Having just called time on his England career, Steven Gerrard will now be fully focussed on helping Liverpool achieve something they went so close to doing last season: winning their first Premier League title. The responsibility of captaining the Three Lions will now go to someone else, as the Reds midfielder steps aside after representing his country an incredible 114 times.
As Jose Mourinho continues to mould his Chelsea side after returning to Stamford Bridge last summer, one man who could be leaving is Marko Marin. The midfielder arrived at the club in 2012 but has had an unproductive two years at the club, featuring only 15 times in all competitions for the Blues.
Mocked by many of Liverpool’s rivals, the price tag for Adam Lallana is reported to be just short of £24 million. According to the Daily Mail, Brendan Rodgers has been quick to defend his purchase, claiming that the player is good investment for the club.
With Thibaut Courtois finally set to return from Atletico Madrid, Chelsea have serious competition for the position between the sticks. The 22-year-old Belgian has been on loan at the Spanish club since 2011, and he has since managed to make a real name for himself during a move initially made for him to gain playing time.
If you are trying to impress your new manager, scoring two goals in a game is certainly the right way to go about it. That is exactly what Ashley Young did in Manchester United’s 7-0 demolition of LA Galaxy.
Hugely impressive for Chelsea during his time at Stamford Bridge, Florent Malouda has largely been forgotten since leaving the Premier League. According to the Daily Mail, however, the Frenchman could be on his way back to England’s top flight.
Mostly linked with Southampton players this summer having already signed Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, Liverpool are reportedly set to look away from the south-coast club for one of their next moves. According to the Guardian, Atletico Madrid’s Javier Manquillo is a target of Brendan Rodgers as he attempts to address his side’s defensive problems.
As rumours linked him with a possible return to Stamford Bridge, former Chelsea midfielder Tiago Mendes has signed a new deal with Atletico Madrid. The 33-year-old helped the La Liga side clinch their first league title since 1996 last season and Talksport have reported that he has now committed his future to the club.