Cavani, Lewandowski, Jovetic & More:
Edinson Cavani
It appears Cavani is finally leaving Napoli, following Walter Mazarri out of the door at the Stadio San Paolo.
He’s going to cost a bomb—reports suggest approximately €63 million—so only a select few teams can afford him, but he’s such a versatile forward he can excel anywhere.
We’ve touched on his role with the Partenopei before here at Discount Football Kits, outlining his ability to drive forward, poach, play as a target or switch out wide.
This wide pallet gives him the rare chance to slot into almost any team, and he could help Jesus Navas revolutionise the Manchester City attack.
Should he leave, he’ll adapt anywhere. There is no poor fit for him.
Edin Dzeko
Dzeko isn’t happy at Manchester City, but that situation could change for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the recruitment of Jesus Navas will give him a player actually willing to cross the ball, and that’s not just a throw-away like Scott Sinclair, it’s a world-class starter on the right wing.
Second, the departure of Carlos Tevez is at most one year away, meaning he will either be sold or phased out of the side.
Manuel Pellegrini will always play with two strikers where possible, and City have the overwhelming strength to sacrifice a man in midfield and play a strike partnership; Dzeko could find himself paired with Sergio Aguero up front on a consistent basis.
Napoli’s system is a little diverse for Dzeko, while Borussia Dortmund’s high-pressing style doesn’t suit him either. He’s better off sticking, not twisting.
Stevan Jovetic
After another fantastic, injury-free season, Jovetic is firmly in the crosshairs of some of the world’s biggest clubs once more.
It seems he’ll leave for a fee approaching £25 million, and whoever takes the plunge will delight their fans with a superb signing.
He’s a remarkably bright young player, able to drop in and out of the forward line, play as a support striker or a “prima punta.” His link up play with his wingers is outstanding, swapping roles and creating space for the likes of Adem Ljajic at Fiorentina this season.
Because of his versatile game, he fits in most places. At Arsenal he’d be the de facto No. 1 striker and thrive, while at Juventus he could replace Mirko Vucinic as the link between Andrea Pirlo and the forward line.
Robert Lewandowski
With just one year left on his deal at Borussia Dortmund, the club won’t receive anything close to a reasonable fee for Lewandowski.
The Pole, who put four past Real Madrid in one game in the UEFA Champions League this season, raised some eyebrows after yet another stunning campaign.
He’s physically excellent, combining pace and power with good height and aerial combativeness; He drops in deep to take possession and hold it, allowing Marco Reus and co. to exploit the space in behind.
He’s integral to Juergen Klopp’s set up, and he’s going to be impossible to replace.
It seems Bayern Munich will steal him away just like they did with Mario Goetze, creating further animosity between the two sides.
Mario Gomez
Despite Gomez being one of the most talented, natural poachers in world football, his old-school nature has seen him slip down the pecking order at Bayern Munich.
Usurped by the hardworking, pressing Mario Mandzukic, the German has spent most of the season on the bench and looks certain to join the striker merry-go-round.
Napoli are said to be interested, and that would signal a major change in style considering Gomez wouldn’t replace Cavani like-for-like. Rafa Benitez, though, has his ideas.
A great landing spot for Gomez would be Manchester City, who can create chances without the foil of a target striker’s assistance. He’d be waiting in the box and firing home with regularity.
Wayne Rooney
With two transfer requests under his belt, it seems likely that Rooney will depart Manchester United this summer.
David Moyes was arguably the worst possible appointment for him considering the manager sued Rooney after their time together at Everton, and Wayne seemed unhappy with the new role Sir Alex Ferguson had been carving out for him in midfield.
In fact, he’s seemed unhappy that he’s not the No. 1 attraction in the team for a long time, and will seek a move where he can become the centre of attention.
That’s tough, as the two mooted destinations—Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain—have Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Frank Lampard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi on the books.
As a player he’s a dream to have, capable of playing as a lone striker, in a duo, out wide, as a No. 10 or even in central midfield, it’s hard to find a spot he won’t master.
His disgruntled nature and poor England performances have clouded his overwhelming talent, and Rooney is one of the best pickups on the market this summer.
