Casillas to break all records

By the time Spain have completed their qualification for the European Championships goalkeeper Iker Casillas will have equalled Andoni Zubizarreta’s record for Spanish caps – an astonishing 126. What is even more incredible is that Casillas is still only 30 and could reach 200 International appearances before he retires.

It seems almost inconceivable that Real Madrid or Spain could not have Casillas in goal; he became the number one for Madrid in 1999/2000 aged just 19 years old. After the recent domination by Spain he has now won every major honour in the game but his hunger and desire remains. He is the captain of both club and country and remains one of the elite keepers in world football.

This remarkable career began in 1999 when he made his La Liga debut in a 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao; he had replaced the German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner. By the following season he had established himself as Madrid’s number one keeper and helped his side win the Champions League title that season. However, within two years he had been dropped after a run of poor performances but like true greats he responded in emphatic style.

He was named amongst the substitutes in the 2001/2 Champions League final at Hampden Park against Bayer Leverkusen with Cesar starting in goal. After 68 minutes his chance arrived after Cesar picked up an injury, the young Madridista grabbed his opportunity and produced a fabulous display in the remaining minutes of the game to win his second Champions League title. Since that day he has remained ever present as Madrid’s number one.

It is not simply his shot stopping that separates him from his rivals; it is his powers on concentration that put him above his nearest rivals. Playing for Madrid and Spain the goalkeeper is never going to have lots of work to do as both sides dominate possession for long periods. It is his ability to pull off a crucial save in the dying minutes of games that really distinguish him. Although not the most elegant keeper he has a remarkable knack of getting a body part in the way at the right time; his reflexes are extraordinary. He is also incredibly good at one on ones; in fact if I was to select a goalkeeper for that role there would be no competition.

Competition for the Spanish national side is growing ever fiercer; David de Gea, Pepe Reina and Victor Valdez are all waiting in the wings but the Spanish captain will not be relinquishing his role any time soon. When you consider he has 124 caps in 10 years so far he should easily complete another 76 in the next seven/eight years. The current record for most caps is held jointly by Mohamed Al-Deayea of Saudi Arabia and Claudio Suarez of Mexico who have played 178 times for their country. It will not be long until Iker Casillas becomes the most capped player in the history of the game and few deserve the accolade as much as he does.

Transfer window looks set to be eventful

We are only eight days into the transfer window and already the whole football world seems to have gone a little crazy. With rumours circulating left right and centre the ability to tell fact from fiction is almost impossible. With the Premier League’s top six sides all set to spend heavily the domino effect will surely come; one big transfer will have knock on effects throughout the game.

Bizarrely the quietest side so far appears to be Manchester City who will surely spend huge sums again this summer after qualifying for the Champions League. It appears that Liverpool could be the first to splash the cash with Sunderland’s Jordan Henderson apparently very close to agreeing a deal. The rumour has the deal at £20 million which is staggering but after signing Andy Carroll for £35 million anything is possible.

Every window Spurs are linked with almost every possible player in world football and it certainly appears the case again. From Rossi to Lavezzi to Lassana Diarra all within eight days is the norm for the North London club. The club generally end up doing their business in the final hours of the window but maybe their Chairman Daniel Levy has changed his approach.

For the second summer in a row the issue at Arsenal appears to be who will be leaving. Their young French playmaker Samir Nasri is stalling on a new contract and some of Europe’s biggest clubs are rumoured to be hovering. However, it does appear to be more of a Rooney approach rather than a real desire to leave the club. The reports have stated that he has asked for the same money as the club captain Cesc Fabregas which is not unreasonable in my opinion. He was sublime in the initial months of last season having not featured in the World Cup and must remain at Arsenal if they are to challenge next season.

The current Champions Manchester United have already stated that they will bring in three players this summer. It is understood that the deal to bring David de Gea to the club has already been completed and they will surely look to strengthen their central midfield that was so exposed in the Champions League final. Their main rivals Chelsea must first address who will be manager next season; Guus Hiddink appears to be the obvious candidate and would represent a great addition to the club. However, they need youthful reinforcements for an ageing squad and most of that will depend on how deep Mr Abramovich wants to delve.

One thing is guaranteed; it will be an eventful summer.

United set to spend big this summer

This summer looks set to be one of the most active in recent memory as the top sides look to consolidate and prepare for next season. With Manchester City having finally won a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League they will definitely bring in some expensive stars. Meanwhile, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs will also be spending big.

There are some key re-enforcement’s needed at United next season due to retirement. The goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to hang up his boots which will leave a huge hole in the United defence. Since his move from Fulham in 2005 he has been phenomenal; having already played at Ajax and Juventus his career was considered over when he went to Fulham but he has now become one of the stand out keepers in world football.

There has been much speculation surrounding David de Gea, the Athletico Madrid keeper. Although only 20 he has been identified as the successor and few would be surprised to see him turn up at Old Trafford this summer. He maybe young but has impressed Sir Alex Ferguson’s scouts on many occasions. After making some errors in replacing Peter Schmeichel he will not make the same mistake again.

Elsewhere midfield is certainly an area they are lacking in. There is no secret in Ferguson’s admiration for Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan who the press certainly feel will be brought in this summer. The creativity from central midfield is not what it was at United and this is probably the biggest signing. Whoever it is will have to replace Paul Scholes which will certainly not be an easy task.

One player who I feel maybe a United player next season however is Andre Ayew who plays for Marseille. He was one of the few players Ferguson spoke of very highly this season and has had a good season domestically and in Europe.

Having won the Premier League and possibly the Champions League United are in an incredibly strong position this summer. Whilst they have won trophies this year there remains a feeling that this side need something more. With Ferguson still in charge there is no doubt that the squad will be strengthened. It looks set to be an intriguing summer.