A Glaring Issue for Each Top European Club to Fix This Summer
The 2017-18 season might not have drawn to a close yet, but with a FIFA World Cup set to follow hot on its heels, decision-makers at football clubs will be planning furiously for next season even as we speak.
In this piece, we've highlighted one glaring issue facing some of Europe's top sides this summer, ranging from managerial question marks, recruitment needs or mentality changes.
Many of these sides will have more than one problem to solve this summer, but listed is the one of utmost importance for each.
AC Milan: Constraints Forcing a Rather Different Summer to Last
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Will AC Milan face punishment for breaching financial fair play (FFP) this year? The answer dictates their entire window, and last we heard, UEFA had rejected the club's proposal for a "voluntary agreement," which isn't good news.
There are clear needs for manager Gennaro Gattuso to address this summer, depth and quality in both central midfield and on the wing among them, but he might not be able to in the fashion he wishes to. If they're sanctioned will they be forced to sell? Suso told Tuttosport he doesn't want to go (h/t the Mirror), but what if he has to?
Arsenal: Manager
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We'll start with a simple one, shall we?
Sunday's heartfelt Emirates goodbye to Arsene Wenger hammered home the reality that he'll soon be gone, leaving Arsenal in fresh hands after 22 years under the Frenchman's stewardship.
Many fans have been wishing for this for a long time, but news from B/R's Dean Jones that the board are split on who the new man should be, and that whoever it is will have no more than £50 million to spend, is discomforting to say the least.
There's another major issue at play, too—the size of the playing squad Wenger will hand over—but until the new captain's been chosen, there's no point addressing the state of the crew.
Atletico Madrid: How Antoine Griezmann Shapes the Summer
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The sooner Barcelona complete a deal for Antoine Griezmann, the sooner we can all move on.
The interest is firm. Atletico Madrid went to FIFA over a potentially illegal approach for the player in December.
Luis Suarez has become the latest to suggest a deal is in the works, speaking to Radio Rincon (h/t The Independent) as if it was all agreed, and now Atletico have published an official statement about how they're fed up of Barca's conduct.
What Atletico must figure out is how Griezmann's potential exit shapes their summer. It wouldn't be the backbreaker it once was, not now Diego Costa's back and Angel Correa is on the right track, but it cannot become a circus that distracts from their own plans.
Barcelona: Replacing Andres Iniesta
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The old Barcelona guard shrinks a little further.
We don't know exactly where Andres Iniesta is going just yet—ESPN's Jordi Blanco reported it might be Vissel Kobe in Japan!—but we do know this is his final season with Barcelona. He wanted to go out on top and he has: A domestic double and a potentially unbeaten La Liga campaign will ensure of that.
The qualities Iniesta brings Barca are myriad, some tangible, others less so. They might be able to find a No. 8 who does what he does in possession in the coming years, but will they find a player who binds the fans to the pitch so well, conjures key moments at important times so reliably and who can become a true figurehead of the club?
Bayern Munich: What to Do with Robert Lewandowski?
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Bayern Munich lack speed on the wings and must care for their ageing, injury-prone players, and in normal circumstances that would be of chief concern to the club.
But this summer an even bigger issue looms, and it centres around Robert Lewandowski. Reports over the last month indicate he's not entirely happy at the club, and this week Calciomercato.com has written Bayern might be willing to listen to offers.
They'd be loathe to lose him for free in 2019, so perhaps cashing in now is the right option from an economic standpoint, but you can't escape the fact that he is one the best No. 9s in the world and will be difficult to replace.
Like Atletico Madrid and Antoine Griezmann, this is a mini-saga that will determine how the rest of the club's summer shakes out.
Borussia Dortmund: Manager
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Another easy one. Why overcomplicate things?
"We fully expect to have a new coach next season," Dortmund midfielder Sebastian Rode told Sky Germany (h/t ESPN FC) recently, when asked about the future of Peter Stoger.
While the club might not be delighted to see a player of theirs speaking this way, it will be difficult to refute the sentiment given reports are rife they've principally agreed to hire Lucien Favre, according to Sky Germany (h/t Sports Illustrated).
He's the manager they wanted last summer, only to be stonewalled by OGC Nice. They ended up with former Ajax boss Peter Bosz instead, which was a disaster. Perhaps now BVB can get themselves back on track.
Chelsea: Director of Football
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Should Eden Hazard and/or Thibaut Courtois leave the club this summer, replacing them immediately becomes Chelsea's glaring issue. If not, though, there are other issues looming larger.
Who are the transfer targets, who will stand in the dugout and which youngsters will be brought in? These are all things Chelsea's director of football usually addresses, but right now they don't have one.
Michael Emenalo left the role at the beginning of November 2017, and while we've seen a fair few names mentioned as potential replacements—Luis Campos among them, per The Independent's Ed Malyon—no action has been taken.
That, surely, is the first building block the Blues must put in place. Why it hasn't happened already is a mystery.
Inter Milan: Left-Back
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Inter Milan's major issues may change depending on whether they qualify for the UEFA Champions League, but regardless of where they finish, they'll need to figure something out at left-back.
It was believed this was fixed last summer with the signing of Dalbert, but manager Luciano Spalletti doesn't appear to like him too much. Both Davide Santon and Danilo D'Ambrosio have made more starts than the Brazilian, indicating something is up.
They might have to hit the market again.
Juventus: Right-Back
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Despite last season's recruitment of two players who can play right-back, and the overall presence of five of them in the current squad, the position is still an issue. Manager Max Allegri has to get it right this time.
Stephan Lichtsteiner is on a downward trajectory now, and he recently confirmed to Mediaset (h/t ESPN FC) that he is leaving at the end of the season. Mattia De Sciglio is solid, but that doesn't (or shouldn't) cut it at a team trying to win the Champions League.
Benedikt Howedes, who is on loan from Schalke and may not return, and Andrea Barzagli's main strengths lie elsewhere, and Juan Cuadrado is useable but is also needed higher up the pitch.
Cadena Ser (h/t Daily Star) has linked Hector Bellerin to the Turin giants, and he'd be the right sort of signing. Matteo Darmian, who Tuttosport (h/t Daily Mail) reported was interesting the Italian giants, wouldn't.
Liverpool: Striker Depth
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When considering Liverpool's needs this summer, the mind automatically points to either centre-back or central midfield. After all, questions over Dejan Lovren will remain even if they win the Champions League, while quite how the midfield will line up is a mystery.
But perhaps there's an even more pressing concern: backing up Roberto Firmino with adequate experience and quality. Danny Ings is fit again but struggling, while Dominic Solanke could use a loan campaign where the expectations aren't quite so high.
What the Reds are looking for, really, is their own Sandro Wagner, who signed for Bayern Munich from Hoffenheim in January to provide back-up for Lewandowski.
Manchester City: A Fernandinho Alternative
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It's important to note that "glaring needs" aren't really applicable to Manchester City.
They've smashed the Premier League to pieces, and while they did fall short in Europe, it was to a team perfectly coached to get the better of them. There are very few of those, and when things like that happen, you don't rip everything up and start again.
The defence, once a concern, looks fine now. Aymeric Laporte was recruited in January, and provided Benjamin Mendy is fully healed, left-back isn't such a concern now.
The only real hole is the lack of cover for Fernandinho. He's been run into the ground this season by Pep Guardiola, and while Ilkay Gundogan can play his role, it's clear they want another body there—hence the links to both Jorginho and Fred, supplied by B/R's Dean Jones.
Manchester United: Left-Back
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It's the same every year. Manchester United need a left-back solution.
They already have a perfectly qualified one in the squad by the name of Luke Shaw, but it's clear manager Jose Mourinho is unwilling to trust and support him in the way required. He'd rather use Ashley Young, a right-footed winger, instead, and Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian are still in the queue jostling for a spot.
Young has been fine this term, but his limitations in one-on-one defending have been shown up over the last few months. A more natural fit is needed—not just to finally put a fork in this issue, but also to have any hope of closing the gap to Manchester City.
Napoli: Is This the Glass Ceiling?
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It's hard to escape the feeling that this is "it" for Napoli. And by "it," we mean it's the end of the Maurizio Sarri-inspired Scudetto push and the end for some of these players in Naples.
The burning question for the Partenopei heading into the summer is how many blocks from the current setup remain and how many must be rebuilt. Who is the manager? Will Dries Mertens stay? What about Jorginho, Kalidou Koulibaly and Faouzi Ghoulam?
Only once these questions are answered can you ascertain Napoli's needs and issues. In all likelihood, there'll be a small mountain of them.
Paris Saint-Germain: Leadership
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Paris Saint-Germain continue to dominate in France but fall short in Europe. It's becoming clearer that committing big sums to high-profile forwards like Kylian Mbappe and Neymar isn't going to change that.
What PSG already lack, and soon will grossly lack, is leadership and composure on those big stages. Neymar is an individual, Mbappe is a kid still learning his trade and Marco Verratti's temperament cannot be trusted. To make matters worse, the only semblance of a leader in the side, Thiago Motta, could retire.
Whichever manager takes over from Unai Emery must address this, and they also have to ensure whoever they sign this summer has the right mentality and personality.
Real Madrid: Easing the Burden on Cristiano Ronaldo
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Real Madrid are over-reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo from both a systematic and goalscoring standpoint.
There are times when they play reckless, chaotic football and leave massive gaps in midfield, defence and on the flanks. Some of the players commit forward and don't track back, seeking to outscore opponents, not outmanoeuvre them.
They do this because Ronaldo, generally, produces enough goals to get them by. He has a record of stepping up when they need him the most, allowing them to sneak past top teams on the big stage.
But the Portuguese isn't receiving enough help, and this can't continue. Karim Benzema may have scored twice against Bayern Munich last week, but that only took his goalscoring tally for the season to 10. He has just five in La Liga. Many presumed his tally of 11 in 2016-17 couldn't be topped for disappointment, but he's seeing to that in style.
Zinedine Zidane must do something. Sign a new No. 9, restructure the team so it doesn't exist in a state in a perennial state of drama, anything.
Tottenham: The Mousa Dembele-Dependence
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It might prove impossible for Tottenham Hotspur to find a Mousa Dembele deputy, so the alternative is to ween themselves off their reliance on him another way: by shifting styles.
When the Belgian doesn't play, there's too much stress on Christian Eriksen to move the ball from back to front, and it takes the Dane away from the final third quite often. When he does play but can't find his groove, the team suffers.
The solution isn't clear. Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino must ask more from the likes of Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela; maybe Kieran Trippier could offer more of a dribbling byline threat. But unless the club can find a Dembele Mk II in the market, something approaching a Plan B must be formed.
All statistics via WhoScored.com
