City, Spurs or Liverpool – where next for Arjen Robben?
Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben is one of Europe's hottest properties, and following a well documented spat with teammate Franck Ribery, the Dutch winger has refused to sign a new contract for the German giants. Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are all on alert and ready to wage war over Robben's signature. Having already made his name at Chelsea, Robben has a history of success in the English game and talkSPORT take a look at this possible Premier League options…
Manchester City
Robben's CV includes Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, so as you would expect his wage demands will be huge. One estimate has Robben earning as much as £7.8 million per year, and with that kind of money involved City are surely the only club able to match his current earnings. City wouldn't have to fork out too much by way of a transfer fee, though - Robben's current deal expires in 2013. The real question is whether City actually need Robben right now. Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli could all leave the Etihad in the summer, so City might be more likely to invest in a striker than another winger, particularly if they end up securing the services of Eden Hazard. Robben likes teams to be built around him, too, and with the array of . City have shown in the past that they like to make statements with their transfers, however, and signing are arguably the finest winger in the world would certainly make a splash.
Could Robben's fiery temper collide with some of the big egos at Manchester City?
Transfer likelihood: 6/10
Liverpool
If there's one team in desperate need of a quality wide player it's Liverpool. With Andy Carroll still a key part of plans at Anfield, someone capable of delivering balls with true quality from a wide position is a must, and Robben excels in that area. Stewart Downing's poor season means Robben would walk into the team, too. Most importantly, Robben has a knack for scoring big goals in big games, and with Liverpool struggling to find the back of the net this season, the Dutchman could be a solution. Liverpool would surely need to offload Joe Cole if they have any hope of picking up the Bayern man's signature however, with Cole's own mega wages still a burden on the club.
Could Robben do this at Liverpool and bring out the best of Andy Carroll?
Transfer likelihood: 5/10
TottenhamSpurs have built their recent success on top wingers, with Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale defining Tottenham's style. Robben would fit into their system perfectly, but are Bale or Lennon likely to accept less game time to accommodate him? Worse still, would his arrival encourage Bale to seek a new club sooner rather than later? One thing Spurs do have in their favour is the presence of Robben's national teammate, Rafael van der Vaart. Robben and VDV have been friends since sharing a dressing room at Real Madrid, and when the Spurs man was looking for a move out of the Bernabeu in 2010, Robben publicly heaped praise on him in an effort to get him to sign for Bayern. As for what the Spurs supporters want, Robben could find himself a Spurs legend before he even arrives if he scores the winning goal against Chelsea in the Champions League final!
Robben has the potential to do something like this for Spurs, but could he cause Bale to get cold feet?
Transfer likelihood: 5/10
talkSPORT verdict
Robben will be able to pick from some of the top clubs in the world if he decides to leave Bayern, so the will of the player will be key in this move. The presence of two established wingers at Tottenham could be off-putting, and with Harry Redknapp already admitting they couldn't afford to pay Carlos Tevez's wages, it's unlikely Spurs could stretch their budget for the Dutchman. Liverpool are probably the team that need him the most, with the Anfield side lacking world-class wingers, but unless they can offload Joe Cole they might not be able to afford Robben either. City certainly have the financial power to sign the Bayern man, and though they could probably be doing with a number nine rather than a winger, the Manchester side have a history of making transfers as a statement rather than out of necessity. Should Robben choose to return to the Premier League, our money's on the Citizens.
Would City, Spurs or Liverpool suit Robben? Or is a surprise return to Chelsea on the cards? Let us know below.