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There’s only four days remaining of the summer transfer window but plenty of work is still to be done at Manchester United.

The Red Devils wrapped up a record-breaking deal for Angel Di Maria earlier this week, yet few would argue, following a shock 4-0 defeat to MK Dons, that United’s squad is ready for the Premier League campaign.

As deadline day looms however major deals become less and less likely, forcing clubs to seek last-minute viable alternatives.

So with that in mind and Jim White filling up the gas tank on the Sky Sports News helicopter, here’s SIX deadline day deals – some surprising, others less so, that the Carrington outfit could (and should) make.

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DANTE

A suggestion fuelled by conjecture perhaps, but could we see Manchester United make a late bid for Bayern Munich centre-back Dante?

Manchester United have taken a look at the Brazil international before, and could be enticed to revive their interest now that the German Champions have wrapped up a deal for Roma sensation Mehdi Benatia.

The 30 year-old endured a disappointing World Cup, with his only appearance coming amid Selacao’s 7-1 semi-final thrashing at the hands of Germany. But he’s been incredibly consistent after moving to the Allianz Arena in 2012, as shown in the below statistics, notching up an incredible eight trophies since:

Here’s a look at the 6 foot 2 defender in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/-yO0SYaI-UQ?rel=0

As you can see, his greatest gift is winning the ball back and quickly moving it in the right direction. Manchester United need a defender like that right now, and the Bundesliga veteran would further add crucial experience to an incredibly young Red Devils defence, the oldest member being 26 year-old Johnny Evans.

Dante signed a one-year contract extension back in March but that suggests more that the Barvarians are protecting his value, rather than warding off viable suitors. The South American is still rated at around the £20million mark however and United will be reluctant to spend such a costly sum on a 30 year-old.

RON VLAAR

Paul Lambert claims he’s yet to receive an offer for key centre-back Ron Vlaar, but after an impressive World Cup campaign with the Netherlands, he’s been billed as a potential Manchester United target for much of the summer:

Concrete Ron may not be the most talented centre-back to ever grace Old Trafford but he’s as tough as, well, concrete, and Manchester United’s youthful three-man defence is crying out for a dominant figure to take on the central centre-back role.

The Aston Villa skipper would fit that requirement, having shone as the inside centre-back in Holland’s 3-5-2 formation at the World Cup. As viewable below, he showed outstanding form in Brazil:

Here’s a look at the defender in action for Oranje:

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He may not be the world-class centre-back United fans are hoping for but they’re a bit of a rare breed nowadays. And after losing out on Mats Hummels, who is now Borussia Dortmund captain, the 29 year-old would be an interesting short-term alternative.

NIGEL DE JONG

Another budget Dutchman reportedly in Manchester United’s transfer crosshairs is AC Milan defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong:

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The 29 year-old, affectionately known as ‘The Lawn-mower’ for his bone-crunching tackles, was one of the better of a bad bunch at AC Milan last season and enjoyed a solid World Cup campaign with Oranje, as detailed below:

United’s midfield lacks physical menace but De Jong offers it in abundance. His Premier League experience is a major advantage too, having spent four seasons and won the English title with noisy neighbours Manchester City.

Here’s a look at the kind of ball-winning service De Jong provides:

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Admittedly, sometimes he can be little overzealous:

And Manchester United will expect to land De Jong on the cheap, with the midfielder’s San Siro contract set to expire at the end of the season. It’s been alleged they could prize the Netherlands international away for as little as £8million.

ALEX SONG

Manchester United’s midfield is in serious need of reinforcements, so it’s rather fortuitous that Barcelona have placed a talented midfielder virtually in their laps.

Allegedly, after struggling to impress during his two seasons at the Nou Camp, the Catalans are prepared to let the 26 year-old leave on a loan deal this summer – no fee required – with the view to take his services permanently for £8million.

Song’s no world-beater but he’s well proven at Premier League and Champions League level, having amassed 217 appearances during a seven-year stay with Arsenal. And in his last top flight campaign, the Cameroon international claimed an impressive eleven assists.

Here’s a look at Song in action for the Gunners:

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There are certainly more attractive targets on Manchester United’s radar but if their arduous pursuit of Juventus star Arturo Vidal comes to no avail, expect their interest in Song to rapidly increase.

MARCO REUS

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed reports that Marco Reus will be allowed to leave this summer, but until Borussia Dortmund tie down their star forward to new terms, Manchester United will be determined to prize him away from Westfalen.

The 25 year-old unfortunately missed the World Cup through injury, but he was in absolutely lethal form last season, as detailed below, earning him the Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award:

Reus can adopt the roles of scorer or creator, capable of playing anywhere across the front or as a No.10. But his immense technical qualities are underpinned by his road-runner pace – something which the current United squad is desperately lacking in. Here’s a look at Reus in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/rlYrndbblKk?rel=0

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The Germany international would give Louis van Gaal great options in attack – paralleling the goalscoring exploits of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney, or allowing him to return to his more favoured 4-3-3 formation, used at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Ajax. Perhaps most importantly, his pace would add a new, more direct dimension to the Red Devils going forward.

And as previously stated, Reus finds himself in a rather unique and appealing transfer situation. A £20million release clause was revealed earlier this month, and although it’s not set to come into effect until next summer, Dortmund will be aware that they’ll get a significantly greater mark-up on the Mannschaft forward if they sell now. Or more specifically, on deadline day.

Juan Cuadrado

It was assumed Manchester United’s pursuit of Juan Cuadrado was left dead in the water following the signing of Angel Di Maria, with the Carrington club’s transfer attentions firmly set on other targets, namely Arturo Vidal.

But the Fiorentina winger has given United a way back in, should they choose to take it, after refusing to rule out an Old Trafford switch earlier this week:

The Colombia international was nothing short of incredible in Serie A last season, as detailed below, and did his price-tag no harm at the World Cup, tipping the tournament’s assists charts:

That includes this rather special set-up to James Rodriguez:

Combining his pace, trickery, athleticism and ability to finish from long-range, this goal typifies the 26 year-old:

//www.youtube.com/embed/DUlRxcSaxZo

Furthermore, Cuadrado is incredibly versatile. He’s predominantly considered a winger, but featured in a plethora of positions for Fiorentina last season and has also been billed as Dani Alves’ successor at Barcelona.

That could make him the perfect choice as the right wing-back in Louis van Gaal’s 3-4-1-2 system, and the midfielder is rated at around £32million.

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The first few months of 2012 didn’t look too favourably upon Newcastle United striker Demba Ba. After suffering a demoralising exit from the African Cup of Nations, Ba mustered a solitary goal in the remaining four months of the season, as he was forced to live in the shadow of his shiny new strike partner.

However, since the beginning of the new Premier League campaign, Ba has rediscovered his elusive shooting boots and begun trading blows with Robin van Persie at the top of the goalscoring charts. It seems that every time he finds the back of net the tabloids force him closer to the exit at St. James’ Park, but would a transfer to the reported destination of Liverpool really benefit either party?

There’s no denying that Demba Ba is idolised on Tyneside and has far exceeded the expectations placed upon him since joining from West Ham, despite the fact his clinical nature in front of goal nearly spared the Hammers from relegation. Ba has even helped fill the void exposed by the departure of talisman Andy Carroll as the club re-established their place on the European stage.

Many fans will question why Ba would consider destabilising what appears to be an ideal set-up at Newcastle. Alongside the mutual affection with the supporters, he is surrounded by a gifted array of team-mates, many of whom also speak French and share the same religious beliefs.

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Yet, scratch the surface and the unmistakable stench of frustration hangs in the air as manager Alan Pardew struggles to craft a winning formula that involves both his lethal Senegalese pairing. Last month Ba emerged from the bench to bag a brace and rescue a draw against Everton before publicly declaring his disappointment – via his agent – at his apparent part-time role within the team.

“Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Demba doesn’t understand the management.

“If he continues to be a substitute all season, we’ll look at other solutions.

“How could you put your best striker with full confidence on the left wing?” (Daily Mail)

Ba has been an unforeseen victim of Papiss Cisse’s success, after he was effectively made impotent on the wing in order to support his new free-scoring compatriot. This season has seen Ba return to his preferred position as the fixed point of attack, which has reopened the flood gates although it now means he is competing for a single place alongside Cisse and Shola Ameobi. Ba clearly likes to be the focus the attention, what striker doesn’t? But would he merit such a status at Liverpool?

For better or worse Brendan Rodgers’ strike force currently consists solely of Luis Suarez. As much as it pains me to say it, Suarez is one of the most gifted players in the league. His movement off the ball is surpassed only when he finds the ball at his feet and as Burnley defender Kevin Long pointed out on Twitter, the man could nutmeg a mermaid. His brilliance has forced new signing Fabio Borini onto the wing, hindering the Italian much in the same way that Ba was last season.

However, neither Suarez nor Borini are notorious for their prolific nature in front of goal. Ba is natural finisher, a player who harbours a similar degree of strength and aerial presence as Andy Carroll coupled with a greater potential to conform to new tiki-taka tactics on display at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers will surely be deliberating a potential move in January alongside a number of other candidates, but he is unlikely to be able to offer a path straight into the first-team.

If Liverpool can’t offer a distinguished spot in their starting XI, what can they offer? Both teams are currently enjoying/enduring life in the Europa League and neither side are likely to achieve Champions League qualification this time around. As obnoxious as it sounds, Liverpool are perhaps more willing to present Ba with the significant pay rise that the striker has been desperately chasing.

Pardew has reportedly told Ba that contract discussions will not happen until the summer, which also means that his £7m release clause will remain in effect. However, despite his infamous injury troubles, Ba will no doubt feel aggrieved that his manager has been rewarded for his efforts with a new long-term deal and he has not.

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At 27 years of age Ba is entering his physical prime and will perhaps have one eye on that ‘career defining’ big move. His reputation as a player that can fashion goals out of thin air will always prove a desirable trait and one that Brendan Rodgers could well perceive as invaluable.

However, it strikes me that this is simply another typical ‘power play’ episode, which we witness at clubs on a regular basis. Unlike with Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott, Ba’s contract doesn’t expire until 2014, which means the club still hold all the cards. Pardew will be reluctant to let his prime source of goals leave, especially to a league rival but you can guarantee that head scout Graham Carr has already earmarked a portfolio of exciting replacements.

Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where the antics of Manuel Neuer failed to help Bayern Munich preserve their unbeaten start to the season

When Jack Wilshere announced that he will be leaving Arsenal this summer when his contract expires, many began to debate where the midfielder would be moving to.

Numerous Premier League clubs have been linked to the 26-year-old’s signature, but it seems that he has chosen a surprising destination.

On Thursday, Turkish-Football reported that Wilshere is poised to hold talks with Fenerbahce regarding a transfer.

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The England international, who has had a string of injury problems over the years, is available on a free.

If he does opt to move to the Super Lig club, it would be a rather strange decision in terms of his future prospects with the national team.

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The midfielder failed to make it into Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, despite spending the majority of last season at Arsenal injury-free.

Playing in Turkey may not increase his chances of making it back into the England fold, but he could achieve regular minutes on the pitch.

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Arsenal fans have been giving their thoughts on Reddit, and some have been left confused.

Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..

Southampton moved out of the Premier League relegation zone when substitute Manolo Gabbiadini scored a late equaliser in his side’s 1-1 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, and it came when they had two strikers on the pitch.

While the 4-2-3-1 formation helped Saints achieve some of their best ever top flight campaigns and qualify for the Europa League twice in recent years, they haven’t looked the like the same team that played so successfully using that system when they had Rickie Lambert and then Graziano Pelle as a focal point.

Of course, the south coast outfit also had the likes of Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez and Sadio Mane supporting the centre-forward, but it’s fair to say that Southampton have been a completely different outfit since Pelle left for China in 2016 and Claude Puel took the reins from Ronald Koeman.

They certainly haven’t been the same from an attacking point of view and they have largely struggled to score goals in the 18 months since then, while the striker – whoever it may be – is often left too isolated with the attacking midfielders not close enough to them.

Whether that is down to those individuals or the tactics of the manager – this is a theme that has continued since Mauricio Pellegrino succeeded Puel last summer – isn’t entirely clear, but both bosses should take some of the blame for perhaps being too negative and not committing enough men forward.

Saints have already lost at home to Watford, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Burnley and only drawn with Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town, Swansea City and Brighton and Hove Albion at St Mary’s this term, and in all of those fixtures they haven’t had the firepower required to break the opposition down considering they haven’t been as good defensively as in previous years.

Southampton supporters have often called out for Pellegrino to play two strikers up top to give them more of a threat, and that was even more apparent following the 1-0 home defeat against the Clarets on the south coast in November.

With the game goalless after 65 minutes, the crucial moment of the match happened as Manolo Gabbiadini was replaced by Charlie Austin for the hosts, while Sean Dyche saw an opportunity and decided to be bold by bringing on two strikers and taking one striker and a midfielder off.

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Burnley went two up top and they got their reward as Sam Vokes scored the winner nine minutes from time, to leave the St Mary’s crowd disappointed – a recurring theme this term.

It was clear from that incidence that putting two up top can be effective, but despite the fans wanting it and Pellegrino often being questioned about it at his various press conferences, he has never taken the plunge even though he will have Gabbiadini, Austin, Shane Long and new boy Guido Carrillo to pick from when everyone is fit.

Southampton had put in yet another poor performance on the road against Burnley at the weekend, and when they fell behind to Ashley Barnes’ 67th-minue goal Pellegrino decided to act by bringing on Sofiane Boufal for Oriol Romeu, Josh Sims for James Ward-Prowse and Manolo Gabbiadini for Dusan Tadic over the course of the following 15 minutes.

That left the visitors with Gabbiadini and Carrillo as the two strikers, as the Argentine boss finally took a risk to try and salvage a point.

It was something that the Saints fans have barely seen during Pellegrino’s time at the helm, and they would have been delighted when the decision paid off as Sims crossed to Carrillo, who nodded it down for Gabbiadini to fire home his first Premier League goal since October.

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For many supporters it would have been no surprise that the tactical change worked and it is something that they have been calling out for a while, but now their boss needs to learn from it too.

Southampton face a huge match against 19th-placed Stoke City at St Mary’s on Saturday, and in all honesty it is a must-win encounter if they are to secure their top flight status for another season given some of the tricky fixtures – mostly away – that they still have to come.

Pellegrino’s men need to have an attacking threat and take the game to the Potters, and Carrillo and Gabbiadini should be starting as a front two after their fine link-up for the goal at Turf Moor.

It’s not as though the Argentine boss doesn’t have the options to play 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 either because he does, and playing both up top on Saturday could be the difference between one point or three points, which could ultimately decide the south coast outfit’s fate this season.

The Premier League is represented by 110 players in the World Cup – more than any other league in the world. And whilst we, in England, have a selection of the world’s greatest names in the sport, we look set to welcome a whole host of new stars to our shores come the start of the 2014-15 campaign.

During World Cup season, transfer speculation is rife, with everyone getting the chance to assess their team’s next top transfer target almost every day.

With unprecedented levels of excitement – attacking football, end-to-end games, goals galore – it’s hard to argue against the 2014 World Cup being the best on record.

Despite many big moves already having been made in the transfer window this summer, many more look set to occur, including a host of the World Cup’s top performers.

Here is a list of the top Premier League-bound performers this summer.

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Click here for the TEN players set for the Premier League

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Guillermo Ochoa

Mexico’s sturdy defence was greatly assisted by the heroics of Guillermo Ochoa. The Mexican stopper put in a man-of-the-match performance against Brazil, shutting out the hosts in a hard-fought 0-0 draw. Ochoa is currently a free agent after being released by Ajaccio following their relegation to Ligue 2. Liverpool and Arsenal are both reported to be seriously considering a move for him.

Ivan Perisic

Croatia were unable to progress beyond a tricky group, but this didn’t stop Perisic from doing what he could. The Wolfsburg winger was by far and away his country’s best performer in their three games, netting twice and getting one assist. He provided a constant threat from the left wing, impressing in the final third. Roberto Martinez has been strongly credited with an interest in Perisic as he looks to bolster Everton’s squad ahead of European football this season.

Alexis Sanchez

Chile were one of the surprise packages this summer, and found themselves very unfortunate to be eliminated on penalties against Brazil in their last 16 tie. Amongst their star players, Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez was the brightest as he scored twice, and beat players at will. The Spanish club are looking to cash in on the Chilean, with Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all being keen admirers.

Memphis Depay

Three substitute appearances have resulted in two goals so far this World Cup for PSV’s Memphis Depay. The lightning-fast winger has demonstrated his eye for goal in his three cameo roles, with game-changing performances each time. Manchester United are in serious need of fresh ideas, with their wide midfielders not providing enough creativity and goal threat last season. Depay has links with van Gaal, and could be on his way to Old Trafford.

Joel Campbell

Technically, Campbell is already a Premier League player, having been on the books of Arsenal since 2011. However, work permit issues have prevented him from making his club debut. Now, however, Campbell looks ready to step up to the plate for the Gunners. He is Costa Rica’s most potent threat up top, and put in a match-winning display as they upset the odds, beating Uruguay 3-1 in their opening match before topping the ‘Group of Death’. He will be given a chance to impress with the Gunners in pre-season, and could finally make his mark in England this year.

Enner Valencia

The tragic passing of Ecuador’s captain and star striker, Christian Benitez, last year struck the nation deeply. Enner Valencia was tasked with shouldering much of the vacated attacking burden, and he performed admirably as Ecuador fell at the group stage. Three goals in as many games, and some powerful displays to go along with his goal return, have alerted the likes of Newcastle and West Ham. Currently based in Mexico, Valencia will no doubt be intrigued by Premier League interest.

Jefferson Montero

Another Ecuadorian who took the chance to shine in Brazil was Jefferson Montero – also based in Mexico. The left winger’s speed and fast feet in possession caused problems as Ecuador briefly threatened to qualify through to the last 16. He has recently announced he will come to Europe this summer, with both West Ham and Arsenal having been attributed with an interest in bringing the £4 million-rated winger to the Premier League.

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Xherdan Shaqiri

It took until Switzerland’s final group game for Shaqiri to come to the fore, but when he finally arrived, it was worth the wait. A classy hat-trick against Honduras, including a wondrous 25-yard strike, helped secure his country’s progression into the first knockout round. The diminutive winger is Switzerland’s primary creative threat, but he doesn’t have the same importance at club level. Liverpool are hot on his case, and look certain to finalise a deal for him this summer.

Emmanuel Emenike

Nigeria managed to progress from Group F with favourites, Argentina, and the industry of Emmanuel Emenike up top has been no small contributory factor. He tormented Bosnian defender, Emir Spahic, all evening as the Super Eagles triumphed 1-0, virtually securing qualification. The combination of physical might and powerful running is a nightmarish prospect for any defence. Chelsea have been strongly linked with the Fenerbahce man as Jose Mourinho tries to strengthen a weak front line at Stamford Bridge.

Divock Origi

In a team full of Premier League stars, Belgium’s biggest threat this summer has been 19-year-old striker, Divock Origi. The Lille man was an unknown quantity for most in England until the past few weeks, but three substitute appearances have alerted the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham to his talents. He has the pace to run in behind defenders, and likes to pick the ball up and beat his marker. A winner to secure qualification against Russia capped off what has been a great World Cup so far for Origi. He looks destined for a Premier League switch in due course.

Liverpool’s decision to remain at Anfield is one that makes economic sense according to the club’s managing director, Ian Ayre, with the club deciding to increase the capacity of their own ground instead of moving to a new stadium.

He claims that moving to a new stadium would cost £300million, a cost which would not justify building a brand new stadium with only 15,000 more seats than Anfield.

It will come as relief to the club’s long-suffering fans that the club now has a clear direction for the future; and that extra money will be raised for potential new signings to take the club back into contention for major honours.

Many of the club’s supporters struggled with the concept of leaving their traditional home; a move which was supported by Hicks and Gillett in their turbulent tenure at the club.

The unpopular pair wasted £50million into planning of a new stadium, money which the new owners, FSG, have been forced to write off

Liverpool’s £150 million investment in Anfield will please the traditionalists, considering the ground is the only which the club has ever had; however there are still a number of drawbacks in remaining at the site.

The economic benefits of staying have been well-publicised, but the club needs to address the on-going housing situation around the ground if it wants to increase the capacity.

The club still needs to purchase houses around the stadium and consequently demolish them in order to take the ground’s capacity to 60,000; with reports claiming that Ian Ayre would be happy to fork out more than market value for the properties.

In addition, staying at Anfield means the club cannot walk away from the long-standing logistical problems which include; poor parking, poor public transport and traffic chaos on match days.

Staying at the site and not moving to Stanley Park also makes it more difficult for the club’s out of town fans to bring money to the club; with a brand new stadium possibly making the club more commercially viable in appealing to the global market.

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Despite Ayre’s announcement, there is still a large degree of uncertainty surrounding the stadium expansion; as the planning application is not due to be submitted until next summer and consultations with residents have yet to begin.

Staying at Anfield may be a money-saver in the short-term, but it remains to be seen whether the decision will be thought of as a shrewd move or a missed opportunity.

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The 2018 FIFA World Cup has just passed the halfway mark, and we are already starting to get a good idea of the teams that will be involved in the latter stages. There is huge Premier League representation at the tournament with 107 players from the English top division taking part in Russia. In this article we take a look at some of the best performing Premier League players at the World Cup.

1. Harry Kane, England & Tottenham Hotspur

England are the only squad in Russia this summer with a squad made up entirely of players playing in their home nation. Leading those players is Captain Harry Kane, who at time of writing leads the goal-scoring charts with 5 goals in 2 games.

The impressive 24-year-old has notched 108 times in 153 Premier League games for Tottenham and has finally captured that form for the national team. If Kane continues his rich-vein of goal-scoring form, there’s every chance that England could win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

2. Romelu Lukaku, Belgium & Manchester United

Chasing Kane for the Golden Boot is Manchester United’s blustering forward Lukaku, who scored a brace in Belgium’s opening two group games. Since moving to Old Trafford, Lukaku has fit in well and hit 16 league goals in his first with United.

Question marks remain over Lukaku’s ability to score in important games against the best opposition. Despite his good start to the tournament, it remains to be seen whether he can perform when Belgium face sterner opposition.

3. David Ospina, Arsenal & Colombia

Arsenal’s stand-in goalkeeper suffers from what is affectionately known as David Healy syndrome. When playing for his club side, he has often flattered to deceive and Gunners’ fans have never had complete confidence in his abilities.

However, for Colombia he has been a rock in recent tournaments. In the 2015 Copa America, Ospina made a string of stunning saves to hold Argentina to a stalemate, one of which was an incredible double save from Lionel Messi.

Following Los Cafeteros 3-0 victory over Poland, they look well-set to reach the knockout stages and Ospina’s performances could be vital to their ambitions.

4. Olivier Giroud, France & Chelsea

After scoring 4 goals in 8 qualifying matches the towering Frenchman has established himself as a prominent feature in Didier Deschamp’s sides. Giroud brings something different to an otherwise fast but small attack.

Giroud has never been a truly prolific striker, but in spells at Arsenal and Chelsea he has scored 76 goals and provided 24 assists. Which is an overall contribution of 100 goals in 193 Premier League appearances.

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5. Dejan Lovren, Croatia & Liverpool

Since his high-profile move from St. Mary’s to Anfield, Lovren has been a figure of derision amongst rival fans and pundits. Several lapses in concentration have been punished during his time with Liverpool yet his game has improved remarkably since the arrival of Virgil Van Dijk.

Lovren was part of the Liverpool side that reached last season’s Champions League final and he has played solidly so far for Croatia. After an opening win against Nigeria, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic inspired the Croatians to a 3-0 win over Argentina.

Keeping a firm defence will be key for Croatia as they look to progress through the knockout phases, will Dejan Lovren help them to an unlikely World Cup win?

As reported by Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it, Arsenal have recently sent scouts to the track the progress of Napoli attacker Lorenzo Insigne.

What’s the story?

With the departures of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in January, Arsenal could do with summer reinforcements in attack, even after the arrivals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

CalcioMercato.it report that the Gunners recently sent scouts to Napoli’s match with RB Leipzig, with one of the players they were there to watch being Lorenzo Insigne.

Rated at £54m by Transfermarkt, any deal to bring the Italian international to the Emirates would be significant, but is he the direct Sanchez replacement that could turn Arsenal into a top four force again?

How good is he?

While Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil provide pure creativity and Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang offer raw firepower, Insigne is the kind of player that blends the two in a manner similar to Alexis Sanchez’s contributions at the Gunners.

This season so far the 26-year-old has scored 10 goals and provided eight assists, helping his side to the top of the Serie A table, following on from last term’s impressive return of 20 goals and 12 assists.

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The Italian has been an absolute stand-out at Napoli for three years now and securing his signature would be quite a coup considering his potential to improve most teams around Europe.

A player who excels predominately on the left, a front four of Insigne, Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang could provide the Gunners with an unstoppable attacking force next season if they follow up their reported interest.

A stunning hat trick to send Manchester United through  in the Champions League doesn’t disguise the fact that there is something clearly not right with Robin van Persie this season.

The Dutchman, who was lauded as the key to United’s title triumph last season, has often been absent or cut a forlorn figure under new manager David Moyes.

With the club currently languishing in 7th place in the Premier League right now, van Persie is obviously not the only player at Old Trafford failing to replicate last season’s form.

Having featured in every league fixture during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year in charge, the Dutchman has only appeared eighteen times in the same competition for Moyes in this campaign.

Although he managed to stay fit for the previous two seasons, injuries that had plagued the entirety of van Persie’s career seem to have returned to haunt him once more.

Even so, some will point to the fact that he has still notched 11 league goals in this injury-hit campaign as evidence that there is nothing wrong with the striker.

11 from 18 is a record that all strikers would be proud of.

But to suggest that all is well for the Dutchman at Old Trafford would be to ignore the player’s body language and performances at times this season.

Talks of a rift with David Moyes remain unfounded. Accusations mounted that van Persie’s numerous absences from the side were due to disputes rather than any injury. If all newspaper reports were to be believed, nearly every player at the club has had some issue with the manager this season.

But despite this, van Persie’s criticism of his team-mates “sometimes occupying the spaces I want to play in” after the first leg defeat in Greece revealed a very telling disillusionment at the club.

The Dutchman added in the same interview that his fellow United players are “often playing in my zones”, which forces him to alter his natural game.

How often does a player ever come out publicly and express concerns with the team’s tactics? Although he was very clear in not pointing the finger at Moyes, these remarkable comments reveal the striker’s discontent with his side’s setup this season.

In the discussion after the second leg triumph, the Sky Sports panel noted how Moyes’ alterations had managed to bring the best out of van Persie.

Gary Neville pointed out that the inclusion of Ryan Giggs’ forward passing from midfield and Danny Welbeck’s industry out wide served to create the space and opportunities that the Dutchman thrives upon.

For a player that was often decisive in fixtures last season, van Persie has been nothing more than a passenger in too many of the big games this year.

Heat maps and analyses of the Dutchman’s touches in some of these matches reveal just how little impact the striker has had in many of United’s disappointing results this season.

In the recent devastating home loss to Liverpool, the striker was essentially a bystander. Even with Adnan Januzaj, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney surrounding him, van Persie was unable to exert any influence on the game.

The situation has deteriorated to the point where journalists such as Neil Custis of The Sun have suggested that the club may actively look to sell the player in the summer. Talk of a return to Arsenal or a move to Juventus has been mooted.

Only last week, van Persie publicly outlined his intention to stay at the club. But the January arrival of Mata and Rooney’s recent contract extension perhaps suggests that United are planning for a future without the Dutchman.

The levels of finance involved in both of these deals implies that the pair are considered integral to Moyes’ plans.

Mata is clearly not suited to the wide role which the manager has at times asked him to occupy which begs the question, can these three players actually play in the same side?

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Injury plagued and thirty one in the summer, van Persie may be the one ousted either from the starting XI or even the club altogether.

Provided that the knock he suffered in the closing stages against Olympiakos doesn’t prove to be serious, maybe the hat trick will rejuvenate the striker and the club’s fortunes.

But there have been many false dawns at United this season. And something is still clearly not right with Robin van Persie.

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Everton striker Victor Anichebe is desperate to break his derby duck against Liverpool on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Nigerian striker has yet to score against Liverpool and insists that derby day goals are the benchmark of any good Goodison forward.

Despite suffering a head injury last time out against QPR, Anichebe is expected to start against Liverpool as Steven Pienaar’s dismissal means that David Moyes will have to re-shuffle his side’s attacking options.

Despite high hopes of breaking his personal hoodoo against Liverpool in the 219th Merseyside derby, Anichebe has less selfish hopes of seeing the Blues pick up three points as Everton look to remain in the top four.

“I was thinking about the fact that I haven’t scored against Liverpool recently,” the Everton striker told the Liverpool Echo.

“I really want to change that – it would mean a lot to me.

“Scoring is always nice no matter who it’s against but against Liverpool would be extra special.

“It’d be nice for me and the fans. Jela has done it and many of Everton’s best centre forwards over the years can say they’ve done it.

“More important though is that we win.

“That’d be perfect for us,” he added.

Anichebe has netted on four occasions this season, two coming in the Premier League and is hoping goals in the derby will help  his claims for more first team action.

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Everton fans are still waiting to hear whether influential midfielder Marouane Fellaini is going to be fit for the clash on Sunday.

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