Manchester United are reportedly pulling out of the race to sign Harry Kane this summer. The Tottenham Hotspur striker has made it clear that he intends on leaving this summer, and Old Trafford was one of the possible destinations for him.
However, a transfer for the England captain would cost in excess of €120 million right now, especially considering he has a few years left on his current deal with Spurs. Manchester City and Chelsea are the two other clubs interested in his services, with both needing a recognised number 9.
So, instead of signing Kane this summer, United are trusting Edinson Cavani to hold down the fort for the 21/22 season. The Uruguayan recently signed a contract extension for one more year and will be trusted to lead the line for the entirety of the campaign.
They are planning on joining the race for Erling Haaland next summer instead, with the Norwegian’s €75 million release clause coming into play from 2022. This summer, they are planning on revisiting Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho. The German club will accept bids under €100 million and have a verbal agreement with Sancho to let him leave if an early bid arrives.
On the goalkeeping front, Tom Heaton has rejoined Manchester United and has signed a contract until 2023. The deal is done, and the player will undergo medicals in the upcoming days to finalise the deal. Heaton came through the United academy and spent numerous spells out on loan. He joined Burnley in 2013, and Aston Villa in ’19, and will now return as the third choice keeper for United, replacing Sergio Romero.
The UEFA Euro 2020 will take place in June 2021, after a year’s delay owing to the COVID-19 pandemic putting a halt on footballing activities in the summer of 2020.
Most teams have already announced their squads for the tournament and with UEFA giving the privilege to the participating nations of increasing the squad limit to 26 instead of the usual 23, teams have grabbed the opportunity to name some young talents as well as versatile options that could be useful at crucial moments throughout the tournament.
Here are the top five contenders to win the UEFA Euro 2020.
5. England
England narrowly beat Luis Enrique’s Spain to make this list. The England side has so much squad depth that after England manager Gareth Southgate released his 33-man provisional list, you just can’t guess who will make it into the final squad. And even in that list players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka are missing.
The Three Lions boast some incredible talent in their ranks as starting up top will be Premier League golden boot winner Harry Kane with Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, and Raheem Sterling giving him company.
Southgate will hope to build on his team’s 2018 FIFA World Cup success, where they reached the semi-finals and do well in Euro 2020. The future stars of the country who have already made a name for themselves will also be a part of the squad including Phil Foden, Mason Mount, and Mason Greenwood.
Harry Maguire might be absent due to injury and that could be a big blow as he has had a great season for his club.
Ahead of naming his final #EURO2020 squad next week, Gareth Southgate has selected 33 players to join up with the #ThreeLions from this weekend as our preparations for this summer's tournament get under way.
Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was a huge dent in their reputation, however, Roberto Mancini, former Inter Milan and Manchester City boss, has quietly done an impressive job as Italy manager after taking over from Gian Piero Ventura.
The Azzurri are on the ascendancy once again, with a heady mix of youth and experience forming the core of the team.
Mancini has also announced a 33-member preliminary squad for Euro 2020. Experienced players such as Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Ciro Immobile, and Lorenzo Insigne have all been named while upcoming stars like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Moise Kean, and Alessandro Bastoni could all make their mark in Euro 2020.
3. Belgium
Since the past few big tournaments you always think that this might be Belgium’s year, but it just never is. Their squad has been announced for UEFA Euro 2020 and once again they boast of a deep squad with cover in every position.
Given the Red Devils’ limited defensive personnel, especially in the full-back positions, manager Roberto Martinez looks likely to play three men at the back. Up front, the dreaded trio of Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, and Kevin De Bruyne could run riots. But that’s not all, as they have options galore in Thorgan Hazard, Youri Tielemans, Yannick Carrasco, and Axel Witsel ready to make a mark on the game.
Belgium’s good performances in the UEFA Nations League will give them a boost of confidence.
Portugal will look to defend their crown in a more convincing manner than the one they won in 2016. They arguably boast of a better squad right now so that is a possibility.
The final squad brimming with quality has been announced by manager Fernando Santos. The big names include Manchester City star Ruben Dias, who has been one of the best centre-back in the world this season, Serie A top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, City midfielder Bernardo Silva, Manchester United’s ‘magnifico’ Bruno Fernandes, and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
Portugal’s strength and depth are impressive, however, it’s been said that the centre-back position might be an issue. With only Dias, 38-year old Pepe, who had an impressive run in the Champions League, and 37-year old Jose Fonte, who won the Ligue-1 with Lille, as the options. That doesn’t sound too much of an issue, but let’s see if the age factor does play in.
Cristiano Ronaldo, as usual, will look to lead his team from the front.
1. France
Didier Deschamps’ World Cup-winning France are the overwhelming favorites to win Euro 2020, and rightly so.
The France squad has been announced and the fact that the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Tanguy Ndombele, Nabil Fekir, Anthony Martial, and Houssem Aouar have not been added to the list tells you what an incredibly strong squad depth they have.
An already phenomenal French attack will now also see the addition of one of the best strikers in the game, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. The usual suspects have all been named, including Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, N’golo Kante, Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane.
Barring something unexpected, This French team has the capability to dominate the international stage for the next few years, at the very least.
Harry Kane finished the 20/21 Premier League season as the top scorer in the league. The England captain also bagged the playmaker award for providing the most number of assists across the 38 games.
This is the first time that a single player has scored the most goals and provided the most assists since Andy Cole in 1993-94.
Despite his attacking contributions, and winning the third Golden Boot of his career, Tottenham finished 7th. They will be competing in the inaugural Europa Conference League next season, the third tier of European football.
1 – Harry Kane finished the season as both the top goalscorer and top assister in the Premier League (23 goals, 14 assists) – only the second time a player has finished with both the outright most goals and assists in the competition after Andy Cole in 1993-94. Multifaceted. pic.twitter.com/04Y7r2m7Oc
Owing to this lack of Champions League football and Tottenham’s perennial drought when it comes to trophies, Kane has decided to leave the club. The player has been clear about his intention of winning trophies, which can only happen away from the Spurs.
Chelsea, Manchester United and City are all interested in his services and will be bidding for the player this summer. Kane is among the best forwards in the continent, and his ability to create along with his finishing ability makes him doubly threatening.
Kane has a contract till 2023, and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will be determined to try and keep a hold of his star player. However, due to him being adamant about a transfer, a move could most probably materialise in the summer.
The striker wants to stay in England, so a move abroad is off the cards. And with Sergio Aguero departing Manchester City, fans wouldn’t be very far off when betting on a move to the Etihad.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane has been in tremendous form this season. He has scored 32 goals and also provided 16 assists this season, but due to Spurs’ poor form, he hasn’t been able to win anything.
Interestingly, Kane still has no trophies in his cabinet despite being one of the best strikers in England. The most notable trophy is the Champions League runners-up trophy.
According to many reports, Kane wants to leave Spurs at the end of this season and join a team where he can win many trophies.
Harry Kane to @GNev2: “I want to play the Champions League… I’m not desperate to do anything. I want to be playing in the biggest games.
I've said before, I'd never say that I'd stay at Spurs for the rest of my career. I'd never say that I would leave Spurs”. ⚪️ #THFC
While appearing as a guest on Gary Neville’s ‘The Overlap’, Kane said that he wants to take control of his own future.
“I want to be playing in the biggest games, the biggest moments.”
“I hope that we can have that conversation.”
Harry Kane about his future: “I don't know, I mean he [Daniel Levy] might want to sell me. He might be thinking 'If I could get £100m for you, then why not?'… do you know what I mean? I'm not going to be worth that for the next two or three years”, he told @GNev2. ⚪️ #THFC
“I’m sure that [Daniel Levy, Tottenham Chairman] will want to set out the plan of where he sees it but ultimately it’s going to be down to me and how I feel and what’s going to be the best for me and my career this moment in time.”
Harry Kane about his future: “I think there is definitely a conversation to be had. It’s a moment where I have to reflect and have a conversation with the chairman.
I hope we’ve a good enough relationship. After 16 years, I hope that we can have a honest conversation”. ⚪️ #THFC
Harry Kane was also spotted to go on an appreciation lap after the last match as if he was bidding farewell. It seems Kane really wants to sign for a team that will fight for the league and the Champions League every season.
The England international reportedly prefers to stay in England. So all the top clubs in England have started evaluating their options to sign Kane. It will be an interesting transfer window.
In a rather remarkable 48 hours that have seen Harry Kane being strongly linked with a transfer, a lot has been uncovered in the last few hours. According to renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the player has not officially handed in a transfer request to Spurs.
However, he wishes to leave the club. Daniel Levy asked the England captain to give him a year to turn things around last year. But, things have turned even worse for the London whites and they find themselves in the Europa League once again.
Manchester City are the favourites to land the player, and with Sergio Aguero leaving the club, the club are looking for a striker as well. Pep Guardiola was asked regarding City’s intentions of bidding for the player, and to that he simply said: ‘Next question. He is a Tottenham Hotspur player, please.’
The striker has a contract with Spurs until 2023, and Tottenham will need about £120 million to make the transfer feasible. Other clubs outside of the country have been linked with Kane, but the 28-year-old wishes to stay in England. Real Madrid and Barcelona have massive amounts of debt, and cannot fund the transfer.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich and PSG are happy with their forwards and do not want to invest that kind of money in another striker.
Daniel Levy will certainly want to keep Kane at the club, but he will have to let the player go if he pushes for a transfer. Kane wants his future sorted out before Euro 2020, and the next few weeks will be vital in deciding his future.
With 22 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League, Harry Kane is the highest scorer and the highest assister in the Premier League. According to various sources that include Sky Sports and the Telegraph, the England captain has asked to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
The striker has informed the club of his decision and expects his future to be sorted out before Euro 2020, which is about a month away.
Harry Kane has told Tottenham he wants to leave, with Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea all interested in him, according to Sky Sports News 👀 pic.twitter.com/iozYjvfWYt
Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are all in talks with the player’s representatives. Kane has reportedly asked his agents to arrange for a move in England since he does not want to move abroad.
Despite Kane’s numbers skyrocketing, the best that Tottenham can offer him next season is Europa League football. That was the case this season as well, and they crashed out of the league in a rather humiliating fashion, bottling their lead against Dinamo Zagreb.
Harry Kane made it clear to Daniel Levy that he wants to leave Tottenham for another Premier League club, sources told @JamesOlley. pic.twitter.com/svwAlPyJHI
Tottenham has asked for replacements for the 27-year-old, which is the best indicator that they plan for next season without the striker. While Daniel Levy is a difficult character to deal with from a business perspective, Kane’s desire to leave could force Spurs to accept a lower bid for the player than they would’ve liked.
Kane clearly deserves to compete for silverware every season, given his talent and ability to win matches independently. At 27, his trophy cabinet is empty, and a move to either one of Chelsea, United or City could prove to be exactly what he needs to accumulate some well-deserved trophies to mark his career as an undisputed success.
The most prestigious individual award in modern football, the Ballon d’Or, celebrates the beautiful game’s best player from the previous year. Now it is worth noting that the Ballon d’Or is not the be-all-and-end-all of football as it has been seen by recent trends that it is often biased towards those who shine in the Champions League, have Media hype, big moments, and win trophies.
In fact, all Ballon dOr winners since 2007 have either won the Champions League or been the competition’s top goalscorer, and all since 2007 have reached at least the semi-finals stage.
We do not see an obvious standout this year, however, this summer’s international tournaments could be decisive. The Copa America and the European Championships will conclude a hectic summer for international players.
As things stand, here are the top ten leading candidates for the 2021 Ballon d’Or.
10. Erling Braut Haaland
Erling Haaland has gone from a relatively unknown teenager to one of the game’s hottest properties in the last two years. Since his move to Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund, the Norwegian has been truly special, scoring a staggering 53 goals in 56 appearances in all competitions.
With ten goals, Haaland is almost certainly going to be the Champions League’s top scorer for 2020/21, his main claim to the Ballon d’Or. However, he may end the season without any silverware, with just the DFB Pokal left to play for. Even then, this probably won’t be enough.
9. Phil Foden
Phil Foden has been a patient lad waiting for his opportunity to shine at Manchester City. But it has all been worth the wait, and now he’s shining in a brilliant team.
The youngster scored in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund and assisted Riyad Mahrez in the semi-finals. Big performance in the final will do wonders for him.
Being a young English talent in a big side, the hype is always going to follow him. A Champions League win with this hype should be his claim to the prize.
On the other hand, he could be overshadowed by some of the other superstars at the Etihad(but more on them later). Nonetheless, if he does well with England in the summer, he may have a decent shot.
8. Harry Kane
Speaking of Englishmen, here’s the leader of the attack line. Tottenham Hotspur has had a torrid season, but Harry Kane has never let his standards slip. The forward reached new heights this year, leading the Premier League in both goals and assists with 21 and 13 respectively. The hype is definitely there.
A great Premier League record coupled with a Euro win while captaining his England side could be a big claim for the prize.
7. Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes is in a similar position to Kane. He is having an amazing Premier League season but might end up trophyless, however, United are favorites for the Europa League, but it’s the Europa League and not the Champions League. He will likely need a triumph with Portugal at Euro 2020 to stand a chance at the Ballon d’Or.
And, if Portugal wins the tournament for the second time running, they have other stars who may take precedence. But take nothing away from United’s ‘Magnifico’, his first full season in the EPL and he has turned around United as well Ole Gunnar’s fortunes.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
Remember when we said earlier that winning Euro 2020 might not be enough for Bruno Fernandes because other Portuguese players would take precedence? Yeah, at 36 years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo is still the main man we were talking about.
Ronaldo continues to be one of the best players in the world. The forward is six goals clear in the Capocannoniere race, putting him on course for the fifth Golden Boot of his career.
However, for his sixth Ballon d’Or, he still has a long way to go considering he has missed out on both the league and Champions League.
But if he can get his hands on the Euro 2020 trophy, then he will be well among the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or.
5. Lionel Messi
Ballon d’Or contenders and Lionel Messi are just a perfect match. It took a while for the little man to get going this season, but once he hit his stride, he was producing outrageous numbers as usual.
He has scored 36 goals in all competitions – including a brace in the Copa del Rey final – and has added a further 12 assists. And that’s not factoring in the ridiculous amount of work he does outside of direct goal contributions.
As things stand, Barcelona is looking likely to have only the Copa del Rey trophy this season. Whether he wins a seventh Ballon d’Or could all hinge on this summer’s Copa America.
4. Kevin De Bruyne
Man City has already won the Carabao Cup and the Premier League title and is in the Champions League final. Kevin De Bruyne is widely considered to be Man City’s best player. Add these two pieces of information together, and the Belgian becomes one of the favorites for the Ballon d’Or.
Also, including the fact that Belgium is one of the favorites at Euro 2020, sitting at the top of the FIFA World Rankings, he can end the season with four trophies under his belt. An excellent chance of winning the prize.
3. Robert Lewandowski
Last year’s honorary winner is back to contest for the crown. If the 32-year-old does win it this time around, it will be his exceptional numbers that earn it for him. At the time of writing, the forward has scored 39 (yep, THIRTY-NINE) league goals and seven assists in 27 appearances.
If he scores two more in his final two games, he will set a new record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season, currently held by the great Gerd Muller.
Unfortunately, a poorly timed injury could prove costly. He missed out on both Champions League quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain, which Bayern Munich lost on away goals.
He may also have a hard time making an impact at Euro 2020. Playing for Poland, he is unlikely to get very far. Then again, much like Luka Modric in 2018, if he can continue to score goals and drag his side to the latter stages of the tournament, it will only strengthen his case.
2. Ruben Dias
And somehow, we might just see a Portuguese player who outshines Ronaldo. That man is Manchester City’s rock at the back, Ruben Dias.
The centre-back was brought in from Benfica last summer for a club-record fee. Dias is one of the frontrunners for the PFA Player of the Year award. He already has two trophies in the bag.
But it’s not just domestically where he has been excellent. In the Champions League, he has put in some top-class performances, keeping the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar quiet.
Premier League, Carabao Cup, PFA Player of the Year, Champions League, Euro 2020 – if Dias wins all five, it will be pretty much impossible to ignore him.
1. Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is expected to win the Ballon d’Or at some point in his career. It could come as soon as this year. He is a frontrunner as he has done exceptionally well in the Champions League, netting a hat-trick at the Camp Nou in a 4-1 victory and converting from the penalty spot in the second leg.
His next fixture came against Bayern Munich and he scored a brace against them. Unfortunately, there is a decent chance that the 22-year-old could go trophy-less this season.
They are three points behind Lille with just two games remaining and were eliminated from the Champions League by the favorites Manchester City in the semi-finals. They’re still in the Coupe de France, but this won’t attract a lot of attention.
Mbappe is Ligue 1’s top scorer, netting 25 – six more than Memphis Depay and Wissam Ben Yedder in second.
He will also be expected to continue this form into Euro 2020.
Harry Kane is set to ask Tottenham Hotspurs owner Daniel Levy to listen to offers for him this summer as Manchester United prepare a £90million bid for the striker.
Harry Kane is strongly linked with an exit from north London this summer after another disappointing season saw Spurs quickly slip away from the title race, knocked out of the FA Cup and Europa League and lose to Man City in the Carabao Cup final.
Yesterday, Spurs were beaten by Leeds 3-1 which severely dent their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, with the top-four very much out of reach with only a few matches remaining. Last month Kane said, “Individual awards are great, they are fantastic achievements.”
“When I look back at the end of my career, I will go over it and take in a little bit more. The goal right now as a player is to win team trophies. As much as this [award] is great, I want to be winning the biggest prizes that there is to offer as a team and we are not quite doing that.”
“It is one of those [situations], it is bittersweet. I would rather be winning team trophies and this award. It is what it is.”
It hinted at his move this summer. As per the report by the Sun, Kane will not put in a transfer request at Tottenham but will make a personal appeal to the club to consider letting him go for the right price. It will be interesting that which club will be the next destination of England captain.
Manchester United is considering a move for Tottenham Hotspurs forward Harry Kane next summer. The Red Devils are set to lodge a £90million bid for the Spurs star this summer.
Manchester United fans have started to put pressure on the Club management in the last few days. To calm things down the Glazers are plotting a move for Kane. They are keen to submit an official offer should the Spurs forward hand in a transfer request.
Harry Kane is strongly linked with an exit from north London this summer after another disappointing season saw Spurs quickly slip away from the title race, knocked out of the FA Cup and Europa League and lose to Man City in the Carabao Cup final. S
Spurs is currently 6th in the table with a two-point lead of the 7th position Liverpool. If they finally end the season out of any European competition, then Kane will surely go elsewhere.
In that case, Manchester United will be a perfect option for the 28 years old. Manchester United had a decent season this year. With few good signings, they will surely want to challenge the title next season. Harry Kane’s experience and the goal-poaching ability in front of the goal can be a key asset for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
During any time span in history, if you look through a list of the world’s best players, that list will more often than not be populated by forwards. After all: your friends and family are impressed by goals, not clean sheets, crunching tackles, or pass completion stats. 2021 is no different. Sure, goalkeepers and defenders are selling at higher transfer fees than they have ever before but the forwards are more important than ever.
The ranking for the top 10 world’s best forwards, from football magazine FourFourTwo, excludes out-and-out strikers such as Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, etc, they went for any player who operates wide or centrally but isn’t a conventional centre-forward/striker. You’d normally expect Barcelona’s number 10, Lionel Messi, to occupy the top spot here, but you’ll be surprised to see whose shadow he’s underneath this time.
10. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
(Image credit: PA)
Marcus Rashford has sparkled under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, maturing into an unstoppable forward, playing on either of the wings with his ferocious speed. He’s incredibly clever and skillful and his movement is superb: he was even Jose Mourinho’s most played player during his United tenure, which tells you everything you need to know about his mentality. He has scored 20 goals and assisted 13 in all competitions this season.
9. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Under Pep Guardiola, the English winger, Raheem Sterling has refined his game to the bare basics. He is all about goals and assists and he’s a pure output machine. He’s flourished into a world-class player as his ability to take players on has fans on the edge of their seats – even at home. And his link-up play with his midfield is often underrated too.
8. Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane and Heung Min Son(Image credit: PA Images)
Son Heung-min’s speed, timing, effortless finishing with either foot could see you mistake him for a peak Cristiano Ronaldo in the PL. His extraordinary partnership this season with Harry Kane almost emulates the destructive partnership of Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo in the peak United Premier League era. Son has ascended from being Kane’s no.2 to striking fear into full-backs on his own.
7. Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
(Image credit: PA Images)
Tony Pulis at West Bromwich Albion might not be a fan but the rest of Europe is. Serge Gnabry is a Swiss-army knife of a forward, equally devastating with either foot and deadly on and off the ball.
The former Arsenal man, since moving to Bayern Munich, has established himself as one of the most complete wide-men in world football. He can create, he can score, and is just a joy to watch.
6. Phil Foden (Manchester City)
(Image credit: PA Images)
Somewhere along the line, Phil Foden earned the nickname of the “Stockport Iniesta”. To become one of the first names on Pep’s team sheet is quite an achievement. This is in part for his ability to create and score goals. But it’s the fact that he always pops up when it matters: goals against Chelsea and Liverpool testify, as do vital strikes in both the Champions League QF legs against Borussia Dortmund. It’s scary to think he’s years away from his peak.
5. Jadon Sancho (Manchester City)
(Image credit: PA Images)
Last summer’s tiring to and fro transfer saga between Dortmund and United would have been enough to derail some burgeoning careers, yet Jadon Sancho has simply got on with things.
The England winger looks on course for another season of double figures (currently six goals and 11 assists) for league goals and assists (last season, he became the first Englishman to achieve this feat since Matt Le Tissier in 1997), despite missing a number of games with a muscle injury suffered in February. With his close control, balance, trickery, and speed, he has all the hallmarks of a classic winger, yet his goalscoring record is good enough to rival most strikers.
4. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
(Image credit: PA Images)
Liverpool’s defensive issues this season have grabbed the headlines, but, further forward, Mo Salah has just put his head down and quietly got on with business. The Egyptian is the Premier League’s joint-top-scorer netting 19 and has been carrying Jurgen Klopp’s side during their woeful title defense. Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have been poor this season; without Mo, Liverpool’s plight would be a whole lot worse.
3. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
(Image credit: Getty)
Kylian Mbappe has scored 30% of his team’s tally this season. With seven assists, his combined goal contributions jump to 28 in 27 domestic appearances. He’s still only 22-years-old.
The Frenchman has been especially electrifying in Europe with eight goals in nine appearances. Five of those have come in the knockout stages, with three against Barcelona and two against Bayern. Heavyweights and minnows beware: this is a player with little regard for the opposition.
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
(Image credit: PA)
Lionel Messi has scored 29 goals in 39 games. This is an astonishingly good return for a player who does not play as an out-and-out striker, however, Messi’s prime exploits have made the mere brilliance of his late-career seem ordinary. He might no longer operate at the peak of his powers but he remains one of the most potent goalscorers on the planet, well into his 30s.
Add in the 13 assists in all competitions (ten in La Liga), you get the full picture. Leo Messi is still contributing to a goal every game. As his pace and stamina slowly diminish, his vision and passing are only getting better. He’s different but still destructive. Older, yet wiser.
1. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
(Image credit: Getty)
Neymar may not be PSG’s goal-scorer-in-chief (that status belongs to Kylian Mbappe) but there’s no doubting his influence on the team, especially in Europe. The box office Brazilian has six goals in seven Champions League appearances this season, including a brace at Old Trafford in the group stages. He has contributed to 13 strikes in all competitions. Not impressive enough? Okay, but there’s much more to the 29-year-old than goals.
It’s Neymar’s creativity and leadership that makes him so crucial to the French giants but also his country. A pair of assists in Munich helped get revenge on Bayern in the Champions League quarter-finals and, on the big occasions, he consistently provided an outlet to teammates under pressure.
Author’s Take
Among the controversial omissions are players who could have easily made their way into the top five if they were at the peak of their powers. Sadio Mane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Greizmann, who is still on the verge of settling at Barcelona, and Eden Hazard, who in his Chelsea days could have even taken the top spot, but Real Madrid has been his injury home more than anything.
Talking about controversial ranks, we have to question if Englishmen Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden are yet qualified to be this close to the top. They are in some elite company up there so you do give it a thought about if they deserve their spots. However, some big performances in the latter stages of the season could provide their rank with some justice.
What is going to be talked about the most is the top spot. Personally, I do not feel Neymar deserves a spot above Messi, no one does really. The numbers Messi has been cracking up, with a Barcelona team that is below par, to say the least when compared to their yesteryear teams, is absolutely astounding. Neymar has world-class support in Angel Di Maria and Mbappe, Messi on the other hand is making any support look world-class.
