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Although South Africa 2010 only feels like yesterday we are rapidly closing in on Brazil 2014. Qualification is still underway and players are jockeying for position to get in to their national first team or even just to make it on to the plane. For some players, a change of club is the only way they can secure themselves a key role in Brazil. They are either not playing enough first team football, not playing in their best position, or not playing at a high enough standard to be locked in. Below are five players that need to move this summer to make their case for selection.
Cesc Fabregas – Barcelona & Spain
Why does he need to move? Fabregas was the starting ‘false 9? for Spain at Euro 2012 and played there with some success. Manager Vicente Del Bosque is clearly a big fan of his and has tried to find room for him in different set ups. Fabregas suffers more than perhaps any elite player with no longer having a firm position. At Arsenal he was a playmaking midfielder, given license to get himself in to areas where he could score goals. He had the space playing deeper to pick passes and set the tempo and then arrive late to get goals. At Barcelona he has played much further forward, almost as a striker at times. It means he can’t show off his full talents and make a case for a spot in the Spain team. He needs to go somewhere where he will be the absolute main man.
Who is the competition? He’s not going to displace Xavi or Iniesta at club or international level. He is currently behind the ever present Xabi Alonso as the wide passing range option. He’s not a battler like Busquets or Javi Martinez. He could play in an attacking midfield spot but then there’s Silva, Mata, Cazorla and Isco to consider. He might also fall behind Thiago Alcantara if he moves on to be the main man somewhere. Fabregas could easily lose his seat in a game of deckchairs.
Where should he go? Arsenal – He’d be the unquestioned main man, the heart and soul of everything.
Mario Gomez – Bayern Munich & Germany
Why does he need to move? If you were to name an archetypal Pep Guardiola striker, where would Mario Gomez come on the list? Exactly. If he stayed at Bayern he’d be behind Mandzukic and a soon to arrive Lewandowksi in the pecking order. Gomez doesn’t have the overall game or reliable quality that would make him an auto-select for Germany. He’s not assured of his place regardless of game time. He is a form player, needing games to build up a head of steam. Also, he’s been hit and miss in major tournaments.
Who is the competition? Germany are stocked up with attacking options. The thing that is in Gomez’s favor is that he is the only one who poses such physical threat. However, in recent games Germany have experimented with a Spain-like false 9. They have tried Mario Gotze in there, Thomas Muller could play there, Andre Schurrle is a big season with Chelsea away from barging his way up the queue. They’ve also got to find room for Ozil, Draxler and Reus in to the equation, not to mention dark horse Toni Kroos.
Where should he go? It sounds like a deal with Napoli is close but I think he would make huge sense for Arsenal. They lack a pure finisher, a 30 goal man. Gomez can be that with the quality supply he’d get at The Emirates. Would also make a lot of sense for Chelsea for the same reason. Only a big goal total will get him on to the German radar again.
Gonzalo Higuain – Real Madrid & Argentina
Why does he need to move? Higuain said yesterday that he is moving, and about time too. At the 2010 World Cup he was the first choice striker, but has been overtaken by Argentina’s plethora of options, all of whom have the advantage of first team football. Higuain is possibly the most underrated player in the world, a man who has only ever scored goals in La Liga and the Champions League but he’s not flash so he’s easy to overlook which keeps happening to him sat on Real’s bench. He needs to be the big star somewhere.
Who is the competition? Where to start? Everything with the Argentina national team works from Messi out. If they play with a front three they will have; Aguero, Pastore, Tevez, Lamela, Salvio, Lavezzi and Di Maria to squeeze in. And then there’s Higuain.
Where should he go? Juventus – He wants to go, they want him. He would be unquestioned first choice, possibly with Jovetic added too which would only add to an already fervent supply line. Cavani got 29 goals for Napoli this year in Serie A so there is no reason to doubt Higuain could.
Nani – Manchester United & Portugal
Why does he need to move? Something happened to Nani this past season. Was it a blip or was the previous highly productive season the blip? He regressed badly, lacking the ruthless edge he’s previously had and hardly creating anything. Manchester United might change to a formation that, if he even played, would see him moved back deeper, giving him less chances around the box. He doesn’t really have ‘David Moyes Player’ written all over him.
Who is the competition? Nani is relatively lucky in that Portugal aren’t overburdened with attackers beyond Ronaldo. He should make it to Brazil in the squad regardless of game time but will he start? The main rivals would be Varela, Danny, Eliseu and Vieirinha but they don’t have the quality Nani does. However, they will be less rusty and more reliable if he doesn’t move.
Where should he go? He cannot move somewhere for money. It has to be to a good level of competition. Talk of Monaco makes some sense but how about Napoli or Atletico Madrid. Both need quality out wide and both are in the Champions League.
Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea & Belgium
Why does he need to move? Lukaku doesn’t need to move permanently, but unless Mourinho plans to start him, as looks very unlikely, he needs to go out on loan. Lukaku has just had a spectacular season on loan at West Brom which was critical as he is now being challenged by Cristian Benteke for the striker spot in the Belgian team. If Lukaku sits on the Chelsea bench whilst Benteke continues to score goals he is going to lose his starting spot.
Who is the competition? Only really Benteke. It’s pretty much a head to head to start in front of the dazzling midfield talents.
Where should he move to? A move to West Brom or even Swansea is not enough of a step up in quality to nail down the spot as his own. He needs to play in the Champions League ideally. Marseille and Atletico Madrid could offer good quality domestic competition and Champions League football. How about Borussia Dortmund as a dark horse.
