Chelsea winning the Champions League will see the other English Champions League qualifiers lose a few million pounds each from UEFA’s pot of TV money going to the Premier League.

While this is a small part of the overall Champions League revenue split (explained in detail here for 2010/2011), it represents a loss nevertheless.

As part of the financial benefits of participating in the Champions League, each league’s clubs get a a share of UEFA’s TV money profits depending on their UEFA coefficient rankings. The Premier League were due £30m from the market pool pot, which would have been split according to the teams’ league standings.

Normally, as domestic champions Manchester City would get 40% of Uefa’s “market pool” pot of TV money totalling around £12m, the second-placed Manchester United 30% (£9m), the third-placed Arsenal 20% (£6m) and the fourth-placed club 10% (£3m).

Instead, with Chelsea winning the Champions League and qualifying as winners, they are now ‘tied’ with City in terms of TV revenue share. As such, City and Chelsea will each receive 30% (£9m), United 25% (£7.5m) and Arsenal 15% (£4.5m.). Uefa have said the figures would be confirmed by its executive meeting in July.

To put these numbers into perspective – each team gets a basic fee – £3.5m in 2010/2011 – for qualifying for the group stages each season, and the profits from qualifying for the knockout rounds and progressing further in the Champions League can mean a £20m difference.

The actual reduction in earnings will be loose change for the three Premier League clubs. Far more importantly, Chelsea’s bumper Champions League earnings will paper over the loss of earnings from finishing 6th in the league and continued Champions League participation will mean that they have another £20m-£25m to expect as a minimum next season.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United’s best performance in the 2011/2012 season was on Sunday, 28th August 2011, when they walloped an injury-ridden and pre-panic-buy Arsenal 8-2.

This standout performance wasn’t a blip. In their first five competitive games of the season, United won all 5, including their best performance against Manchester City (although it was the Community Shield, people forget that United played City four times, not three times, and beat them twice) that was far more in United’s advantage than the 3-2 scoreline suggested. There was a 5-0 thumping of Bolton and 3-0 defeat of Tottenham as well.

In short, United kicked off the new season in fine form, showing a new verve and energy in the team that caught other teams off guard.

If you ever hear United players speak about Ferguson, one thing is immediately clear – everything thing is meticulously planned in advance, from squad rotation to training regimens to rest periods, and you don’t diverge from that planning unless a player is injured.

United’s burning start was no coincidence – as Ferguson himself said at the time, United had planned their pre-season to ensure that they would get a fast start in the league and then maintain that tempo throughout the season. This was in light of the increased challenge that Manchester City would pose and Ferguson knew, before most other people, that United would need to hit 90 points to beat City to the title.

The key to that tempo wasn’t just the pace at which United moved the ball from defence to attack (always a United trademark) or width and pace on the wings (again, a United hallmark under Ferguson), it was the energy in central forward quadrant, where the two central midfielders and the two strikers could pass, move and press quickly, alleviating United’s 1-man disadvantage in midfield against most teams through tempo and quality.

This was Ferguson’s tactical blueprint for 2011/12 – to build a title winning side that would learn to control the midfield with aggression, not with the sit-back-and-watch approach they had employed in previous seasons.

Injuries coupled with an stubborn over-reliance on the existing squad meant that United had no one to maintain that tempo after September. Ferguson had to rip up all the work done in pre-season and start from scratch to build a new tactical plan. Under pressure, he went for the short-term option of bringing Scholes back and reverting to a midfield duo of Carrick + Scholes, slow as they come and designed to pass the opposition to death but not to win the ball back.

With the season now over, and the title lost on the finest of margins, Ferguson will be busy preparing his plans for the next season. Will he bring his plans for last season back, albeit with a few tweaks? That will surely require United to sign another midfielder (or two) to provide cover and also counter the fact that Anderson and Fletcher are hardly reliable options. Pogba is not ready to play for United at this level, and with Cleverely’s lack of experience, United need what they’ve needed for 8 years – a stronger midfield.

Or will Ferguson draw up a new strategy, having watched how Madrid have torn up La Liga and beaten Barcelona, and build a squad that allows him to play with a front three, meaning that he needs reinforcement on the flanks / up front as well as in midfield?

How United’s midfield lines up also impacts their defence – in 11/12, the midfield sat deep and the central defenders (Rio hampered by a lack of pace and Vidic / Evans sitting back to cover) sat deep too, meaning that De Gea often had very little space when the defence made a mistake. In fact, if there was a mistake, it would happen in the penalty box, giving De Gea next to no chance to stop the goal.

This lack of pace was highlighted at the very start of the season in the Community Shield when Ferguson took off Vidic and Ferdinand at half time and put on Jones and Evans. In a setup where the midfield was pushing up, United needed defenders who can keep up the pace.

Evans / Smalling / Jones are the future, but all three of them need either surgery or rest this summer. Vidic is not back till August. Rio is the new ‘old’ Paul Scholes, and is probably better off playing as a defensive midfielder where he can influence the game more. If United’s midfield setup is again all about sitting deep, they will need Vidic fit for the whole season and a better ball-winner in midfield. If United are again trying to play fast, they’ll need their young center backs fighting fit for the whole season.

Surprisingly, the only position that leaves United fans happy with what they have is the man guarding the goal. David De Gea is a phenomenal goalkeeper who has had a very deep-sitting midfield and defence that can’t tackle to deal with at times. United are safe in goal. Elsewhere on the pitch, there is brilliance and potential sprinkled across, but there is no shining light pointing to the future.

Last August that shining light was supposed to be the new United style of playing. This summer, United’s transfer dealings will depend on how Ferguson wants his team to play next season, not on who fans think United should buy (if Kagawa is coming in, you can expect another fast start in August).

We all know United need to strengthen the squad. But more importantly, United need to build on last year’s planned system and evolve it to be more durable. As Barcelona, Man City, Madrid, Milan, Arsenal and Chelsea have shown in defeats, hitting any side with fast passing and concentrated pressing while stretching the play (vertically and horizontally) in attack will cause them significant problems.

If United can find the players to play that way, City’s billions won’t be enough.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Yesterday evening, at Manchester United’s player of the year dinner, Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Paul Scholes will be staying on as a player at the club for another season. This news will delight the Red Devils fans and will surely soften the blow from missing out on the Premier League this weekend.

Since his return in January, Paul Scholes has re-established himself as a vital member of the United set-up. Appearing in 17 Premier League games (including 15 starts) and scoring 4 goals.

The former England midfielder, aged 37, retired at the end of last season and had been coaching at Old Trafford. His first game back ended in a 3-2 win against Manchester City in the FA cup.

At first I felt this was just a desperate decision as United struggled with injuries in all competitions. But it seems that Ferguson was once again spot on, as Scholes has re-generated the United midfield, despite being the oldest player in the squad.

Scholes has now announced he would be open to an approach from Roy Hodgson if the new England manager wants to include him in his plans for this summer’s European Championship.

Scholes was targeted at the very last minute by Fabio Capello before the 2010 World Cup, but an indirect approach and the timing of that interest was not enough to persuade the Manchester United midfielder to come out of international retirement, six years after his last England game.

He said at the time that a more advanced warning might have been enough to convince him, and it is understood he would be receptive now to an invitation from Hodgson to join his 23-man party in Poland and Ukraine. I wouldn’t bet against him appearing in the competition.

Scholes, at 37 years of age, is still going at the very top of the game, still proving himself as a vital part of the greatest club in the Premier League era.

And he’s still doing it after spending months out of the sport, proving that the only thing that has ever declined in his career is his overall fitness—and even that is at a sensational level for someone of his age.

No other Premier League player, or in fact any player in world football, could probably perform at the level Scholes is at right now given his age, especially after spending seven months away from any competitive football.

And that is why Paul Scholes deserved to be labelled as the greatest midfielder of the Premier League era.

He’s a player who has lasted at the top longer than almost all others in world football, especially those in the Premier League, and is one of the sport’s greatest role models.

A professional’s professional, his former teammate Roy Keane summed Scholes up perfectly:

‘No celebrity bull****, no self-promotion—an amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.’

Or perhaps the man himself says it best. Despite of all the accolades he’s won, the hype he’s generated and the plaudits he’s received, this is all the Manchester United legend wants from his days as a player:

When it’s over I just want to be able to look in the mirror and say, ‘Well, you were a half-decent player.’

Words which are brilliant yet understated—vintage Paul Scholes.

All United fans can look forward to next season, surely hoping that Scholes can only add to the success of his career.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United’s 2012-13 home kit is not only Nike’s most environment-friendly kit, it also honours Manchester’s industrious past with a bold new design.

Manchester United Football club’s success has been founded on the traditional values of respect and hard work. Those values are what made Manchester the city it is and from the mid 18th century the cotton mills there were prolific in the industry. From those mills came the gingham fabric, an iconic check that like Manchester United is famous around the world and is now – for the first time – used on a Manchester United home shirt.

The tonal gingham in traditional and iconic red gives the home shirt a bold new look. The black v-neck collar gives the shirt a contemporary look. The inner back neck graphic on the shirt reads, ‘Forged in Industry, Striving for Glory’; paying tribute to the cities industrial past but also the club’s hard-working ethos.

The outer neck graphic is the iconic devil symbol so synonymous around the world with Manchester United whilst a diagonal hatched graphic on the white shorts is a subtle link to the gingham used on the shirt.

The socks are black with a red detail on the top and a white devil icon. They offer a new and innovative design featuring an updated cotton footbed offering the support and comfort enjoyed by professionals to all that wear them.

The new home kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester, making it Nike’s most environmentally friendly kit ever produced. Each kit (shirt and shorts) is made using up to thirteen recycled plastic water bottles. This innovative manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester. Since 2010 Nike has used an estimated 1115 million recycled plastic bottles to create its high performance kits.

The kits are made out of 23% lighter fabric with 20% stronger knit structure than Nike’s previous kits and feature Nike Dri-FIT technology to wick moisture away from athletes to help keep them cool and dry on-pitch.

Kits have bonded re-enforced t-bar junctions that support critical seams on the shirt and shorts and inner welded seams with a flat finish construction to improve comfort and performance. Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of a series of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing air to circulate to keep players comfortable.

The new Manchester United 2012/2013 home shirt is now available for £49.99 on the Soccerlens Store.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If Manchester United are to snatch the title away from their local rivals on Sunday then they are first going to have to overcome Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Castrol EDGE performance data suggests that United might not find it such a difficult task if they use their heads.

Sunderland have conceded 12 headed goals in the 2011/12 Premier League, which makes up a league high 27% of the total goals they have conceded this season. Fortunately for Manchester United, they are one of the biggest aerial threats in the league. They have scored more headed goals this season than any other Premiership team apart from Norwich, who equal their tally of 15.

Premier League 11/12 – Sunderland headed goals conceded & Manchester United headed goals scored

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester City v QPR

Sunderland v Manchester United

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United are on the brink of having one of their worst seasons in the last decade, and their first trophy-less season since the 2004-05 season.

United need improvements this summer to get back to their winning ways under Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson is a fantastic manager, but managerial talent can only go so far without the necessary players.

Below are the transfer targets who could revive Ferguson’s team, by bringing a creative edge to the midfield that the current side is so dearly missing.

Luka Modric

Modric would slot seamlessly into the starting eleven, occupying one of the two spots in the centre of midfield. His quality would represent a massive improvement over the current players in these positions, i.e. the likes of Giggs and Carrick.

Modric would no doubt bring a creative edge to the United squad, taking a huge burden off the likes of Wayne Rooney.

Unfortunately, it’s a transfer that is probably not viable. Due to a large transfer fee and the stubbornness of Tottenham’s owner, Daniel Levy, and manager, Harry Redknapp, Tottenham may stand in the way of a potential deal.

Eden Hazard

Ferguson and Mancini are currently locked in a battle for the signature of the young Belgian attacking-midfielder. Many United fans would love to see Hazard at Old Trafford.

If he were to make the switch to the Red Devils, he’ll likely be utilized on the wings, as a welcome alternative for Ashley Young and Nani, who have both suffered with inconsistency this season. In time, he may even prove to be a better player than them.

However, Manchester City’s wallet is undeniably much larger than United’s, a transfer fee of around £30 million is likely to put Ferguson off.

Shinji Kagawa

Kagawa would definitely be a more realistic transfer than Hazard and Modric. His contract expires in 2013 and Borussia Dortmund are willing to listen to offers for him in the summer.

The attacking midfielder would provide United with another quality player in the midfield. The only problem that could occur for Ferguson is fitting him in the current system at the Manchester club. He’s an attacking midfielder who also operates as a second striker: the same place as Rooney. He could be played in central midfield or on the wings, but these aren’t his natural positions.

Wesley Sneijder

The speculation linking the Dutch midfielder and Manchester United has circulated for the past few seasons. If Sneijder was to ever leave Inter, it’s likely he would make the move to the Premier League by joining Manchester United.

Sneijder is no doubt a quality player, he has proven himself at various clubs throughout his career. He would undoubtedly bring class and creativity to the United starting eleven.

However, the attacking midfielder has a contract with Inter until 2015, as a result he would command a huge transfer fee. At the age of 27, he still has a few years left to play at the top of his game. Although, it’s questionable whether Ferguson will want to pay £30 million for a player nearing the end of his peak form.

James Rodriguez

James Rodriguez has been dubbed “the new Ronaldo” by the press, and 12 goals and eight assists at the age of only 20 suggests that he’s very much worth the hype.

The Daily Mail has his price-tag at a hefty £25 million, but it has been suggested that including Anderson in the deal could bring down Rodriguez’s price significantly.

If United are indeed still looking for Ronaldo’s replacement at Old Trafford, this would be the guy to go after.  However, he won’t  be the number one priority on United’s summer shopping list, but if all else fails, I’m sure an enquiry will be made.

Javi Martinez

Martinez is predominantly a defensive midfielder, but this season at Athletic Bilbao he has been moulded into a centre-back.

His strength and ability to make clean tackles is a characteristic the United have definitely been missing this season. Central defence and defensive midfield are positions that United have been found wanting in this season. With Vidic out injured, Ferdinand often off-colour and Phil Jones playing all over the pitch it has been left to Jonny Evans to stand out as their best central defender.

Carrick still occupies the position that is most alike to the holding role for United, but he is not renowned for his tenacity. Past him and Scholes, and the options aren’t looking great, with Anderson perennially on the treatment table there is a void to be filled.

Martinez would be a great signing for Ferguson, providing United with versatility in two positions they are currently lacking. At a cost of around £20 million he’d definitely be worth the investment.

Nicolas Gaitan

Gaitan showed that he indeed is a solid, up-and-coming player in world football with seven assists in this year’s Champions League. However, he recorded only three goals and seven assists in 25 league games for Benfica, and failed to make a difference over two legs for Benfica against Chelsea.

Gaitan is a good player, but at the age of 24, he doesn’t look like a player that’ll one day be better than Nani, Young or Valencia.

Apparently Nicholas Gaitan is a big fan of moving to Manchester United, but it is not yet known if the feeling is mutual. But for the sake of United’s progress in the next few seasons Gaitan doesn’t seem like a wise signing, especially at the cost of £20 plus million.

Yohan Cabaye

Cabaye is not a player that’s been linked to United as such. But he would certainly fit into the team very well.

Cabaye is an all-action midfielder, a “box-to-box” midfielder. He’s not just a playmaker, and he’s not just a tackler; he does it all, and when your team plays only two central midfielders like Newcastle and Manchester United do, it’s great to have a player like Cabaye.

If Newcastle United harbour any hopes of repeating this year’s success next year, they’ll hold on to Cabaye tightly this summer. However, if Mike Ashley decides to cash in on this year’s success by selling the team’s best players for profit, Cabaye could prove to be a wise investment for Manchester United down the line.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Here’s a look at the top transfer stories circulating in the Premier League today, with guest appearances from Carlos Tevez (will he stay or go), Leighton Baines (can he match the flying Frenchman) and Didier Drogba.

Manchester City

Manchester United’s so-called Noisy Neighbours are determined to build on their expected title triumph by completing their transfer business early in the close season.

And that means bringing in the world-class names who will ensure domestic and European success becomes a regular occurrence at Eastlands.

City want to go on a £100 million summer spending spree but know they have to start balancing the books so they comply with UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play rules, which come into force in the 2013-14 season.

Mancini is therefore intending to stage a clear-out to partly fund his summer shopping.

As many as eight first-team squad members could be jettisoned as Mancini tries to make his squad even more formidable, so they not only stay ahead of United and the rest of the Premier League but also challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz, all of whom are currently out on loan, will also be offloaded.

Nigel De Jong, Edin Dzeko, Kolo Toure, Stefan Savic and Adam Johnson are set to make way for new faces.

Furthermore, City are open-minded about the prospect of Carlos Tevez staying at the club, but are willing to sell if anyone meets their £25m valuation.

Also See: Manchester City’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Manchester United

Manchester United will step up their efforts to sign Leighton Baines with a £10million offer.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been given the go-ahead from United owners the Glazers to proceed with a move for the Everton and England left-back.

Ferguson sees Baines as the ideal successor to Patrice Evra, who turns 31 next Monday and has looked unconvincing this season.

United had hoped to land their man for as little as £6m, given Everton’s precarious financial position.

But with Baines under contract for three more years and interest in him from other clubs, they will have to do better than that.

Ferguson is keen to complete as much of his summer transfer business as possible quickly, as he’s done in previous seasons.

That could see a bid for Baines lodged as early as next week, with the United boss aware the England international is in demand.

Also See: Manchester United’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Arsenal

Robin van Persie has shunned interest from Juventus, despite the Italian giants declaring their desire to sign him.

Mirror Football revealed on April 23 that Juve had made overtures towards Van Persie’s representatives, and were willing to pay £25million for the Arsenal captain.

However, it is believed the Dutchman is not interested, with Spain his most likely destination - if he goes. It’s felt it would take a huge offer from either Barcelona or Real Madrid to tempt away a player the Gunners remain confident of keeping.

The Gunners boss, Arsene Wenger, has already signed Cologne’s Germany striker Lukas Podolski, and Rennes’ France midfielder Yann M’Vila is also due for talks.

Swansea’s Michel Vorm is also on Arsenal’s radar to provide competition for first-choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Also See: Arsenal’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Chelsea

Chelsea are set to defy the wishes of the fans by letting Didier Drogba leave the club this month.

Ivory Coast goal ace Drogba struck the third FA Cup Final winner of his career last Saturday against Liverpool, and will lead the line for Roberto Di Matteo’s men in the Champions League Final next Saturday.

But that May 19 clash with Bayern Munich will be Drogba’s last game in a Chelsea shirt unless there is a massive change of heart by the powers that be in SW6.

The 34-year-old’s demands for a new two-year deal have fallen on deaf ears, as the Stamford Bridge hierarchy are determined to build the team around fellow forward Fernando Torres.

Also See: Chelsea’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

More:

• More Transfer Rumours.
• Team-by-team Premier League Summer 2012 Transfer Previews.
• League by League transfers.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Eden Hazard is arguably the most sought after player in Europe at the moment. It  now looks like the Belgian dazzler has made his decision on where he’ll be playing next season – and Fergie’s not going to like it at all!

Recently the Lille midfielder has dropped his biggest hint yet that he will join Manchester City this summer after announcing he will ‘definitely’ be wearing blue next season.

The Belgian star has long been linked with a move to the Barclays Premier League and both City and Manchester United were front-runners for his signature.

But Hazard is set to rub salt into Manchester United’s wounds by snubbing the chance to join the Red Devils – and opting for noisy neighbours Manchester City. Tottenham and Arsenal have also be linked to the 21-year-0ld, but these comments seem to have brought the end to any further speculation regarding the two London clubs.

Chelsea, who have signed three Belgians in the last year, have also been credited with an interest in the player.

Mancini’s side are on the verge of securing their first top flight trophy since 1968. It’s obvious to see success in the Premier League brings with it certain perks – clearly they’ll now have first choice of Europe’s best players this summer.

Regardless, Hazard is set to leave French club Lille this summer and both Ferguson and Mancini will continue fighting it out for the £25million-rated youngster.

“I have already said that my wish is to go to the Premier League,” Hazard said. “It’s the blue that I’ll be wearing next season. Definitely the blue.“

Roberto Mancini has told Lille star Eden Hazard that Manchester City would be his “perfect destination”.

 ”I like Hazard a lot,” Mancini told France Football magazine. “He’s a good player, he’s young and he would do great things in our team. Given his technical qualities City would be the perfect destination for him.

“I know him and have been following him for a long time. He’s a player a lot of teams want.”

I’m sure Hazard’s comments will come as a doubly painful blow for Ferguson and United. The Belgian could have been the perfect player to solve the Red Devils creativity problems in midfield.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Every year, Soccerlens brings comprehensive football transfer news and detailed transfer lists of the major football leagues in Europe.

This year’s new feature is a detailed preview of the Premier League’s 2012 summer transfer window, looking at the reported transfer targets for each team.

Transfer previews currently available:

• Arsenal
• Chelsea
• Everton
• Fulham
• Liverpool
• Manchester City
• Manchester United
• Newcastle United
• Tottenham

As the 2011/2012 season rolls to an end and the newcomers to next year’s Premier League season are decided, we will also start updating the Premier League transfers page with confirmed ins and outs for all 20 Premier League teams.

You can follow Soccerlens on Twitter to be notified of future updates as we add more transfer news and previews.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News