Taarabt's Milan revival

So far a bit of a revelation in Italy, it finally seems that Adel Taarabt is finally beginning to show the ability and bags of potential he possesses. Owned by QPR but realised from his Fulham loan so he could be part of newly installed manager Clarence Seedorf's Milan revolution, in his opening few games Taarabt as been one of the stand out players in a under performing Milan side. Could this be the start of the promise Taarabt showed at a tender age?

There were many questions from the Milan faithful when the club announced the signing of the Morocco international. A player who has never truly lived up to the hype he once showed at Tottenham, a club where he was once hailed the next Zinedine Zidane in it's youth ranks, he has also previously shown he has attitude problems. Adel Taarabt was not a player considered a top performer at Fulham, as his performances showed. He was often seen slow to track back and going forward did not show the creativity many knew he was capable of in the few games he featured in.

Finally living up to the hype and in form.

However, Seedorf felt he needed more attacking flair in squad that already had the likes of El Shaarawy, Kaka, Robinho, Balotelli and Honda. Taarabt's performances so far this season hardly warranted a move to a club like AC Milan. Furthermore, in a squad with so much competition to play in the three attacking midfielder roles that Seedorf deploys behind Balotelli, many thought Taarabt was signed merely for cover and would not succeed at the San Siro.

This so far has not been the case.  Scoring twice in his first three Serie A games, Taarabt looks a shadow of the player he was at Fulham. Confident and full of flair, his handful of games so far have had many pundits in Italy applauding Seedorf and Galliani's work to bring in the 24 year old. So much so, there is already talk of making the loan deal permanent, with rumours suggesting Milan are already preparing a £6 million offer for the attacker.

Done deal! Taarabt with vice president Adriano Galliani
who was key in bringing in the loan signing.

If he continues impressing it may not just be AC Milan vying for his signature. Taarabt's agent Vincenzo Morabito has said: "I expected he would do well, but his start has been amazing; I’ve been surprised especially by his physical condition, it’s really excellent. Milan will decide, but I think he’ll be bought." If he maintains his current form, it could also be hard for injured Italian El Shaarawy to break back into the first team. 

In conclusion, Taarabt's true test comes this weekend against Juventus. So far playing some of the weaker teams in Serie A, it will be interesting to see how the creative midfielder fairs when opposed by the strongest team in Italy. Aside from this upcoming fixture, Taarabt's form so far deserves Milan to take the option of making the loan permanent seriously only if Taarabt can produce something that eluded him in the Premier League, consistency. 

Manchester United's Rooney contract complexity

On Friday, Wayne Rooney signed a 4 year contract extension with Manchester United keeping him at the club until June 2019. However, it was the wage packet the England international is to receive that has caught the headlines. Wayne Rooney has become the highest paid player in Premier League history thanks to his new deal, where he will earn an astronomical £300,000 a week.

Anyone who has watched the Premier League over the last decade can tell you Wayne Rooney has been consistently one of the best players in the league, but is he really worth the amount of money he is now earning?

There is no doubting Rooney's talent but there are few players in the world that warrant that kind of money and Rooney is not one of them. When that kind of money is mentioned players like Messi, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic all spring to mind, not Rooney.

The contract extension means the Red Devils will be paying Rooney £300,000 when he is 32 years of age. By that time there is the strong possibility he will not have the ability he previously had and the amount he is getting paid will look even more ridiculous.

Wayne Rooney pictured signing his new deal with manager
 David Moyes and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

The kind of money Rooney is earning could be a major financial burden on the club. In a season that is been underwhelming for the Manchester United faithful, there is the possibility that they could miss out on Champions League football making this kind of wage a major problem. If Manchester United's slump this season continues for years to come, they could find themselves with financial difficulties due to a loss in income and this type of contract will not help the situation at all.

Furthermore, this contract extension has blown the wage structure that exists at the club. If Moyes wants to bring in a high profile player, what is stopping them from asking the club for the same sort of wage that Rooney is on? If a player joins and feels they are of a higher quality than Rooney, they could well be motivated to ask for same sort of money, if not more.    

A positive that can be drawn from the deal is that it ends the short term speculation that was surrounding Rooney's future. There has been regular transfer rumours that the forward was unsettled in Manchester and wanted to move away but this contract extension ends the rumours that Rooney was to leave for the likes of Chelsea or Real Madrid. When a high profile player at a club like Manchester United is constantly linked with the exit door, it can be damaging for a club's image.

Rooney has scored 10 goals so far this season in the Premier League. 

Manchester United fans will be happy that their terrace favourite is staying for years to come. Rooney has been at the club for almost a decade, scoring 208 goals for the club and is closing in on Sir Bobby Robson's all time goal scoring record. Rooney has legendary status at Manchester United and many fans will argue that the things Rooney has done for the club warrants his huge wage bill.

Part of the deal is that when Rooney does decide to call time on his illustrious career, he will become a club ambassador. Although it will be great for a player like Rooney to represent the club, especially due to the experience he has had at Old Trafford, there are questions marks raised about the inclusion of this. Rooney is no stranger to controversy, a player who has been on the front pages of the papers for all the wrong reasons. Rooney has had a number of discrepancies at his time at Manchester United and if he is to represent the club in the future as an ambassador he will need to be better behaved.    

A major debate that has been sparked by the wage Rooney is receiving is the problem of growing footballing wages, with the money that players earning slowly becoming more and more astronomical. Many argue that a wage cap needs to be introduced whereas others believe that footballer's occupation falls under the category of entertainers and earn no more than your famous singers or movie stars. Although the debate continuous, one truth is that as these wages grow, football slowly moves away from it's working class roots.

Why Blaise Matuidi's contract extension could be PSG's most important signing this season

Yet another transfer window where PSG sign a high profile player, this time in the form of Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye, the impending contract extension of Blaise Matuidi could prove to be of huge importance to PSG as they look to retain their Ligue 1 title from the recently bank rolled Monaco. Getting the combative midfielder to sign a new deal will be on the top of PSG's agenda for a number of reasons.

 Although the Frenchman is yet to pen a new deal on a contract that runs out this summer due to legal issues involving agents and court cases, Matuidi has confirmed he is going to stay in Paris despite added competition of French national team mate Cabaye in an already packed midfield.

Matuidi said: "I am very happy here.  The new contract will happen soon - do not worry." This statement will come as a huge relief to the PSG faithful as he has become quite the fan favourite among fans for his hard work and tough tackling.

Matuidi was subject to intense interest from several clubs in the January transfer window with Manchester City and Arsenal reportedly interested. However, PSG were determined to keep the highly rated midfielder, so much so PSG president Nasser Al- Khelaifi warned Manchester City if they made a move for their work horse they would make a move for their major players.

Matuidi assures fans here is here to stay.

In a star studded squad where players like Ibrahimovic, Cavani and Lavezzi often take the headlines and deservedly so, Blaise Matuidi is the unsung hero. The midfielder is the man behind the magic, a player who gives the side stability and defensive cover. Not as coveted and credited as the main man Ibrahimovic, Blaise Matuidi remains just as important as the Swede.

Anyone that regularly watches PSG will see that Matuidi is the man who tracks back, wins the ball and will then contribute and supply the attackers. Despite being considered a defensive midfielder, Matuidi boasts technical ability and often pops up on the score sheet too.

It comes as no surprise that Matuidi is held in such high regard in Paris. Fellow midfielder Thiago Motta signed a new one year deal today,  it is a matter of time before PSG give Matuidi the new contract he deserves. Rumoured he is to be given a hefty pay rise to represent his status in Blanc's side, expect PSG to try and tie him down for as many years as possible.

Mathieu Valbuena: Arsenal's plan B to Draxler?

It is no secret that Arsenal are interested in Schalke's Julian Draxler and although a move did not materialise this transfer window, the likelihood is Draxler will leave Schalke in the summer. However, Draxler remains one of the top talents in Europe and will not have a shortage of suitors when the eventual decision to leave Schalke comes.

Known for having tight pockets, Wenger has attempted to disprove his critics that say he does not flex Arsenal's financial power and bring in enough top players by signing Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.

However, old habits die hard and seemed to revert back to the Wenger of old in the January transfer window. The Gunner's were in dire need of a striker to add cover for first choice Giroud and provide competition, as well as another central midfielder as a stop gap. The Frenchman however opted not to spend and choose to bring in veteran midfielder Kim Kallstrom.

Talent of Draxler's calibre is not going to come cheap. If Wenger does not spend big, he will have no hope of securing the young German and will be outbid by another European super power who are more than happy to meet Schalke's demands.

If Wenger does miss out on Draxler, expect to see Arsenal make a move for Marseille's central attacking midfielder Mathieu Valbuena. Reports suggest that both Arsenal and Liverpool  are interested in Valbuena who could be on the move this summer.

Marseille's interim coach Jose Anigo has said he will not stop the Frenchman leaving if the right offer comes in. Anigo said: "If we recieved a good offer, we won't force him to stay. He has given a lot to our club so if he wants to he can leave."

A cheaper alternative to Draxler, Valbuena is a player who comes from France with very high regard. Known as one of the most creative players in Ligue 1, he could well be what Wenger is looking for. In the same position as Draxler, the French international is a clever player and standing at 5ft 6 inches he is quick, mobile and boasts fantastic technical ability.

A bid of around £10 million could be enough to secure Valbuena if Wenger is intent on adding to an already packed midfield which has players of Carzola, Ozil and Rosisky's ability in the attacking midfielder role. Valbuena could be at least three times cheaper than Draxler, but at the age of 29 he is not getting any younger.  

Mathieu Valbuena could well be Wenger's plan B if things go wrong with primary target Julian Draxler, so expect Arsenal to be heavily connected to both players in the coming months. Valbuena, like Draxler, will have many clubs after him in the summer and he could well step up to a bigger club, even if he doesn't move to the Emirates.

Meulensteen another victim of the panic button as Magath takes charge

Meulensteen is the latest Premier League manager to fall victim to clubs making rash decisions in fear of relegation. Reports suggest Meulensteen has not been sacked despite initial beliefs but is now to become part of newly installed manager Felix Magath's back room staff. Magath becomes the Premier League's first German manager, but knows he has it all to do if Fulham are to survive.

Both fans and critics are questioning Fulham's lack of faith in Meulensteen and are left wondering if replacing him was the best way to secure survival. Meulsensteen was appointed at a time were Fulham desperately needed to see a change in results, but the former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson did not do enough to convince new owner Shahid Khan that he was the right man to avoid relegation.

Meulensteen is just another name to be added to the growing trend of firing managers before they are really given a chance. Admittedly, time is not on Fulham's hands as they sit bottom of the table but is sacking a manager who has hardly any time to change things the right idea?

A huge criticism of the Fulham board is why the sanctioned a number of transfers, including their second most expensive signing of Greek striker Kostas Mitroglou, that Meulensteen believed could ensure survival if they were going to sack him shortly after. The signings that Fulham have brought in may not suit Magath's plans for the club and could represent a major loss of money.

Meulensteen was given no time at all to integrate his new signings and work with his improved squad. Furthermore, although there has not been a win in 7 games for the Cottagers, there has been a steady improvement in performances, most notably earning a draw away at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

Felix Magath comes into Fulham with a successful yet controversial history in German football. A man known for pushing his players to the extreme in order to get results and having "ridiculous training methods" as Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness puts it.

However, this tough stance that pushes players to the limit could be exactly what Fulham need if they are going to beat the drop. At times looked sluggish and a shadow Fulham of recent years, Magath could well rejuvenate the squad and ensure their survival.

Known to not be beloved by former players he has coached, Magath does bring top level experience to Fulham, something that could be the key to survival. Former manager of Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and Schalke, Magath created history at Bayern by being the first manager in their history to win the double for back to back seasons, but also brought the league title to Wolfsburg for the first time in their history while in charge.

Although many will feel Meulsensteen's sacking was premature, harsh and a rash decision, Fulham do need a quick fix if they are going to beat the drop. Magath brings experience and his methods will reinvigorate the players, but could this be a decision motivated purely by panic and desperation? If so, there has been countless times when decisions motivated by these reasons have backfired. Time will soon tell if Magath has what it takes to keep Fulham in the Premier League.

Toni Kroos: Face off with Bayern Munich

Much speculation has surrounded Toni Kroos, especially during the January transfer window with reported intense interest from a host of clubs including Manchester United.  A player with unquestionable quality and having been at the club since the age of 16, why all of a sudden are there rumbles of a possible departure among the gossip columns of Europe?

The reports that the 24 year old could be heading to the exit door comes after he admitted that contract talks over an extension on a deal that runs out in the summer of 2015 had broken down. It is reported that Toni Kroos wants more money than he is currently earning, a demand that Bayern Munich have not initially agreed to.

Further talk of a rift between manager Guardiola and Kroos came after he was substituted during Munich's 2-1 win over Stuggart. Kroos reacted horribly to coming off, throwing his gloves on the floor and was clearly in distress. Guardiola fuelled rumours of an exit by saying: "Kroos remains an important player, but things can move fast in football. Here today, gone tomorrow."

Although a class player with vast technical ability and vision, he is a player Bayern Munich can afford to lose. In a squad that has so many talented midfielders, some who arguably merit a place in the starting line up ahead of Kroos, he is not deemed an integral part of the Bavarians' set up.

With Pep Guardiola transforming Lahm into a midifelder in his 4-5-1 formation, there is no shortage of central midfielders currently in the squad. However, Bayern Munich are unlikely to want to lose a player of Toni Kroos' calibre so will try to agree a deal that suits both parties in the near future despite the current break down in talks.

Does Kroos have a right to ask for more money in a side where he is considered a top player, but not integral? It will be interesting to see if Bayern Munich in the future bow down to his demands in fear of losing him, but do not expect this. Bayern Munich have a reputation in Germany of putting the club first and not giving into player demands. The current Champions' League holders will not hesitate to make an example of Kroos, sending a warning to staff and players that no one is bigger than than the club.

Kroos has stated he does not want to leave Bayern and rightly so. Arguably the best side in the world right now, it is a very exciting time for Bayern Munich as they are in the process of a domination of club football, an example being last season where they won every competition they were entered in. Club captain Phillip Lahm has even weighed in, warning Kroos it doesn't get much better than Bayern.

There will be no shortage of teams that will hope Kroos stays firm about his request and either lets his contract run down and become available on a Bosman or Bayern Munich seek a quick fix and put him up for sale, something sporting director Matthias Sammer has assured fans will not happen. Manchester United are reportedly favourites to go for Kroos, with Moyes already seen watching Kroos play. Juventus are also rumoured to be keen as are a host of top European clubs. Kroos will have no shortage of potential suitors if he is to leave the Allianz Arena.

So currently the contract situation has turned into a game of poker. Kroos wants more money, but also does not want to leave. Bayern are not willing to meet his current demands and do not want a player of his calibre leaving to join a European rival.  The stakes are high and it is going to be very interesting to see who folds and gives in.

Chelsea the real winners in the sale of Mata to Manchester United?

So far a season of disappointment for Manchester United fans, one of the highlights of their campaign was securing the signing of Chelsea's Juan Mata for a fee in the region of £37 million. There is no doubting the quality that the Spaniard has, but could Chelsea be the real winners in this deal with the way they have spent the money Mata has generated?  

At Chelsea, Mata was worshipped. The fans of Chelsea were devastated when after days of speculation he arrived at Manchester United's Carrington training ground complex via helicopter to complete the deal. Chelsea player of the year for the past two years speaks volumes for how highly regarded Mata was at Stamford Bridge. 

However, under returning manager Jose Mourinho, Mata found himself become a fringe player who would make the occasional substitute appearance due to his lack of defensive capabilities, something Mourinho believes is crucial in his 4-2-3-1 formation he favours.   

Mourinho spoke often of how he wanted to build the team round Oscar in the number ten role and sympathised with Mata's new found role at the club. Mourinho knew it was unfair a player of Mata's quality was demoted to the bench, but with the amount of attacking midfielders he had in his squad and the form of Oscar, Willian and Hazard "the special one" could not justify changing the system to accommodate Mata. 

The £37 million they received for the attacking midfielder was immediately reinvested into the squad. First they brought in Matic for a fee around £20 million from Benfica, a defensive midfielder they desperately needed that adds steel and stability in the middle of the park. From the handful of games the Serbian has featured in, he has already started to show reasons why he was regarded as one of the best players in Portugal.  

De Bruyne departing for the same reasons as Mata in search of game time left Chelsea suddenly a little short staffed in a position they were previously over crowded in. Mourinho felt he needed to bring in FC Basel's Salah for around £11 million to compensate for the exodus of attacking midfielders. De Bruyne's sale to Wolfsburg also generated around £16 million. 

Finally, Chelsea continued with their policy of purchasing young talent and in Kurt Zouma they don't come with much more potential than him. Signed from AS Saint Etienne for a fee of around £12 million, the centre back will continue his footballing development in France for the remainder of the season. A solid young defender, Zouma was chased by many top European clubs and Chelsea have done well to beat others to his signature. 

However, could Chelsea one day rue the sale of their previous most prized asset, especially to a rival like Manchester United? Although they have not had the best of seasons, Manchester United are always a force and strengthening them with a player like Mata could trouble them. Mata is going to get game time under Moyes and there is no doubt he is the type of player that could kick-start a turn in the Red Devils' fortunes.  

In summary, Chelsea have sold a fringe player, all be it a fringe player of world class quality, for a decent amount of money and strengthened in an area they needed to, brought in a replacement for departing attacking midfielders and secured one of the brightest talents in Europe. Could this sale be a tactical master stroke from Jose? 

Rudi Garcia - potential to manage one of Europe's super powers?

Currently managing Roma of Italy, Rudi Garcia remains one of the most under-rated mangers in Europe. Approaching his 50th birthday he remains a youthful manager, but could he be on the way to managing one of the elite sides in Europe?

The Frenchman first started to establish himself as manager with top potential following successful stints at Dijon and Le Mans, where he played attractive attacking football which also brought about results.

But it was at Lille the name Rudi Garcia exploded onto the scene. Managing a club that had talents like Eden Hazard, Gervinho and Rio Mavuba on their books, he guided the side not only to their first trophy since 1955 with a Coupe De France win over PSG, he also completed the double in the same year winning the league in 10-11 season.

Rudi Garcia at Lille was the man who gave Eden Hazard his chance in the first team and nurtured his footballing development, got the best out of forward Gervinho which would later see him join Arsenal and made Moussa Sow into one of the most sought after strikers in Europe.

Garcia's football at Lille saw them become one of the most feared sides in France under his reign, known for their fast, flowing, fluid football that favoured attack rather than defence. In his double winning season he was deservedly crowned manger of the season and became a well respected manager in France.

Not quite established in Europe, Garcia was appointed the manager of Roma in the summer of 2013 following a disappointing season under a second stint at the club from Zednek Zeman and then Aurelio Andreazzoli. To begin with, much scepticism surrounded his appointment from the passionate Rome faithful.

This soon changed. Under Garcia, a reinvigorated Roma side hit the ground running and created history, winning their first ten Serie A games beating Juventus' previous record of nine. This ground breaking run in Italy made the whole of Europe sit up and take notice of this more than impressive Roma side.

Although they haven't quite continued the incredible form they began the season with, Roma remain one of the few sides that are challenging Juventus for the Serie A title. Most pundits consider them the only side that could end Juventus' Italian dominance of recent years, with both Milan sides in dire form and Napoli being too inconsistent under Rafael Benitez.  

So how did Garcia transform a severely weakened Roma side following high profile departures such as Eric Lamela and Marquinhos into a title challenging side? Garcia is known for bringing the best out of players, something he has shown in his rejuvenation of Gervinho who was a shadow of his former self at Arsenal and guiding Totti into rolling back the years with a string of impressive performances following a few disappointing seasons. Clever signings have also seen him add solidity and flair, bringing in sought after Kevin Strootman who has been a stand out player for the side and decisive creativity in Adem Ljajic and Gervinho.

So what could the future hold for Garcia? Promising displays at Lille and currently at Roma will soon see him become the target of many top clubs that may need a change. If he decides to continue at Roma it will not be long before he guides them to some form of silverware. However, this is just the short term future. Still young and with a long managerial career ahead of him, he could well go down in history as one of Europe's top managers.

Osvaldo - will this deal work?

On deadline day, Southampton agreed to loan out their second most expensive signing Pablo Daniel Osvaldo after just half a season at St Mary's to Juventus. Will this move work out for all parties involved?

For the time being, Osvaldo must be over the moon about joining on loan to one of Europe's biggest clubs, but in the long term this could be a bad move for the controversial striker. The Italian international left Southampton on a sour note, under two weeks suspension for a training ground fight with Jose Fonte, reportedly head-butting the defender. The move means he is now free to play again and no longer has to face players and staff he may have annoyed and upset with his egotistical attitude. He also gets to return to his beloved Italy, a league which not only suits his style of play, but the league that he performed best in having previously been in Spain and Argentina. However, in the long term this could work out to be a poor move for the forward. Having not played particularly well during his time in England, he showed flashes of brilliance, for example his goal against Manchester City showcased his neat footwork and finishing. Now at a much larger club than Southampton, Osvaldo will have to quickly pick up his form and to keep his place in the side he will have be something he has often struggled to do - consistent. Osvaldo will have to keep his behaviour in check too, with some of his previous antics unlikely to go down well with Conte and players of a much higher calibre than the striker.

From Juventus' perspective, this deal makes very little sense. A club that already had five strikers now has six for just two competitions. Conte favours a formation which plays two strikers, so already having five was too many. It could be argued that the Turin outfit expected to offload players like Vucinic and Quagliarella and wanted to bring in some competition for first choice strikers Tevez and Llorente but moves for the fringe strikers didn't materialise and now Juventus have far too many forwards. The move could be made permanent in the summer as Juventus have included a clause in the deal to purchase him should Osvaldo impress for the club. Juventus may already have plans to offload Vucinic, Quagliarella and Giovinco in the summer and may decide to purchase the forward. The fringe strikers of the squad are also likely to suffer and lose out on already reduced game time with Osvaldo's arrival.

Southampton were placed in a difficult position when Juventus approached their controversial striker. On one hand the club would have wanted their money's worth and may have felt that Osvaldo would have eventually come good. On the other, they were paying high wages for a player who has not been a success and reportedly wanted to return to Italy. With the pros and cons weighed up, the decision was made to loan out the striker, but with the chance to make the money they spent on the player back if Juventus decide to make the move permanent represents good business. The striker wont be particularly missed by Southampton, as they have plenty of depth in that particular position.

It remains to be seen who will be the winners and losers in this particular deal, but time will soon tell. Whether or not he is a success on the pitch, off the pitch he is very entertaining and will be closely watched by Europe to see how he does in Turin.

Vidic to leave Manchester United - What could this mean?

Last night, Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic confirmed he would not be extending his current deal which expires this summer making him a free agent. The centre back has decided to call time on his career in England and wants to move abroad saying: "I want to challenge myself again."

Vidic has spent 8 years at Manchester United since arriving from Spartak Moscow in 2006. Reflecting on his time at the Red Devils, Vidic said: "I never could have imagined winning 15 trophies and I will certainly never forget that fantastic night in Moscow, memories that will live with me and the fans forever."

What now for Vidic? The Serbian international has said he will continue to give his all for Manchester United, but also claims to have options available already. Reported interest comes from big spending Monaco, who can afford his wages and already have taken other veteran defenders on in the past such as Ricardo Carvalho and Eric Abidal. However, Monaco will not be the only team looking at the centre back, with Inter Milan also interested according to many papers. Vidic would be the first to admit he is not the player he once was and if he can avoid injury he would be a good fit for Serie A due to the slow tempo of the game in Italy and Vidic's ability to read the game. A dark horse who could well sign the veteran defender is Barcelona, who are lacking squad depth in the centre back role and Vidic would offer suitable cover.

However, Vidic confessing he intends to leave at the end of the season could not come at a worse time for manager David Moyes. At a time where Moyes is already under heavy pressure to succeed, when a club captain decides to leave it can only reflect badly on a club. The media are likely to distort this as the start of a summer exodus with Evra out of contract in the summer and Rooney constantly linked with a move away. Manchester United have already been heavily criticised by the media for their poor form and current Premier League position. Arguably this is a product of the transitional period Manchester United are going through as they look to move on from the Sir Alex Ferguson reign. Although, Vidic's decision to leave the club during Moyes' first year in charge does beg the question - would Vidic still decide to leave if Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge?

Vidic's announcement is likely to break the hearts of many Manchester United fans, as not only do they lose a club captain but a legend, a cult hero and a loyal servant to the club who had embraced all the values the club tries to ingrain into players. Vidic is a role model for many and during difficult times at the club he was someone players could go to. But many neutral observers will wonder if his decision to leave the club is due to the current form and what many media outlets are reporting has gone on within the club. Could this be the first of many high profile departures from Manchester United?

Is Hernanes worth the fee?

Amidst the business completed on deadline day, Inter Milan completed the signing of Brazilian Hernanes from Lazio in a fee worth about 20 million euros.

There is no doubting the class the midfielder has, in fact has all the necessary qualities needed in a midfielder. Hernanes is calm on the ball, able to use his left and right foot to equal ability and has a quick thinking footballing brain. He has been a key player for Lazio these past few seasons and has been one of the leaders in the Lazio squad since he first joined. He will be remembered by the Lazio faithful for a number of reasons, scorer of wonder goals, a classy play maker and a natural leader all spring to mind.

However, the fee for a player of his age is questionable. Based on ability he is well worth the money, but at 28 years of age this purchase has raised a few eyebrows. It can be argued that in Italy players can continue their careers into their late 30's and with age he is likely to become slower but the key elements to the Brazilian's game hardly hamper with age.

Hernanes arrives from a Lazio side that have not had the season they have expected and are out of form. Like his former employers, Hernanes is yet to produce the quality he has done in previous years at the Stadio Olimpico and is out of form himself, but many will attribute this to his former club's form. Inter Milan have taken a gamble on a player that has not been at his best this season, but they will hope they can resurrect his season.

A video of Hernanes has gone viral of him leaving Lazio's training compound for the final time in tears, something that speaks volumes for the playmaker. A player who will give his all for a club, Hernanes could be key to a side that in recent games needs this sort of midfielder. One win in the last five for Inter Milan, Hernanes' leadership and die hard attitude could see Inter Milan's fortunes turn around quickly.

In conclusion, the deal has had many top journalists suggesting the deal was a bad move, whereas others believe that gamble will pay off for Inter Milan. Providing Inter Milan reach the Champions League this year and Hernanes plays a part in that, it could well prove many doubters wrong.

Ready to shine: Lewis Holtby

On a usually hectic transfer deadline day, Fulham signed Lewis Holtby on loan for the rest of the season from Tottenham. Widely tipped to go on to great things at Tottenham when he joined from Schalke, he has not lived up to the hype that once surrounded him, vastly due to a lack of game time. 

At Schalke, Holtby was one of the most sought after young talents in Europe and it was Tottenham who beat many of Europe's elite to his signature. However, the move has not quite worked out due to not getting the game time he was once used to at Schalke and has not been able to grow as a player despite showing glimpses of what he can do.  

This move to Fulham could benefit every party involved and be one of the best deals of the window. Holtby could finally live up to the potential he once showed in Germany, playing in his favoured number 10 role at Craven Cottage. If he reproduces the form he once showed, Fulham could benefit the most from this loan deal as he could become a very important player for the side and be pivotal to their offensive moves. If he does showcase his talent, Tottenham could well decide to keep him and rival for a position in Spurs' already cramped midfield. Tottenham may have other ideas as this loan move may just be a tactic to boost Holtby's market value and create a tidy profit on the small £1.5 million they spent on the German with clubs like Schalke and Dortmund reportedly keen. 

Holtby is likely to be a success for Fulham, a player who looks so assured on the ball despite being just 23. Fulham have pulled off a real coup in signing Holtby for the remainder of the season and now likely to get the game time his ability deserves, this could well be one of the best deals of the January transfer window.