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Following their Championship defeat to Brighton yesterday evening, Leeds United manager David Hockaday has criticised his players’ lack of ‘cutting edge’.

“I can’t explain our slow start. It is a mental thing. We didn’t play as a team, we didn’t close down and when we got the ball we gave it away cheaply. That’s not good enough. At the end of the day they were better than us. They showed tonight what a good team they are but we lacked a cutting edge. It was a very uncharacteristic performance, ” the Whites boss informed reporters after the 2-0 loss. 

Ah yes, ‘cutting edge’, that rather ambiguous footballing cliché. Does it mean a more consistent supply of goals? A greater level of quality? Or does it literally refer to a team’s sharpness?

Well, although cutting edge is yet to be unanimously defined, the common consensus is that it refers to a clinical approach in the final third.

Thus, being the lovely bunch that we are at Football FanCast, here’s SIX signings that would significantly raise Leeds’ lethality going forward.

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ADRYAN

Brazilian hotshot Adryan, compared to Selecao greats Zico and Kaka, would certainly provide Leeds with some added cutting edge and is already alleged to be on the verge of an Elland Road switch:

The attacking midfielder rose to international acclaim after propelling his country to U17 World Cup glory in 2011, netting this free-kick against Australia:

//www.youtube.com/embed/FlEuAKzic2g?rel=0

He was subsequently linked with a move to Manchester United, but turned down the opportunity to join the Red Devils.

Instead, the 19 year-old has continued his development with Flamengo, and in January joined Serie A side Cagliari on a long-term loan.

Despite his performances remaining brief in Italy, there’s no doubt the South American is a potent creative entity. Just check out his stats, based on per-90-min metrics, from last season:

It’s believed the deal is close to completion, with Massimo Cellino claiming Adryan wants to play for Leeds after being told he’s not part of Zdenek Zeman’s first team plans this season.

No doubt, the £5million-rated midfielder, who operates as best as a No.10, is a sensational young talent. Here’s a look at him in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/r5XuoVCmCao?rel=0

Mirco Antenucci

Another deal rumoured to be on the edge of completion is the Whites’ swoop for Ternana front-man Mirco Antenucci:

The 30 year-old has spent his entire career in Italian football, boasting spells with Catania, Ascoli and Torino to name a few.

He hasn’t always been prolific, but netted 24 goals in Serie B during the 2009/10 campaign and in 2012 fired Il Tori back to the top flight. Last season, he claimed 19 goals in 40 league outings.

The 5 foot 10 forward is a natural leader too, currently donning the armband at Stadio Liberto Liberati, and it’s alleged he could be available to Leeds for as little as £640,000.

Here’s a look at Antenucci doing what he does best – making the onion bag ripple:

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DAVIDE DI GENNARO

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Another potential transfer gem sourced from Italian leagues that has reportedly come Leeds’ way is Palermo midfielder Davide di Gennaro.

Much like Mirco Antenucci, the 26 year-old is a bit of a journeyman, having represented no less than nine clubs since his professional debut back in 2007.

But di Gennaro’s pedigree is undisputed – he’s a product of the AC Milan youth system and boasts 25 caps for Italy across the youth levels.

He’s also bagged 21 goals in his last 80 league outings, and finding the net is a major part of the Italian’s game. Take this impressive strike against Grosseto for example:

//www.youtube.com/embed/8bdftyEAD-4?rel=0

Di Gennaro helped Palermo claim the Serie B title last season, but Massimo Cellino reportedly remains undecided on the former San Siro starlet.

JEROME THOMAS

The current Elland Road roster is absent of a natural wide-man, the kind of player who can pick up the ball and drive the team 30 or 40 yards up the pitch through sheer skill and pace.

Rather tellingly, as the Whites muster up just three points from their first three Championship outings, none of their players have averaged more than one successful dribble per match, as viewable below:

One potential remedy could come in the form of Crystal Palace winger Jerome Thomas, who enjoyed an impressive, albeit rather brief, loan spell with Leeds during the 2012/13 campaign.

The 31 year-old was in decent form as the Eagles staved off relegation from the Premier League last term, as shown through his per-90-min statistics:

And his quality is well proven, throughout spells in both the top flight and the second tier with Arsenal, Charlton, Portsmouth and West Brom.

Thomas is a tricky winger, capable of cutting inside or hugging the touchline. He’d certainly offer Leeds something different going forward and amid the change in regime at Selhurst Park, could well find himself being offered out before the end of the transfer window.

Either way, a decent bid would certainly test Palace’s resolve, with his contract set to expire next summer. Here’s the former Addick setting up Luciano Becchio against Chelsea from back in 2012:

GEORGE BOYD

Another winger option for Leeds to consider is Hull City’s George Boyd. The Scotland international played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ 2013 Championship promotion and was influential in the top flight last year.

But he only managed nine Premier League starts, and that figure could further reduce next term following the signings of Andrew Robertson and Robert Snodgrass, whilst Robbie Brady returns from injury.

The 28 year-old comes with proven credentials at lower league level; he netted 64 times in 263 league outings for former side Peterborough.

That includes this sensational half-way line lob for the Posh:

//www.youtube.com/embed/Vclg5ft9HEk?rel=0

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Here’s a more extensive look at the former Stevenage star in action:

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With Boyd regarded as a squad player at the KC Stadium and his contract set to expire in 2015, a reasonable bid could tempt Steve Bruce to sell.

Chris Wood

Billy Sharp is an impressive addition to Leeds’ strikeforce but if the Whites are to challenge for promotion this season further recruitment is needed to replace the firepower of Ross McCormack.

One option still open to the Yorkshire club is Leicester City striker Chris Wood, who netted the equaliser to earn his side a point against Everton during the Premier League’s opening weekend:

But after splashing out £8million on Leonardo Ulloa, it’s believed the Foxes would be willing to part company with the 34-cap New Zealand international this summer.

He’s been linked with a number of Championship sides, most notably Wolves, but his potential Molineux deal collapsed.

Leeds would be wise to pick up the pieces – the 6 foot 3 striker is just 22 years of age but has already proved his potency at Championship level, with a return of 36 goals in his last 107 second tier appearances.

Here’s a look at Wood in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/VjqT9eiYUTE?rel=0

It’s believed he could be available for around £2million this summer.

Manchester United’s summer transfer policy, a simple case of buying any world-class attacker they could get their hands on, regardless of price, availability or room in the squad, spawned one of the best puns of the off-season – the Gaalacticos.

Of course, the cheeky quip combines the name of the Red Devils’ new gaffer, the weird-n-wacky Louis van Gaal, with Real Madrid’s transfer policy in the early 2000s that saw them splash out unprecedented fortunes on David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Kaka and later, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The former Premier League champs spent a whopping £150million this summer, but seemingly excluded from the burdens of Financial Fair Play, they’re expected to flex their muscles in the market once again when it reopens in January.

Thus, here’s FIVE more ‘Gaalacticos’ United could snap up.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON VAN GAAL TO REVEAL ALL

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Gerard Pique

In what would constitute a rather stunning January transfer, the tabloids claim Manchester United are plotting a move for Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique:

Louis van Gaal desperately requires top quality reinforcements at the heart of his defence and the Spain international knows the club well, having previously spent four seasons at Old Trafford after being prized away from Barca’s famous La Masia youth system.

Of course, his more notable successes have come with the Catalans, winning four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues – in addition to a European Championship and World Cup with La Roja – since returning to the Nou Camp in 2008. Here’s a look at the 27 year-old in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/BSF-SeVoU14?rel=0

Famed for his front-footed style and quality in possession, Pique would be a perfect fit for van Gaal’s progressive philosophy. He’s also trying to implement a high defensive line at United – something the Spaniard is more than acquainted with.

Considered to be one of the top centre-backs in world football and still enjoying his peak years however, one would assume that Barca want to hold onto him.

But he’s only started four times in La Liga this season out of a possible eight, as viewable below, with new manager Luis Enrique preferring Javier Mascherano and summer signing Jeremy Mathieu.

Resultantly, United believe they can lure Pique away in a £20million deal.

JAN VERTONGHEN

Should the Pique pursuit come to no avail, could Manchester United be convinced into launching a bid for Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen?

The Belgium international’s White Hart Lane future is in serious doubt after ending contract negotiations without signing a new deal:

The 27 year-old is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s top centre-backs and his front-footed style epitomises Louis van Gaal’s attacking ethos, much like Gerard Pique. In truth, the Red Devils should have been targeting him months ago.

Vertonghen gained such status in England through marauding displays during his inaugural Premier League season, finishing up with seven goals in all competitions. Here’s a look at his stats from the 2012/13 campaign:

Intriguingly, Mauricio Pochettino left Vertonghen out of the starting line-up to face Manchester City on Saturday, suggesting the Lilywhites could already be preparing for life without him.

Chairman Daniel Levy is known for his persistent refusal to let Tottenham’s star players leave for rival Premier League clubs, but he could be forced to make an exception for the Belgian centre-half, considering recent developments.

A likely transfer fee would be around £20million. Here’s a look at Vertonghen in action:

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

MARCO REUS

Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus will unquestionably become the most sought-after player of summer 2015, when his ridiculously cheap £20million release clause comes into effect.

But Manchester United would be wise to try and beat the pack by launching a slightly more lucrative bid for the German international in January; the Red Devils squad is already overloaded with exemplary attacking talent, but none quite like Reus.

Indeed, he absolutely destroyed the Bundesliga last season, as detailed below, earning him the division’s Player of the Year award for the second time in three years:

The 25 year-old can adopt the roles of scorer or provider, capable of playing anywhere across the front or at No.10. His technical qualities are world-class but underpinned by incredible pace – something the current United squad desperately lacks. Here’s a look at Reus in action:

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

Should Manchester United launch a bid in January however, there will undoubtedly be huge competition for Reus’ signature. Even Bayern Munich look poised to make an offer:

MARCELO

Another La Liga defender that would certainly fit the ‘Gaalactico’ blueprint, being essentially a ‘Galactico’ already, is Real Madrid’s Marcelo. The No.3 has surprisingly been linked with an Old Trafford switch over the last few days:

The Brazil international is amongst the most flamboyant full-backs in world football, famed for his contribution and flair going forward, as shown below:

He pops up with the occasional belter too – check out Marcelo’s top five goals:

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//www.youtube.com/embed/55uCNalEcr8?rel=0

And word has it that Los Blancos are prepared to let the 26 year-old leave in January, as they target Bayern Munich ace Daniel Alaba, reportedly disillusioned with his role at the Allianz Arena.

Marcelo would certainly be an impressive addition, but how much can Manchester United justifiably spend on another left-back after acquiring Luke Shaw for a record-breaking £30million this summer?

SAMI KHEDIRA

Another Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ who could be looking for a new home in January comes in the form of Sami Khedira, whose availability has already caught the attention of several Premier League sides:

Indeed, a Champions League and World Cup winner, the German international is considered to be one of the leading central midfielders in world football, but his contract has entered its final year and a new deal is looking increasingly unlikely.

Manchester United certainly need some added tenacity in the middle of the park and the 27 year-old is more than capable of providing it, famed for his powerful, aerially dominant 6 foot 2 frame and endless energy. Just take a gander at his heat map from Germany’s 7-1 semi-final romping of World Cup hosts Germany:

That stamina and strength would compliment United’s attacking talent perfectly – Here’s a look at Khedira in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/RetIjHKY6pA?rel=0

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From years of solidity in the dugout, Manchester United have been dumped down into the bear pit that is the managerial merry-go-round since the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson. David Moyes has passed through and now they have Louis van Gaal, and it looks likely that, with the Dutchman by no means a youngster, that another change will occur before too long.Pep Guardiola is the latest man to be linked with an eventual switch to Old Trafford, with quotes from a book on his first year in German football, Pep Confidential, revealing that the 43-year-old is hooked on the idea of coaching United:”It was May 4, 2011, and the pair sat together in the stands of Old Trafford watching Sir Alex Ferguson’s team beat Schalke 4-1. Once again Pep had turned to his friend and said: ‘I like this atmosphere. I could see myself coaching here one day.'”So could Guardiola at United work out? Here are SEVEN positives he could bring to the club…[ffc-gallery]

CLICK ON THE MAN HIMSELF TO REVEAL THE SEVEN

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Fancy football

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Although the man himself loathes the term ‘tiki taka’ he is widely seen as one of the managers at the forefront of the return of the short passing, high movement style. Guardiola’s Barcelona were known for their fearsome possession statistics – counts of above 70% were commonplace – with their desire to keep the ball and carve out chances the bedrock of one of the most successful club sides of all time.

He has since taken a similar style to Bayern Munich… winning the Bundesliga at the first attempt.

Big name players

Since taking over at Bayern, Guardiola has lured sought after stars such as Tiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso, Juan Bernat and Pepe Reina to the Allianz Arena, despite opposition from other giant clubs. One of Manchester United’s big problems in recent windows has been landing the top names, but with Guardiola in the appeal of life at Old Trafford may increase significantly.

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Defensive solidity

While famed for his attacking approach, Pep keeps things tight at the back, too. During his last three seasons in charge of clubs – he had a one year hiatus – the Spaniard’s sides have conceded 21, 29 and 23 goals, making his rearguard the tightest in the division (first two La Liga, last one Bundesliga) on each occasion.

United’s backline has been anything but solid so far this term, so Guardiola may be the man to provide some organisation.

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Confidence

A hallmark of the former midfield star is his his supreme self-confidence. Guardiola is a suave and sophisticated looking gentleman, with his sharp suits and general demeanour oozing belief. All top teams live off of the characteristics of their boss, and a confident figure like Guardiola would surely ensure that United return to their once dominant best.

Although he may need to avoid another incident like this one…

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Winning mentality

Let’s let his list of his honours do the talking…

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Pere Guardiola link

It may be a horrible trend, but agents are indeed a powerful force in the modern game. And in his brother, Pere, Pep has a strong link to the world of player transfers, which is surely a boost when delving into the market.

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Pere Guardiola is by no means on the level of counterparts such as Jorge Mendes, but he does boast a decent list of clients – Luis Suarez the standout – including top stars of Spanish and South American descent. Could be useful…

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Longevity

At 63, Louis van Gaal is unlikely to be around for much more than a few years. The United gig is expected to be the iconic Dutchman’s last big job, which could again leave United in limbo – we don’t need to bring up the Sir Alex Ferguson issues.

However, Guardiola is very much at the other end of the age spectrum at 43, meaning that he has at least another 15-20 years managing at the highest level ahead of him, so long as factors such as his health remain positive.

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For all the glitz and glamour that is supposed to come with playing European football, the Europa League has so far been cast as nothing more than the ugly cousin of the far more popular and illustrious Champions League. After previously being known as the UEFA Cup, the Europa League in its current format has been in existence since 2009/10.

The number one issue surrounding the tournament for fans of Europe’s top five most watched leagues, is the fact that the Europa League is largely made up of teams who offer nothing special. Away ties against the likes of FK Krasnodar (Russia), Astra Giurgiu (Romania) and Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), are often lack-lustre affairs that fall short of entertaining. Whilst this may seem harsh to the smaller teams that find themselves in Europe, this line of thinking is merely a reaction to how big clubs respond to their Europa League duties.

Another problem involved with the popularity of the Europa League is its Thursday night prime-time slot. As is the case with the often disappointing early Super Sunday games, no one really seems in the mood for Thursday football – with traditional sports TV slots proving far more desirable. Obviously TV placements for football matches are largely designed around avoiding clashes with one another, but the fact still remains that Thursday night is just not a football night.

The placement of Europa League football on Thursday nights is also a concern often raised by managers involved in the tournament. Long round trips to Russia and Eastern Europe mean that Premier League teams can’t play their domestic matches on Saturday at 3:00pm, and their league form often suffers as a result. No consistency can be reached with this kind of arrangement.

Everton, Spurs, Newcastle and Swansea have all seen their fortunes reverse after participating in the Europa League, as smaller clubs simply don’t have the squad depth to compete successfully in both the cup and the league at the same time. This may be a problem mostly witnessed in Premier League, however, as foreign teams often fare much better in the Europa League than their English counterparts.

Perhaps the biggest problem of all involving the Europa League is the fact that Champions League teams, who have failed to make it out of the knock-out stages of their own tournament, are automatically placed in the second tier of European football without qualification. This hardly seems fair as the likes of Chelsea, with their almost unlimited resources and squad depth, have won the competition in recent years without being present from the start.

Because there is no reward for teams who have successfully built up momentum in the group stages of the Europa League, the overall popularity of the tournament diminishes as a result – both among participants and fans alike.

Big teams don’t seem to be too bothered about winning the competition anyway, as the Europa League is hardly the best accolade sides such as Juventus could desire. Most of the time the top teams prioritise a successful league campaign over Europa League success, with qualification to the Champions League being much more desirable.

Despite this, to say the Europa League offers absolutely nothing would be unfair. It undoubtedly exposes us to what the rest of Europe has to offer, and it could be argued that it is the best possible alternative for sides that are never going to finish in the top four. As it was never meant to rival or better the Champions League, are we completely missing the point if we continue to make that comparison?

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With all just and unjust comparisons aside, the Europa League simply doesn’t do enough to warrant its main-stay position within the world of football. Tweaks and changes, such as the possible abolition of the group stages in favour of a straight knock-out competition, would do the Europa League the world of good.

If nothing is done, this once prized asset of UEFA could well fall into obscurity as so many other European football competitions have done in the past.

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Arsenal fans’ dreams of some January transfer business have come true so far this month.

Ok, so they would’ve preferred seeing some players coming in that going out, but I suppose you can’t always have it your own way.

After Lukas Podolski completed his loan move to Inter Milan last week, it was Yaya Sanogo’s turn to leave the Emirates for first team football – joining Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace on loan until the end of the season.

The French striker hasn’t exactly impressed at the Emirates and has struggled to get in the Gunners’ first team ahead of the likes of Olivier Giroud and even Joel Campbell.

Arsene Wenger had been hopeful of the youngster progressing and becoming a serious strike option for his side as he seeks a 18th consecutive top four finish in the Premier League – but that just hasn’t happened.

Still, the general consensus amongst Gooners is that Sanogo needs game time away from the club in order to improve and become a regular. But then again, some believe it’s about time the club finally got rid of him so Wenger could make some room for a world class goal scorer. Whether that happens is anyone’s guess, but that didn’t stop Arsenal fans taking to Twitter this morning to express their delight at the deal.

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The true beauty of the whole Sanogo to Palace move has to be the fact he’ll be linking up with former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh, which certainly wasn’t lost on Gunners faithful either…

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When I think of the FA Cup, I think of giant killings and I think of grainy footage of FA Cup legends and vintage games. Ricky Villa, Bert Trautmann, Ronnie Radford, Steven Gerrard.

These are the things that create the ‘magic of the FA Cup’, a competition where the smallest teams in the country get to play alongside clubs from the football league, teams made up of professionals, and some lucky clubs get the tie of a lifetime and pit themselves against some of the best players in the world.

This year we’ve had plenty of iconic moments. Bradford coming back from 2-0 down at Stamford Bridge to beat Chelsea stands out chiefly amongst them. They’re in the hat for the Semi-Finals and are only a home game against Championship opposition away from booking their place at a Wembley semi-final. Y

eovil and Cambridge have both had home ties against Manchester United, and we’ve had some less romantic but still noteworthy giant killings where non-league teams have beaten league sides.

But as we reflect on the semi-final draw, we see Reading and Blackburn of the Championship, Bradford of League One, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Liverpool all there. Isn’t that exactly what we mean when we talk about the ‘magic of the cup’? The big sides are still there competing and the minnows are still there with them, trading blow for blow.

Well, yes and no. In one sense that’s exactly what we mean. In another, it’s symptomatic of an ailing competition.

In one sense, we do all love to see the minnows still in the cup at this stage of the season. It shows us that anything is possible in football, and most people will usually love to see the underdog prevail.

But this only works if the big teams actually want to win the competition, if they actually take it seriously.

The three Premier League clubs still in the competition have won the cup a combined 25 times, they are also three of the top five in the list of teams to have won the most league titles. So these are teams of pedigree, and they are each taking the cup seriously this time around.

Yet ask any one of those clubs’ fans if they’ve had a good season so far and they’d have to say no. They might have something positive to point to, especially Liverpool fans with their team’s form since December, but as a stand-alone season this one has been poor for all of these big clubs.

The FA Cup is really the last hope for all of them to turn a bad season into a good one.

The teams who are already having good seasons don’t prioritise the FA Cup, they prioritise the league and European competitions over and above it. And only when their season is on the ropes do they look to the FA Cup to become the saviour for their season.

Few Chelsea fans were heartbroken when they were dumped out by Bradford. Sure, they’d have liked to have won the cup, but they saw bigger and brighter things ahead in the league and Champions League and didn’t want the extra games to get in the way of these bigger prizes. I wonder if they wish they’d have maintained that lead against Bradford now?

Arsenal had nothing else last year when the cup became their everything. When they won, their season turned into a positive one, and perhaps even saved Arsene Wenger’s job. The year before, Manchester City were nowhere in the league and out of Europe too, so the cup was their last hope, and that’s when they poured their souls into it. Roberto Mancini was even sacked after failing to land it.

In 2012, Chelsea won the FA Cup and Champions League double, but six weeks before their cup wins they seemed in turmoil and disarray. But two (possibly lucky) cup wins saved their season again.

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The FA Cup will only be a magical competition when the big teams take it seriously from the beginning, and not just as a panacea to save their dying seasons. Only then will the lower league team actually be competing with a big team who are interested in winning and not just playing in a game that they see as a distraction.

It’s only a good competition when everyone takes it seriously – because that’s when the magic happens.

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He may not be their top scorer, their top creator, worth much on the transfer market or linked with a stunning move to Real Madrid this summer like one of his team-mates, but no player has had a bigger impact on Manchester United’s results this season than midfielder Michael Carrick.

With the 33 year-old in the starting XI, the Red Devils’ Premier League win rate is 75%; without him, it drops to 37.5%.

And the United playmaker is finally receiving the recognition his many talents deserve. After impressing for England against Italy in March, The Telegraph’s Mark Ogden compared Carrick to Azzurri’s iconic Andrea Pirlo, bemoaning the mob of Three Lions managers that inexplicably overlooked him for the last decade. A host of Premier League pundits have since jumped on the Carrick bandwagon – Robbie Savage recently described him as ‘the invisible man making United tick’.

Now 33 years of age, however, the Carrick appreciation society are a little behind the times – and Manchester United need to think about what lies ahead for a player proving so pivotal to their cause. The two midfielders who kept him out of the England line-up for so long, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, are about to head off for their swansongs in MLS, aged 34 and 36 respectively, and Carrick’s not too far behind. Now’s the time to consider preservation, not appreciation.

Unlike Lamps and Stevie G, the United midfielder has never relied upon the dynamism of relative youth; an astute reading of the game and immaculate composure on the ball remain his defining assets. They could continue to serve him equally effectively for the next four or five years – but only under the right conditions.

And in my opinion, those right conditions are largely dependent on who partners him in central midfield. Looking around Europe at players United could realistically sign this summer, I see no better accomplice, no midfielder complimenting and contrasting the veteran playmaker so perfectly, than Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan.

The German international’s blessed with the drive and energy – both with and without the ball – that Carrick’s always lacked, those surging runs through the middle of the park becoming a predominant feature of Borussia Dortmund’s play en route to the 2013 Champions League final. He’s defensively disciplined but always determined to get forward – this term averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 1.4 successful dribbles and 1.1 chances created per match – and that all-action combination makes him the perfect dynamo to cover Carrick’s limited yardage.

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But there’s much more to it than simply physicality – else, United could easily turn to one of the Premier League’s great many up and down merchants. Carrick needs somebody he can bounce the ball off, who knows how to craft a few yards of space with a quick one-two or a deft flick around the corner, which is exactly why he and Marouane Fellaini failed so spectacularly as a partnership last season.

Indeed, Carrick has always been a great orchestrator but he needs an accomplice who changes the pace in the middle of the park, who can link up with him in deep positions or drive forward to create space. Think of Pirlo and his protective partners at Juventus; Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio – players with not only fantastic physical attributes, but more importantly, great intelligence, awareness and cultured feet.

Gundogan has that within him too. Dortmund’s build-up play is as lung-bursting as it is intricate and the 24 year-old embodies that philosophy perfectly, equally prepared to take the ball in tight areas as galloping into oceans of space on the counter-attack. There’s an interesting blend there, a unique ying and yang; the German international swash-buckling his way up the pitch, Carrick engulfing the gaps he leaves behind.

There are may midfielders of a similar forte, two of which – Pogba and Vidal – I’ve already briefly mentioned. But in comparison to the Juventus stars and their enormous price-tags, Gundogan could be attainable for just £15million this summer when his Borussia Dortmund contract enters it’s final year – as alleged by The Daily Mail.

And it’s not so important who United’s summer signing is, as long as he helps preserve Carrick’s career. Why spend a record-breaking sum on Pogba when all the England international needs is a counterweight? Gundogan, a relentless dynamo with fantastic feet, is the perfect balancing act.

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Liverpool have been surrounded by lots of transfer and contract speculation over the past few months, from news about Raheem Sterling refusing to discuss a new contract to Mario Balotelli ruling himself out of their recent mauling at the hands of top four rivals Arsenal.

Brendan Rodgers has now come out in an angry outburst saying that his players are not playing for him. Things seem to be unravelling at the Merseyside club. After such a strong season last year it seemed Liverpool were on their way back to greatness, but this season has seen none of that.

So who does Brendan Rodgers need to sign during the summer months to make them title contenders in next season’s Premier League?

Here are five options that might just do the trick for Brendan…

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Douglas Costa

Douglas Costa, currently of Shakhtar Donetsk, is looking at a move to England.

The South American forward has been advised to move away from Ukraine due to the unrest in the country. Rodgers is keen to sign the star as a replacement for Mario Balotelli. This signing could prove to be a difficult one, though, with Chelsea also in the frame.

Liverpool would be able to offer him more gamete but a lack of Champions League football could push Costa towards Chelsea.

Juan Iturbe

Roma forward Juan Iturbe has been sighted as a possible target for Rodgers, who is looking to change his strike force this summer.

With it looking unlikely that Rahaeem Sterling and Mario Balotelli will remain at Anfield beyond the summer, Rodgers is looking at changing things round. The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to England after he lost confidence due to Injury at Roma.

Liverpool could give him the game time he needs to grow and flourish as a player.

Danny Ings

Burnley will struggle to keep their star man Danny Ings if they are relegated in May.

He has had a superb season with the Clarets and many clubs are reportedly keen on keeping him in the Premier League should Burnley fail to escape the drop.

Liverpool look to be in pole position to sign him, but David Moyes’ Real Solciadad have also expressed an interest. Ings would make a good signing to partner Sterling – if he stays – the pair could be the perfect partnership, like Burnley have with Ings and Sam Vokes.

Ben Gibson

England U21 and Middlesborough star Ben Gibson is high on Rodgers’ wishlist, according to reports, and he could go head-to-head with Man City for his signature this summer.

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Gibson can play at full back as well as in central defence and has been a key part of Middlesborough’s promotion campaign in the Championship. His excellent defending has been huge part of their success.

Jordan Henderson

It has been reported that Jordan Henderson has turned down a new contract offer with Liverpool, which will have some top Premier League clubs on high alert.

The midfielder was expected to be Steven Gerrard’s replacement as Anfield skipper and chief penalty taker. The lack of European football could be making him look elsewhere, though, but Liverpool need to do everything in their power to keep him, otherwise things may really start to unravel.

Harry Kane has claimed that he wants to stay at Spurs for a “very long time”, despite interest from Manchester United.

The Red Devils are believed to have been impressed by the 21-year-old this season, with his rise from a squad player at White Hart Lane to a 30-goal centre-forward and England international remarkable to say the least

Reports of a £40m summer move have done the rounds, although Tottenham are not willing to entertain the idea of their youngster heading away from North London.

WANT MORE? >> Spurs transfer news | Latest transfer news

And Kane is similarly keen on staying put, declaring that he wants to win trophies in the white shirt:

“Spurs is where I’m at and where I plan to be for a very long time,” is quoted by Goal. “We’ll be looking to win some good trophies in the future. I want to keep progressing and keep getting better.

“This season has been crazy and more than what I ever expected to do so early on but it’s happened and it’s how you deal with it [that matters].

“I am hoping to go on and win many trophies for Spurs and England. That’s always been the aim since I was a kid, dreaming of lifting the trophy one day for them.

“I want to be the player that does everything he can to reach his ability and I’ll keep working hard. I want to win trophies.”

Kane is now Tottenham’s leading attacker and penned a new contract earlier this season to commit his future to the club.

He received his first international call-up in March on the back of his domestic showings, and scored within a minute of coming on as a substitute against Lithuania at Wembley.

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Liverpool’s loss of Raheem Sterling this summer has been negated by a number of positive moves in the transfer market by Anfield supremo Brendan Rodgers.

In attack, to offset the Manchester City man’s departure, a number of new players have been brought to the Merseyside club, namely Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino.

A third new offensive face has arrive now, too, with Christian Benteke’s £32.5m deal having finally been completed.

The Aston Villa forward has proven over a number of seasons that he has all the attributes to score goals in the Premier League. Fast, strong, good in the air and with an eye for goal, the Belgium international will bolster Rodgers’ attacking options in 2015/16.

Benteke’s arrival will give Daniel Sturridge some real competition, and lead to less dependence on the injury prone England international to get the goals for the Reds. In fact, along with Sturridge, Benteke and Ings, Rodgers has an overwhelming abundance of strikers at his disposal.

Divock Origi’s loan stint at Lille has come to an end and he has moved to the English club also, giving Rodgers four out-and-out strikers to choose from.

This is even before Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini are taken into consideration, albeit their futures are all up in the air

Although Benteke and Sturridge are likely to be the frontrunners for a place in the Reds’ starting XI, the mere presence of so many centre-forwards insinuates a potential switch in tactics from Rodgers next term. The Northern Irishman has used a number of different systems in his time at Anfield, but more often than not last term deployed a three-man backline in a bespoke 3-4-3 formation.

In attack, this meant one central striker, supported by two attacking midfielders, such as Sterling, Adam Lallana and/or Philippe Coutinho. However, with so many strikers in Rodgers’ squad after Liverpool’s summer transfer business, there is a fair chance that the former Swansea trainer is thinking about resorting to a system with a centre forward pairing.

Whether this is a 4-4-2 or an offset of the classic system remains to be seen, while a 3-5-2 is also an option.

When Luis Suarez was still at the club, Rodgers tinkered with his first XI to get the most out of the Uruguayan and his potent partnership with Sturridge – it may well be that he has to do the same again next term to fit in his new arrivals.

Logic dictates that Benteke and Sturridge are not matched to play alongside each other, even if Rodgers is thinking of fielding them both. The similarities in style are there, with both liking to play on the shoulder and be the furthest man forward.

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Suarez was happy and willing to drop slightly deeper to pick up possession and allow Sturridge to be the focal point; whether Benteke has the attributes or inclination to do similar is questionable.

It could well be that it is one or the other, with Firmino as the second striker, as the Brazilian has more creativity and technique than the out-and-out centre forwards and would act as a foil – similar to Suarez.

One thing’s for sure, though, despite Sterling’s exit, Rodgers has more options in attack ahead of 2014/15 than he did last season – so much so that a switch in formation to accommodate more offensive weapons looks necessary.