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It seemed like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had all but made it and sealed the best days of his career at the Bernabeu when he signed for Real Madrid in January 2009. The striker, who had built his reputation at Ajax as one of the deadliest forwards in Europe, had completed his big move out of Holland and was sure to continue his goal scoring exploits in Spain. But unlike Ruud Van Nistelrooy or Robin van Persie who had made the switch from Holland to a league with a much higher profile, Huntelaar was not to follow the path of his countrymen—not for the moment at least. This was definitely not an Afonso Alves story either, Huntelaar had much more about him than the Brazilian who moved to Middlesbrough in 2008; but his stock had certainly fallen following his departure from the Eredivisie.

The Dutchman’s time in Spain was short-lived, moving to AC Milan the following summer after amassing a total of just eight league goals. While a change of scenery might have been best for Huntelaar, a move to Milan saw him experience similar problems of settling in and adjusting . His first goal came only in November and he continued to struggle for first-team chances. Just a season had pasted since his arrival when he was once again on the move. This time, however, the suggested suitors of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United were nowhere to be seen and Huntelaar elected to join German club Schalke in order to revive his career. Possibly the best move for all concentred as Huntelaar has finally found the form that drew the attention of Europe’s elite and has re-established himself as one of the best strikers in Europe at present.

What we’ve seen from Huntelaar during his time in Germany is a striker who has not lost any of his instincts to put the ball in the back of the net. He’s formed a productive partnership with former Real Madrid captain Raul and has led the German side’s scoring charts all season with 33 goals so far. While the move to Gelsenkirchen is a notable step down from the heights of Madrid and Milan, what it certainly doesn’t suggest is a step down in quality from a striker who needed to regain his confidence in front of goal.

Huntelaar’s first goal on the weekend against Wolfsburg—his team’s second of the night—was a perfect example of a player who has re-gained his scoring touch. A ball played in from the wide position and with Huntelaar left on his own in the penalty area to side foot the ball into the net. An easy goal for a player of his quality, but one he would have no doubt wasted two or three seasons ago. Despite a number of chances to put his side further ahead—including a missed penalty—the striker completed his brace with a close range header to tie with Mario Gomez as top scorer in Germany.

There’s no questioning that the 28-yeard old, who has a fantastic scoring record for his country, would be welcomed with open arms to the Premier League. Tall, strong, and able to lead the line as a solitary striker or in a pair, Huntelaar represents everything of an old fashioned No.9. While suggestions of a move to Arsenal and Manchester United in the recent times did quickly rise and just as rapidly disappear, he has erased any doubt that here is a player very much of the quality with which to be given a key role in any top side in England.

Bernd Schuster, who left his managerial position at Real Madrid just before Huntelaar arrived, compared the striker to Marco van Basten, stating, “He looks like he was cloned from Marco van Basten. The way he moves, shoots with both legs and powerful headers all remind me of van Basten.” Comfortably one of the highest compliments a Dutch player can receive, and testament to his work and application to re-gain a standing at the summit of mountain.

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Do these comments sound familiar to you? Do they perhaps sound like the frustrated sulky French manager that the media loves to hate?

“The amount of pushing and grabbing in the box is out of this world.

“We are okay to deal with Stoke’s set plays, we know the amount of goals they have scored everywhere with them, but I think there’s a limit to the pushing and grabbing, and it makes things impossible. They pushed the boundaries of pushing and grabbing, for sure.

“It’s difficult because you have to have an eye on the ball, you have to be aware of certain situations, but maybe in this case maybe the referees need some extra help. Maybe other assistants, maybe the fourth referee, maybe they need more focus on this situation.”

No, actually, not the words of Arsène ‘Whinger’, but new Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas, only 90 minutes in to his first season in English football and he’s complaining about Stoke’s tactics, and that’s without seeing one of his brightest young talents leave the pitch in an ambulance.

Does he get crucified like Wenger? Is his team branded a bunch of soft, moaning foreigners? Apparently not, as I’ve only heard about these quotes from Stoke boss Tony Pulis himself. Surely he’ll be laying into his opposite number and defending his ‘not that kind of lad’ players?

“I listened to some of the comments that he made in the press room afterwards and they have been blown out of all proportion and I mean that.

“He’s actually said I think there was pushing and shoving in both boxes, but obviously it’s only been reported there was pushing and shoving in our box and that’s the press being the press, they have to do what they have to do.

“Chelsea are as strong and physical as we are and they don’t try and hide away from that fact. We are both competitive teams. They have got where they have got because they have got great players but they have also got competitive players.”

Incredible stuff really. Readers on here will know I’m not Wenger’s biggest fan these days, but the way he is targeted and unsettled by the press is completely unfair and I feel for him on that. He might make his own mistakes, but he has to deal with more crap from the media than any other manager in this league.

In more Arsenal-related news, Robin van Persie has, unsurprisingly, been made the new Arsenal captain. While a striker, never mind an incredibly injury-prone striker, is hardly the ideal position from which to lead a side, I think he is a good option for now as our longest-serving player, and one of the oldest players in the squad. He might not be a shouter, but he’ll lead by example, and for now that’s fine.

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Vermaelen will make a good vice-captain for the inevitable six-month absence RvP will face at some point this season, and Jack Wilshere will be in a better position to take the armband in three or four years time when the Dutchman is perhaps past his best.

Article courtesy of Mark Brus at the excellent Arsenal Mania

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Premier League outfit Bolton have announced the signing of Middlesbrough defender David Wheater.The deal represents Bolton’s first signing of the January transfer window and shores up the defence after manager Owen Coyle allowed veteran Andy O’Brien to join Championship high-flyers Leeds United on a permanent deal earlier this month.

The 23-year-old is a former England under-21 International and has spent seven years at Middlesbrough, making almost 150 appearances, several of which were in the Premier League with the Riverside Stadium outfit.

Wheater’s new boss declared the signing a win for Bolton as they beat off several other clubs in the race to land the towering defender.

“First and foremost we are absolutely delighted to get a player of David’s quality into Bolton,” Coyle said.

“The hunger that he has shown in wanting to come to the football club has been first class. There has been a lot of competition for his signature and again this shows a willingness on our behalf to invest in young players.”

“The club have parted with good money to secure the services of a very talented player who has been involved with England squads before.”

“We want him to be involved at that level again and to do that he will have to play well for Bolton Wanderers, however he has arrived here with a real desire to achieve that.”

“He has a great character as well. He will integrate into the group straight away and it all adds to the fantastic spirit that we have within the squad.”

Wheater expressed his delight at signing for Bolton, dubbing it an ‘easy’ decision.

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“I met with the manager and we had a good chat about football,” Wheater said.

“I had a look around the facilities and it was a really easy decision to make.”

“From what I’ve seen there is a really great atmosphere at the club and a real buzz about the place and I’m looking forward to working hard and showing the manager what I can do.”

As Wednesday came around the majority of Leeds fans were sat furiously refreshing the home page of the official site, twitter feeds and various news websites waiting for Neil Warnocks ‘retained list’.

Nobody was really expecting anything other than the obvious fringe players being told they could leave, then rumours started breaking that Adam Clayton had been transfer listed.

Why though? Nobody could understand it. Clayton had been one of the standout players in a disappointing season, a bright spark in the dark times.  Then, when Warnock explained how we couldn’t match his wage demands, it all started to make sense. Some fans, with seemingly short memories, turned on Clayton, labelling him as greedy, too big headed for the club and almost instantly decided that he was never that good after all. The rest knew exactly what Warnock meant. The story sparked feelings of deja-vu, with the recent transfer sagas of Bradley Johnson and Jermaine Beckford fresh in the mind.

What is important to remember is that Clayton signed from Manchester Citys youth academy, meaning that he will not have commanded a particularly high wage (rumoured to be around £2,000 per week), so considering how he had been a first team regular for the entire season, you could understand why he may feel entitled to a rise in wages. Ken Bates stirred the pot by claiming one player had requested £15,000 per week in negotiations, though Clayton then tweeted to deny it was him.

Oddly, no contract offer was ever made to Clayton, which may say more than words ever could. In terms of contracts at Leeds, it may be worth letting Shaun Harvey take a backseat over the summer, as if this is a demonstration of his negotiating skills it could be a frustrating transfer window.

In regards to incoming players, Jason Pearce finally became Neil Warnocks first signing of the summer, signing a four year deal at Elland Road, and his signature was well received by the fans.  His second signing may not be too far away if you believe the rumours that are seemingly always flying around Leeds these days. One that may be a little too good to be true is that Leeds have bid one million plus Adam Clayton for Jermaine Beckford and Matt Mills of Leicester, which would be a real ‘Championship Manager’ type transfer bid.

As expected, the Jermaine Beckford rumours have been gaining momentum, with speculation claiming that Beckford has been placed on the transfer list. It was also stated that he was absent from the Leicester end of season awards party, which could indicate his future does not lie with the foxes.

All in all, it’s been a week that has ended with more questions than answers in regards to the future at Leeds. On the one hand we’ve signed a young, hungry, up and coming player with potential, yet on the other we seem more than happy to let one go.

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I for one wouldn’t be surprised to see Adam Clayton rubbing shoulders with Jonny Howson and Bradley Johnson in the Premier league next season, two other players who were not deemed worth the money by Bates and Harvey.

Perhaps more worryingly, they were also never replaced.

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Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says his club are better off without Arturo Vidal, who joined Juventus from Bayer Leverkusen.After Vidal reportedly went back on a promise to join Leverkusen’s Bundesliga rivals Bayern to instead sign for Serie A club Juventus on Friday in a deal worth 10.5 million euros, Rummenigge said that the versatile Chile international does not have the required character to play at the Allianz Arena.

Rummenigge said Vidal’s snub would work out well for Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern side, as it means Austrian prospect David Alaba will stay at the club.

“I do not find it a pity that Arturo Vidal did not come,” Rummenigge told Kicker. “I would rather not have such players at Bayern Munich.”

“If the player had stuck to his word and shown the same character as (new signings Manuel) Neuer or (Jerome) Boateng, if he were a man of morals, then he would be here today with us. Alaba is staying, that puts Vidal’s snub into perspective.”

Rummenigge also weighed in on the controversy surrounding Neuer, who joined Bayern from Schalke on June 1.

Germany’s number-one goalkeeper has been the target of protests from certain sections of Bayern’s support, and Rummenigge wanted to draw a line under the issue.

“There will be no more talk from our side about this subject. Neuer has the Bayern genes, 100 percent,” he said.

It’s safe to say that Joe Cole hasn’t enjoyed the best of times since moving to Liverpool from Chelsea on a free transfer. The former West Ham prodigy was ignominiously dismissed on his Premier League debut, and injury and loss of form have continued to hamper his fledging Anfield career.

Now Roy Hodgson has told Liverpool’s number ten that he must accept any role in the team.

“Joe has to come to terms with the fact that he has come here after an unsuccessful period at Chelsea with high hopes of taking Liverpool by storm and unfortunately it’s not happened,” said the Liverpool manager.

“If he says ‘Well I’m not playing in my right position’, then you’d have to ask him what his right position is. If he says the only place he can play is behind the striker, then he is limiting his chances of playing here.

“We also have Gerrard and [Raúl] Meireles who can play in that position, and at the moment quite often we are playing with two strikers. I would be sad to hear him saying something like that, because he would be suggesting he can’t do what he has done so often for England and Chelsea, which is playing in a different position.”

Cole arrived at Anfield with high expectations, and his signing gave Kopites fresh cause for optimism after a turbulent 12 months. Even after his opening day sending-off against Arsenal, team-mate Jamie Carragher described Cole as being like a “God in the city” and said that the playmaker’s arrival had ”lifted the whole city.”

A paltry return of one goal and one assist, along with the side’s underwhelming form, has meant that the excitement generated by his summer arrival has dissipated. Cole has struggled to make his impact upon games, and has frequently looked short of fitness and confidence.

Hodgson’s Liverpool team is one sorely lacking in creativity. Cole is undoubtedly a player gifted with technical ability, flair and the ability to unlock defences.

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However, Cole has failed to show the willingness and discipline required to fit into Hodgson’s rigid system. If he can marry his inspiration with perspiration, he will undoubtedly have a big part to play in Liverpool’s quest for a European spot this season.

Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/zarifrasul

Chelsea are ready to bid £22 million for Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini once the transfer window reopens, according to Mirror Football.

The Belgium international has grown in stature since moving to the Goodison Park club from Standard Liege back in 2008, and despite rumours over his future, signed a new contract with the Merseysiders recently.

Fellaini has been in good form of late, scoring in the team’s recent fixtures against Manchester United and Fulham, and with Everton cash-strapped David Moyes may well be tempted to sell the star.

Chelsea are expected to have a busy transfer window, as Roman Abramovich tries to add an injection of youth into his squad, and the west London outfit have already secured the £8 million signing of Germany international Marko Marin.

Fellaini is currently under contract with Everton until 2016, after signing a five-year extension back in November.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated that he is intent on keeping key players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the club. Both midfielders have been linked with a summer Emirates departure, with the Spaniard being linked with a move to boyhood club Barcelona and the France international subject of a £20 million bid from Manchester United after rejecting a new contract. Despite this, the 61-year-old has stated he will do all he can to keep the duo in North London.

“Our position is always the same – we want to keep Cesc and I will fight as hard as I can to keep him. Samir Nasri is exactly the same. We will do everything we can to keep him,” the Frenchman told the club’s official website.

The Premier League side fly out to Asia on Sunday for games in China and Malaysia, but Fabregas will not travel with the squad, sparking speculation of an impending move. Wenger has rejected this claim and stated the World Cup winner is staying in England as he has an injury.

“We will take the strongest possible squad, but Fabregas will not travel because he still has a small muscular problem. He will stay and practice here.”

One man that will be on the plane is Ryo Miyaichi, who spent a successful 2010/11 on loan at Eredivisie side Feyenoord, and may feature in the English side’s first team squad next campaign.

“He is on the plane because he is quality. It is a good opportunity for him to show that he has the talent to play for Arsenal. Everybody will be curious to see him play in Asia,” Wenger continued.

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Lille forward Gervinho is expected to sow up a move to the Emirates in the near future after passing a medical, but the club’s coach concluded by saying that they will only sign the right players and not panic buy.

“I can understand that people say ‘you have money, just go out and buy’, but it’s not only that, we want to find the quality we need,” he commented.

Not a great deal to report this Friday as the media focus appears to have turned back to transfer gossip and speculation, with Liverpool appearing to be at the centre of it. Elsewhere the post mortem has started into Ray Wilkins shock dismissal at Chelsea; Harry Redknapp questions Van der Vaart’s fitness, while Peter Schmeichel has felt the need to pass judgment on Manchester City and how they spend their money.

Cook flies transfer wishlist to Abu Dhabi – Guardian

Chelsea sever ties with ‘blue-blood’ Wilkins – Daily Telegraph

No muppet tells me what to do – Sun

Solskjaer: I want to be United manager one day – Daily Telegraph

Schmeichel warns Man City scattergun spending will only buy problems – Daily Mail

Harry fires fitness warning to out of shape Van der Vaart – Mirror

Russian striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov admits Liverpool approach – IM Scouting

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Arsenal interested in Bolton’s Cahill – Guardian

Parker: We must end this mess – Sun

Liverpool draw up list of Reina replacements – Daily Telegraph

The pressure is firmly on Manchester United now in the Premier League title race. Their eight point lead has been chopped down to just four points in the matter of a week. A 1-0 defeat at basement battlers Wigan has allowed rivals City to close putting the onus on Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to win their game in hand against Aston Villa. It’s inconceivable that the Red Devil’s will throw away their slim advantage but they’ll need to be a lot better than they were at the DW Stadium on Wednesday night. With the blue half of Manchester relentlessly breathing down their necks United know they have to keep winning in order to ensure the Premier League title remains at Old Trafford for another season.

This week on FFC has United’s number 10 really curbed his volatile ways and which young shot stopper has Fergie got his eye on?

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Best of FFC

Simply a changed man at Old Trafford?

Fergie and the other Premier League big boys given license to nab the cream of the crop

Juventus target United and Chelsea stars

Top 15 ‘most dynamic subs’ within the Premier League

Manchester United confirm transfer interest

Mad to leave Manchester United?

Fergie interested in young goalkeeper

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Best of WEB

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Is The Answer To The Scholes Question Already In The United Squad? – Red Flag Flying High

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures… Berbatov? Or Am I Talking Out Of My Squeaky Bum?! – 7Cantonas

The wake-up call – United Rant

A Stark Reminder If Ever One Was Needed – The Busby Way

Why always us? – 7Cantonas

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Quote of the Week

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“We have to put it in a bit of perspective. You drop points in the second half of the season. We have done it most years. There has been an odd year when we have gone on a long run without losing but a couple of years back we lost 4-1 to Liverpool

 and won the league.

“You do drop points on the run-in. City and ourselves have both experienced that. But from the position we were in a few months ago, to where we are today, we have to be delighted. The great part of our club is that we do recover, and we have to recover from Wednesday.” Sir Alex Ferguson backs his side to deliver the title despite dropping valuable points at Wigan

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Match Review – QPR