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Over many years, fans have questioned the transfer activity of West Ham United.

Why are we selling him? Why have we brought him? And what on earth was he thinking of are the main questions being asked by fellow Hammers.

This year has seen a dramatic change, and is early signs that both David Gold and David Sullivan are planning well ahead of schedule for when they move into the Olympic stadium for the 2016/2017 season.

With a plethora of players on the books at Upton Park, just what is West Ham’s best starting XI? Here’s what it ‘could’ be…

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Click on Sam Allardyce to reveal

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Adrian

Age: 27

Nationality: Spain

Reason for selection:

Signed from Real Betis on a free transfer last season, the Spaniard was an understudy to Jussi Jaaskelainen for the best part of the 2013/2014 campaign. However, a few decent performances in the Capital One Cup, guiding them to the semi-final, saw Adrian overtake the former Bolton shot stopper, and steered West Ham away from relegation.

Adrian is one of the best shot stopper’s in the division, and his quick distribution when the ball is in his clutches is exceptional. You only have to look at the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, where Adrian was a frustration for Chelsea, and on any other day, Jose Mourinho’s side could have easily put six or seven past.

Carl Jenkinson

Age: 22

Nationality: England

Reason for selection:

On loan from Arsenal, the former Charlton Athletic prodigy hasn’t made a first team appearance for the Boleyn Ground outfit because of a hamstring injury he sustained on West Ham’s pre-season tour of Germany. Still highly rated at the Gunners, Jenkinson is a young and hungry full back that has bags of potential. If it wasn’t for Arsenal signing both Debuchy and Chambers, then Jenkinson would still be in Wenger’s plans.

Jenkinson offers an attacking quality with a different position, something West Ham have not had for a while. With England struggling to fill the void at right back, this could be Jenkinson’s motivation to seal a place in Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions squad.

James Tomkins

Age: 25

Nationality: England

Reason for selection:

A youth product through the famous ‘Academy of Football’ with West Ham and was helped with the incredible guidance of Tony Carr, Tomkins is a quick and aggressive centre half, that is perfect for Premier League football. He has been an ever present in the Hammers first team for a solid five years, and tries to avoid occasional clumsy challenges like James Collins does.

Again, Tomkins should have the same motivation as Jenkinson and catch the eye of Hodgson, because it’s not exactly England are blessed with top quality centre half’s.

Winston Reid

Age: 26

Nationality: New Zealand

Reason for selection:

Now in his fifth season at Upton Park, Reid epitomises what most improved player means. After arriving from Danish outfit FC Midtjylland, Reid’s first season was difficult one, performing awfully on his debut against Aston Villa and only managing 12 appearances after that.

Now Reid is one of the first names on the team sheet. A full blooded, aggressive and extremely quick centre back, Reid is also captain of the New Zealand national side. It is baffling that a team like Arsenal has not signed him up yet.

Aaron Cresswell

Age: 24

Nationality: England

Reason for selection:

Recently signed from Championship side Ipswich Town, Cresswell is showing great promise in his first experience of Premier League football. Like Jenkinson, the former Tranmere Rovers full back is an attacking full back, and has more to offer than Joey O’Brien and Guy Demel.

His start in England’s top flight has been promising, with a stellar display on his debut against Tottenham Hotspur and helped West Ham to their first win of the season away at Crystal Palace.

Cheickhou Kouyate

Age: 24

Nationality: Senegal

Reason for selection:

On the basis of the start he has made, Kouyate could be one of the bargain buys of the season. At £7m from Belgian side Anderlecht, the Senegalese, who starred for his national side at the 2012 Olympics in London, has arguably been West Ham’s best player so far.

He has everything you want from a midfielder, pace, aggression, determination, imagination and flair, Kouyate could become the next Patrick Vieira. Kouyate, who can also play as a centre half, will be sought after if he carries on performing like this for the rest of the season.

Alex Song

Age: 27

Nationality: Cameroon

Reason for selection:

A rather surprising loan signing from Spanish giants, FC Barcelona, the applauds has to go to the owner pulling off this signing, even if it is only for a year. After being tracked by the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Alex Song will be a huge presence in the West Ham camp.

With Mo Diame gone, Song is the ideal replacement. Aggressive and composed on the ball, Song in his prime, and what better way of reigniting his Premier League, than with a team he will play in on a consistent basis.

Mark Noble

Age: 27

Nationality: England

Reason for selection:

The centre midfielder is West Ham through and through and is exactly what the Hammers need in the heart of the midfield. Noble quite easily breaks play whenever needed and is a calming influence to the squad on and off the pitch. Noble constantly gives 100% everytime he pulls on a Hammers shirt and would make a difference to any Premier League side.

Making a total of 265 appearances and counting in his West Ham career, the Canning Town born midfield maestro has also represented England from U18-U21 level, and will surely propel west ham back up the table.

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Stewart Downing

Age: 30

Nationality: England

Reason for selection:

Questions were asked when West Ham completed the £6m signing of Downing from Liverpool last season. However, on the basis of some of his performances, Downing has answered his critics. Whether its cutting in from the right or, flying down the left wing, the former Aston Villa man’s delivery of crosses and dead balls are very dangerous to the opposition.

The former Middlesbrough midfielder also brings a wealth of Premier League experience. If he carries on delivering them deadly balls, the the lack of goals that the Hammers have dealt with will be solved.

Mauro Zarate

Age: 27

Nationality: Argentina

Reason for selection:

Ever since the departure of Alessandro Diamanti, the creativity level at the Boleyn Ground has been low. However, Zarate, another summer signing from Velez Sarsfield, brings pace, skill and flair that almost replicates the attributes of a certain Carlos Tevez.

Playing for some of the best clubs around the world including Inter Milan and Lazio, Zarate had a brief spell in the Premier League with Gold and Sullivan’s former club Birmingham City. Hs successful stint triggered his move to the San Siro. On the basis of his goal earlier in the season against Crystal Palace, Zarate’s quality could be so valuable to Sam Allardyce.

Enner Valencia

Age: 25

Nationality: Ecuador

Reason for selection:

The striker, who scored a creditable three goals in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil including one against England in a friendly, is currently filling the void while Andy Carroll recovers from his latest setback.

The £12m signing is not a target man, but is quick off the mark, and in the box is unpredictable. With Big Sam’s orders to play attractive and flowing football, Valencia needs to be included in the team that worries the opposition with his sprint speed and eye for goal.

With Louis van Gaal said to have been given an unlimited transfer budget to spend on the rebuilding of his squad, it doesn’t mean that he should get carried away with his new found spending power. He has already spent close to £60million with the addition of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, but is believed to still be targeting a few more players.

However, with a very successful pre-season, he may want to avoid another Marouane Fellaini – David Moyes incident, by making the right transfer calls ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign. So, with that in mind, here are SIX panic buys the Red Devils should avoid this month.

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CLICK ON LOUIS VAN GAAL TO SEE THE FULL LIST

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Edinson Cavani

Name: Edinson Cavani

Age: 27

Position: Striker

Nationality: Uruguay

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Price: £50 – £55 million

Why they should avoid him?

Manchester United don’t need another striker. They are already having enough trouble with Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez not getting enough playing time behind the likes of superstars Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie that a move for another front man will be very unnecessary. Plus, spending the hefty £50 million plus another huge salary will just risk United in breaching the Financial Fair Play regulations.

Angel Di Maria

Name: Angel Di Maria

Age: 26

Position: Winger

Nationality: Argentina

Club: Real Madrid

Price: £40 – £45 million

Why they should avoid him?

Angel Di Maria is considered a world class player, but the likeliness of him fitting into Manchester United’s 4-3-3 formation is rather slim. He is considered a very attacking winger, but with Louis van Gaal opting to field two wing back roles, Di Maria may not be able to perform at his best. We have also seen him deployed as a central midfielder for Real Madrid in the past, but it is highly unlikely that Van Gaal will splash the cash for a winger who may not want to play central midfield.

Arda Turan

Name: Arda Turan

Age: 27

Position: Winger / Attacking Midfield

Nationality: Turkey

Club: Atletico Madrid

Price: £25 – £30 million

Why they should avoid him?

Arda Turan is mainly deployed as a winger, but much like the Di Maria case, he might not be able to contribute to the more defensive-minded wing back role. However, he has also been effective playing right behind the strikers, but once again, with Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa promised that role, the likelihood that he would move from Atletico Madrid as a regular to a back will be very unlikely.

Nigel de Jong

Name: Nigel de Jong

Age: 29

Position: Defensive Midfield

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: AC Milan

Price: £7 – £10 million

Why they should avoid him?

Although already given the chance to work under Louis van Gaal with the Dutch national side, a move to bring Nigel de Jong back to the English Premier League might not be the best option. He looks to be a very short term solution to the injury of Michael Carrick, but based on their pre-season form, they have a number of players who have stepped up to fill the role. De Jong wasn’t a standout player during his spell with Manchester City, hinted that maybe the English game isn’t for him.

Wesley Sneijder

Name: Wesley Sneijder

Age: 30

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Position: Attacking Midfield

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: Galatasaray

Price: £15 – £18 million

Why they should avoid him?

Other than the fact that Manchester United have been chasing the likes of Wesley Sneijder over the past few seasons, it may be about time they gave up on him. At 30, he could well be past his prime and the fact that he plays in the number 10 role, he cannot expect to get a first team berth. He is still a quality player, but with Louis van Gaal turning to a more quick paced attacking game, Sneijder may not prosper like he did during his time with Inter Milan.

Kevin Strootman

Name: Kevin Strootman

Age: 24

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: Roma

Price: £79 million (Asking price)

Why they should avoid him?

There are two reasons why Manchester United should not make a rash decision over the purchase of Kevin Strooman, one being his fitness, with the other one being his over-the-top price tag. Still recovering from an injury which saw him miss the World Cup, Strootman is nowhere near match fit to make a huge different to the club. Plus, with Roma slapping a £79 price tag on his head, the United board will have to be crazy to allow such an offer to me made.

Following two convincing displays during the international break, producing 3-1 wins over Slovenia and Scotland, Roy Hodgson has some important decisions to make.

Is in-form Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne now England’s first-choice right-back ahead of Glen Johnson, Kyle Walker and Chris Smalling? Should the Three Lions persist with their midfield diamond or revert to the 4-3-3 formation that proved so fruitful in the second half against Slovenia and the entirety of the 90 minutes at Celtic Park? Is Adam Lallana above Fabian Delph and James Milner in the pecking order? Is Sterling now a guaranteed starter, and where does Everton’s Ross Barkley, a sensational young talent, fit into all this?

But most importantly, who should partner Wayne Rooney in attack? At the World Cup, the undisputed answer was Daniel Sturridge, but amid the Liverpool front-man’s prolonged injury absence, Danny Welbeck, through the cocoon of a £16million move to Arsenal, has transformed himself into a free-scoring centre-forward, netting ten times for club and country since the summer.

On paper, few would dispute that Sturridge is the more talented striker. That’s no disrespect to Welbeck, who comes with many appealing traits, but Sturridge is the fastest player to reach 30 league goals for Liverpool since the 1890s and his strike-rate across all competitions for the club is better than one in two.

In short, when it comes purely down to finishing ability, Sturridge is uncontested as the best Englishman of his generation – leaps and bounds ahead of Welbeck quite frankly, whose lack of composure in front of goal is incredible for a forward that’s plied his trade with Manchester United and Arsenal.

That being said, Sturridge and Rooney have never quite clicked as a partnership for England, despite in theory being perfect for each other. The Reds man for example, likes to stretch defences and finish off moves, whereas the Manchester United skipper is well-schooled in building from deep and supporting an out-and-out goalscorer, as he’s done to great success with Robin van Persie over the last few seasons. One can even liken Wazza Roo to a quintessentially English Luis Suarez.

Yet, they netted only twice collectively at the World Cup and in the last twelve England games where both were on the pitch, they’ve amassed a combined total of ten goals. Welbeck and Rooney, on the other hand, have scored a joint nine in their last five appearances as England’s front two.

The Liverpool assassin’s overall record for the Three Lions, five in 16, is largely underwhelming. His solitary two qualifying goals have come during resounding wins over San Mario – the seventh goal in an 8-0 – and Montenegro – the final strike in a 4-1 victory. Perhaps Sturridge’s momentum was beginning to build for England after a rather subdued start, but recent injures have put him back to square one.

In contrast, Welbeck boasts 13 in 31 for England and eight in his last eighteen, despite only being considered an out-and-out centre-forward since his transition into that role for Arsenal this season. Since, the 23 year-old has been a definitive factor in integral victories over Switzerland and Slovenia, undisputedly England’s most competitive opposition in Group E, bagging braces in both.

It’s not all just about goals, yet Welbeck is far more befitting of the style of football Roy Hodgson wants to play. Sturridge is equally quick and unquestionably more clinical, yet the Arsenal star’s work-rate and energy off the ball, combined with his new-found proficiency going forward, is perfect for the counter-attacking approach that inspired England’s win over the Swiss and will likely be utilised again upon facing international football’s heavyweight sides.

Against Switzerland for example, Welbeck won the ball in deep midfield, allowed Rooney and Sterling to rip up the pitch with it, before applying the finish for England’s second. Sturridge, however, is a relatively anonymous character out of possession and won’t be instigating attacks by breaking up play of his own accord any time soon.

Similarly, Sturridge’s England outings are his only experiences playing alongside Rooney. Some partnerships click immediately but some don’t, and the catch 22 of international football is the limited time available to create an understanding.

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Welbeck and Rooney, in comparison, spent over six seasons together in the United first team – the amount of hours spent on the training pitch in each others’ company, most likely playing as a front two on regular occasions, must be well into the thousands. Resultantly, there’s already a sense of telepathy between them, a greater grasp of each others’ strengths and weaknesses, and that’s become increasingly evident since the start of England’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

Essentially, that’s what Hodgson must now consider. England have wasted the last ten years trying to get the best players on the pitch, but as evident with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in central midfield, or John Terry and Rio Ferdinand at centre-back, the top talents don’t always make a top team. It’s far too early to discuss Sturridge and Rooney in the same manner – we’re still 18 months away from the next major tournament – but in terms of qualifying at least, it’s clearly Welbeck and the England skipper who accommodate each other with higher efficiency.

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Probable Lineups:

Manchester City (4-4-1-1): Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Milner, Fernando, Lampard, Nasri, Silva, Aguero

The biggest blow for Manuel Pellegrini will be the double suspension to his holding midfielders Fernandinho as well as Yaya Toure – Frank Lampard and Fernando are most likely to be named as their replacements. Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov, and David Silva are all still doubts, but the Manchester City boss may be forced to risk their main playmaker Silva to stand behind lone striker Sergio Aguero. Stevan Jovetic, having scored at the weekend, is also in contention to play, but Pellegrini may have to sacrifice him in hopes of reinforcing his midfield.

Bayern Munich (4-1-4-1): Neuer, Rafinha, Benatia, Dante, Bernat, Alonso, Robben, Gotze, Schweinsteiger, Ribery, Muller

Bayern Munich have a rather long list of injury concerns, but because Pep Guardiola’s side has already guaranteed their qualification into the next round, he is adequately covered by giving some of his backup players a chance to feature. David Alaba, Holger Badstuber, Philipp Lahm, Tom Starke, Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, and Jose Reina are all out of the match with Jerome Boateng a huge doubt after only returning back from a knock. Despite the lengthy injury list, wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are fit to play and will surely be threat along the flanks whilst Thomas Muller is tipped to lead the lines supported by the likes of both Mario Gotze and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

What the fans are saying…

Remember this?

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Manchester City and Bayern Munich always seem to meet each other in the group stages of the Champions League with the Bundesliga side coming out on top in their previous visit to the Etihad. Bayern proved 3-1 winners when the pair met back in 2013 as this is a must win match for City.

It was no surprise that West Bromwich Albion moved for Tony Pulis when Alan Irvine was sacked in December.

Pulis has impressed in the Premier League with his stints at Stoke City and Crystal Palace. At Stoke, his side were renowned for being tough to beat and specialised in scoring goals from set pieces. Although it wasn’t always easy on the eye, it was effective.

Pulis took Stoke from strength to strength and developed the team into an established Premier League side. However, his old-fashioned approach eventually meant that Stoke outgrew their manager, moving to a more stylish brand of football under the leadership of mark Hughes.

His next job in the Premier League would be at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace were struggling at the bottom of the league under Ian Holloway and Tony Pulis was the ideal candidate to lead the club to safety.

Not only did Pulis manage to keep Palace up, he did it comfortably, with the South-London side finishing on 45 points in 11th place last season. Their final position in the league would have looked unattainable earlier in the season but Pulis showed his class by turning Palace’s fortunes around.

Although Pulis’ renowned style was expected at Palace, the Eagles played some very attractive football at times. Not only had Pulis proved his Premier League pedigree at Palace, he was showing English football that he had evolved, modernising his tactics to suit the squad at his disposal.

One of the biggest surprises of the summer was the fact that Pulis left his job at Selhurst Park. He was a massive hit with the fans and his enthusiasm to lead the club forward was there for all to see. However, the lack of a cash injection into new transfers at the club in the summer of 2014 led to his departure. Pulis’ next move was always going to be interesting as he clearly wanted a job that matched his ambitions.

Step in West Bromwich Albion. A team who do not seem as doomed as Palace were last season, but nonetheless, a team still struggling at the wrong end of the table. Clearly, Pulis felt that there was potential in the long-term running of the club to take the post.

Pulis himself has stated that it will be the toughest job he has had but you get the sense that his decision was strategic and well planned. Rumours of a huge £30 million budget in January would have undoubtedly swayed Pulis’ decision to take charge at the Hawthorns. Star striker Saido Berahino’s future could be in doubt but a bit of around £20 million for the striker will add a further financial injection to the transfer budget.

Having said that, Pulis will hope he can persuade Berahino to stay and the increased optimism now surrounding the club could sway the striker’s decision.

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West Brom will feel like they’ve acquired the best man for the job and their Premier League survival is almost guaranteed now that Pulis has entered the frame.  He is only just settling into his new job but it hasn’t taken long for the former Palace manager to add Paul Jewell and Dave Kemp to his staff.

The wealth of Premier League experience in the coaching setup will only aid West Brom’s push for survival. Pulis was a shrewd appointment and his managerial expertise will hopefully bring success to the West Midlands club. The Baggies may very well be bouncing again in the near future.

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Manchester City’s European aspirations took another hit last night as they fell short against an impressive Barcelona side, finishing with 10 men for the second consecutive year.

This was a cracking European night from a neutral’s perspective. Barcelona were magnificent and dropped certainly burst the Manchester City bubble which continues to faulter when confronted with European spectacles.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were devastating, Manuel Pellegrini’s starting lineup was controversial, and Gael Clichy killed the rising City fightback.

So, with that in mind, here are five points of discussion from the game…

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Pellegrini’s starting selection was audacious, but right

At half time when City limped off the pitch having been swept away by Barca’s dominance, much criticism was directed at Pellegrini for having the audacity to setup in a 4-4-2 against a perilously difficult opposition midfield.

That approach was a far cry from the corresponding fixture last year, where Alexander Kolarov started in front of Clichy on the left in a defensive minded approach. In fact, this had greater overtones towards their 1-3 defeat to Bayern last year in the group stages, where Pellegrini also ceded the midfield battle for two strikers to no effect.

Despite this, it’s difficult to be overly critical of Pelligrini’s faith in his players – if there was ever a time to be positive, it was in the home leg (although perhaps not having Yaya Toure was a good warning sign to keep it tight).

The key was playing Edin Dzeko instead of Fernandinho, which was a fair assertion given Javier Mascherano’s aerial vulnerability. The only problem being, as is typical when you play two in midfield against Barcelona, your strikers can become increasingly isolated and marginalised as the Catalans absolutely dominate in the middle of the park.

It’s worth pointing out that a 4-4-2 is not the explicable reason for Barca’s dominance. Diego Simeone persisted with a 4-4-2 in six fixtures against Barca last season and never lost. The key, therefore, related to the instructions surrounding that formation, which were poorly implemented, especially in the first half.

Aguero and Dzeko needed to do more

The key to Simeone’s successful 4-4-2 against Barca last season was the workrate that he demanded of his strikers – Diego Costa and David Villa. They would drop onto Sergio Busquets and generally cover the midfield so that their actual midfielders (Gabi and Tiago) could concentrate on nullifying Messi outright and shift laterally across the pitch where there was inevitably always space.

City’s pressing for much of the first half was far too slow. Aguero and Dzeko needed to lead from the front, but seemed more aligned to a rugged compact shape that Barca weaved through with ease. Busquets regularly had acres of space in the first half, meaning it truly was the mighty-Barca-passing-midfield-machine versus an overly exposed James Milner and Fernando – City never had a chance.

It would have been acceptable for Aguero and Dzeko to be that offensive if City could have played some long passes over the top for them to run on to. In the end though, by the time Suarez had made it two, City had a temporary in-game mental collapse, and seemed devoid of being able to utilise the attacking weapon they’d riskily traded for midfield vulnerability.

A narrow midfield gave Barca license down the flanks

As expected, Barca had control of the midfield which subsequently drew Samir Nasri and David Silva into exceptionally narrow positions to try and help out. In turn, that freed up plenty of space down the flanks for Dani Alves and Jordi Alba who bombed forward in typical fashion. They caused all sorts of problems, feeding Neymar, Messi and Suarez in the final third where they could cause damage.

As a result of Alves’ excursions up the pitch, Dzeko kept drifting towards the vacant space on Barca’s right flank which inadvertently drew him away from the six yard box. City really needed Silva or Clichy in those positions so they could feed Dzeko in more dangerous areas. In the end, Silva and Nasri were sort of wide midfielders and passengers in the centre at the same time, fulfilling neither role properly and offering little creative input into the game.

Barca seem to always tire in the second half

It was probable that City would come back in the second half with some fight, but it was interesting how Barca lost so much control in the game, particularly in the first ten minutes of the second half. Barca have made a bit of a habit of this in recent times, losing their vice like grip over English teams as games progress. It used to be fairly explainable in the past because they committed to such a draining pressing game off the ball and tired naturally, but Luis Enrique has altered this.

Dzeko should have scored, Aguero did score, Pique made a crucial interception and City looked set to mount a rousing finale…

Clichy’s red card killed the tie

… Until Clichy’s second yellow effectively killed off any hope of a partisan crowd galvanising City into a stirring last 10 minutes. Instead, Silva was sacrificed for Bacary Sagna to keep it respectably tight, and City sort of tried to play on the break but were completely shackled by their man disadvantage.

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That unfortunately laid complete waste to Wilfried Bony’s introduction, with Barca taking over the game, completely rendering the Ivorian unable to make any impact at all. This could have been an almighty introduction for Bony, but Clichy’s idiocy finished the tie with a big 15 minutes still to play. It was an unnecessarily foolish challenge, and followed a shocking cross in the first half which might have materialised into a genuine chance.

Overall…

City were perhaps unlucky to concede the first goal in the manner that they did, but ultimately were frightfully outclassed for the first half. Perhaps some attention should be placed on psychology and mentality – for those first 45 minutes, they looked a shadow of their usual selves, laden with the ‘curse’ that has beset them in previous European matches…

Vincent Kompany had another (how many times can this keep being said?) night to forget and you have to wonder when the penny will drop for his unquestioned starting place in this team.

With Villareal, Malaga, Real Madrid and Manchester City, Pellegrini’s record versus Barca now reads: P14, W0, D2, L12 which doesn’t bode well for City heading to the Nou Camp. In truth, Barca should have been out of sight by half time and Messi’s penalty should have wrapped the tie up outright.

Instead, there’s a glimmer of hope with a returning Toure. Pellegrini needs to get his team properly prepared if he’s ever going to overturn that dreadful record.

As Steven Gerrard returns to the Liverpool squad for the first time in seven matches, manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed he doesn’t plan to put the club captain straight back into the side. With his summer move to Los Angeles edging closer, will he get the Hollywood ending to his Liverpool career, or will he just be slowly put out to American pasture?

In the games since Gerrard’s injury, The Reds have arguably enjoyed their most consistent spell of the season, only Besiktas have defeated them since he has been unavailable.

Henderson has thrived in Gerrard’s absence, beginning to perform a role similar to his captain in his prime. He has made a serious case for taking the armband on a full time basis and has drove Liverpool right back into the top four race.

Next to Henderson, Joe Allen has enjoyed potentially his best spell at the club; a consistent run of games has allowed him to finally establish himself at Anfield. He is finally beginning to replicate the kind of performances that led Rodgers to buying the Welshman in the first place.

In front of these two Coutinho and Lallana are flourishing in forward areas, offering the kind of dynamism and technique that they have been missing at so may points in this rollercoaster season.

So with a maximum of 13 games left in Gerrard’s legendary Liverpool career, how will he be used in a way to give him the farewell he deserves from his adoring Kop?

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The fact that the FA Cup final falls on his birthday, has been widely publicised since he made his announcement. It seems the perfect way to end his era at Anfield. Expect him to start in all of their remaining cup games, with only a small chance of a League trophy, it represents his best chance to lift more silverware.

Even the most cynical of football fans would struggle to begrudge Gerrard walking up the steps at Wembley in his final game at a club that has meant so much to him over the past 20 years.

In terms of his league inclusions, expect him to be used wisely, whether that is in rotation as the fixtures pile up, or a cool head to keep the ball when his side are winning.

His third from last league game will be away to Chelsea, a game he will be desperate to have a positive influence upon after last year’s infamous ‘slip up.’

Expect guards of honour and tears in both his last home game and last league game, as English football waves goodbye to one of its true greats.

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This season will not give him the trophy he has always craved so dearly, the Premier League will evade him as a player. Potentially the best player to never receive a winning medal.

But his Hollywood ending may prove to be in a fixture where he has already had a summer blockbuster. The FA Cup Final, quite frankly he deserves one more hit.

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By next summer, a considerable amount of Manchester United’s current squad will be out of contract. Contract negotiations have reportedly begun for certain players, but who should Louis Van Gaal keep in his side? And more importantly, who should he get rid of?

David De Gea’s current contract runs out in summer 2016, and he should be top of the list for a new, long term deal. He has been the backbone of his squad this season and the only player to play every minute thus far. The signing of Victor Valdes has not hindered De Gea in the slightest, he is still the first choice. Having improved greatly since joining in 2011, it is essential that De Gea stays at Manchester United, especially if they are playing in Europe next season.

As Jonny Evans nears the end of his contract, it is time to call it a day on his Manchester United career. He is a weak link at the back, and is all too fond of the back pass to the ‘keeper. Despite all his years at Old Trafford, he still does not look entirely confident with the ball. If there is any truth in Louis Van Gaal looking to strengthen the back line, Evans will surely be a surplus.

Both Chris Smalling and Phil Jones will reach the end of their contract by next summer. If it came down to choosing just one, it would have to be Chris Smalling. Smalling learned his lesson after the sending off against Manchester City, and has been solid, particularly in the last few weeks. Both played exceptionally well against Spurs, but Jones has not had the same impact as Smalling.

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During this season, Ashley Young has looked like a new player. He should be rewarded with a new contract at Old Trafford. Louis Van Gaal is currently getting the best out of him, and it would not make sense to get rid of one of the stronger players from the last year.

Robin Van Persie’s current contract is drawing to a close, and it would be a surprise to see him sign anything other than an extension. RVP will be 32 in the summer, and has not exactly put in his best shift under the former Netherlands manager. It is clear Van Gaal has a lot of respect for Van Persie, and did play him throughout the season, despite his under performing. LVG will not let Van Persie go too easily.

Javier Hernandez is still technically a Manchester United player, but he won’t be for much longer. His contract also expires in summer 2016, but he was already considered an extra body that wasn’t needed for this season. Rumour has it, Chicharito could be used as part of a deal to bring Nathaniel Clyne to Old Trafford.

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Despite an inconsistent campaign, Manchester United have achieved their primary objective for the season having qualified for the Champions League, securing their place in the top four last weekend after Liverpool failed to beat Crystal Palace.

One man that has been instrumental to their success again this term is their Spanish star David de Gea who continues to show why he is considered one of the world’s best goalkeepers with a number of heroic displays for the Red Devils.

A string of outstanding, eye catching saves have arguably proved decisive for the club in their quest for a top-four place, and rightly earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year as well as nomination for the main award.

Unfortunately for United it appears his performances have come at a cost with the club expected to lose their current number one to Real Madrid this summer, and it’s widely expected that this weekend’s trip to Hull could be his last game in England.

The former Atletico man looks set to return to Madrid as the Spanish giants set about bringing in a long term replacement for Iker Casillas, and despite United’s best efforts it’s hard to see them keeping hold of him in the transfer window.

And while the fans are looking for reassurances that they aren’t about to lose another of their star players to arguably the world’s biggest club, comments from manager Louis van Gaal this week have only furthered speculation of a summer exit, with all signs pointing towards De Gea being sold prior to next season.

When questioned about a move to Real Madrid, the Dutchman spoke like a man who is well aware that his goalkeeper is likely to move and his quotes feel as though he is resigned to this fact.

Van Gaal spoke of the obvious Spanish link in place, with De Gea having the chance to return to his homeland and the City where he made a name for himself at Real’s arch rivals Atletico Madrid.

The chance to move back home with his family, and maybe most importantly his girlfriend will surely play a pivotal role in his decision, and the outcome looks pretty inevitable. Can you really blame him?

Van Gaal also described the difficulty De Gea would have deciding between two great clubs, hardly a mark of someone who sounds confident that United can keep hold of him.

The 24-year-old’s failure to sign a new contract at Old Trafford has the warning signs ringing loud and clear, and although he may well undecided, it’s surely just a matter of time before he calls it a day at United.

And having said the club have already lined up a list of potential replacements to cater for his loss, Van Gaal knows it too.

The fact he has plans in place shows how unlikely it is that De Gea remains at the club past this summer, and wants to be able to announce a replacement as soon as possible to soften the blow.

Perhaps he knew as early as January that he was set to lose one of his key players, and thus made a point of signing Victor Valdes as a potential successor to the young Spaniard. It certainly makes sense.

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Despite his recent injury problems, Valdes surely wouldn’t have signed if he thought he was to be a long term number two and wasn’t guaranteed first-team football at some point.

And would the club really have brought him in were they confident of tying down De Gea to a new long-term contract? Again it’s unlikely.

It will be a huge loss to both United and the Premier League if and when the goalkeeper makes the switch to the Bernabeau. But after his displays over recent seasons and his key role in ensuring the Reds will be playing in Europe once again, nobody will begrudge him a move back to Spain, and with the opportunity to play for Real Madrid nobody would blame him for doing just that.

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Although Arsenal have sat back over the weeks following the end of the season and let rivals such as Liverpool and Manchester United make the early signings, the Gunners seem to be making up for lost time now. Reports on Monday revealed that a deal for Chelsea’s Petr Cech is all but done, and with fans still coming down from the euphoria of developments, another name has been thrown into the transfer mix… Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The pacey Gabon international is known by supporters – particularly those who play FIFA or Football Manager – for his eye for goal and extravagant skills, and although the Gunners are well-stocked in the final third we at FFC Towers think this is a deal Arsene Wenger should really be exploring…. And here are FIVE reasons why.

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Pace!

If there one thing, albeit a bit cliché, defenders don’t like. It’s pace. Although this old adage is a bit over-used and bears the hallmarks of lazy pundits on Match of the Day, there is some bulk to it. No matter how good a centre-back, or full-back, is, if they’re chasing a loose ball against a significantly quicker opponent, there’s only going to be one winner.

Aubameyang has long been talked of as one of the quickest players in the Bundesliga – he was also lauded for the same trait during his spell in Ligue 1 – and with Arsenal a side set up to hit on the counter-attack, it would appear that the Gabon international would be well-suited.

Able to play across a front three

Although he spent the majority of last season as Dortmund’s centre-forward – perhaps partly due to Robert Lewandowski’s exit and the form, or lack of, shown by Ciro Immobile – Aubameyang has played most of his career as a wide forward. His pace lends him well to the position, and although his delivery can be a bit hit and miss, he is useful in an inside forward role – akin to that Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez have been deployed in.

Wenger is known to favour a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 set-up, and the wide forward roles as well as ‘up top’ would be boosted by the addition of Aubameyang.

Statement of intent

With Cech almost in as a real marquee buy, Arsenal would be sending a massive signal to their rivals by snapping up one of the Bundesliga’s top talents. Although not in the very highest calibre of player on the market, Aubameyang is highly thought of among football fans and pundits alike, while his silky skills have even led to the moniker the ‘African Neymar’.

Rivals also want him…

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The Bild report revealing Arsenal’s interest also suggests Chelsea and Manchester City are teams in the running, while Liverpool have also been aligned with the rapid attacker. Although not the wisest foundation for transfer business, snapping up a player to keep him from rivals has its benefits, as was shown by the addition of Alexis Sanchez last summer – Liverpool were also keen.

A character

Modern football can be a bit bland. Players are so media trained that stock answers tumble out of their mouths when quizzed after the game, while some are afraid to be a little ‘out there’ for fear of the social media backlash and ribbing from fans.

‘Auba’ is a little different though, and you get the impression that he plays the game with a smile on his face. Take his recent celebration with team-mate Marco Reus, in which the duo donned Batman and Robin masks. Excellent!