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 Daily Mail has reported that there is a fresh twist in the race to sign Alexis Sanchez as Real Madrid has entered the race. Manchester City was the first club to show an interest – but there has been news over the last few days of Manchester United coming in with a £18m offer. But the fact that the player’s representatives held talks with Real Madrid will a blow to both Manchester clubs.

The lure of playing for Real Madrid may be too tempting for Sanchez – but the situation will delight Udinese, because they can now expect a bidding war for their star player. The Italian club are already resigned to losing their star player – but they are holding out for a fee in the region of £32m.

Sanchez has the ability to play wide as a winger or up front in a striking role. There have been comparisons made with Cristiano Ronaldo due to the player’s exceptional dribbling ability, sublime ball control, quick pace and accurate crossing ability. Sanchez has had a fine season with Udinese in which he has scored 12 goals in his 27 league appearances. Sanchez has already played for his country 36 times. In the past Chelsea, Inter Milan and Liverpool have also shown interest in the player.

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The Telegraph has reported that Manchester United have made a bid to sign Udinese’s Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez. Previously Manchester City thought they had their man and were sitting down to discuss personal terms with the player – but in an unexpected twist it has now emerged that the player’s representatives had a further meeting with United. It’s now rumoured that the player would prefer a move to United.

Neither of the Manchester clubs have yet to have agreed a fee – but Udiense have accepted that the player can leave in the summer and is free to discuss a move. Personal terms are not said to be an issue for either club. It was previously thought that Udiense would be holding out for a fee in the region of £35.4m for Sanchez – but they would now be prepared to consider offers in the range of £18m – £26.5m. If Sanchez did choose United over City then it would be a significant blow to Manchester City’s transfer plans – because Sanchez was seen as their key signing. Manchester City have been tracking the player’s progress for months and further talks were held with the player three weeks ago and it was thought the deal was on the verge of being completed.

Manchester City may have vast resources – but they still would not have wanted to be rivalled for their transfer targets by Manchester United. United still have greater global appeal in terms of signings – even if Manchester City will also be playing in the Champions League next season.

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He is probably best remembered for being the referee during the infamous World Cup game between Italy and Chile in 1962 which was dubbed ‘The Battle of Santiago’ because of the large degree of violence and brawls during the game and credit to Aston for keeping the game playable for 90 minutes.

But Aston was more than just a top referee at that time, he was the man who invented the red and yellow card system after some confusion during a game between England and Argentina at the 1966 World Cup. England’s Jack Charlton had called the press office after the game after reading he had been cautioned by the German referee, baring this in mind Aston came up with the idea of a yellow (steady) and red (stop) card system after stopping at traffic lights. His idea meant that the cards could be universally used in games and break down language barriers. It was first used in the 1970 World Cup.

His involvement in the game did not stop there as he was the first referee to use the black with white trim as a uniform which became standard attire for match officials. Previously, in 1947 he introduced bright yellow flags for linesman to use having previously used the colours of the home team.

He also introduced the idea of a substitute referee in 1966 in case the match official couldn’t continue. Other inventions were the number boards to announce substitutions and he proposed that the pressure of the football to be written into the laws of the game.

Ken Aston, who was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Indian Army during World War II, was FIFA’s Head of World Cup Referees for the 1966, 1970 and 1974 tournaments. His legacy lives on today, where the red and yellow card system is still used as an important part of keeping order in the game whilst keeping everyone informed about key decisions.

But, for those who’ve not seen any footage of that infamous ‘Battle of Santiago’ game, then check it out on the video clip below for some astonishing scenes during a World Cup game. And if you’re watching it with other people, you can inform them of how important the referee Ken Aston was to football.

One quote from Aston which I love was what he admitted after this game : “I wasn’t reffing a football match, I was acting as an umpire in military maneuvers.”

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The Lazio players copped a pre-match barrage when Roma supporters launched rocks at the team bus upon arrival at the Stadio Olimpico, but the first on-field blow came when Roma forward Marco Borriello netted from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute.

It took Lazio just five minutes to find the equaliser, with Brazilian midfielder Hernanes slotting home from the spot to ensure a tense final half-hour.

Romanian defender Stefan Radu was the villain for Lazio in the 77th minute, with his defensive howler allowing Fabio Simplicio to stroll in and side-foot a shot past goalkeeper Tommaso Berni.

Elsewhere. Sampdoria loan signing Federico Macheda scored in his side’s penalty shootout victory over Udinese, after extra-time at Stadio Luigi Ferraris finished 2-2.

In his first start at the Serie A club after joining on-loan from Manchester United, the Italian teenager opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when he got on the end of a Giampaolo Pazzini pass before chipping over Udinese goalkeeper Emanuele Belardi.

It looked like Macheda’s strike would be enough for victory, but Chilean Mauricio Isla snared a 90th-minute equaliser for the visitors to send the game into extra-time.

Udinese took their momentum into the game’s final stages, scoring in the 92nd minute when Argentine German Denis was allowed space in the box to head his side in front.

Sampdoria went down to ten men when Daniele Dessena was shown red for dissent, but Pazzini made the most of his side’s penalty late in extra-time to send the match into a shootout – with the home side triumphing 5-4.

10. First up we have El-Hadji Diouf. The former Liverpool player was fined two weeks wages for spitting on a Celtic fan during the two clubs UEFA cup quarter final clash back in 2003. This was not the first time Diouf had been at the centre of such an incident. The previous November he was accused by West Ham fans of spitting at them. Police investigated however no further action was taken.

9. Next up we have Wayne Rooney. Remember the Manchester United Chelsea match in January 2009. Cristiano Ronaldo had what United considered a perfectly good goal disallowed in the 45th minute – the assistant referee insisting Wayne Rooney’s quick corner was illegal because he failed to place the ball first.

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8. I’m a massive fan of this next player but his relentless diving has confirmed his place in the list. José Mourinho has also finally admitted that Didier Drogba, the Chelsea forward, is a diver. When your former manager who holds you in such high esteem stops defending you, then things must be bad! Check out this compilation.

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Continued on Page TWO

Here are 5 South American players who impressed immensely in this years World Cup finals, more importantly, 5 players who could potentially make the grade in the best league in the world this season:

Alexis Sanchez (Chile)

Undeniably Alexis Sanchez was Chile’s danger man and focal point in South Africa this summer and showed the whole world why he is such a promising prospect for the future of football. The 21-year-old dazzled many with his blistering pace, dribbling skills, attacking prowess and bags of trickery, and was by far Chile’s best player in South Africa this summer. Alexis Sanchez started all 4 games for his country and although he never bagged a goal in the tournament, the forward certainly helped Chile progress as far as they did in the tournament. The Chilean currently plays his club football in Italy for Serie A side Udinese, but has already attracted interest from Premier League titans Manchester United. The Udinese speed merchant can play in several positions including on the wing, upfront and as a second striker. Although the versatile forward only stands at 5’ 7’’, Sanchez is physically equipped to tackle the English game. He would be a great addition to the Premier League, but will cost any team interested a reported £20 million this summer due to his performances in the World Cup.

Antolin Alcaraz (Paraguay)

The Paraguayan international certainly put himself on the map this summer and showed many football fans what he is capable of. The 27-year-old centre-back possesses great strength, pace, positional sense, and standing at 6’ 2’’ also acquires good aerial ability. Having watched the defender this summer, he is also a very tidy and composed footballer, very good to see in a defender these days. Alcaraz did sign a pre-contract agreement deal with Wigan Athletic before the World Cup started. However, the Paraguayan may pull the plug on the deal in hope of signing for a bigger club this summer following promising performances in South Africa. Alcaraz was easily one of Paraguay’s most consistent performers and played 4 out of the 5 matches in the tournament where he bagged a goal as well. Alcaraz has the correct attributes and stature to play in the Premier League this season.

Carlos Salcido (Mexico)

Other than Portugal’s Fabio Coentrao, Carlos Salcido was arguably one of the best full-backs in the tournament this summer. The 30-year-old Mexican international was absolutely solid throughout Mexico’s time in South Africa and was one of the side’s better performers. Salcido possesses superb pace which he utilizes to bomb up and down the left flank as well as good positional sense and strength. The Mexican currently plays his club football in Holland for PSV and has been since 2006. Chelsea have been reportedly linked with the Mexican in the past and may rekindle their interest in the player after seeing him in the World Cup this summer. Salcido would fit the Premier League brilliantly as the player attains the right attributes, and could potentially leave PSV for approximately £7-10 million this summer.

Click here to see the other three players on the list

Vincent Enyeama

It may be strange selecting a player from a side who have lost both their games so far at the World Cup, but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has been the man responsible for ensuring that his side have been beaten by respectable scorelines.

The previously unheralded Hapoel Tel Aviv custodian has been in inspired form, pulling off a string of world-class saves during the course of Nigeria’s clashes with Argentina and Greece. Enyeama’s efforts in thwarting Lionel Messi and co lead to him being named Man of the Match despite his side’s eventual defeat. Thankfully, it seems as though Enyeama’s form has not gone unnoticed, with both West Ham United and Arsenal rumoured to be weighing up bids for the Nigerian. At 27, Enyeama is a relative spring chicken in goalkeeping terms, and would be a great buy for either of the London sides looking to secure his signature.

Mesut Ozil

Symbolic of Germany’s youthful squad, Werder Bremen playmaker Mesut Ozil has heavily impressed during his time in South Africa thus far. Against Australia Ozil was mesmeric, bamboozling the opposition with his vision, technique and creativity. Whilst he did not manage to find the net, Ozil played a huge part in several of Germany’s goals against the Socceroos, helping the side to cope with the absence of the talismanic Michael Ballack.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool had all been linked with the 21-year-old prior to the start of the tournament, but the playmaker’s performances will surely mean that the trio will face stiff competition for Ozil’s signature this summer.

Alexis Sanchez

Several sources have suggested that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing a bid for Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez, and it is no surprise given the form that the Chilean has shown so far at the World Cup. Sanchez, was hugely influential in his side’s 1-0 victory over Honduras, impressing the watching world with his tricks, skill and decisive attacking play.

The Chile side garnered much acclaim for their rampant, attacking performance against Honduras, and it seems as though Sanchez exemplifies the style of his side. Sanchez carried this form in to his side’s second game (against Switzerland), and the man dubbed as ‘the new Cristiano Ronaldo’ was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside. It looks increasingly unlikely that Sanchez will be plying his trade at Udinese next season.

Eljero Elia

A colleague of mine recently wrote about how Eljero Elia may attract attention at the World Cup this summer, and it seems as though his prophecy has been fulfilled. Despite racking up just 43 minutes of action as a substitute during the Netherlands’ first two games, Elia has managed to impress with his trickery and creativity. During his side’s opening game against Denmark, Elia managed to inject excitement and spark into the game during his cameo, creating the chance which led to Dirk Kuyt scoring the Netherland’s second goal.

The Hamburg winger had a similar impact when brought on during Saturday’s clash with Japan, and only failed to rack up his second assist due to Ibrahim Afellay’s failure to finish when one on one with Japan’s goalkeeper.

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Click image below to see a gallery of the Italian babes at the World Cup:

1. Highest scoring game

Portugal absolutely slaughtered North Korea yesterday, by bagging 7 goals in 90 minutes, making it the highest scoring game of the World Cup so far. Portugal were poor against the Ivory Coast in their opening group G game last week, but showed the world what they are truly capable of in their second group game. Ok, North Korea are not the best team in the tournament by any stretch of the imagination, nevertheless the Portuguese had to beat what was in front of them, and beat them they did. Goals from Raul Meireles, Simao, Hugo Almeida, Liedson, Cristiano Ronaldo, and two from Tiago sealed an emphatic victory and all but settled qualification into the next round.

2. Ronaldo makes his mark

Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his mark on the world stage this summer in South Africa by guiding Portugal to their first win in the World Cup. The Portuguese captain performed brilliantly against North Korea and showed why he is one of the worlds greatest. The Real Madrid man was simply on his game and showed superb flashes of flair, his abundance of pace and also proved once again that he is a clinical finisher as well. Ronaldo got himself an assist and his first goal of the tournament against North Korea yesterday and if he manages to keep up this standard then surely he will produce more of the same. Ronaldo has arrived, take note.

3. Chile love to attack, attack, attack!

Chile have impressed me with their football style, which is simply attack, attack, attack. The Chileans don’t seem to know anything else other than push forward and grab as many goals as possible; they simply have no fear, which is great to see as a football fan. Chile only managed to beat 10 men Switzerland 1-0 yesterday but even when they took the lead, the Chileans still committed a number of men forward. At times it felt as if Chile were the ones that were losing with the number of men they had in the opposing penalty area. They now lead group H and deservedly so with the football they play, let’s hope they keep it up.

4. Fabregas still can’t start

For the second game in a row, the Arsenal captain has not been able to start for his country. Fabregas did not come off the bench in Spain’s first match against Switzerland, but did manage to get some playing time last night when they met Honduras in the Ells Park stadium in Johannesburg. With his first touch of the ball the 23-year-old midfielder nearly bagged himself a World Cup goal by rounding the Honduran goalkeeper and placed a low shot destined for the back of the net, unfortunately for Cesc it was cleared off the line. Fabregas came on for Xavi in the 65 minute, and showed some great skill and touches for the remainder of the time (no wonder Barcelona are interested in acquiring his services). However, despite his 25 minute contribution last night, it seems that the creative Spaniard looks all but certain to be taking his regular place for his country…on the bench. Will he ever start for Spain in this World Cup? Surely he will.

5. All one-sided games

The three matches yesterday were easy to predict before even a ball was kicked. It was obvious that Portugal were going to win, ok maybe not 7-0 but a win nonetheless. Chile were going to grab all 3 points because of the style of football they play and evidently they did. it was all Chile even before Behrami got sent off in the first-half. Finally, Spain v Honduras? Please, it was one-way traffic for 90 minutes…Spain battered them. All three games were by far one-sided.

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The 21-year-old is known in his homeland as ‘El Niño Maravilla’ (the wonder boy), but has been dubbed ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ by the European press and after viewing him you can understand why he reminds people of the former Manchester United winger.

Sanchez’s style is easy on the eye as he likes the odd step over, trick, flick and has the confidence to run at opposition defenders. But like a young Ronaldo he’s talent is still quite raw and his end product could do with some work. There is a glaring difference between the two players though as Sanchez is only around 5 ft 7” tall, whereas the Portuguese winker is over six foot and is more than adept in the air.

Because of his small stature many may argue that he could struggle with the physical nature of the Premier League.

Judging by his performances the diminutive Chilean certainly has confidence in his own ability and is also ambitious as he has hinted that he’d be willing to make a big move to the Premier League or La Liga:

“My agent has told me that a lot of big clubs have asked about me. I’m still focused on Udinese, but I have personal ambitions this summer and England and Spain are sensational leagues.”

The player has a good record at international level scoring 11 goals in his 30 caps at senior level for Chile. Over this last season he contributed 5 goals in 25 starts and made 3 assists for Serie A club Udinese.

I’m sure he is a player who would grab the interests of the Red Devils’ fans and may welcome such a player to Old Trafford, but with Antonio Valencia making an impressive debut season in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side and Nani improving since the departure of Ronaldo fans may not feel they need to strengthen in the wide areas.

Manchester United fans may also argue that they have enough depth should they suffer injuries as Ji Sung Park and Ryan Giggs (although his role has changed during his latter years) can play down the flanks.

But there is also the argument that if Sir Alex managed to successfully harness the raw talent of Ronaldo and help him become one of the best players in world football then who’s to say Sanchez cannot thrive in the Premier League for Manchester United.

Earlier in the month Udinese had rejected €10 million from Roma for the player, so if he continues to impress at this summer’s World Cup then you’d think that the Serie A club won’t sell him for any less than £16-20 million.

What do the Manchester United think about the latest promising young player they have been linked with? Is there any reason why Sanchez cannot become the next cult hero at Old Trafford?

A video of Alexis Sanchez in action:

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Click image below to see a gallery of the Italian babes at the World Cup: