Tag: Ilkay Gundogan

The best XI of free agents in the summer 2025 transfer window
Champions League, Features

The best XI of free agents in the summer 2025 transfer window

From a trio of Liverpool superstars and a duo of Manchester City icons to Tottenham forward Son Heung-min, here is a look at the best XI of impending free agents in the summer 2025 transfer window. The formation utilized will be a 4-3-3 without a playmaker, as this remains the most common formation utilize by the top teams in European football. Contract expiry is based on data from Transfermarkt. GK Alex Meret, Napoli Alex Meret is capable of producing fabulous saves and is one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A, which just might have the most goalkeeping talent of any league in world football. Although Napoli's poor 2023/24 season has caused Meret to fall by the wayside in discussions of the better keepers in Europe, the 27-year-old is a top player in his prime who is capable of t...
Real Madrid rejected the chance to sign one of Barcelona’s best players
Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid rejected the chance to sign one of Barcelona’s best players

Real Madrid have a gaping hole in their midfield after the retirement of Toni Kroos, because for as much talent as they have in the middle of the park, the recent disappointing 1-1 draw with Mallorca highlighted all that is lost from Kroos' departure. The defending champions of Spain and Europe, Real Madrid did not progress the ball or create chances to even half the degree expected against bottom-half side Mallorca without Kroos. Going forward, Real Madrid will have to count on more creation from the superstar midfield quartet of Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga. Meanwhile, Real Madrid should call upon Turkish phenom Arda Guler to get more minutes in his second season after a strong European Championship campaign, and veteran Luka Modric ...
Transfers: Barca’s worst wage offenders; Why West Ham want Carlos Soler; Making sense of Joao Felix to Chelsea
Champions League, Features, LaLiga, Premier League

Transfers: Barca’s worst wage offenders; Why West Ham want Carlos Soler; Making sense of Joao Felix to Chelsea

Why are Chelsea going back for Joao Felix despite his 2023 flop? How might Carlos Soler help West Ham return to European football? And which three players are hurting Barcelona the most in the wage department? Here are the latest takes around the world football transfer rumor mill. Making sense of Joao Felix to Chelsea Leave it to Chelsea to make the most shocking transfer of the summer window, because for a fee of 45 million pounds, the Blues have agreed to bring Joao Felix back to Stamford Bridge...on a permanent basis. It's not like Felix set the Bridge on fire when he arrived in the second half of the 2022/23 season, nor is it as if he was such a rousing success at the Camp Nou either. Felix is who he is at this stage. A very talented, very limited playmaker who plays more f...
Transfers: Barca’s Gundogan mistake, Brighton take a huge risk, Juve outsmarting Milan?
Champions League, Features, LaLiga, Premier League, Serie A

Transfers: Barca’s Gundogan mistake, Brighton take a huge risk, Juve outsmarting Milan?

Did Barcelona make a mistake by signing Ilkay Gundogan? Will Brighton's transfer gamble be worth the reward? And are Juventus getting one over on AC Milan this summer? Here is the latest analysis behind some of world football's hottest transfer news stories. Juventus stealing Pierre Kalulu from AC Milan Juventus had a lot of problems last season, but the defense clearly wasn't one of them. So much so that Gleison Bremer and Danilo were two of the best center backs in Serie A, while Federico Gatti joined Bremer with significant interest from around the Premier League. Still, Juve wanted to land a young center back to potentially start over Gatti for new manager Thiago Motta and then take the reigns as a star in defense from Danilo, who is heading closer to the end at age 33. Alth...
Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024
Features

Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024

As Jorginho showed the world in the last European Championships, in addition to Luka Modric and Enzo Fernandez at previous World Cups, great midfielders can make a world of difference at the international stage. Here are the 10 best midfielders you need to know at Euro 2024, ranked in order. 10. Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary Dominik Szoboszlai's match-winning performance against Montenegro will forever live in the lore of Hungarian football. The Liverpool star is the modern day hope of the country in football, carrying a legacy that includes some of the greatest players in history, most namely Ferenc Puskas A playmaker who has become a more robust midfielder by working on his physical strength, Szoboszlai can play virtually any position for Hungary but is currently being utilized as ...