With this summer’s transfer merry-go-round fast approaching, it’s time to see which players have attracted the most attention from Premier League clubs. Whether they’ve been touted as the blockbuster deal of the year or simply become the lower leagues’ most sought after player, they’ve all been discussed in detail by more than one team and will likely find themselves at the centre of a transfer tug of war.

This list looks at 15 players who have already been linked with a number of clubs and qualified as this summer’s most wanted.

Click on Kagawa to unveil the 15 most wanted transfers within the Premier League

The amount of players ready to cross the Atlantic is such a young age comes as they are offered huge responsibilities in the first team and on many occasions it can be sink or swim. The wealth of talent exported to Europe over the years has been extensive and clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all now watch the continent like hawks, and here we take a look at the potential talents that have been warranting such attention.

Click on Oscar to unveil the top 10

Who from South America has caught your eye? Let me know on Twitter.

Like the managerial greats, we have all made a few bad signings but we have also unearthed a number of gems. Whether we have been fortunate enough to bring them to our club or have seen somebody snatch them from under our noses, their importance has not been missed.

Here are those players that we love, together in a Football Manager XI that would bring guaranteed success in this free-flowing 4-3-3 formation.

Click on Febian Brandy to unveil the Football Manager XI

The shortlisting process was incredibly difficult, I could have easily assembled a catalogue of glorious goals and devilish dinks but alas I had to be ruthless. Each case in point highlights not only a crowning moment in the subject’s career but a defining landmark in the beautiful game. Enjoy.

Click on Dennis Bergkamp to unveil the top 10

Comment, rate and share your favourites with me on Twitter @theunusedsub

When we look overseas to see examples of our compatriots flourishing in other leagues we tend to be disappointed. With the exception of a handful of players such as Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne or David Beckham our players have left little impact on the minds of our continental brothers and sisters. Even during sixties when there were severely restricting wage caps on the English game there was hardly a mass exodus to more profitable climates. I think that Denis Law summed it up perfectly when he left Manchester City to sign for Torino in order to earn more money, he said: ‘I loved everything about being in Italy, except for the football.’ Clearly Law was Scottish but I think the sentiment rings true for most English players when they consider life abroad.

For that very reason it is refreshing to see Joe Cole not only playing well but also enjoying his football at French champions Lille OSC, even if he does still commute from London. The thirty-year-old has slowly been rediscovering the form that lead to him being so highly regarded in the dawn of his career. Drafted in on a loan deal to replace the Arsenal bound Gervinho in the summer, Cole has been dispelling myths on both sides of the Channel. For us: he is testament to the fact that Englishman can succeed abroad and you would like to think that to the French that the former Chelsea and West Ham man is using his impressive technique and elegant style to demonstrate that English football is not all speed and brawn.

But the significance of his season in France runs deeper than just his role as an ambassador for the English game. It invokes the old argument that perhaps more of our players should be encouraged to move abroad in order to help the international team, but is that necessarily the case?

No

You only need to look at the Spain squad to realise this isn’t true. Not only do nearly all come from the same league the Spanish side is made up almost exclusively from players from the country’s top two clubs. Clearly the Spanish national side consists of exceptionally talented footballers but so are many other national sides. What makes them such a formidable team is that they are exactly that – a team. Having the experience of playing with their national team-mates on a weekly basis is their core strength. You can just as easily look at the Brazilian or Argentinean national sides and see an equally impressive team on paper but what they lack is the cohesion and understanding to make them strong. Moreover, their sides are made up of players from a variety of leagues giving them experience playing against a variety of nationalities yet without that harmony they are ineffective. It might be a cliché but football is a team sport, and familiarity breeds team spirit.

Yes

The other way of looking at it however is that, whilst as a general rule you don’t want all of your international players in one league, it would be helpful for your players to have some experience of playing against a different style of football. How can our national side be expected to know how to break down, for example, the Italian defence if the vast majority of them have no experience of playing against a team like that. Also, whilst the Spanish national side are primarily based in Spain they do have a selection of impressive players such as Torres, Silva, Fabregas and Mata who have experience in other leagues. Therefore were they ever to be in a situation where there normal tactics were not working they would at least have the option of introducing players who were capable of playing in a different style.

The problem with both of these arguments is that there are external factors that need to be looked at. First of all it is possible for the English national team to achieve success despite a lack of overseas experience, but in order for us to be effective there needs to be a team spirit. The disagreements between factions in the English national side have been well publicised over the last few years and so even though our players might be familiar with each other they fail to act as a team. The other point is that if we are going to have all of players playing n the Barclays Premier League then we should appoint a manager who understands English football. Players may be able to adapt to the wishes of foreign managers, but not when that manager only gets a few weeks a year to work with the players. Ultimately there is little we can do to encourage our players to move abroad, subsequently the FA have to be the organisation to recognise the limitations of our squad and act accordingly. If that means bringing in an English manager then so be it.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

The likes of Ronaldo, Robinho, David Silva, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres have graced the Premier League in recent years and that has turned the English game into the best in the world. Here is a list of players in Europe that are targets for Premier League clubs and could be seen here in the near future. Who would you like at your club?

Click on Ricardo Montolivo to unveil the top 10

Of course not all career defining moments are good ones and it is just as likely-despite all you may have achieved within the game-that you will be remembered for one of your more infamous moments. These incidents don’t make them any less of a player, or their achievements any less amazing, it is just that that it is the moment that will always be imprinted on people’s minds and will perhaps overshadow everything else they have achieved in the game.

There have been so many memorable career defining moments but click on Gazza below to view the top 10:

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Latest reports emanating Spain suggest that Harry Redknapp and Spurs are already planning their January transfer moves, as they have contacted Valencia about the possibility of bringing in midfielder Ever Banega on a loan deal. Spurs, who were unusually quit in the last transfer window, have had a disappointing start to the season, winning just one of their first three games, and suffering heavy defeats to both Manchester United and Manchester City. Redknapp must believe that Banega can add something to the Spurs midfield, which looked thoroughly outclassed against both City and United, and is keen to bring in the Argentinian.

Read the full article and comments at The Transfer Tavern

In light of the launch of the new football gaming phenomenon that is ‘Goaldash’ I decided to look at the six greatest solo goals of all time.

Footballers around the world have graced the game with many fantastic solo goals. Most include mesmeric runs around defenders who just fall at their feet whilst others may include one or two slices of luck. But these are all goals that fans will never forget…

1.  Diego Maradona

This stunning effort in the 1986 World Cup is a goal few fans will ever forget, especially the English who were on the receiving end of a goal that often tops the ‘best of’ charts. Whilst the Argentine may also be remembered for another infamous strike, this one is by far the greatest solo goal of all time.

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2.  Ryan Giggs

Giggs’ individual goal in 1999 was definitely a sign of the greatness to come from one of the Premier League’s most talented players ever. Taking on and beating the whole Arsenal defence is not an easy task but Giggs managed it with deadly ease and this goal will be fondly remembered as one of the defining moments in the English game.

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3. Lionel Messi

Any list of the greatest solo goals would not be complete without a strike from the master of turning defences inside out, Lionel Messi. The Argentine is the current king of the spectacular and this goal against Getafe in 2007 sums up why Messi is the world’s greatest footballer.

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Find Out More About GOALDASH by clicking here

Whilst this goal may not be as mesmeric or spectacular as others, the way in which a young Michael Owen introduced himself onto the world stage with his amazing goal was worthy of a mention. Owen attacked the Argentine defence all by himself and stunned the 1998 World Cup with a sublime finish.

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5. George Weah

Again this goal doesn’t include fantastic skill but Weah’s ability to run from his own penalty box, past a handful of defenders and then calmly slot the ball into the corner deserves a place in the best solo goal charts. He did get a couple of slices of luck along the way but it was still a fantastic effort from Weah for AC Milan against Verona in 1996.

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6. John Barnes

Another fantastic individual goal that was partly one of the greatest solo goals for Barnes fantastic individual effort but also the setting in which he scored it. Barnes took on Brazil and beat them at their own game, dodging past defenders with ease to score this unforgettable goal in 1984.

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So how does Goaldash work?

So what is Goaldash all about then?

Bored of playing the Lottery? Failing every week on the Pools? Then why not give ‘Goaldash’ a go – a football gamble with a difference.

‘Goaldash’ is a fabulous concept which fuses the Lottery format with pre-chosen football fixtures. Whereas you may use birthdays or your own favourite numbers to pick your six numbers, with ‘Goaldash’ you need to use your foresight of the Beautiful Game to select the six teams that are likely to score the quickest in the pre-selected 24 fixtures.

 It only costs £1 a pop to enter and you have the chance to win a million pounds, every given week.

All you have to do is scour the 48 teams and pick out the 6 teams that are likely to score the quickest on the Saturday afternoon. The matches are chosen from the Premier League, the Football League, as well as the Scottish divisions therefore you will have plenty to work out and strategise before you make your selections.

Playing the Lottery has just got fun, especially as your odds are a damn sight greater.

Fancy your chances? Fancy winning £1million pounds? Why not give it a go!

His possible exit will be a blow to City, but it will not be the end of the world, and his exit will only confirm what everyone knew would happen at some point – Tevez was never going to stay five years or more at City.

So how do you replace a player involved in 43% of his team’s goals? How do you replace 53 goals in 86 appearances? Well the most obvious answer is that you don’t. You adapt, and play differently, so that others are given the opportunity to contribute more. But with Tevez it is not just about goals. His work rate cannot be bettered, and whatever is happening off the pitch, he never gives less than 100% on it. There are not many players you can say that about. The work-rate he has showed leading the line would be a loss to any team. On the rare occasions he came off the bench, his energy and determination lifted the team almost immediately without exception.

It is the way of football fans to re-write history after a player joins or leaves. Thus so many Arsenal fans have written off Clichy as a liability, in the same way many will understate Tevez’s contribution should he leave. That would be foolish – his exit would be a blow to City, there’s no denying that, but he will be replaced, and the team will move on. He is not the ultimate player, and City are far from a one-man team.

Like many great strikers, Tevez can be rather selfish. He also took penalties, (averagely, in my opinion, but few seem to agree with me on that – Balotelli takes a far better one, and Tevez missed a penalty as Argentina crashed out of the Copa America this week) which helped the goal count, and I think I am right in saying City got more penalties than any other Premiership team last season.

Interestingly, he does not seem to affect results much. Stats only tell half a story of course, but with him in City’s team, they won 52% of matches. Without him, they won 50%. Not a big difference, unlike when De Jong is in or out of the starting eleven, though two seasons and only the odd injury are not long enough to give comprehensive results.

As for team morale, I can only see it being a good thing. I don’t like to take rumours as fact, but it was reported in a few newspaper reports that some City players were fed up of him and his attitude. As I said, it might be true, it might not, but when you see the excellent videos put up on the official site it is clear that there is a great camaraderie amongst a lot of the players – but not Tevez. I guess him speaking the same language would have helped. And there cannot be a City fan on earth who thought he should be captain – now it will surely go to the right person – Vincent Kompany. Either way, the club will be better off without the contstant speculation surrounding the player.

City got a taste of life without Tevez after he hobbled off against Liverpool in April of this year. And their great form in the run-in, claiming an FA Cup along the way, showed that they can cope already without him. It was Tevez who lifted the cup, but it was others who propelled City towards the finishing line, Balotelli shining brighter than most. As Patrick Vieira said this week, “the players will take more responsibilities on their shoulders and that will make them better players.” However, when/if Tevez leaves, a replacement will be bought – Mancini will not settle for what he already has.

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