Soccer Central

Having seen their team pay way over the odds to complete the signing of Joleon Lescott; Manchester City fans will no doubt be pleasantly surprised to see their team complete the signing of Sylvinho on a free transfer.

Sylvinho played for Barcelona up until the end of the 2008/09 season, and even starred in the side’s fantastic Champions League Final victory over Manchester United in May. Sylvinho has a huge wealth of experience at left back, and is an incredibly high quality player that should fit in well within the Manchester City first team.

Sylvinho is to provide cover for Wayne Bridge, and although the player is now 35-years-old – he certainly showed in the Champions League Final last season that he is still a player with the ability to perform well at the highest possible level.

Mark Hughes has done an excellent bit of business in signing Sylvinho, and there will now be many looking forward to seeing the brilliant Brazilian make his Manchester City debut.

Andrea Zola, 18, a left-sided midfielder, made his West Ham debut last night in a reserve team win over Thurrock. 3-2 was the final score; Sebastian Huke and Eoin Wearen scored the first two goals for West Ham, before Frank Nouble made a fantastic start to his West Ham career with his 89th minute winner.

Zola played the first 45 minutes of the match, with Simone Bezzichieri coming on in the second half to replace him.

31 year-old Nigel Quashie was given the captain’s armband for this one, and did well to lead the predominantly young team to glory over Blue Square South side Thurrock.

22 year-old Ross McCormack could be on his way to the KC Stadium this summer as Phil Brown looks to lure him away from Cardiff. McCormack scored 23 goals in 44 appearances for Cardiff City last season, and this has therefore attracted interest in the player from a number of clubs.

Michael Owen was a transfer target for Phil Brown, and so too Marc-Antoine Fortune. Both players have moved elsewhere however, and Brown also failed in his quest to bring Fraizer Campbell back to Hull. McCormack is now the striker that Phil Brown will be looking to sign, as well as his Cardiff City teammate Joe Ledley.

It seems that Argentinean forward Carlos Tevez won’t be a Manchester United player next season; he doesn’t feel as though he’s been treated as a part of the Manchester United family by the club, and no moves have ever been made to offer him a contract. The Manchester United fans have made it known that they want to see Carlos Tevez signed, Alex Ferguson seems reluctant to shell out the fee for him though, and it’s therefore likely that he’ll be moving on in the summer.

Carlos Tevez will likely join another English team, and with Robbie Keane having not worked out too well at Liverpool; perhaps Carlos Tevez will now make the move to Anfield, and join his friend and fellow countryman Javier Mascherano. Another possibility is that Tevez could move to Manchester City; either of these options would be a massive kick in the teeth for Manchester United.

Tevez has done a brilliant job at Manchester United during his two years with the club so far, Alex Ferguson has often opted to play Dimitar Berbatov instead this season though, and Carlos Tevez has therefore found his opportunities somewhat limited.

Manchester United will perhaps regret letting Carlos Tevez go if he does indeed leave in the summer; there are many rising stars coming up through the ranks at Manchester United right now though, with Federico Macheda and Danny Wellbeck both having scored some excellent goals for the club this season, and Fraizer Campbell and Manucho still to return from their respective loan deals at the end of the year. Due to a buy-back clause in his contract, Giuseppe Rossi is also a forward player that could return to the club in the future, and Alex Ferguson is certainly not short of attacking options.

It will be a shame to see Carlos Tevez go, a player with his quality deserves regular first team football though, and it’s probably best for his career if he does leave United. He’s a true fans favourite, always gives his all for his team, and wherever he does end up next season; that team will be very lucky to have him.

Manchester United fans will no doubt continue to voice their opinion in the last few games of the season that Carlos Tevez should be granted a contract with the club, it does now seem that he’ll be moving on though, and be playing his trade for another Premier League team next season.

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is being backed by manager Arsene Wenger to play for the English national football team in the future. The 31 year-old has never represented Spain, and having signed for Arsenal in 2004; will soon be eligible to apply for English citizenship.

Ben Foster and Joe Hart are two of our potential England goalkeepers of the future, neither are the first choice at their respective Manchester clubs though, and at the age of 38; David James is no longer a long term goalkeeping option for England. Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland, and Robert Green are three further goalkeeping options for England; Kirkland has been seriously injury prone for some years now though, Robert Green has been frequently overlooked by Fabio Capello, and Scott Carson has a rather shaky history at this level. Robert Green is probably England’s best goalkeeping option right now; is he better than Manuel Almunia though?

Manuel Almunia was born and bred in Spain, and there’ll therefore be many that will say he shouldn’t represent England; John Barnes represented England for 12 years between 1983 and 1995 though, and he was born in Jamaica. Barnes now manages the Jamaican national football team so clearly has a great love for the country, he did England proud for 12 long years though, made 79 appearances, and even scored 11 goals. Manuel Almunia is an arguably better goalkeeper than any of the other options that we have to choose from, and if he’s willing to play for this country, which it seems that he is, then if considered good enough he should be given an opportunity to do so.

Almunia has done a brilliant job at Arsenal since forcing Jens Lehmann out of the team last season, and is one of the very best goalkeepers playing in the Premier League right now. He has experience of playing regular football for a team in the top four, experience in the Champions League also, and this is something that no English born goalkeeper can currently match. He can’t break into the Spanish team as he faces some very stiff competition; should this be held against him though? No. He’s still an excellent goalkeeper, and England would be very lucky to have a goalkeeper of such talent in the squad.

Arsene Wenger has backed him, and I’m prepared to do so also; Manuel Almunia is a high quality goalkeeper, and I believe that he could do a very good job for England.