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In the past week it has been rare to not find a story in one of the newspapers about a Ghanaian footballer called Jordan Ayew and how he is the man given the difficult role of filling Christian Benteke’s boots at Aston Villa.

Whilst Jordan will no doubt be a decent addition to that Villa squad, it is another member of the Ayew family that is going to take the Premier League by storm next season – his brother Andre.

Andre recently signed for Swansea City on a free transfer after reaching the end of his contract at French side Marseille.

The deal is a massive coup for the Swans. Ayew is highly thought of in European football and was linked to the likes of Liverpool, Roma, Spurs and Borussia Dortmund, before choosing to move to the Liberty Stadium.

The fact he turned some of those sides down should speak volumes about the progress the Welsh side have made in recent years. Only 10 years ago they were playing football in League Two and could only dream of moments like this.

Although only 25 years of age, it seems as if the the Ghana international has been around for forever. He has already amassed 63 caps for his country and will no doubt go on to become the captain of his national side, once Asamoah Gyan calls time on his international career.

Club wise the player is also very experienced, not only has he featured in the French premier division, Marseille have been regular participants of the Champions League and Europa League competitions. Ayew would have played against many of Europe’s top players and this experience will serve him well in English football.

The forward was a focal point of his former side. During his time with Marseille he became a vital part of the first team squad, often one of the first names on the team sheet.

Although considered a midfielder, the Ghanaian is known for his versatility. He possesses the key physical and mental attributes needed to be able to handle a number of different roles on the pitch.

At Marseille he was used in a number of different roles – attacking midfielder, winger, central midfielder and a striker. This is great for Gary Monk as it gives the Swansea boss a number of different options to work with and the ability to change up tactics to suit the flow of a game.

The 25-year-old is a remarkable talent on the pitch, regarded as a tricky speedster that loves to just run at defenders.

Ayew is a very unselfish player who looks to use his creative talents to lay on chances for his team mates, rather than selfishly going for goal himself, which is a rare quality amongst attacking players.

Swansea’s possession and counter attacking style of football suits the African footballers’ technical skills set perfectly, he would certainly ease the pressure on Gylfi Sigurdsson and offer an added creative spark in the midfield.

Similarly to his new Icelandic team mate, Ayew also weighs in with his fair share of the goals. During his career in France he scored 64 goals in 249 games, which is not to be ignored when you consider Ligue 1 is one of the stronger leagues in Europe.

During his time in France he would have come across Swansea striker Bafetemi Gomis. Both players would have learnt a great deal about each other’s style of play, and this will benefit Swansea hugely as the players look to develop a new relationship in the Premier League.

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All the signs point to the player being a massive success in the Premier League. Andre Ayew possesses many of the best attributes needed to succeed in this league, and his past experiences will also play a major role in settling the player in his new surroundings.

Swansea have made one hell of a signing and should go into the new campaign full of confidence.

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Liverpool could be willing to grant Luis Suarez a move to Real Madrid this summer, but only if the Spaniards allow Alvaro Morata to move to Anfield as part of the deal, according to reports from The Mirror.

The Uruguayan star has once again reiterated his desire to leave the Premier League in the coming months, declaring that he has always dreamt of playing for the Bernabeu side.

His continued attempts to manufacture a move appear to have forced Liverpool to accept that they may have to sell their talisman to the La Liga giants, but only if Morata is included in a player-plus-cash offer.

The 20-year-old is currently the top scorer at the European U-21 Championships, with his four goals having helped his side reach the final.

The Reds are confident that if Real are willing to sacrifice the starlet, that he could be persuaded to move to Merseyside.

Morata has already confessed that if more big name strikers arrive at Real this summer then he will be forced to consider his future as he searches for regular action.

Even if a deal for Suarez collapses, Edinson Cavani is also on their wish list, which would limit the youngster’s chances of breaking into the first-team.

Real are said to be keen to keep Morata, but could be tempted to throw him into any deal in order to reduce Liverpool’s £40million valuation of Suarez.

Liverpool fans, would Alvaro Morata soften the blow of losing Luis Suarez?

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Join the debate below!

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In a desperate effort not to tempt fate, Arsene Wenger really does have an embarrassment of riches in his squad when the team is fully fit. The lack of another midfield arrival during the past transfer window suggests there is great faith in Jack Wilshere and an imminent return from injury. In turn, it rightly sparks the question as to whether Wilshere can team up effectively with Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla in the Arsenal midfield.

Here’s my problem with the view of football in England: there’s an overwhelming emphasis on strong, combative powerhouses in the midfield. Teams apparently need Yaya Toure’s and Daniele De Rossi’s to compliment the smaller technically gifted players. But isn’t the point of the Premier League that it offers up a diverse range of football qualities and philosophies? Germany is constantly overlooked because perhaps people don’t believe there is much worth in a Dortmund vs. Schalke game. And we all know how casually La Liga is brushed aside because of the clear dominance from Barcelona and Real Madrid. But English football prides itself on the underdog, a product where anyone can beat anyone, and not simply by playing the same style of football.

If Arsene Wenger were to turn up in Spain and present a midfield trio of Wilshere, Arteta and Cazorla, he’d be praised for his work to combine the three, and there would certainly be a lot of interest and excitement as to how fantastically they can function. In England and back in reality, the question marks are raised as to what good a group of midgets can do against powerful midfields. Well, they’d certainly have a very good chance of passing their opposition into submission. But I think that side of the game is a little lost on most in England.

Instead, lets have crunching tackles from hardworking henchmen, as oppose to slick passing football from wonderful technicians. It’s clear how Wenger would arrange this trio of midfielders: Arteta as the deepest point and the anchor, while Cazorla operates furthest up the pitch. Not to sound too unrealistic and bordering on stupidity, but Barcelona play a brand of football that doesn’t rely on powerful midfielders patrolling the centre of the pitch (and yes, I am aware of their purchase of Alex Song). Instead, their group of midgets (to remain on that train with the unimaginative bunch who thought it up) have dominated football by actually playing football.

Who cares if three of Arsenal’s best midfielders are all under 6’2? Who cares if they find strengths to win matches that don’t exactly add up to what is the norm up north? What happens when they turn up on a wet Tuesday night in Stoke? Fortunately, Arsenal have already got that one out of the way early.

This trio of players might be the closest thing Arsene Wenger has to realising the possession-based winning game since he had a midfield consisting of Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini. That side were four points off top place at the end of the season, yet there was no signs of a powerful figure in the midfield.

But this whole argument of the three midfielder’s height is annoyingly similar to the theory that you can’t win trophies with kids. If they’re good enough, what difference does their height or age make? If the rules of the game were really enforced properly, teams like Stoke wouldn’t be able to get away with tackles that have no place in the game. No, I’m not advocating the abolition on tackles, but something needs to be done about the recklessness in the game. A 6’6 midfield machine put together in a factory in Mordor is just as likely to pick up a career-threatening injury as a 5’6 midfield magician.

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The real questions should be whether Wilshere can return to his best. He’s already locked horns with Barcelona and looked outstanding in a midfield against three of the best in the world. At what point do we all realise he actually has Barcelona DNA? But even if Wilshere only operates as a “part-time” player this season, he’ll still be able to rotate in and out of the side with Abou Diaby, who also seemed to strike up a good understanding with the Wenger’s Spanish midfield duo.

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Arsenal had a disappointing Sunday afternoon as they witnessed their team suffer a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

The loss was made worse by the fact that Marouane Fellaini scored the winner for Jose Mourinho’s side in the dying minutes of the encounter at Old Trafford.

Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness was part of the Sky Sports panel that televised the Premier League fixture.

During the broadcast, the Scotsman criticised Arsenal’s form in recent years, claiming that Arsene Wenger’s men have “not come close” to United.

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The facts do not quite measure up, though, as the North London outfit have finished above the Red Devils in the top-flight table in the  previous four seasons.

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In addition, the Gunners have also won three trophies in that time, which indicates that in terms of statistics, the two clubs have not been miles apart in the last few years.

It is safe to say that Arsenal fans were not impressed by the remarks.

Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.Comment from discussion Graeme Souness: “Arsenal in recent years have not come anywhere near Man Utd…”.

A recent treble winner and full Spain international for just £8.7m? Bargain! Of course we are not talking about Pedro, Andres Iniesta or Gerard Pique, but, if reports are to be believed, Liverpool and Spurs could snap up Marc Bartra from Barcelona for a bargain rate.

The 24-year-old’s release clause has fallen from £36m to the said sum due to his lack of minutes in the red and blue shirt of late, and such a reduction is tempting for a host of European clubs. So should Spurs of Liverpool take the plunge? We think so, and here are FIVE reasons why…

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Absolute steal

Due to a lack of first-team opportunities, Bartra’s release clause has fallen from £36m to £8.7m… that’s some saving. Such a fall in his value is a great opportunity, especially when the price tags of players such as Dejan Lovren are taken into account!

Both Liverpool and Spurs need to invest wisely this summer, so snapping up a player’s whose value is clearly lower than it should be makes sense, and would allow them to send funds towards other areas of their respective squads in need of strengthening.

Already a Spain international

Despite a lack of playing time in his first-team career at Barcelona, the 24-year-old has been capped five times by Spain, illustrating that he certainly has the talent to back up the hype surrounding him.

La Roja are hardly short of quality in any position, and the experience Bartra will have picked up in his time around the side who have, aside from last summer, dominated international football in recent memory is likely to have boosted his potential no end.

The perfect age to ‘kick on’

At 24, Bartra is ready to be a first-team footballer. His formative years are behind him, and if Barcelona are not willing to give him the game time he needs, their loss could be another’s gain.

His peak years remain some way off, so there is scope for his game to be moulded, while he’s approaching physical maturity, which would be of benefit in the Premier League

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Barca outcasts have shone in the past…

The likes of Cesc Fabregas have left Barca in the past only to flourish, while the recent examples of Bojan and Alex Song at Stoke and West Ham prove that Nou Camp cast-offs have much to offer. A graduate from the famed ‘La Masia’ academy, Bartra has followed in the footsteps of the likes of Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and, of course, Lionel Messi, who are now considered to be three of the best players in their respective positions on the planet.

Keep him from one another’s grasp…

Not exactly the foundation of wise transfer business, but snapping up Bartra would mean that either Spurs or Liverpool would be keeping the player from the other. With the Merseyside and London outfits likely to be rivals in the battle for the top four, keeping the other from strengthening with a quality player may be a factor in the eventual outcome of 2015/16.

It’s the perfect transfer – in Tottenham’s eyes. The club move on Jermain Defoe, who they’re looking to sell anyway, and receive Christian Benteke in return. How could you paint that in a negative light? For Aston Villa, however, it’s a different story.

I maintain that Benteke needs another season with Villa, not only to continue in his development – we are too quick to forget that he’s only 22 – but also to prove that he can maintain those high standards in the Premier League. The comparisons to Didier Drogba have already rushed in, with some using their clairvoyance to suggest he’ll be better than the former Chelsea striker. But until maybe this time next year, we won’t really know for sure what the realistic projection for Benteke is.

But for clubs like Tottenham, they simply can’t afford to wait. What if they choose to hold off on this signing until next summer, by which time Benteke’s value could drastically increase? Tottenham’s transfer history indicates that they’re comfortable with the potential gamble now, shelling out a reasonable sum of money (plus players) to take the striker early.

They need to be quick, too, with Atletico Madrid said to be considering Benteke as the replacement for Radamel Falcao. The Copa Del Rey winners aren’t quite loaded, but have been touted for a £25million move. Is that good business for Villa? Well not really. They could strengthen their squad, but will they find another player like Benteke for circa £7million?

And why would Villa want Defoe? Proven English goal scorer? Yeah sort of. But wouldn’t it just equate to another Darren Bent problem, only on a cheaper scale? At 30 years of age, Defoe doesn’t represent a long-term investment for Villa in their youth approach, nor does he guarantee the number of goals Benteke offered last season.

The point of the matter is that Villa are exactly where they wanted to be when they found themselves in a relegation battle. The goal for them now will be to build around Benteke, even if only for the short term, and then cash in next summer at the earliest. Maybe their scouts could have predicted how well the Belgian would be in England, but I don’t think the club had any plans to use him as a season-long bridge.

For Tottenham, and provided the player continues in this upward trajectory, they would be getting everything they need in a forward – or at least one of their two likely forward arrivals. Benteke isn’t a Hollywood signing, but he doesn’t need to be. Tottenham get a proven scorer in the Premier League who can play a technical and physical game, countering the differing opponents over the course of a Premier League campaign. If Benteke proves to be the real deal over the course of his career, Spurs will be as good as set in the striking department, with only a need to concentrate on backups or forward partners.

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But it just seems too much of a stretch, and Aston Villa are not that stupid to offer Spurs such a huge upside in a transfer. A fantastic deal for Tottenham, but Villa would be forcing themselves onto the back foot before the season has even started.

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Queens Park Rangers chairman Tony Fernandes has told The Mirror he doesn’t believe his side are panic buying.

This is despite the imminent arrival of Tottenham defender Michael Dawson and Real Madrid centre-back Ricardo Carvalho following QPR’s surprise 5-0 home defeat to Swansea City. Mark Hughes is also rumoured to be interested in the Brazilian free agent Julio Caesar as a means of replacing Robert Green after the England international was at fault for the first goal in the 5-0 drubbing.

However, Rangers’ chairman Fernandes insists, “we have done some sensible business over the summer and we are not going to throw it away. We are here for the long run and we’ll do things properly.”

QPR have already been one of the busiest Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window signing nine players including Jose Bosingwa, Junior Hoilett, Ji-Sung Park, Ryan Nelsen, Fabio da Silva, Andrew Johnson and of course Robert Green as previously mentioned. These signings make QPR manager Mark Hughes one of the biggest spenders in transfer window history as he also splashed just under £200 million as manager of Manchester City.

Tony Fernandes says that whilst ideally like to bring in a few more faces, they must consider balancing an already soaring wage bill which is predicted to be now higher than the phenomenal 183% wage-to-turnover ratio they experienced at the end of the 2010/11 campaign when they had achieved promotion from the Championship. Fernandes told The Mirror, “we are in discussions but QPR have got to run a sensible business.”

One of the players rumoured to be leaving Loftus Road in order to alleviate the wage bill is controversial midfielder Joey Barton who is currently at loan at League 2 outfit Fleetwood Town so that he can accelerate the 12-match suspension he received from the Premier League for his misdemeanours at Manchester City on the closing day of last season. Barton is currently one of QPR’s top earners, bringing in £70,000 a week. Fernandes said of Barton, “There are many things happening with Joey, and it’s just like anything else, it all happens in the last nine days of the transfer window.”

Championship outfit Cardiff City also seem willing the help QPR ease the wage bill. They have already signed Paul Connolly and Heidar Helguson from the West London club and are also closing in on the signing of Tommy Smith who played under Cardiff manager Malky Mackay at Watford.

QPR will have the opportunity to rectify their disastrous start to the campaign when they travel to Carrow Road to face a Norwich City side who will be also licking their wounds after a poor start to the season at Fulham.

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Ex-Chelsea man Jose Bosingwa is expected to make his debut for QPR, but it is thought that the game has arrived too soon for Michael Dawson and Ricardo Carvalho to make their first appearances in a QPR shirt.

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Newcastle fans have been discussing their end of season awards, and it looks like a two-horse race for player of the year.

It’s been an odd season for Newcastle. Up until February the club looked doomed, both on the pitch and off it.

Since the monumental win over Manchester United though, Benitez’s Magpies have gone from strength to strength, and there is now an overwhelming sense of optimism around the club.

Fans are of course still awaiting news on a potential takeover from the infamous Mike Ashley, but nonetheless performances on the pitch have certainly distracted from the nonsense off it.

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With the club’s annual awards ceremony coming up, fans have been discussing who should be the player of the year, and the overwhelming favourite is captain Jamaal Lascelles.

The young centre-back has been a phenomenal leader for the Magpies and enjoyed the best form of his career this season.

Mo Diame is the other name being thrown in the mix, as the 30 year-old has gone from outcast to outstanding, dominating the midfield alongside Jonjo Shelvey in the second half of the season.

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There are a few other names in the mix as well, but the smart money is certainly on Lascelles.

Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

It may be a bit cliché, but the Championship is certainly one of the most exciting leagues in Europe.

Despite being the second tier of the game in England, the division regularly attracts greater crowds than those present across the continent, while many of the teams on show are, arguably, better than some of the far-flung sides that crop up in the Champions League’s group stage.

Talented players are, of course, plentiful, with many of the more impressive players still very much at the start of their careers.

The likes of West Ham have shown there’s value in offering starlets the step up – Aaron Cresswell has been excellent this season – so perhaps Liverpool could divert their attention toward the top end of the Football League.

Here are FIVE players Brendan Rodgers should, maybe, consider…

Sam Byram

Liverpool have issues at right-back, and Sam Byram certainly is one of the best player in that position in the Championship. So, reports linking the Reds with the Leeds ace make some sense, and there certainly is the opportunity to lure him away from Elland Road given the Whites’ consistent off-field issues.

By no means the finished article, Brendan Rodgers could once again work his magic on an emerging player, with Byram still very much mould-able at 21.

Will Hughes

A long-term Reds target, Will Hughes has been back on Liverpool’s radar of late. A complete midfielder, the Rams star is, arguably, the Championship’s best youngster in his position, with his reading of the game and composure on the ball beyond that of many 20-year-olds.

The Merseysiders also have a solid relationship with Derby, with Andre Wisdom and Jordon Ibe having both been sent to work under Steve McClaren in recent times.

Patrick Bamford

Some FA Cup heroics and 15 Championship goals have made Patrick Bamford one of the most talked about strikers outside of the Premier League. Owned by Chelsea, the 21-year-old is currently plying his trade with Middlesbrough, but a future in the top tier looks to be beckoning.

Breaking through with the Blues, however, appears to be a big ask, which could facilitate a move away from Stamford Bridge. Negotiating with the Londoners may be tough for Liverpool, but their signature of Daniel Sturridge shows it’s possible.

Tyrone Mears

A giant full-back at 6ft. 5”, Tyone Mings is a real athlete. Pacey, strong and able to run all day long, the Somerset-born star offers a real presence on the left flank, even though his long-term future may be at centre-back.

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Emre Can’s role in a back three shows that Brendan Rodgers likes to experiment, which may make Mings a decent option should the Reds start shopping.

Patrick Roberts

Fulham’s slid has been alarming over the course of the past two years, but one bright spot has been the emergence of Patrick Roberts. The 18-year-old forward is comfortable on the right of midfield or as a more advanced winger on the same side, with his pace and attacking instincts both impressive.

Rodgers is known to be a manager who will give youngsters time and patience, and could look to Roberts as an option.

Javier Hernandez insists Manchester United’s recent struggle for goals does not concern him, as long as his side are winning.

The runaway league leaders have managed just three goals in their last four games and two of those have been own goals from opposition defenders.

Hernandez, who has 16 goals in all competitions for United this season, insists that it doesn’t matter where the goals come from as long as the Old Trafford side are winning games.

“Sometimes you can score a lot of goals and sometimes you are only scoring a few. It’s part of football,” he told MUTV’s Countdown to Kick-off show.

“In some parts of the season we have scored a lot of goals. In December [and into January] we scored at least two goals in a few games in a row. That happens.

“We are working very hard to try and create as many chances as we can and when we have those chances we always try to score. The most important thing for us is to win the games – even if we win 1-0 we would still love that.”

The Old Trafford outfit are close to securing the Premier League title as they lead Manchester City by 12 points but Hernandez insists United are keeping their focus on Sunday’s trip to Stoke rather than silverware.

He added: “We have to forget about that [when United could win the title]. We are only thinking about Stoke.

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“We are taking it game by game. It’s Stoke now and then we’ll think about West Ham [on Wednesday] and then the next game.”

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