Michael Yokhin
Latest articles by Michael Yokhin
Pep Idol: the Anti-Lobanovsky who inspired a generation – inside and outside Russia
By Michael Yokhin last updated
Spartak Moskva On the 25th anniversary of Konstantin Beskov's exit from Spartak Moscow, Michael Yokhin examines the career and ethos of the coach who confronted Lobanovsky and influenced a generation...
How Breel Embolo became one of Europe's hottest prospects – but won't join Man United
By Michael Yokhin last updated
Michael Yokhin takes you through the Cameroon-born Swiss star's rise to prominence - and what fans can expect if their club land the youngster
Sead Kolasinac to Arsenal: Meet the "nasty" defender who flourished in 2016/17
By Michael Yokhin published
Sead Kolasinac Michael Yokhin provides the lowdown on the Emirates Stadium-bound full-back
FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017: No.7, Douglas Luiz
By Michael Yokhin published
100 Best Teenagers He's currently plying his trade on loan at Girona, but Douglas Luiz is being watched closely by parent club Manchester City – who have high hopes indeed for the Brazilian
FourFourTwo’s 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2017: No.12, Joachim Low
By Michael Yokhin last updated
FFT 50 Managers He helped overhaul the German style of football, won a World Cup and is cruising to qualification for Russia in 2018 with six wins from six matches
The 8 big stories to look out for in football this weekend
By Michael Yokhin published
FourFourTwo The Dennis Wise derby, a “new Kaka” seeking to prove himself and the other Ronaldo returning to Barça: it's all going on in Michael Yokhin’s weekly preview
Maccabi Tel Aviv: Israel's Cruyff-led Bayern Munich (with two Tal Ben Haims)
By Michael Yokhin published
Maccabi Tel Aviv Michael Yokhin provides the lowdown on Chelsea's latest Champions League opponents...
Yacine Brahimi: The Arsenal-linked winger who idolises Zidane and plays like Mahrez
By Michael Yokhin published
Talentspotter The Gunners are reportedly interested in the Algeria international, who's angling for a move away from Porto. Michael Yokhin introduces the talented, but occasionally troubled, winger...
FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017: 90-81
By Michael Yokhin last updated
100 Best Teenagers Two of England’s rising stars feature here – including the kid who spurned Pep Guardiola and grabbed Ousmane Dembele’s vacant No.7 shirt at Dortmund
How Russia wasted seven years ahead of hosting the 2018 World Cup
By Michael Yokhin last updated
FIFA World Cup At Euro 2008, they looked like one of Europe’s most exciting emerging sides – yet their World Cup build-up has been a shambles, as Michael Yokhin explains
Anderlecht: The Belgians with a Premier League-linked wonderkid to hurt Spurs
By Michael Yokhin published
Anderlecht Michael Yokhin introduces the Pro League side who many Tottenham supporters will know all too well...
FourFourTwo’s 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2017: No.13, Lucien Favre
By Michael Yokhin last updated
FFT 50 Managers He took Nice into a Champions League qualification spot in 2017 – but nobody should be too shocked, as Lucien Favre has form for overperforming
Faouzi Ghoulam: Meet the Arsenal target who could be their left-back solution
By Michael Yokhin published
Talentspotter Michael Yokhin offers the lowdown on the left-back who could be on his way to the Premier League
7 reasons to get excited about the Europa League knockouts
By Michael Yokhin published
UEFA Europa League With both a trophy and a place in the Champions League on the line, Michael Yokhin reveals the reasons for cheer as Europe's secondary club competition gets set to resume...
10 La Liga bargains who should interest Premier League clubs this January – and who they’d suit
By Michael Yokhin published
La Liga Great value is hard to find right now, but these stars from Spain could be intriguing to top-flight clubs says Michael Yokhin
The 8 big stories to look for in football this weekend
By Michael Yokhin published
FourFourTwo The world's oldest footballer celebrates another birthday, Robin van Persie looks to inflict damage on the Eredivisie leaders, while Bosz and Rodri return to former stomping grounds – it’s all in Michael Yohkin’s weekly round-up
10 breakout stars we can't wait to see at World Cup 2018
By Michael Yokhin last updated
World Cup Michael Yokhin picks out a handful of lesser-known gems who could shine in Russia next summer
FourFourTwo’s 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2016: No.18, Lars Lagerback
By Michael Yokhin last updated
FFT 50 Managers Sweden didn’t know what they’d got until he was gone. After some unappreciated international achievements, the late bloomer duly took Iceland to new heights and helped create Europe’s feel-good story of 2016
FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017: No.8, Matthijs de Ligt
By Michael Yokhin published
100 Best Teenagers It wasn't all near misses and woe for Ajax last season – in large part thanks to their record-breaking Holland international who's just getting started
8 big stories to look out for in football this weekend
By Michael Yokhin published
FourFourTwo An emotional pitch to Arjen Robben, Serie A's oddest head-to-head and Turkey's madcap league season all feature in Michael Yokhin's weekly review
10 players we're (very) excited to see in the Champions League group stage
By Michael Yokhin published
UEFA Champions League It’s back! Europe’s premier competition kicks off for another instalment this week – and these are the stars we can’t wait to watch
Why Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly will be Europe's most in-demand centre-back this summer
By Michael Yokhin published
Kalidou Koulibaly The dominating defender has been linked almost all of the continent's major clubs at some point, not least Manchester United. So why is the Napoli stopper in such high demand?
The strange curse of Louis van Gaal and ex-Man United target Hector Moreno
By Michael Yokhin last updated
Héctor Moreno Ahead of their sides' Champions League meeting at Old Trafford, Michael Yokhin charts the curious jinx that has shadowed the Manchester United manager and PSV defender in recent years...
FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017: No.2, Kylian Mbappe
By Michael Yokhin published
100 Best Teenagers Has a player ever progressed so quickly? 2016/17 was Mbappe's first full professional campaign – but so good it was that France couldn't ignore him and PSG were happy to shell out €180m to get him