Football News: Schmeichel Dismissed Man Utd's Title Hopes, Weigl Rules Out Man City Move As Zabaleta Considers His Future And More

1. Napoli striker Higuain is the top striker in the world
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has said that Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain is the best in the world right now. "If he was a little more aggressive when going to the net, he'd score a lot more," Sarri said. "But he's still the top striker in the world right now." With the likes of Karim Benzema and compatriot Sergio Aguero to compare him with, that is a bold statement from Sarri. Higuain arrived in Naples after six seasons with Real Madrid, and has hit over 15 goals a season in his two previous seasons with Napoli. 18 goals last season and 17 the previous one. This season he has taken his goalscoring to a new level, with 20 goals in the 20 league games so far. Opposition coaches have been effusive in their praise of him. "For 41 minutes my defenders made sure he didn't get a touch. Then on his first touch of the ball he showed all his class," said Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco on Saturday. "You don't need me to explain how good he is." All of this is a far cry from last season, which ended on a sour note for Higuain when his car was vandalised by Napoli ultras after he missed a penalty. They chose to overlook the brace he netted before the penalty miss, as Lazio ran out 4-2 winners on the final day and Napoli missed out on the qualifying round of the Champions League due to the defeat. Then he was pushed out of the international reckoning a few weeks later, as he again missed a penalty in a shootout, this time in the Copa America final against Chile, who won the tournament 4-1 on penalties. Higuain has given a lot of the praise for his improvement to Sarri. "If I'm honest, a lot of what I'm achieving at the moment is down to Sarri," Higuain said. "We try to encourage each other because we're both working for the same goal."

2. Amartey showing why Leicester want to sign him
FC Copenhagen starlet Daniel Amartey is looking set to join Leicester City this month, here is a glimpse of why:

 

3. Transfer round up
Esteban Solari Deportivo Cuenca to SD Aucas free
Lele Santa Cruz to Santa CruzRN free
Faysel Kasmi Lierse SK to Omonia Nicosia on loan
Fredrik Berge Brondby IF to Odds BK £210,000
Jesper Jorgensen Zulte Waregem to Esbjerg fB undisclosed fee
Marcos Gullon Apollon Limassol to Roda JC free
Mehmet Sedef unattached to Adanaspor
Ucha Lobjanidze Omonia Nicosia to Dinamo Tbilisi free
Vaclav Prochazka Viktoria Plzen to Osmanlispor undisclosed fee
Dragan Ceran Hajer to Vardar Skopje free
Aleksandar Stanisavljevic FK Vojvodina to Asteras Tripolis £98,000
Sergey Tkachev Kuban Krasnodar to CSKA Moscow free
Jose Fuenzalida Boca Juniors to CD Universidad Catolica free
Kasper Hamalainen Lech Poznan to Legia Warsaw free
Steven Caulker Southampton to QPR loan return
Patou Kabangu released by Al-Ahli
Braian Romero CA Colon to Argentinos undisclosed fee
Matias Sarulyte Estudiantes to San Martin on loan
Adrian Colunga unattached to RCD Mallorca
Urko Vera Jeonbuk to CA Osasuna free
Benik Afobe Wolverhampton Wanderers to Bournemouth £9.31m
Erkut Senturk released by Eskisehirspor
Victor Rimniceanu FC Viitorul to Dinamo Bucharest free
Luca Crecco Virtus Lanciano to Lazio loan return
Joseph Marie Minala Latina Calcio to Lazio loan return
Wellington Paulista Fluminese to Ponte Preta on loan

4. Weigl dismisses talk of Man City move
Borussia Dortmund's young midfielder Julian Weigl has been linked with a move to Manchester City in recent weeks, but the 20 year old has said that he intends to stay with Dortmund, for now at least. Weigl only joined Dortmund in the summer from 1860 Munich, but he has impressed so much that he has become central to coach Thomas Tuchel's plans, only missing one Bundesliga match so far this season. This led to links with Man City appearing in the media but Weigl has insisted he is not going to leave in the January transfer window. "I'm really not going to leave Borussia. This is not an issue for me," he told Bild. "I can only emphasis that until 2019 I am under contract at BVB and still have some time [left]."

 

5. Filipe Luis goal
Former Chelsea full back Filipe Luis shows why they paid so much to take him Atletico Madrid in the first place, as he scores the opener against Las Palmas. Just makes you wonder why they let him go back, after barely giving him a chance.

6. Zabaleta considering his future
Manchester City fullback Pablo Zabaleta has struggled for fitness so far this season, making just 7 appearances in sky blue so far. Despite his lack of first team football, the Argentine defender has ruled out the option of a January move, but admits he will be considering his future in the summer, when he will have just one year left on his contract. Zabaleta joined City from Espanyol in 2008, initially struggling to hold down a regular place in any one position, but the last few years have seen him nail down the right back slot, after years of being also used at left back and in midfield. This season's knee injury has seen former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna step in to the right back berth and the 31 year old has been linked with former City boss Roberto Mancini's Inter Milan side. "At the end of this season I will have one more year left on my contract," Zabaleta said. "Normally the end of this season will be the time to decide what we will do. As a player I think I still have two or three years left to play at the top level, but in football things change quickly. I am enjoying myself at this great club, and at the end of this season we will have a conversation. I want to finish the season here and am not thinking of going anywhere in January."

 

7. Enrique quells Messi fears
After Barcelona boss Luis Enrique took Lionel Messi off at half time of the 6-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao, there were fears that the Argentine was injured. Enrique has moved quickly to quash those fears as he says the substitution was just precautionary. He does admit that Messi did have a worry over a suspected hamstring strain, but that he should be fit to play in Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarter final match. "We have to wait and see what the tests say, but it was a slight strain and we preferred not to risk it," Enrique said. "We spoke and it didn't make any sense to risk it at 2-0 and with all that we have to come. I don't like taking risks with any player, so imagine what it's like with Messi." With Athletic down to ten men, it was a sensible decision by the Catalans' boss.

8. Bayern are calm over Goetze's contract
Bayern Munich remain calm about Mario Goetze's contract amid rumours linking him with a move to the Premier League. Bayern's sporting executive, Matthias Sammer, is aware of the dates and has said that Bayern will make the decision about his future in the summer. "We'll take a calm look at it," Sammer said. "Bayern Munich still determines the strategy. With Mario, that's not a problem at all. We all know what the situation is like, about the contract length." Goetze himself has not ruled out a move away from the German giants in the summer.

 

9. Proof the fans can play an important part in the game
Wesley Sneijder shows the fans matter:

10. Schmeichel dismisses Van Gaal's title talk
Manchester United's legendary former keeper Peter Schmeichel has dismissed Manchester United as a title contender. The 52 year old, whose son is keeping goal for another of the contenders, Leicester City, has said that he believes Man Utd are not good enough to win the title. Yesterday United boss Louis van Gaal had suggested that the 1-0 win over Liverpool put the Red Devils firmly in the title race. "I don't think they can win the title. I don't think the team is good enough and they don't enjoy playing the way they do," Schmeichel told Sky Sports. "It was three lucky points today. [David] De Gea played exceptionally well and was key in keeping them in the game, and when you have a world-class player like Rooney, something can happen, and it did," the ex-United star said. That's two positives from the game. If that's the style of play that Man United have to play, then I don't think they can win the league because you have to be really lucky every game."

Written by Tris Burke January 18 2016 13:38:17