All I Want For Christmas is Some Transfer Rumours

[randomlegend]

January Transfer Thread. Let's go.

Raiola talking about Pogba's options:
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And Martial's agent saying he wants out:

1469280980821323777?s=21

Time for them both to go.

Rumours of Lingard to Newcastle also.

[thommo]

Yawn.

[Lofty]

Arsenal need a striker, probably won't buy one.

[Giggles]

At this stage they should just cut the cord make up the difference for Bayern.

[Lewis]

Imagine your agent publicly pricing you out of a free transfer to the best and most winningest club in Europe.

[Ian]

That would be supremely lol if Pogba could go to Bayern but doesn't because of greed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I love that fake question thing these outlets do for headlines, especially when translating from another language. I like that people are asking themselves all these questions.

'Pogba to Bayern? Impossible.'
'The penalty call in the first half? Outrageous.'
'Red wine? Only with meat.'
'This write-up format? If we're lacking space and ideas.'

[Don]

Given the raft of elite players whose contract ends this summer, does this mean next month will be full of these players signing agreements for next season or will they likely wait it out till summer? My boy Azmoun is one of them and I'm expecting a much overdue big move :drool:

[Baz]

Mbappe plz

[Kikó]

I look forward to pogba signing a new two year deal and being shite for those two years.

[Adramelch]

That's not going to happen silly.

It's gonna be a four year deal.

[Giggles]

That's not going to happen silly.

It's gonna be a four year deal.

True, it’ll probably be four.

EDIT: nicely done.

[Gray Fox]

We're getting to that window where on FM you'd set contract expiry to 6 months and search for free transfers.

Origi, Mbappe, Dybala, Kessie, Sule, Pogba and Insigne to name a few big names set to be available.

Also Dembele from Barcelona could be signed for £130m and then let go for free this summer. Beyond those kind of moves, I don't quite see anyone other than Newcastle trying to go mad.

[niko_cee]

Kessie looked absolute toilet the other night, so hopefully United go all in on him as their Pogba replacement.

[Yevrah]

Mbappe's off to Liverpool, right?

[niko_cee]

0%

[Yevrah]

Really? I'd be all over that were I him. Could see the appeal of Madrid, but that league is dying on its arse and in Klopp you have a manager that gets more out of forwards than anyone I've ever seen.

[Shindig]

I don't get the feeling he wants to move, though. He could wind up at PSG for life.

[niko_cee]

I know they are meant to be breaking the bank for Salah, but realistically Liverpool can't afford to offer the wages that these players demand. It might make sense from a footballing perspective, but that is a side consideration in such matters. From an individual perspective moving to Liverpool makes no sense.

[Gray Fox]

Whilst Klopp would of course get the best of Mbappe, I just don't think Liverpool are yet at the point of paying the wages a player like that commands. We let Wijnaldum go because he wanted more than our structure allowed and Salah has been the best player on the planet since August and they've struggled to fumble around the purse to find the money for him.

[Boydy]

I wonder how much money matters in such players' decisions. He's on what, 400k a week, at PSG? Would 300k a week at a club where you'd win stuff that matters (not even Liverpool say Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, whoever) make much of a difference to your life?

[Lewis]

I wonder how much money matters in such players' decisions. He's on what, 400k a week, at PSG? Would 300k a week at a club where you'd win stuff that matters (not even Liverpool say Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, whoever) make much of a difference to your life?

I've always wondered this, particularly for the really massive names who probably make more off Nike, Pepsi, NFT scams than they do actually playing football. Wouldn't being the main man at Liverpool (or anyone else) in the Premier League increase those earnings more than your wage reduction?

[Adramelch]

As much as we like to (deservedly) lol at PSG, they've were in the semis last season and the final the season before, so it's not like he doesn't have a decent chance at winning stuff while getting paid more and living in the city he grew up in.

[Giggles]

I wonder how much money matters in such players' decisions. He's on what, 400k a week, at PSG? Would 300k a week at a club where you'd win stuff that matters (not even Liverpool say Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, whoever) make much of a difference to your life?

I’d just base it on the weather at that stage of money.

[Boydy]

I've always wondered this, particularly for the really massive names who probably make more off Nike, Pepsi, NFT scams than they do actually playing football. Wouldn't being the main man at Liverpool (or anyone else) in the Premier League increase those earnings more than your wage reduction?

Good point, I didn't even think of sponsorships. Yeah, you'd imagine you'd make more out of that being a big star in the Premier League instead of languishing in Ligue Un.

[igor_balis]

I wonder how much money matters in such players' decisions. He's on what, 400k a week, at PSG? Would 300k a week at a club where you'd win stuff that matters (not even Liverpool say Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, whoever) make much of a difference to your life?

Insert some bollocks about "providing for your family", and something about how short football careers are. You could have a dozen kids and still being to provide them basically the same on 300 as 400. It's probably more to do with agents.

I mean, tbf, if you really didn't give a shit about football or our slightly parochial, narrow view of what a proper team/league is, you might as well just go to the highest bidder.

[niko_cee]

I've always wondered this, particularly for the really massive names who probably make more off Nike, Pepsi, NFT scams than they do actually playing football. Wouldn't being the main man at Liverpool (or anyone else) in the Premier League increase those earnings more than your wage reduction?

As Jimmy said, the Spanish two are viewed as the pinnacle of football, even if that is entirely misplaced by and large [both currently and historically]. He'll have a better chance of a golden ball at Real and they'll bung his hangers-on a huge amount of tax optional cash which seals the deal.

[Manc]

The issue with Salah is the fact he is wanting to double his wages. Doesn't really matter what you're currently earning, that just isn't on. Any business model that could allow for such movement is a failed one imo.

[randomlegend]

Mbappe is 99.9% going to Real Madrid.

[Lewis]

The issue with Salah is the fact he is wanting to double his wages. Doesn't really matter what you're currently earning, that just isn't on. Any business model that could allow for such movement is a failed one imo.

He's their best player and currently on unders. What would it cost to replace him?

[Yevrah]

The percentage increase argument should really be left to accountants of the 90s - it's complete horseshit.

[Giggles]

None of it is actual real money anyway apart from what goes into the players bank account.m every month.

[Kikó]

The psg players probably get secret money like the city players.

[Lofty]

You are all also forgetting the whole 'living in a warmer country' appeal.

[Panda Bear]

I'm excited for the day when Aubemayang leaves Arsenal. He's always struck me as Arsenalish, but not as someone that I would ever truly identify with the club.

The least Arsenalish player for me remains Alexis Sanchez.

[Queenslander]

Sounds like the J-League is about to tear up the Scottish Premiership in the second half of the season. :drool:

[Pepe]

I've always wondered this, particularly for the really massive names who probably make more off Nike, Pepsi, NFT scams than they do actually playing football. Wouldn't being the main man at Liverpool (or anyone else) in the Premier League increase those earnings more than your wage reduction?

Yeah, but then a shit(ter) player will come and give them the big'un about their larger wages and they will be calling their agent within the hour.

[randomlegend]

Martial potentially off on loan to Sevilla. Here we go not yet confirmed, will keep you all updated.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fucking hell, I wish someone would loan me out to Sevilla. Beautiful city.

[Shindig]

He mustn't fancy Newcastle.

[Lofty]

He mustn't fancy Newcastle.

His agent tells you to fuck off on FM, realism.

[Shindig]

Good. We've had no luck with ex-United Frenchmen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59760266


Manchester City have agreed a deal to sell Ferran Torres to Barcelona.

It is understood Barca have agreed to pay 55m euros (£46.7m) with a further 10m euros (£8.5m) in add-ons for the 21-year-old forward.

The Spanish club are able to fund the deal despite their current financial troubles thanks to a recent bank loan.

However, they will not be able add Torres to their squad unless they sell some players in order to comply with La Liga financial fair play regulations.

Barca still pissing away cash.

[Waffdon]

He’ll do well for them

[Shindig]

I thought he'd do well for City.

[Ian]

I've only just seen about this Torres transfer.

https://frinkiac.com/meme/S05E11/1314028.jpg?b64lines=V0UnTEwgRElHIE9VUiBXQVkgT1VUI Q==

[Don]

They recently approved some billion pound training complex affair to be built and their solution for affording Torres involves cancelling the loan of 18 year-old Yusuf Demir from Rapid Wien :D

[Shindig]

Spainish GDP must just be made up from Barcelona scarves and the meals Jimmy's boss orders.

[John Arne]

Raphinha off to Bayern for $56m

[-james-]

Surely that's not happening in January as is being reported. They're as good as down if som

[Shindig]

Maybe there's a swap or loan coming in? Or a contract clause.

[Waffdon]

Lukaku already begging to go back to Inter :D

He really does want to be the most expensive player of all time.

[Spikey M]

1476615761699422219?t=H5SfGz5mf2nfdrZ71s0IlQ&s=19

1476615897460748288?t=f6Mx3CHbi5msfXqtKm6scA&s=19

:D

[randomlegend]

I've absolutely donned this one. I even surprise myself sometimes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What I don't know is why we signed him if Tuchel was only interested in playing with a hard-pressing false nine. He's done ok when fit.

[Waffdon]

Apparently the quotes are from 3 weeks ago and he said after the Villa game they had positive chats. Still a bit weird

[randomlegend]

Not that weird from him, he's an absolute baby. He posted data from a United training session on twitter because someone called him slow.

[Waffdon]

No wonder, he’s fucking rapid. I’d be fuming too

[Lewis]

Not that weird from him, he's an absolute baby. He posted data from a United training session on twitter because someone called him slow.

Bit of a self-own if I remember rightly because people just asked him why he doesn't use it. Not as bad as Harry Maguire (captain) posting that dodgy run data and then blocking people calling him a dickhead.

[Baz]

Martial to Newcastle as good as done, apparently.

[Shindig]

Erm ... 'yay'.

[Lofty]

FM21 his agent snubs them :moop:

[Queenslander]

Add it to the song book Bhoys!



https://youtu.be/IWWwM2wwMww


Surely Celtic walk the league from here?

[John Arne]

Daizen Maeda, the new bloke for Celtic is quality. Expect a move to the Prem in a couple of years.

[Queenslander]

:drool:


Ange is said to be scouting Iran as well.

[Don]

You got a link? Pretty pissed he's doing so much for Japanese football.

[Queenslander]

You got a link? Pretty pissed he's doing so much for Japanese football.

https://www.footballfancast.com/celtic-transfer-rumours/celtic-transfer-news-mehdi-ghaedi-ange-postecoglou-january-jota-bhoys-hoops-scottish-premiership


https://www.persianfootball.com/news/2021/12/06/celtic-scouting-mission-players-from-iran-to-look-at/



He was the best in Australia at signing Brazilians on free transfer in his glory days at Brisbane.

[randomlegend]

1477234505060700161?s=20

First Here We Go of the window, damn it's good to be back :drool:

[niko_cee]

Brighton sign some unknown players on BBC sport page.

Click through and they're women.

Fuck off.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Didn't know Jim Davidson posted on here.

[Giggles]

Didn't know Jim Davidson posted on here.

It does need a differentiation though. Standard-wise it's like putting a story about them signing a couple of local primary school boys to their acdemy on the front page of a national sports site.

[Don]

They keep putting the Women's Euros or World Cup or whatever the fuck it is on the list of major sporting events to look out for this year. Are soft shites actually tuning in to this shit? Someone give me some viewing figures.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It does need a differentiation though. Standard-wise it's like putting a story about them signing a couple of local primary school boys to their acdemy on the front page of a national sports site.

They're a top flight women's football team. 'Standard wise' we would never have heard of Serena Williams.

[Pepe]

They keep putting the Women's Euros or World Cup or whatever the fuck it is on the list of major sporting events to look out for this year. Are soft shites actually tuning in to this shit? Someone give me some viewing figures.

Also need to distinguish between those who are truly interested and those who are there for the lol goalkeeping.

[Kikó]

I've bought tickets for the women's euros.

[Giggles]

I've bought tickets for the women's euros.

I'm going down the local pitch to watch some games.

[Don]

Giggles, can you take this one, I want to watch the 2nd half of the City game. Ta.

Edit: tad more toxicity next time pls.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Think you mean Arsenal men v City men.

[Giggles]

Giggles, can you take this one, I want to watch the 2nd half of the City game. Ta.

Edit: tad more toxicity next time pls.

All this will be long forgotten under a tidal wave of phonics posts if it stays like this anyway.

[Shindig]

It's not a great watch but at least it's something. The World Cup usually winds up being decent in spots.

[Kikó]

It was about €20 a ticket for the final at Wembley.

[Spikey M]

Think you mean Arsenal men v City men.

MAN utd.

[Shindig]

They should just rebrand as Man People.

[Pepe]

Assigned Male at Birth United.

[Shindig]

United Colours of Manchester.

[Raoul Duke]

Tranchester la la la

[Shindig]

M u
m u f
m u f c
m u f c l q b t q i a+o k

[Giggles]

Connolly getting replaced at Middlesbrough the same day he joins them :D

[Shindig]

Trippier waved to the Atletico fans at full time which some people have taken to mean he's our first signing of the window.

[Lofty]

I don't think any amount of cash is going to brace Trippier for the reality of the freezing north east when he moves over.

Barbosa's name floating around, former FM legend :cool:

Arsenal apparently in for some Serbian lad from Fiorentina.

[Waffdon]

Is he not from the North? Lol

[Lofty]

Bury, practically the midlands in comparison.

[Luca]

Insigne to Toronto FC confirmed. I may have to get my season ticket back. :drool:

[niko_cee]

Why on earth is he doing that?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bags of cash.

[Luca]

Net basic wage of €11M + €5M add ons per season.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd give him a £1m bonus every time he doesn't cut inside and try and curl one from 25 yards.

[Giggles]

Not a bad retirement.

[John Arne]

Ho Chi Minh City complete the signing of Bruno Consendey.

https://gyazo.com/eb117ffc5d190f5d5db40a413342efba.jpeg

[Spikey M]

Not a bad retirement.

It isn't, but our Mediterranean friends regularly moan about 7c and drizzle every day between November and March when they play in the PremierLeague. Let's see how he gets on with -30 and freezing rain.

[Giggles]

That's one thing that did spring to mind actually. Is it a cold part of Canada or is all Canada just cold?

[Adramelch]

It's not the coldest part of Canada by any means, but that's still really cold, especially for someone that has spend all their lives in south Italy one would imagine.

[Spikey M]

I belive the West of Canada has the gentler climate, whilst the east is pretty savage in the winter. Toronto is in the east I believe, so it'll be Baltic.

[Luca]

It’s cold here, but the season goes spring to fall so he’ll avoid the worst of it.

MLS Cup Finals in December in Toronto are not for the faint hearted, mind.

[Spikey M]

Just had a look, temperatures down to -17 on Monday night. :D

I'll allow him the use of gloves.

[niko_cee]

Net basic wage of €11M + €5M add ons per season.

I suppose that's a decent wage, but presumably Canada, as a developed first world country, requires that he actually pay tax on that, and also presumably at a reasonable rate, so he'd have been as well settling for half that in Spain where tax is largely optional or fucking off to one of the pay leagues where I would assume there are basically no rules. Moving from Naples to Toronto might be interesting. Does he like living underground?

[niko_cee]

Coutinho. :cool:

Hopefully Barcelona hasn't broken him too much.

[Yevrah]

My brother moved to Canada three years ago and was simply not ready for what happens with the weather. Their tourist board does a cracking job of keeping that shit out of their literature.

[Giggles]

I know soccer money isn’t actually real money, but how do Barcelona go from not being able to register players to signing Halaland?

[Ian]

Surely that's just rumour mill filler?

The Ferran Torres stuff is funny though.

[Yevrah]

I know soccer money isn’t actually real money, but how do Barcelona go from not being able to register players to signing Halaland?

They might be fucked financially but presumably there are enough vultures still willing to pump money in on the off chance they get to loot the corpse. Beyond that the biggest problem they have is the salary cap in Spain, so if they get a few high earners off the books then I could see how it'd be feasible.

[Don]

I heard something about a loan from Goldman Sachs. They recently approved billion pound training ground refurbishments and shit. I presume the finance is all being made on the basis of mental valuations of dogshit players who they'll really have to get the corrupt agents sweating over but ultimately, it sounds like they'll need some Arab money at some stage in the coming decade.

[Kikó]

There's a complex arrangement around how money can be used in Spain. Explained here

https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1478663772491374593?t=PKlr9iuQmK9F_Fg82HYm4g&s=19

[randomlegend]

So my understanding with Barca is that their main problem with signing players is the La Liga imposed wage cap. It's based off earnings in the previous year and with covid stopping fans in stadiums, Barca's income dropped massively and their wages were suddenly way above the cap. I don't understand why it seemingly affected them and no other teams, aside from their wage bill being obscene I guess.

Once it hits this summer, the wage cap will readjust and because fans are back in stadiums, Barca's will go way back up and they'll be able to register new players again.

They will seemingly always be able to get loans from banks and shit to keep them afloat and spending.

EDIT: Well, fuck

[Gray Fox]

Signing them and registering them to play are different things entirely.

I believe they've only just been able to register Dani Alves whose wage is something like €1 a week. They haven't registered Torres yet either.

[randomlegend]

Signing them and registering them to play are different things entirely.

I believe they've only just been able to register Dani Alves whose wage is something like €1 a week. They haven't registered Torres yet either.

La Liga didn't allow them to do that, they said they have to pay him some minimum reasonable amount (155,000 euros a year according to google, which is obviously still pittance for a Barca player).

[Don]

The fans have deserted the club. Their previous income models have presumably been destroyed as a result of Messi's departure both for on-field and off-field reasons and it's hard to see a way back.

[randomlegend]

The fans have deserted the club. Their previous income models have presumably been destroyed as a result of Messi's departure both for on-field and off-field reasons and it's hard to see a way back.

Well done mate, Joan Laporta will discover an oil reserve under his garden now you've said this.

[Gray Fox]

They're quite fortunate their academy has actually produced a few good prospects over the past year or two. They'd look a lot more fucked if they didn't have Pedri, Gavi or Fati lining up for them for the next 15 years.

[niko_cee]

Didn't Pedri come from Las Palmas like a year ago?

[Gray Fox]

So he did. I had no idea.

Internet rumour mill in full force over a supposed Liverpool move for Luis Diaz of Porto. Even stranger is it's suggested that it will happen in January and not the summer.

Salah, Firmino and Mane are all into their final 18 months on their deals and I can only really see 2 being given a new one at best, so it's expected to see things like this popping up. Klopp is a long term admirer.

[Waffdon]

I really hope that doesn’t happen

[Shindig]

I don't know why you'd let either of those front three go.

[Gray Fox]

FSG seem to have settled on a wage structure/model that doesn't lend itself to chucking the cash at over 30's. I believe all 3 will be 30 when their contracts are due to end.

It's the reason they let Wijnaldum go. He wanted a big payday, but they weren't willing to budge on it. I suspect Salah will get a new deal, but I'm really not sure the other two will.

[Don]

Klopp would make WC players out of any ol shite (see Mane and Salah) but I hope that malnourished favela cunt isn't the guy.

[Luca]

I suppose that's a decent wage, but presumably Canada, as a developed first world country, requires that he actually pay tax on that, and also presumably at a reasonable rate, so he'd have been as well settling for half that in Spain where tax is largely optional or fucking off to one of the pay leagues where I would assume there are basically no rules. Moving from Naples to Toronto might be interesting. Does he like living underground?

It ends up being ~€6M/season after taxes in salary. Assuming 50% of the bonuses are easily-achievable ones, and they're taxed at ~50%, that's another ~€1.1M/season net of taxes. All told, €7.1M is about double what Napoli were offering, and easily the highest in MLS history. Not sure if anyone in Spain would bite at those figures, and I'm not sure Saudi/Qatar are the right play for a 31-year-old. MLS is probably a good balance between getting a payday and only playing in a semi-dogshit league vs. an actual joke league.

[Mellberg]

I don't know why you'd let either of those front three go.

They should be looking to replace at least one who isn't called Salah. If you wait to replace them all at the same time you're Arsenal within 3 years.

Coutinho joining his fifth European Champion FC over relegation threatened Newcastle United. A shrewd move on his part.

[Panda Bear]

Eventually you're paying a player based upon their track record rather than their future performances, which means you're overpaying someone on the decline.

It makes perfect sense that Liverpool want to shift one or two of them on.

[Smjffy]

Not sure what to make of Coutinho returning to the Premier League. If you take his time at Barcelona then yeah, flop for them given cost but then wasn't he pretty reasonable whilst on loan with Bayern? If he can get or if he is anywhere near the level he was whilst with Liverpool, he'll win Villa enough points to secure top ten easily enough which tbh, they probably should be looking at doing anyway. I think his name alone will/has and him joining them will probably be the highlight though. I'd have taken him back even on loan but I doubt he'd have got anywhere near the sort of minutes he'd want and we'd be getting a poorer version than the one we sold for certain.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He was not very good at Bayern.

He did grab some goals/assists but his all-round play was poor and whenever he played it meant less of Muller who was having a great season.

[Ian]

Did European defences do something underhanded to him like show him onto his left foot?

[Spikey M]

He, along with Pogba, was only worth a shite when dubstep laced YouTube highlight reels were in fashion.

[Andy]

Not sure what to make of Coutinho returning to the Premier League. If you take his time at Barcelona then yeah, flop for them given cost but then wasn't he pretty reasonable whilst on loan with Bayern? If he can get or if he is anywhere near the level he was whilst with Liverpool, he'll win Villa enough points to secure top ten easily enough which tbh, they probably should be looking at doing anyway. I think his name alone will/has and him joining them will probably be the highlight though. I'd have taken him back even on loan but I doubt he'd have got anywhere near the sort of minutes he'd want and we'd be getting a poorer version than the one we sold for certain.

They're 13th at the moment, Coutinho is supposedly on 250k per week he should be getting them into Europe for that sort of outlay.

[niko_cee]

Villa can't be paying all of his wages, can they?

[Bernanke]

Villa can't be paying all of his wages, can they?

I've seen numbers of 1/3rd and 2/3rds being thrown about, so I think you can assume they pay about half, give or take some.

[Shindig]

Villa also need someone to fill the Grealish shaped void.

[Andy]

Villa can't be paying all of his wages, can they?

I read he's om 350k p/w with 2/3rds paid by Villa and then he's waived the 1/3rd from Barca as he wanted to push the deal through.

[Baz]

That Stevie G pulling power :drool:

[-james-]

Villa also need someone to fill the Grealish shaped void.

The idea is that the sum of Buendia, Ings and Bailey fulfil all of the things that Grealish did on the pitch. I can see how you would come to that conclusion, but it's not really worked so far.

To be honest I have no idea how good Villa are at the moment. ON PAPER one of the four or five sides that should be fighting it out for eighth.

[Baz]

Is that according to Transfermarkt player values or what? :rosebud:

[-james-]

I did notice the other day that everyone's favourite pollster/fraud, Nate Silver (https://fivethirtyeight.com/methodology/how-our-club-soccer-predictions-work/) uses Transfermarkt for his football stuff. Take it up with him.

[randomlegend]

Are we meant to know who that is?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's your favourite pollster/fraud.

[randomlegend]

Has Nate Silver given you permission to change your stance on Juventus yet James?

[Manc]

Obligatory :rasta:.

[-james-]

Has Nate Silver given you permission to change your stance on Juventus yet James?

My point, you recall, was that Ronaldo wouldn't make United better. Which, yeah.

[Queenslander]

Ange is keen on signing Mehdi Ghayedi.

Ange talks up Iran starts at 5:14. :cool:


https://youtu.be/rpJ96fgqmLg?t=350

What are your thoughts on this bloke? Don?

[Don]

Not sure I believe that midget is on his radar. Azmoun to Juve though :drool:

[John Arne]

TTH's favourite Japanese grandpa, King Kazu, has signed for 4th tier Suzuki Point Getters.
This past season, playing for top flight Yokohama FC, Kazu managed a grand total of 1 minute of action, as his team finished bottom of the league and were thusly relegated.

https://pakistantimesusa.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Yokohama-FC-v-Vissel-Kobe-JLeague-Meiji-Yasuda-J1639402163-0.jpg

[Pen]

Suzuki Point Getters is challenging Kakamega Homeboyz for the best team name ever.

[Ian]

Given he barely seems to play is he purely after some sort of record for most consecutive seasons played in at this point?

[Yevrah]

Does he not already hold that? He's been going for over 30 years, the nutter.

[Pen]

If they’re counting fourth tire in he’ll be miles off. I remember someone in here playing for some lower league club much longer.

Edit: He is I think the oldest professional player. While looking for the Finnish player I remembered reading about I stumbled upon an Egyptian who played two games at the ripe age of 75 in the Egyptian third division 😄 the article didn’t say if he had been playing all the way upto that mind.

[Waffdon]

Chris Wood to Newcastle. That’s a signing I’d expect them to make without the oil men. Grim

[Shindig]

Let's be honest, we can't attract good players in our current position. Hell, we couldn't attract a top manager. This is the grind we're in.

[Spikey M]

You could get a few quality but expensive loans in, Shirley?

Could the problem not be that the owners haven't had time to get their FFP loopholes in place yet?

[Don]

He'd be a safer bet than that random French giraffe they're linked to. Geezer performs.

[-james-]

It's an incredible signing because it probably guarantees Burnley's relegation.

[Shindig]

You could get a few quality but expensive loans in, Shirley?

Steven Gerrard keeps hijacking them. As for financial fair play, they've had a fucking year to sort that. I do think it's more a case of 'what's our minimum spend on avoiding the drop?'. Trippier's a good get but he was also winding his contract down. It's not that far removed from the Mike Ashley playbook.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yeah, my first thought was not that it adds anything to Newcastle but that it takes away from one of their rivals. I also thought that when they were/are linked with Cantwell.

[phonics]

Also the rumblings from every agent appears to be that they're a complete clown show which slims down your talent pool anyway so best to just fuck over your neighbours instead.

[Shindig]

I mean, we got all that from the Emery debacle. Football men, they are not.

[phonics]

Rafa being allowed to shift Everton’s only good player because they don’t get on is mad.

[CJay]

He's been crap since midway through last season, tbf.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Poor Matt Targett. We should get him to cover for the murderer.

[-james-]

My player from the last 5 years that your dad has heard of randomiser is spitting out Thorgan Hazard, Daryl Janmaat and Kostas Mitroglou as Everton's transfer targets for this window.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If your dad has heard of those he's a bit hardcore. Mine has only reliably heard of Harry Kane and Ron 'Chopper' Harris.

[Ian]

Yeah no chance my dad has heard of any of those unless they've been linked to United in the BBC Gossip column at some point.

[randomlegend]

Arthur - of creative Juve/Barca creative accounting fame - looks to be going to Arsenal on loan.

[Don]

Why do these people not learn? Immobile midget white boys won't cut it as CMs in this league (Jorginho is protected by a world class manager and partner).

[Ian]

Arthur - of creative Juve/Barca creative accounting fame - looks to be going to Arsenal on loan.

That definitely tallies with Arteta saying Arsenal can attract the world's best and he's never met a player who wouldn't like to go to Arsenal.

[phonics]

I was wondering who Arthur Melo was. I figured Felipe had got so many red cards he’s banned for the next 4 years and figured it was his brother.

[-james-]

6 open play goals from the first 10 AFCON games. :cool:

[-james-]

Rong fred.

[Waffdon]

El Ghazi to Everton. They really are trying to relegate themselves. Other than Gray, their wide options being a choice of Townsend, Iwobi and El Ghazi is some banter

[CJay]

El Ghazi was good last season, was he not? What's happened to him?

[phonics]

Digne out, El Ghazi in. No wonder his chairman only gave him a lamp. What an absolute joke of a manager. Fluked into being around when people hadn't worked out how to play through a stodgy 4-5-1. Steve Bruce would do a better job. Again.

[Don]

Don't sleep on what he's done with Gray, Gordon and Holgate. Rafa remains king.

[Waffdon]

Holegate :lol:

He’s a fucking bombscare

[Mellberg]

El Ghazi was good last season, was he not? What's happened to him?

He was alright last season. Huge confidence player and it doesn't take a lot to break. Like him, but not quite good enough.

[Don]

Holegate :lol:

He’s a fucking bombscare

Not fucking Holgate, I meant the other mixed race one obvs.

[Baz]

Not fucking Holgate, I meant the other mixed race one obvs.
Godfrey? Still lol.

Playing 5 at the back and conceding 3 against Brighton, when you’ve previously been described as a defence coach, is just plain bad.

[Waffdon]

Yeah, Godfrey is just as bad if not worse. No idea how he’s not been sent off multiple times with the way he plays

[Don]

He's a beast and so is Rafa to not get dragged into a relegation fight with the shit at his disposal (the forced absences have been horrendous).

[niko_cee]

Godfrey? Still lol.

Playing 5 at the back and conceding 3 against Brighton, when you’ve previously been described as a defence coach, is just plain bad.

Anyone conceding 3 against Brighton [or any goals really] has just had a bad day in terms of running into them on one of the rare occasions they don't miss all their chances. Liverpool did the same.

[niko_cee]

I see Wood has gone to Newcastle. Who else can they target to sink? Watford presumably. I suppose Leeds or Everton could get dragged in but they'll probably scrape enough points to stay out of it.

Elsewhere I see [The] Villa are linked with Bissouma. Gerrard/Rangers took a few players from Brighton whilst he was there. If they get Bissouma they could actually become quite a decent side. Brighton asking United for £40m for Tariq 'what hamstrings?' Lamptey is trolling of the highest order.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah I suspect it's a 3 from 4 situation from here. Everton and Leeds will surely knock off the teams below them enough to stay ahead.

I'd maybe have said go for Raphinha if you did want to disrupt Leeds, but he's surely off to a big boy team come the summer. But from Watford you surely want Sarr?

[niko_cee]

Yeah, Sarr would be the obvious, but hasn't he got a botched knee?

Would be quite funny if Burnley went out and spent their Wood money on some crackerjack import who keeps them up.

[Ian]

Dugarry's not even 50 yet. Get him in.

[Andy]

Brentford will get pulled into the relegation battle. I think they've probably got just enough points to scrape 17th but they are bad. Worst team I've seen at St Mary's for a long time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're in the Leeds camp in that when they play well, they'll win, even if they're terrible at other times.

[Don]

8th on xPTS. Real drop-off since having to resort to the Spanish midget in goal but once Raya is back, they'll coast it.

[Pen]

I'd maybe have said go for Raphinha if you did want to disrupt Leeds, but he's surely off to a big boy team come the summer. But from Watford you surely want Sarr?

Isn’t he off to Bayern? Or is it just paper talk.

[Shindig]

Jermain Defoe's available, apparently. Sunderland seem keen.

[Luca]

Bloody big deal

[Manc]

Burnley lining up Andy Carroll to replace Wood. Enjoy the Championship lads.

[Lofty]

Not content with looking to loan out Pablo Mari and boil some piss, Arsenal have released Kolasinac on a free :D

[Shindig]

We should get in touch. Just in case Diego Carlos bottles out. Brazilian defenders, man. I don't quite trust them.

[Lofty]

Saudi team Al Nassr offering Arsenal a loan for Aubameyang with compuslory £8m purchase.

[Gray Fox]

They should take it just to get the useless pricks wage off the books.

[John Arne]

Carl Jenkinson has joined Melbourne City.

[CJay]

Carl Jenkinson has joined Melbourne City.

How did he ever manage an England cap? Was it 'he's an English youth playing under Wenger' so he must be mega thing?

[Giggles]

How did he ever manage an England cap? Was it 'he's an English youth playing under Wenger' so he must be mega thing?

Didn't he play for Finland too?

[Manc]

That was Karl Jenkinen.

[CJay]

Karl Jenkinsson works.

[Don]

An EPL side should take a punt on O.Dembele, he strikes me as the sort of ASM type character that would thrive in the hustle and bustle of gammonball.

[niko_cee]

A punt as in a 6 month loan maybe, which seems to be on the table. His injury record alone would make most sane suitors balk at the thought of whatever wages he might want. Then there's his attitude, which, looking at his time at Barcelona, may not be the best. I guess it's hard to tell, they have been a bit of a shambles.

Newcastle ahoy?

He'll probably end up at Chelsea. Everyone has to have a Chelsea contract at some point in their career.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We don't tend to buy in at that point in the market, unless RA is having one of his periodic brain farts re 'star strikers', and we got that out the way this summer.

Man U seems more likely.

[niko_cee]

Who is his agent? That'll probably dictate which clubs are in the 'owe me a favour' part of the Venn Diagram.

[randomlegend]

Then there's his attitude, which, looking at his time at Barcelona, may not be the best. I guess it's hard to tell, they have been a bit of a shambles.


It's not hard to tell, he's been a total shithead everywhere he's been.

[niko_cee]

I just wanted to avoid the casual racism stain that conclusion brings with it.

[CJay]

He's a 1-in-4 attacker with serious injury and attitude issues. He'll resurface at Nice or wherever and do alright and probably end up in China / Qatar before he's 28.

[John Arne]

Also worth remembering with Dembele is that he is complete trash.

[Don]

Stats are misleading when it comes to entertainers like this, keep that for your fucking dull as dishwater players. ASM has never hit more than 6 goals a season but people [quite rightly] recognise his value. He won't win a CL but he's worth 12 Harry Kanes.

[Waffdon]

He’ll end up with Chelsea I think as Tuchel loves him. He can share paracetamol with the Lebron James of Soccer

[Shindig]

Messi Lingard to the toon for a loan spell.

[Waffdon]

1484178133368541192

Spurs I would presume. Nobody wants to join Newcastle
:lol:

[Manc]

Diego Carlos is a hot mess. Bullet dodged imo.

[randomlegend]

Messi Lingard to the toon for a loan spell.

Telegraph reporting a permanent deal is close and the fee is 12m :happycry:

If someone's actually convinced them to pay twelve fucking million for Jesse Lingard when he's got 6 months on his contract then they deserve a knighthood.

[Spikey M]

£12m is fuck all these days and he's proven himself to be pretty good at that level.

[randomlegend]

He's leaving for free in 6 months. It's a ridiculous amount.

Same reporter has already said it's not happening as Lingard wants to explore his options when his contract runs out, so loan or nothing.

[niko_cee]

He'd have probably wanted that [or a good chunk of it as a signing on fee in the summer] and he's probably [more than] worth the difference to them if he keeps them up.

Experience of the league and all that probably counts for quite a bit in their situation.

[Gray Fox]

He's no good to Newcastle in 6 months so it's Uniteds figure to name really. As Niko says, the money for staying in the league now is mega and worth paying up for.

[Shindig]

He's leaving for free in 6 months. It's a ridiculous amount.

If he doesn't go now, he gets a 3 year deal to stay on because Ragnick saw him do something nice (once) in training. As for Diego Carlos, Sevilla have seemingly decided they aren't selling and he himself doesn't want to leave. :D

[Giggles]

He's leaving for free in 6 months. It's a ridiculous amount.

Same reporter has already said it's not happening as Lingard wants to explore his options when his contract runs out, so loan or nothing.

Soccer money is not real money. Especially to that lot.

[SincereTheRebel]

Vagner Love is 37 and has joined FC Midtjylland. I would have thought he retired over 10 years ago

[Don]

Hull's new owner is bringing in an Iranian kid from Fener who by all accounts is going to be an absolute monster. 8 hour round-trip to watch the cunt, how hard would it be to get Hull away tickets?

[Lewis]

Snap up one of the ten-thousand home tickets going begging every match.

[Spikey M]

If he's going to be a "monster" why is he moving from Fenerbahce to Hull? :happycry:

[Don]

Snap up one of the ten-thousand home tickets going begging every match.

I probably will end up doing it once but it's in the arse-end of nowhere, give me QPR/Millwall (:drool:) away please.


If he's going to be a "monster" why is he moving from Fenerbahce to Hull? :happycry:

He's 20, aryan and getting signed to the English Gammon Championships. Such achievements in the face of this level of adversity say it all. Prem player by next season.

[Don]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60057236

Big boy signing for Celtic, he's a class act.

[Pepe]

Better than Taarabt?

[Don]

A lot of peple think he's Dele levels. They're wrong but alas.

His replacement is some Bohs kid. Dons seem to be one of the finest recruitment and development destinations in the country now, just hope they keep the momentum up and go up this year so I can get some local Champ football.

[Spikey M]

Dele has now been wank for longer than he was good.

[Yevrah]

The curse of the 'promising young English footballer'.

[Giggles]

A lot of peple think he's Dele levels. They're wrong but alas.

His replacement is some Bohs kid. Dons seem to be one of the finest recruitment and development destinations in the country now, just hope they keep the momentum up and go up this year so I can get some local Champ football.

Dawson Devoy? He’ll hardly be a replacement if the lad was in the first team.

[Don]

Ya. Know nothing about him but this recruitment team knows its shit so don't be surprised to see him flourish.

[Giggles]

He was excellent here last season but there’s some step up to be made to where MK are playing.

[randomlegend]

Adama Traore to Spurs for £22.75m is the latest rumour.

[Lofty]

Spurs linked with Kessie too, was hoping Arsenal might pick him up.

[randomlegend]

Julian Alvarez (some wonderkid Argentinian striker) to Man City, joining in the summer.

[Baz]

Julian Alvarez (some wonderkid Argentinian striker) to Man City, joining in the summer.

United were linked with him when Ralf first joined.

[Kikó]

I think United have missed out on signing another forward.

[Don]

I think my praise of them went to their heads :face:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60090941

[Spikey M]

How do Football Journalists get their jobs? Is there no quality control in their output? Do media companies not check their credentials?

2 separate Journalists are now banging the drums for N'Dombele to PSG and Roma, despite both Pochettino and Mourinho not playing him when they were at Spurs. It's so fucking lazy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not sure that matters these days, it's just about agents moving pieces around.

[Don]

Azmoun's signed for Leverkusen for next season. It's not Juve but it's also a more stable environment. Germany trips galore next year :drool:

[randomlegend]

1485731859438972929?t=L3bOOT1xO3K-3qS2yacTLA&s=09

Martial to Sevilla, presumably on loan.

[Shindig]

Bah, didn't want him anyway. :moop:

[Lewis]

What a tosser. He should have been world class.