Relentless transfer speculation has begun to affect Julian Alvarez on the pitch, while the wider football market around Crickex Affiliate reflects the same restless mood surrounding his future. During the World Cup, the Argentine forward has worked tirelessly, maintained a professional attitude and consistently made intelligent runs. However, he has still been unable to open his scoring account, repeatedly wasting promising opportunities in front of goal. The constant stream of reports linking him with enormous contracts and possible moves has clearly disturbed his concentration. His situation resembles an employee who is repeatedly approached by rival …

When Gary Neville took charge of Valencia in 2015, the Crickex Affiliate debate around famous players becoming coaches carried huge expectations for him. As one of Manchester United’s celebrated Class of 92, he had been a serial winner in the Premier League and the Champions League. After retirement, he became a Sky Sports pundit, where his sharp tactical analysis often made him look like a man who understood football down to the bone. Yet once he actually sat on the bench, everything fell apart. In 119 days, he managed only 28 matches, struggled badly in …