As far as breakups go, Liverpool’s parting with star striker Raheem Sterling is becoming a rocky one.

The 20-year-old refused to sign a new contract at Anfield, and repeatedly cited his desire to play Champions League football in an unconvincing rendition of, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

While some Reds fans won’t waste any time mourning the winger, who had his share of off-field controversy even before rejecting a £100,000-a-week contract offer, many will wave a tearful goodbye to the team’s second-highest goalscorer. 

Well put away your tissues and chocolates and turn off the Whitney Houston, because there’s hope yet to repair the broken heart that is Liverpool’s offense. His name is Roberto Firmino.

Firmino notched 10 goals and 12 assists for Hoffenheim last season, and his agent has already confirmed that he will be on his way to England this summer. Liverpool will have to battle Manchester United for the Brazil international’s signature, but a price likely won’t be set until after Copa America.

As an attacking midfielder, the 23-year-old exhibits many of the same strengths as Sterling, but with added benefits. Both have an affinity for dribbling and playing short passes, but Firmino comes out ahead on the defensive end with his displays of aggression and willingness to tackle.

The Brazilian has been in the Bundesliga for four seasons, during which he’s netted 48 goals and 36 assists in 152 appearances, at 250 minutes per goal. In the past three seasons playing first-team football at Anfield, Sterling averaged 404 minutes per goal.

Firmino’s success playing European football at such a young age is impressive in its own right, but he also has three goals in six international caps since his debut in 2014. He is almost equally as effective playing on the left wing as he is at centre midfield or forward, and has the potential to shift back and forth.

This versatility saw him start in every one of his 33 matches for Hoffenheim last season. Firmino missed just one fixture the entire season due to a yellow card suspension, and has been injury-free since being sidelined for one game with a hurt ankle at the start of the 2013 campaign.

No matter how disheartened Liverpool fans are feeling about the breakup with Sterling and the recent signings that have been labeled “disappointing,” it’s important to remember that there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

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As Brendan Rodgers and Co. gather themselves up and prepare to dive back in, one fish in particular will emerge: Firmino, reliable and ready.

So go on, loyal Reds. Get back out there — you deserve it.

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Ki Sung-Yueng is ready for the big time. He stood out in a poor Sunderland side last season and this year excelled as the driving force in Swansea’s midfield.

His intrinsic influence on the Welsh outfit claiming their highest ever final standing and highest ever points total in the Premier League has gone largely unnoticed. He even missed out on the club’s Player of the Year award, which went to summer signing Lukasz Fabianski. The South Korean tends to have that almost subliminal Michael-Carrick-esque effect.

But finally some tabloid appreciation arrived last week in the form of rumoured interest from Arsenal – who are reportedly plotting a £15million bid.

At 26 years of age, with 74 caps for South Korea and just a handful shy of a centenary of Premier League appearances, I have no doubt this summer is the ideal time for Ki to make the jump to a top English club. But Arsenal? Are they the right side for him?

The midfielder’s defining gift is his intelligence and quality on the ball. He’s Swansea’s metronome at the base of midfield, conducting the direction, pace and flow of their build-up play – resulting in a pass completion rate of 89.8% this season, the sixth-best return of any Premier League player.

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Yet Ki’s also blessed with the ability to make surging runs from deep at the pinnacle moment, timed so perfectly he’s scored the most Premier League goals of any Swansea player this season with eight – barring now-Manchester City’s Wilfried Bony with nine – and the third-most of any centre-mid in the top flight, after Steven Gerrard and Yaya Toure. It’s yet another testament to his incredible reading of the game, alongside the impressive average of 1.8 interceptions per match.

In theory, that should make him perfect for Arsenal; a side fused together by the principles of tiki-taka that like to score goals from all departments – including holding midfield. I have no doubt he’ll be able to maintain the pace and quality of their technically-demanding build-up play and quickly settle in a midfield surrounded by like-minded playmakers.

But too many cooks spoil the broth, and as I’ve just alluded to Arsenal’s kitchen is already filled to the brim. So full, in fact, they have No.10s playing in right midfield (Aaron Ramsey), central midfield (Santi Cazorla), and attacking midfield (Mesut Ozil), with a few more (usually Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky) warming up the bench. Even the Gunners’ latest revelation Francis Coquelin began his Arsenal career in more advanced capacities before succumbing to the holding midfield needs of the first team squad.

Ki isn’t a No.10. He’s more of a deep-lying influence like Andrea Pirlo or Michael Carrick. But Manchester United and Juventus protect their anchoring playmakers with physical and feisty midfielders – Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal being fantastic examples, along with the lanky Marouane Fellaini and the nippy Ander Herrera. The same can be said for Swansea, who deploy Jack Cork and Jonjo Shelvey in a tight-knit midfield. But the South Korean wouldn’t necessarily have that luxury at the Emirates. In fact, he’d be doing much of the protecting for others.

And that sums up perhaps my biggest concern regarding Ki Sung-Yueng; that he’ll be asked to perform a service which doesn’t come naturally to him, and he’d resultantly become misinterpreted by the Arsenal fan-base. They’re expecting a powerful, athletic addition to their engine-room this summer – Morgan Schneiderlin, William Carvalho and Moussa Sissoko being amongst the more common names mooted in the tabloids. Measuring in at 6 foot 2, Ki may give that illusion, but he’s not a physical presence of the same variety – the kind of player who could go shoulder-to-shoulder with Nemanja Matic or Yaya Toure twice a season.

In a nutshell, Ki represents something Arsenal already have, but this summer they should be looking for variety in the transfer market more than ever – the kind of players who help grind out wins when backs are to the wall. The 26 year-old isn’t famed for his fighting spirit and with good reason; he’s a more sophisticated presence than that.

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In my opinion, it’s a transfer that would serve both parties poorly; Arsenal, still lacking the brawn their engine room craves, Ki, unable to stand out in a side blessed with like-minded talents. The South Korea international is more than ready for the next level – but Arsenal suit him ‘almost too well’, to paraphrase Andy Townsend, for this deal to prove successful.

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Whilst it was by no means a completely satisfactory season for the Old Trafford faithful last term, ultimately no one could accuse Manchester United and Louis van Gaal of not paying witness to an overall successful campaign throughout 2014/15.

In managing to eventually tie down an illustrious top four spot in the Premier League and once again begin a new campaign back under the all-important umbrella of Champions League football, the Red Devils have certainly begun to head in the right direction once again, one way or another.

The club spent a quite frankly obscene amount during last summer’s hectic transfer window, seemingly sacrificed their place in cup competitions in favour of prioritising the league – and in hiring the no-nonsense Louis van Gaal to swiftly take over from the somewhat lost David Moyes last term – Manchester United done all they could to re-establish their dominant name throughout the rest of Europe.

So then, with the 2015/16 campaign already fast approaching for Wayne Rooney and co. this summer, do the Red Devils have more than enough reason to remain optimistic ahead of the new season, or will the troubles ultimately continue for Manchester United as they look to move past this testing transitional phase in their history.

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Well, if the calibre of their enigmatic manager is anything to go by, the signs certainly look promising at Old Trafford – even if they can only currently be viewed in a rather subtle light. Louis van Gaal is someone who has been there and done it before, which simply can’t be argued with.

Although the Champions League has traditionally remained a tough nut to crack for the Dutchman since he first moved on from the Eredivise all those years ago, the 63-year-old has still enjoyed several successful domestic campaigns with Barcelona and Bayern Munich since then, and that is something all Manchester United fans would be unwise to forget.

Sometimes a relatively slow start in the managerial dug-out acts as a surprise indicator for future success at the club. If Sir Alex Ferguson had been sacked after just one year in the job at Old Trafford, history would have worked out very differently indeed for the Red Devils – even though such a notion will admittedly come as little benefit to David Moyes looking back.

Nevertheless, Louis van Gaal is someone with a somewhat untouchable reputation in the modern era, which seems to be a necessity for success nowadays at Manchester United.

The likes of Juan Mata and Ander Herrera will likely continue their promising form in the middle of the park for United next term, supporting an attack force that has to score an abundance of goals sooner rather than later. Although marquee man, Angel Di Maria, hardly shone himself in the greatest of lights out on the pitch last season, 2015/16 offers the silky Argentinean the chance to put his off-filed worries behind him and finally start showing some true class worthy of his hefty price tag.

With new boy, Memphis Depay, also on course to maintain his rapid rise at the high profile setting of Old Trafford next year, Manchester United fans ultimately have every reason to feel optimistic. If the club can successfully source a few more promising new faces this summer, honing in the somewhat carefree spending practises that seemed to define the club’s transfer activity last year, then perhaps van Gaal will have finally rebuilt the squad that Sir Alex Ferguson left in a somewhat precarious position when he eventually departed Old Trafford in 2013.

Manchester United’s outstanding concern ahead of the 2015/16 campaign, however, is the dramatic need to improve their increasingly questionable back-line. Yes, persevering with young talents is all well and good when looking to build for the future – but as the likes of Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and arguably even Chris Smalling still, simply don’t represent enough defensive reliability going into the new season – something has to be done sooner or later.

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As each of Mats Hummels, Nicolas Otamendi and Sergio Ramos have all gone down as reported targets for the Red Devils in the past few months though, maybe that particular problem will soon be addressed.

Manchester United can therefore look forward to an improved campaign throughout 2015/16 with all things considered, and a little bit of good fortune helping them along the way.

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Tottenham Hotspur regularly give their fans an insight into how the club’s new stadium is developing.

The North London outfit hope to compete with the big boys in the Premier League when they move into a state-of-the-art £61,000-seater structure for the start of the 2018-19 season.

In the current campaign, the team have been playing all of their home games at Wembley.

The national stadium has not been the greatest of bases for Spurs in terms of results, so staff and fans alike are excited to move into their new space.

This week, the club have posted fresh photos of the stadium, showing where it currently is in the construction process.

While some fans were delighted about receiving the update, others were more interested in focusing on current matters on the pitch.

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Mauricio Pochettino’s men managed to overcome a four-game winless run in the Premier League by defeating Stoke City and Brighton, but last weekend they were outclassed by table-toppers Manchester City in a 4-1 loss at the Etihad Stadium.

Naby Keita was one of the names that frequently popped up during Liverpool’s transfer window in the summer.Initially it seemed that a deal was dead in the water, but eventually an agreement was made for the midfielder to sign for the Reds from RB Leipzig before the start of the 2018-19 season.All parties were content with the arrangement, but it appears that there has been a shift due to the recent departure of Philippe Coutinho.The Brazilian joined Barcelona last week in aÂreported £142m deal, making him the third most expensive signing in history.According to theÂLiverpool Echo, Coutinho’s exit has sparked Anfield bosses into enquiring about the possibility of accelerating Keita’s move.It is believed that the Merseyside outfit are willing to pay a premium on top of the £55m already agreed to speed up the process.However, Leipzig are reportedly not prepared to let go of the box-to-box midfielder before the end of the season.This latest news has got Liverpool fans talking on Twitter.

Southampton are in quite the predicament as far as their Premier League position is concerned.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s side are currently in the relegation zone alongside West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City.

The Saints are one point adrift of safety having failed to win a top-flight game since November.

At the weekend, there was a moment for celebration as the coastal club progressed into the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to a 1-0 win over Watford.

This week, though, all focus is back on the league as the team prepare to face Brighton at St Mary’s on Wednesday night before travelling to The Hawthorns to take on West Brom on Saturday.

The Baggies will especially be determined to take points off Southampton as they currently reside three points below the cut-off.

As for Brighton, Chris Hughton’s team are just one point above the relegation pack, but that could all change after midweek.

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Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to give their thoughts on the upcoming fixtures.

According to reports in the Chronicle Live, Newcastle United are in talks to sign £20m-rated Feyenoord striker Nicolai Jorgensen before the January transfer window slams shut.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Chronicle Live says that Rafa Benitez wants to add the centre-forward to his frontline before the end of the month, but the Magpies have been told they will have to pay £20m to bring the Denmark international to the Premier League.

However, the Chronicle Live adds that the Tyneside outfit haven’t been put off by a valuation that would break the previous club-record fee they paid for Michael Owen in 2005.

The report adds that Mike Ashley has approved the approach for the 27-year-old, with managing director Lee Charnley tasked with getting the deal over the line.

How has Jorgensen done this season?

He has impressed.

The Dane has scored nine goals and provided a further three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions for Feyenoord, including two in four outings in the Champions League.

The 6ft 3in centre-forward has 34 goals in 61 outings for the Eredivisie outfit in total since joining them from FC Copenhagen, while he has eight goals in 28 caps for his country.

According to WhoScored.com, Jorgensen’s main strengths are his ability to make key passes, holding on to the ball and his finishing.

The 27-year-old has made 23 key passes in 18 appearances in the Dutch top flight and in Europe this season, while he has successfully completed 17 of the 25 dribbles he has attempted, and has won 46 of the 88 aerial duels he has contested.

Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?

He certainly would be, but his addition would also be risky considering there have been players that have struggled in England having scored regularly in the Netherlands.

The Denmark international has proven during his career that he can find the net on a regular basis, and with just 22 goals in 24 Premier League matches so far this season that is exactly what the Magpies need.

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The likes of Joselu and Dwight Gayle haven’t done enough with just seven top flight goals between them, and Jorgensen would also bring some height and mobility to the centre-forward role, and he isn’t slow either.

Will they get him?

If Newcastle are willing to pay £20m it looks as though they will get their man, and if he is Benitez’s top striker target then the Tyneside outfit really need to ensure they get the deal done to keep their manager happy.

Olivier Giroud was a fan favourite among the Arsenal following, and some continued their support of the striker even after he joined Chelsea last month.The Frenchman secured a move to Stamford Bridge on deadline day, with theÂDaily MailÂreporting that the transfer cost around £18m.The 31-year-old was targeted as a replacement for Michy Batshuayi, who left Chelsea to join Borussia Dortmund on loan.On Monday night, Giroud made his debut for the West London outfit, coming off the bench to play 26 minutes of the club’s Premier League game against Watford at Vicarage Road.It was a debut to forget for the striker as he was on the losing side of a 4-1 scoreline, with Eden Hazard being the only Chelsea player to score during the fixture.On top of that, the Blues had to play 60 minutes with just 10 men following Tiemoue Bakayoko’s sending-off for picking up a second yellow card.The result prompted Arsenal fans to take to Twitter, with some feeling sympathy for Giroud, while others took some joy in the misfortune.

Everton are currently in Dubai to spend the next few days at a warm-weather training camp.

Sam Allardyce and his players have taken the opportunity to work on their fitness and preparation in the sunshine rather than the winter chill in England.

The Merseyside outfit are not playing competitively this weekend as the coming days are dedicated to the FA Cup, in which Everton are no longer a part of.

The squad have been put through their paces in Dubai, and the club’s social media team have been on hand to document it.

During one video, midfielder Davy Klaassen was spotted, which sparked a reaction from supporters.

The Dutchman has been the forgotten man this season, despite being one of the club’s major signings of the summer window.

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The 24-year-old has made just 10 appearances in all competitions, and only three of those have been Premier League starts.

After seeing Klaassen train in Dubai with the rest of his teammates, some fans jokingly tweeted their shock.

Arsenal suffered their fourth defeat in five matches on Thursday night, losing 3-0 to Manchester City for the second time in just five days.

After their heavy Carabao Cup Final defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday, Gunners fans were hoping for an improved performance in the league at the Emirates, not least because they badly need every point they can get right now.

Arsene Wenger’s outfit failed to deliver though and the loss means their hopes of a top four finish in the English Premier League have all but been extinguished.

Supporters were left fuming not just with the result but also the manner in which they conceded goals and generally failed to compete with their visitors.

The likes of Hector Bellerin, who was once an immensely popular character with fans, are lacking confidence and failing to produce football that allows them to challenge at the top end of the table.

Fans were critical of the Spaniard and took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

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