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It recently emerged that Newcastle United attempted, at the end of the 1996/7 season, to coax Sir Alex Ferguson away from the illustrious and decorated colours of Manchester United to the black and white ensigns of the Tyneside club.

And though the move failed to materialise, to the misfortune of Newcastle and their irrepressible fan following, the affiliation between the two sides has been longstanding.

Newcastle were one of Manchester United’s main rivals for Wayne Rooney’s signature in 2004, and the two clubs have been linked in various ways since well before Ashley’s time. Indeed, their battle for the Premier League title in 1996 remains one of the most exciting seasons of all-time even if the Manchester club did win out on that occasion.

And now, 14 years on, though Manchester United have grown in stature considerably, winning 18 major trophies in the process, they currently sit 7th in the league, having endured their most unsuccessful Premier League campaign in 24 years, and are in danger of losing their seat of eminence in the footballing sphere.

Today, David Moyes has fallen victim to the unforgiving machine of managerial tenancy, and with Alan Pardew’s position as Newcastle manager looking increasingly untenable, the club having lost their last five Premier League games, I think Moyes would be an ideal fit for the Tyneside club.

Pardew currently has the lowest win percentage out of any manager in the history of the club (or as far back as Wikipedia tracks, anyway). That says it all.

His tactical nous is, in my opinion, the worst of all managers in the league – even the intensely dull stratagems of Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes are proving more successful that Pardew’s this season.

His stubborn refusal to deviate from his instantly-recognisable 90s-esque long-ball style has been the source of Newcastle’s downfall, and he seems to completely disregard the seemingly obvious positional strengths of our players who, under the right direction, would definitely warrant a top 8 finish.

The angry protests permeating the Newcastle blogosphere right now should not be branded as another example of impatience or heightened estimations of grandeur from Newcastle fans, as was recently remarked by the bothersome Michael Owen: the grievances are very much justified, and there is a desperate need for change: this is where Moyes steps in.

First, Moyes’ style of play would very much suit the players Newcastle have on their books. Yohan Cabaye may now be gone, but in Moussa Sissoko, Vernon Anita and Cheick Tiote, the Scot would have the kind of athletic and technical players he loves to coach.

Newcastle’s squad is also packed with physically powerful players who can easily go for a more blunt, direct style of play when required. Many of their best results this season have actually come from hitting opponents hard rather than out-playing them, such as the win over Chelsea in November.

While managing Everton, Moyes helmed the team to nine top 10 finishes and five top 6 finishes in the eleven years he was there. Furthermore, European qualification was achieved four times in five seasons between 2004 and 2009. And all of this was attained on a shoe-string budget.

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Though managerial involvement in transfer dealings has declined, Moyes has developed a reputation for scouting intuition, and had been solely accredited for many of Everton’s successful acquisitions over the years.  The recent purchases of John Stones, Steve Pienaar and Bryan Oviedo have all proved major successes, having been brought to the club for relatively small fees.

Added to that, Mirallas, Coleman and Baines, as well as club captain Phil Jagielka, senior defender Sylvain Distin and Darron Gibson, all provide a testament to the eye for talent that Moyes evidently has. Hand him the keys to the Magpies transfer kitty and the expertise of Graham Carr and great things could happen at St James.

It is very easy to overplay Newcastle’s stature within English football: the side no longer commands the respect that it boasted in the 90s, as many fans like to maintain, nor can it realistically, right now at least, stake a claim as England’s ‘fifth’ biggest club as it has often been self-branded. Unfortunately, whilst Mike Ashley is still in charge of the club’s running, Newcastle are a long way off that.

Nevertheless, with its irrepressible fan-base, and its longstanding history, it does deserve better. And if the club hopes to restore some much-needed stability, a managerial change is a necessity. David Moyes, therefore, most certainly could help Newcastle to become, once again, a force in English football.

Name: Mathieu Valbuena

Country: France

Club: Marseille

Age: 29

International Caps: 36

Position: Attacking Midfielder

In Franck Ribery’s, Valbuena has certainly assumed a more prominent role for his country this summer. The pint-sized attacking midfielder was noticeably absent in France’s drab 0-0 draw with Ecuador and is expected to return to the starting line-up for this afternoon’s knockout clash with Nigeria. Having reportedly informed Marseille of his intentions to leave this summer, Arsenal and Liverpool are among a host of clubs said to be interested in the 29 year old’s services.

Standing at just five foot six inches tall, Valbuena has battled concerns over his height for the entirety of his career. Primarily used by Marseille on the right of a 4-3-3 in recent times, the Frenchman is capable of fulfilling any attacking role across the midfield. In Ligue 1 this season, the 29 year old accumulated three goals and six assists, averaging an impressive 2.6 key passes per game.

Whilst his domestic form has been respectable, it is for his country in the last twelve months that Valbuena has really caught the eye. Didier Deschamps made the mistake of dropping the 29 year old for the first leg playoff defeat to Ukraine, only to recall the Marseille man to devastating effect in the thrilling 3-0 second leg victory. In France’s recent 5-2 mauling of Switzerland, the midfielder notched a goal and an assist and was observed by many to be the central figure to Les Bleus vibrant attacking play.

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Technically gifted, Valbuena’s attacking threat primarily stems from his agility and movement on and off the ball. Despite his height, the 29 year old doesn’t shy away from his defensive duties and is more than willing to get stuck in to a challenge.

Although he has three years left on his contract, Marseille are believed to be willing to listen to offers around the £8-10 million mark. The diminutive attacking midfielder has impressed at international level in recent times and would certainly provide an experienced and versatile option for either Arsenal or Liverpool. Valbuena will be focused on France’s World Cup fortunes at present but would surely find an offer from one of these Premier League giants as too good to turn down.

From the archaic days of neanderthalic men lining up in 4-4-2 formations and kicking lumps out of each others’ shins, football has become a sport obsessed with the idea of philosophies.

Whether it’s Real Madrid vs Atletico in the Champions League final, Liverpool vs Chelsea in the Premier League  or Bradford City giant-killing Arsenal in the Capital One Cup, every match, big or small, has become a representation of a clash of ideals and identity.

The recent change in management at Manchester United echoes this prevailing trend. In the summer, the Red Devils swapped a gaffer in David Moyes who lacked a vision of his own with Louis van Gaal, a manager whom, in direct contrast, has already made ‘philosophy’ the very conscious catchphrase of his Old Trafford tenure.

Indeed, upon his official arrival at Carrington, after inspiring the Netherlands to a 3rd place finish at the World Cup with an unexpected switch to a 3-4-1-2 formation, the Dutchman proclaimed that a ‘strong philosophy’ was the leading factor in United’s decision to hire him.

The only problem is, four competitive matches into van Gaal’s United career, the strength of his philosophy is yet to come into fruition. The Red Devils are without a win in the Premier League and have already been eliminated from the Capital One Cup via a 4-0 thumping at the hands of League One side MK Dons.

Thus, it must be asked – is van Gaal’s philosophy, the apparent mandate of his legitimacy at Old Trafford, actually that good? Or to better refine the question; does it really suit Manchester United?

Of course, the underlying pillars of van Gaal’s philosophy are an entrenched faith in attacking football and young players. His alumni of debutants, including Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Carles Puyol, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos to name a few, is almost as illustrious as the Ballon d’Or nominations list.

That ideal has already been incredibly prevalent this season; LVG issued debuts to 20 year-old centre-back Tyler Blackett, who has played in every minute of United’s league campaign thus far, and 21 year-old winger Jesse Lingard on the Premier League’s opening weekend, whilst fellow academy graduate Michael Keane came on as a substitute against Sunderland to mark his inaugural top flight outing. This fits naturally with the traditional ethos at Manchester United, a club once immortalised by the infamous quote ‘you can’t win anything with kids’.

Yet, there will be few managers – if any – in world football, who would actively protest against the regular inclusion of young players. Likewise, if the introduction of Blackett, Lingard and Keane can be considered an inevitable process of the van Gaal philosophy, then his decision to part with Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra at the start of the summer must be too. There’s hardly a school of thought around Carrington that suggests this was a mistake, but it’s impossible to dispute that, with no defender older than Johnny Evans at 26, Manchester United’s three-man backline has desperately lacked in experience, direction and leadership this season.

Perhaps that process is somewhat inevitable. After all, the Red Devils have entered a new era, one van Gaal wants to develop from the ground up rather than drawing out the transition process from Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign to his any longer.

But there are other parts of the van Gaal philosophy that don’t add up, most particularly his introduction of 3-4-1-2. From a tactical perspective, this formation is more commonly utilised by teams expecting to completely dominate their opponents or be completely dominated by them, yet in the Premier League, undisputedly the most competitive top flight in world football, there are few matches that actually pan out in this manner.

That’s not to say it’s a system completely alien to the Premier League; Steve Bruce has utilised it to secure promotion, a 16th place Premier League finish and Europa League qualification at Hull City.

Yet, the summit of the English top flight is a different challenge altogether. Under the leadership of Roberto Mancini, Manchester City  threw away their title defence campaign in 2012/13 as the players struggled to adapt to the Italian’s Serie A inspired 3-5-2. With United now struggling under a likewise system, one has to consider whether three-man defences are unsuitable to a top flight characterised by road-running wingers and quick, frequent transitions of play, especially without proven specialists in specialised roles – the situation United now find themselves in.

Of course, creating a new philosophy takes time – van Gaal has remarked on several occasions that he expects the transition to take around three months, and in that period, neither results nor performances will be particularly pleasing. Manchester United is a specifically difficult club to instigate drastic changes of ideals too; they’ve had two managers since 1986 and have forever been a club based around the notions of back-four-double-wideman football.

Yet there is a warning from the past that van Gaal’s philosophy can be a double-edged sword. As German sports writer Raphael Honigstein explains: ” The 4-3-3 formation brought the best out of many Bayern players [in van Gaal’s first season in charge] and gave their play a sense of identity, something that hadn’t been seen in Munich for quite a while.

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“The season after, the formation became a dogma. He never diverted from it. Not when the opposition had worked out a way to deal with, not when specific games warranted it, nor when key players were injured. Instead, players were shuffled around inside the system and often ended up in very unfamiliar positions.”

Clearly, it’s too early to say whether van Gaal’s philosophy will be a success at Manchester United and equally, it remains to be seen how the club’s late summer recruitment influences his first team plans. But thus far, there’s little to suggest the Dutchman’s ideals, his faith in young players, his desire for attacking football, his utilisation of 3-4-1-2, is any cleverer, wiser or more efficient than the many diverse and successful philosophies that already exist in the Premier League.

One certainly remains however; whether title-laden or wooden-spooned, whether eventually compared to Ferguson as a United great or David Moyes as a United failure, whether victorious or defeated, van Gaal is a manager determined to live or die by his own proverbial sword.

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For many young footballers, rising to the very top in English football is something they can only dream of.

AFC Wimbledon’s youthful midfielder, Jake Nicholson has endured disappointment and success, despite only being 22-years-old. The Dons centre midfielder was released by Premier League side West Ham United in the early stages of his career, before fellow top flight Londoners Tottenham Hotspur took a chance on him. After only making a handful of appearances, including coming on a substitute in the Europa League qualifier against Hearts three years ago, Spurs felt he was surplus to requirements.

Nicholson then decided to play his football elsewhere, consequently moving to Finnish side M.Y.P.A, before moving back to the United Kingdom to play for Greenock Morton in Scotland. Nicholson said that more young English players should experience playing in another country in order to develop more as a player.

Nicholson told FootballFanCast: “It was a really good experience for me. You don’t really realize that after being released by both West Ham and Tottenham, moving abroad, like I did in Finland, could result in playing Champions League football. You don’t really realise that in countries like that, and you don’t really realize how big the football is out there. In Finland, football is the only thing going in on that sort of country. It was just a great spell and a good experience.”

The midfielder added: “Looking at the Premier League, you’ve got mostly footballers from abroad. As you look further down the leagues, you’ve got more English players. People say the football gets worse. I’m a big fan of playing football from a technical perspective. People wouldn’t say to the likes of Xavi or Iniesta that there too small to play football, or telling Messi to win the second ball, in England’s League Two, they do that.

“It’s sometimes hard for players like myself that get cultured at a club where you have technical matches at somewhere like Spurs and Arsenal and you don’t quite make the grade, get released, go into League One or League Two and it’s a massive shock. They’ve got to adapt something about the players at big clubs going out on loan early doors because it really opens your eyes.”

After an eventful start to his footballing journey, despite only being 22 years of age, Nicholson is now settled nicely at League Two outfit AFC Wimbledon. The creative spark has expressed he would like to get more games under his belt.

“I haven’t been playing as much as I like”, said Nicholson. “The style of League Two football is very hard considering where I’ve come from. Being at Spurs from when I was a child, and making my debut for them, I like playing technical football, and obviously to go off the back of a bad injury and go into the third tier was pretty hard to adapt. I started the game against Wycombe Wanderers, and spent 90 minutes with the ball in the air. When I did get the ball, I couldn’t really play my own game.

“It’s very hard, but I know what I’ve got to do to conquer the league, and part of that is to do the dirty side of it, getting tackles in and breaking up the play. It is what it is, but I just have to deal with it. I would like to play more, but my style is not really going with the league at the moment. That’s might be where the manager is having second thoughts. But I just need a manager to trust me really.”

The Dons have not won in their last four league games; however, their next two games against Dagenham & Redbridge and Oxford United could prove to be vital, as both are also struggling to get points on the board. Nicholson admits it’s too early to tell if these are both must win matches.

“Every game is a must win game. You go into every game trying to win. I don’t think anyone would want to go into a game trying to draw, but considering how tight League Two can be, you would think the next two games could help us get on a run and build momentum.”

“If you look at previous games, we beat Burton Albion who were top of the league at the time, we did the same to Bury. It just goes to show you there is a thin line in this league. In a short space of time, most of the bottom half teams could be challenging at the top come the end of the season. But there’s no lack of confidence in the team, and it is showing with every training session.”

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For a player of Nicholson’s calibre and huge potential, seeing the midfield maestro play in League Two will show that the league can offer something different to just aggressive play, and showcase that the league does have technical ability amongst its ranks.

Nicholson is a prime example of a player who can easily bring that added quality.

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Mauricio Pochettino has recently been linked with a move for his former Southampton star Jay Rodriguez to add some extra venom to his very limited Tottenham Hotspur front line.

With Roberto Soldado’s future at White Hart Lane still in doubt, the club may need to add at least two additional players to their strike-force in order to relieve pressure on the midfielders who Pochettino may turn to in order to grab goals for the side.

Should Rodriguez make a move to join his former manager, here are FIVE additional players who could follow him to Spurs.

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CLICK ON JAMES MILNER TO SEE THE FULL LIST

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Saido Berahino

Name: Saido Berahino

Age: 21

Position: Striker

Nationality: England

Club: West Bromwich Albion

Price: £25 million (asking price)

Saido Berahino could spark a huge bidding war in January as his current form for West Bromwich Albion is exceptional. He has already netted eight goals in 11 appearances and at only 21, he could become a leading striker, especially under the tutelage of someone like Mauricio Pochettino.

The only thing that is standing in the way is that his huge asking price may ward off any offers despite the serious interest. A rather young pairing of Jay Rodriguez and Berahino could fit into the club’s plan as they move forward into the future.

Christoph Kramer

Name: Christoph Kramer

Age: 23

Position: Defensive Midfield

Nationality: Germany

Club: Borussia Monchengladbach (on-loan from Bayer Leverkusen)

Price: £10 – £15 million

Despite having a strong midfield in comparison to their attacking presence, Tottenham Hotspur are lacking a commanding anchorman capable of turning defence into attack very quickly. The club’s technical director Franco Baldini is said to have sent scouts on more than one occasion to track the progress of Christoph Kramer.

His great form during and leading up to the World Cup in Brazil earned him a placed in the starting XI against Argentina in the finals, showing that his manager has a lot of faith in his abilities. If Mauricio Pochettino decides to offload Roberto Soldado in January, his sale could fund a move for the 23-year-old.

Morgan Schneiderlin

Name: Morgan Schneiderlin

Age: 24

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Nationality: France

Club: Southampton

Price: £15 – £18 million

Mauricio Pochettino has been targeting Morgan Schneiderlin ever since he was appointed as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur and could very well make another move for the midfielder. It was believed that he was keen on a switch but was eventually denied an exit.

He has appeared in all of Southampton’s matches this season, scoring three goals in nine. However, if he sees Jay Rodriguez join a host of players exiting the club in the past few months, he could once again look to force a move despite the fact that his side currently sit second in the league.

Winston Reid

Name: Winston Reid

Age: 26

Position: Centre-Back

Nationality: New Zealand

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Club: West Ham United

Price: £4 – £8 million

Winston Reid is currently one of the top defensive targets in the Premier League with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United all interested in his signature. He has scored one goal from nine matches and has been a vital force for West Ham United as they sit fourth in the league.

Tottenham Hotspur can easily snap him up in January due to the halt in his contract negotiations with the club, meaning that if the Hammers don’t want to lose him for free in the summer, they will be forced to sell him for a cut price deal. Spurs don’t have the best defensive record, so adding someone like Reid could give them the stability they need.

James Milner

Name: James Milner

Age: 28

Position: Right Midfield

Nationality: England

Club: Manchester City

Price: £5 – £8 million

James Milner’s future at Manchester City is currently in doubt as a number of clubs are considering to accept his plea for regular first team football. With news that he could be facing a club exit, Manuel Pellegrini is trying to keep him happy by letting him feature in a number of matches, yet it is still unclear if he will extend his deal.

His work rate will be seen as a huge asset to Mauricio Pochettino, who is keen to push for a top four finish. Although Spurs currently have a large number of midfielders, a bid around a region of £6million could be very tempting as the club are looking to improve on their form.

In a fantastic 17 year career as a professional footballer, defender Danny Higginbotham recently called it quits and decided to hang up his boots for good. Instead of the usual route of going into coaching, the former Derby County man when into Media as a football pundit for BT Sport.

The 35-year-old says that he felt out of love with the game, which is one of the reasons why he didn’t want to be involved in a coaching role at a club. Higginbotham also said that he is enjoying the quick transition from putting his boots on every weekend, to putting his suit and tie on to give his thoughts and opinions as a pundit.

Higginbotham exclusively told FootballFanCast: “It was a transitional period for me. I went to part-time football because I’d had enough of playing full time. The media thing started, getting little bits here and there, and I was really enjoying it. It was probably the best thing for me when I finished playing football, because I had enough of playing it. I got to a point where the media side of things was where I was enjoying it more. Don’t get me wrong, when football was at its peak, nothing could compare, but where it had got to, the media was far more enjoyable for me than actually playing.”

“Coaching and doing my coaching badges didn’t really appeal to me”, added Higginbotham. “Unless you’re at a top club, I think it’s very difficult not have your hands tied behind your back. One of the things with me was coaching and management was constant. I wanted to step back a little bit and spend more time with the family aswell.”

The Manchester born defender also served Premier League side Stoke City with distinction, playing a total of 109 appearances for the Potteries over a two year spell, scoring 11 goals in the process. Higginbotham openly said he has no idea why Ryan Shawcross is not in the England set up, saying he is one of the best five centre half’s in the Premier League.

“I think if you look over the last year or two, it will be difficult to name four or five more consistent centre back’s than him. A lot has been said, including myself saying that he seems to be the team that you play for. If you look at some of the players ability and form players have been showing and still not getting in the squad, and it applies for Ryan.”

Grappling and holding to an opponent in the penalty area has been widespread in the Premier League thus far, with Shawcross being a prime suspect. Higginbotham added that this may be one of the reasons why Hodgson is continually ignoring Shawcross.

“When it was brought up, particularly in the Swansea game where he gave away a penalty, Mark Hughes did something very clever and took Shawcross off the marking responsibility. This enabled Shawcross to attack the ball, which suited him better. Whenever he is in the penalty area, all eyes are on him about what he’s going to do. If that’s the reason why he’s not getting picked for England then that’s wrong. It can be something that can be easily sorted out which Hughes has done a Stoke.”

As well as playing for the Britannia Stadium outfit, Higginbotham once plied his trade at current high flyers Southampton and strugglers Sunderland. The recently retired player is one of many to be surprised at how well the Saints are doing, while he also thinks the Black Cats have a long season ahead.

“Southampton have surprised me. I don’t mind holding my hands up to that. After what happened during the summer, I thought it was a disaster waiting to happen, and I been proved completely wrong, which I’m more than happy about. I think what happens sometimes is when your star players move on; it enables other players within the squad to step up to the plate, and show what they’re capable of, and that’s what’s happened. I think Ronald Koeman’s come in, untested in the Premier League, and he’s been fantastic. He’s scouting network and player recruitment has been outstanding.”

“Sunderland on the other hand just can’t seem to get results together. There conceding too many goals and not scoring enough. It’s going to be difficult for them because one thing they don’t want to find themselves in is the positon they were in last season because they won’t be able to do that again.”

Higginbotham also had the honour of representing Gibraltar at the age of 34 years old, playing three times for the country before calling it a day. With lesser nations in the qualifying group stages being beaten on a regular basis, Higginbotham described talk of a different tournament being played, which gives nations lower down the rankings more of a chance of winning as ‘arrogant.’

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“The teams that get through to the major tournaments like the European Championships and the World Cup are there because they deserve it. When people say things about a separate FA Cup style tournament for the lesser nations is like saying why should a team from non-league play a Premier League team? I just think it’s an arrogant thing when people say things like that. Why shouldn’t the smaller nations have the opportunity to play against the lesser nations and have a great experience?  It’s something that they can tell their kids and grandchildren about. Look at Gibraltar, went to Germany, got beat 4-0, and gave a very good account of themselves.”

With a long and flourishing footballing career under his belt, its safe to say that many people will be looking forward to seeing more of Danny Higginbotham’s honest views and opinions in the media spotlight.

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Manchester City’s title chances will be significantly boosted if Wilfried Bony completes his big money move from Swansea to the Etihad Stadium this month, according to former England boss Glenn Hoddle.

The Sky Blues are currently two points adrift of table toppers Chelsea in the running for the big prize, with the eventual destination of the trophy expected to be Eastlands or west London.

Bony, who is currently away with Cote d’Ivoire at the AFCON, is expected to complete his switch to City before the month is out, where he will compete with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic for a starting berth, and is seen as a key coup with Manuel Pellegrini having been without an orthodox centre-forward in recent times due to a series of injuries.

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And Hoddle feels that 2014’s top scorer in the Premier League with 20 goals will have a big say in where the title goes this term:

“For sure the deal gives City a much better chance of catching Chelsea,” he told Zapsports.com. “But I have to say with Bony’s signing it makes it far too close to call. Either side could win the title this season.

“I have a feeling it will be nip and tuck all the way to the very end. City clawed their way back to level at the top with Chelsea but then dropped a couple of points, but its going to be a little like that from now on in.”

However, Hoddle thinks that Pellegrini may have his work cut out fitting Bony and Aguero into his plans:

“Bony is used to playing up front on his own in the Swansea set up, but at City Manuel Pellegrini plays with two up top.

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“So how well City do in the second half of the season – once Bony arrives – will depend on how he can fit in with Aguero.

“But for me it is a positive move by City in their quest to hold on to the Premier League title and now it’s up to the coach to see how he can make them work together and forge an understanding together.”

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Every season Arsenal bring in a top player, start strongly and then post-Christmas are back to their usual fourth place fight.

And though they have mastered this process, for a growing number of supporters it isn’t enough, despite the increase in competition for these places. 

Personally I like and respect Arsene Wenger. He is the last of the Premier League’s long-term one-club managers. Even though Wenger has managed other teams, namely seven years at AS Monaco, after 18 seasons as the Gunners’ main man, Arsene will forever be associated with the club. I’m sure he would like to stay until he is ready to retire, but some fans seem hell-bent on preventing that.

At 65, Wenger should stay for a few more seasons and then either retire or perhaps try something a little different in the shape of international management with the France national team.

Some Arsenal fans have forgotten that coming top four is an honour that not all clubs have achieved, let alone the amazing feat of doing it every season. He should be respected for this achievement, not resented. It is Arsene who led his 2003/04 squad through their ‘Invincibles’ season and has helped them win three Premier League titles and five FA Cups, making Arsenal one of England’s most successful.

Arsene has seen huge changes in English football from the spiralling wage bills to financial fair play and through-out he has kept Arsenal relevant and competitive. Even with a culture of managers getting the chop after just one bad season, some even less, Wenger has stayed true to his tactics and belief in his ability to take the team forward.

Now I understand that some fans like Wenger but I just feel that he doesn’t have the ambition or vision to take the club any further than he has.  After all ,Arsenal have finished third or fourth nine times in the last ten years and haven’t looked like winning the League since they did back in 2004.

But to bring in a new flashy continental manager may be exciting but there is every possibility that their fortunes could take a downward spiral in a similar way to Manchester United’s. Sir Alex Ferguson led United to top spot in his last season and yet, only 12 months later, the Red Devils were wallowing in seventh with no Champion’s League football on the horizon.

Arsenal will have to weigh up the pros and cons of that risk. At least now they are offering top European football played by some exceptional domestic and international talent. The Emirates was and continues to be a highly sought after place to ply your trade.

This season has seen Arsenal win the Community Shield and reach the semi-final of the FA Cup, they sit in third and are still in with a chance of progressing through to the Champion’s League quarter-finals. But I guess you can’t please everyone as, come the end of the season, when Arsenal finish in third or fourth like they always do, some Gunners will still be calling for Wenger to get the chop.

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If they do get their wish then let’s hope for their sake that they don’t live to regret moving on Arsenal’s most decorated manager.

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It’s been a disappointing few weeks for Manchester City, who were not only dumped out the Champions League yet again before the quarter-final stage, but have seen their hopes of regaining the Premier League come to an abrupt halt.

After being outclassed by Barcelona, they momentarily found themselves in danger of falling out of the top four having fallen behind Arsenal and Manchester City in the table, but eased those fears with a valuable win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

But with pressure growing on Manuel Pellegrini and his ageing squad, there is expected to be plenty of change at the Etihad this summer with some high-profile exits on the cards and new signings in the pipeline.

The club are thought to be looking towards talented English players as part of their summer recruitment in order to fulfil the home-grown quota of players for next season’s Champions League, should they make it that is, and there’s a number of stars that have been linked with a move to the reigning champions during the transfer window.

And with this in mind, here are five English stars that could be high on Manchester City’s shopping list this summer…

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Theo Walcott

Since returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury, Theo Walcott has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal. And with just over a year left on his contract his future at the Emirates is in some doubt.

The forward is keen to get back playing regularly and may feel he needs to move in order to do so.

While he has been heavily linked to Liverpool in recent weeks, Manchester City are also thought to be monitoring the situation and could give Arsenal the chance to cash in on the England star with a bid this summer.

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling put all of England’s top clubs on standby after refusing to sign a new contract at Liverpool recently and could be set for a move away from Anfield if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Sterling has emerged as one of the league’s brightest talents over the past couple of seasons, and with his current deal set to run out in 2017, Liverpool are in danger of losing another star player.

City are reportedly one of the favourites to sign the 20-year-old, who are said to have made him on of their key targets this summer in a deal that could cost upwards of £50m.

Ross Barkley

Despite failing to produce the same level of football that saw him become a huge hit for Everton last season, Ross Barkley is still one of English footballs hottest properties, and remains a target for last year’s champions.

With the future of some of their star midfielders in doubt, Barkley has been targeted to add some much need energy in the middle of park and could be the subject of another large bid this summer.

The Blues are desperate to keep the youngster and have put a £50m price tag on him to try and fend off interest. While he may be advised to stay at Everton for a little while longer, the lure of City may prove too much for 21-year-old should they come calling.

Jay Rodriguez

Jay Rodriguez certainly won’t have fond memories of the Etihad Stadium after picking up a terrible knee injury at the back end of last season that put an end to his World Cup hopes.

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The cruciate knee injury has kept him out of action all season, but this hasn’t kept him out of the minds of City who have kept him on their radar.

It’s thought he could cost in excess of £20m should they look to prize him away from the South coast, but some impressive performances last season showed he could certainly be a useful addition to their Champions League squad.

Jack Wilshere

Arsenal must be fed up of Manchester City after the Blues have taken a number of their star men from their grasp in recent years. But they may not be done yet, and the next one that could swap London for Manchester is Jack Wilshere.

City are thought to be lining up a move for the midfielder this summer, and if willing to meet Arsenal’s valuation of £25m could well be in with a chance of landing the 23-year-old.

Wilshere once again has been plagued by injury this season which could well tempt Arsenal to cash in on the England star, but there’s no doubting that when on form he is one of the best midfielders in the division and one that would really improve the City team.

Liverpool hero Phil Thompson believes his old side’s season would have been far more successful had they signed Alexis Sanchez, and that he would have not let Luis Suarez head to Barcelona unless the now Arsenal ace was arriving at Anfield.

The Chilean was the Merseysiders’ major target last summer when it became clear that their 31-goal hit-man was eager to join the Catalan side.

But despite moves from the Reds to land Sanchez, he ultimately went to the Emirates Stadium, with ‘London life’ cited as a major factor.

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The ex-Udinese man has since gone on to emerge as one of the Premier League’s finest attacking talents, and has netted 14 league goals – more than the Liverpool’s orthodox strikers combined.

Brendan Rodgers’ team are now all but out of the running for a top four finish following a limp showing at Hull – they lost 1-0 – and with FA Cup semi-final defeat, their season is looking a train wreck following a second place finish just under a year ago.

And Thompson believes that things could have been different with Sanchez in the XI:

“Suarez is a big-game player who demands things from other players,” he told Sky Sports. “Why was Daniel Sturridge so good last year? Because Suarez demanded it, Raheem Sterling the same.

“The talk was that Liverpool had made a big bid for Sanchez. I wouldn’t have let Suarez get in the taxi to the airport if Sanchez hadn’t have already done the deal,

“Liverpool were in the driving seat on this. They could have said to Suarez, ‘sorry, as much as you want it to go and it’s Barcelona, you are not going anywhere until he signs.’

“I know there were family issues and that’s why he went to London but I wouldn’t have let it (the Suarez transfer) happen.”

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