With the new Premier League season less than three weeks away, the long wait for competitive soccer is almost over. This time around, there will be no Fergie, no Mancini, nor will there be a poor fellow in the Chelsea hot seat facing impending doom. Arsene Wenger is now the elder statesman of the Premier League, and Andre Villas-Boas will be gunning for that much coveted Champions League spot all over again, and possibly more, providing that he can keep Gareth Bale away from the amorous advances of Real Madrid.

The new campaign promises to be the most exciting in years, with the managerial slate wiped clean at the top three clubs, each with a new era already in motion. All eyes are on David Moyes to see if he can keep Manchester United on course for further glory, while Manuel Pellegrini has virtually been left to his own devices, spending hearty sums on new recruits that may just tilt the balance of power back over to the blue half of Manchester again. The battle for supremacy between the northern heavyweights will surely be a highlight of the season, but this time around, their West London rivals in blue may hold the key.

Now that Jose Mourinho has returned, Chelsea are confident that they can recapture their fear factor, which, in the past few years, has been stolen by the new found wealth at Manchester City. Though the club has still continued to enjoy plenty of success since The Special One (or ‘The Happy One’, as he prefers to be known these days) departed in 2007, their hold over the domestic championship has been usurped. In the past three seasons, Chelsea have lost their way in the Premier League, and though their European and FA Cup achievements are not to be scoffed at, they will be hoping to find the title-winning consistency that has evaded them of late.

However, with a wealth of young, attacking talent in the ranks, Mourinho is confident that his team can mount a stern challenge. Juan Mata, Chelsea’s best player for the past two seasons, will no doubt continue to exert his cultured influence on games, while Eden Hazard and Oscar are gifted with prodigious talent and look certain to be shining stars in for next decade. Alongside them, Belgians Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne have returned from highly productive loans spells at West Bromwich Albion and Werder Bremen, and look set to be given a chance to impress.

As for new arrivals, Mourinho has been rather prudent in the transfer market, a surprise considering his employer, Roman Abramovic, is not shy with his chequebook. Many expected the club to break the bank for prospective targets like Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani, but Mourinho decided to opt for youth instead of marquee signings, acquiring German forward Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen, and Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel from Vitesse Arnhem. The combined fee for the pair, who are not yet the finished article, is around £27 million. Schurrle, a full German international, is a quick, intelligent attacker who can operate on the left-wing or in behind the main striker. Van Ginkel, who impressed at the recent Euro u-21 championships, is a central midfielder with an eye for goal, and is being touted as Frank Lampard’s successor.

As opposed to United and Arsenal, Chelsea have conducted their business quickly and cogently, establishing the squad for their forthcoming crusade for the benefit of social adaptation, allied with development on the training ground and in pre-season matches. Mourinho is aiming to establish his strongest side before the season is under way, giving everybody the opportunity to lay down their claim for a starting berth. Though the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard still remain at the club, Mourinho has stated that he will use them more sparingly for their sake, and that of the new hopefuls.

Having already expressed his desire to work at Chelsea for the next decade, it seems that Mourinho may indeed be willing to give up his vagrancy and settle down for a change, trying to build an era of dominance instead of gunning for a glut of silverware in the next year or two. With his old foe Ferguson out of the picture, the Portuguese now has the ideal platform to become the all conquering force of British football.

There is also great intrigue as to whether his approach to the game is shifting, for Chelsea are not as solid at the back as they were in his previous stint, and the emphasis seems to be on attack and panache rather than solidity. Having worked at Real Madrid with eye-popping players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, and Angel Di Maria, perhaps Mourinho’s perspective has altered a little, and he is determined to make the best of the tools at his disposal. All will be revealed soon enough, and time will tell if his second coming will be as rich and prosperous as the old days. Significantly, he has settled his disagreements with Abramovic, and the Russian will afford him the time he requires out of respect for his reputation and unwavering strength of character. What happened in the past is now forgotten. Jose is back, and he’s in for the long haul.

Having suffered from a plague of controversy and acrimony under the rule of The Special One, Real Madrid decided to turn over a new leaf, or at least a slightly different one. In Carlo Ancelotti, the kings of Spain have acquired the services of a man with a wealth of experience and an array of silverware to boot – fourteen trophies to be exact, including two UEFA Champions League titles during his highly successful tenure at AC Milan.

With such a meaty back catalog of success in his previous managerial positions, combined with an international reverence that makes him one of the most powerful managers in contemporary football, Ancelotti was a no-brainer for Florentino Perez, eager to coerce his longstanding critics over to his side after being awarded a fourth term as the club’s president in spite of the negative press he has received since taking power in 2000.

Whereas in 2010, Jose Mourinho was the type of glamorous appointment associated with Perez’s reign at Madrid, Ancelotti is a sensible choice. This is not to discredit the Italian, who is without doubt the apt selection and a seasoned professional, but he does not court the same level of celebrity as his Portuguese predecessor. Unlike Mourinho, Ancelotti is stoic, reserved, and calculated in his actions, aspects of which his new employers would have been craving in the past year or so.

Ancelotti represents a change in the Madrid dynamic, a reversion to the ethos of old that insists upon attractive, eye-catching football on the pitch. With Zinedine Zidane at his side, the team is sure to return to their swashbuckling ways, whilst also retaining the solidity and brawn that characterized Ancelotti’s Milan side that boasted the refined talents of Paolo Maldini, Cafu, and Alessandro Nesta.

Under Mourinho, Madrid played effective football that brought positive results more often than not, but failed to impress the Bernabeu faithful who looked on in envy as Barcelona strutted their way to European and domestic glory, charming all those who witnessed the ingenuity of their tiki-taka philosophy.

Madrid are not used to playing second fiddle, an affliction that Mourinho failed to overcome, and the supporters will be hoping that the new man in charge can steer them on the right path, affording supporters and the men in the boardroom with the triumphs that they expect year in, year out. Perez seems highly optimistic, overtly confident that he has snagged the right man:

“At this temple of ‘Madridismo’, we begin a new chapter with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of the first team,” the supremo told the assembled press. “He is a man who possesses great knowledge of the game, an intelligent winner and an extraordinary person.

These are flattering words from Perez, a man who has not been afraid to openly criticise his employees in the past. However, a thinly veiled threat lay in his praise for the Italian as the bulbs flashed and the babble of excitement began to swell:

“Ancelotti is used to the highest pressure of the most intense coaching jobs, but he has to know that nothing he has experienced so far will be like what awaits him at this club. We are talking about one of the world’s top coaches. As a player, he was a fundamental part of the great AC Milan side. But you have to know, Carlo, that the Champions League is the most coveted trophy, both for our members and our fans…”

The message could not have been any clearer; win the crown jewels, or face the axe. Los Blancos, in spite of their power and their star-studded cast of players in the past and present, have not gone all the way in Europe since 2002, when Zidane struck gold with a volley that defied the boundaries of logic. Now, matters have reached boiling point, and desperation is beginning to fester on and off the pitch. Many an esteemed manager has perished under the sword of Perez, their efforts in Spain deemed unsatisfactory regardless of the La Ligas, Copa Del Reys, and Spanish Cups picked up along the way.

If Ancelotti believes that he can win the plaudits by merely obtaining the league, he need look no further than the brutal sacking of Fabio Capello in 2007 as a potent forewarning of the looming guillotine that hangs above him every moment of every day. Having been unfairly relieved of his duties at Chelsea by Roman Abramovic, Ancelotti is no stranger to the impulsive barbarism that takes place at the top of the football hierarchy. But at Madrid the ice is very thin, so he will have to skate with great care and skill if he is to become a success story instead of another high-profile dud.

Two weeks ago was an exciting day for football and could quite well go down as a date in history where another divine footballing marriage was sealed. That was the day when Brazil’s most prodigious talent since Ronaldo — Neymar da Silva Santos Junior — completed his long-awaited transfer to Barcelona.

Since his introduction to the big stage at the tender age of 17, when the scrawny forward was brought on for the last thirty minutes in a 2-1 win against Oeste, Neymar has experienced a level of fame that very few athletes of his age are subjected to (or afforded, depending on how you view it). Before he had even kicked a ball amongst the big boys of Brazilian domestic football, the hype surrounding this baby-faced whippersnapper from Sao Paulo was already permeating through the aisles of the Estadia Vila Belmiro, the home of Santos F.C.

Having developed a passion for futsal at an early stage, a form of “hall football” that is played even more frequently than soccer in Brazil, Neymar quickly learned the fundamentals of his country’s approach to the game. Futsal is played on a hard indoor surface the length of a five-a-side pitch, with a a smaller ball that has less of a bounce than a regular one. The game is played between two teams of five players, with the chief emphasis placed on skill, improvisation, and guile. Matches are played at a frenetic pace in a claustrophobic environment, where players have to think quickly and without hesitation. Futsal is a speciality of the Brazilians, and is rightly accredited for helping the national team to establish their world-famous panache that has bedazzled generations since the founding of the FIFA World Cup in 1930.

With this type of schooling, Neymar was gifted with a cultured perspective on how the game should be played, combining his futsal education with street football where he would have undoubtedly found out what it was like to be kicked from pillar to post by kids of lesser ability. Though futsal is a sport that many Brazilian youths participate in, there are always a few prodigious talents that have adroitness with the ball that comes as second nature. Not only did Neymar have it, he personified it. As he rose through the ranks of the Santos academy like a fledgling peacock, enjoying a highly successful youth career, money and celebrity were soon magnetized by Neymar’s allure, and by the time he was 16 he was earning 25,000 reais a month. Upon signing his professional contract at 17, sponsorships were queuing up in droves for the new golden boy of South America.

Without too much difficulty, Neymar soon established himself in the Santos first team, creating a rabid fervor amongst watching crowds whenever the ball was at his feet. Like his predecessors Ronaldinho and Denilson, he was not afraid to run head-on at opposing defenders, using a hypnotic repertoire of drag-backs, step-overs and flicks that left many in his wake, disoriented and left to figure out how they had been so easily bamboozled. In his debut season, Neymar racked up 14 goals in 48 games, which included the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Palmeiras in the 2009 Campeonato Paulista semi-final.

Much like Holland, Brazilian football places the main bulk of its hopes on youth, so youngsters are often thrown into the deep end before their chins have even begun to sprout a few pathetic hairs. Precociousness is something to be celebrated, not confined to stagnation in the reserves or on the bench, meaning that Neymar was given the platform to show off his artfulness as soon as his professional terms were agreed. Of course, with youth comes impudence, and the new darling of Santos possessed an abundance of it. Though football is a team game, Neymar is the type of player who will only pass the ball if there is no conceivable way of setting on a path towards the goal, frequently opting to dribble through a crowd of bodies, miraculously emerging from an assault of boots, elbows, and shirt-tugging with the ball still in his possession. At times, his tendency to take on the world proved to be frustrating, but, more often than not, he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.

Ostentatious behavior aside, Neymar proved to be more than capable in front of goal by his second season, rattling in 42 goals in 60 appearances, a tally that any seasoned professional would be proud of. After a thrilling campaign, he came in third for the 2010 South American Footballer of the Year, behind Andres D’Alessandro and Juan Sebastian Veron. His ascendency in Brazil became international news, and the globe quickly became enamored with Neymar, who was making a name for himself on You Tube with skill compilation videos amassing thousands of hits every day. In the ensuing two years he would be linked with all the major players in the transfer market, particularly Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea. It was reported that Roman Abramovich was willing to pull out all the stops to sign Neymar, and talks of a £50 million transfer were circulating via the Internet before the player had even reached 20.

Eventually, Santos would accept two bids for their prized asset, and though the identity of the bidders were not revealed, anybody with a passing interest in the speculation knew that it was Los Blancos and their tiki-taka rivals who were the frontrunners. Real’s president Florentino Perez was willing to move heaven and earth to sign Neymar, but in the end the starlet chose Barcelona because they appealed to his footballing principles.

After completing his “dream” move for 57 million euros, he said: “Money is OK but happiness takes priority. We decided to come to Barcelona. I had a lot of offers but I followed my heart.”

Now, the tantalizing prospect of Neymar linking up with the world’s best player Lionel Messi is no longer a fantasy, but an impending reality. But will the match that is seemingly made in heaven become true romance? After all, though Neymar may have bewitched crowds on the South American continent, he will find the task of stamping his authority on the European game much more arduous, and will have to graft harder than he has ever done before in order to impress the expectant support at the Nou Camp. Barcelona have lived a charmed life in the past four years, and though they have definitely lost some of their gloss since the departure of Pep Guardiola, they are still widely considered to be the most effective side on planet earth when they are in full swing.

Having suffered an embarrassing exit to Bayern Munich in the semi-final of the Champions League, where they were brutally thumped 7-0 on aggregate, the team will be aiming to recover and get back on their saddles quickly in preparation for the campaign ahead of them. This means that everyone will have to be on top of their game, playing to the height of their capabilities in order for the Barcelona passing carousel to get back in motion once again. Though Neymar is young and still very much learning his trade, he will have to return on the mammoth investment the club put into him pronto, and he must not be intimidated by his price tag. There will be no place for him to hide if his performances are lackluster, and opposing teams will be quick to try and unsettle him, applying physical tactics to try and stifle his game. Though La Liga may not be as rough as the English or German leagues, it is certainly a far cry from Brazil and Neymar will find himself nursing a wound or two after a ninety-minute duel with defensive units that will be more than happy to give him robust treatment.

Alongside adaptation, another daunting challenge that faces Neymar is Messi. The day he signed, Neymar said he had no worries about the challenge of being the best player in the world because he was already playing alongside him. This is without doubt true, and nobody expects the youngster to usurp the Argentine’s barely disputed position amongst the footballing gods any time soon, but only time will tell if they will be able to gel with one another and develop a relationship that will strike fear into their adversaries. Recently, Johann Cruyff, former player and coach of Barcelona, expressed his concern at the acquisition of Neymar, saying: “Messi and Neymar? Two captains on one boat doesn’t work.”

Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, the Dutch football legend went to on to question if Neymar was the type of player the club really needed.

“We must wait and see how he goes,” Cruyff said. “Is he necessary? You could agree or not. We are not talking about his footballing quality, I have not seen him, but if they talk about him like this, it is because he is a good player.

“But creating a team is different than signing a player…the Germans showed they have that mentality, that the team is an important thing.”

Cruyff’s words could not be more true, and though he is well known for being a critic of Sandro Rossel, the president of FC Barcelona, he is speaking from sense as opposed to bitterness. Neymar is unquestionably a splendid individual athlete, a possessor of unique dexterity with the ball combined with a strong ego that all great players need to excel, but his attitude is questionable. He is notorious for throwing tantrums when things do not go his way, and there have been reports of rifts with fellow teammates at Santos. In 2010, he fell out with his former manager Dorival Junior over a dispute about who should be the designated penalty-taker. After a spat that took place during the Copa do Brasil final of that year, Dorival Junior demanded that Neymar be suspended for two weeks, but the board promptly sided with the player and sacked the manager.

Allied to this, Neymar has developed a notoriety for simulation, and has been labeled as a diver in his own country. At times, he has been accused of going to ground too easily, attempting to get opposing players sent off instead of continuing his run with the ball and going about the game honestly. Though diving is certainly common in Spain, excessive theatrics will not be tolerated for very long by fans and officials, and Neymar will not want to be famed for his theatrics. If he can iron out the petulant side of his game, people will be able to focus on his good points, preventing him from being hounded by a media that tends to be rather ferocious in Europe at times.

The road that lies ahead of Neymar is long, but full of promise. Having only turned 21 in February, there is plenty of time for him to sharpen his qualities, whilst also acquiring new ones along the way. He is in a privileged position that other contemporaries can only dream about, having moved to a special club that most professionals would give their right arm to play for. With the sporting and commercial clamor for him more covetous than ever, the sky is the limit, or perhaps he will break through the stratosphere and one day take his place alongside Pele, Maradona, and Beckenbauer in the cosmos of footballing royalty. Right now though, he is still a pretender, a gamble that could be taken out of the showroom and onto the scrap-heap if his fluorescent boots, zany haircut, and fancy-dan chicanery prove to be a superficial ruse to hide the true weaknesses beneath.

After last year’s success under the direction of Brendan Rodgers, Swansea City were celebrated for having one of the finest debut seasons out of any newly promoted side since the inception of the Barclays Premier League. Unlike other beginners making their first tenuous steps in what is arguably the strongest division in world football, Swansea approached the opportunity without fear, bravely playing out the philosophy that had served them well in the Championship. With limited financial resources and a side that at first seemed to lack the quality expected at the top level, the Welsh outfit proved to be a breath of fresh air, adopting the world famous tiki-taka style that focuses on simplistic, but devastating offensive play.

With Joe Allen and Leon Britton serving as the fulcrum of the team, Swansea were soon impressing their peers with their cogent passing network that none too subtly resembled the methods of Xavi, Iniesta and co. in Catalonia. Assuming triangles that slowly advanced up the pitch as a stalking Tiger does in the long grass, the newcomers suffocated their opposition with well-drilled ball retention, leaving opposing players chasing the game, which proved to be most devastating for sides in the lower half of the table. Double-barreled with a high-pressing defensive line, and each member of the team willing to chase and harass opponents when out of possession, the Swans soon became a force to be reckoned with, going about their business with a bold impudence that had pundits nodding their heads in approval.

Eventually settling in eleventh place, an admirable finish for a debut season, it was inevitable that Brendan Rodgers would attract the attentions of the big fish. Soon enough, Liverpool, having sacked Kop idol Kenny Daglish, began to circle, offering the former Chelsea youth coach the chance to manage one of the world’s most decorated clubs in history. Understandably, Rodgers did not refuse, and swiftly departed for Merseyside with Joe Allen in tow. Disappointed at the departure of a man who had worked so fervently to elevate Swansea to the main stage, the board set about finding a manager who could help the team continue to gather momentum and prevent stagnation. Now endowed with a panache that many teams envied, it was crucial that Swansea picked up where they left off.

Fortunately, Danish footballing legend Michael Laudrup was prepared to take up the mantle. Having resigned from his post at Mallorca in 2011 after the firing of his assistant Erik Larsen, Laudrup was seeking an opening that would give him the license to conduct the type of fluid attacking football that he had been accustomed to during his playing days at the likes Barcelona and Ajax. With both parties impressed by what they had seen, Swansea and Laudrup seemed like the perfect fit, and a two-year contract was agreed.

During his tenure as the manager of Brondby in the Danish Superliga, Laudrup had enjoyed plenty of success; guiding the team to one championship and two Danish cups, completing The Double in the 2004-05 season. After a brief but comparatively successful stint at Getafe, followed by a disastrous period at Russian giants Spartak Moscow, Laudrup had forged a reputation for himself as a manager who vehemently insisted upon offensive, alluring football, his stubborn character contributing to his lack of continuity. At Mallorca, he restored his credit somewhat, keeping a struggling team from relegation, working with limited financial resources. Nevertheless, Swansea fans could be forgiven for their trepidation at the appointment of a man whose managerial career had been characterized by vagrancy.

However, any skepticism that may have existed was soon quietened after an auspicious beginning to the 2o12-13 campaign, opened with an impressive 5-0 drubbing of QPR at Loftus Road, Laudrup’s first competitive match in charge. In the summer, the Dane had purchased sound investments in the transfer market, opting out of chasing expensive domestic talent and snagging La Liga players on the cheap such as Michu, Chico Flores, Pablo Hernandez, and Jonathan de Guzman. Michu in particular proved to be a roaring success, netting 18 goals in the Premier League, with a total of 22 in all competitions. In midfield, de Guzman, on loan from Villarreal, impressed many with his apt passing range, bustling energy, and an eye for goal. Chico, though perhaps lacking in natural talent, proved to be a dogged acquisition who could certainly hold his own in a physical battle; an asset that is essential in the British game.

With most of Laudrup’s acquisitions effectively slotting into the squad, players from the previous campaign were given the impetus to take their game up a notch, with Ashley Williams particularly catching the eye after many a firm display at the heart of Swansea’s back-line. Under their new manager, the team continued to adopt their enthralling passage of play, but with even more precision, scoring more goals and venturing forward with a higher level of intensity, eventually finishing in ninth place, confirming their capability to progress and not suffer from the dreaded second season syndrome.

After some truly enthralling performances in the league, Swansea showed real mettle in the League Cup, making it all the way to Wembley upon where they thoroughly trounced Bradford City, plundering five goals without reply. Laudrup had achieved a feat that none of his predecessors had managed, guiding the club to their first major piece of silverware in their 100-year history. Now that Swansea look to have firmly established themselves as a formidable top-flight side, they will be expected to kick on in the same vein next season and potentially challenge for a spot in the Europa League or at the very least make the top half once again.

However, in order to continue their project it is crucial that they satisfy the needs of their manager, who has demanded the necessary funds to compete next season, with the likes of West Ham, Southampton, and Newcastle all aiming to strengthen their ranks this summer in the hope of attaining European status themselves. If Swansea cannot provide for Laudrup, the threat of his departure could very swiftly become a reality.  In the past few days, Laudrup and his agent have made some comments expressing concerns about the strength of the team, with the Dane stating his uncertainty about the prospects of the next campaign, with an impending financial scramble set to erupt in the coming weeks.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the 48-year-old reckoned that last term might have been the peak of Swansea’s ambitions.

“Unless we find a couple of hundred million pounds I think last season we achieved nearly the maximum we can in terms of the table,” said the Dane.

“There are always things you can improve but there are not many higher positions we can look at.

“Even consolidating is going to be very difficult.

“Some of the teams below us this season will invest heavily: West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa. They are huge clubs who want to take the place where we are right now.”

Laudrup’s agent, Bayram Tutumulu, claimed that his client had spurned several offers from other clubs to stay in South Wales, but was certain that a high-profile offer would come calling in the future.

“Michael Laudrup, just now, is very happy at Swansea City. Of course Michael has had offers from elsewhere,” Tutumulu said this week.

“Other teams can wait one or two years. We know Michael is going to train the big teams but that is not the moment.”

Though these comments need not unnerve the Swansea support too much right now, the threat of a departure still lingers in the air, even though Laudrup currently appears to be settled at the club. His agent is clearly instigating the speculation, proclaiming his client’s loyalty but not ruling out a defection at the same time. After all, the summer is only beginning, and who knows what sharks may be circling around a manager who could potentially be one of the leading names off the field, just as he was on it.

The hundreds of millions of pounds that Laudrup spoke of are way out of reach for the club, and were certainly only a way of justifying his point. The Dane will not be expecting a major overhaul of the squad, nor will he dare hold Swansea to ransom if they do not break the bank to appease his ambitions. Laudrup is merely being a realist, in full knowledge that football has transformed into a moneyball affair where success is now frequently bought instead of being earned through careful preparation and patience. In order for him to ensure that the team does not fall short of expectations next time around, it is paramount that the board do whatever they can to aid his doctrines, getting behind him  in the pursuit of selected targets who play football the Laudrup way.

If the feared outcome became an actuality before or during the season, it is likely that whoever replaces Laudrup would be a step down in standards. The custom in which Swansea play the game is one that is coveted by almost all of the top clubs in Europe, and many of the primary advocates for that custom are already in employment. At the moment, Swansea are one of the most engrossing teams to watch, going about their business with a grace and facileness that runs like water off a duck’s back. But that could all change in one hand-shake, one scribble on a dotted line, for the wolves obscured in the darker regions of the standings to begin to lick their lips in anticipation.

On Monday morning, David Moyes arrived at Manchester United’s Carrington training complex to start work, a whole 42 days ahead of schedule. In another line of work, Moyes would be commended for his professionalism, or, on the flip side, he might be encouraged to enjoy his time off by his flabbergasted employers. However, working for The Red Devils is a full-time job, and though Moyes is destined for a short holiday, there is little doubt that his mind will be concentrated firmly on the task at hand.

Amongst many objectives, one of the Scot’s top priorities is to undertake the club’s transfer proceedings, which are always under the intense microscopic eye of fans and journalists alike. With Sir Alex Ferguson having departed after 26 and a half years at the helm, it is up to his successor to continue the magisterial triumphs that United have been afforded over the past two decades. Though there are rumors swirling around that the swashbuckling Cristiano Ronaldo might be on his way back to romance The Theatre of Dreams, the reality of proceedings is a far cry from the champagne fantasies that many United fans like to entertain.

In truth, Moyes will have to aim a little lower than the likes of Ronaldo, Falcao and Gareth Bale. Such prospects may excite you to place your bets online on who United are most likely to sign, but they are surely out of the question, and though they would inevitably make a profound impact on a squad that is still lacking a touch more excellence, it is not United’s attack line that needs addressing. With Ferguson gone, perhaps United will now seek out a dexterous central midfielder to support Michael Carrick, who was more or less left to solely hold the fort last season. The Geordie-born midfielder duly undertook the task with aplomb, but if he had not been around so frequently his team-mates would have suffered a great deal.

With Paul Scholes retired, Darren Fletcher hampered by a chronic bowel condition, and the likes of Tom Cleverley and Anderson failing to step up a gear, the issue of midfield is now more pressing than ever. If the team is to continue its trophy-winning haul in the forthcoming years, the chasm in the middle must be filled. So, step forth Marouane Fellaini, the man Moyes brought to Goodison Park for a club record fee of £15 million.

Last weekend, the gangly Belgian dropped a barefaced hint that he would be interested in a move to the English champions when discussing the subject of a potential transfer with The Sunday Mirror:

“If I’m leaving Everton, I say, it will depend on lots of factors,” Fellaini told the paper.

“I only want to go to a club where the manager really wants me.

“In 2008, Everton did everything to convince me, especially David Moyes. He made me the player I am now.”

Fellaini also revealed that Moyes had told him he wanted him to become a deep-lying midfielder in the future, as opposed to the role of an attacker that he has assumed in the last few years.

“I’m not a number 10. David Moyes predicts my future as a defensive midfielder, but due to a lack of offensive power, he plays me up front.

“In the future I want to play as a six or an eight. From there, I can create danger and score goals.”

Although Fellaini halted at the point of implying that he had been harboring desires to leave Everton, stating his contentment at the club, the message was crystal clear. In previous interviews, the midfielder has confessed a desire to play Champions League football, the pinnacle of every professional footballer’s aspirations, and though Everton have made sterling efforts to attain European status, the riches of the teams above them have squashed these hopes again and again. For Fellaini, United would be a perfect fit, giving him the chance to compete for silverware whilst serving a manager who knows his game inside-out. But United and Everton are two polar opposites, and it is debatable as to whether Fellaini has the essential attributes to pull on the red jersey.

Having played in an advanced role last season, due to the dwindling form of Nikica Jelavic at the apex of Everton’s offensive unit, Fellaini has produced decent performances intermittently in the last ten months, his finest coming at the very beginning against Manchester United when he ran riot at Goodisan Park, scoring the only goal to cap off a cogent display of dictatorial robustness. Of course, he can be forgiven for a lack of consistency at times when playing for the greater good of the team, and his sacrifices are most admirable in an age where many players are prone to throwing their toys out of the pram if their egos are not pandered to.

Nevertheless, when Fellaini has been given free reign in the centre of the park, he functions as more of a hindrance than a dictator, a mountainous obstruction for the bigger teams as opposed to a conductor of affairs. It is his strength and size, combined with his warrior-like disposition, that make him an asset, but in the technical department he comes up short in comparison to his contemporaries Carrick, Yaya Toure, Mousa Dembele and Steven Gerrard. On the ball, he is capable and efficient, but often looks clumsy when traveling at speed, and though it can be argued that it is his composition that creates this illusion, there is evidence to suggest that he might not be up to scratch in a United team that likes to play rapid attacking football.

According to research on WhoScored.com, Fellaini averaged 1.3 key passes per game, a stat that bettered that of Michael Carrick’s (1), but came below Toure (1.4), Dembele (1.8) and Gerrard (2.6). Seeing as Fellaini worked higher up the pitch than his fellow compatriots, often in and around the penalty area, this figure is quite lackluster as forward players are responsible for the fluidity and accomplishment of offensive moves. Furthermore, Fellaini was dispossessed on an average of 2.4 times per game, compared with Carrick (0.8), Toure (1.2), Dembele (1.3), and Gerrard (0.8). When it came to passing, Fellaini had a success rate of 79.3 %, with Carrick (88.1), Toure (88.9), Dembele (90.9) and Gerrard (85.5) all bettering the Belgian by quite some distance.

Some will argue of course that statistics are a lousy way of determining a player’s ability, and are only one component of settling a debate. That may be true, for following matches instead of figures is far more important when it comes to judgement. Even so, one cannot ignore the calculations entirely, especially now when technology and research is having such an impact on the modern game, influencing the opinions of even the most seasoned managers. Fellaini’s results are not up to standard with the level he aspires to reach, and United could do better than him, especially if they want to keep up with the pace in Europe where footballing erudites in the mould of Schweinsteiger, Xavi, and Alonso effortlessly dictate the pace of matches with their rangy passing, deft touch, and guileful movement.

On the list of alleged targets United have been mulling over, perhaps Kevin Strootman of PSV Eindhoven would be a better bet. Having already captained the Dutch national team, Strootman would prove to be a valuable acquisition with an affordable price tag in the region of £12-15 million. Strootman is a box-to-box midfielder, equally comfortable on the ball as he is off it, and is never one to duck out of a challenge. In in the Eredivisie, he scored 6 goals and provided 10 assists, impressing many with his snappy passing, purposeful runs, and leadership qualities. On United fan forums, he is the favored choice, and some have compared his game to a little known bloke by the name of Roy Keane.

If Moyes is to sign a player from his old club, Leighton Baines will surely be the man heading to Manchester. With Patrice Evra not getting any younger, Baines would be the ideal replacement after a highly prosperous season marauding up and down the left flank, curling in delicious crosses that Robin Van Persie would thrive upon after a lack of service from the dreary Antonio Valencia, a frequently crocked Ashley Young, and, well…the less said about Nani the better.

In the 52nd minute at St. James’ Park, the inevitable happened. Arsenal scored. Not many would have banked on the rejuvenated Laurent Koscielny to break the deadlock in such a fine fashion, putting his team firmly in the driving seat after a well taken half-volley, but it was no surprise to see another Wenger team heading for the Champions League (with the qualification round in their path) for the umpteenth time in a row (16 to be exact). Once again, The Gunners had got one over their fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who, in spite of Gareth Bale’s efforts, were powerless to buck the trend and snatch North London bragging rights from the red contingent.

When the final whistle blew, Arsenal’s players jubilantly celebrated as if they had won some silverware that has long since eluded them. And who could blame them after spending a large chunk of the season languishing outside the top four? After all, since the loss of their talisman Robin Van Persie, many sceptics had written off Wenger’s troops believing them to have finally capitulated after a lack of investment in the transfer market. But, Tottenham being Tottenham, the prospects of a lillywhite festivity eventually sagged, and now Thursday nights on UK TV are back to haunt Andre Villas-Boas and co.

Having to marshal a team of capable players, glaringly absent of world-beaters, Wenger has fulfilled the minimum expectations of the board and the fans, and his achievement is not to be scoffed at with the battle for a Champions League spot now more arduous than ever. It goes without saying that this current Arsenal side are no match for their predecessors, with Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere the only genuine sprinkles of stardust in a line-up that does little to whet the appetite, now that all the major players have defected for meatier salaries and, more importantly, a stab at the big prizes.

Just over two months previously, when Tottenham emerged victorious in the derby on March 3rd, it seemed that the long awaited sea change had finally arrived. With their Welsh wizard smashing in goals from left right and centre, it looked for a moment that the perpetual also-rans were on their way to the promised land, with their foe seemingly incapable of a riposte. However, after a crushing defeat that left Arsenal seven points adrift and their task looking quite insurmountable, the players galvanised themselves, taking 26 points from a possible 30. And so, the chants of ‘Boring boring Arsenal’ filled the terraces again, with many a neutral disappointed to see Spurs throwing their dreams away in predictable fashion.

Now that the natural order of things is set in stone for another season at least, what can we expect from Wenger and his team next time around? Will they mount a serious challenge for European greatness, or will they, as is foreseeable, fail to bring in the necessary quality to compete  with the top sides? Too many times have Arsenal bowed out meekly to the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and, perhaps most painfully, Manchester United. Since 2006, the year when they last reached the final, Arsenal have never realistically looked like getting their hands on the greatest trophy available in club football. That night they were unfortunate to lose to a pre-Messi Barcelona, then under the command of Frank Rijkaard, with Wenger’s men fighting gallantly after losing Jens Lehmann to a red card. Back then, Arsenal were still a force to be reckoned with, boasting a side that included Gilberto Silva, Robert Pires, Alexander Hleb, and the genius of Thierry Henry. Seven years after that pain and disappointment, they have quite simply failed to kick on and recapture the greatness of the famed Unbeatables.

One of the primary reasons for Arsenal’s slump is the board’s apparent unwillingness to replace big-name departures year after year, leaving the fans exasperated and understandably morbid about their team’s outlook for the new season. The customary forecast of a top-four finish is simply not enough to satisfy the long-serving sectors of the Emirates crowd, who have to shell out mind-boggling amounts of money just to watch their team fail to go that extra mile as the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City grow stronger and threaten to displace United’s reign of tyranny.

When Henry departed for Spain in 2007, Wenger had to patiently wait for Robin Van Persie to finally overcome his injury struggles and mature into a world-class centre-forward, with only Emmanuel Adebayor to rely on, who would then ditch the team for the riches of Manchester City after a period that reaped only one decent season out of four. Once Van Persie had established himself, there was little quality to support him and so the goalscoring burden was left solely to the Dutchman, with the likes Marouane Chamakh and Andre Arshavin providing little or no assistance when the going got tough.

Furthermore, the lack of urgency to the replace the losses of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas only served to prove that those at the top of the hierarchy at Arsenal were not taking the team’s decline seriously enough, opting for prudence in order to recoup the funds spent on the new stadium. Though The Emirates was an expensive project to say the least, the club could possibly have acquired the necessary finances much more swiftly if they had taken a gamble in the transfer market and pushed the boat out to sign players of real quality, and in doing so seized the trophies that now look so far out of reach.

The chasm in Arsenal’s midfield which dates back to the farewell of Patrick Viera, combined with Wenger’s failure to establish a solid back four and snare a reliable goalkeeper, are just a few of a multiplicity of reasons as to why the team has been left punch-drunk in Europe and domestic competitions. Most recently in the Champions League, they were knocked out by the mighty force of Bayern Munich, who were embarrassingly superior at The Emirates, and despite a 2-0 victory at the Allianz Arena, the fightback came too little too late as Arsenal went out on away goals. In the aftermath, some fans phoned in to BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport to applaud their teams efforts in Germany, claiming that the late surge justified their belief that Arsenal were not yet on the wain. In truth, the win was barley a small consolation from the letdown of yet another high-profile blow.

In the past eight years, the controlling forces at the club, including Wenger, have settled for too little, citing European qualification as a marker of accomplishment when it should in fact only be one objective amongst many when establishing the goals for the upcoming campaign. For a club of Arsenal’s size and reputation, ambitions need to be higher, and if they already are, the purse strings will have to loosen a little in order to back up the convictions. The fans deserve more; they have been left to wait for too long and the situation is starting to look dire. A place in the Champions League will not paper over the cracks; only the trophy will do.

In hindsight, if Tottenham had qualified for Europe, one is left to ponder whether Daniel Levy may have provided AVB with the coffers to mount a serious offense. In their one and only campaign since the inception of the tournament, Harry Redknapp took the team to the quarter-finals, before succumbing to the herculean force of Real Madrid. If Peter Crouch had not been sent off at the Bernabeu, the outcome of the tie may have turned out differently and who knows how far Spurs may have gone? If Arsenal fail to deliver for the 16th time in a row, the question of their earnestness on the main stage will be more poignant than ever.

And so the end has come once again, the moment every ardent soccer fan dreads; the final kick of the ball, the last high-pitched call of the whistle, and the customary sign-off from FOX Soccer and ESPN (in the States) and Gary Lineker and the boys (in the UK).

It has been a long and eventful season in the Barclays Premier League, a mixed bag of triumphs and tumult, and once again the red side of Manchester is caught up in jubilant victory songs.

At the other end of the spectrum, the battle has not been so predictable, with the scrap for relegation promising to go right to the wire until Arsenal crushed Wigan’s hopes of yet another miraculous escape. Speaking of Arsenal, the North London club have kept things interesting in the tussle for a Champions League spot despite having to nurse a fresh wound from another big name departure, though once again they have finished the season empty handed.

During the past 10 months of domestic affairs, the English elite have come up short in the Champions League, upstaged by their German counterparts whose pursuit of European glory has been somewhat of a procession. There is some consolation to be had for Chelsea of course, after lifting the Europa League on Wednesday night, but next season the big hitters will all be looking to do much better in one foreign ground.

However, the priority for every team is to make their mark in their own back yard, and when August comes around after the idle days of summer and money-spinning pre-season tours have finished, serious business will commence. In soccer, few things are certain, particularly for less wealthy outfits that will have to perform a precarious balancing act, giving their supporters palpitations aplenty. But in the upper echelons, a new dawn is on the horizon, and a major shuffling of the pack at United, Manchester City and Chelsea promises to ruffle the feathers of fans who have lived a charmed life in the past few years.

With the last of the dinosaurs, Sir Alex Ferguson, now riding off into the sunset with one final notch on his hefty championship belt, the newly crowned victors will be starting from scratch under the stewardship of the wily Glaswegian David Moyes, the third longest serving manager currently operating in the league. Having been commanded and protected by Ferguson for so long, there are more than a few whispers of trepidation circulating Old Trafford, and Moyes will be under an enormous amount of pressure to succeed, especially now in an age where patience is a virtue that only a few in soccer possess.

Just beneath them, Manchester City will also have to adapt to change after Roberto Mancini was rather harshly shoved out of the back door only a year after guiding the club to their first league title in 44 years. Rumor has it that the fiery Italian had lost certain parts of the dressing room in the latter months, and the amount of highly publicized rifts with his players did little to quell any of the gossip, particularly the training ground rough and tumble with Mario Balotelli before a gathering of salivating photographers. With the imminent arrival of Malaga coach Manuel Pelligrini, a man who is no stranger to controversy after a spell at Real Madrid, City’s sheiks will be hoping that the team performs far more cogently in Europe next season after two previous lacklustre showings.

At Chelsea, yet another managerial shake-up has come along, and even though the club has managed to acquire silverware on a consistent basis during the reign of Roman Abramovich, a great bulk of the supporters will be hoping for at least a few years of stability. However, with a certain Special One destined to return to the dugout at Stamford Bridge, the club is sure to continue as English football’s big-top circus. Naturally, if Jose is restored to power, Chelsea will be competing for all the main prizes, but having already left the club under a cloud, will the Portuguese fall foul of Roman again? A great manager he may be, but wherever Mourinho goes, the spotlight deflects from his team, a consequence which ruptured any hopes of a restoration to power at Los Blancos.

With all this change afoot, Arsenal and Tottenham will surely fancy their chances for a major push for silverware in the 2013/14 proceedings, providing that Wenger is given healthy funds by Peter Hill Wood and co., and wonder boy Gareth Bale commits himself to The Lilywhites. This furore is sure to make for a captivating transfer market, with the top five seeking to snare the coveted targets that they believe will help deliver the accolades whilst keeping the supporters happy.

At United, this summer will be crucial in terms of how they respond to the loss of Ferguson, and only time will tell if David Moyes has the mentality to cope with an ample budget after a decade of pinching the pennies. Their noisy neighbours are certain to splash out after last year’s prudence brought them no rewards, and players of a higher calibre than the likes of Scott Sinclair and Javier Garcia are expected to pull on the sky blue jersey, no doubt rewarded with mind-boggling contracts. The same is to be expected of Chelsea, with interim manager Rafael Benitez claiming that Abramovich is willing to pump up to 100 million pounds into the club in search of a clean sweep of trophies.

Taking all this into account and much more, the prospects for next season’s title race looks to be very tantalising indeed. Even though Financial Fair Play has been implemented to bring some stringency, it is the smaller clubs that will likely suffer and not the herculean giants, so the gulf between the top five and the rest of the pack will only expand; a sad but inescapable fact. Still, there is plenty to be excited about; Swansea look to be coming along leaps and bounds, Southampton are sure to improve, Paolo Di Canio will be stirring things up, and Cardiff, Hull, and either Palace or Watford are on their way. Though a few months of tedium and gossip fodder lay ahead, the drama will be back soon enough, and the weekends will come to life anew.