The ULTRAMEGA Summer 2017 Transfers and Rumours Thread [featuring THE MIGHTY BLADES]

[Max Power]

I must be missing something with Coutinho, don't get it at all. Would cash in all day if I were making decisions at Liverpool Football Club.

[Jimmy Floyd]

£90m bid from Barcelona for Coutinho has been instantly rejected.

How much would it take? Another world record? He's good but he's not that good.

[Giggles]

He's a prime example that spectacular goals can cover up a multitude of ills.

[Andy]

I must be missing something with Coutinho, don't get it at all. Would cash in all day if I were making decisions at Liverpool Football Club.

It's less about the money and more about keeping too players. Liverpool don't need the cash.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They can buy 96 statues with the money.

[Max Power]

It's less about the money and more about keeping too players. Liverpool don't need the cash.

Does anyone need the cash anymore?

[niko_cee]

How much would it take? Another world record? He's good but he's not that good.

Logically, they're past that point already.

However, maybe the bigger issue at play is that Klopp wants him to stay, and the price of letting him go (for the club) may be to lose Klopp when Bayern come knocking, which will probably be sooner rather than later (maybe that's a lost cause as well). It's realistically too late to replace him (it's always too late once you've got them money, £75m for some spastic from West Ham isn't a replacement) so the cost could also be effectively giving up on the season/being in the CL next year. Now, I'm not sure he's that good/influential (certainly not Suarez levels) but he's certainly their best player so it would be a big loss.

Ideally he agrees to stay a year, they do well enough to be able to sign Keita next summer for his release clause (and Ross and The Ox on Bosmans, natch) and then he goes wherever (PSG) for even dafter money after donning the world cup.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's the mistaken belief that there are only 50 odd decent players in the world that is partly responsible for this ridiculous bubble.

[Shindig]

Does anyone need the cash anymore?

Yes. Did you not hear Rafa's massive moan this morning?

[Mike]

He'll stay until next summer and unless we get close to winning the League or the CL he'll be off.

[Gray Fox]

How much would it take? Another world record? He's good but he's not that good.

I reckon above £100m and our owners would see it as too good to turn down.

The troubling thing is who we'd then replace him with. I'd not normally say he's irreplaceable but in the current market he kind of is, simply for clubs essentially demanding what they want for their players now.

We don't need the money, but we do need our better players. I still don't think we'll sell him this summer. Unless the bid reaches mental levels, even for this window.

[Lofty]

£80m for a player out of contract in 11 months? Consider it well and truly broken.

Oh most definitely, but they could've offered less than that and probably got him before the Neymar deal. Now £80m probably won't even buy you Michy Batshuayi, given Andre fucking Gray just moved for nearly £20m.

[niko_cee]

It's the mistaken belief that there are only 50 odd decent players in the world that is partly responsible for this ridiculous bubble.

Well, indeed, but Liverpool's scouting network doesn't extend far beyond the boundaries of Hampshire, and no one who considers themselves in any way relevant is interested in 'taking a risk' on a player (unless entirely by accident) any more, sadly.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Big Jerry Corbyn's incoming government will sort all this out.

[Lewis]

Ninety million is still a massive amount of money, and whilst Liverpool appear to be in reasonable financial health at this moment in time, they might need it down the line. Using the Lewis Rule (yes), this would be like United turning down £150 million for somebody they consider indispensable (Dave Gayer), so I think he will go if they get closer to a hundred.

[GS]

Coutinho isn't Messi, but he's Liverpool's best player and has consistently been the most effective attacking player for about two seasons now. He wins games that other players in the squad won't.

If he's sold, it would be another example of losing an important player to, ostensibly, a bigger club. It sets a tone which Klopp (and the owners, presumably) are deliberately trying to move away from; that is, that they'll inevitably have to sell the best players to Tier One clubs and then try and find the next player who'll leave in four years' time themselves.

I think they need to hold firm, if they're remotely serious about doing anything. Lallana is injured until January, Sturridge can barely walk, the purchases are distinctly underwhelming. One hundred million plus sounds great, but unless you have a serious programme for investing it and not just throwing it at shite in a panic then you might as well hold onto the player. He can be sold next year for 75% of the fee they'd get this year, and at least everybody can pretend it's part of a plan and not the obvious perpetuation of SECOND TIER STATUS it actually is.

[mugbull]

It could be Liverpool's ye...

[GS]

It very evidently will not be, but you're basically conceding the point on even consolidation of top four if he's sold and replaced by Manuel Lanzini for an almost inevitably ludicrous fee.

[niko_cee]

Presumably that 'future securing' mega deal Coutinho signed in January is going to cost a fortune to pay-off in 'loyalty bonus' (lol), which makes me think he's going to have to put in a transfer request (thereby forgoing that?). From that perspective wanting things to be amicable between the clubs takes on a different light.

[Magic]

Fucking hell. I did not like the sound of that Rafa press conference. I dunno whether he's testing Ashley for more support or making actual plan B's for an exit. I'm scared either way.

I like the explicit (!) So we know it was sarcastic.

[Andy]

Poor old Danny Rose isn't happy on 65k p/w.

[Giggles]

Poor old Danny Rose isn't happy on 65k p/w.

In fairness, in the market it's piss poor for the likes of him. The only wonder is that more of their players aren't moaning. Isn't Kane only on 100k?

[niko_cee]

Levy will probably extort £40m + Luke Shaw out of United for Rose.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's quite lol to call out Levy for being Levy literally two days before the season starts.

EDIT: It says a lot about Twitter that the main problem people have is not that a middling player in a top six side is crying about being on £65,000 a week or only coming 2nd/3rd in the league, but that he's given an interview to The Sun, who seem to be far worse in the Twitter imagination than anything the Third Reich ever came up with. It's a newspaper, lads.

[Spikey M]

In fairness, in the market it's piss poor for the likes of him. The only wonder is that more of their players aren't moaning. Isn't Kane only on 100k?

Hasn't he been injured for 50% of the time he's been decent?

Also, is he actually any good? He looked shit under every other manager and Pochettino also made Luke Shaw look a world beater.

[mugbull]

It's quite lol to call out Levy for being Levy literally two days before the season starts.

EDIT: It says a lot about Twitter that the main problem people have is not that a middling player in a top six side is crying about being on £65,000 a week or only coming 2nd/3rd in the league, but that he's given an interview to The Sun, who seem to be far worse in the Twitter imagination than anything the Third Reich ever came up with. It's a newspaper, lads.

Your opinions are hilarious sometimes. Danny Rose is an excellent player.

[mugbull]

Hasn't he been injured for 50% of the time he's been decent?

Also, is he actually any good? He looked shit under every other manager and Pochettino also made Luke Shaw look a world beater.

He's better than Walker for sure, and is by far the best wide threat on the team. He does perish pretty often though

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's an excellent full back. You can always replace a full back. We just won the league with Alonso and Moses, who are both shit.

[mugbull]

He's an excellent full back. You can always replace a full back. We just won the league with Alonso and Moses, who are both shit.

Your concept of what good and shit are is tied directly to prestige and to wages, so by definition someone on low wages is not a good player. It's like when you said that the Chelsea team is worse than the City team because the wage bill is a bit lower. It's a circular argument and makes no sense.

Theoretically, losing Rose would leave us with Ben Davies and we wouldn't beat a single player on the flanks for the rest of the season.

[Mike]

My Untited supporting mate has been crying for weeks about City spending big on defenders, with Walker being his most upsetting because 'you should just get full backs from your academy' along with how it's silly money.
I really hope United spend big on Rose just to hear him explain how it's ok for united to do it.

[Spikey M]

He's better than Walker for sure, and is by far the best wide threat on the team. He does perish pretty often though

Considering the Full backs are the only wide threat that's not that big a deal. Actually, Trippier has great assist stats so I'm not even sure that's true.

[mugbull]

Thing is we don't even have someone who could play on the wing if we suddenly decided to play that way. Son, maybe, but you wouldn't really trust him to get past anyone.

Trippier has a good cross yeah but not much else. I really don't have high hopes for him.

[mugbull]

Ok, that was mean on Son. He's pretty good.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Your concept of what good and shit are is tied directly to prestige and to wages, so by definition someone on low wages is not a good player. It's like when you said that the Chelsea team is worse than the City team because the wage bill is a bit lower. It's a circular argument and makes no sense.

Theoretically, losing Rose would leave us with Ben Davies and we wouldn't beat a single player on the flanks for the rest of the season.

It's not. It's tied directly (directly!) to their capacity as individuals (Note: this is not the same as how well they do in a team). Rose is a good full back (better than the Chelsea pair mentioned) and beats men on the flanks, but were you to sell him you could recruit a replacement much more easily than you could recruit a similarly effective replacement for Kane, Eriksen, Alli or even arguably Lloris or Alderweireld. Ergo, he is a middling player in Tottenham's XI.

The amount of chin-stroking horseshit you come up with while accusing me of chin-stroking horseshit is remarkable.

[Andy]

Looks like Shane Long is off to Burnley to replace Andre Grey.

Still can't quite believe we spent 15m on him.

[phonics]

Considering you spent similar on Osvaldo, I'd call him a bargain.

[mugbull]

It's not. It's tied directly (directly!) to their capacity as individuals (Note: this is not the same as how well they do in a team). Rose is a good full back (better than the Chelsea pair mentioned) and beats men on the flanks, but were you to sell him you could recruit a replacement much more easily than you could recruit a similarly effective replacement for Kane, Eriksen, Alli or even arguably Lloris or Alderweireld. Ergo, he is a middling player in Tottenham's XI.

The amount of chin-stroking horseshit you come up with while accusing me of chin-stroking horseshit is remarkable.

Yeah, he's more replaceable than Alderweireld, Alli, Dembele but he is one of the best full-backs in the league and would easily get double the wages elsewhere etc etc.

It's horseshit when you deliberately phrase it like "middling player at top 6 team". Best left-back in the league though mate of course yeah but also middling in a mediocre team. He's within his rights to cry about 65k a year. He's not gonna get that much more at Tottenham ofc

[Lofty]

Best left-back in the league

He's no Nacho man.

[Andy]

Considering you spent similar on Osvaldo, I'd call him a bargain.

Osvaldo was a crazy transfer especially considering Pochettino had worked with him before. Hopefully our new number 9 works out.

[Giggles]

Glad to see Long getting more games at least probably. For a while anyway, until Burnley figure out he's horribly inconsistent too.

[phonics]

Osvaldo was a crazy transfer especially considering Pochettino had worked with him before. Hopefully our new number 9 works out.

Wish you better luck than ours

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DEcVZAqXYAAYORh.png

Lacazette looks like he's going to be rubbish as well. Just retire the shirt.

[Lewis]

Antonio Valencia is the best left-back in the league.

[John]

You should probably be thankful to Kirk Broadfoot. If he never broke Valencia's leg he'd still be a skinny crossbot.

[Reg]

We're about to break our transfer record - again - by signing a winger called Jose Izquierdo, for "an initial £13.5m, potentially rising to £16m".

He apparently has 99 pace on Fifa. That's all I know about him other than that he's Columbian and plays for Club Brugge.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There was a Sky Sports Classic on the other day which featured Kirk Broadfoot diving over a Celtic defender to win the penalty that won the derby at Celtic Park. Truly remarkable footballer.

[-james-]

We're about to break our transfer record - again - by signing a winger called Jose Izquierdo, for "an initial £13.5m, potentially rising to £16m".

He apparently has 99 pace on Fifa. That's all I know about him other than that he's Columbian and plays for Club Brugge.



Don't think I've seen a concrete opinion on a single Brighton signing this summer that's gone further than expected key diagonal passes per 90 or whatever. They must be absolutely bollocks deep in spreadsheets.

[Adramelch]

We're about to break our transfer record - again - by signing a winger called Jose Izquierdo, for "an initial £13.5m, potentially rising to £16m".


Is he at least a left winger?

[SincereTheRebel]

Jose Izquierdo is rapid on fifa. Bring him on with 20 minutes remaining, and just smash balls over the top for him. Brighton should play him the same way i do.

[Reg]

Don't think I've seen a concrete opinion on a single Brighton signing this summer that's gone further than expected key diagonal passes per 90 or whatever. They must be absolutely bollocks deep in spreadsheets.
Wouldn't be at all surprised, would seem a Bloom thing to do.


Is he at least a left winger?
None of the articles/the club/Hughton wanted to tell me, but you can always rely on "Goals, Skills and Assists" videos on Youtube, and it'd seem he's a left winger who cuts in on his right foot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Izquierdo being Spanish for 'left'. Always seemed a right mouthful for such a common word. I prefer my lefts gauche.

[John]

There was a Sky Sports Classic on the other day which featured Kirk Broadfoot diving over a Celtic defender to win the penalty that won the derby at Celtic Park. Truly remarkable footballer.

I remember that. Charlie Nicholas had one of the great seethes after the game.

In terms of his contributions to my life though, it's a distant second to the time he put himself out of commission for a month trying to poach an egg in the microwave. I still laugh now when I picture it.

[bruhnaldo]

Reports United are signing Serge Aurier with "only a fee to be agreed!"

Which, to me, generally means it's a bunch of bullshit when they "agree personal terms" before the actual fee. I'm sure there's been cases where this has come off but I honestly feel like it never actually happens when the personal terms are first in the papers.

Feel it's usually just club/agent media tactics to speed up a potential deal.

[bruhnaldo]

If United bring in both Rose and Aurier whilst managing to solve Aurier's attitude problem we might just be okay this season.

[Kikó]

Just avoid relegation tbh.

[Mike]

Jose Izquierdo is rapid on fifa. Bring him on with 20 minutes remaining, and just smash balls over the top for him. Brighton should play him the same way i do.

When me and Baz went to watch the Belgian Super cup last summer he was boss. Scored and was the best player on the pitch.

[randomlegend]

Aurier still hasn't even been confirmed to be able to enter the country.

[Kikó]

Does that mean it's off? Woodward out.

[Weaver]

Dortmund have fined and suspended Ousmane Dembele for missing training today - Sky reckoned he was flying to Barcelona today instead.

[Ian]

If true can we just ban Barcelona from transfers forever? Mes Que Un Academy will see them right.

[John Arne]

Dembele has been at Dortmund one year, of presumably a 5 year contract, and decides he's had enough already. Ballsy.

[niko_cee]

Don't they want £135m for him? Fucking lol if they get anywhere near that. He's played about a season's worth of football in his life and it's not like he's the next Cronaldo. I can only assume this is the Mbappe effect, just without the eye-catching season.

[Lewis]

Dortmund would be idiots to turn that sort of money down, so they can only be after more.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40851164

Fosu-Mensah has joined Palace on loan.

Hope he gets a lot of games.

[Baz]

Don't they want £135m for him? Fucking lol if they get anywhere near that. He's played about a season's worth of football in his life and it's not like he's the next Cronaldo. I can only assume this is the Mbappe effect, just without the eye-catching season.He could well be. He makes Aubameyang look like Chicarito.

[Adamski]

Don't they want £135m for him? Fucking lol if they get anywhere near that. He's played about a season's worth of football in his life and it's not like he's the next Cronaldo. I can only assume this is the Mbappe effect, just without the eye-catching season.

Dembele had a pretty eye-catching season. He was probably the second highest rated teenager in europe after Mbappe last season.

[Gray Fox]

Barca(mate)s opening bid for Dembele was £82m.

What is even going on any more?

[Max Power]

Dembele is an unreal talent but yeah, crazy that he'll end up going for the second highest fee ever.

[Weaver]

Barca(mate)s opening bid for Dembele was £82m.

What is even going on any more?

Coutinho or Dembele aren't going anywhere for less than £100m, possibly even £120m, because both Liverpool and Dortmund don't need to sell, have their players under long contracts and, importantly, know that Barca have over £200m to spend.

I can now see Dembele moving but I don't think Coutinho will rock the boat too much this summer. Maybe next year after the World Cup.

[Mazuuurk]

At this point you've got to ask if the money isn't better spent paying 20M each for Brazils and Argentinas supposed top 10 players and hope one of them is the NEXT MESSI.

[John]

Twenty million wouldn't get you much from the South American leagues now either. Real Madrid have paid forty million quid for a kid who's played about eight minutes of first team football.

[Lewis]

Barcelona must have tested that approach to death before ACTUAL MESSI came through.

[Offshore Toon]

Money should just be reinvested in youth facilities. Bring over a boatload of Africans every summer and house them until you figure out if they're any good or not.

[Shindig]

And then loan them to us.

[niko_cee]

Wouldn't Barcelona be better served buying an actual (and entire) defence rather than another outlandishly expensive attacker?

[phonics]

I think Wengers right in his thinking that all players are going to start going to the end of their contract and using Bosnians. Who wants 10% of 120 million quid when you could net yourself 100% of 20 million.

Edit: I'm keeping that autocorrect.

[Giggles]

Wouldn't Barcelona be better served buying an actual (and entire) defence rather than another outlandishly expensive attacker?

Defence is no good for the brand.

[niko_cee]

I think Wengers right in his thinking that all players are going to start going to the end of their contract and using Bosnians. Who wants 10% of 120 million quid when you could net yourself 100% of 20 million.


It's going to end up approaching the free agency model they have in the US. Either that or everyone has to have a release clause.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Wouldn't Barcelona be better served buying an actual (and entire) defence rather than another outlandishly expensive attacker?

Oleguer doesn't shift too many instant noodles.

[niko_cee]

I'm doubtful as to the actual value of any of those things, and, even if they are important, that base is already well and truly covered by having the best player ever already.

[Yevrah]

What in the name of fuck is this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40699431

[Lewis]

So Sergio Aguero is actually rubbish?

[Yevrah]

His xG is not as good as others, no.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lukaku looks like a bargain.

[Jimmy Floyd]

So you expect me to score? No, Mr Bond etc.

[GS]

Further unwelcome Americanisation of the game.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Further unwelcome Americanisation of the game.

That will bring Bruh in here soon now, thanks.

At least it will end up in more abuse directed at Magic though.

[niko_cee]

Why is no one bothering to buy Diego Costa?

[Yevrah]

Why is no one bothering to buy Diego Costa?

It's odd, isn't it.

I mean, he's a rabid twat, but that's never stopped clubs in the past and he does score goals.

[Reg]

From that article:

First, it tells us whether a chance really is as good as we think. While that has previously been a matter of opinion - one Match of the Day pundit might disagree with another - we can now say with some certainty whether an opportunity should have been taken.
What? Can we? :D "Expected goals" is just someone else's opinion.

In fact, it's worse than that. The list of things it's based off doesn't account for so many things.

[niko_cee]

Imagine if someone went back and did Andy 'Andrew' Cole's expected goals.

[Lewis]

When you look back now you wonder whether half of those weird post-2008 United transfers were early examples of this sort of bollocks at work. That said, they could equally have been late examples of not using any statistical approach at all.

[Kikó]

It could have just been brown envelopes as well.

[randomlegend]

It's odd, isn't it.

I mean, he's a rabid twat, but that's never stopped clubs in the past and he does score goals.

I read he only wants to go back to Atletico, who obviously can't register him til January. Perhaps there's an advantage for him in hanging around at Chelsea before being bought by them in January as compared to them buying him now and registering him January. Higher wage and at least the possibility of some game time, maybe :sorry:

I've got a feeling that post is a bit of a mess structurally but I've had a general anaesthetic today so I'm probably not at my best.

[Ian]

Why is no one bothering to buy Diego Costa?

On THE DEBATE Phil Neville said Liverpool should flog Coutinho for £100m+ and then buy Costa.

[randomlegend]

He'd be perfect for them. Another grotty little cunt for them to channel their victim complex through.

[Lewis]

Woah, listen to the general anaesthetic spouting off.

[niko_cee]

That year we could have had a forward line of Costa and Suarez.

:drool:

[Magic]

He'd be perfect for them. Another grotty little cunt for them to channel their victim complex through.

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

On THE DEBATE Phil Neville said Liverpool should flog Coutinho for £100m+ and then buy Costa.

Is THE DEBATE just people spouting off random opinions like that? The Verdict died for this.

Costa wants to go back to Atletico as only they can match his true gypo aspirations.

[Mazuuurk]

Plus in true hard cunt manner, crazy cunts like him ever only seem to be controllable by even crazier fuckers like Simeone. It's like some sort of prison-like hard cunt respect hierarchy.

[Ian]

Is THE DEBATE just people spouting off random opinions like that? The Verdict died for this.

I've no idea, I saw this as a clip on the news in the morning, I haven't subjected myself to actually watching half an hour of it. That particular episode apparently featured him and Craig Bellamy. The night before it was Ian Wright and Alan Pardew.

I'm still wearing my black armband for The Verdict.

[Mike]

In a statement on Friday, the club's owners Fenway Sports Group club said its "definitive stance" was that "no offers will be considered

Never in doubt.

[niko_cee]

'Back injury' persists though . . .

Also, the statement says "this summer" which is the rub. He goes next summer, but that is fine, they can sign Keita as a replacement and/or have a year to formulate a plan.

[phonics]

Should let him go now and get Renato Sanches in to replace Jordan Henderson and his crap gait.

[niko_cee]

How much is he going to cost though? Without even factoring in the doubling that happens once you bank the Coutinho money. He'll no doubt be on a long loan to Juve soon anyway.

[phonics]

This is true but if you lived in a world where you could get Siggurdson and Sanches revenue neutral, I'd say go for it.

[Kikó]

"revenue neutral" :s

[phonics]

Alright bank boy, fuck off.

[niko_cee]

Sigurdsson for £50m is one of the most mental things going. He's a decent player in a wank team. He'd disappear in a side who don't escape scrutiny for large parts of the season.

Michu Mk2.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

His experiment at Spurs went well.

[niko_cee]

"You've got to build a team around him"

*team narrowly escapes relegation*

[Weaver]

Well Coutinho's handed in a transfer request according to Sky. LET THE GAMES COMMENCE (for three more weeks)

[Giggles]

:drool:

[-james-]

Get Hendo on the blower to him.

[Mike]

:cry:

[John]

Reminding him that Jordan Henderson exists and is his captain is probably the most counterproductive thing they could do.

I saw one of those wank Nivea adverts the other day in which James Milner was crushed to death by a dinosaur. How long has that hilarious mess been around for?

[Baz]

Farewell, Phil. :(

Him and Suarez reunited could be fantastic, at least. Pity it's not in red shirts.

[niko_cee]

Reminding him that Jordan Henderson exists and is his captain is probably the most counterproductive thing they could do.

I saw one of those wank Nivea adverts the other day in which James Milner was crushed to death by a dinosaur. How long has that hilarious mess been around for?

It's been around for a while now, and is somehow an improvement on its predecessor.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see we're making a move for João Cancelo. I've never heard of him, but Google Images is giving me distinct Paulo Ferreira flashbacks.

[GS]

The BBC have the transfer request now.

It doesn't change anything regarding what the club should do. He does the extra year, and then they have a whole year to work out how best to squander the money on supposedly promising young players and temperamental foreigners.

[Danny]

Never in doubt.

That went well then

[bruhnaldo]

That will bring Bruh in here soon now, thanks.

At least it will end up in more abuse directed at Magic though.

Like I don't come here every bleeding day of my life anyways.

[Mike]

:D

[Danny]

So will Barcelona make then Cheque out to Southampton directly or will Liverpool want to feel the money for a little bit?

[niko_cee]

They can make it out to Van Dijk's agent.

Who else do they have? Forster? Ward-Prowse? Is there a multi-buy offer on?

Transfer request on the eve of the season. 6 months into a 5.5 year contract. In a world cup year. You sort of have to wonder about the advice players get. What's he going to do? Refuse to play?

[Reg]

If there was a time to "force" a player to stay at your club surely it's a World Cup year. His choice would be to sulk, play crap and lose his spot in the Brazil team, or try and make the best of it (the poor guy), play well and get called up.

[Manc]

Woodburn to the rescue. :drool:

[Giggles]

Do players these days really care about a world cup any more apart from it being a shop window? If he's already got paid then that removes that aspect.

[Reg]

If he had the choice to get paid five zillion quid more, move to Barcelona and miss out on the World Cup he'd probably take it, but if that choice wasn't given to him he'd be foolish to not make the most of his Liverpool season ahead of the World Cup.

[niko_cee]

Do players these days really care about a world cup any more ... ?

Yes.

[Giggles]

Yes.

Money. Just money.

[Spikey M]

I find it hard to believe half the England squad do.

[niko_cee]

They do, they're just not very good.

[Spikey M]

Spurs in for Davidson Sanchez and Pape Cheikh Diop.

The former looks decent, the latter- no idea.

[mugbull]

Money. Just money.

Of course people give a fuck you tard. It doesn't impede on their ability to make money during the year, and it's so (rightly) fetishized that everyone watches and everyone cares, so it's the biggest big dick contest around. Plus it's so fucking cool and I think most of the players realize that, unless they play for Cameroon. Fuck Cameroon.

[Giggles]

Of course people give a fuck you tard. It doesn't impede on their ability to make money during the year, and it's so (rightly) fetishized that everyone watches and everyone cares, so it's the biggest big dick contest around. Plus it's so fucking cool and I think most of the players realize that, unless they play for Cameroon. Fuck Cameroon.

Yeah.. no.

It's not the 1990's any more. All about maximising what their agents tell them they can get.

[mugbull]

Yeah.. no.

It's not the 1990's any more. All about maximising what their agents tell them they can get.

Agents probably don't care too much, yeah

[Waffdon]

Barcelona are signing Paulinho from some Chinese club for £35m hahahah

[Baz]

Hopefully barcelona don't make it a double swoop and take Can too.

That flick. :drool:

[Manc]

I'd happily see the back of Can. Laboured in everything he does.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sunday times are saying Mbappe to PSG is near enough done. £173m up front with clauses pushing it over £200m.

[Gray Fox]

Meanwhile I can't wait until we sign Lanzini!

[Lewis]

There is a good case for booting PSG out of the Champions' League for a few years if that goes through. They must know they are going to be sanctioned for it, expecting to just eat whatever fines and limitations are placed on them, so suspend them for the length of these initial contracts.

[John]

I'd laugh my head off if PSG got a three year ban from the Champion's League, killing Neymar's drive for the Ballon d'Or before it got started, but it won't happen. They'll get a 'heavy' fine, get their squad allocation trimmed again, and that'll be it.

[Lewis]

If you were ever going to SEND A MESSAGE, hammering them is surely your best bet. Nobody is going to miss them, you would keep all of the traditional elite on side, and you could just threaten to take the World Cup off Qatar if they start kicking off.

[John]

They'd be the ideal team to hit if you wanted to set a precedent, I just can't see it happening.

[SincereTheRebel]

Stoke are brining another champions league winner who didnt play in the final to their club. Jeséz on loan from PSG.

[phonics]

Liquid Nightclub just got a new client then.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think PSG will get banned for many years. The blue bloods won't let them carry on like this, and UEFA need the blue bloods onside more than they need PSG/Qatar.

[Spikey M]

Stoke need to go back to being a team of thugs again. This new culture of buying lazy self styled 'stars' will see them join Hull and Sunderland on the road out of the Premier League.

[Weaver]

Barcelona have bought Paulinho from China for £36.3m according to Sky, although they also say that the medical is taking place this Thursday.

[Mazuuurk]

That seems like a monumental waste of money.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is that the same one who used to play for North London White? lol if so.

[John]

It is. How the dickens are China making a profit on a piece of transfer business? They're getting three times what they paid, and he's nearing thirty. It looked like peak Daniel Levy at the time when he just about got his money back on him after he'd been arse for two years.

[Gray Fox]

It's almost like they've suddenly come into a load of money and are unsure what exactly to do with it.

[Giggles]

Paulinho was bought as part of a massive waste of the Bale transfer fee, so this is rather fitting.

[bruhnaldo]

Barca taking on a Spurs reject. What a time to be alive..

[Weaver]

It's looking like Joselu of Stoke is going to be Newcastle's next signing - £5m and was due to have a medical this afternoon.

We're still being linked with Lucas Perez and Kieran Gibbs, but I can't see either happening in all fairness.

[niko_cee]

£30m for William Carvalho seems a decent deal in the current climate, assuming he's still got that 'tache.

[nsd]

It's looking like Joselu of Stoke is going to be Newcastle's next signing - £5m and was due to have a medical this afternoon.

We're still being linked with Lucas Perez and Kieran Gibbs, but I can't see either happening in all fairness.

I'm a bit gutted he's leaving, really. He was never given a proper chance here, and once Berahino arrived that was pretty much it for him. I think most Stoke fans at this point would much, much rather Joselu be starting.

[Offshore Toon]

That's quite nice to hear as it feels like a totally uninspired signing.

[nsd]

I think he'll do very well with regular first team football. I don't think he'll be a 20+ goal striker, but he should be good for 10-15 if he plays most weeks. He could definitely do with being a little more aggressive in putting himself about, but he's skillful, good finisher, strong in the air and will sometimes pull out wide where he can deliver a great cross. May have been at Madrid at the same time as Benitez too but I'm not sure.

[Giggles]

897201412920283136

[Mazuuurk]

But that would actually make sense so why would they do something like that.

[Disco]

Not much of a revolution, seems an eminently sensible thing to do.

[Reg]

Would be a great move. I'd prefer as a fan to just focus on actual football once the season starts. And it strikes me as odd to have some players playing for two different PL teams in one season.

[Mazuuurk]

Well thats still going to happen regardless.

[Kikó]

Why don't they cancel the season and replace it with the window?

[niko_cee]

Transfer season and the football window.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I flicked onto THE DEBATE earlier and Thierry Henry, Alan Smith and Geoff Shreeves were discussing this as though it was the end of times.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40848343

£45m odd accepted for Gylfi.

lol.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40937324

Barry has gone to West Brom.

[Pepe]

They should just let them transfer any time and with no restrictions. One match loans to troll your direct rivals. :drool:

[igor_balis]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40937324

Barry has gone to West Brom.

Of course he has.

[niko_cee]

Real Madrid, PSG, Stoke.

Living the dream.

I thought Jese was meant to be decent.

[John Arne]

Bojan, Shaqiri, Afellay and Jese is one hell of collection of "potential great players, turned wasters".

[phonics]

Real Madrid, PSG, Stoke.

Living the dream.

I thought Jese was meant to be decent.

Loves a night club. There was some story about how PSG wouldn't loan him to Malaga because he'd just be out clubbing every night.

[Pen]

I had really high hopes for Jese so it will be a shame if he turns out to be a complete waster.

[Offshore Toon]

I imagine signing for Stoke is a pretty good way to keep away from the clubbing scene.

[phonics]

I imagine signing for Stoke is a pretty good way to keep away from the clubbing scene.

Don't all the Stoke players live in Cheshire with the rest of the Northern-based footballers?

[Offshore Toon]

Don't all the Stoke players live in Cheshire with the rest of the Northern-based footballers?
Their training ground appears to be in Stoke, so I'd personally live near there, though I imagine a lengthy commute is alright in a £100k car.

[nsd]

The training ground is on the northern outskirts, about 30-40 minutes away from the likes of Alderley Edge, so that's where they all live. Can't blame them.

[Offshore Toon]

Ah. He's gonna love The Warehouse Project then.

[phonics]

Didn't Sandman run into Robinho in some club in Leeds when he was at Man City?

[phonics]

Matuidi has gone to Juve for 18 million.

[SincereTheRebel]

Matuidi has gone to Juve for 18 million.

I though chelsea would have attempted to take him. I like his style. High level left footed players, usually have a different type of flair. He reminders me of those ze roberto type of players. Good at everything.

[Weaver]

Bojan, Shaqiri, Afellay and Jese is one hell of collection of "potential great players, turned wasters".

Five Champions League winners in their squad for this season - them four and Darren Fletcher. QUALITY.

[Magic]

Siggurdson for £45 million. FORTY FIVE MILLION.

EVERTON.

These aren't top clubs taking the piss, fucking Everton signing a player that realistically is about £20m at most. Fucking ridonk.

[Kikó]

His expected goals though.

[Magic]

His expected goals though.

:D

Fuck off.

[Lewis]

Everton have just signed a load of meh this summer. It's the sort of stuff that takes you from seventh to seventh before you lose your best player as well.

[SincereTheRebel]

Everton have just signed a load of meh this summer. It's the sort of stuff that takes you from seventh to seventh before you lose your best player as well.

Smells of spurs signings after bale left.

[Dave.]

Everton have just signed a load of meh and Jordan Pickford this summer. It's the sort of stuff that takes you from seventh to seventh before you lose your best player as well.

Adjusted for accuracy.

[Waffdon]

Their midfield is really good but they desperately need someone to replace Jagielka/Williams. They lack pace up front too.

[Max Power]

£40m for Danny Drinkwater :|

Tbh I'd rather keep him because we'd no doubt get absolutely fleeced for any potential replacement so what's the point.

[Reg]

Can't get Bonucci? No problemo, Jonny Evans is better anyway. http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/10991419/man-city-target-west-brom-defender-jonny-evans

[Magic]

£40odd million is the new £7.5m

[Amigo]

Siggurdson for £45 million. FORTY FIVE MILLION.

EVERTON.

These aren't top clubs taking the piss, fucking Everton signing a player that realistically is about £20m at most. Fucking ridonk.
Who should they have signed, then?

[Mazuuurk]

Arya Stark

[Jimmy Floyd]

Decent set piece takers are worth their weight in gold these days.

[John]

Who should they have signed, then?

Jonathan Viera for half the money, who Swansea will now sign to replace Sigurdsson.

[Mazuuurk]

Decent set piece takers are worth their weight in gold these days.

Actually Google suggests Gylfi Sigurdsson weights 77 kilos, and the price per kilo for gold is 31.700 quid.

So he's worth ca 2.500.000 in gold, as it were.

[Disco]

Actually Google suggests Gylfi Sigurdsson weights 77 kilos, and the price per kilo for gold is 31.700 quid.

So he's worth ca 2.500.000 in gold, as it were.

:D

[Amigo]

Jonathan Viera for half the money, who Swansea will now sign to replace Sigurdsson.
Half the money for half the player.

In my completely unbiased opinion, of course.

[Magic]

Who should they have signed, then?

Lol seething.

[Amigo]

I was seething earlier when I saw some retard on Twitter comparing it to Zidane's transfer in 2001.

[Magic]

I read we'd made an £8.5m bid for him earlier in the season. Was probably bollocks.

[Giggles]

I read we'd made an £8.5m bid for him earlier in the season. Was probably bollocks.

Zidane or Sigurdsson?

[Magic]

Puskas.

[SvN]

City have had an £18million bid for Jonny Evans rejected.

[Pen]

Don't even know what to lol at there.

[GS]

Presumably it's quota driven.

[Lewis]

Jonny Evans was John Stones in 2009, so it makes sense to have him around until the new one fulfils his MASSIVE potential.

[CJay]

One of my Facebook friends - and someone generally quite knowledgeable about football - thinks Evans is one of the best centre backs in the league. It's hard to tell with West Brom centre backs, but he thought something similar about Aaron Hughes, so it might just be that he's Northern Irish.

[Mazuuurk]

£40m for Danny Drinkwater :|

Tbh I'd rather keep him because we'd no doubt get absolutely fleeced for any potential replacement so what's the point.

You've got to wonder at what point this just starts becoming some sort of norm.

Two years ago, or even one, Liverpool wouldn't have hesitated for one second selling Coutinho for even 80 million. But the money just doesn't have any value, because any like-for-like replacement will be 85 million. So what's the point?

[Magic]

Does he fulfill the quota of home grown? Does it not have to be your actual country?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The country you are home grown in counts, not the country in which you were born. I think Fabregas counts as home grown in England, which, with hindsight, is probably why we bought him.

[Yevrah]

You've got to wonder at what point this just starts becoming some sort of norm.

Two years ago, or even one, Liverpool wouldn't have hesitated for one second selling Coutinho for even 80 million. But the money just doesn't have any value, because any like-for-like replacement will be 85 million. So what's the point?

Indeed.

Hopefully it'll lead to an era of more youth being given a chance.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Logically it should, and Chelsea should have seen that coming. At the moment I think we'll finish outside the top 8.

[Kikó]

Evans might have matured into a lovely centre back now but he was garbage at United. I'm sure Pep would be able to regress his defensive ability.

[GS]

The issue isn't even the transfer fees - it's clubs locking themselves into long term contracts with mediocre players for huge wages - and they're not going to be able to pay them when the bubble bursts. They're all fucked.

[John]

An eighteen million pound bid for Jonny Evans being rejected while at the same time, on the continent, Blaise Matuidi is going for exactly that much is a nifty indicator of how much money is sloshing around the Premier League.

[Mazuuurk]

Blaise Matuidi is a fucking steal at that price, really.

[SincereTheRebel]

Blaise Matuidi is a fucking steal at that price, really.

Its a fucking bargain. He must have a year left on his contract for that price.

Edit: He signed a four year deal in 2014, so it appears he did have a year left.

[Lewis]

The well-run club that is PSG have told Julian Draxler he can leave, nine months after signing him, and it has last minute Arsenal signing written all over it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is there such thing as a panic sale?

[GS]

Liverpool will end up buying him to replace Coutinho.

[Lewis]

Elsewhere, United signing long-term Arsenal target Thomas Lemar would be lol for about a day, but then Anthony Martial might as well be dead so I don't know.

[SincereTheRebel]

Suarez is injured for 6 months now. Draxler to barca.

[Kikó]

Neymar back to Barcelona.

Neymar Sr last seen in a gold tank.

[SvN]

I haven't seen Draxler at PSG, but he always seemed to play well when I watched him at Wolfsburg. Has he gone to shit?

[niko_cee]

Suarez is injured for 6 months now. Draxler to barca.

4-5 weeks, says auntie.

Where does Draxler play? Is he a winger?

[John Arne]

We should just sign Kuyt again.

[Spikey M]

Is Draxler the bloke that had one good season at Schalke and has been living off it ever since? He's a winger, if so.

[SincereTheRebel]

He plays wide left although i think he can play through the middle. From what i remember, he is direct with his running and likes to beat plays. Usually drops a right step-over and goes past players to his left.

[John]

He's injured half the time so he'll end up at Arsenal. If he could maintain some level of fitness he'd be a brilliant Coutinho replacement though. He's terrific on the ball.

[Pen]

I really rate Draxler. Does he really have trouble with injuries?

[John Arne]

I really rate Draxler. Does he really have trouble with injuries?

59 games during the past 5 seasons isn't great. Albeit, last season I think he wasn't selected at PSG for more than injury reasons.

[Adramelch]

59 games during the past 5 seasons isn't great. Albeit, last season I think he wasn't selected at PSG for more than injury reasons.

Where did you get that figure? Wikipedia seems to disagree.

[Adamski]

Things are different in Asia.

[John]

Presumably he's just (badly) added up the last five sections on the career history given on Wikipedia. Do that and you get 69, but it only covers the last three seasons because each time he moved he played a few games at the beginning of the season beforehand.

Still not great over three seasons, but nowhere near as bad as averaging fifteen a season would be.

[Shindig]

Where did you get that figure? Wikipedia seems to disagree.

Wikipedia appearances always strike me as a little weird. Usually undercooked, mind.

[SincereTheRebel]

all competition stats

Phil
36 games
2531 minutes played
14 goals
9 assists
181 minutes per goal
281 minutes per assist

Draxler
39 games
2721 minutes played
10 goals
5 assists
272 minutes per goal
544 minutes per assist

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40979106

£114m or so bid rejected for Phil.

[SincereTheRebel]

For those type of prices, you should be getting a goal or assist a game at a minimum.

[Magic]

£114m. What.

[Lewis]

Tottenham spending up to forty million quid on that Ajax centre-back (the one United targeted as being useless on the ball in the UEFA Cup final) seems odd when they probably have the best partnership in the league. I know they need DEPTH, but surely not at those prices.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ajax could buy PSV for that.

[Lewis]

http://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/figures-show-neymar-transfer-no-expensive-2001-record/

Nerds.

[Weaver]

Gabriel of Arsenal has signed for Valencia this afternoon. They played a back five with one centre back, two left backs, a right back and a midfielder last week, so not sure how smart it is to get rid of a centre back. New one incoming? They've been rumoured to be wanting rid of Chambers, Gibbs, Jenkinson and Debuchy as well.

I know nothing of this lad Spurs have signed.