Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes that Mario Balotelli has what it takes to emulate Luis Suarez and become a world-class striker at Anfield.
After joining the Reds for £16m from Italian side AC Milan in the summer, the Italian international has made a quiet start on his return to the Premier League, scoring one goal in four appearances, and although Rodgers does not believe that Balotelli belongs in the world-class category yet, he is convinced that the temperamental forward can achieve the same success that Suarez enjoyed at the club.
“Suarez elevated himself, that was clear,” he is quoted by Goal. “He wasn’t world-class when he came in but when he left to go to Barcelona he had put himself in that bracket.
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“He did that because of his consistency in scoring goals and keeping his performance level high. World-class is about being at the highest level consistently, being at that level in your game consistently. That’s what takes you there.
“I think Mario is potentially world-class. You can’t compare Suarez and him, but Mario is coming in as an international striker and he’s a talent, no doubt.”
In spite of the Northern Irishman’s confidence in his new centre forward, he was also quick to add that it is the responsibility of Balotelli to step up to the mark and prove his worth at Liverpool, with consistency being the key.
“Luis was brilliant for me in his time here and developed to become a player who consistently delivered in terms of scoring and creating.” said Rodgers.
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“Mario is different. He’s got a lot of experience for 24, he has come here as an established international, so for him it is about being quality consistently. That is what can elevate him to that level.”
It could be worse Nando, you could be one of these guys…
West Ham captains historically have a tendency to be massive fan favourites and club heroes, as is the case with any team normally.
You only need to look at the likes of Bobby Moore, Julian Dicks, Alvin Martin, Billy Bonds, Paolo Di Canio and more recently Scott Parker to understand the cult hero status that comes with the West Ham armband, yet the most recent and current club captain Kevin Nolan seems to be quite the unpopular figure amongst West Ham fans.
The ex-Bolton and Newcastle skipper was favoured by manager Sam Allardyce as captain in all the teams he has been at because of the player’s great leadership skills, hard work-rate and popularity in the dressing room. His current team mates have publicly praised Nolan as a great motivator and friend, and the right choice for captain. But for some reason this has not done much to sway some fans into buying into him.
This stems from the fact he is getting on in age, which resulted in a dip in his performances last season and the recklessness that saw him pick up two red cards in over last year’s festive period and ultimately led to a suspension at a time when the Hammers could ill afford to lose any more players, during a busy and injury ravaged period of the campaign. He has always given his best and has quite often been the reason West Ham have won a match, or clawed out a result and hung on for a draw. At times he has been a better goal scorer for the east London side than some of their misfiring strikers.
There has certainly been more positives during his time at West Ham than negatives. But the reason for his villain status at the club has been as a result of a few things. The manager’s unpopularity with the fans has contributed towards it because the two are such good friends, and it seems Nolan’s place in the team is always safe regardless of how he plays.
Secondly, this season West Ham have a very strong squad of players to choose from, which has made the shoulder injury he picked up last month go unnoticed as the Hammers enjoyed some positive performances and good results without him in the side.
Such has been the quality of the Hammers’ start to the campaign without Nolan in the team that the main worry has been the skipper’s impending return from injury and the fear that he could walk straight back into the side and take the place of someone who has been playing well and fought hard to establish themselves in the starting line up thus far. The fear is that Allardyce will ignore the good performers and fast track Nolan straight back in to the centre of midfield.
But those fears are not exactly justified. For starters, Nolan is the Hammers’ captain and, as mentioned already, a very popular figure in the squad who motivates and befriends his team mates. Regardless of how good a team is without him, they will always be better with him in it. Despite the fact he is in the latter stages of his career, a simple bench appearance can work wonders from Kevin Nolan, which turned out to be the case in their latest game against Manchester United this weekend where he almost bagged West Ham a last minute point had the linesman not flagged him offside.
West Ham had an excellent game apart from the opening 20 minute spell where they quickly found themselves trailing 2-0. But despite doing well without Nolan from the start, he managed to bring a lot to the fold when he did come on and he will continue to do that throughout the season.
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He will always graft hard for his team, whether his form is up to scratch or not, and he will definitely get points for his work rate and leadership, which is invaluable. As good as West Ham have shown they are without him, they are undoubtedly better with him and that could prove crucial to the Hammers’ top ten ambitions this season.
Despite the large variety of foreign imports in the Premier League, English players tend to stay on their own turf rather than move abroad.
Spanish giants Rael Madrid are globally known for spending big on some of the best players in the world. Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and James Rodriguez have all made the move to the Bernabeu in the past and present. Despite spending more money in this year’s summer transfer window than Dutch outfit Ajax have in their entire history, only a handful of Englishman have been tempted with the chance to join the ‘galaticos’.
Steve McManaman, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate have all played in the famous white shirt in the Spanish capital, with some degree of success, and now it looks as though Carlo Ancelotti is returning to England to pursue the idea of bringing England’s brightest talents to play for the 32 times La Liga champions.
Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling is catching his eye and by the way is playing at the moment, will not look out of place amongst Real Madrid’s superstars. The Reds, who currently sit 14th in England’s top flight, have had a disappointing start to the season, and the England’s wing wizard is the Merseysiders only bright spark for Brendan Rodgers so far in this 2014/2015 season.
Currently, the former QPR academy product is part of a side that was looking to go one better than the impressive second placed finish they had in 2013/2014. However, Liverpool have already lost three games, including defeats to mid table sides Aston Villa and West Ham, struggled against Championship outfit Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup despite fielding a near full strength team, and most recently, lost to Swiss outfit FC Basel on their return to Champions League for the first time in five years.
Sterling is Liverpool’s answer to Lionel Messi, whenever moving forward in attacking positions, Sterling is the man they want on the ball. It’s a shame considering Rodgers decided Luis Suarez replacement should be controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli, who can’t hit a barn door of late.
Most recently, Sterling has also operated in the centre of the park just behind the striker. His versatility to play across the midfield is another reason why Real Madrid will look to poach Liverpool’s brightest spark. Compared to his breakthrough season where he played as winger, Sterling has excelled in his new role for the Reds. Aswell as having more shots on goal, Sterling also succeeds in more passes, key passes and dribbles per game than he did on 2013/2014.
Without this man, it’s a certainty Liverpool would find themselves deeper in trouble than they already are. With Real Madrid lurking in the wings to snap up his signature, there is no reason why Sterling should go and play an integral part of a team that are serious contenders of clinching trophies in some of the best competitions in the world. Sadly, this not something Liverpool can offer just yet.
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Manchester United’s owners are planning to back the club massively in the coming years to raise their value to a staggering £3billion, well, according to reports over the weekend. Edward Glazer recently sent out a prospectus to potential interested parties in the USA after putting three million of his own shares up for sale, with promises of global stars heading to Old Trafford to boost the team’s profile and worth across the globe.
The addition of Angel di Maria, despite a lack of Champions League football, over the summer is an indication of the ambition at the club, and taking advantage of a potential top four finish, which looks likely after the drubbing of Liverpool, is something the hierarchy at Old Trafford are keen to do. But which players will become a part of the ‘Gaalactico’ era?
Here are FIVE we think could be targets…
Gareth Bale
The world’s most expensive player after his £86m move from Spurs to Real Madrid last summer, Bale is certainly not a star out of United’s reach. Reports have already suggested that Los Blancos are, on the quiet, keen to offload their man for a profit, with manager Carlo Ancelotti no longer convinced by the Welsh wing wizard.
Even this season, in which his contribution is being questioned, the 25-year-old has already notched nine goal in 17 appearances, and his stats from 2013/14 are even more impressive – 21 goals and 16 assists. A fee of around £90m – £100m has already been spoken of, which could make Bale the ultimate statement of intent for United.
Thomas Muller
Possibly one of the most underrated players in European football, Muller has been a shining star for some time. The German attacker is by no means a flashy forward, but he gets the job done, as his statistics from the past few seasons truly reveal.
A product of Bayern’s youth set-up, luring the 25-year-old away from the Allianz Arena may be tricky, but the promise of being a key player for United in a, potentially, exciting period may be enough to sway him. The video below shows his best five Bundesliga goals… there are some crackers!
//www.youtube.com/embed/xzJerP4Llv8
Mats Hummels
While the term ‘Galactico’ throws up images of attacking talents such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, a good, solid centre-back can also warrant the tag. In a period of time in which top-class defenders are in limited supply, Hummels looks to be the pick of the bunch, with the German tough and uncompromising in his style of play, while adept enough on the ball to launch attacks and charge forward from the back – hence the Franz Beckenbauer comparisons.
Dortmund are not enjoying a great deal of success in the Bundesliga right now, which has opened the door for the World Cup winner to leave for the right price. And that price may be a ‘Galactico’ figure of £40m+.
Mario Gotze
Another German to consider in Gotze. The slender playmaker has long been considered to be one of Europe’s best passers, and at the age of 22 he’s well and truly on his way to picking up all of the major honours available to him. A controversial move from Dortmund to Bayern in 2013 has yielded success for the starlet, but rumours of a switch away from the Allianz Arena have circulated in recent times.
//www.youtube.com/embed/J0l0CtDMXpY
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As one of the very best ‘No. 10’s’ around, United would benefit massively from adding Gotze to their ranks, with a partnership with Angel di Maria enough to set pulses racing.
Paul Pogba
Now this one would be a shock, but money speaks. Pogba left Manchester United in 2012 to join Juventus, and quickly spoke out about his frustration with life at Old Trafford, suggesting that he would never return to the club. Ironically, the France international appears to be the type of player United now need above all others, which has led to rumours that the Red Devils are among the host of clubs looking at the 21-year-old.
//www.youtube.com/embed/xLkjRYQjfgE
Compared to Patrick Vieira, Pogba has been lauded for his physicality and technique, which have already led to talk that he’s destined to be one of the best central midfielders of his era. Juve tied their man down to a new contract a few months ago, but the Old Lady have already confessed that they cannot compete with the financial power of English clubs… read into that what you will.
When the Hammers announced the signing of Diafra Sakho, a relatively unknown striker from France’s Ligue 2, midway through the summer transfer window, there wasn’t exactly a great deal of hype surrounding his arrival at Upton Park.
Talk began to circulate suggesting that Sam Allardyce had not been the man to pick out Sakho, but rather West Ham’s co-chairman, David Sullivan, believed that the former Metz forward deserved a gamble for his goal-scoring exploits in France. West Ham’s new no. 15 scored 39 goals across two seasons in Ligue 2, yet if it wasn’t for Sunderland overvaluing Connor Wickham, West Ham’s new Senegalese star may never have made it to the East End.
Regardless of whether such stories are actually true, Big Sam has certainly been a big fan of Diafra Sakho so far this season, as with 10 goals scored in all competition for the man who cost the Hammers £3.5m in the summer, West Ham have seemingly found themselves a new hero.
In light of such developments, can the East End club keep hold of their new found fan-favourite, or will Diafra Sakho soon be on his way out of Upton Park?
Whilst the Senegalese striker may be making huge strides in the Premier League so far this campaign, he still remains a player who hasn’t been tested at the top level for a consistent period of time. There are plenty of other star names out there who have led the front-line for their clubs at Champions League level, and on the international scene, who would likely prove a more sensible buy for the Europe’s top clubs.
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For that reason, it seems highly unlikely that Diafra Sakho will be on his way out of Upton Park anytime soon. Even if a big offer does come in for the in-form 25-year-old, Sakho has already displayed a certain connection with the West Ham fans that has been somewhat missing among previous new signings at the club. ‘The Sak’ boldly presents the crossed-hammers arm gesture to the Upton Park faithful whenever he nets a goal, and as he has proved that goals are his specialty so far this campaign, the West Ham fans have had a great deal of time to soak in the celebratory atmosphere created by Diafra Sakho.
He may not be the most gifted player with the ball at his feet, and he may not even be 100% reliable in one-on-one situations with the keeper, but as has been present for the striker so far this season, Sakho has the uncanny knack of simply being in the right place at the right time. West Ham’s no. 15 has movement that causes havoc with defenders, and either alongside fellow new-boy Enner Valencia or even Andy Carroll, Sakho can produce results and put the ball in the back of the net pretty consistently.
The former Metz man is therefore likely to stay with West Ham, at least for the foreseeable future. If he did make a shock move this season however, it seems Liverpool, with their current crisis in front of goal, have reportedly expressed an interest in landing the new Hammers star.
Mario Balotelli’s current lack of form is believed to be a major issue at Anfield right now, and if the enigmatic Italian doesn’t find his scoring boots sooner or later, the £16million man could soon find himself on his way out of Liverpool almost as soon as he arrived. The likes of Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini have also seemingly been unable to make the grade with Brendan Rodgers’ side, but seeing as West Ham’s Diafra Sakho will likely cost a great deal for not much top-flight experience, do Liverpool really want to take another risk in their striking department?
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The prospect of Sakho signing for the Reds this January just seems too unlikely. West Ham are still higher than Liverpool in the league, and as the Senegalese star has reportedly been in further talks with West Ham for an improvement on his current contract, perhaps Diafra Sakho will be a Hammers star for a long while to come.
“All the big clubs are interesting to us, regardless of the league. We respect the leagues in France, Germany, England, Spain and Italy.”
The words of Paul Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, have somewhat dented Manchester United’s hopes of landing the Juventus midfielder. A summer move to lure their former youth star back had been mooted, but now any desire to get the Frenchman back in the red shirt, which he wore fleetingly before leaving in 2012, are in doubt due to the financial muscle of PSG.
However, there’s no need to worry, with plenty of other options out there for the Premier League giants to consider. From foreign imports to Premier League stars and physical enforcers, to classy ball-players, Louis van Gaal has the cash to chase almost any type of first-teamer to boost his chances of getting the Red Devils to the top of English football once again, and here are FIVE Pogba alternatives he could consider…
Kevin Strootman
The elephant in the room with this transfer remains Strootman’s troublesome knee, but he could be worth a go. The Dutchman missed most of last season with an injury to the joint, and he’s once again out for the remainder of the campaign with a fresh problem. There are some fears that he may never truly recover, but if he can be managed well and looked after, Strootman is certainly a top quality enforcer, and his working relationship with Louis van Gaal – who coached him at international level ahead of the World Cup – could be of benefit.
Morgan Schneiderlin
One of the few Southampton stars to avoid the ‘exodus’ last summer, Schneiderlin has benefitted from another season on the South Coast. The Frenchman is already a senior Les Bleus international, and his performances for the Saints this term have, if anything, improved. Arsenal also want the classy midfielder, so a sizable fee may be needed, but his Premier League experience and know-how could guarantee results.
Arturo Vidal
Last summer’s romance, Vidal was very much the one that got away for United. The Chile international was the subject of rumours right up to the deadline, but eventually opted to stay with Juventus. However, his form has been below the expected standard, which has led to suggestions that the Old Lady are ready to sell for as little as £14.4m, which is a far cry from the figures mooted in 2014.
Ilkay Gundogan
Not quite the physical presence in the middle that United currently lack, Gundogan is more of an alternative option. The Germany international is known for his range of passing and creativity from a deeper role, while his eye for goal is a trait that could be of benefit. The Dortmund ace has endured an injury-ravaged few years, but now he’s returning to his best he could be worth a move, especially with reports suggesting that a summer transfer is a possibility.
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William Carvalho
Not dissimilar to Pogba in terms of style, Carvalho has also been tagged with the ‘new Patrick Vieira’ moniker in the past. Powerful, combative and mobile, the Sporting Lisbon ace has been a United target since the days of David Moyes, and could be worth a go this summer with a £37m release clause lingering. In truth such a sum is a little high, but Sporting’s financial woes could open the door for a cheaper move.
According to the Express, Maurizio Zamparini – president of Serie A outfit Palermo – has confirmed that a bid of around £30 million has in-fact been placed in an attempt to lure the club’s star striker away from the Stadio Renzo Barbera next season.
The player in contention is none other than 21-year-old Manchester United and Arsenal target, Paulo Dybala. The youngster has been in fine form this season, scoring 12 goals for Palermo in their so far steady campaign in Serie A.
Zamparini has remained elusive regarding the club’s latest bid for Dybala however, choosing not to reveal a great deal on the subject; “Has Dybala already been picked up by Juventus? Absolutely not.”
“I already have a €40m offer in my hand, but if someone else gets into the race then we’ll see what happens.
“Were Manchester United behind this offer? I won’t tell you the name of the club, not even if you torture me!”
Such speculation will surely act as great fuel for the numerous transfer stories bound to do the rounds this summer – especially with the likes of Man United and Arsenal touted as front runners to bring Dybala to the Premier League next season.
Liverpool were also somewhat linked to the striker before the January transfer window, but as no deal was ultimately made for Paulo Dybala throughout the winter, it is believed that Brendan Rodgers’ English counterparts have now stolen a march on landing this latest Serie A sensation.
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Arsenal’s form in the second half of this season will give the Emirates Stadium faithful hope that their team can put forward a realistic and consistent title challenge next term.
The Gunners have started to look like one of the most-rounded teams in the Premier League, with solid options across the park and a number of superstar performers starting to showcase their quality.
Although the north London club have a poor record when it comes to injuries, when everyone is fit and firing Arsene Wenger has an impressive squad to select from.
With a new face or two expected at the club ahead of next season also, some of the current first-team squad will be evaluating just how much regular action they are likely to receive in 2015-16.
As such the likes of Lukas Podolski, Mathieu Flamini, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott will be considering whether their futures lie elsewhere.
However, here are three Gunners players that would be best advised to seek out a summer move.
Jack Wilshere
It has been another frustrating season for Arsenal’s homegrown posterboy, with Wilshere spending the bulk of the campaign injured and on the sidelines.
This is nothing new for the England international, who has shown his significant abilities in fleeting glimpses throughout his career but has never stayed consistently fit enough to star over the space of a full campaign.
However, despite his continued injury woes, Wilshere’s place in the Arsenal first-team now looks under serious threat – even if he does get back to somewhere near his best.
The current partnership between Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla has looked ideal in composition, with the duo a key reason for Arsenal’s excellent recent form.
With Aaron Ramsey also in the mix to play in central midfield, Wilshere may well feel that it is time for a fresh start elsewhere.
Mikel Arteta
The veteran Spaniard has been another Arsenal player that has spent more time on the treatment table than the pitch this season, with Arteta’s future a point of contention as a result.
The former Everton playmaker is out of contract in the summer and as such should be considering a move elsewhere to guarantee him regular football next season.
Arteta should look at the example of fellow midfielder Rosicky as a key example, as the Czech star has been marginalised this season.
For Arteta to avoid the same fate, a move elsewhere on a free transfer this summer makes sense for the player.
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Wojciech Szczesny
After one too many mistakes, Szczesny has been dropped by Wenger and now looks set to continue his new role as back-up goalkeeper for the foreseeable future.
David Ospina has taken his opportunity to play with both hands and looks like a much more secure and safe option than the Polish stopper currently.
With transfer rumours linking Arsenal with new goalkeepers continuing to do the rounds, 25-year-old Szczesny would be bet advised to follow the lead of his countryman Lukasz Fabianski and move elsewhere to play.
Like his compatriot, a move to a new club could enliven his career and give him a chance to prove his worth.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is adamant that La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid would struggle to dominate in the Premier League, according to reports from talkSPORT.
Barca and Real are undoubtedly the two biggest teams in Spain, with the two clubs winning the country’s last 11 league titles apart from last year’s shock triumph by Atletico Madrid.
However, the Blues manager feels that they will not have the same level of success in the English top flight, as there is a much bigger gap between the top clubs and the rest in other European countries.
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“I was in Spain, but I didn’t enjoy,” he said.
“I didn’t enjoy it because I won a title with a record in Spain with 100 points and 121 goals, but we played only three or four matches all season.
“I lost a title with 92 points, but again we played only four or five matches in the season.
“You feel the pressure that you have to win every match because if you don’t you are not champions. You have to win and win and win. But it is a big, big gap between the giants and the others.
“In matches in other countries you can win matches when you are resting. In Spain and in Italy, I won lots of matches resting. Where you can think, ‘what next’. Where you can think which European game is coming, where you can rest players.
“This season I rested a few players against Bradford and I lost against Bradford. And that is English football. You are winning 2-0 and if you concede a goal you know you are going to have hell for the last few minutes and you might draw 2-2 and lose two points.
“This is the reality of the Premier League. You have no time. It’s not just about the number of matches, it’s the intensity. And it’s not just physical intensity, you feel the intensity mentally.”
With three games left to spare, Chelsea were crowned champions following a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace at the beginning of the month.
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This was Mourinho’s third Premier League title after his previous two during his first stint at Stamford Bridge, but the Portuguese boss has yet to win the Champions League with the Blues.
‘The Special One’ won Europe’s top tier competition with FC Porto back in 2004, and then with Inter Milan in 2010.
It has been reported by some that Liverpool will activate Christian Benteke’s £32.5m release clause this week, and while we don’t know exactly whether that is strictly true or not, it is more clear cut than ever that the big Belgian is the main name on the Reds’ transfer hit-list.
All Liverpool fans will agree that they do desperately need to sign a marquee striker that can score a good chunk of goals. Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino will provide competition, but neither can really be considered as the main man at Anfield, while the futures of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini remain unclear.
As filling the void left by the departure of Luis Suarez does indeed require someone that can be considered in the top range of strikers, many Kopites don’t seem too convinced that Benteke fits the bill.
It is possible that Benteke may not even sign for Liverpool, however, that has not stopped many fans making their minds up on the Villa man, with there being little buzz for his possible arrival.
But why is there so much hesitation regarding the the signing of the Belgian? He is just 24-years of age, is strong and powerful, proven in the Premier League and is a real handful for defenders – a good combination for a centre-forward. Most importantly he scores goals, however, what could be considered as the problem by Reds fans is the type of player Benteke is.
He is of course a 6ft. 4″ target man sort, and the worry is when you sign and play a player of that mould the temptation will be to use long balls and play direct into him.
However, under Brendan Rodgers and the style that he demands of his side such a scenario does indeed look highly unlikely, yet what Benteke will give Liverpool is a striker capable of playing in different ways. With the Belgian as skilled on the deck as is he in the air, he will offer a new dimension to the Liverpool attack.
Moreover it is often said that the best striking partnerships are those formed of two players that compliment each other rather than two similar players and there is no doubt that Benteke is no Daniel Sturridge.
So there is a real chance that the two differing styles could compliment each other well and form a very effective partnership. Those fans doubting Benteke would be hoping to sign a striker of more technical ability, a smaller more nimble player who is more a tune with Rodgers’ style of play, however such a signing would leave Liverpool in a situation where there is no ‘Plan B’ again.
At least with the signing of Benteke Liverpool will broaden their striking options and give themselves a different route at goal.
Of course Benteke is much more than that, he is capable of scoring goals and grabbing the landmark twenty efforts that Liverpool desperately need from their strikers if they are going to challenge at the top end of the Premier League.
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His goalscoring record of 49 goals in 101 outings for Villa is impressive for a player who has played in a struggling team for a few seasons now, while a return a of a goal every other game will only improve in a side that creates more chances, like Liverpool do.
There will be many doubters if Benteke signs, but the fact he has forged his reputation in a struggling Villa side, and is a regular for Belgium, shows that he is a quality player that will make a huge difference at Liverpool.