Food For Thought: Why Should Barcelona Sign Manchester United's Jonny Evans?

Joke Of The Summer - Johnny Evans To Barcelona

It's the transfer season and you get all sorts of transfer news and rumours. But even God Almighty, who made Planet Earth and is still repenting, would have thought twice before hatching this plan.

Now, why should Spanish and European champions FC Barcelona even think of signing Jonny Evans from Manchester United?

Okay, the Northern Ireland international centre-back has a potentially successful career ahead of him and was quite impressive last season but is that enough for Barcelona to splash some not-so-easy cash and sign a 21-year-old? Surely, Josep Guardiola must be out of his mind to even think of this and whatever The Daily Mail may tell you, he is certainly not thinking of making such a weird move.

After all, Barcelona have four world class or verging on world class/near world class centre-backs. Carles Puyol needs no introduction, Gerard Pique ditched the then European champions Manchester United to become European champions with Barcelona in 2008-2009, Rafael Marquez still has enough in his tank and Gabriel Milito would be back from his long term injuries.

And if we are talking about the left-back position, then we should accept that Eric Abidal is not that bad a defender and Pep Guardiola shall have Brazilian player Maxwell for next season.

Now, why would Barca still try and sign Jonny Evans from United?

The Irony About Cleber Santana

On Monday Atletico Madrid midfielder Cleber Santana told the club’s official website, "Atletico are playing better each time and I think that we'll make it into the Champions League qualifying tie in optimal condition, which is our main goal."

From Joy To Despair Inside One Day

On Tuesday there were reports claiming that the 28-year-old is on the brink of joining Brazilian club Internacional.

It's quite funny, and somewhat insulting too, that the player who was looking so buoyant about leading Atleti to Champions League proper this season doesn't appear to be on the club's plans at all.

Arsene Wenger's Termination Of Chamakh Interest

All this while people have been blaming Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for not coughing up enough cash to land the world's best players but this time the 'Professor' has done a brilliant job in not parting with the cash.

On Tuesday Wenger made it clear that the club is not going to sign striker Marouane Chamakh from French club Bordeaux this summer. Apparently, last season's French champions are asking for more than what the Gunners are willing to play for the highly rated striker and with the 25-year-old's contract due to end next summer Wenger is playing a very winnable game in calling off the deal.

Maybe Next Summer......

Already Chamakh has made it clear that he wants to play for Arsenal and has 'warned' that “if we cannot find a solution quickly, everyone will lose."

Arsenal might have 'lost out' on a number of players because of Wenger's apparent disinclination to pay enough money but this time the Professor has got it right.

Xabi Alonso Is Finally A Real Madrid Player - A Solution Or A Problem?

So Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has pulled off another coup, signing yet another Galactico. Madrid made the transfer market crazy in June, went quiet in July and have now started proceedings in August with a bang.

Of course, signing Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and (perhaps) Karim Benzema was as much necessary as luxurious but is Alonso's arrival that important?

No, this is not to denigrate the Spanish international's class at all - after all, Alonso is one of the finest and most accurate passers in Europe - but did Madrid really need the Basque player?

Alonso's Madrid Arrival - Boon Or Bane?

More importantly, how does coach Manuel Pellegrini fit in these four Galacticos into the same line-up and play to their strengths? The Chilean probably won't shift from his much favoured 4-4-2 formation, which implies that Alonso, Lassana Diarra, Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema and Raul/Gonzalo Higuain all would be playing together.

Without Alonso a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 would have still worked but now with Alonso's presence, what kind of formation would Madrid play in? Diarra and Alonso should be playing in central positions in the midfield but what about the rest?

Maybe Ronaldo and Arjen Robben on two flanks, Kaka down the middle in a more advanced position and Karim Benzema as the lone striker upfront?

Or maybe Higuain, who can play and has played as a wide midfielder, would slot in one wing instead of Robben and then Raul would be accommodated alongside Benzema upfront?

Subhankar Mondal