Why English Football Needs Zlatan

Perhaps not since Mr Abramovich arrived in 2003 has there been such intrigue and uncertainty regarding the league and the outcome. It is a summer of flux and change for the Premier League. The start of a new extortionate television deal as well as the change of coaches for the league’s top three teams points to the most interesting summer and season ahead for quite some time. 

There are some who believe that the changes will help Arsenal challenge for the league again pointing to the fact there is no real standout team at the top. There is a sense of truth in this in terms of the changes at United, City and Chelsea yet this points to perhaps the most glaring issue which has become apparent this summer, the fact that there is a dearth of world class talent in the Premier League. As The Whitehouse Address will discuss, it appears that the Premier League has ‘lost’ its appeal. 

With the arrivals of Moyes, Pellegrini and Mourinho in particular there was an inevitable sense that the Premier League would be seeing the arrival of some of football’s best players this summer. A show of intent and ambition is what many call it, with new coaches looking to make an immediate impact to the fans and oppositon. And perhaps with the league apparently so 'open’, significant signings could make the difference for these new coaches. 

And yet we are seeing that these sides and coaches are not able to attract the top names after all. There is becoming a worrying trend for the fans of the clubs and the league itself, as well as the coaches of these sides, that the English league is either not able to compete or is no longer appealing to the top names across world football. 

New bullies in town

 

Let us discuss these two issues separately. It is clear that the owners of PSG and Monaco have very deep pockets and are more than willing to invest large sums in wages and fees. It is the same as what Abramovich and Mansour have done at Chelsea and Man City these past several years. Yet it is clear that these owners now wish to be more ‘sustainable’ and this has meant that these clubs are no longer the ‘bullies’ of the transfer market which they once were. I guess after investing £1 billion you expect to 'slow things down'. 

Yet this has meant that players like Cavani and Falcao, two of the best forwards in world football, who appeared certainties to join either City or Chelsea, have been recruited to France instead. There is no doubt that these two players would have been a significant coup for the Premier League and the respetive club they had joined, however their value and fee was simply too much. Now whether we should commend English sides for not paying the ridiculous fees these players commanded is up to debate, clearer the game and transfers have clearer gone too far in this respect. Ironically it is Chelsea and City who contributed most to these kinds of spending. Yet there is no doubt in a football perspective both Pellegrini and Mourinho have missed out on their targets. 

The Premier League's declining appeal

Let us also consider the second point that the apparent best league in world football is struggling to attract the biggest names. So far this summer English football has missed out on Cavani, Falcao, David Villa, Robert Lewandowski, Isco, Llorente, Thiago, Neymar and Mkhitaryan. All have been coveted by English sides yet all have chosen to move or remain in either Italy, Spain or Germany. Before this we have seen players like Alexis Sanchez, Javier Pastore, Mesut Ozil, Kaka and Hulk all choose to play elsewhere than move to England.

Why is this? Well it is clear that many of the world's best players don't see the English league as appealing as a decade ago. Of course there is the clear attraction of Barcelona first off. It appears that every player wants to play for the Catalan side, something which can be understood based on what they have achieved and the manner they have done it these past several years. Barcelona has become a major pull to many of the world’s top players. 

Therefore players like Neymar and Sanchez cannot resist playing for such an illustrious club (and you cannot discount the culture, language and weather which Spanish football offers). As for Real Madrid most of Europe’s clubs have found it impossible to compete with Madrid for players when it comes to either holding on to them or competing for a player. The ‘Galactico’ mentality of Madrid’s President Florentino Perez has seen a desire to attract the biggest names and pay the most money, and although City and Chelsea have shown the same kind of ambition they have lacked the ‘history’ and 'allure' which Madrid offers. 

And now we have the rise of two of Europe’s old ‘superpowers’. Firstly Bayern Munich; slowly they have built a squad full of world class players, some bought for lots of money and other developed through the club. They are now appealing to some of the world's best players like Gotze, Lewandowski and Thiago. And the reason is Pep Guardiola. The aura he has created around himself after the success of Barcelona has made him the most appealing coach in world football. Therefore Bayern are not only able to pay for the best but they have a man who is able to attract the best. It is no surprise that City and Chelsea both wished him to join their new ‘projects’ because of his ‘star’ appeal. Yet his decision to move to Germany has effectively sabotaged the English leagues appeal and ability to recruit some top players. 

And we cannot ignore Juventus whose resurgence since the Calciopoli scandal has seen them become one of Europe’s best sides once again. The fact they convinced players like Llorente and Tevez to join them certainly shows that the Italian league is beginning to attract the star names once again. And in players like Balotelli and Mario Gomez it shows that the Italian league is back on the rise, while the English league appears to be heading the other way?

In the past six months the league has lost the talents of Tevez and Balotelli and appears set to lose Luis Suarez, David Luiz and even Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale (yet both these will more than likely stay). Since 2009 it has also lost talent like Ronaldo, Fabregas, Xavi Alonso and Luka Modric. The evidence appears overwhelming that the English league and the top sides have lost their pulling power, have lost their appeal to bring in and retain world class talent. We only have to look at the failings of sides in Europe to see the impact that the loss of these players has had on English clubs.

Now of course we have to be ‘thankful’ for Man City and their owners for a least trying to help the league attract world class talent. Players like Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are genuine world class players who have added class to the league. Yet it appears evident that the English league no longer has the wealth and depth of talent it had just a few years ago. The performances in Europe highlight this. No more Henry, Drogba, Ronaldo or Fabregas. A poorer Torres and Rooney and the aging and decline of players like Essien, Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard. The league has got older and through it the talent has diminished. England’s attraction has lessened which has resulted in it's dominance ending. 

Yes we have players in the league such as Mata, Hazard and Kagawa, very talented players yet those who can be said to be in the second tier of quality. And if they excel would they be seen leaving like Modric and Alonso have done? Yes there has been big money spent so far this summer on players like Schurrle, Navas and Fernandinho and perhaps all three could be revelations, yet these signings appear to reflect a problem which is happening far too often, large fees spent on ‘unproven’ players. Vincent Kompany however points towards the growing transfer of the ‘educated gamble’, where clubs spend £5-10m on a player and the result is either success or failure. Is this where the English league is going?

A need for quality to make a statement

Without doubt United, Chelsea, City and Arsenal need to sign one or two big names this summer in order to challenge for the title and be more competitive in Europe. Three new managers will be desperate to make an immediate impact and Wenger will be hoping to prove himself to his (doubting) fans. Yet the quality of player available is growing smaller as the summer goes on, which is why Zlatan’s rumoured move to City is so important. 
 

Zlatan is one of the most dominant and skilful forwards football has seen. Yes he is a selfish player (a reason he has never won a Champions League) yet there is no doubt that his dominance and presence makes him a key and influential player. As City have not been able to land any of Cavani, Falcao or Isco their attention appears to be on second rate forwards Negredo or Jovetic are possibilities.Yet if City wish to make a statement and Pellegrini wants to win the league, Zlatan is the man for City. 

He will turn 32 years old in October and it could be seen as bringing in a player ‘past his peak’ yet there is another argument to say that Zlatan is the most mature he has ever been. He has certainly grown into a leader and would be a great addition to replace the talents yet destructive influences of Tevez and Balotelli. Yes City wish to have a more harmonious and less controversial playing staff, yet Zlatan could offer the club a lot which others cannot. 

And we cannot ignore the fact that the arrival of Zlatan would be a major coup for the Premier League. It is clear that it is not just the clubs which would wish too see a 'marquee' player arrive but the league and televsion companies. It would benefit the league to have a player of Zlatan’s quality and reputation arrive. It may be just what the league needs. As we look across the list of avaialbe players this summer, Zlatan may be the only player who fits the bill of the world class player the league requires to help it recover from its slump.

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