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According to reports from The Daily Mail, Antoine Griezmann’s decision to sign a new contract with Atletico Madrid could soon result in Barcelona swooping for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen. Griezmann and the Danish playmaker are no means like-for-like players, but the theory is that the Nou Camp giants will now look to strengthen their midfield options instead with Eriksen and Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara ‘under consideration’.

Tottenham would, of course, be incredibly reluctant to let the 78-cap international leave. Since arriving from Ajax, Eriksen’s established himself as a key part of Tottenham’s midfield and certainly during the course of last season, he appeared to really embrace the responsibility of being such an important player for Mauricio Pochettino.

But could there be unforeseen positives to letting Eriksen leave for Barcelona? We look at the potential consequences, both good and bad, of a deal taking place this summer…

Andre Gomes moves the other way

Tottenham were linked with Andre Gomes back in April as a potential replacement for Mousa Dembele and the Belgium international’s future is still yet to be resolved with his current terms due to expire at the end of next season. The Portuguese midfielder has endured a difficult spell at the Nou Camp, even enduring jeers from his own fans, but he’s a talented playmaker and even if he can’t match Dembele’s physicality, he should give Tottenham a similar control of possession from deep midfield.

In some ways though, signing Gomes in return doesn’t really solve the biggest problem with Eriksen leaving this summer. More of a central midfielder by nature, he’s not exactly a like-for-like replacement – so some quality will be taken away from Tottenham’s attacking midfield berth.

Tottenham’s midfield loses its precision

The greatest gift Eriksen gives to this Tottenham side is undoubtedly his vision and precision with the ball. He’s the one player the Lilywhites turn to for that killer pass splitting the opposition defence or a thunderous strike from long range. There’s plenty of talent elsewhere in this Tottenham team and in the transfer market, but that aspect of Eriksen’s game is incredibly difficult to replace – there are few players in world football who can match him in terms of passing and shooting technique.

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That inevitably takes something away from this Tottenham team – Eriksen was the hub of culture the rest of the attack played around. But it also gives Pochettino a chance to change the emphasis of this side and address arguably it’s biggest offensive flaw, which brings us onto…

Moura gets his chance to shine

One of the key motivations for signing Lucas Moura in January laid in his ability to jink his way through opposition defences, which has been a real problem for Tottenham in recent seasons. While Dele Alli can arrive late in the box to score, Son Heung-min can stretch defences with pace and Eriksen can pick out the pair’s runs, Spurs’ attack under Pochettino has always seemed to lack that player capable of breaking through opposition defences with mazy dribbles. Tellingly, their most prolific forward for dribbles in the Premier League last season was Son with just 1.6 per match – whereas the highest rate in the whole division was Eden Hazard with 4.9.

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Moura though, arrests that problem and Eirksen’s departure will open up an obvious space in the team for him. His Spurs career thus far has mostly consisted of bench outings and cup games, purely because Tottenham’s attacking midfield berth is so competitive, but Eriksen will leave a big gap behind that the Brazilian can fill, bringing something a little different to the team.

So, Spurs fans, should your club cash on Eriksen this summer? Let us know by voting below…

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Trent Alexander-Arnold burst onto the scene last season as he made the right-back spot his own towards the end of Liverpool’s campaign.

The 19-year-old held his own in Champions League knockout matches against Manchester City, Roma and in the final against Real Madrid.

The Liverpool-born player’s form earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup in Russia.

As for Nathaniel Clyne, it has been a different story as the 27-year-old spent the majority of the season on the sidelines with injury.

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In fact, the England right-back made just five appearances in all competitions and just two of those were Premier League starts.

In an interview with Goal.com, Clyne spoke of his desire to hit the ground running this season and make up for lost time.

If he impresses Jurgen Klopp then he could end up winning back his spot in the first XI, which could negatively affect Alexander-Arnold.

However, at times last season, the manager used the attack-minded full-back as a winger, so perhaps that indicates that the youngster’s future is further up the pitch.

Liverpool fans have been debating the situation on Reddit.

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Tottenham Hotspur were impressed by Ante Rebic’s performance in Croatia’s 3-0 World Cup win over Argentina and are lining up a bid, according to Bild, via the Express. 

What’s the story, then?

Rebic hit the opener as Croatia stunned their South American opponents to top Group D and the report claims that has put him on Spurs’ radar as they look to make a renewed title bid next season.

The wideman currently plays his club football for Eintracht Frankfurt and the report says that the German outfit would sell for a fee of £26.3m, although World Cups have a habit of driving up transfer fees.

Danny Rose, Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Moussa Sissoko are all players named in the report as potential departures from North London this summer, and the report suggests that the funds from their sales could, in part, buy Rebic.

Rebic didn’t actually do much vs Argentina

There is no doubting that Rebic took his goal exceptionally well but it was presented by a goalkeeping error from Willy Caballero, of Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea.

Aside from the goal, the winger was a peripheral figure in the match, struggling badly to get involved in general play, despite facing an Argentine defence which was shambolic in its organisation and approach to dealing with the Croatian frontline.

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That lack of involvement has to be a worry for Pochettino, especially given the dangers that have been encountered many times in the past with buying players solely on the back of a World Cup.

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Transfer sagas have come and gone this summer already. Christian Benteke, Radamel Falcao, Raheem Sterling… David de Gea? Nope.

The Spaniard remains a Manchester United player despite it having been made clear at the very end of last season that Real Madrid were pursuing his signature.

Since then Los Blancos have offloaded Iker Casillas, seemingly clearing space, agreed personal terms with the stopper and De Gea himself has even been dropped for both of the Red Devils’ Premier League games this season.

Alas, he’s still in Manchester, and reports claim that a transfer request is now the last resort for the goalie as he looks to force his move.

Should De Gea make it OFFICIAL that he wants out, there won’t be too much United can do to keep him, and it’s hard to argue against the player must biting the bullet to force the switch… Here are Five reasons it would be career suicide for him not to.

LVG issues

Van Gaal is a fairly brutal manager when it comes to players he does not fancy or those who ‘wrong’ him. The vast quantity of irked professionals to have spoken out against the Dutchman, Hristo Stoichkov’s recent comments being a prime example, make it pretty clear that if you’re out of LVG’s plans, that’s game over.

And with the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss having axed De Gea from his side for the opening two games of the Premier League season, there’s a chance that things are not well behind the scenes. Van Gaal made a point of stating that the Spaniard didn’t want to play against Aston Villa, and if this is true then surely the pair’s relationship is being pushed towards breaking point.

Further to this, Van Gaal now has one of his former favourites, Sergio Romero, in the squad, and with two clean sheets from two games, the Argentine could keep his place for the foreseeable future.

Development

At 24, soon to be 25, De Gea is now pushing into his prime years as an athlete. Goalkeepers typically peak in their early to mid 30s, but with the Spanish stopper already one of the best around the coming 12 months are key for his development. So, can he afford a season warming the bench? Or a season playing without 100% motivation?

Probably not. Footballers’ careers are fragile entities, and just a single campaign wasted could have a negative impact on his current trajectory.

International hopes

As things stand, De Gea is the first in line to take Iker Casillas’ No.1 spot for Spain. Although the La Roja captain has suffered a dip in form over the course of the past few years, he remains the first choice at international level, although the gap has been significantly closed due to the rise of the current Man United star.

Casillas is now plying his trade with Porto, so should De Gea force his move to Real his chances of taking the jersey he’s chasing will surely be boosted. The Spanish media are a powerful entity, and playing for one of the nation’s biggest clubs is sure to have a massive impact in terms of his standing.

Risking Real ending interest

Real are known to be ruthless in their transfer dealings. If they want a player, they usually get him, likewise if they lose interest then stars quickly become obsolete… just look at Casillas being forced to Porto this summer.

So there’s a chance that in 12 months’ time the La Liga giants could no longer be after De Gea, especially if he’s forced to sit on the bench at Old Trafford or, if things get worse, train with the reserves.

Wrath of the fans

Football fans, on the whole, have short memories. De Gea may well have been the difference between Champions League qualification and a season in the Europa League last term, and scooped the club’s Player of the Year award, but his pretty open desire to move on is sure to have irked many.

Should he come back in and fall short of the levels of performance he was producing last term, which is feasible given that his motivation is sure to have waned, it may not take too long for supporters to grow frustrated.

35 goals, Manchester United back to the top of the table, Daniel Sturridge returns to scoring ways, an Alexis Sanchez hat-trick, Chelsea still unable to wake up from their summer slumber… WHAT. A. DAY.Although we’ve pretty much summed it up in the opening paragraph, we’ll go into more detail. A shock loss at Spurs for Manchester City – in which Harry Kane found the net – opened the door for Manchester United to go top of the table with a win against Sunderland. Routine. Louis van Gaal’s men put three past the hapless Black Cats, while elsewhere the goals just flew in. Sturridge got to wiggle his arms twice as Liverpool eased the pressure on a beleaguered Brendan Rodgers with a 3-2 home win over Aston Villa, while Arsenal bust the Leicester bubble with a thumping 5-2 victory. Both Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott scored, which is sure to give Arsene Wenger a headache.There was much, much, much more going on, and Twitter was once again in tip top form… here are some of the best moments from a great day of footy!

Accidental trolling backfired

This West Ham signing slipped under the radar…

Good work, Paddy Power

Why couldn’t he do that for Man United?

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amazing tactical insight…h3>

Even if there are other ‘rags to riches’ football stories at present, none come close to the one of Jamie Vardy. He wasn’t developed under luxurious surroundings such as Arsenal’s Football Academy or Chelsea’s Cobham Academy or even groomed for a leading role at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, success still follows Vardy through any club door he has entered.

It all began with promotion to top flight of the Northern Premier League with Stocksbridge Park Steels before winning the division at Halifax Town. Since claiming first place in the Conference Premier with Fleetwood Town and then clinching the Championship title with Leicester City.

Vardy’s latest goal put him five goals clear of the rest as the Premier League’s top goalscorer with 12. The currently unstoppable forward also made further inroads on the weekend by becoming the first Englishman in Premier League history to net goals in nine consecutive games.

In Andy Pilley’s (Fleetwood chairman) words, he is remembered as a “lively” character but one with exceptional “self-belief” too. However, no living soul would have imagined he would go from a non-leaguer to representing England.

Strong will and passion to reach stardom is a huge factor in the fairytale journey for Vardy. Manic pressing to sharp directness was instilled into the 28-year-old from academy level and it has created a difficult riddle for Premier League defenders to solve.

Vardy has set a benchmark for every Premier League striker. The tempo and tone plays with sets the pace to all Leicester’s home matches.

Vardy is a huge threat due to rapid pace and his goal against West Brom was most evident of this. The biggest question arising from Vardy’s performances is whether he can replicate this for England. Harry Kane has hit a patch of good form in recent weeks but the unique attribute of Vardy is stretching defenders as he always plays on the shoulder.

With Rooney and Kane both coming short to receive the ball, Vardy’s different approach will surely get him in England’s Euro 2016 squad.

Despite no goals in his first four games, he actually does have an impact on play as England have scored 10 goals without conceding when he is on the pitch. With the Premier League impressed by Vardy, it will have been interesting to see what France and Spain would’ve made of him.

They’ll just have to wait until next summer now…

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West Ham have crafted themselves a stylish squad, perfect for all you footballing hipsters out there. Dimitri Payet is proving to be the jewel in the crown, aided by the signings of Victor Moses and Alex Song on loan.

They’re entering a new era, with a new manager and a switch to the Olympic Park on the horizon. Though Sam Allardyce should be lauded for the job he did in East London, the progression to Slaven Bilic has looked natural and a good fit.

As Bilic was taking over, the importance of retaining the club’s Premier League status was talked up. What a disaster it would be if the Hammers were to be relegated with a move to a huge stadium just around the corner.

Now, less than ten games into the season, it looks like a matter of wondering how high the club will finish. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City – all away from home – the burgeoning Bilic regime is off to a flyer.

However, some growing pains are clear with disappointing losses to Leicester and Bournemouth at home, so perhaps the club would be wise to shift on some squad players to aid further squad development.

Here are four Hammers to be axed in January…

JOEY O’BRIEN

The Irishman is out of contract at the end of the season, and should be moved on if at all possible. He’s been a good servant to the club, having linked up with Allardyce when the Hammers were in the Championship after previously playing for him at Bolton.

However, the club have simply moved in the quality of player now in the squad, with the likes of Aaron Cresswell and Carl Jenkinson available at full-back.

REECE OXFORD

Now, hold on. Reece Oxford looked simply fantastic against Arsenal, pocketing World Cup winning playmaker Mesut Ozil with ease. However, it is important to remember the youngster is not yet 17 years of age.

Rather than be ‘axed’, perhaps ‘shelved’ is a better phrase. Alex Song, Pedro Obiang, Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate offer strong options in the middle of the park.

After his integration into first-team proceedings, perhaps a short-term loan deal would be a wise option in the New Year, further aiding his development.

MAURO ZARATE

Now Andy Carroll is back from injury, the disposal of Zarate is not too big a deal. Though he scored against Arsenal on the opening day, he has rarely convinced since arriving in London last year, and was shipped out to QPR from January onwards.

Compatriot Manuel Lanzini has already offered more since he arrived during the summer, and the return of Carroll coupled with the signing of Nikica Jelavic has pushed Zarate even further down the pecking order.

LUKA BELIC

The young Serbian striker joined West Ham just after deadline day, as the 19-year old completed a free transfer from OFK Beograd in his homeland.

Clearly a highly rated talent, he is the youngest player to score in the Serbian senior league and is widely tipped to break the national side soon. Perhaps a loan deal to another London club, a division or two down, would be a wise move as he settles in to his new surroundings.

After losing to the mighty Stoke City, Norwich City and Bournemouth in his last three consecutive matches as Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal is a man clearly operating under serious pressure right in the here and now.

The Red Devils look totally void of confidence across the whole park, van Gaal’s side have struggled from a goal-scoring point of view for quite a sustained period of time now it must be said – and although the January transfer window could potentially offer the Old Trafford faithful a handy way out of their current plight – it remains hard to imagine any quick-fix taking place at the club throughout the remainder of the season.

So then, as the enigmatic Dutchman has recently raised the notion of possibly quitting the formally dominant Premier League team in the not too distant future, should Louis van Gaal now definitively cut his losses at Old Trafford, and ultimately resign as Manchester United manager?

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Well, although such an eventuality would certainly go down as a shame for Red Devils fans, maybe the former Ajax, Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss has invariably been left with no choice but to part ways with the Red Devils.

Despite famously spending close to £250million at the club in recent transfer windows, the performances for Manchester United only seem to be growing worse and worse with every passing week.

Many of van Gaal’s marquee men have completely failed to justify their overvalued price tags, there seems to be a lack of understanding between the players and the manager, and as for the quality of football being played at Old Trafford this season – well, perhaps the least said about that, the better.

Louis van Gaal initially arrived in the English top-flight with one of the strongest managerial reputations in Europe. Although the Dutchman was yet to test his hand in the Premier League, many rightfully expected the 64-year-old tactician to take to his newfound duties with full vigour and panache, seemingly on the back of his vast prior experience alone.

However, life in the English game simply hasn’t been kind to Louis van Gaal for the most part, leaving the former boss of the Netherlands national side with it all to do.

His team may very well be within touching distance of the top-four, but within a fan-base expecting Premier League titles year in year out with all the money that has been spent at their club in recent windows, such an outcome simply isn’t good enough in the end.

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Yet it could be argued that Manchester United were always going to struggle in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s eventual departure, as David Moyes also notoriously failed to set the league alight during his respective term in charge at Old Trafford. Maybe United’s dramatic decline was somewhat inevitable, for perhaps no other top-flight manager could have really filled the boots of the club’s long-term boss when all is said and done.

The Old Trafford faithful may therefore have little choice but to grow accustomed to the current state of transition taking place at their club, simply because the players no longer represent a side capable of winning domestic and European titles with every passing season. Sometimes sacrifice is a necessary outcome after all.

But because Louis van Gaal has arguably turned Manchester United into one of the most boring sides in the entire league and still managed to waste a shedload of resources on his chosen players in the process, it seems as if the point of no return may have well been reached by now.

Yes, the Red Devils will still likely struggle even with a new main man at the helm at first, and the players themselves must take their fair share of the blame as well – yet as there is really no excuse for how poorly this team have applied their efforts in front of goal this season, maybe it’s time Louis van Gaal waved goodbye to the Premier League and took his floundering football philosophies with him.

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Manchester United’s reluctance to spend during the January transfer window, despite requiring added firepower up top, extra speed out wide, further depth in defence and laying six points off a Champions League spot, has only enhanced the theory that Jose Mourinho will replace Louis van Gaal in the summer.

After all, why shell out untold fortunes in January if you’re going to bring in a new manager with new ideas who will want new players just six months down the line? Likewise, the evidence suggesting the Speical One will be in the Old Trafford hot seat next season has only grown since the winter window slammed shut, with BBC Sport reporting that negotiations are already underway.

So with that in mind and the summer window by no means as far away as it may seem, we’ve taken a look at SIX signings that could help ‘Mourinho-ise’ Manchester United – bringing the club’s current squad closer towards the Portuguese’s notoriously pragmatic philosophy…

ROMELU LUKAKU

Romelu Lukaku and Jose Mourinho didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye during their short time together at Stamford Bridge, but the Special One has always favoured powerful centre-forwards and the Everton striker is rapidly emerging as one of the best in the business.

The Belgium international isn’t exactly a kindred spirit with Didier Drogba but there are obvious similarities in style, both boasting imposing frames that offer pace, strength and leap in almost equal measure.

Furthermore, the 22-year-old’s goal tally is becoming impossible to ignore for a club who have scored the fewest times of any team in the Premier League’s top eight this season. Lukaku’s bagged 16 league strikes this year, bringing his top flight total to an impressive 58 goals in 137 outings.

But if the Toffees are to part with their star frontman next summer, it will be only for an enormous sum. The 6 foot 3 striker is already rated at around the £50million mark and that price could go up depending on performances at Euro 2016.

ANTOINE GRIEZMANN

Antoine Griezmann was a regular in Chelsea’s rumour columns during Jose Mourinho’s final transfer window at Stamford Bridge and it’s not hard to see why.

Since moving to Vincente Calderon in summer 2014, the France international has flourished in an Atletico Madrid side forged on similar ideals to the Mourinho philosophy of well-organised, pragmatic and defence-comes-first football.

Indeed, the Atletico Madrid star has bagged 44 goals in 86 appearances over the last 18 months and along with his potent goal threat, the 24-year-old’s industriousness and versatility, featuring as a winger, a midfielder and a centre-forward, has particularly stood out.

One can’t imagine Juan Mata’s United career spanning far beyond Mourinho’s appointment, considering he was one of the first casualties when the Special One returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013, and Griezmann represents a potential replacement more befitting of the Portuguese’s ethos.

The Mattress Makers are hoping to bump up his release clause to €100million, however, and will be incredibly reluctant to sell ahead of their twelve-month transfer ban.

MOUSA DEMBELE

Manchester United’s engine room still lacks spark and one midfielder whose been on Jose Mourinho’s radar for some time is Tottenham Hotspur powerhouse Moussa Dembele – who intriguingly enough came close to joining the Red Devils back in 2012.

After a few seasons in the wilderness, the Belgium international is back to his best this term, averaging 3.7 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 created chance and 2.6 successful dribbles per match from his 20 Premier League outings whilst recording a 90% pass completion rate.

The 28-year-old is physical and dynamic but blends it with class on the ball. He’d add a more mobile element to United’s midfield whilst bringing it more in line with the Mourinho mentality – especially in terms of work-rate.

But Tottenham have made a habit of refusing to sell to Premier League rivals and Dembele just signed a contract extension until 2019, so it remains to be seen if United can land him for a financially justifiable sum.

LUKA MODRIC

Another midfielder who could breathe some life into United’s engine room is former Spurs star Luka Modric, who played under Jose Mourinho during a single year at Real Madrid.

He’s perhaps not your typical Mourinho player, more technical flair and creativity than physicality, but nonetheless remains one of the best playmakers in world football and has always included an element of industriousness in his game.

Furthermore, the Croatian international is well-proven in the Premier League and the Champions League and knows exactly how a Mourinho side operates.

He may be no spring chicken at the age of 30 but that could well be what convinces Real Madrid to sell during the summer, at which point Modric’s contract will have entered its final two years.

ALVARO MORATA

Jose Mourinho issued Alvaro Morata his senior debut whilst in charge of Real Madrid and despite struggling to impact at Juventus this season, the Spain international is still one of Europe’s most exciting young strikers.

The 23-year-old measures in at 6 foot 2, is hard working and mobile and although his strike-rate isn’t exactly outstanding, with a career return of 78 in 212 across all competitions, he’s developed a knack for scoring incredibly important goals.

Indeed, Morata netted five times as the Old Lady claimed runner-up spot in the Champions League last season, including goals in both legs of the semi-final against Real Madrid and a strike against Barcelona in the final.

Mourinho loves players who rise to the big occasions and Morata seemingly falls into that category. Furthermore, Juventus might be inclined to sell at the end of the season, with the Spaniard stuck behind Mario Mandzukic and Paolo Dybala in the pecking order.

But Real Madrid have a buy-back clause and according to the Spanish press, they intend to activate it during the summer.

JOHN STONES

John Stones was one of Jose Mourinho’s priority transfer targets last summer and the chances are that the Special One is still incredibly keen on the Everton defender, despite the scrutiny that has surrounded him this season.

After all, the 21-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting home-grown products in the Premier League since signing for the Toffees in January 2013, boasting rare agility and flair on the ball for an English centre-half.

Something tells me Mourinho is more attracted to Stones’ athleticism and speed than his ball-playing qualities but nonetheless, the England international has the potential to become one of the top centre-backs in world football under the right manager.

But Everton showed their resolve last summer and much like Romelu Lukaku, Stones’ valuation could soar if he performs well at Euro 2016.

Spurs’ title charge continues to run with full steam ahead, but, rest assured, Mauricio Pochettino will be doing all he can to make sure all of his players are prepared for the next campaign still.

Nottingham Forest, who are in the comfort of Championship mid-table, could be an ideal destination for any player who wants to make the step for more first team minutes.

Forest harboured dreams of promotion earlier in the season, but will have to make do with another year of Championship football and is a comfortable, stress-free environment for players to move to as they look to add to their first-team experience.

Spurs’ Europa League exploits continue to become more challenging and the chances for players who are on the cusp of the squad might be looking for a loan move to guarantee themselves minutes in the rest of the season.

Forest would surely welcome any potential arrivals and Spurs could be the ideal parent club…

Nabil Bentaleb

Bentaleb burst onto the scene under Tim Sherwood, but the deep lying midfielder has struggled to make the same sort of impression under Mauricio Pochettino.

Where he once formed a stellar partnership with Ryan Mason, Eric Dier has made that position his own and the Algerian has largely been limited to cup appearances this season.

A drop down to the Championship could give him a vital confidence boost and it might just about be time for the midfielder to win the faith of his manager before the crucial run-in.

Joshua Onomah

Onomah, now Spurs have been knocked out of the FA Cup, is likely to be short of opportunities in the remainder of the season.

The midfielder has been hugely impressive when he has been given the chance to feature, but first-team football is more important than club loyalty at this stage of a player’s development and he is a prime candidate for a loan move.

Onomah will hope that next season can be his real break through to the first XI.

Anton Walkes

Walkes has played more regularly at centre-back during his recent career, but he begun as a domineering defensive midfielder in the under 21s.

Walkes is a versatile player and was regularly used, in Spurs’ Youth Cup campaign, as a left-back.

Harry Winks

Having made his first-team debut back in 2014, Winks has never really stepped up to become a regular member of the Spurs first-team squad.

Central midfield is an area of bitter competition in the Spurs’ squad and Winks looks unlikely to ever make the full step up to playing as a regular at White Hart Lane.

A loan move could be the chance for the youngster to put himself in the shop window as he looks to further his career elsewhere.

Clinton Njie

Since signing in the summer, Njie has been limited to the periphery of the Spurs squad and the young Frenchman must be desperate for first team football by this point.

Comfortable on either the right flank or as a central striker, his darting runs and twinkle toe dribbling make him an asset for any side.

Njie was clearly a signing for the longer term and a loan move might be the best way for Spurs to cultivate their gem from Lyon.