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With the first two months of the Premier League season passed, who is looking like the bargain of the season?

West Ham United did some excellent business over the close-season and Senegalese striker Diafra Sakho has settled in excellently for The Hammers.

The 24-year-old signed from French Ligue 2 side FC Metz for an undisclosed fee which was rumoured to be around £2million. Sakho actually had a relatively average record for Metz, considering they were in Ligue 2, but Sam Allardyce didn’t hesitate to sign Diafra on a long term deal for the next four years.

Sakho’s record was average with Metz with a record of 44 league goals in 114 appearances. However his record would have been poor, had he not of had a fantastic final season with the French club where he scored 20 goals in 36 appearances to help Metz to the Ligue 2 title. That excellent season led him to be awarded with the Ligue 2 Player of the Year and probably played a large part in earning a move to England.

Diafra has got off to a flyer at West Ham and he’s seemingly loving life in the Premier League – it’s easy isn’t it?!

The Senegalese international has started four games in all competitions for The Hammers and he has scored one goal in each of them, including against Liverpool and Man United. With those goalscoring performances he has broken a West Ham record which has been standing for 26 years for scoring in consecutive starts for West Ham – Leroy Rosenior scored in his first three starts for West Ham and Sakho has surpassed that.

But who is Diafra Sakho competing against for the early season ‘Bargain of the Season’?

Leonardo Ulloa – Leicester

An £8m transfer fee is rarely considered a bargain, especially compared to an estimated £2m for Sakho, but with the 28-year-old having scored five goals in his opening six Premier League fixtures, he is looking like a good signing nonetheless. Perhaps too old and expensive to be considered ‘Bargain of the Season’.

Frank Lampard – Man City

It still feels weird writing about Lampard the City player but he is and he is relishing it. After scoring against his former side he netted twice in the Capital One Cup just a few days later. As he is on loan he is only costing Manchester City his wages, quite a bargain for a proven Premier League scorer who certainly hasn’t ‘lost’ it. The fact that his future lies elsewhere after the loan is a negative but at his age City won’t be too bothered, especially as he’s only moving to their MLS franchise.

Graziano Pelle – Southampton

Again, another £8m signing, and again older than Diafra Sakho, but a real threat in front of goal. In his last four Premier League appearances (admittedly against average opposition), Pelle has scored four and also assisted one. He has really hit form and has the ability to score wonderfully tricky goals with a clinical finishing ability for the easier chances. Hard to call a 29-year-old worth £8m a bargain, but he’s certainly effective.

Mame Biram Diouf – Stoke City

Ex-Man United Diouf experienced a tough time after arriving at Old Trafford and has been around the block since. He had a good spell with Hannover 96 in Germany and looked to have found his goalscoring form. However his contract with the German club wasn’t renewed and Stoke City snapped up the Senegalese international on a free transfer. Diouf scored a wonder-goal against Man City to take all 3 points, and scored his second for the club against QPR. A decent start for the free transfer who is yet to enter the prime of his career – time will tell if he will be a bargain or not, but he looks promising.

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Eric Dier – Tottenham

Spurs had to go to Portugal to sign the young Englishman and managed to get him for just £4m. He got off to a flyer scoring a winner on his debut against West Ham, and he made it 2-in-2 against QPR. The 20 year old has already been selected for the England Under-21 squad and to sign an English player so young for just £4m has to be a bargain, especially with the talent Dier is showing.

Of course in the early stages of the season it is largely speculation as to who will be the ‘Bargain of the Season’ come what May, but as it stands the £2m signing of Diafra Sakho would be my choice. With a 100% starts to goal ratio, he’s looking like a real shrewd capture. I’m also a fan of Tottenham’s signing of Dier who depending on if Spurs can sure up their defence may well be the ‘Bargain of the Season’.

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Every turn of the year marks a point where exciting prospects become fantastic additions to a senior squad. There was Mario Gotze arriving in Borussia Dortmund’s first team and helping them to their first of two league titles under Jurgen Klopp. Cristian Tello should be the next player to develop past just being a promising youngster from La Masia and into a star forward at Barcelona.

But a little closer to home, there are a number of youngsters who are waiting in the wings for their opportunity. It shouldn’t require rules to be imposed for clubs to look to their youngsters, but rather a desire to see something new and exciting. The Premier League has worked it’s way into a position where it holds some of the best names from around Europe and the world, and 2013 should be a year when we see another wave of outstanding talents make their mark on the English game.

 Click on Luke Shaw to unveil the top 10

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Sunderland fans have been reacting to the signing of versatile defender Tom Flanagan, and the majority of fans are excited to see him in action.

Just a few short weeks ago, there was a real feel of uncertainty around the Stadium of Light. Everyone knew several first team players would leave the club, but the Black Cats had yet to get anyone in to replace them.

While the rest of the world has been focusing on the World Cup though, new owner Stewart Donald and new manager Jack Ross have been quietly going about their business, dumping unwanted players and signing up fresh hungry talent.

Flanagan will join from Burton Albion on a two-year deal, becoming the fourth Sunderland signing of the summer.

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The 26 year-old, who can play anywhere across the back four, made 27 Championship appearances last season, most of those at left back.

Speaking with Burton fans, Sunderland fans can expect a fearless, hard-working defender, and what he lacks in technical ability he more than makes up for in fight and passions, something that was sorely lacking on Wearside last season.

Flanagan joins Alim Ozturk, Jon McLaughlin and Chris Maguire at the Stadium of Light, all four of which will expect to be pushing for a starting spot.

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Fans have been reacting to the news on Twitter, and you can find some of the best reactions down below…

Southampton will look to stay out of the relegation zone and boost their survival chances when they host fellow strugglers Stoke City at St Mary’s on Saturday.

The Saints came out of the bottom three as Manolo Gabbiadini’s late equaliser saw them snatch a 1-1 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend, but they are only out of the drop zone on goal difference and just one point above their next opponents on the south coast, who lie 19th.

With three straight away matches to follow the clash against the Potters, Mauricio Pellegrino’s men are in desperate need of taking all three points against Paul Lambert’s visitors, but it won’t be an easy task seeing as they are without a win in the top flight on their own patch since November, and have already failed to beat fellow strugglers Swansea City, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield Town and Brighton and Hove Albion at home.

Pellegrino will know can’t afford a repeat of that this weekend if they are to secure their Premier League status for another year, and they can take some solace from the fact that Stoke have the worst away record in the top flight with just seven points from 14 fixtures.

The Argentine boss made one change from the FA Cup win against West Bromwich Albion for the trip to Lancashire last time out as Oriol Romeu came in for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and he will perhaps be considering making more against the Potters after another below-par display from his team.

Here is how Southampton must line up against Stoke on Saturday, ahead of Alex McCarthy in goal…

Defence

If they are all fit, Southampton’s back four picks itself right now in the form of stand-in captain Ryan Bertrand, Wesley Hoedt, Jack Stephens and Cedric Soares.

With Maya Yoshida injured and Sam McQueen and Jeremy Pied considered back-ups in the full-back positions, the quartet have had a real good run of games together and that should continue against Stoke this weekend.

Both Stephens and Hoedt have been in the goals in the past few weeks and they will hope to provide a goal threat against the Potters too to try and help their side pick up a vital three points.

Midfield

Oriol Romeu returned to the starting line-up against Burnley having been left on the substitutes’ bench in the FA Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion because he is only one booking away from getting an automatic two-match ban.

The Spaniard has looked miles off the player that won the club;s Player of the Season award last season, and he has often appeared lethargic and off the pace – including at Turf Moor last weekend.

Southampton can’t afford to have that in a crucial clash against Stoke on Saturday, and they should bring the energetic Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg into the midfield alongside Mario Lemina to try and help them get the win they desperately need.

Attack

Josh Sims and Manolo Gabbiadini both made a big impact from the substitutes’ bench against Burnley last weekend, and they should both be in line to start against Stoke this Saturday.

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While James Ward-Prowse has been useful from set pieces and in terms of getting goals at times in 2018, he still doesn’t offer enough from open play from an attacking sense, and Saints need to be more aggressive on their own patch to get results.

Sims and Nathan Redmond should start on the flanks for Southampton to provide that pace and directness, and Gabbiadini should be handed the role just behind Guido Carrillo with Dusan Tadic another player that has failed to do enough to invigorate Mauricio Pellegrino’s men on their own turf this season.

Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.

Everton were dubbed ‘the school of science’ in the early 1970s for their intoxicating brand of attractive football, and after David Moyes’ more rugged decade in charge, Roberto Martinez’ progressive philosophy has reverted the club back to its expansive roots.

Indeed, in the Spaniard, the Toffees have found another chief professor, educating the Premier League on the beautiful game’s purist ideals. Yet one experiment at the school of science isn’t paying off quite so fruitfully; Martinez’ attempts to utilise club-record signing Romelu Lukaku as an effective force out wide.

The tactic has worked well in the past – particularly against Arsenal last season. Lukaku’s power, pace and quality tore apart left-back Nacho Monreal, paving the way for a 3-0 victory – one goal provided by the Belgium international. It was a complete mismatch in every respect, an effective unorthodoxy that lead to many heralding Martinez as a tactical genius, some even claiming it highlighted how he’d now surpassed Arsene Wenger in that regard.

This season however, the ploy is yet to bear positive fruits, in fact, every display from Lukaku in the wide-right role has been largely negative. Against Liverpool, the 21 year-old seemed almost surprised by the physicality of summer signing Alberto Moreno. The Spain international may measure in at just 5 foot 7, but in comparison to passive compatriot Monreal, he’s aggressive, bullish and imposing.

Likewise, Martinez moved Lukaku out wide at half time against Manchester United, with the Toffees 1-0 down and lacking an outlet in the final third. But the 6 foot 3 striker found similar problems against Luke Shaw, unable to contest the full-back’s nippiness when cutting inside and never truly testing the space behind him.

What will concern Everton fans most is the weaknesses both substandard performances exposed in Lukaku’s game, particularly in regards to link-up play.

He’s by no means a natural suitor to wide roles and a victim of his own previous successes, the striker is often held to exceptionally high standards that the vast majority of 21 year-olds wouldn’t be expected to maintain.

But whenever attempting to move inside or find a fellow Evertonian to link-up with, Lukaku looked cumbersome and slow – resembling closer Emile Heskey than his idol, Didier Drogba. The shape of his runs were undynamic, his dribbling lines were predictable and his passing in general was particularly disappointing.

One can certainly question Martinez’ decision to take Lukaku away from his natural position, especially against Manchester United. Their centre-back partnership consisted of Marcos Rojo, a lightweight Argentine who has featured more commonly at left-back as centrally over the last few seasons, and academy graduate Paddy McNair, in his second-ever Premier League appearance. If there was ever a match for the Belgium international to assert his physical authority, it was surely against United’s ad hoc defensive line-up.

Likewise, Liverpool have been plagued with defensive woes all season as they try to blend three summer signings into their back four – weaknesses, especially between centre-halves Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel, were there to be exploited. And after all, we’re talking about a centre-forward with a strike rate of 35 goals in 83 appearances in the Premier League; he needs – and has deserved the right- to be as close to the goal as possible.

Yet, Lukaku’s transition out wide is in part his own doing. Two goals in seven appearances is below the level we’ve come to expect from the former Chelsea prodigy over the last few seasons, whilst strike-partner Steven Naismith has already found the net four times.

In comparison, his link-up play and attitude since Roberto Martinez took the reins last summer has been thoroughly superb. The simple fact of the matter is, without surrendering Everton’s shape, if Lukaku isn’t performing as desired, Martinez has no choice but to hand the central role to the in-form Scot. Where Lukaku then fits in becomes a secondary concern.

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The ultimate question is what does the failings of Martinez’ experimentation with Lukaku demonstrate more? A dangerously idealistic approach from a progressive manager in believing a 6 foot 3, 21 year-old striker would have the knowledge and skills set to be effective out wide? Or how Everton’s club record-signing is much further away from becoming a complete centre-forward than his goal tally and price-tag might initially suggest?

There’s clearly some common ground in between. Lukaku’s deployment on the right wing against Arsenal felt purposeful – this season however, it’s had more of a hopeful, almost desperate vibe. Similarly, although Martinez has demanded a lot, if the 21 year-old is to emerge as the world-class striker he’s heralded to become, adaption and versatility are important characteristics.

But one thing is for certain; using Lukaku as a wide player for extended periods, rather than on selective, fitting occasions, simply does not work.

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes that the club are moving in the right direction, following a less than successful start to their Premier League campaign.

The Reds have endured their worst start to a domestic campaign in over a century, but are now beginning to put together a good sequence of results.

Rodgers’ men are now only four points adrift of the top four and the Northern Irishman feels this illustrates the developments being made:

“You’re always striving to have more and be better but as I sit here today, having experienced the last six months, I’m quietly pleased with how it’s evolving,” he is quoted by The Independent.

“We’re a long way off where I want us to be, of course, but we’ve shown we’re making good progress.

“By all accounts Liverpool have had a disastrous start but we’re four points off the top four and if we had a little bit more luck, we actually could be in there now.

“The great encouragement is we’re only going to get better.

“I hope that we finish this year strongly. 2012 has been an emotional year for the football club, we want to finish it on a high.

“We can then go into the next six months and push on, because that’s when you take care of business and in particular the last 10 games.

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“If we can arrive in January in and around that top four then we can really put our foot to the floor, when the confidence will be improved even more and players will be aligned with what we’re trying to achieve.

“I believe we can have a good second half of the season.”

Pep Guardiola has a string of talented stars at his disposal at Manchester City.

After winning the Premier League title, the club were expected to raid the market for more top stars, but it has been a slow start.

Guardiola is yet to bring in a new face, but they have been linked to numerous players, including Napoli midfielder Jorginho.

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Another midfielder that has made the gossip pages is Aaron Mooy, who has already been on City’s books.

The Australian international spent a year at the club between 2016 and 2017 following a switch from sister club Melbourne City.

How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Mooy did not play a single minute for the North-West outfit before joining Huddersfield Town.

Last season, the midfielder made 36 appearances in the Premier League, scoring four goals and creating three assists.

Now, ESPN are reporting that City are considering activating a £20m buy-back clause in Mooy’s contract.

In reaction to the news, some City fans have made the bizarre suggestion that the Australian is a better option than Ilkay Gundogan.

Others, though, have been left baffled by the reports.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been voted the Premier League’s PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Player of the Month for the third time this season, his latest award marking a fine run of form throughout February that saw him bag four goals and two assists in just three top flight appearances.

In a vote run by fan engagement experts Snack Media, the unstoppable Egyptian attacker won a staggering 37% of the vote for February, convincingly knocking Liverpool colleague Roberto Firmino (19%) into second place and well surpassing fellow nominees Pascal Gross, Chris Smalling, Eden Hazard and Jack Butland.

In the first of four divisional votes carried out over seven days via Snack’s digital and social networks, football fans across the country continued to acknowledge Salah’s talismanic influence at Anfield since arriving from Roma last summer. He’s already established himself as a cornerstone of Liverpool’s relentless attack and one of the flagship stars of the Premier League.

The full list of contenders from the final shortlist polled as follows:

– Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 37%

– Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) – 19%

– Pascal Gross (Brighton) – 13%

– Chris Smalling (Manchester United) – 12%

– Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – 10%

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– Jack Butland (Stoke City) – 9%

Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has been in fine form so far this season. In the four games he has played in for the Foxes, he has scored one goal and contributed two assists. The 27-year-old particularly caught England manager Roy Hodgson’s eye during an impressive performance in Leicester’s 5-3 home win against Manchester United – England assistant manager Ray Lewington was also in attendance at Selhurst Park to watch Vardy in Leicester’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend.

The forward could be called up for England’s next European qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia due to Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge still recovering from an injury and Rickie Lambert not getting a lot of playing time at Anfield.

If Vardy were to be called up for England duty, this would represent a major point in his football career, as only three seasons ago he was playing his football in the Conference for Fleetwood Town. The striker began his career at current eighth-tier side Stocksbridge Park Steels before moving to the Northern Premier League with Halifax FC and then Fleetwood Town in the Conference National.

If he were to be drafted into the Three Lions squad, I doubt he would be starting due to Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney both being more established players.

One of Vardy’s closest competitors for a selection spot is West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino. Both players are strong in terms of their finishing, but the 21-year-old has scored four goals this season from six Premier League appearances and achieved a whoscored.com rating of 7.04. Vardy, on the other hand, has a whoscored.com rating of 7.16 so far this season. Berahino has a higher pass completion percentage, completing 89% of his passes compared to Vardy’s 77%. That’s a higher pass completion percentage than Rooney, Welbeck and Sturridge, too. Vardy may have a higher shot accuracy than the others with 77% accuracy, but he has only had four shots all season.

If we’re going down the line of one of these players being selected as a support striker, then you would have to pick Vardy due to him having two assists compared to Berahino who has none. He has created more chances, too, with six, compared to Berahino who has created four and Rooney who has created five. Playing the likes of Berahino and Vardy against San Marino and Estonia will give England the chance to rest their more important players for the tougher fixtures.

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Vardy does have a chance at being selected, but only if Roy Hodgson is looking for another support striker. However, the chances are slim as Hodgson usually goes for the younger players against weaker nations in order to give them international experience. Therefore, I think Berahino has more of a chance of earn a Three Lions cap than Vardy.

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He’s probably more famous for falling out with a procession of managers but perennial loan man Leon Clarke is currently doing his talking on the pitch.

Once again out on loan, this time at Scunthorpe United, the 27-year-old heads the League One goalscoring charts with ten goals in his 12 appearances at Glanford Park.

The loan-move to North Lincolnshire is his tenth of a wayward and frustrating career that demonstrated such early promise but has tailed off in recent years mainly due to a poor attitude on and off the pitch.

Clarke began his career at Wolves as a trainee before spending time on-loan at Kidderminister. Featuring in the Championship at the tender age of 18, the imposing striker scored on his debut and went onto net another seven times in 12 starts for the Black Country outfit.

However after falling out of favour at Molineux a series of loan moves followed. Firstly at QPR where a change in management saw him return after the solo appearance, then to Plymouth where another five matches passed without a goal. His opportunities at Wolves were limited and Sheffield Wednesday, under Brian Laws, came calling in 2007.

His time at Hillsborough was suitably mixed, restricted to substitute appearances as Wednesday struggled in the Championship. He was loaned out to Oldham and then Southend where he finally hit some form scoring eight times in his 16 starts at Roots Hall.

After returning to Wednesday, he soon signed for QPR but 13 starts yielded no goals and instead he sent back out on loan again this time to Preston. However he only contributed the one goal for Phil Brown’s strugglers and in the summer signed for Swindon Town.

It didn’t get much better for Clarke and after a very public falling out with Robins boss Di Canio he only featured in two matches at the County Ground and was back out on loan again. Chesterfield was his next point of call. Nine goals in 14 starts revealed his potential and encouraged Charlton to sign him in January of this year.

However another frustrating spell followed as Charlton romped to the League One title and therefore another loan move, this time to Crawley where he scored only once in his three starts.

A career full of failed moves, false dawns and loan spells, is it finally time for Leon Clarke to realise his potential?

Well given his fantastic period at the Iron it is entirely conceivable.  The much maligned Alan Knill signed him for Scunthorpe in September and since the goal on his debut against Sheffield United he hasn’t looked back. Working under former boss Brian Laws, Clarke ensured Scunny secured all three points away at Coventry yesterday with two more goals to add to his growing collection.

‘Scunthorpe United’s greatest ever loan signing.’ It’s a big statement but he’s certainly up there with the best of them. The problem for the Iron is that they do not have the financial clout to sign him on a permanent deal in January and instead he’ll return to Charlton in December.

For now it is safe to say that Clarke is in the form of his career and he could well prove to the bargain signing of the January window.

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Only time will tell…

Photo courtesy of Phil Cook: @photophilcook

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