₦airaland Forum

Pataki:
Ugly racist club with a gutter mouth coach.

SIRcumalot:
Na who be the 1st ?

It's that time of the year when the European powerhouses are looking to offload those considered surplus to requirements in order to fund their latest batch of high-profile arrivals. Xavi, Andrea Pirlo and Iker Casillas have all bid farewell to their adoring fans, with Carlos Tevez, Sami Khedira, Yohan Cabaye and Bastian Schweinsteiger all leaving a member of Europe's elite.

Despite that movement, there remains a number of players expected to see their playing time dwindle further for the big hitters on the continent that may still be up for grabs. Here are some potential benchwarmers that could yet arrive in England.

Pedro (Barcelona)
Undoubtedly a victim of Barcelona's financial muscle in recent years, Pedro's nearly-status as a Blaugrana first team regular is looking likely to come to an end. Last season the forward's playing time was restricted to its lowest point since making his mark on the senior ranks at Camp Nou, with 1531 minutes spread over 35 appearances in La Liga, of which 20 came from the bench. Only two players appeared more times as a substitute in Spain's top tier.

A tally of six goals and six assists was a respectable return but way down on what was a highly encouraging 2013/14 campaign under Tata Martino, notching a career high of 15 league goals along with eight assists for a WhoScored.com rating of 7.14. It's a figure that would drop to a modest 6.76 last season. With their wonderful forward triumvirate unlikely to be broken anytime soon, Pedro would no doubt be best served looking for more regular action away from Barcelona.

Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid)
Another tipped with a move away from one of Spain's 'big two' is Asier Illarramendi, who has failed to live up to expectations in the famous white jersey. Earmarked as Xabi Alonso's long-term successor due to his impressively efficient passing and ability to break up play in central areas, the midfielder's career may yet plot a similar path if links to Liverpool are to be believed. Both made their name at Real Sociedad, with Illarramendi impressing to the extent that he became - and remains - the most expensive Spanish transfer in Los Blancos' illustrious history.

In terms of his performances he has never really let Madrid down, but neither has he convinced that he is the man from which the side's play should be built. It's worth noting that while a league rating of 6.66 from WhoScored may seem meagre, when you exclude the 20 substitute appearances he made last season that score is up at 7.18 in ten starts. Having led Real Madrid in terms of minutes per pass (1.2) and interception (29), the Spaniard just needs a chance but seems unlikely to get it at the Bernabeu.

Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich)
It may seem a stretch to suggest that Mario Gotze will be on the fringes of the Bayern team next season, but the general consensus on the youngster is that he hasn't quite hit the heights expected of him since a move to the Allianz. While any transfer would likely set interested parties back a pretty penny, many believe that the club would not be opposed to entertaining offers for the man who scored Germany's World Cup winner last July.

The return to fitness of Thiago Alcantara could have a big say on Gotze's future, and while he is thought to be a part of the long-term plan beyond the likes of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, Bayern could yet be tempted to sell the 23-year old.

Despite making 32 league appearances last season the playmaker's WhoScored rating was at its lowest since breaking into the Dortmund side (7.20) and with a direct hand in just 11 goals - a feat he managed from half the number of starts (14) in the 2011/12 season - Gotze's star may have fallen a little. Often shunted out wide, Bayern man has been used as somewhat of a utility player in attack and may not be against a move where he could gain a fixed, central position in the side.


Ezequiel Lavezzi (PSG)
Following a big money move from Napoli in 2012, it's fair to say Ezequiel Lavezzi has not reached the form he managed in his final three seasons in Serie A. His creative juices are running dry in the French capital, and while the Argentine's finishing has always been questioned, his assist tally has dwindled substantially. In his final three years in Naples Lavezzi scored 25 goals but added a further 23 assists. While he has netted a respectable 22 goals in three seasons in Paris, however, Lavezzi has supplied just six assists.

Joined by former teammate Edinson Cavani the season after he signed for the club, many expected the arrival of Lavezzi's fellow South American might see the two forge a formidable partnership. In the 2010/11 season in particular theirs was the most profitable partnership in Serie A, with Lavezzi assisting six of Cavani's league strikes. Since the Uruguayan made the move to the French capital, however, Lavezzi has laid on just two assists for the No. 9, and while both have had their problems settling into life in Ligue 1 it's the Argentine who seems set for the exit following a disappointing WhoScored rating of 6.83 last season.


Fernando Llorente (Juventus)
Despite the departure of top scorer Carlos Tevez, who has returned to Boca Juniors, Fernando Llorente's time at Juventus may also be up. The progression of Alvaro Morata coupled with the signings of Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Simone Zaza mean the Spaniard's playing time is set to fall next season having started 25 league matches in 2014/15. The signing of Mandzukic in particular - who offers a very similar physical threat - is the clearest indicator that coach Max Allegri feels the 30-year old is not up to standard, having scored just seven Serie A goals and registered one assist last season.

His rating from WhoScored.com fell from an impressive 7.21 in his debut season in Turin, in which he had a direct hand in 21 league goals, to just 6.70 last time out. That said, for any club on the lookout for a target man Llorente is still a real handful. Having scored a league high of 26 headed goals in his final four seasons in Spain the former Athletic Club striker notched nine of 22 with his head in Serie A, which also represents a league record over the last two seasons in Italy's top-flight.

Had online football journalism 'developed' to 2015 proportions in 2003, there would have been articles with titles like 'Past It: How Twitter reacted to Makelele move', 'Chelsea sign 'average' troublemaker Makelele' and 'Ten Other Over-Priced and Over-The-Hill Signings'. Claude Makelele was 30, he cost £16m and he had gone on strike to force through a move to Chelsea that he later admitted was almost entirely about money.

That was the summer that Chelsea spent over £111m, including £17m on Damien Duff, £15m on Juan Sebastian Veron, £15.8m on Adrian Mutu, £9.8m on Scott Parker and £16.8m on Hernan Crespo; Makelele was the last in the door and fans of other clubs laughed at the ridiculousness of spending so much money on a 30-year-old. Chelsea fans were mildly embarrassed; they were yet to develop the thick blue skin of the nouveau riche.

The words of Real president Florentino Perez - "We will not miss Makélelé. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and 90% of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn't a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres. Younger players will arrive who will cause Makélelé to be forgotten" - were particularly damning. They would have picked up rather more traction in 2015.

I remember widespread cynicism at this summer of scattergun spending by Chelsea, with particular criticism for the signings of Veron, Crespo and Makelele, who were said to have struggled at bigger clubs and were clearly only lured to Stamford Bridge by the new influx of petrodollars. While the other two players were - at best - qualified successes, Makelele was a revelation. In a different era, an awful lot of spitefully favourited 'what a waste of money' tweets would have been re-tweeted.

The internet does not archive much of that reaction from 2003, though a piece from Mark Hodgkinson in the Daily Telegraph raises a smile, not least because it begins with the words 'Roman Abramovich has been like one of those ladies in the King's Road, Chelsea, who stop shopping only when the boutiques shut'. It may have been 2003 everywhere else, but at the Telegraph (then just a stuffy newspaper rather than a click-hungry website), it was evidently still 1973. See also the description of Claudio Ranieri as 'slightly camp'.

In that piece, Hodgkinson writes sniffily of Chelsea acting like 'lottery winners' doing 'loadsamoney trading' and describes Makelele as 'a man shaped by money, envy and perhaps an inflated sense of his own worth'. This was a journalist writing in a national newspaper so imagine the reaction from football fans not afforded such a stage. Makelele was a greedy, mercenary player signing for a brash, shameless club.

The story of Makelele - and in particular, the criticism of his signing - feels relevant this week as Bastian Schweinsteiger follows the Frenchman to become only the second 30-year-old to be transferred to an English club for 20m Euros. As the internet echoes with claims that the German is too old and Franz Beckenbauer stops just short of saying that a move to the Premier League is not becoming of a man of his age, it is worth remembering Makelele.

It may also be worth remembering Makelele - a man who said "at the moment it's not in my head to train, or do anything like that" when still being paid by Real Madrid but eyeing a move to the newest, richest kids on the block - when discussing/abusing/dismissing Raheem Sterling. Barely anybody remembers those quotes because it was 2003 and online football journalism churned out roughly 4% of its current output. Which is one of several reasons why I miss 2003.

History remembers Makelele as the man with his very own 'role'. But before the 'role', Makelele was an ageing, money-grabbing failure. Sometimes we need to remember even when the internet forgets.

So when dismissing Sterling as a spoilt creation of football 2015, or Schweinsteiger as over-the-hill, at least let history temper your outrage. Writing players off before they have even stepped over the white line is becoming the depressing staple; reserving judgment has become a greatly endangered pastime.

bigkesh:
Well y not sign another player that has 50% of making Barcelona 11.....
Grizzy,Reus,Isco.......Any of this guys alongside hazard ,Just Imagine

Keky:
Is it a crime to troll now?

nonsoroyalty:
[s]haha dude am not even up to 30 yet stop being a miserablee ediot[/s]

nonsoroyalty:
[s]Pedro presser live...

Pedro: After staying in the bench last season at
barca I have finally decided to destroy what's left of my career by coming to chelsea just like torres shevchenko crespo etc

Reporter: hazard or neymar whose better?

Pedro: well both are good but one just scored in the ucl final receiving the ucl golden boot ahead of messi and ronaldo in lesser minutes and also inspired his country to the 2013 confederations cup with fred gustavo etc
While the other is still receiving pfa awards


Reporter: your future if u sign for chelsea?

Pedro : well honestly I can't tell but I know I will be loaned to vitesse after 2 seasons

Reporter : do u like chelsea?

Pedro: lol who doesn't love money?

Reporter: what do u think of the chelsea players

Pedro: well they are good guys fun to be with
Terry almost slept with my wife costa and I had a fight soooooooo its all good

Reporter: mourinho?

Pedro: mourinho? Well each time I remember that name I remember the 5-0 at the camp nou

Mourinho called me we talked about prices of buses and molues sekpe kai kai etc
Am beginning to like him he is a born winner

Reporter: will your family come with you to london?

Pedro: my sons? Yes my daughter and wife? As long as john terry is still in london, ABSOLUTELY F*CKING NOT



Ill post more press brb[/s]

joseph1832:
Well that means you half hazardly support gay rights!.

bigkesh:
So Pedro is suddenly a good player,no more the Barca bench warmer............

Chelsea fans this Window-
*Give us Kendrick Lamar, We want Kendrick*..........
*Bids for Ice prince*
'Well I have always rated Ice prince, No one raps and sings like him,he is versatile'

joseph1832:
Nihilist has always been supporter of the abnormal, no wonder he advocates gay rights here in Nairaland.

AllNaijaBlogger:
Fixed your comment.
By the way, why are you such a racist? Farrakhan? Seriously?

nonsoroyalty:

LTSHANGY:
''Gaitan's deal will materialise if Di Maria joins PSG, Meanwhile, Cavani will replace ex striker Van persie at Old Trafford.

raumdeuter:
35-3 = 32
Ibime you Wan claim 32. You fit swear in the name of egberi or which riverine god

You don forget say you don tell us before in 2008 that you were 32?

Nateevs tried under 17 camp steadily for 7 yrs he started with Segun Fetuga and Jide Oguntuwase.

After that he went for trials in Tunisia and African sports before he gave up and decided to be a network engineer.

Don't dare me o

afrodoc2:
LOL. Why is it then that Starboard and Bingzy are always at each other's throats? Me suspects there is some hard felt and heart felt beef from WAY BACK.
But that convocation gown pic,lmao..................should be in the museum of natural history ( its a specimen)

SIRcumalot:
Kai !!!
I didn't even rate Gaitan when he was making waves,
I know sure say the guy dey start for Argentina sef
I hope LVG know wetin him dey do here,
I know support this transfer o.

StarBoard:
Relax.
Just a year gap. Dayo coulda bin my mate but he failed JAMB.
Nyabinghi was a year ahead of me as well.

nateevs:
Hehehe. This is sick.

For real, all these young boys wey dey follow Dayo dey drag argument for here go shock if dem jam am for real life.
Dayo was already a full, responsible adult when Alabukun was a hit product.

AdeLaNa1:
Those are United's record signings. Not EPL record signing. And numbers 8, 9 & 10 dont count as this arguement is based on transfers before the sugar daddies era.

Or u want mke we start to list Chelsea's record signings??



3 million, 12 million, 10 million?? U want to tell only United could ve afforded those players? Wat abt Arsenal? Kanu, Viera, Pires, etc...
Or Liverpool?? Stop making it sound like United was the only club dat had money. Yes we was(and still are) the wealthiest English club but other clubs could ve afforded other players in those price ranges. But instead the settled for mediocre players and allowed United to gain momentum and become one of the best clubs to ve graced the EPL....

raumdeuter:
Actually I graduate 03/04 Seun and tkb were my mate but Nyabingi and starboard were my seniors.

Ibime after after he was rusticated from UNIPORT in final yr Vet medicine (6yr course) for anti SAP protest in 1987, he went to claim asylum in Uk say him be 12yrs old minor

Theres a video on youtube showing Border security questioning and harrasing him before human right groups came to his rescue

AdeLaNa1:
Confirm am na....

AdeLaNa1:
Why?? Because we played better than any other team on the pitch and we also enjoyed the benefits that came with those winnings. And so we was able to sign him at that fee.

Ibime:



Dayo graduated in 2005/2006, but all his classmates already knew him as Pa Dayo in school. He entered Uni in his 20s.

Seun Osewa and TKB417 were his coursemates in OAU. Seun and TKB are only 32 but Dayo na their papa.

AirborneLacer:
Tolerance is the key word.

We can scare through, right?

raumdeuter:
You mean late 1800?

Mr Kosarugbo n Ghana

AdeLaNa1:
Pls with tables, diagrams and examples where appropriate, explain the boldened part....

Before the sugar daddies, United and Arsenal were the biggest deals then. The most expensive players we had bought was Fredinand. Most of our players were from our youth setup. Same with Arsenal. B4 the era of the sugar daddies, we always did our talking on the pitch, winnnig games and titles. So i dont get how people always think we bought the EPL wit money