@ Chig Paisa: Last season, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had an extended run out wide and cutting inside à la vintage Thierry Henry.

Like Henry, Aubameyang can score as well as create whilst also being an instant game-changer.

What PEA needs to work on is his consistency.

He's very mercurial like Theo Walcott, who is world-class for a month and then distinctly average for a month.

Aubameyang went on a seven-game and five-game streak of not scoring or creating.

Fantastic player, though.

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@ Rohan Ahluwalia: Thiago's buyout clause with Barcelona is €90 million but as Ben Hayward explains [1]: "He played 36 of 60 games last season (exactly 60 percent) but needed to play over 30 minutes in 60 percent of games—he didn't."

[1] https://twitter.com/bghayward/statuses/347326582475612160

Therefore, it activates a secondary €18 million buyout fee, which converts to £15.5 million.

The reason why Thiago's management insisted on inserting that secondary buyout clause is because they planned on the Spaniard not getting enough minutes.

Him coming to Manchester United is a possibility if he is guaranteed playing time which is what Arsène Wenger told a young Cesc Fàbregas.

People often forget that Xavi contemplated about signing for United when his Barça career wasn't going onwards and upwards.

The big story here is why the heck did Barcelona even accept putting in a secondary buyout clause?

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@ Will L.: No problems. Great read!

Hello Allan! Do you think that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Thierry Henry would be an apt comparison?

Maybe we're just looking into it too much, but do you think Thiago will be coming to Manchester United after the whole de Gea writing on the ball incident? If he does, do you think he will fit in and play well? I feel that he will be "doing a Fabregas", and start flirting with a return in a few years if he does come and play well.

Thanks for reading my piece on Mickelson, Allan! Hope all is well with you. Also, nice work on the 'Under the radar Euro Transfers' article.

@ Shane Heffernan: It just shows you how agonisingly close amateur/semi-pros are from becoming a full-time footballer.

Australia had a version of it called Football Superstars but none of the winners, let alone competitors ever really made much of an impact as a pro.

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@ Jerry Koh: By qualifying for three successive FIFA World Cups, Australia is currently in the midst of their most successful period in football ever.

Most of the A-League’s best talents have already been poached by European clubs. That said, 21-year-old Trent Sainsbury, Central Coast Mariners' centre-back, is a crafty defender who could be playing in Europe sooner rather than later.

Perth Glory’s 16-year-old midfielder Danny De Silva is the youngest player at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and Glory’s most gifted player since Ivan Ergić, who earned a move to Juventus in 2000 as a 19-year-old.

Aside from those two, there aren’t any standouts. I’m sure there will be a few players who will emerge next season.

Marco van Ginkel is a terrific centre midfielder, who is equally adept in both attacking and defensive halves.

Well, the hype is based on his past season, one that earned him a spot on Voetbal International’s Eredivisie Team of the Season.

Would I want him with Chelsea? Sure. But, I have no idea where he would fit and also the Blues have a woeful record with young talents.

It is interesting to read and watch this stuff about the nike academy. They seem to have a pretty good success rate. Also that guy you like...Tom Rogic came from them. Just saw that a player I remember from his Arsenal days is currently playing with them...Jaime Edge

Could you give me some insight on the current batch of australian youngsters? are they a talented bunch? who are the ones to look out for and perhaps be great players in europe?

And i've heard a lot about your club and my club being linked with Marco Van Ginkel. I really don't know much about him, is some of the hype being placed on him justified? And what sort of player is he? Would you want him at him at Chelsea?

@ Shane Heffernan: You must watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D3OO6fuBfA

Just a heads up, you're not going to see Brian Iloski because the NIKE academy featured in the aforementioned linked video is the first cycle. Iloski was selected in the second cycle.

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@ Rohan Ahluwalia: The Bundesliga is a better location for Marco van Ginkel's development, so neither.

Kevin Strootman is more Premier League-ready than Van Ginkel but it's hard to ignore the Vitesse midfielder's talent.

Just found this Nike Chance game on youtube so am going to watch it. I had not heard of this. cheers

Villareal just looks ok to me in the limited times I have seen him. Other than Yedilin, Diego Fagundez from New England is a kid to watch. He was getting playing time at 16 and is pushing on this year.

I have not heard of Brian Iloski but I will try and catch some games of his. I tend to avoid watching college games because the way they play irritates me. It is so poor.