© Getty Images
While the winter transfer window provides annual relief for clubs chasing titles or battling relegation, every four years it also comes charged with extra significance for players. Without fail, the season leading up to a FIFA World Cup™ becomes a race against time for footballers around the globe, with their target a coveted squad place at the main event.
Brazil 2014 is no exception and, five months ahead of the big kick-off, players everywhere are desperate to maximise their time on the pitch or raise their profile in the eyes of their national coaches. That desire has been the driving force behind many of the early moves this year, while a number of players have also returned to familiar terrain. FIFA.com recaps the major deals so far.
Time running out
Every player dreams of stepping out to contest a World Cup game on home soil, and that is certainly true of Brazilian midfielder Anderson. Struggling for playing time under David Moyes at Manchester United, the international with eight caps for A Seleção will be keen to catch Luiz Felipe Scolari's eye with new club Fiorentina.
Brazil 2014 is no exception and, five months ahead of the big kick-off, players everywhere are desperate to maximise their time on the pitch or raise their profile in the eyes of their national coaches. That desire has been the driving force behind many of the early moves this year, while a number of players have also returned to familiar terrain. FIFA.com recaps the major deals so far.
Time running out
Every player dreams of stepping out to contest a World Cup game on home soil, and that is certainly true of Brazilian midfielder Anderson. Struggling for playing time under David Moyes at Manchester United, the international with eight caps for A Seleção will be keen to catch Luiz Felipe Scolari's eye with new club Fiorentina.
The Serie A side have also recruited Alessandro Matri, another man keen to reignite his World Cup hopes after managing just one goal in 15 outings for AC Milan. As for I Rossoneri themselves, they have snapped up French defender Adil Rami and Japanese attacking midfielder Keisuke Honda from Valencia and CSKA Moscow respectively, and both players are sure to have one eye on making it to Brazil in June.
Belgium's Kevin de Bruyne is anxious to take part in the festivities too, and having spent much of the first half of the campaign on the bench at Chelsea, he will look to improve his prospects at Wolfsburg. Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz has left England as well, departing Fulham for PSV Eindhoven in a loan switch that takes him back to the Eredivisie, where he shone for Twente between 2009 and 2011.
Belgium's Kevin de Bruyne is anxious to take part in the festivities too, and having spent much of the first half of the campaign on the bench at Chelsea, he will look to improve his prospects at Wolfsburg. Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz has left England as well, departing Fulham for PSV Eindhoven in a loan switch that takes him back to the Eredivisie, where he shone for Twente between 2009 and 2011.
For his part, Argentina's Jonas Gutierrez is staying in England, although he has joined Norwich City in search of the first-team spot he lost at Newcastle United. Similarly, Croatian forward Nikica Jelavic has swapped Everton for Hull City in a quest for more opportunities and his compatriot Mladen Petric, fielded just three times by West Ham United, has packed his bags for Panathinaikos.
Raised profile
Keen to put himself on Marc Wilmots' radar, Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan has ended his stay at modest Serie A side Cagliari to sign on at capital high-flyers Roma. If he succeeds, he could face the Red Devils' group stage rivals Algeria, for whom Carl Medjani is keen to grace a second World Cup.
Raised profile
Keen to put himself on Marc Wilmots' radar, Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan has ended his stay at modest Serie A side Cagliari to sign on at capital high-flyers Roma. If he succeeds, he could face the Red Devils' group stage rivals Algeria, for whom Carl Medjani is keen to grace a second World Cup.
With that goal in mind, the defender has moved to Valenciennes from Olympiacos, his new club having also swooped for Abdul Majeed Waris. One of the heroes of Ghana's qualification triumph against Egypt, the forward scored on his debut for the French outfit after bidding farewell to Spartak Moscow. Waris nonetheless faces competition for a place up front with the Black Stars from Jordan Ayew, who has agreed terms with Sochaux following a frustrating spell at Marseille.
Côte d'Ivoire striker Lacina Traore enjoyed a successful time at Anzhi Makhachkala, but he hopes to make a greater impression on Elephants coach Sabri Lamouchi after taking his talents to Ligue 1 powerhouse Monaco. A similar thought process no doubt motivated former Bayern Munich and Napoli midfielder Jose Ernesto Sosa when he quit Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkhiv, the Argentinian sure to increase his visibility with his new team Atletico Madrid turning heads in the Liga and UEFA Champions League.
Côte d'Ivoire striker Lacina Traore enjoyed a successful time at Anzhi Makhachkala, but he hopes to make a greater impression on Elephants coach Sabri Lamouchi after taking his talents to Ligue 1 powerhouse Monaco. A similar thought process no doubt motivated former Bayern Munich and Napoli midfielder Jose Ernesto Sosa when he quit Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkhiv, the Argentinian sure to increase his visibility with his new team Atletico Madrid turning heads in the Liga and UEFA Champions League.
Meanwhile, one man certain to be playing in Brazil this year is Sosa's fellow countryman Mario Bolatti, a member of the Albiceleste squad at South Africa 2010. While he hopes to represent Argentina at this summer's global showcase, the 28-year-old has joined Brazilian side and 2014 Copa Libertadores hopefuls Botafogo, having spent last season at Racing Club.
Renewing acquaintances
Joining a new club in a World Cup year is always a gamble, with the need to make a quick impression often undermined by the demands of adapting to a new environment. A common solution is to head back to a familiar setting, and Djibril Cisse hopes that strategy can facilitate his return to the France squad after moving to Ligue 1 side Bastia following six difficult months at Kuban Krasnodar. As for former France striker Guillaume Hoarau, he knows has maximised his slim chances with a transfer to Bordeaux that draws a line under his testing year with Chinese team Dalian Aerbin.
In a similar vein, Portuguese forward Ricardo Quaresma has made his way back to old club Porto, six years after departing to take in less-than-convincing spells with Inter Milan, Chelsea, Besiktas and – most recently – Al Ahli Dubai. In contrast, defender Jorge Fucile has just exited Porto, the Uruguayan setting sail for his homeland to don the shirt of Nacional.
Renewing acquaintances
Joining a new club in a World Cup year is always a gamble, with the need to make a quick impression often undermined by the demands of adapting to a new environment. A common solution is to head back to a familiar setting, and Djibril Cisse hopes that strategy can facilitate his return to the France squad after moving to Ligue 1 side Bastia following six difficult months at Kuban Krasnodar. As for former France striker Guillaume Hoarau, he knows has maximised his slim chances with a transfer to Bordeaux that draws a line under his testing year with Chinese team Dalian Aerbin.
In a similar vein, Portuguese forward Ricardo Quaresma has made his way back to old club Porto, six years after departing to take in less-than-convincing spells with Inter Milan, Chelsea, Besiktas and – most recently – Al Ahli Dubai. In contrast, defender Jorge Fucile has just exited Porto, the Uruguayan setting sail for his homeland to don the shirt of Nacional.
Elsewhere, USA international Michael Bradley is back in MLS after making his professional debut there ten years ago in 2004. The midfielder represented clubs in the Netherlands, Germany, England and Italy, spending the last two seasons at Roma, and will now turn out for Toronto. Joining him at the Canadian outfit will be England internationalstriker Jermain Defoe, who has agreed a move from Tottenham Hotspur.
The transfer carousel has clearly spun into action since the start of the year and the player movement will only intensify between now and the end of January as the 2014 World Cup looms ever larger into view.
0 comments:
Post a Comment