All I Want For Christmas is Some Transfer Rumours

[Pepe]

That is one ugly person.

[Lewis]

Telling you. Albino Chris Eubank. Spread the word.

[Spoonsky]

It surprises me that he wants to go to Man City rather than Real Madrid/Barcelona. They don't really feel like the team for star strikers.

[Waffdon]

Timo Werner’s bigger and more retarded brother. He’ll become an extra defender for the opposition like Werner is in a possession based team

[Kikó]

It surprises me that he wants to go to Man City rather than Real Madrid/Barcelona. They don't really feel like the team for star strikers.

Maybe city can pay loads and loads of money.

[Lofty]

The headline I saw suggested Madrid did not like the look of his wage demands.

[niko_cee]

Isn't it something like £60m 'fee' and then almost the same again in agent fees and other sundries [not factoring in the wages which sound beyond mental] for Haaland? Footballers are ten-a-penny. Dortmund will replace him with that Adeyemi kid and he'll be the next mega-striker. The age of the galactico is over.

[Spikey M]

It surprises me that he wants to go to Man City rather than Real Madrid/Barcelona. They don't really feel like the team for star strikers.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are dead in the water, aren't they? That's not to say they won't spend money they can't afford to spend and laugh in the face of FFP, but I'd imagine it does make players with options think twice about going there.

[thommo]

Silly season has started.
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It's never going to happen, but I'm off in my own little world imagining SMS running things in the midfield at the Cottage. :drool:

[niko_cee]

As long as he doesn't get branded the Xavi of the Balkans [aka the racist Xavi] it'll be fine.

I find it odd he's never left Lazio after being rated for so many years. Must like his life in Rome.

[Ian]

I had a midget technical centre-mid regen in my FM15 Newcastle save who was born in Spain but came through the Newcastle youth system as English (or dual nationality, but English primarily) who in my head I dubbed Wor Xavi. Is that better or worse than Xavi of the Balkans?

[niko_cee]

Probably better than 'Black Xavi' or whatever Jean Michaël Seri was billed as.

Edit, who is apparently still a Fulham player? I had no idea.

[Giggles]

Black Xavi and Slav Xavi at the same club :cool:

[thommo]

Probably better than 'Black Xavi' or whatever Jean Michaël Seri was billed as.

Edit, who is apparently still a Fulham player? I had no idea.

He is indeed, he's had a bit of renaissance this season. Been quite good to watch him take the mick at Championship level.

This was him on Tuesday after the game. :D
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[Panda Bear]

From what I've seen of Serie A since getting BT, there are a lot of technically very good players able to operate in a lot more time and space than you get in England, so opportunity for goals is plenty. Defending is probably the same or slightly better as the refs are probably more pro-defending.

Germany is like England except no one bothers to defend, ever (by coach design, I think). Quick players there are way overpowered due to the enormous gaps left behind barely-organised backlines.The entirety of German football is counter-pressing in one form or another; retaining possession and soaking up pressure are for the nerds.

[Panda Bear]

Timo Werner’s bigger and more retarded brother. He’ll become an extra defender for the opposition like Werner is in a possession based teamNah, Haaland can do more than just charge forward. There's enough evidence of him being able to hold the ball up, work tight spaces and make small spaces.

He wouldn't be wasted near as much as Lukaku.

[randomlegend]

Rudiger to Real Madrid on a free.

[Baz]

Good for Chalobah.

[randomlegend]

Seems a weird one for Real. Rudiger is basically only good in a back 3 right?

[Waffdon]

Good for Chalobah.

Chalobah isn’t going to play left sided centre half or in a back 2 so not sure it really makes a difference. I think Chelsea will go to a back 4 next season now.

[niko_cee]

Presumably Chelsea will buy a couple of centre halves this summer (Kounde and someone?) seeing as most of their are leaving and/or ancient.

The sugar daddy spending days are over though so qmaybe they'll have to cut their cloth differently. These billionaire syndicates aren't going to be sucking up the losses like Roman did.

[Waffdon]

I think there will be a decent amount spent this summer (as per Matt Law who is usually right about Chelsea things) but then down the Liverpool route thereafter. Which wouldn’t really be a bad thing in all honesty.

They need a DOF more than anything. Having sexy Marina sell all the youth players for millions to enable Lukaku isn’t the best of plans

[Jimmy Floyd]

We've had stretches under Abramovich when we've not spent much, but then those are followed up by spunking 800 billion on a shit centre forward and 50 million each on three shit midfielders.

I don't think our scouting etc is that much worse than Liverpool's, they just have a better coach (pre-Tuchel, a much better coach). If Pulisic played up there he'd probably be a god.

[-james-]

Not sure Chelsea do that much "scouting", so much as just buying whoever the current manager fancies.

[niko_cee]

They must have excellent scouts at youth levels.

Or they just throw enough cash at it, if you believe Carragher and his ranting.

There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to what they do at senior level much of the time, but then no manager stays in post for more than a few years so it's probably tricky. I guess Emenalo went with the wind many years ago now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

At youth level we hoover up anyone good from the entire south of England outside the Croydon triangle (they all go to Palace, Arsenal or Spurs).

[Shindig]

I hope we continue to be sensible. Bin Salman turning up one day at Darsley Park and demanding we buy Pele and Sylvester Stallone would be funny until someone got killed.

We could do with a striker but that's every season since Shearer left.

[Waffdon]

Carragher whole spiel over that was a bit lol worthy. James, Mount, Chalobah, Tomori, Abraham etc are all there from the ages of about 6. Neil Bath is just a bit of a don.

Declan Rice, Eddie Nketiah and Michael Olise were all there from kids as well but left as teenagers. There’s probably a fair amount more of decent players kicking about that were there as a kid.

[niko_cee]

Do you reckon you can return Chris Wood if Burnley stay up?

[Shindig]

Honestly, yes. I can definitely see us selling him back. Not so sure on when.

[John Arne]

Surely Burnley wouldn't take the additional wages.