marginally, but it had an effect. Just for comparison, Guardiola was at Barcelona for four years, Benitez for three — Ferguson, you may recall, at United for 27.

There has been a patently evident relaxation. More than one squad and staff member at United has mentioned it to to me.

Juan Mata in 2009

Mata (pictured above in 2009 with Valencia) brings a great deal beyond his evident playing skills.

Knowing him, having watched him train day in day out for two months with Spain at World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 I can tell you that his work ethic is voracious.

Whether he’s in the team or not each training session is treated like life or death. Whether he’s in the starting XI or not every colleague is to be helped, encouraged, chided — made better.

Mata is a team player.

Sometimes, particularly when there is a ‘losing’ dynamic confidence, arrogance, self-belief, luck… evaporate more quickly than snow in an oven.

Mata’s purchase holds a key to re-establishing some of those.

Depending on whether David Moyes retains his preference for 4-2-3-1 Mata can play in any, and I mean every one, of the front four positions.

Might that mean Wayne Rooney having to move left on occasion if Mata plays int he No10 role? It might.

Would that be the end of the world? Hardly.

Is Mata more likely to play wide left in that formation? Yes.

But if Moyes moved to 4-3-3 Mata could also play in any of the front three positions if, tactically, that was required of him.

RVP desperate to win Champions League

Moreover, what I fail to understand about those who first carp about the need for Mata based on the presence of RVP and Rooney is the following: how often have the two of them been fit together this season? How guaranteed is it that United can seal this new contract which, admittedly, Rooney has indicated he’s interested in? Also, Van Persie told me how centrally important it is for him to win the Champions League. In all good faith, if he sees that as being a distant prospect with United then is he at Old Trafford for the remainder of his career… or not?

Now the fans. They don’t win matches but they can certainly help to contribute to a ‘malaise’ at a club which is starting to drift… or to challenge, no DEMAND, more from players who have begun to coast.

What’s needed for the positive side of that equation is something to rally round, to believe in.

Mata gives them that. Instinctively, I guarantee, he’ll give the most loyal and passionate United fans a work ethic, a commitment to winning, a style and a sporting aggression which they will recognize as what they’d apply if they were playing. He’s a rallying point.

Others, around him, will need to respond and work harder.

Another positive facet of this deal centres on David de Gea. Excluding that horrible fumble in the League Cup semi final against Sunderland last week the Spanish keeper has been a success. Last season he’d have been assessed as a central part of the title win.

Right now there are sufficient rumours circulating about how happy he is to renew his deal at United, rather than perhaps replace Thibaut Courtois back at Atlético Madrid, that it’s worth the club focussing hard on him.

If he’s content, if his development continues and given the other re-building priorities at the club it would heavily suit United not to have to start thinking about buying a new keeper.

De Gea and Mata played together in a winning European U21 Spain side and the striker’s arrival will clearly signify to his countryman that the club mean to respond to the current slump.

The two men get on, it’s a positive step and you’d not bet against another Spaniard joining them.

Jose Mourinho wink

Of the U21 squad which won their Euro in 2011 De Gea, Ander Herrera, Thiago, Javi Martinez and Juan Mata made Uefa’s All-Star squad.

United have now bought two — bid for Ander and Thiago while Javi Martinez remains the absolute stand-out player United missed when Bayern nipped in to wrench him away from Athletic Bilbao. IF he doesn’t get sufficient game time in Pep Guardiola’s midfield, don’t rule out an offer from Old Trafford for the fabulous ball winning midfielder.

So, all of this. All these myriad reasons why the Mata deal is super business plus the basic fact that this is a fabulous footballer who will, when United are in a penalty shoot out against Sunderland or when they are poised at 1-1 at home against Cardiff in the FA Cup, produce winning goals and assists.

Whether Jose Mourinho (above) and Chelsea go on to deeply regret the sale is, given their squad, a moot point. But all of United’s rivals from this week forward most certainly will.

Good business.

    • Agree with Graham’s view on Juan Mata? Let us know in the comments section…

 

 

 

 

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Owen’s future doubts

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Michael Owen has hinted that Manchester United could be the last team he plays for because he has no intention of dropping into the lower divisions as he gets older (United 4/7 – 90 minutes betting v Tottenham).

The 30-year-old began his career at Liverpool and scored 158 goals from 297 appearances in all competitions while at Anfield but was sold to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2004 when seemingly still at the peak of his career.

The Chester-born hit-man managed to bag 13 goals in 35 league appearances for the Bernabeu giants, despite coming off the bench in a number of games and only having the last 30 minutes or so in which to make his mark.

Despite becoming a fans’ favourite with the Spaniards he joined Newcastle after just one term in Madrid and spent four injury-plagued seasons at St James’ Park, scoring 30 goals in 79 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies.

With Newcastle slipping into the Championship for the 2009-2010 campaign, Owen was snapped up by Sir Alex Ferguson but scored just three Premier League goals in 19 appearances – many from the bench – for the Red Devils last season.

Owen has only started six top-flight matches since arriving at Old Trafford and has scored just one goal from four appearances in the current campaign.

He has now been ruled out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury and appears way down the United strikers pecking order, with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Javier Hernandez and Federico Macheda all seemingly ahead of him in Ferguson’s thoughts (United 9/2 to win Premier League).

Owen’s current United deal runs out next summer and it is open to question as to whether or not he will be offered new terms and the former England international admits he would love to stay at the club while hinting that he would rather hang up his boots than move to a lesser club.

“I would honestly love to stay but you will have to ask the manager about the long term,” he told the Sun. “I could score at this level for many years and would love it to be at a top club like United.

“Whether I would want to be dropping down to a poorer Premier League team, I don’t know. Yes I could score goals but I would probably get less opportunities and less enjoyment. I just don’t feel my game is suited to a team that is really struggling. I won’t drop down leagues.”

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Fabregas not looking to the future

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Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is determined to take the season one game at a time and refuses to get caught up in talk of winning the Premier League title (Arsenal 11/2 to win Premier League).

The 23-year-old was part of the Arsenal side that moved back up to second place with a 3-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday – a result helped by the early sending off of Dedryck Boyata at Eastlands.

The Gunners look back to somewhere near top form, after losing back-to-back Premier League matches against West Brom and Chelsea, with victory over Birmingham City and the weekend triumph over Roberto Mancini’s men.

The north Londoners also hammered Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 in the Champions League last week and are now tied with the two Manchester clubs on 17 points in the race for the English top-flight crown.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that his young side is now beginning to show more maturity after the two set-backs just a couple of weeks ago, but Fabregas prefers just to focus on upcoming events rather than where the club might stand in May.

“It looks like after every win you have to say ‘oh, you are more mature than last year’, but it is just one more game, let’s not get carried away,” he told Arsenal TV Online. “Now we have the (Carling Cup) game against Newcastle, which is the most important one at the moment.

“The time to talk about if we have matured or are better than before will be at the end of the season.”

Wenger has always cut his cloth according to the club’s finances and prefers to bring young players through rather than spend vast sums of money on expensive transfers.

Fabregas is still only 23 and is part of a group of youngsters that, Wenger believes, will bring silverware back to the club in the coming years.

Whether or not the Spaniard is part of that group in the future is open to question as rumours of a move to Barcelona will not go away.

But the World Cup-winning midfielder is determined to let his football do the talking this season and strive to turn the potential of the team into a successful unit who are capable of challenging on all fronts (Fabregas 18/1 to be Champions League top scorer).

“In football, you know what people will say when you win, and you know what people will say when you lose,” he said. “You just have to keep focused on what you do, in training and in the game, give everything for the team and the rest is not up to you.

“We have a very good team, with lots of young players. We have to make it a great time by winning things.”

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Ferguson on future spending

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Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United may well have to dig deep to replace the players who are coming to the end of their careers at Old Trafford (United 1/6 – 90 minutes v Rangers).

United have never been shy to spend big and land quality players, with £29m spent on the acquisition of Rio Ferdinand from Leeds back in 2002, but they have also brought a number of quality players up through the ranks over the past 15 years.

The likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, were all nurtured by Ferguson, who was blessed with an incredible pool of home-grown talent developing at pretty much the same time.

Gary Neville, Giggs and Scholes are still playing their trade at the Theatre of Dreams in the mid-30s, but Ferguson is aware that they will not go on forever, and it may be that transfer fees will have to be paid to replace the legends of United’s golden era.

“There may be a time in the next couple of years where we have to stretch ourselves, particularly when Ryan, Paul and Gary retire,” he said. “Then, it is a possibility we would need to get really top players in to galvanise the younger ones coming through.

“But at the moment we have the experience. We have players who have been through the whole gamut of emotions at this club and know how to deal with it.”

Whether or not funds will be available to buy the best players in the world is open to question as doubts surround the long-term involvement of the Glazer family amid rumours of huge debts at the club.

But the 68-year-old tactician was quick to point out that he had money to spend in the transfer window but preferred, by and large, to keep his power dry and trust the current crop of players at his disposal.

“We have no financial restrictions,” he added. “If I hadn’t been confident maybe we would have done something. But there was only one player I would have brought here and that move was sealed off quite early by the club he went to.”

United begin their Champions League campaign with the visit of Rangers on Tuesday evening and are strong favourites to take all three points (Rangers 18/1 – 90 minutes v Man United).

Star striker Wayne Rooney looks set to play some part in the match after missing United’s weekend trip to Goodison Park as the manager opted to protect him from the spotlight due to his current off-field problems.

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Wenger makes future admission

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Arsene Wenger has been offered a new deal to extend his stay at Arsenal and the Frenchman expects the formalities to be sorted out in the near future (Gunners 6/1 – 2010/11 Premier League Outright).

The 60-year-old has been with the Gunners since 1996 although he has won nothing in the last five seasons since beating Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 FA Cup final (Arsenal 7/1 – 2010/11 FA Cup Outright).

But Wenger has kept Arsenal competitive, both domestically and in Europe, while he has also been forced to live within his means as the club moved from, Highbury to the Emirates for the start of the 2006/07 season.

However, there had been suggestions that Wenger was facing a make-or-break year following the half-decade barren run prior to his announcement that the Gunners want to tie him down to a new deal.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Liverpool at Anfield, Wenger said: “I have to show as well how much I believe in this team by showing my commitment.

“My situation will be sorted out very soon.

“I believe my commitment to the club has nothing do with the speculation of how the season would go, because that would be unfair.

“If I do not do well, and one day the club is not happy with me I can completely understand that I do not stay here any more.

“But I believe we will do well.”

Wenger has spent the summer fighting to keep hold of captain Cesc Fabregas who has been the subject of least one big-money bid from Catalan giants Barcelona.

It is a battle the Frenchman appears to have won although no Gunners fan is likely to sleep too well until the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

However, Fabregas is struggling for fitness ahead of the new season after being given extra time off because Spain got to the World Cup final.

Striker Robin van Persie is also in the same boat after Holland’s run in South Africa while Alex Song and Denilson face late checks on calf and abdominal problems.

Johan Djourou (hamstring), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (broken leg) are all definitely sidelined but summer signings Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny are in the squad and ready to make their Gunners debuts.

Arsenal are 9/5 to get their season off to a winning start at Anfield this weekend.

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Cole set to decide future

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England (8/1 to win the 2012 European Championships)  winger Joe Cole will be at a new club within the next three weeks according to his agent Kevin Giesse.

Cole has just returned from South Africa with the Three Lions squad after the side crashed out of the tournament having lost to old rivals Germany 4-1 in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

The former West Ham United academy player did not feature a great deal for an England side that only managed to win one of their five matches in the competition.

Cole will be a free agent as of July 1 after he failed to renew a deal with Premier League champions Chelsea (13/8 to win the Premier League) having spent seven years with the club.

The 28-year-old was out throughout much of last season through injury but did contribute an important goal against Manchester United which helped the west London side win the league.

Cole was coming back into the side near the end of the season and scrapped into the England team after putting in some good performances in the pre-tournament friendlies.

The playmaker will now be looking to find first team football with a top club and potential suitors are queuing up for the player’s signature.

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have declared an interest in the midfielder and could be in the front running to sign the player who might choose to continue his stay in London.

It’s Giesse’s job to find a club for Cole and overseas clubs have been mentioned as a possibility for the talented winger.

He said: “The boy has just returned from South Africa and now he will go on holiday. There are clubs interested in him, we are talking about a world-class player.

“I think by the end of the World Cup there will be developments and within two to three weeks there will be some news.

“Are AC Milan and Juventus interested? All negotiations are possible and that is not garbage,? he added.

Cole will be looking for a club that will challenge for honours at the highest level which is what he has been used to.

Whether this will be in the Premier League, Serie A or La Liga remains to be seen but the player will be hoping to be a key member of the England squad as they look to qualify for the 2012 European Championships.

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Kuyt waits on Reds future

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Dirk Kuyt says he is focused on winning the World Cup with Holland (4/9 to beat Slovakia) and will sort out his future with Liverpool once the tournament is over.

Liverpool are on the look out for a new manager following the departure of Rafa Benitez with Roy Hodgson the 3/10 favourite to take charge, but in the meantime speculation is rife that a host of players could be on the move.

Star duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have been strongly linked with the exit door but a number of others including Kuyt are said to be considering their future.

Liverpool need to get a new manager on board as soon as possible if they want to keep the squad together but Kuyt says he will not be making any decision until after the World Cup and would be happy to stay at Anfield nonetheless.

“We have to see what happens,” he revealed. “I also have a great time at Liverpool and I still have a two-year contract. My focus is on the World Cup but I’m still happy to play at Liverpool.

“But who knows what happens in the future? We have to see. If the possibility is there, we have to see what happens with the new manager at Liverpool. Hopefully we’ll get new players but we’ll see what the future is for me.”

It seems as though Liverpool’s big names will want assurances over which players will be brought in over the summer before committing their futures, but they need a new boss first.

The fact that Liverpool are not in the Champions League next season will make things even harder but Torres and the rest may be willing to stay on if they believe they have a serious chance of challenging for the title.

For that to happen serious money will have to be spent but with the ownership of the club still up in the air the manager will not have any guarantees and that could lead to an exodus on Merseyside.

Liverpool are 10/1 to win the title but with no manager in place, players considering their futures and boardroom wranglings, it looks a tall order.

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Fabregas fears future distraction

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Spain’s Cesc Fabregas says unless his club future is sorted out quickly it could prove a damaging distraction at the World Cup.

But the Arsenal star says he is in no rush to leave the Gunners for Barcelona.

The midfielder was in the youth ranks at Barcelona before transferring to Arsenal at the age of 16 and he has often been linked with a move back to the Primera Division leaders.

Reports suggest he could be the subject of an offer this summer as Barcelona prepare for their presidential elections at the end of the season.

Fabregas readily admits that he does want to play for Barca at some point in his career, but is adamant he is not pushing for a move away from Arsenal.

However, the 23-year-old is keen to ensure any uncertainty regarding his club future is put to bed before Spain start their World Cup challenge in South Africa. They are 4/1 favourites to lift the trophy.

“I want to make a decision about my future before the World Cup,” said Fabregas, who expects to recover from a cracked fibula in time to be fit for the tournament.

“It’s impossible to perform at a tournament such as the World Cup if you’re not fully focused on the sporting aspects of the game. It does not benefit anyone.

“If I ever leave Arsenal it will be to play for Barcelona. I would like to go, whether they want me or not is another matter.

“I am 23 years old and I have a long career in front of me. I’ve never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfil.

“I’m very happy at Arsenal. I’m in no hurry to leave the club.

“Barcelona are still playing for the Liga title and I’m still an Arsenal player. It would be a lack of respect to discuss a transfer now.

“No candidates for the Barcelona presidency have approached me, so I don’t feel used.”

Fabregas has been part of the Spanish set up since playing in the Under-17 side at the 2003 World U-17 Championships in Finland, and he was given a national call-up in 2006.

He played in the 2006 World Cup and at Euro 2008 where he helped Spain to lift the trophy. Fabregas was named in the Team of the Tournament, a 23-player squad selected by the UEFA Technical team.

He now has 47 caps for Spain, and has scored five goals, most recently in the friendly 1-1 draw against Austria in Vienna last November.

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Fabregas unsure over future

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Cesc Fabregas says he wants his future sorting before the World Cup (Spain 4/1 favourites to win) with Barcelona keen to take him back to Spain.

Speculation linking Fabregas with a return to Spain has refused to go away but now it seems as though the midfielder is pushing for a move, and who could blame him.

Arsenal again finished the season without any silverware to show for their efforts and with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham emerging as major forces in the Premier League, he could now be running out of patience.

The Gunners are 6/1 to win the Premier League next season with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City ahead of them in the betting and Fabregas will no doubt feel another trophy free season could be on the cards.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been promised transfer funds this summer but chances are it will not be enough to compete with their Premier League rivals, and the imminent arrival of Marouane Chamakh will not scare anyone.

Not many players in world football could improve Barcelona but Fabregas is certainly one of them and he would no doubt be a regular in Pep Guardiola’s starting eleven

Fabregas has insisted he is in no rush to leave the Gunners but reading between the lines it seems as though the midfielder is keen to return to the Nou Camp sooner rather than later.

The fact he wants a decision making over his future suggests he wants to leave. The player is tied down to a long-term lucrative deal at the Emirates Stadium so the only decision that Arsenal have to make is whether to sell him or not.

If he was happy to stay then why bring up the subject of a possible move to Barcelona? He would just concentrate on getting fit for the World Cup and say nothing about his club football.

“I want to make a decision about my future before the World Cup,” Fabregas revealed.

“It’s impossible to perform at a tournament such as the World Cup if you’re not fully focused on the sporting aspects of the game. It does not benefit anyone.

“If I ever leave Arsenal it will be to play for Barcelona. I would like to go, whether they want me or not is another matter.

“I am 23 years old and I have a long career in front of me. I’ve never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfil.

“I’m very happy at Arsenal. I’m in no hurry to leave the club.

“Barcelona are still playing for the Liga title and I’m still an Arsenal player. It would be a lack of respect to discuss a transfer now.”

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