How does Isco fit in at Real Madrid?

Real Madrid's first signing of the Carlo Ancelotti era is Malaga's attacking midfielder Isco, for a figure reported to be around €30 million. Having recently been on duty with the successful Spanish under-21 side at the European Championships, the whole continent has awoken to the talents of the creative player over the past 12 months. 

After a season of unrest and playing catch up in La Liga, Real Madrid will see the signing as symbolic of the new regime. They will once again be filled with optimism that they can become the dominant power domestically and, given time, finally reclaim their European crown.

Is Henrikh Mkhitaryan Worth £20 million?

I see a lot of old photos of Henrikh Mkhitaryan signing Liverpool jerseys doing the rounds on social media, and I wonder if he really is worth the £20 million or so (multiple figures have been quoted by multiple sources, so I'm not sure which is the exact figure) Liverpool are supposed to be shelling out to acquire his services.

Is F.C. Porto the best “selling club” in Europe?

Some of the dealings that Porto have done over the last 4-5 years seems to suggest that Porto have got a good knack for making a profit in the transfer market. They seem to buy talented players on the cheap, and then make huge profits from their sales a couple of years later. Here’s a look at a few of their dealings.

Footballers and their Celebrity Lookalikes v2.0

Here's a look at a few more footballers and their celebrity lookalikes...

Mario Gomez & Crispin Glover

 

Footballers and their Celebrity Lookalikes v1.0

Here's a look at a few footballers and their Hollywood lookalikes...

Andrea Pirlo & Chuck Norris

 

Player Performance Analysis 2012-13: Iago Aspas

With Iago Aspas reportedly undergoing a medical at Melwood, I have tried to analyze his statistics (courtesy Squawka) from this season's La Liga as to what I think Liverpool will be getting for the reported £7.7 million that they are paying Celta Vigo.

Should Pepe Reina be allowed to leave?

Pepe Reina has been consistently linked with Barcelona ever since Victor Valdes refused to renew his contract which expires at the end of next season.  With Reina expected to leave for the Camp Nou, Liverpool have lined up Sunderland’s Simon Mignolet and Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic as potential replacements should the Spaniard leave.

Photos: Ajanta-Ellora-Aurangabad

It was nearly a year before my trip to France. A few of us decided to go on a trip to Ajanta-Ellora-Aurangabad. It started with an overnight journey in a crowded train to Jalgaon, many people sleepin in the passageway, hoping to secure a berth later in their journey. Shivering against the chill of the early morning, we landed at Jalgaon, taking a bus ride to the caves at Ajanta.

 

Germany: Potential World Cup Winners?

The German club teams have been a revelation over the past three seasons. They have dominated over their much fancied continental rivals, mostly punching above their weight. Yet, they now seem to be the dominant force, and suddenly everybody is queuing up to follow the German model. Built around a self-sustaining model, these clubs have been able to develop and nurture their own talent in a bid to grow a team rather than buy one, investing more than €100 million every year on their youth setup. So far their investment seems to be paying dividends.

If Cricketers were Footballers...

The comparison of cricketers to students is trending on social media at the moment.  It brings to mind the question, what if the crickets were footballers. So, I have tried to find similarities and compare players of the two very different games. Hope you enjoy it....

Who could fill the void left by Suarez’s imminent departure?

Luis Suarez has announced that he wants to leave England citing the constant media hounding as the reason for his decision. Liverpool has announced that they have not got any official intimation from Suarez or his agent and hence Suarez is not for sale. However, in case Suarez does leave, who would be the person to fill the void left by the Uruguayan?