Diouf a dud deal?

Worth all the fuss?

Well, we've been linked with a lot of players over the last few weeks, but the name of Mame Biram Diouf seemed to spark a bit of excitement across the Stoke City faithful. I think this deal needs to be looked at from two sides. On the one hand, we have a player that when he last played in England, scored once in five league appearances for Manchester United. More telling is a loan spell to Blackburn Rovers, where in 26 league appearances, he scored just three times. He was 24 years old when leaving United for Hannover, where in the next eighteen months he scored eighteen goals in thirty-eight appearances. The question I feel we should be asking is, has Diouf finally become the player Manchester United had hoped he could be, or is he a player that is more suited to the football in Germany, away from the hustle and bustle of England? My gut feeling at the moment is the latter, although for a fee lower than the reported £6-8m I think it would be worth Stoke seeing for themselves what the situation is.

Oliveira versus Agger

After today's link to Nelson Oliveira, who at Euro 2012 appeared to be one of the brightest prospects soon to be coming into football, for Stoke to be linked with him is good. To sign him however, in my opinion, would be a coup. If in the next few years he could boost his goal-output, to match his ability on the ball, then I think he would be the better player to target if it were a choice between him and Diouf.

In other news:

Alabi at Scunthorpe

There have been good murmurs coming from the Stoke camp in the first weeks of pre-season, with players such as Wilson Palacios seeming to get more exposure, to the media at least, than under Tony Pulis's regime. What is also most pleasing is the news that youth players are getting a chance to stake a claim for the first team. James Alabi is the name that has caught my attention, whilst after hearing that a player called Jordan Keane played in Saturday's behind closed doors match against Burton, the future is seeming bright for younger players at the Brit. Only time will tell if some get a chance to stake a claim for the first team, but just seeing these names getting minutes on the pitch seems to be boosting morale for supporters. The one player I want to see really push for a first team place this season though is Florent Cuvelier. In his last act as Stoke City manager, he gave Florent a place on the bench for Southampton, but an appearance seemed as unlikely as hearing that one of our players had scored a hat-trick in a season! He was unlucky in his loan spell at Peterborough, but it shouldn't be a discredit to him as he he proved at Walsall that he has the potential to shine. If he can fulfil it though, is the question I'm asking with abated breath.

Cuvelier vs Yacob whilst on loan at Walsall

Away from the Brit:

After spending a week in Manchester, all I've heard about lately is Wayne Rooney. His words, apparently, are that he is "angry and confused" about his treatment by David Moyes in recent weeks. Despite this, I would still lean towards him being at Old Trafford come the end of the transfer window, currently at odds of 6/4 with SkyBet. There are two reasons why I believe this: one is the new manager in David Moyes, and the other is the club's stance to the transfer. In his first interview as the first new manager of Manchester United in twenty-six years, Moyes made the bold statement that Rooney was not for sale. In this time there have been no new signings at the club to add to that of Guillermo Varela. Whilst the interest in Thiago Allacantra may have been hot air, interest in Cesc Fabregas seems to be firm. As the new manager, Moyes will want to make it clear that if a player leaves, it is because he is surplus to requirements, which until Moyes finds a new number 10, Rooney remains needed by the club.

Rooney to Chelsea? Unlikely as this photograph being real.

As mentioned above, the club's stance is crucial as well. Manchester United have earned a reputation during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign at the club that a player is only sold if it suits the club. Therefore, with Chelsea openly courting Wayne Rooney's signature, it would appear a signal of defeat if they sold him as soon as a rival club comes calling. Mourinho's claim that it is 'Rooney or Bust' appears to me to simply be his opening bout of mind-games, stirring trouble at a rival's club and testing Moyes's mettle for the job. The next few weeks will show if Moyes is indeed up for that challenge.

Quick Snippet:

Football world wishing Tito a speedy recovery and remission

Although I'm running a one-man blog, I hope ex-Barcelona manager Tito Villanova manages to pull through his latest battle against throat cancer. Whilst the number of people who suffer through cancer is not limited to people in the news, it is illustrated more through the media when we see a 44 year old having to leave his post as manager of arguably the best club in world football just fight this form of illness. My thoughts, like with all cancer sufferers, are with him right now.