Ten Potential Breakthrough Stars For The 2010-11 Season

Mario Goetze

Club Borussia Dortmund

Nationality Germany

Age 18

The BvB starlet just turned 18 and has been heralded by some as the best player in the world in his age group. At the club since 2001, Goetze made his debut last winter in the Bundesliga but is expected to push Kuba for a place in Juergen Klopp's starting line-up this season. Goetze has a wide array of dribbling skills and trickery and showed Manchester City that money is not everything by providing two fine assists in his side's 3-1 friendly win on Wednesday. Another young German playmaker in the tradition of Toni Kroos, Marko Marin and Mesut Oezil, Goetze willgive the youth-promoting Joachim Loew selection difficulties if his potential comes to fruition before 2012.

Dani Pacheco

Club Liverpool

Nationality Spain

Age 19

Spain's run to the final of this summer's UEFA European Under-19 Championships was thanks, in no small part, to the exquisite form in front of goal of Dani Pacheco. The former Barcelona cantera product primiarily worked the left-side of la Rojita's attack and weighed in with four goals, becoming the top scorer in the process. He also contributed a wonderful through pass for Rodrigo to put the Spaniards ahead in the final against France. Pacheco is a pacy, technically adept attacker with a fearsome strike and good approach play around the opposition area with lightening quick dribbling capabilities.

James Rodriguez

Club FC Porto

Nationality Colombia

Age 19

'James Bond' has a style to match Cristiano Ronaldo and now plies his trade in the same league in which 'CR7' first took his steps onto the world stage. Porto acquired 70 per cent of his playing rights this summer, for a fee of around €5m, and immediately inserted a €30m buyout clause into his contract. The Dragons have a reputation for nurturing South American talent in Europe and Rodriguez could be set for a career at the highest level. The attacker helped former club Banfield to their first ever Argentinian title, the 2009 Apertura, and later flickered in the Copa Libertadores, scoring five times. Rodriguez can do damage on either side of the attack and can also pop up at key times in the box. Physically, he can look after himself too.

Phil Jones

Club Blackburn Rovers

Nationality England

Age 19

The Lancashire native was excluded from the England under-19s for the recent tournament as he is now viewed as an under-21 star in the making. Senior honours are surely not beyond the realm of possibility either. He made his Premier League debut at the tail end of last season against no lesser opposition than Chelsea and impressed his manager Sam Allardyce with his physically imposing style and burgeoning ability. 'Indiana' Jones has already earned comparisions with the Chelsea captain, John Terry, and could push for a starting berth at Ewood Park this term.

Gael Kakuta

Club Chelsea

Nationality France

Age 19

Many thousand words were written about the former RC Lens prospect before he had even kicked a ball in anger, such was the effect his 2007 move to Chelsea had on English football. However, the midfielder looks likely to prove the Pensioners were justified in their pursuit, legal or not, of one of France's greatest emerging talents. This summer gave Kakuta a chance to strut his stuff in front of an international audience, at the under-19 tournament, and he helped les Bleuets to the title with a series of mesmerising performances. He often looked like he was playing in an age group below his own; proving too fast, too strong and too intelligent for a whole host of his opponents. Kakuta is naturally gifted in the playmaker position but is also effective when stationed on either side of a forward; such adaptability will stand him in good stead at Stamford Bridge.

Son Heung-Min

Club Hamburger SV

Country South Korea

Age 18

The Korean youth international has been tipped as one of the Bundesliga's top 10 emerging talents for the season but HSV will have to make do without his services for the best part of two months. Son appeared as a late substitute during the pre-season win over Chelsea but sustained a metatarsal injury minutes from the end of proceedings. The forward, nicknamed 'Rocket', has impressed coach Armin Veh in the build-up to the 2010-11 campaign having been on the books of the club since 2008. Son is capable of coming from deep or from wide positions to cause destruction and is adaptable enough to find a spot in Hamburg's first team, fitness permitting.

Thiago Alcantara

Club Barcelona

Country Spain

Age 19

The son of the 1994 Brazilian World Cup winner Mazinho has been at the Barcelona academy since 2004 and has already featured intermittently for the Barca first team. He scored against Racing last February in a 4-0 win. Thiago, as his shirt reads, has a style redolent of Deco in his Porto days with bravery and steel which belies his relatively small stature. He uses the ball quickly and efficiently and his keen sense of positioning means he is never far from the heart of the action. The Bari-born midfielder carries a deceptively quick shot and a subtle creative touch. His assist for Sergio Canales against England in the European under-19 semi-final was exquisite. Along with international colleague Oriol Romeu, Thiago can expect some first-team duties at Camp Nou this coming campaign.

Abel Hernandez

Club Palermo

Nationality Uruguay

Age 19

Possessed of searing pace and the build of a middleweight boxer, 'la Joya' is, perhaps, the primary reason why Palermo allowed Edinson Cavani to move onto Napoli this summer. And with Fabrizio Miccoli's fitness a corcern, the former Penarol player can expect more first team action this season. He is no stranger to first team duties having joined in February 2009 and has played close to 30 first-team matches since. Hernandez scored goals against both Inter and Milan last season as well as firing in a memorable brace against Fiorentina. In all he scored seven Serie A strikes, at a rate of one every 120 minutes. Turns 20 next week.

Jano Ananidze

Club Spartak Moscow

Nationality Georgia

Age 17

The 2010 Russian Premier League season is in full swing but 'Jano' could alert the world to his potential in the upcoming 2010-11 Champions League campaign. The Georgian teenager was used sparingly during the 2009 season but is rapidly becoming a key first-team player for The Meat this term, in spite of their on-field difficulties. Standing barely 1.72m and with the frame of a gymnast, 'Jano' has some problems holding off more agricultural opponents. However, with the ball at his feet, there can be no denying his passing capabilities and vision. He laid to rest rumours that he was considering a switch of international allegiance to Russia last summer by declaring for Georgia. Juventus, Milan, Sevilla and Arsenal have all kept tabs on Jano since he first broke into Spartak's first-team ranks.

Philippe Coutinho

Club Inter

Nationality Brazil

Age 18

The Rio de Janeiro native has been described as 'the future of Inter', having been signed by the Italian club in 2008. Coutinho has spent two years in his homeland on loan at Vasco de Gama, where he has steadily increased his reputation as a teenage prodigy. Standing only 1.72m, the Vasco academy graduate is nonetheless sturdy on his feet and is possessed of solid balance. One of his greatest atrributes is his two-footedness; Coutinho's opponents have no idea whether he will go left or right and he is equally comfortable delivering shots off either side too. He cost i Biscione a sum in the region of €4m in 2008; he is worth many times more now after featuring in Rafael Benitez's pre-season plans. He scored his first goal for the club, a volley, in the 3-2 defeat to Panathinaikos earlier this week. With the expected departure of Mario Balotelli, Coutinho could well find himself thrust in at the deep end this term.

Top 20 transfers of Summer 2010

I decided on the best acquisitions, in order from 1 to 20, and i encourage you to let us know your thoughts.

We judge based on:

The player's overall ability (this being the most important factor)
How the player will fit into his new line-up
How the player will adapt to his new surroundings, and vice-versa
The transfer fee payable, if any, and any other financial details known. (Transfer fees unconfirmed by either club are given as approximations and are marked in italics.)
For the reason that players arriving on permanent deals tend to be more adaptable and often more important, there is preference given to full transfers over loans. That is not to say that loans, co-ownerships etc. cannot be included, but players must be extra special to justify a space on such a move.


1
David VILLA
Barcelona - Valencia - €40m

The blockbuster deal of the summer so far. 'El Guaje' will add more firepower to an already explosive Barcelona attack. After his successful World Cup exploits with Spain, he should be the odds on favourite to win the Pichichi.

2


Marouane CHAMAKH
Arsenal - Bordeaux - Free

A classic Arsenal value buy that has the potential to be an extremely saavy signing. The ex-Bordeaux striker gives the Gunners a much needed aerial presence up front and could terrorise opposing backlines this season with Robin van Persie.

3


Yaya TOURE
Manchester City - Barcelona - €29m

City have flexed their financial muscle this summer and the Ivorian adds more steel to an already industrial strength midfield. Will team up with brother Kolo on the defensive side for the Citizens.

4


Simon KJAER
Wolfsburg - Palermo - €14m

Wolfsburg pulled one the coups of the summer by luring the defensive stalwart to the Bundesliga. The German outfit beat such heavyweights as Manchester United, Liverpool and AC Milan to the punch to land the highly-rated Danish defender.

5


ADRIANO Correia
Barcelona - Sevilla - €9.5+4m

Joins former Sevilla team-mate Dani Alves at Barcelona and the wing-back gives coach Pep Guardiola another weapon to unleash against his opponents across a variety of positions.

6


David SILVA
Manchester City - Valencia - €30.2m

The uber-talented winger takes his trickery to Manchester after seven years in Spain. Did not play a major role in la Furia Roja's triumph in South Africa but will hope to justify his lofty price-tag by helping City qualify for the Champions League.

7


Joe COLE
Liverpool - Chelsea - Free

The England winger will have something to prove after his substitute's role in South Africa and his unceremonious departure from Stamford Bridge, where he was deemed surplus to requirements. Chelsea's discarded trash could prove to be Liverpool's treasure.

8


Pedro LEON
Real Madrid - Getafe - €10m

Makes the intra-city switch to the Merengues after helping Getafe qualify for the Europa League with a sixth-place finish. Comfortable with the ball at his feet the versatile winger could surprise many who have yet to see him play.

9


Aleksandr KOLAROV
Manchester City - Lazio - €19.3m

The Serb will be keen to show off his rocket of a left foot for the Citizens. His marauding runs into opposition territory will sorely be missed by Lazio fans but will be a thing to behold for the City faithful at Eastlands.

10


Javier HERNANDEZ
Manchester United - Chivas Guadalajara - €9.7m

'Chicharito' makes the jump from Mexico to England with the Red Devils. He did his reputation no harm at the World Cup with Mexico and has already been hailed as 'first class' by new manager Alex Ferguson. Hernandez is definitely one for the future.

11
FILIPE Luis
Atletico Madrid - Deportivo La Coruna - €12m

The dynamic Brazilian left-back will hope to put the horrific injury he suffered last season behind him and force his way into Mano Menezes' new look Selecao squad with an impressive campaign for Atletico. Gives los Colchoneros an attacking threat from the back as they look to improve on their disappointing ninth-place finish last term.

12
Mehmet TOPAL
Valencia - Galatasaray - €4m

The 24-year-old leaves his homeland for a Spanish adventure and will be entrusted with the task of protecting his new side's back four. The Euro 2008 participant could end up being an inspired purchase at a bargain-basement price.

13
ADRIANO Ribeiro
AS Roma - Flamengo - Free

'The Emperor' will win over the hearts and minds of the Roman people if he can lead the Giallorossi to their first Serie A title since the 2000-01 campaign. He needs to exorcise the demons that haunted him at Inter to break his old club's stranglehold on the Scudetto.

14
Roberto SOLDADO
Valencia - Getafe - €8m

Los Che are relying on Soldado to fill the shoes of the departed David Villa. The former Real Madrid man could be the striker to fire in enough goals to eradicate the duopoly at the top of the Liga table.

15
Milan JOVANOVIC
Liverpool - Standard Liege - Free

The price was certainly right for the cash strapped Reds to snap up the Serbian attacker from Standard Liege. Jovanovic can win over the Anfield faithful with the type of performances that saw him win the Jupiler League's Player of the Year in 2009.

16
Leonardo BONUCCI
Juventus - Bari - €15.5m

Succumbed to the Old Lady's advances and has the potential to be Italy's next great centre-back. He should slot in nicely beside Giorgio Chiellini to minimise the defensive mishaps that plagued the Bianconeri last season.

17
Sami KHEDIRA
Real Madrid - Stuttgart - €13.6m

He was one of the first names on Germany coach Joachim Loew's team sheet in the World Cup. He used the South African jamboree as his coming out party and his solid showings convinced Real Madrid to come calling for his services.

18
Yossi BENAYOUN
Chelsea - Liverpool - €6.6m

Parlayed his successful 2009-10 campaign with Liverpool into a move to Stamford Bridge. With Joe Cole and Michael Ballack no longer at the club the Israeli playmaker might be able to find room to strut his stuff in the midfield.

19
Thierry HENRY
RB New York - Barcelona - Free

Traded the hot summer nights in Barcelona for the bright lights of the Big Apple. The ex-Gunner already came back to haunt old north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season friendly with New York Red Bulls and has shown early signs of creating a formidable partnership with former Premier League striker Juan Pablo Angel.

20


RAUL Schalke - Real Madrid - Free

With playing time set to be limited under new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, Raul opted to leave the Blancos for Bundesliga outfit Schalke. He has impressed in the pre-season so far and should be a legitimate goalscoring threat for Felix Magath's side.

Wenger in Full Admiration of Mesut Ozil

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted his admiration for German whizkids Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller.

Werder Bremen ace Ozil has been linked with Arsenal, while Bayern Munich attacker Muller is interesting Chelsea and Manchester United.

Wenger is no stranger to investing in youth himself and he believes Joachim Loew should be applauded for trusting his country's young prospects.

"Germany have a good generation," said Wenger told Arsenal.com.

"For me they have three outstanding players in this tournament - [Bastian] Schweinsteiger, Mueller and Ozil. Two of them were with the Under-21s last year.

"Germany were not scared to face the new generation. When it works everyone says it is fantastic. When it does not work, everyone kills you."

Analysis of Summer Spending spree in premier league

From moneybags Manchester City to minnows Blackpool, the Premier League managers are all in the summer scramble for new signings, with the transfer window now officially open.

While the £26.1 million signing of David Silva saw Blues chairman Sheikh Mansour barely blink an eye, such extravagance is beyond the credit limit of heavyweight duo Manchester United and Liverpool. At the the other end of the table, teams such as Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers are looking for the gems that will guarantee mid-table safety.

These are the clubs who will be watching every penny and who should be splashing the cash...

1. Manchester City
The Blues are again in a league of their own when it comes to splurging money on bringing new players to the club. More than £100m is believed to be available to manager Roberto Mancini.

With David Silva and Jerome Boateng already signed up, they could be joined at Eastlands by James Milner, Edin Dzeko and Yaya Toure as the ambitious side aim for the top of the table.


2. Tottenham Hotspur

With a debut Champions League campaign on the cards, manager Harry Redknapp has been given £40m to spend. The majority of this will go on a top class striker, with Sevilla's Luis Fabiano and AC Milan's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar targeted.

Elsewhere, the squad could be boosted by the acquisition of Roma utility man Julio Baptista, while Germany World Cup 2010 utility defender Serdar Tasci is another player targeted.

3. Arsenal

With his defensive numbers decreasing by the day, about £30m is on the table for Arsene Wenger.

Lorient centre back Laurent Koscielny is on the verge of signing and giant Germany World Cup 2010 stopper Per Mertesacker could be next.

Free transfer Marouane Chamakh has already been secured, with Joe Cole set to follow. The future of skipper Cesc Fabregas will determine whether more cash is splashed on a replacement such as Bordeaux's Yoann Gourcuff or Werder Bremen's Mesut Oezil.


4. Chelsea
The days of uncontrolled spending at Stamford Bridge are over and about £25m is available to spend unless Liverpool superstar Fernando Torres is put on the market.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti is reported to have cast an eye on Germany World Cup 2010 stand-outs Oezil and Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller.

With Ricardo Carvalho increasingly injury prone, Benfica defender David Luiz could also make his way to west London.



5. West Ham United
New owners David Sullivan and David Gold have backed manager Avram Grant by placing a £12.5m bid for Santos youngster Neymar, with one eye on his sell-on value in the future.

The highly-rated striker could feature alongside Ghana World Cup 2010 hot shot Asamoah Gyan, Frederic Piquionne and Graham Dorrans after £25m was made available as the Israeli manager looks to make his mark with the Hammers.


6. Manchester United
The Red Devils' hierarchy have claimed Sir Alex Ferguson has cash reserves of £90 million available, but expect £25m at most to be spent this pre-season.

Youngsters Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling have already been signed up for a combined £20m, and now the Scot must add some established stars to his side.

Dutch World Cup 2010 superstar Wesley Sneijder and James Milner have been linked, while Simon Kjaer could arrive if Nemanja Vidic leaves Old Trafford.


7. Aston Villa
Chairman Randy Lerner has always backed Martin O'Neill in the transfer market and about £18m is available to spend this summer.

South Korea World Cup 2010 defender Cho Yong-hyung has already been linked, while reports suggest overtures for Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey have been rejected.

The boss could also return to his former club Celtic to snatch Aiden McGeady if star midfielder James Milner moves on to Manchester City.


8. Wolverhampton Wanderers
After already spending heavily on Burnley striker Steven Fletcher and Hull City duo Stephen Hunt and Steven Mouyokolo, the bulk of manager Mick McCarthy's business has already been completed.

Around £16m was made available at the start of the summer and the leftovers could go on securing Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne on a permanent contract.

9. Sunderland
Following a free-spending summer a year ago, manager Steve Bruce will again be looking to make his mark on the transfer market.

With £15m in the coffers, the boss must decide whether to make John Mensah's move from Lyon permanent. His intention to add more quality to his squad was made clear after a £7m bid was rejected for injured German international Heiko Westermann.

Egypt international Ahmed Al-Muhammadi is expected to join on-loan, while goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has already been signed.


10. Birmingham City
Manager Alex McLeish is keen to add more quality to join new boys Ben Foster and Nikola Zigic at St Andrew's.

With about £15m available to spend, bids for striking duo Bobby Zamora and Peter Odemwingie have already been rejected as the Scot looks to refresh his goal-shy attack.

In midfield, the club remain in the chase for Landry N'Guemo and Ryan Babel, but have given up on Charles N'Zogbia.


11. Liverpool
Manager Roy Hodgson has the biggest re-building job in Britain on his hands, but he will have just £15m to carry out the task.

He is expected to head straight back to Fulham to grab giant defender Brede Hangeland, while ex-Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva could add some experience in midfield.

An emotional Anfield return for Danny Murphy is on the cards, with Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart adding some glamour. Thoughts of a fresh bid for Rangers starlet Danny Wilson are expected to be consigned to the past.


12. Stoke City
Potters chairman Peter Coates has promised to stretch his budget if the right player becomes available and this could see £15m available to manager Tony Pulis.

Top of the transfer wish-list are striking duo Hugo Rodallega of Wigan and West Ham's Carlton Cole.

Any cash left over has been allocated for a player such as Landry N'Guemo, who spent last season on loan at Celtic from Nancy, and out-of-contract Toulouse defender Albin Ebondo.


13. Wigan Athletic

Manager Roberto Martinez shows no sign of stopping with just the club record signing of Mauro Boselli.

With £12m in his back pocket, the Spaniard will be looking to build on his erratic debut Premier League campaign.

World Cup 2010 stars Jakob Poulsen and Siphiwe Tshabalala could add more depth to the squad, while Hamilton starlet James McArthur is close to signing on the dotted line at the DW Stadium.


14. Everton
Manager David Moyes will again be expected to make £10m go a long way in the close season.

After already bringing in young guns Joao Silva and Magaye Gueye - plus lower league hitman Jermaine Beckford from Leeds United - the job now will be to add some more experience to his Europa League-chasing side.

The acquisition of Marseille bad boy Hatem Ben Arfa would add some flair, though Benfica and Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo would seem to be beyond the club's means.


15. Fulham
The departure of manager Roy Hodgson has ensured chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed will have to make funds available for his new supremo.

Monaco centre forward Park Chu-Young would require the majority of the £8m in the kitty, while a move for Standard Liege's Dieumerci Mbokani has stalled.

Other cheap acquisitions to join Arsenal's Philippe Senderos would boost the Craven Cottage ranks.


16. Newcastle United
With owner Mike Ashley's coffers dry after being unable to sell the club, the days of the Magpies leading the way in the transfer market are over.

Manager Chris Hughton has already moved to spend the bulk of the £8m available to him on Paris St Germain striker Mevlut Erding.

He has also cast his eye towards the bargain basement signings of Bolton trio Jlloyd Samuel, Danny Shittu and Andy O'Brien.


17. West Bromwich Albion
The Premier League's yo-yo team will again be looking to survive on a tight budget.

About £6m will be on offer to manager Roberto Di Matteo, and a great deal of that could be spent on Stoke City's James Beattie.

The veteran would add to Pablo Ibanez and Gabriel Tamas who have already been secured, while promising Ivory Coast defender Bakary Soro is potentially the next name to join.


18. Blackburn Rovers
Adding goals to his shot-shy side is key for manager Sam Allardyce. Much of the £6m made available could be spent on tall Mainz centre forward Aristide Bance.

Reports of glamorous Bosman swoops for Real Madrid pair Guti and Raul have emerged, while impressive New Zealand international Winston Reid would be a smart acquisition at the back.


19. Blackpool
Tangerines manager Ian Holloway has already moved to stop the fans from worrying about a lack of activity, but funds will be limited at the newly promoted side.

With just £5m to spend, top of the to-do list is to wrap up the permanent signing of play-off final hero DJ Campbell.

Arsenal striker Jay Simpson could be brought in to form a new-look attack.


20. Bolton Wanderers
Free transfers and cut-price bids are the order of the day for the cash-strapped Trotters.

Veterans Martin Petrov and Robbie Blake have already arrived, while ex-West Ham United striker Ilan could be next.

With just £5m available, loan fees for Real Madrid starlets Marcos Alonso and Rodrigo Moreno, plus Espanyol winger Valdo, are on the cards for manager Owen Coyle.

Arsenal To launch fresh bid for Mark Schwarzer

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to acquire Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer after coming back to their Premier League rivals with a £3.5 million offer.

The Australia international knows of the Gunners’ interest in him and is keen to leave Fulham this summer, with Cottagers manager Roy Hodgson believing the 37-year-old will depart, according to The Mirror.

Wenger believes that Schwarzer is the type of experienced backstop that will help improve his defence, but not impede the progress of young goalkeeping prospects the Gunners have.

Last year’s first choice Manuel Almunia could be let go this summer as Arsenal are grooming Polish starlet Wojciech Szczesny to be the future number one.

Arsenal scouts attended Fulham matches at the end of the Premier League season and Wenger has personally attended his games in South Africa.

Fulham have already rejected a bid of about £3 million from Arsenal, but with the Gunners looking determined to buy Schwarzer, the Cottagers are prepared to lose their veteran goalkeeper.

Biggest World Cup Wins

1) Hungary 10-1 El Salvador – 1982

El Salvador became the first Central American nation to qualify for the World Cup twice when they made it to Espana ’82, but it was to prove to be an unhappy experience. La Selecta lost all three matches, and were on the receiving end of the biggest ever World Cup margin when they were slammed 10-1 by Hungary in Elche.

Laszlo Kiss bagged a hat-trick, while Tibor Nyilasi, Gabor Poloskei, Laszlo Fazekas (2), Jozsef Toth, and Lazar Szentes completed the rout. Incredibly Hungary failed to qualify from the first group stages, as they then lost to Diego Maradona’s Argentina and drew with Belgium.

2) Hungary 9-0 South Korea – 1954

South Korea’s first ever World Cup finals game, and it was a baptism of fire as they faced the legendary Magical Magyars team in Zurich. Greats Ferenc Puskas (2), Sandor Kocsis (3), Zoltan Czibor, as well as Peter Palotas (2) and Mihaly Lantos inflicted the damage in a 9-0 trouncing.


3) Yugoslavia 9-0 Zaire – 1974

Yugoslavia produced some exciting players in the late 1960s and early 1970s, none more so than legendary winger Dragan Dzajic who was on the scoresheet along with Dusan Bajevic (3), Ivica Surjak, Josip Katalinski, Vladislav Bogicevic, Branko Oblak, and Ilija Petkovic as the Blues thrashed Zaire 9-0 in Group 2.

4) Sweden 8-0 Cuba – 1938

Cuba have only qualified for the World Cup once in their history – way back in 1938. In France, the Caribbean nation beat Romania in a replay in the first round before being pummelled 8-0 by Sweden in the quarter finals. Tore Keller and Gustav Wetterstrom both helped themselves to hat-tricks, with Arne Nyberg and Harry Andersson scoring the others.

5) Uruguay 8-0 Bolivia – 1950

Uruguay produced one of the greatest shocks in football history in 1950 as they won the World Cup after an astonishing final victory over red-hot favourites and hosts Brazil. Most people forget, though, that the 1930 winners boasted an outstanding squad with legends such as Juan Alberto Schiaffino. The future Milan star scored twice in their only game of Group 4 as fellow South Americans Bolivia were humiliated. Oscar Miguez (3), Ernesto Vidal, Julio Perez and Alcides Ghiggia fired home the others.

6) Germany 8-0 Saudi Arabia – 2002

Germany surprisingly made it all the way to the final in the much-maligned 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan despite a very modest team. In their opening match against Saudi Arabia Die Mannschaft obliterated their opponents 8-0 at the Sapporo Dome. Miroslav Klose hit a treble, with the other five goals shared between Michael Ballack, Carsten Jancker, Thomas Linke, Oliver Bierhoff and Bernd Schneider.

7) Turkey 7-0 South Korea – 1954

South Korea’s first appearance at a World Cup in 1954 was a miserable one as they lost both games, scored no goals and conceded a whopping 16 strikes. This included a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Turkey, for whom Burhan Sargun (3), Suat Mamat (2), Erol Keskin and the impossible-to-pronounce Lefter Küçükandonyadis scored the goals.

8) Uruguay 7-0 Scotland – 1954

Holders Uruguay followed up their 8-0 win over Bolivia in 1950 with another big score four years later in Switzerland. Scotland were the recipients this time in the second game of Group 3 at the St Jakob Stadium in Basel. Miguez (2), Carlos Borges (3) and Julio Abbadie (2) were the goalscorers as Uruguay progressed to the semi finals where they lost 4-2 after extra time to Hungary.

9) Poland 7-0 Haiti – 1974

Poland had a fantastic 1974 World Cup, eliminating England in the qualifiers before roaring all the way to third place in the real thing by beating the likes of Argentina, Italy and Brazil. In the first group stages they also pummelled Haiti 7-0 thanks to goals from legends Grzegorz Lato (2), Kazimierz Deyna, Andrzej Szarmach (3), as well as Jerzy Gorgon.

10) Portugal 7-0 North Korea – 2010

After drawing their first Group G game 0-0 against the Ivory Coast, Portugal stamped their mark on South Africa 2010 with a 7-0 thumping of minnows North Korea in Cape Town. Raul Meireles, Simao, Hugo Almeida, Tiago Mendes (2), Liedson and Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the goals as Portugal all but booked their place in the last 16.

Wenger lines up £30M worth of new summer signings

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to splash out £30 million this summer.

The Mail on Sunday says Wenger, criticised by fans after his young side failed to win a trophy since 2005, is to splash out £30million on building a squad to end the drought.

Wenger will make the club's biggest impact on the summer transfer market for more than a decade, with Everton defender Phil Jagielka the latest target, along with Chelsea's England midfielder Joe Cole, Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Lorient defender Laurent Koscielny.

Wenger is finally ready to make major signings after almost 10 years of being constrained by the club's move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have rarely been major players in the summer transfer market since committing to building the Emirates Stadium 10 years ago, a project completed in 2006 at the cost of £380m.

But the club made £45.5m profit last year, making them one of the few in the Premier League to enjoy a substantial return.

Their financial outlook is much brighter than Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, with more profits expected this year as stadium debts fall.

Mourinho serious about landing Arsenal star Cesc

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is serious about trumping Barcelona for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

The Sunday Times says while Fabregas has stated that he will only leave English football to return to Barcelona — his childhood club — Real Madrid are close to making an alternative offer.

New manager Mourinho does not want his pursuit of a new central midfielder to drag on into pre-season and remains unsure of Steven Gerrard’s readiness to leave Liverpool.

If the England captain takes too long to decide, Mourinho will ask Madrid to turn their attentions to Fabregas.

Striker Robin Van Persie Is Better Than Cristiano Ronaldo - Rene Hessel

A former youth coach of Van Persie has voiced his opinion that the Dutch attacker is better than Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo...

Arsenal and Netherlands star Robin van Persie has been in superb form in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup and the highly rated attacker is determined to show the world what he's capable of in South Africa.

Van Persie recently revealed that he aims to play at the same level as superstars such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and a former youth coach of the Dutch international has now voiced his opinion that RvP is already better than Ronaldo.

"Van Persie has really matured in the past couple of seasons. He's not afraid to speak up if he has an opinion on something. His comments about his preferred attack for Oranje perfectly illustrated that," said Rene Hessel

Hessel was Van Persie's coach during his time at Excelsior and the attacker's former youth coach is full of praise for Van Persie.

"He has excellent ball control. He might not yet be on the same level as Lionel Messi, but he's definitely better than Cristiano Ronaldo. He's a different type of player to Messi and Ronaldo though, who are both very individualistic.

"Robin is more of a team player. Just like Wayne Ronney at Manchester United. It's crucial that he stays fit at the World Cup. If so, he will be one of the stars of the tournament."

How Much Is Cesc Fabregas Worth To Barcelona?

Ahead of David Villa, Maicon, Angel Di Maria, and even Steven Gerrard, there is one name in Spain that seems to have eclipsed all others in becoming this summer’s transfer saga to follow: Cesc Fabregas.

The Arsenal midfielder had long been tipped for a return to his boyhood club, Barcelona, and over the course of this past season, the rumour mill kicked into high gear as it began churning a narrative that tied the 23-year-old midfielder to an imminent move back to Spain.

A target for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, the Spanish press sparked a media war as tabloids from both the Spanish and Catalunyan capitals began perpetuating claims that Fabregas would soon be prised away from north London to play for either Los Blancos or the Blaugrana.

Of course, once a Barca player, always a Barca player. As the 2009/10 season began to come to a close, Cesc publicly declared that if he were ever to play for a team besides Arsenal, he would only do so for Barca.

But while Fabregas may have had good relations with his former club, the Gunners were not all too enthralled with some of the Catalan giant’s very public advances toward their superstar captain and were particularly incensed with some of Barca president Joan Laporta’s bravado as he issued comments that made it sound as if bringing Cesc back to the Camp Nou was already a done deal.

So fragmented has the relationship between Laporta’s administration and Arsenal now become that in the dying days of Laporta’s presidency, pulling off the transfer coup that effectively marks the Barca president’s legacy at the club is now in danger of falling flat. As it stands now, Arsenal have resoundingly rejected a formal bid from Barca of just over £29 million and have vowed not to negotiate with the Spanish champions.

Does Fabregas want to go to Barca? Well, one need not look further than his beard to see the winds of change blowing about the youngster. The player’s stated intentions are to leave the Gunners for his former club and a number of Barca players - Xavi, Carles Puyol, and Gerard Pique - have expressed their desire for the youngster to join them at the Camp Nou. But Cesc has also declared that he is unwilling to deal with such transfer speculation before the World Cup, instead choosing to concentrate on playing with Spain in this summer’s tournament in South Africa.

Thus, we have come to an impasse.


Puyol, Pique & Cesc | Band of Barca brothers?

Initial reports claim that Laporta is set to launch another bid for Cesc this week with the hope of finalising the deal before Barca hold their presidential elections on June 13. But the truth is that the race against time, Fabregas’ desire to focus on the World Cup, and the unfavourable relations between Arsenal and Barca’s club directors could very well mean that Cesc’s possibilities of playing at Barca may fall outside of Laporta’s purview altogether, consequently delaying any kind of deal for the young midfielder until mid-July (after the World Cup).

In many ways, Fabregas’ transfer dealings between Laporta and Arsenal have begun to mirror Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon’s transfer push for Cristiano Ronaldo that ultimately angered the Manchester United hierarchy and made any initial possibility of a deal for the Portuguese superstar moot. Similarly, Laporta’s inability to remain diplomatic and respectful toward the London club may well have ruled him out of presenting Cesc as the final signing of his presidency.

The upcoming Barca elections are, therefore, pivotal to Cesc putting pen to paper for the Blaugrana. The leading candidate in the upcoming elections, Sandro Rosell, has flatly declared that €60 or €70 million (the price tag Arsenal have reportedly slapped on their captain) is far too great a price to pay for the playmaker.

Cesc is, of course, a premier player at his position and, at 23 years old, has nowhere to go but up. Given his age, ability, and potential for growth, the truth is that, in the wake of the inflated transfer market, if Fabregas is not worth €60-70 million, he is certainly not worth much less than that.



Sandro won't splash out for Cesc


Real Madrid are, predictably, also playing their hand in an effort to influence the dealings. The chances that Cesc would play for Madrid are next to none. But despite that, Los Blancos could force Barca into paying far more than they would otherwise feel comfortable paying, if not ruling out the possibility of the young Gunner joining the Blaugrana altogether… at least for this summer.

With Madrid having pegged Fabregas as their “midfield transfer target” should the signing of Steven Gerrard fail, Los Blancos are effectively driving Cesc’s price up, forcing the Blaugrana to dig deeper into their wallet to meet the artificial demand. Fabregas’ signing for Barca could very well go through by the end of the summer, but if Madrid play their cards correctly, at what cost to their arch-rivals?

Would such a huge spending spree effectively demonstrate that Barca are just as much a Galactico-seeking club as their nemesis from the capital, or will the next Barca president insist upon the established Blaugrana model of building talent through the cantera rather than the chequebook and thus opt for the unpopular decision of foregoing Cesc’s signing?

And finally, there is the question of need. With such midfielders as Xavi - arguably the best midfield orchestrator in the world - Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets, along with a host of promising youth products in Thiago Alcantara and Jonathan Dos Santos, is Cesc’s signing for Barca, especially at what is widely anticipated to be an astronomical price, even necessary? How much of a potential move from London to Catalunya hinges upon need on the pitch as it does upon a desire to bring “the one that got away” back home, just as the club managed to do with Gerard Pique?

The World Cup may end on July 11, but it seems as if there will still be much drama and excitement in store before next year’s La Liga season kicks off. If David Villa's signing for Barca and Jose Mourinho's arrival at Madrid are anything to go by to start the warm months, it is bound to be a great summer for those who love the beautiful game.

The Arsenal XI going to South Africa

Eleven Gunners will be travelling with their respective national squads to the World Cup finals in South Africa.

The Arsenal players will represent a total of eight different nations during the tournament, and apart from the omission of Theo Walcott from the England squad, there has been little surprise.

Manchester United Rio Ferdinand took the time to express his sympathy at Walcott's surprise exclusion from manager Fabio Capello's final 23-man squad.

Ferdinand said: "I've been there, I've been in the same position that Theo's in now. I didn't go to the European Championships in 2000 as Kevin Keegan dropped me.

"It's the worst feeling in the world, it's devastation. So I can understand fully where Theo is right now and the other guys.

"You can either look at it one or two ways. You can either think to yourself, like I did, was I training hard enough, or was I giving my all to football?

"I made a decision that I needed to make the step up and not to be a run-of-the-mill guy playing in the lower leagues.

"I wanted to be playing for England, the best team in the world, so I knew I had to work hard.

"I started training hard in pre-season and running near my mum's house in the park, and that November I went to sign for Leeds."

French manager Raymond Domenech has in the end, selected defender William Gallas, despite doubts over the Frenchman's fitness.

France, naturally, also have the largest contingent of Arsenal players at the finals.

The impressive Alex Song has been selected to represent Cameroon. Cesc Fabregas has also been chosen to travel with Spain, and Robin van Persie with the Netherlands.

Carlos Vela also makes the cut for the Mexican squad.

The full list of players is below:

Alex Song (Cameroon)
Nicklas Bendtner (Denmark)
Gaël Clichy (France)
Abou Diaby (France)
William Gallas (France)
Bacary Sagna (France)
Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast)
Carlos Vela (Mexico)
Robin van Persie (Netherlands)
Cesc Fabregas (Spain)
Philippe Senderos (Switzerland)

Joe cole In talks with Arsenal

Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole could be on his way to Arsenal after reports state that his representives met with the North London club on Tuesday while Cole was being named in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the World Cup.

The 28-year-old is out of contract at Chelsea so, with no offer from the Londoners currently on the table, he is available on a free transfer.

The transfer, with the exception of any complications, is expected to be completed before the start of the World Cup on June 11.

Rumours circulated on Tuesday after Harry Redknapp commented that he believed Cole had already agreed terms with another club.

Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur, along with Manchester United were also rumoured to interested in signing Cole, but the midfielder appears to have chosen the other side of North London as his new club.

"It looks to me that someone's going to make a great free transfer,” Redknapp told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I genuinely don't know who that is, but I don't think it's going to be Tottenham.

"I've got a feeling - and I may be wrong - that he's already agreed a deal with someone.

"I'm a big fan of Joe's, and I would be interested if he didn't stay at Chelsea, but the feedback we've had is that he might well have already done something."

The free transfer of Cole would suit Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger perfectly as the England international would represent a smart piece of business, and would thrill the Arsenal faithful who are resigned to losing captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona this summer.

10 People who can Replace Fabregas at Arsenal

With Barcelona circling around Cesc Fabregas like a starving vulture , manager Arsene Wenger - despite his public protestations that his captain will be going nowhere - is surely eyeing up possible replacements for the Spanish superstar.

So who might be on that list? Football Spy runs it's eye over the runners and riders...

1) Mikel Arteta (Everton)
Wenger is a known admirer of the Everton star, who has developed into one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. The 28-year-old has been at Goodison for six years and is a firm crowd favourite and manager David Moyes is keen to sign him to a new extended contract. At 28, however, Arteta knows his next deal will be the most important one of his career and he could be tempted by a switch to north London and the lure of Champions League football.
Chances of it happening: 6 (out of 10)

2) Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
The mercurial midfielder is one of the best passers of the ball in the Premier League but has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford and appears to be surplus to requirements. Reports have suggested Fergie would be prepared to offer him to Aston Villa as part of a deal for James Milner, but Carrick would surely prefer a return to the capital where he played for West Ham and Spurs. Wenger tried to buy him when he left Upton Park for White Hart Lane and would probably get his man if he went back in for him again.
Chances of it happening: 6


3) Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid)
The French midfielder won over the Real Madrid fans in the second half of this season after initially being viewed as 'Lassana who?' when he first arrived in Spain from Portsmouth in December 2008. Such is the constant state of flux at the Bernabeu, however, that who knows whether he has a long-term future, especially as there is sure to be another change of manager in the summer with Jose Mourinho arriving. Diarra originally left Arsenal for Portsmouth in January 2008 because he was frustrated by a lack of first-team football. That would not be an issue this time around.
Chances of it happening: 6

4) Marek Hamsik (Napoli)
The Slovakian playmaker is already on the most-wanted list of a number of Europe's leading clubs. Hamsik, who prefers to play in the hole behind the front men, has modelled himself on Czech schemer Pavel Nedved and shares the former Juventus man's eye for goal and for the subtle killer pass. One potential stumbling block is the fact that his value to likely to rocket if he impresses for his country in South Africa this summer and Wenger would be reluctant to meet Napoli's expected £30million asking price.
Chances of it happening: 4

5) Stephen Ireland (Manchester City)
City's Player of the Year in 2008-09, his stock fell immeasurably over the course of the past campaign as he found himself out of favour under Roberto Mancini. Has been linked in the past with Liverpool and Arsenal and both are likely to be casting covetous glances towards Eastlands this summer.
Chances of it happening: 7

6) Felipe Melo (Juventus)
Wenger is a known long-term admirer of the Brazilian holding midfielder and tried to sign him from Fiorentina back in 2008. Melo joined Juventus instead - in a whopping €25million deal that also saw Marco Marchionni go the other way - but has struggled to make an impression in Turin, to the extent that Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano voted him the worst player of 2009. That said, national coach Dunga still named Melo in his 23-man squad for the forthcoming World Cup (no messing around with provisional 30s for the Brazilians), and his travails this season mean Melo - and Juve - would be well-disposed to a move. Arsene, get your chequebook out...
Chances of it happening: 9

7) Mark Noble (West Ham)
The Canning Town-born 23-year-old is a Hammer through and through but, after a season of turmoil at Upton Park, he might be open to the idea of a move. Co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have already announced that every player, except Scott Parker, is available for transfer so that's hardly likely to fill Noble with confidence. Having played 20 times for England at Under-21 level, he knows his chance of breaking into Fabio Capello's senior squad would be massively improved if he were playing on a bigger stage at the Emirates week-in, week-out.
Chances of it happening: 7

8) Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen)
The left-sided midfielder was the star of Germany's European Under-21 winning side last summer and has now broken in to Joachim Loew's starting team. Quick, intelligent and with an eye for goal, the Werder Bremen man gave a glittering display in the crunch win over Russia in Moscow in October that sealed Germany's place in this summer's finals. Just like Hamsik, however, Wenger may find he is out of his price range if he impresses in South Africa.
Arsenal transfer target Mesut Ozil: 10 things you need to know plus video of him in action
Chances of it happening: 4

9) Yaya Toure (Barcelona)
Stories have suggested that the Ivory Coast star will be used as a makeweight in the deal to take Fabregas to the Nou Camp, even though he is not a like-for-like replacement. Toure is more of a holding midfielder, more effective breaking up opponents' play than creating openings at the other end. His agent also insists there is no chance of a move to London for his client, stating firmly: 'Toure is not Cesc, and nor is he going to replace him. He will not be going to Arsenal." There, that told us.
Chances of it happening: 3

10) Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Given his naturally parsimonious nature, Wenger may decide to trouser all of the £30/£40/£50million (delete as applicable) that Barca will eventually be forced to cough up for their former trainee and choose to promote from within. The precocious Wilshere has all the tools to do the job - except the experience, of course - and proved during a loan spell at Bolton this season that he's got the mental and physical toughness to cope with the demands of the Premier League. Don't rule it out.
Chances of it happening: 8

It would take five players to replace Fabregas

Arsène Wenger could face a daunting task this summer: How do you replace 19 goals, 19 assists, and general quality and leadership from midfield?

It's still been pretty quiet since I last wrote on this topic, although we did finally hear something, if not much, from Cesc, who sounds to me like he wants to leave.

He claims he has left it in the hands of his manager. So Wenger has probably said something along the lines of, "we're keeping you for at least one more season unless we get the right offer". Cesc is probably hoping now that his old club can give his current one what they want. Publicly, he won't commit either way, which is sensible. If he tells us he loves us and wants to say, then it would make him look so much worse if he did leave. If he says he wants to go, but Barca can't come up with the goods then he won't be too popular around here next season.

It's transpired that there hasn't been an official offer from Barca as of yet, but it could happen soon, as the player they have in their sights clearly wants to join.

Wenger should hope he can get this business done sooner rather than later, because if his captain leaves, I'm thinking it could take the addition of five players to make sure he isn't too badly missed.

The priority perhaps, whether he stays or goes, is a good goalkeeper. We cannot possibly enter another season with any of these clowns in goal.

By my reckoning, we would then need two centre-backs. Ideally, I'd like one of Campbell or Gallas to stay, but I doubt either of them will. We're reportedly looking at Hangelaand again, but with only Djourou and Bartley as backup, I think we'd need someone else signed as backup. Wenger doesn't tend to do loan moves, but this could be a good time to try one if we don't want to pay too much for someone to mostly sit on the bench.

Even if we only sign these three out of my suggested five, a solid defence would mean less burden on the attack, and thus Cesc's contributions in that department SLIGHTLY less important.

Finally, it would probably take two players to replace what Cesc gives us in midfield. Joe Cole is available on a free and might be worth a go. He's injury prone, but much better than any of Nasri, Rosicky, Diaby or Denilson. The sale of one or two of those ineffective four could help fund the transfer of the ideal Cesc replacement - Wesley Sneijder. I can't think of anyone better who'd be available and/or in our price range. The Dutchman could be of a few players keen to leave Inter Milan following Mourinho's departure.

Of course, this will probably all prove to be fantasy. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't realistically see Wenger signing that many players. Hopefully Cesc will stay and it won't be quite so desperate, but I maintain that the goalkeeper and two defenders are still a must.

Sadly, anything less and we would only be delaying Cesc's departure for one more summer.

Season Awards 2009-10

Best Goalkeeper:

1. Victor Valdes - Barcelona
2. Manuel Neuer - Schalke
3. Joe Hart - Birmingham

Best Defender:
1. Javier Zanetti - Inter
2. Branislav Ivanovic - Chelsea
3. Walter Samuel - Inter

Best Midfielder:
1. Xavi Hernandez - Barcelona
2. Arjen Robben - Bayern Munich
3. Frank Lampard - Chelsea

Best Forward:
1. Diego Milito - Inter
2. Lionel Messi - Barcelona
3. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United

Best Young Player (under 21):
1. Ever Banega - Valencia
2. Toni Kroos - Bayer Leverkusen
3. Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur

Best Coach:
1. Jose Mourinho - Inter
2. Carlo Ancelotti - Chelsea
3. Louis Van Gaal - Bayern Munich

Sol Campbell 'serious' about possible Celtic switch

Sol Campbell has described Celtic as a "serious option" for him this summer after revealing he has held talks with the club's interim manager Neil Lennon

Campbell has been offered a new one-year contract at Arsenal and told last week he would "love the opportunity" to extend his stay with the club, having made a shock return to Emirates Stadium in January.

But the defender, 35, is clearly keen to keep his options open and has spoken in positive terms of the possibility of moving to the SPL with Celtic this summer.

"I've spoken with Neil about moving to Celtic," Campbell told The Scottish Sun, "and I've been impressed with what he had to say.

"Celtic is a serious option for me. We're talking, although we haven't yet discussed figures. Nothing is set in stone. I know Celtic are a massive club. I have to consider them. You can't ignore it when such a fantastic club makes their interest known."

Campbell made ten Premier League starts and two Champions League appearances after rejoining Arsenal on a free transfer in January.

In other Arsenal news, on Tuesday evening, it was confirmed that Fran Merida has left the club in order to join Atletico Madrid.

Wenger considers Schwarzer to solve goalkeeping problems

Fulham and Australia No.1 Mark Schwarzer could be the solution to Arsenal's problematic goalkeeping position, according to reports in England.

Mark Schwarzer laughs off another futile shot at Australia training

Critics have identified current first choice Manuel Almunia as one of the reasons Arsenal have struggled to go to the next level this season, with back-ups Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone not doing enough with their opportunities to indicate they are ready to fill the void.

Schwarzer, 37, has been in career-best form across London at Craven Cottage as Fulham reached the final of the Europa League while managing to finish 12th in the Premier League despite often fielding weakened sides. He won a Premier League play-of-the-month award and also played a major part in Australia's qualification for the 2010 World Cup, conceding just one goal in eight matches in the final group phase.

According the Daily Mirror, Wenger is eyeing up Schwarzer because his veteran age would mean he should come cheaper than other reported targets, AZ Alkmaar's Sergio Romero and Shaktar Dontesk's Andriy Pyatov. Wenger alleged had Schwarzer scouted during the last two matches of the Premier League - ironically one of which was against Arsenal when Schwarzer made a rare error to gift Andrei Arshavin a goal.

Arsenal's Greatest Ever team

Goalkeeper - Seaman

Right Back - Rice

Center Back - Adams

Center Back - McLintock

Left Back - Winterburn

Right Midfeild - Bastin

Central Midfeild - Viera

Central Midfeild- Rocastle

Left Midfeild - Bergkamp

Center Forward - Van Persie 

Center Forward- Henry

Manager : Wenger

Cannot guarantee my Arsenal stay : Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he cannot guarantee Arsenal fans that he will still be a Gunner next season as the saga surrounding his possible move to Barcelona continues.

The Catalan is therefore placing his future in the hands of Arsene Wenger.

When asked whether he could ascertain whether he would be plying his trade in north London after the summer, the answer, given to reporters at a press conference on Tuesday, was a simple "no".

"I will only say one thing. I have great respect for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal Football Club and for the Arsenal fans," he told reporters.

"Sometimes not even in my house I've felt more loved than I've felt at Arsenal.

"I had a long conversation with Arsene and it was probably the greatest conversation I had with someone in my life. I respect him so much and I don't want to say too much about this."

The Gunners boss has told Fabregas to make sure that his full focus is on football ahead of his country's World Cup campaign.

"He told me to concentrate on my football, to concentrate on the World Cup and to leave it in his hands," Fabregas added.

"He will deal with whatever happens in my future and that's what I'm doing - just concentrating on football. It's not up to me anymore.

"It's just now about Arsenal and whoever it has to be and that's it. I don't want to say anything else and I just want to be focused for the World Cup because it's the most important thing.

"The rest is the future and I'm not interested in the future."

Team Of The Season

This was no easy selection, with deliberation spanning several hours, dozens of diagrams, copious amounts of data, and no small measure of wailing and gnashing of teeth. In the end it came down to our opinions, and we hope you agree with us.

Selecting who to leave out is, of course, as tough as picking who to leave in. Yet we opted for a simple eleven-man line-up - no substitutes, no honourable mentions. A straight 4-4-2, eleven players, and (we hope) the best the world has to offer.

Due to the limitations of the football calendar there is a bias towards those leagues that start around August and play through winter. There is, too, a slant towards Europe in the teams chosen, once again partially at the behest of the calendar (but also the strength of the leagues.)

As always, let us know your thoughts on our choices at the foot of the article.

Best Formation: 4-4-2

Goalkeeper:

Victor Valdes - Barcelona (Castrol Ranking 237)

'Vic' won the much-coveted Zamora award for top Liga goalkeeper this season, but that alone did not see him line up as our goalkeeper. Instead it was the style in which he did it, conceding well under 0.66 goals per match for the best Spanish record since the mid-1990s. A series of handy performances in Europe hardly dented his case.

Defence:

Branislav Ivanovic - Chelsea (49)

The quiet man of Chelsea's back line was devilishly effective over the course of the Blues' double-winning campaign. He looked handy going forward, but even more solid at the back, where he is fast gaining recognition that until recently went to other members of the Chelsea defence.

Lucio - Inter (201)

The treble-winning Brazilian made a slow start to the campaign but has established himself as one of the world's best centre-backs on form. Although Inter didn't keep quite as many clean sheets as they might have done it was the big-game mentality about them that saw them to silverware, and few represented that more than Lucio.

Walter Samuel - Inter (173)

At the other end of the Inter scale is Walter Samuel, who stood out a bit less in Europe but arguably had an even better Serie A campaign than his defensive partner. This was a triumphant season for the 32-year-old, who can now look forward to the World Cup.

Javier Zanetti - Inter (396)

Javier Zanetti will not be joining Samuel in South Africa, but can look back on yet another excellent season at club level. The Argentine, in truth, could even have made this line-up in midfield; instead he lines up at left-back, one of many positions in which his experience has told this campaign.

Midfield:

Xavi Hernandez - Barcelona (22)

The imperious midfielder is so vital a part in Barcelona's 70% plus possession games that it is hard to imagine how the Blaugrana ever did without him. Xavi runs the centre of the pitch like his own private fiefdom and never wastes a ball.

Frank Lampard - Chelsea (11)

Everyone knows about Frank Lampard's goalscoring exploits this season, but it's his all-round play that merits his inclusion here. Quite away from his penalty and set-piece prowess is his ability to pick the right spot on the edge of the box and play the killer pass beyond. A player once renowned mainly for his long shots now has several fans even outside west London.

Arjen Robben - Bayern Munich (10)

Probably the most killer influence in the Champions League this season - bar one, anyway - Robben was also a core part of the Bayern team that overcame a poor start to romp to the Bundesliga title. It's fair to say that life in Bavaria agrees with the Dutchman, injury-free and free-scoring.

Lionel Messi - Barcelona (1)

No Champions League this year, but the current Ballon d'Or holder netted no fewer than 34 goals in 30 starts and five sub appearances in this season's Primera Division, or a goal every 83 minutes. Add to that eight in Europe and almost 15 direct assists in all competitions, not forgetting countless bits of build-up play, and it's clear that the young Argentine is still something very special.

Attack:

Wayne Rooney - Manchester United (3)

Wayne Rooney carries England's hopes on his shoulders this summer - shoulders no doubt tired after doing the same for Manchester United this season. It wasn't a great campaign for the Red Devils but in these post-Cristiano Ronaldo days fans and Fergie alike can rest assured that they still have a world-class performer up front.

Diego Milito - Inter (150)

Is he Europe's best player? On current form, yes. The 30-year-old prince is now being dubbed a king after scoring hugely important goals as Inter lifted their historic treble under Jose Mourinho. A side once derided for their lack of big-game bottle sought the kind of calm, experienced influence they need to take them over the line, and he's repaid their faith tenfold.