Could Milan move reignite Torres' stalling career?

By David Lee Wheatley (Twitter: @davewh1980)

Fernando Torres said he knew the writing was on the wall the very minute that Diego Costa pitched up at Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid in a multi-million pound deal. Despite initial denials to the contrary from Blues boss Jose Mourinho, the Spaniard was on his way out of the door.

The £50million man has suffered one setback after another at Chelsea since his astonishing move from Liverpool in 2011, with his personal form contrasting sharply with that of his time at Anfield.

Torres’ fall from grace has been both spectacular and well-documented, with many an observer proclaiming the end of the Spaniards’ career at the top-level for at least the last couple of seasons. A knee operation while still on Merseyside in January 2010 was widely pinpointed as the moment everything went wrong for the once-prolific forward.

In spite of all the criticism, the Madrid-born striker managed to collect a significant amount of silverware during his stay in west London, playing a major part as Chelsea claimed the UEFA Champions’ League crown in 2012. However, he has been subjected to the usual ‘what a waste of money’ chants right across the country, while also looking a yard off the pace on many occasions. Additionally, his inexplicable loss of goal-scoring prowess has seen him spiral downwards from being classed as one of the deadliest strikers on the planet to becoming a ridiculed figure in some quarters due to several glaring misses in front of goal.

A new dawn is upon him with a two-year loan switch to Serie A and Milan having been completed shortly before the summer transfer window closed. The Rossoneri have been in the market for a new no. 9 since Mario Balotelli jumped ship to join Torres’ former club Liverpool in August and they earmarked El Nino as the perfect person to replace Super Mario at the San Siro. They appear determined to help rekindle the Spain international’s appetite for the game following his hugely frustrating descent from greatness over the last few years.

Whether Torres can return to his sparkling form of pre-2010 at the age of 30 is highly debatable and, quite frankly, unlikely. It seems his best days are firmly behind him and certainly there has been very little evidence to suggest otherwise within the previous four years or so.

Italian football remains notoriously difficult for attacking players to score an abundance of goals due to the defensive nature of the game in the Calcio-mad country. It isn’t quite as hard as perhaps it was in the 80s for example, when it was unusual to see anybody hitting 20-plus strikes in the top-flight, but it’s still hard going for forwards.

Last season’s top-scorer was Ciro Immobile, then of Torino, with 22 league strikes. A total anywhere close to that from Torres in a Milan shirt would represent a very fine campaign for the one-time World Cup winner, especially when considering his meagre contribution of five goals for Chelsea in the Premier League during 2013/14.

It’s been a rough ride since that 2010 surgery took place, which seemingly robbed Torres of his pace and a fair dose of confidence, just when he should have been enjoying the absolute prime of his footballing life. A new beginning at the San Siro will undoubtedly do the player good, with the opportunity to start afresh in a new league, in front of excited fans desperate to witness the return of the real Fernando Torres.  

However, if this latest adventure in northern Italy doesn’t work out well for Torres, then we can surely kiss goodbye to the old Fernando forever.  

Follow me on Twitter @davewh1980

Balotelli and Liverpool the perfect match?

By David Lee Wheatley

Clown Prince Mario Balotelli is set to return to these shores following an 18-month stint back in his homeland with Milan despite categorically stating he ‘hated’ this country’s weather, food and culture when he left Manchester City under a cloud after a troubled three years at the Etihad.

However, Liverpool have agreed a £16m fee with the Rossoneri and Mario himself has already completed both parts of his medical at the Melwood training complex ahead of an expected confirmation of the switch tomorrow.

It’s not quite clear whether he is returning because he misses the standard of competition on offer in the Premier League, or if the reported £120,000 per week wage has turned his head. Whatever the reasons behind his unexpected arrival at Anfield, it represents the last real chance for the Italian striker to finally cement his position as one of the world’s best.

The long list of problems during his last stay in the north-west are well documented and, in his eyes, ancient history. He’ll hope to join the Reds with a clean slate and an opportunity to show his true worth under the intense spotlight that awaits him. Whether that is realistic is another question altogether.

Media and rival fans alike will be waiting patiently for Balotelli to blow up at one point or another; if and when he does, they will pounce on him with a vengeance. He must display a new-found maturity in keeping a level head in the face of such pressure, so that he may be as useful as possible to Liverpool in their quest for success both domestically and in Europe.

Brendan Rodgers has decided to take an apparent gamble by pursuing the transfer of the fiery former Inter man, but he is the right manager to tame the 24-year-old. He appears from the outside to look after his players, backing them to the hilt in public and avoiding confrontation with them whenever possible.

That ‘arm around the shoulder’ approach will no doubt placate Balotelli should he lose focus at any point and will, hopefully for Liverpool’s sake, keep any clashes behind closed doors. The last thing any club needs is for a training ground bust-up - of which Mario has been involved in several - to be splashed all over the back pages of newspapers as occurred between Roberto Mancini and he during their tumultuous working relationship.

Balotelli possesses a huge amount of talent and certainly knows where the goal is, as evidenced by 26 league goals in Serie A over the short time he spent back at the San Siro. Now, it is up to him to channel all energies into performing to the height of his ability on the field without all of the crazy shenanigans that he got up to in Manchester.

Above all, he must realise it’s about time that he grew up and that he must start to act in a professional manner; after all, he’s being paid handsomely to do so.

Should he get a regular gig  for Rodgers’ side once the transfer is completed, then he is likely to benefit greatly from the attack-minded way in which the Merseysiders set about their business. With Sterling one side and Sturridge the other, the Azzurri star will have all of the ammunition he requires to fire Liverpool to glory.

Without doubt, what we can say for sure is that it’ll be interesting!

Twitter: @davewh1980

Vidic wants one last crack at rivals

By David Lee Wheatley

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic signalled the end of an era when announcing his intention to join Inter during the summer at the completion of his Old Trafford contract. After eight glorious years of service, mainly under Sir Alex Ferguson, the Serbian centre-back has decided to move on in order to experience a new adventure in Italy.

Today, he leads the Red Devils into battle against arch-rivals Liverpool for the last time before he leaves for pastures new and the 32-year-old is relishing the opportunity to help his beloved United to secure a key victory in the ongoing battle to put the reigning champions season back on track.

Four places and eleven points currently separate the two sides, but unusually it's the Merseysiders in the ascendancy on this occasion. Their progress this season under Brendan Rodgers has seen the Anfield giants touted as possible title contenders for the first time since 2009, when they finished 2nd in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez. Meanwhile, Manchester United have suffered a dramatic fall from grace since Alex Ferguson's retirement at the end of last season and they go into this afternoon's clash as underdogs.

Vidic and Rio Ferdinand formed a formidable central defensive partnership throughout their first five years or so together, but injury and age have caught up with both recently. However, the club captain will hope to keep a clean sheet against the odds in his team's quest to somehow snatch a top-four spot in last-ditch fashion.

To do so, he and his team-mates will have to keep a rampant Liverpool forward line quiet and that would appear an almost impossible task. Suarez and Sturridge have plundered 45 goals between them and their pace will cause huge problems for a creaking United back-four. Should Vidic and co. pull off a shock and stop them from scoring, it would certainly be plausible for the likes of Mata, Rooney, Januzaj and Van Persie to give Liverpool something to think about at the other end of the field.

Only time will tell if Vidic can sign off in this biggest of fixtures in style. But, a betting man would say he can't, despite so many past glories with the club.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Please release me, let me go

 

By David Lee Wheatley

Controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez yesterday revealed his frustration at the perception that Brendan Rodgers and the club have gone back on their word.

He stated that last summer he was asked to stay on Merseyside for one more season in an effort to reach the Champions League. Suarez claims that his manager Rodgers insisted that if they failed to make it, he could leave for a new club that were participating in the competition.

Arsenal bid the unusual amount of £40,000,001 in a bid to activate what Suarez and the Gunners believe to be a minimum fee release clause in the Uruguayan's Anfield contract. However, Liverpool owner John W. Henry refuses to accept the offer and has told supporters he has absolutely no intention of letting go of the club's prized asset.

Now, things are threatening to get ugly, with the forward suggesting he'll take his case to the Premier League if Liverpool fail to let him move on. Arsenal believe they've bid enough to allow them to speak to the player and they won't be adding more weight to their offer at this stage, as they see no reason to do so. They're expected to remain patient, while the stalemate between Suarez and the Reds continues to fester.

The 26-year-old possesses undoubted ability, but a nasty streak marks him out as a troublesome character. Many observers have been surprised Arsene Wenger is so determined to add the former Ajax man to his squad, due to the considerable baggage that comes along with the Uruguay international.

However, Arsenal seem intent on getting their man and Liverpool may well find the terms of the player's contract coming under severe scrutiny over the next few days. If Suarez's revelations are proved correct, then Rodgers could be forced to concede defeat in his battle to hold on to the prolific marksman.

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Who'll sign the next Great Dane?

By David Lee Wheatley

Ajax schemer Christian Eriksen is a man in demand as several English, Italian and German clubs look closely at the possibility of integrating the 21-year-old prodigy into their squads.

Bayer Leverkusen recently failed in an audacious attempt to snatch Eriksen from under the noses of a clutch of bigger names waiting patiently to pounce. With his future still very much up in the air, which team will succeed in their pursuit of the most exciting talent to emerge from Denmark since the Laudrup brothers?

Eriksen's technical ability, probing passes and attacking instinct marked him out as a star from an early age. The youngster moved from Odense in his homeland at 16, going on to make a first-team debut for Ajax just shy of his 18th birthday. Head coach at the time Martin Jol instantly spotted the potential and even mentioned the midfielder in the same breath as Ajax alumni Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vaart; high praise indeed for an inexperienced professional beginning to make his way in the game.

Having made a starting spot his own in Amsterdam, the skilful starlet performed a vital role in the heart of the side while Ajax swept to three successive league championships under Jol's successor Frank De Boer. Although reluctant to let go of his prized possession, De Boer accepts the time has come for Eriksen to spread his wings and develop further with another club.

Speculation mainly centres on major interest in the services of the midfield orchestrator from Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Milan.

Last season's Champions League runners-up Dortmund stole a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan earlier in the window, who plays a similar role to that of the Danish international. Whether that eliminates Jürgen Klopp's side from the reckoning remains to be seen, but it certainly heightens the urgency with which Liverpool will try to gain the upper hand over the German outfit on this occasion.

The biggest problem that at least partially damages Liverpool's chances of sealing a deal for the 2011 Danish Footballer of the Year is the lack of Champions League football at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers has the task of putting Liverpool back in contention for the top four places in the Premier League, but hasn't yet managed to haul them up to that standard in the short spell he's been on Merseyside. Ajax can offer such a challenge, therefore Eriksen may feel it unnecessary to join a club that currently cannot, despite Liverpool's glorious history.

Italian giants Milan appear in pole position to secure Eriksen for next season, as they attempt to close the gap on Juventus in the Serie A standings and guarantee their group spot in the Champions League via a play-off stage to be played in August. Milan are unaware of their definite opponents for that crunch clash, but nonetheless they'll feel confident of progression into the tournament proper whoever they eventually face.

Unless a last-minute and frankly unexpected bid comes in from Barcelona, Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain, then Milan look set fair to make Eriksen theirs. Having thought better of going up against Roma for PSV's Dutch international midfielder Kevin Strootman, one assumes Milan have lined up an alternative in the shape of the diminutive Dane.

Despite reported financial constraints holding Milan back in the transfer market this summer, the Rossoneri reserve the right to sell one of their current crop in order to fund the deal. Should a selection of sides firm up interest in unsettled Kevin Prince Boateng to the tune of £15million, the ammunition will go straight to chief executive Adriano Galliani to finally get his man.

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Twitter: @davewh1980