Leicester have just confirmed the signing of Suphanat Muenta from Buriram, a player I tipped on THIS VERY FORUM back in 2019.
He'll join Leuven in Belgium until he gets a Work Permit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
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Leicester have just confirmed the signing of Suphanat Muenta from Buriram, a player I tipped on THIS VERY FORUM back in 2019.
He'll join Leuven in Belgium until he gets a Work Permit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
Barella seems a decent second choice if Liverpool don’t get Bellingham.
Just give "Milly" another year...
If Aston Villa made the CL and Bellingham 'chose' them, would Birmingham unretire his number?
:D
Does have the feel of the debacle that was Eden Hazard's summer of transfer flirtations.
Anyone fancy Gareth Barry to Liverpool?
Caicedo and MacAllister are going to be the fuck you pay me characters this summer.
That was the point where I was like "Don't care how good he is don't want him to choose United."Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Remember when he called a press conference.... to announce a later press conference?
According to last month's rumour mill, we've been snooping about Ward-Prowse. The Maddison hunt has switched targets towards Harvey Barnes. We'll probably wind up with Oxlaide-Chamberlain.
And you'll hate every second of it.
He was great until he died in that game against Roma, which, in many ways was the high point of the Klopp era [to date].
I feel like the Roma game, then subsequent final loss to Madrid, combined with the loss of Buvac in the backroom staff was the thing that showed Klopp that his chaos football while entertaining wouldn't bring trophies with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
This catastrophe of a season aside, they've been coming in steadily since.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/l...ives-xdf6963kn
That was incredibly predictable. Liverpool fans thinking they were in with a chance :harold:
Probably join Madrid and give them 3 of the best young central kids in the world to choose from.
Interesting of John Henry to basically declare war on his own clubs fanbase with that move.
Not sure the idea of signing Bellingham was ever more realistic than signing Haaland or Mbappe or whoever else falls into that category. That level of transfer is the preserve of very few clubs, with a lot more leverage than 'football heritage', and it's not the way football works now. Also, Liverpool spending all their money and more on one player won't improve them sufficiently. They're never going to be a harlem globetrotter style galactico team, they need to be more savvy which is obviously quite challenging. Passable footballers are ten a penny though. Highly rated at the time Moises Caicedo cost 4.5m little over a year ago.
But he celebrated a goal with Hendo. :happycry:
I think this one has/had more realism on the players side this time. But I agree on this would have been a very untraditional Liverpool signing. The issue here has been created in a way by the club and its related journalists.
The brand message last summer seemed to be it's alright lads, we don't need a midfielder this year but next year we'll be in for Bellingham who can't move now just because of Haaland leaving Dortmund first. That then transitioned into a bid for Tchouameni, who chose Madrid in the end. Which is to be expected. But at least due diligence was done and Liverpool were in play in case Madrid somehow fucked it up. More fuel was then added to the fire with late failures in trying to secure discount targets coming out and the hurried signing of Arthur Melo(who has played what, 30 minutes this season?).
Fans are now a bit peeved at the shit handling of a position they're been screaming had been a problem for 2 years. But it'll be okay because they're back in for Bellingham in the coming summer.
Given the biggest criticism of FSG is that they wont put their hands in their pockets for players, this decision is going to tick some people right off. LFC twitter is already in a small meltdown.
With nothing to play for beyond giving Firmino a good send off and fans packing Naby Keitas bags for him at this point, I reckon the protests will be back with avengeance.
Especially if they go and do something braindead like announcing a 1 year extension for Milner tomorrow.
All club twitters are the same now, buy me expensive player du jour or I'll throw a wobbly. Huge difference to the matchgoing fan.
The match going fan obviously living and dying for the apology from Howard Webb the day after.
Oh no, LFC Twitter is angry. I'll fucking nonce all those teenagers' arseholes raw before their opinion is worth anything.
We'll sign Mount, Gallagher and Nunes and dominate everything. Either that or loan in Jack Cork like a proper club.
Lots of talk down here on the South Coast about Mac Allister to Liverpool
If the asking price for Bellingham really is £130 million then I can't understand how that's expensive in this case. Not when you factor in the English Tax, his age, experience level and how good he is.
I think if the Bellingham deal is actually off now, they're going to be linked with every midfielder in Europe.
I think we'll see Mount in, someone like a Mac Allister and perhaps a less attacking option.
Mount and Gallagher in to go back to the Cardio FC glory days. James Milner will be fuming he’s got competition now.
I don't mind Mount. I think he's quite underrated. Would very much remind me of when we signed Oxlade-Chamberlain. He thrived before the injury broke him.
What's the deal with Mount? Is his contract up this summer or is he entering the final 12 months?
Or who cares because he should be playing for Leeds.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Next summerQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Ends 2024 and it would seem by his sudden role reduction that both parties have accepted he needs to move on this summer.
All depends here on how high Chelsea will put the fee. I'm imagining £20-25m. If they want closer to double that then he may well be off somewhere else.
There’s not a chance they sell him for £20-25m. Gallagher was getting bids of over £40m and is half the player.
Most teams he would be interested in joining would probably wait to sign him for nothing rather than going all in and spending a large amount on him, I would have thought.
So he'll go to Newcastle for £60m.
Talk to me about Gravenberch. Seems to be happening.
At the very least you'll get a pair of younger legs anchoring midfield. I didn't realise how young he was. He only signed for Bayern this season, though.
He was always a sicknote you just somehow landed a purple patch of health from him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Seems the fee is £25m or so and he's interested as he's only a bench warmer there. The main concern is obviously if he can't get in the Bayern midfield how will he improve Liverpools?Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Because we’re absolute trash. Tom Davies would improve it.
His purple patch of health coming in a season where he sustained a career ending injury speaks volumes about him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
Keita's been an absolute basket case as well.
The ability to shoulder a 50/60 game season and never really suffer fitness-wise is probably the standout differential that makes good players top top players.
If Liverpool sign one of Palhinha or Caicedo thier midfield improves dramatically imo. Hopefully both are on this twelve man shortlist Klopp spoke about.
I'm not so sure they'd be in for Palhinha. The emphasis seems to be on bridging that gap that appeared, meaning there were players around 30 years old and some in their late teens, but no one in the middle.
If Gravenberch is the first one in, I'd expect maybe a Mount and then an attempt at a Nunes type player, to get some players in towards their early/mid twenties.
Not a chance Liverpool are getting Caicedo in the same way Bellingham was never joining them lol
Yeah given they rejected offers of near £70m in January and he will surely cost to a point you might as well not bother.
His wages are peanuts, we can afford £70m+, it's the wages of hyped up BLM fucks that are driven up by City and Madrid that is the problem so Caicedo is well within reach.
He signed a new deal since January so the peanut wages are a thing of the past.
Caicedo is a quality player, but I'm pretty sure you could find equally good players for a fraction of the cost if you look a little deeper. The fact that 'big clubs' increasingly refuse to even countenance that is another unappealing aspect of the modern game. Buying off Brighton is a bit of a mugs game, and they're going to be in the Champions league anyway.
I suppose any fee for Caicedo might depend on what they told him when he signed that jew deal with regatds to him moving on in the summer. £75,000,001 bid inbound from Arsenal.
I don't think Arsenal go back for Caicedo it was just a panic at the time about light midfield numbers and seemed like a good fit who would be more than a short term fix.
Some typo that.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
That was meant to say new deal before Phonics bans me.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I didn't think it had posted as it was still on my phone and then I saw it and thought probably for the best. I'll blame having spent the weekend in Taz's neck of the woods.
United briefing this morning that there will be a clear-out in the summer. Twitter seems to be broken so can't link any of the stories.
Clearly what is needed but it remains to be seen whether it's all talk and no trousers.
They need to clear out the dead wood, and bring in some living wood which will itself be dead by this time next year.
A new name seemingly on THE SHORTLIST is Khephren Thuram. Sure to wet Tazs' whistle and is the 22 year old son of Lilian, which has made me feel ancient.
I've been wondering whether to write Jadons Ancho off for a few months, and it sounds like the club might have done. Absolute fanny. Nobody should ever buy a Bundesliga winger again.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
I'd probably have been inclined to get Sancho next season too but given he's one of the highest paid players and ten Hag has invested a lot in him this season without any immediately obviously material gains I get why he might want to try and sell him while there's a bit left on his contract before it runs down and he becomes worth even less.
Who's buying him? Don't say Chelsea, my doctor's fully booked for the next month.
Nobody for what United paid but I guess they'd test the market and see what people are prepared to pay.
Or yeah, just storm into Boehley's office and shriek WE'RE NOT SELLING SANCHO FOR LESS THAN £300m!!!!! and wait for him to bid 400.
Is Sancho a LWF? Mate, Garnacho’s got that position on lockdown for the foreseeable, surely.
I watch as little of United as humanly possible whilst generally following THE FOOTBALL but has Sancho been any worse than Antony this season? He'll be on mental wages as well, which pretty much rules out him going anywhere other than Newcastle.
Remember when Rashford-Greenwood-Sancho was going to be England's front three for the next 10 years? Good times.
If you start a serious chaff clearance at United what are you left with? About 4 players?
Nobody is worse than Antony. :D
Antony is more likely to improve, which is to say have the stupid things kicked out of him and made to run around a bit harder, because he is at least right up for it. Jadons Ancho seems a bit weak-willed.
Sancho is complete turd. Antony has been massively more influential all season despite him being new to the league and clearly raw.
Yeah, Antony has been far better than Sancho. Which isn’t saying much but the latter has been abysmal. Just a bit fat
Sounds like Pochettino or Kompany for the Chelsea job after they’ve ruled Enrique and Naglesmann out of the running. Pochettino will just be another Benitez scenario where the fans don’t take to him due to connections of a previous club and Kompany is just Potter all over again and hoping he can actually come good.
Potter with none of the actual managerial CV, would last about 10 minutes until they're 10th after 10 games again due to having a poor squad assembled by an idiot.
They should have just held their nerve with Potter if these mooks are the ones under consideration.
You can blame Boehly for the summer recruitment (which was always going to be a bit of shambles) but January onwards is on the geezers they’ve brought in from Brighton, Leipzig and Monaco for the recruitment.
Sounds like they’re still going all in on this buy young shenanigans. Proper FM stuff. Reportedly after Lavia and Manu Kone for midfield in the summer who are 19 and 21 respectively. Barely going to have a player over 25 starting games at this rate.
Pochettino is clearly a very good manager and has been everywhere he’s been other than PSG (but then who is, Tuchel failed to even win the league there one season) but the connection with Spurs will just have it going sour from day oneQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Pochettino has been sitting in the bath eating crisps for, what, three years? Avoid.
The sign 'em young and hungry strategy is all well and good if you are Brighton, Leipzig or Monaco, and the end goal is to sell them on. Is that the plan at Chelsea? The strategy is less good if you want to be a serious contender top top club, because younger players are almost inherently less reliable, which you sort of need these days with the ridiculously high standards being set.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Wasn’t the Chelsea plan just to buy them young and indefinitely loan them out?
I don't see Kompany leaving Burnley that quickly. He's better off building his reputation there before becoming City's binman.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Kompany will succeed at the highest level.
I hope not. He looks ridiculous both with and without a hat.
Head like a pint glass.
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
As far as I can see, and as far as my knowledge of baseball goes, he is literally just trying to run it like a baseball club, i.e. step 1 front office and analytics, step 2 ???, step 3 profit. While certain mostly-online plebs probably enjoy that kind of approach, there are a lot of issues with it, including, but not limited to:Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
- Chelsea are (or were) already at an elite level, and were already doing advanced analytics.
- Literally everyone else is also doing advanced analytics.
- Yer Brightons, who have the best analytics, only bother ploughing so much resource into them because there is way more leverage from such things at a mid-table/Championship level than there is at an elite level. Do we think Brighton are going to ride this all the way to world domination? I don't think so, they're probably close to maxing out now, maybe scraping a CL appearance being the high watermark they can aspire to. I don't know what Tony Bloom's motivations for owning Brighton are - fun, or making money, or what - but if he was a pure investor, I reckon he'd sell soonish.
- Baseball has a 162 game season and if you lose 20 games in a run of 30 most fanbases are shrugging or at least only mildly concerned. If you lose 2 football matches in 3, as an 'elite' team, football fans are howling for blood.
- These 8 year contracts - or 'Team-Friendly' contracts as they're known in baseball - do not actually tally up with the economics of football at all. In baseball they tend to come about when the player is mid-career in order to secure their last x years of top-level play in exchange for confirmed financial security. In football people are signing them at the age of 23 to run until they're 31, or worse still, 20 to run until they're 28. What is the incentive to get better if you're sitting on such a contract? If they turn shit, how will the club be able to offload them? It's insanity.
- Baseball is a closed league and although it's not as draft-dependent as the NFL or NBA, the draft, and, more to the point, the limited number of teams, still plays a reasonable part.
- The LA Dodgers would have been relegated in 1992, if baseball had such things
- Young players in football are very overrated as a means of winning anything (nod to Alan Hansen here). The World Cup was dominated by 35 year old Messi. Recent CLs have been shat on by 37yo Modric and 35yo Benzema, among others. Chelsea's own best player is 38yo Thiago Silva. Elite performance (nod to Jake Humphrey here) is about the combination of excellent players and an excellent organisation, both of which elude Boehly's Chelsea.
- He's a loudmouth American with David Mellor hair. There isn't a long track record of such people being successful English football club owners.
I would forecast us next season to be, at very best under the best possible manager we could hire, something like upper mid-table (7th/8th), still struggling to score goals and with several of the players signed this year disappearing into Bogarde-style wilderness years. At worst, I think it's a genuine possibility that this year's malaise could continue where it's going to leave off, and we could be involved in the bottom six survival battle.
It really all did fall apart around that Lukaku signing. Pure insanity that one.
I think they got sucked into some kind of 'he guarantees goals!' wormhole and that was it, compounding the error by replacing him with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
I wonder whether these things get so lost in all the DATA and ANALYTICS that nobody ever stops and goes 'Yeah, but Serie A is shit' or 'Did you see him at United?', like every United fan on here did.
The thing that people don't factor in to the whole 'Why don't the big clubs just sign the players Brighton do' is that if they did then the price would triple and so would the wages. So Brighton can take punts knowing that for every 3 that don't come off, the inevitable sale of the 1 that does pays for the others. Meanwhile if the big team punt does come off, you don't want to sell him so you either give them a contract that over values them and hope they continue to perform to that level or lose them on a free.
IIRC that was a Peter Chech transfer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
The Lukaku in Timberlands and jeans meme really is one of the greats.
Runs in his blood [ie his dad was a director or something] and you know, boyhood fan and all that. Not sure Brighton's analytics are all that [or anyones' are really] but as you say, they are perfectly positioned to Dortmund/Benfica the fuck out of things as a semi-stable Premier League club who can never really aspire to the big time. Buy low, sell high, make players look 'better' than they are etc. Maybe they can be Atalanta for a few seasons and get in with the big boys, but the Premier League is on another planet in terms of financial competition so that would be a minor miracle given their resources. In terms of return on investment, yeah, Bloom would be laughing if he sold Brighton now [although who to I have no idea].Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
The biggest issue is to see the 'returns' on a young player getting better you actually have to play them to find out if they are any good, and most big clubs have no interest in doing that. Every club was sniffing around Caicedo when he went to Brighton. Think Brighton only got him as there were some unusualities surrounding his ownership/agent structure [or something like that] which put the heavy hitters off.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Those players were all elite for a decade or two before that, the fact that there is the occasional outlier who can carry on into their dotage doesn't really prove anything. Look at Liverpool turning to shit once half the team got the wrong side of thirty. There's an age curve, it's obvious why, on average, you'd want to buy players before they hit their peak.
I think Brighton not buying a striker for two or three seasons when every football ramble listener was shouting at them to do so sums them up. While I'm sure every other club in the league has an "analytics department" (probably one guy on half the wages of their third goalkeeper working 80 hours weeks), I don't think anyone has buy-in like Brighton (/Brentford) do. Good luck convincing the PFMs not to buy Lukaku if there's no structure to allow that to happen.
Brighton have bought [or had] loads of 'strikers'.
They've just all been dreadful for the most part.
Locadia and Andone in the early days, yeah, but I think pocket change on Undav is the only other purchase? Point is not splurging on some negative ev shite because of NARRATIVE.
Transfers in general have a much lower hit rate than people expect them to. I think it's just fair to assume that every bit of business that Brighton do is "good process" (the aforementioned twosome were just bad beats!!). It'll be interesting to see what they get up to this summer with a higher profile and an obvious need to expand the squad.
The sort of patience and coaching that the likes of Mac Allister and Caicedo received they wouldn't be getting at the top clubs. The former was more pointless than Jahanbakhsh for years before turning into an influential world cup winner.
Is their record with signings even that great? I swear most of it turns to shit.
Gross was their greatest moneyball signing as that was upon promotion I think but beside the recent Mitoma, Estupinan and Ferguson finds, it's just a load of mediocre shite being coached the life out of. Brentford is much the same, both have realised coaching gets you everything and you don't need to run clubs like some FM game.
There were a load of expensive failures between '17 and '19 but it's all offset by Gross, Bissouma and Mac Allister and you had loads of low key great business with Gyokeres, Ostigaard, Burn, Dreyer even if they didn't all work out. From then on there's barely a misstep, scary stuff.
I did forget Maupay in my previous post tbf but you can't blame Brighton for blindly trusting the Brentford pipeline.
Ssshhh, I don’t think you’re allowed to mention Ferguson on here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Those first two are just straight trolling.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
I see Liverpool are looking to loan Carvalho out next season. There's a decent example of what happens when a big club signs an aspiring talent. The allure of getting him cheap before he becomes a £50m player on the back of one good season is obviously great, but in doing so you stop him ever becoming that player by not playing him. Should have stayed at Fulham.
The most important recruitment decision is always getting the right manager, which Brighton have probably led the field in this season in terms of getting it right.
Football is also an incredibly short termist thing. Everyone wetting their pants about 'the Brighton model' now forget that little over a year ago they were coming off six league defeats in a row, into a 0-0 draw at home with [a dreadful] Norwich, also marking a fifth game in a row where Brighton had failed to score [maybe the execs at Chelsea should have remembered this]. Then they gave Caicedo his league debut against Arsenal and it's been a wild ride since. Which is mad to think considering he is now seen as some sort of £80m+ player. League debut 9th April 2022.
Yeah, what I meant was when you're at elite level (i.e. wanting to challenge for the English and European titles), it should be clear who the elite players are, and having a series of punts on young players is not the way to stay where you are.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Another thing about this Brighton stuff. Weren't people saying exactly the same thing about Southampton 5 years ago?
Milner linked to Brighton/Burnley. Goodnight my sweet severely technically limited monotonous bastion of gammon professionalism.
The dualism of their signings being either South American regens or over the hill England internationals is quite funny.
Milner's just another manager on the pitch type player [like Lallana]. Would have thought he'd be more likely to stay oop north but I guess Brighton is a pretty exciting place to be [until they sell all their good players in the summer].
That Joao Pedro will cook though.
Someone who watches Sporting talk to me about Manuel Ugarte.
Liverpool links have popped up and it sounds like it might be in the £40-60m range.
The stat boys absolutely rave about him and have him as the next best thing.
When Palhinha went to Fulham, the Sporting lot were all saying Ugarte was the real talent from their midfield.
Facebook mums don't tend to rate him as he doesn't have any Prem experience.
:henn0rz:Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Bellingham to Real looks done.
But I thought he was best mates with Trent and he was nailed on for the Scouse failures
Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchouameni. Alright that.
Getting him on the cheap after he has enough bananas thrown at him :drool:
10+ years of that too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
Bit of an ego dent for English football, that (or just an ego boost for the Spanish tax break system).
Aston Villa nabbing Barcelona’s sporting director or whatever he is will even it out
Liverpool fans thinking they ever have a chance of signing players like Mbappe and Bellingham is always funny.
How fucking deranged are footballers.
Hasn't Sane done something similar?
Ironic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Sounds like Milner is off to Brighton too. I can't really understand it, unless Liverpool just haven't offered him a deal. I wouldnt say he's going to get any more playing time there than he would for us.
I was fully expecting him to follow Leeds into the Championship, but the return of Big Sam may scupper that.
That's now Milner, Oxlade, Keita and if you can count him Arthur on the way out. Granted that's not a lot of first team material but those are likely some good wages savings. Thiago is also apparently injured and out for "months" again so we should chuck him in the pile too.
I can understand it. He's in the twilight of his career and has nothing left to do at Liverpool. He can probably feel like a part of something at Brighton (European foortball included) and then sign off on a long and boring career.
What a useless cunt Thiago is.
Just send him back to Bayern and they can send Sadio back in return.
Wouldn't want to be Salah, now he's started punching team mates who annoy him.
I think there's probably a bit of a leap between lamping Salah and some jumped up nobody like Leroy Sane or Serge Gnabry or whoever it was.
Unfortunately Liverpool have gone down the Bayern route and overstocked massively in that sort of position so it's never going to happen.
Seems like Liverpool will be getting Alexis Mac Allister. If that could be done for around the £60m mark I think that'd be alright. A goalscoring midfielder is badly needed.
Square peg in a round hole.
Difficult to get excited about him, stats aren't amazing and physically he's mediocre in every respect. The only saving grace is he may have the required creativity and ability to maintain possession and he doesn't have the favela attitude of laziness and tantrums.
I wouldn't say he's physically mediocre, unless your yardstick is some sort of massive African unit, which it probably is. He covers an enormous amount of ground in a game, reads the game well, is good in possession and has a goal in him. A decent all-rounder. Dangerous business buying off Brighton though. Not that there's much store to be put in transfer fees anymore but I don't know if he's really a £60m+ player.
He's scored near 1 in 3 this season for Brighton in a not incomparable style of football too.
Whereas Henderson gets 1 every 12 or so games, Fabinho 1 in 18 and Thiago 1 in 33.
He's obviously a don but worth pointing out that half of those were penalties.
Still miles better than the current offerings.
I do wonder with this whole Trent situation is it a case of trying this till the end of the season and if it works he becomes the right hand sided midfielder(like Henderson but with technical ability) then you go out and buy one/two midfielders this summer and a right back who would be cheaper than a top quality midfielder. Also if you pick a more defensively stable right back you take away that issue with Trent too.
The current version of it surely cannot last. Teams know he's doing it and are doing the easy game plan of playing the ball into that space. Fulham tried it but they only had a 40 year old Willian. When they got Solomon on they probably should have nicked a draw.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke Emia
Sadly I think the way will be to get 3 midfielders in and perhaps a CB(noises Matip may leave now Konate is first choice).
"Trent" is easily the most boring conversation in football.
He's got the discipline of a favela and the technique of a gammon.
He's basically David Beckham, isn't he? Except that position doesn't exist anymore.
I believe you made a joke once at the expense of Beckham's critics' that future grandads would say "his only skill was putting the ball exactly where he wanted to." Would you say that of Alexander-Arnold? He has skills in athleticism and improvisation that Beckham didn't have but Beckham was so good at his one thing he basically didn't need to care that the opposition knew it was coming.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Beckham also had Gary Neville sitting behind him to cover him, rather than a wide open space and half a Konate
What'll happen with James Ward-Prowse when Southampton go down? :eyemouth:
He will sign for one of the traditional top 6 teams and sit on the bench for 100k a week.
I've wanted us to sign him for ages. Probably absolute poison to the analysts which is why he hasn't moved until now. Kicking a ball effectively just doesn't cut it.
Lavia being their prized asset is certainly a damning indictment on the white man's downfall in the game/society.
I don't think I've ever seen a more nailed on Tottenham Hotspur signing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Newcastle looking to sign Neymar would be pretty lol. Not quite as funny as if Mr Jassim gets his way and takes him to United in some sort of Qatari money laundering enterprise, but the sort of thing that would set either of them both back by a good few years.
Prowse isn't anything special, it's why he never plays for England. I reckon he will sign for Newcastle, Spurs I doubt as he was never a good fit with Hojberg. A good solid Premier League player but nothing more.
Lavia and Livramento are the two the top sides should be after. Possibly KWP as well if he can get back to last seasons form.
The rest are complete bobbins, if any premier league club goes for them they're in trouble.
We need a right back so if we can avoid trying to get the corpse of Carlos Alberto or whatever then Livramento should be in the mix.
Malo Gusto (another 20 year old :cool:) is joining in the summer alongside Nkunku so a right back won’t be getting signed.
Livramento is a don but I’d be waiting a while before seeing if he’s competent after doing his knee in. He’s barley played football. Cobham love an injury prone right back (see: Reece James and Tariq Lamptey)
I am hoping be ause of the injury he gives us a season in the Championship.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
I think there's also an outside chance we keep Lavia as well as his buy back clause with City doesn't come into play until next summer.
That Alcaraz would be worth £350m given another 6 months at a stable club like Brighton. Bella-Kotchap, Mara and Edozie could also be worth a pop if they manage to avoid the rape cases (the latter absolutely won't).
Brighton have agreed at £30m deal for Joao Pedro from Watford. Have they still got Sarr as well?
Fuck sake.
Hopefully he gives us the "What approach?" treatment Emery gave us. If we're going to spend daft money, Kane and Messi are right there.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I have no idea about him, but he sounds to me like more of a competitor for the wide forward roles than the central role Ferguson plays. Ferguson will easily get 30+ games next season [probably more] unless he breaks down physically.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Nestory Irankunda.
Why are the Chelsea fans asking for a right back. That Makuede bloke was their only good player the other night. Looked like he could be an absolute star.
edit: Lol I just looked at the lineups and it turns out he was playing as part of the front 3, Chelsea were just so awful I assumed he must have been playing from right back.
Isn't he a winger/attacking midfielder?
See edit, they were pinned back so deep I assumed he must be the right back.
Didn't Chelsea have a shit hot right-back on loan/buy-back at Southampton?
Livramento. Looks like he's only just recovering from an ACL tear which put him out for a year. Ooft.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
The mention of a Neymar to Utd rumour should the Qatari ownership play out is top-notch. New contract for Starboy Mase, coax Adam Johnson out of retirement and appoint Michael Adebolajo as a remote diversity and inclusion officer and I reckon they'd be there.
Surely the likes of Messi and Neymar have more money than they'd ever need now? No chance of them going Maradona and making a romantic move to turn a former great club around.
Soz, I meant Man Utd not Newscastle.
Chris Wood aside, we're run too well to sign anybody over 23 for silly money.
:happycry:Quote:
England midfielder Jude Bellingham reportedly rejected a move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City as he did not want to move to a 'plastic club'. (FourFourTwo)
Get over yourself mate. God I hope Madrid go back to being absolute shite again. It's well overdue.
Sadly they've just set their midfield up for 10+ years with signing him, have a good enough CB pairing and Vinicius is a star in the making. They look a bit dodgy at fullback beyond Carvajal and need the Benzema replacement plan to get underway, but I'm sure they wont exactly struggle for signings.
Legend, if true.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Maybe Benz can hang around long enough to blood EndrickQuote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Imagine Haaland up top for them. :nod:
Saw some clickbait recently saying they’ve got Mbappe lined up and it’s more when than if.
Lots of rumours of Kim Min-Jae to United (nothing from great sources as yet) which would be amazing.
He has a release clause of 50m euros active in early July.
It's obviously completely unfair, but my internal prejudice has doubts that any South Korean player is worth that sort of money or can be expected to perform in a serious position in a proper league.
Also have the slightly nagging feeling that Napoli have just been on a bit of an Arsenal this season, and when players like Ndombele and Zambo-Anguissa have been tearing it up for them perhaps one needs to take everything with a large pinch of salt in terms of expecting that form to be translatable to different leagues.
Also, whilst United obviously have issues at centre-half, are there not more pressing areas of concern [ie midfield and attack]?
Park Ji Sung and Heung Min Son have entered the chat
You're not having Park Ji Sung ffs, as handy a player as he may have been.
Son, yeah, ok, maybe, but then that's a different market [where Richarlison costs £60m].
Son's worth that much, although he's really hit the skids this season. Or it could just be that Spurs have been unilaterally shambolic.
Sons problem came when Conte decided he didn't want to use one of the best wide forwards in the league, because he didn't want to play left wing back.
And that's why Victor Moses has a Premier League winners medal, and Son doesn't.
Park Ji-Sung has FOUR...
Mac Allister to Liverpool appears to be all but done.
£80m?
:happycry:
Unless that's one of those figures that Cardiff's lawyers appear to work off.
Cheap for a World Cup winner.
I can't see that figure anywhere but if that's true it's insane.
You'd imagine they won't be forced to sell Caicedo if they've swindled £80m for the Mac Daddy.
To be fair, I think the source is pretty dodgy on that [it was just the first thing I saw on google news] but it's going to be an alarmingly high number whatever happens. I don't think financial considerations will be decisive on selling either MacAllister or Caicedo, Brighton will get good money for both but both will go [I think they've probably been promised as much] as long as the offers are there, which they will be.
If you could get both for the cost/wages of a Bellingham then you'd be laughing.
Is the other one going to whichever out of Arsenal and Chelsea don't get Declan Rice?
This is why I don't see it being as high as a guaranteed £80m. The whole point is to get 2/3 in as appose to 1 big signing. If they get Mount, Mac Allister and Ugarte for around £150m, I reckon they'll be happy with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Fucking Mount :D
Ugarte will be off to Chelsea with Mendes being the biggest factor. The latter is buddy buddy with Boehly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
If you don't think Mac Allister is worth £80m you haven't been watching the ginger maestro recently. No biggie as he really does strike as the most mediocre piece of shit to any casual viewer but under Klopp? Jesus :drool:
Probably.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
It has been suggested that there is THE SHORTLIST(12 names?) and they're trying to get as many from it as they can. I think Mount will tell Chelsea he wants out and will eventually go for somewhere around £30m.
What becomes interesting is if Ugarte doesn't join then how far down the shortlist do you go before you start considering shite like Rabiot and Tielemans for free.
Rabiot would be a terrorist attack against the ownership situation.
I've no idea why no one wants to touch Tielemans with a ten foot barge pole, so I can only assume he comes out very bad with the analysts.
I hope said shortlist also has some defenders on it.
Klopp isn’t touching Tielemans - he can’t run.
In Championship news, it sadly appears that we are on the verge of selling Jobe Bellingham to Sunderland for 3m.
He's played a fair amount for us this season and actually played pretty well for a 17 year old. Calm and composed on the ball with decent passing ability, I think he could turn out to be good. He's nowhere near his brother at the same age, but that was always to be expected. It does strike me as odd that its Sunderland, though. Admittedly there's a few of our old youth coaching staff up there but even so, this feels a bit like a sidewards move for him.
Can't complain too much. If Jude goes for big bucks (and the rumoured 10% transfer clause is true), the Bellingham family may have single-handedly kept us in business.
Are they going to retire his shirt as well?
Well our new owner is American, so it’s a distinct possibility.
I think I would rather be the binman brother of a top, top footballer than the crap footballer brother.
Bit harsh on Phil Neville.
The talk I'm hearing is the Mac Allister deal will be ~£60m in total, he'll be on 100k a week and signed for 5 years.
Sounds like they're just waiting until the season is over before announcing.
I'm expecting anything else Liverpool do to happen quite quickly after. Klopp wants all of the signings done before pre season begins to get everyone on the PEDs properly.
Neymar to United rumours starting early this year.
But we have Casemiro this time. So obviously it’s happening :rolleyes:
Neymar added into that squad :D
We already have Antony, Neymar might be overkill
Not thaat I know much about Scotch football, but why are Rangers releasing a bunch of [what I would have thought are] their better players? Is it money? Do Kent and Morelos not want to sign on again, or have they just gone to shit? You were looking at 8 figure transfer fees for those two not long ago.
Probably a bit of both. Ryan Kent done okay in Europe a few times but is generally very useless.
Probably not worth the bother with Morelos. He’s fat and a bit retarded
Mount going to Man Utd for £55m+ would be glorious. Poor RL.
:yn:
Hopefully that prices Liverpool out the picture and we're full steam ahead for Mac Allister and Ugarte.
:sick:
I will kill myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Sami Mokbel is a half-decent journalist as well ffs.
Mase will sell a lot of pot noodles I imagine.
Barcelona want to re-sign Aubameyang? What?
It’ll involve some kind of financial irregularity surely. The days of a top club signing Aubameyang on ability alone are long gone.
'Mase' is quality, although £55m is taking the piss. Does signing him mean you get a better shot at Rice seeing as they're 'besties'.
Mount would be really good for Liverpool in that run like fuck role Wijnaldum was great at. Not sure where he’d fit in at Man Utd. A lot of money for a utility player who is currently injury prone as fuck
This is why I'd be happy to have him here. He doesn't need to be amazing, just have a good engine and pass the ball forwards to of the of the forwards or fullbacks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
£55m seems very steep for a player with 1 year left on his deal, but then I guess they know United need the home grown quota filling up.
Really? Is that a big deal still?
Would Bellingham fall foul of that rule [whatever it is]? If so, what a bobbins rule.
Jones, Maguire, Greenwood and Butland are all leaving and that's without factoring in outside chances of Shaw, Sancho or Heaton being loaned out or leaving too.
They do need some quota filling signings and also some midfielders. Mount would tick both boxes for them. I'm not saying that's the main reason for them signing him, but it's got to be playing a part.
They can make it up with squad meat or a back-up 'keeper if it means not wasting all that on Mason Mount.
Mount would be a good buy for you, if only to bring some humanity and honesty into that favela community.
We're actually going to sign Mount aren't we ffs.
Ten Hag out, useless bald cunt.
Looks like PSG might have nicked Ugarte off Liverpool which would cheer me up a bit at least.
When you consider Mount has played every game for years, mostly to a very high level, not had a break at any point (until the last few weeks) and also apparently been the victim of stalking, I'd say there's quite a lot of upside there.
Is mount better than Mctomminay?
Yes.
Ok I'm sold. Get him signed.
Better Mount than Gallagher, who the lucky loser will probably end up signing.
Gallagher baffles me. He is basically a modern day Robbie Savage.
United in for Rice.
No idea where all this money is coming from.
We're don't have much FFP headroom though. I doubt the Sheikh's have got their one-man-in-a-shack billion pounds sponsorship deals setup yet.
FFP headroom. :D
We genuinely don't, because of our complete inability to sell players and our lack of Man City accounting.
Selling McTominay for 20-25m will clear any issues due to being homegrown. If Chelsea get £55m+ for Mount that will give them enough leeway to spend another couple hundred million. Never mind if folk pay for Gallagher and Chalobah
If Chelsea can get round it by giving players long contracts and there's no adjustment in the FFP assessment to take account of this then the whole thing must have enough holes in it to get around it before you even get to what Man City were doing.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
They've closed that workaround. Fees can now only be amortized over a maximum of five years even if the contract is longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Find some more. Honestly, that that loophole was even there in the first place and for that long shows how piss poorly thought out the whole thing is. Any accountant worth half of their salt (even one of Jim's management accountants) would have spotted it in seconds. It's serious 101 stuff.
'
And while I'm at it, what the fuck are PSG doing? There isn't a cat in hell's chance their 'business model' is sustainable playing in that shithouse league and getting bummed out of the Champions League early doors every season. If the regulations actually worked they'd have been banned from Europe years ago.
You seem to be forgetting all football's top officials make Big Sam's pint of wine look quaint and think Salt Bae is the best.
Hang on, I'm the one arguing that it's a load of inconsistent bollocks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
It sounded more like you were arguing it was incompetent rather than done by design to keep fat old men travelling the from 5 star hotel to 5 star hotel all expenses paid nailing prostitutes 40 years their junior.
Livakovic going to Fenerbahce is a bit bizarre
That would be a much better signing since he could play a bit further forward at United.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
United will be balls deep for Kane and will only get another if we sell. IMO
I see they're sneaking a few women's football rumours in at the end of the BBC gossip roundup. Is that a new thing?
No, it's been complained about here before.
I still get done by 'Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE' and it turns out to be a ladies' match.
My father in law watches Soccer Saturday, despite me getting him IPTV on a Firestick for Christmas so could literally watch the only match he cares about (Everton), and I’ve noticed they have women’s scores on the ticker along the bottom. We both agree they should have their own show, if people care that much, and keep their sweet pussies out of the men’s game. Not in as many words, mind.
It needs the Men's game to keep it remotely relevant as it's a product that has so little interest compared otherwise.
That's top son-in-lawing that. You can't win with some people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Is it being SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT?Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Not really but it is a bit tiresome.
Will be interesting to see if this Xavi Simons amounts to anything outside of the Dutch dosser league. His numbers are impressive but his physique is not.
Kofi Kingston
Is Kane to United actually a thing? :uhoh:
See Liverpool newspaper linked to Milinkovic-Savic. He looked an absolute don a few seasons ago, although I've seen little to nothing of Lazio/him since. Why did he never leave them and is he still any good?
We're definitely going to try for him but Ornstein said yesterday they want way over £100m and the most likely thing is he stays and leaves on a free next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
IIRC the fee Lazio wanted was always mental, especially considering he regularly stunk it up for Serbia. Popped up with two at the weekend and has been been top tier on the handful of occasions I've watched Lazio this season. Not a Klopp player by any means though.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Just seen Sadio's on £325k a week at Bayern. Fucking hell. Guess they'll be enjoying paying that for the next few years.
No wonder they want him out already. Can't blame him though, he tends to send a lot of his wage back home to improve where he grew up.
Potter to Palace should add a new generation of spice to the 'M23 derby'.
I thought Adolf had been confirmed for that one. Poor Adolf.
In unfortunate timing considering it was happening regardless, two days after he missed the deciding penalty in the playoff final we've released Fanky Dabo.
With Todd Kane going as well this left us woefully short of ex-Chelsea youth fullbacks but luckily it was then announced that we're signing Jay Dasilva, that was a nervy 20 minutes.
New director in Jorg Schmadtke is in, though it sounds like it's only a summer window thing, with an option to extend after. A bit weird.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Ward got the Alexis deal done before leaving, so he's coming in for £60.5m. As soon as this new guy joined the talk is we've gone in for Manu Kone of Mochengladbach and Khephren Thuram from Nice.
Both of those would be the exact opposite kind of player to the one we've been trying to get in midfield, but one I think is now needed. Both also seem to be in the £40-50m range too. I can't say I've seen Kone play, but Thuram should do well.
Germans seem to be trying to make up for being a little late to the BLM party.
I've ran the numbers and at 185cm, Kone isn't ideal but Thuram is 192cm and we're looking at mad inches in the showers which should hopefully keep the favela cunts like Diaz and Nunez in check.
Is Nunez gets number 9, I’m done
Did Milner wear 7? Few big shirts on offer this summer if so. My Brighton Intel told me 'Alexis' wants 10, who took that off Mane last year?
Don't think anyone did.
7(Milner), 8(Keita), 9(Bobby) and 10(Mané) are all up for grabs now.
I don't think any current squad members will change up now as they would usually announce that before the new kit starts selling.
Don't forget whatever number 'Arthur Melo' [if such a character exists beyond FFP chicanery] had. What a signing.
Arthur, McKennie and Zakaria. Juve gonna be formidable next year.
The fabled 29 shirt will have to be left alone for some time you feel. Out of respect.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Made Aquilani look like Gerrard.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
TAA to 7 just for The Sun meltdown.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Chelsea offering Ugarte £40k a week :D
Yeah, but 40k a week for 60 years.
Poch is a lucky man getting to choose from a midfield of Cancelo/Ugarte/Fernandez. The latter finally not having to sit as the deepest in a midfield :drool:. Night and day to Jovacic.
Do you mean Caicedo?
He means Gallagher.
That Benzema Saudi deal sounds pretty tasty. Muslim lives will soon matter and it sets us up nicely to get rid of the carcass of Mo in a season or two.
I'm hearing Frank Lampard to Al-Raed, they feel he has good brand synergy with their sponsors Shawarma King.
I'm very surprised Lucho didn't upgrade himself to number 7. Assuming Alexis takes the 10, there's still plenty for new signings to take.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
Kovacic to Man City sounds like it could be a possibility. He’s been horrendous this year but then who hasn’t. Should be class under ‘Pep’ though.
Seen Lukaku is smashing Megan Thee Stallion? :chief:Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...mateo-kovacic/Quote:
Chelsea's Mason Mount agrees personal terms with Manchester United
https://media.tenor.com/kyk4ZXEgo-AA...here-throw.gif
:console:Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
I am not consoled.
Imagine paying between £60-70m for Mason Mount. Never mind a Mason Mount after a horrendous season and with 12 months left on his contract.
£100m for him and Kovacic who both were leaving for free in a year sorts any FFP issues. Lolz.
Corporate partners will love him. You always have to remember that is what Manchester United is about first and foremost.
"Stakeholders suggest the squad needs another Mason."
Gosh, Mount, how exciting.
You might also get his lunatic stalker bringing excitement to supermarkets all over the region.
She seems to have a line of generic white blokes she's got the horn for.
Kovavic is some signing for whoever picks him up so for it to be City is taking the absolute piss.
Todd Boehly is a genius.
Rinsing/abusing the FFP system is fine and dandy as long as you don't mind pouring money down the drain constantly. It might 'work' to not fall foul of the rules [fucking accountants], but spreading out your bigger losses over a longer period isn't actually offset by smaller sales booked over a shorter period [thereby inflated]. And again, unless your plan involves 'better' commercial deals once you have become the best team [usually requiring dodgy accounting through other entities you control] where is the gain?
United want two strikers - a young one and an experienced one - and are after Rasmus Hojlund as the former.
You've lost me. It sounds like Chelsea are spending big money on new players and depreciating them over a five year period (or whatever the maximum is now) and selling those players with low or non-existent net book values. Financially that's perfectly sound, but in and of itself it won't lead to an advantage because to maintain it you need to keep buying players cheap/producing them for nothing and then make the right big money signings. Even if you do, it doesn't necessarily guarantee anything on the pitch, particularly not if you appoint Frank Lampard.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
My point was more the genius of the Boehly model only works if you are happy to wear a lot of losses/run it in a Man City/PSG style. You can keep your head above FFP water whilst still losing eye watering amounts of money in reality.
I guess the main business advantage of unlimited resources is you can pour loads of money into youth (ie buy as many prospects as humanly possible) without it nudging the FFP needle down, but can later be used to nudge it up significantly.
Fingers crossed for Asensio to Villa, but looks like PSG are going to nick him.
I'm a long term supporter of Mount and believe he is and will again be a really good footballer at the highest level, but honestly at this point if someone wants to pay £60 million + for him and we have loads of homegrown around which we do, then we need to slim down the squad so why not punt.
A lot more shite to get rid of. Ziyech, Aubameyang, Pulisic obvious candidates for the chop. Cucurella maybe to go if Malaga need some depth for their Segunda B campaign. We are currently bloated to hell and it's far more important to shift players than it is to bring new ones in. I'd be fine with no new players, maybe a centre forward tops.
I would be open to Mason Mount for a last year of his contract fee, but sixty million is a bit lol really. If Chelsea want to cash in whilst they still can, and he really wants United, how can he possibly cost that much?
Real Madrid interested in Kai Havertz apparently. More money for mid players. Unreal scenes.
It's why the Joao Felix transfer made no sense. It's the definition of 'We've got Joao Felix at home' and it's a picture of Havertz.
We would be foolish to sell Havertz, especially if it's in deference to the rat-faced fuck Felix.
Poch told Felix he doesn’t want to keep him so you’re sound. Nkunku is already a ready made replacement for Havertz anyway in that ‘idk your strongest position is blud’.
If I had to guess, Martinez will join Chelsea and Inter will get Lukaku in return
Zero goals, zero assists in the league and let go on a free. Only managed 17 appearances for a team that finished 16th.
@Don
Dance for me.
That could be a rare case (a bit like Wilshere a while ago) where his demands are above what any club who would have him as a player are able to pay. Market failure, football-style.
England's 2018 WC squad aging like milk.
It must be hard being a flop from the United youth squad. All those years sat scratching his arse on the United Bench for £150k a week and now you're being offered half the amount and you might actually have to play. Gutting.
I had to search back to see what the teddy is namedropping me for and turns out he's either done likewise or this particular donnage was a real sore one:
https://www.thethirdhalf.co.uk/showt...l=1#post553770
Might need to wait for another year or 2 to find an instance when you had a respectable football take son.
On a Nottm Forest note though, the believers really called it. MGW at £30m was doubted but he'll go for 9 figures and as an England starter :drool:
I suppose I've only got myself to blame for trying to play chess against a pigeon.
To be fair, he was a pretty key part of the squad for a few years and had a couple of very good seasons. Unfortunately his brain is 7 years old and instead of trying to make the most of his talent, he wants to boost his brand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Yeah but imagine if we'd made the most of his twitter following mate.
Lessons not learned from Tom 'TC23' Cleverley.
Not a single player in the EPL, and not even a Liverpool one, that I'd like to see die a death more. Wonderful.
Staying on at West Ham really should've been the best option.
:happycry:Quote:
Manchester United will offer England defender Harry Maguire, 30, to Chelsea as part of a deal for England midfielder Mason Mount, 24.
Hopefully that means they won't be needing to keep Colwill, who clearly wants to stay down south [and play games].
They'll end up asking for more money to take Maguire.
Please don’t tell me you’re still reading BBC Gossip column.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Real Madrid, Man Utd and whoever buys Gallagher really doing Chelsea a solid one this window. FFP, who?
Hell yeah, fuck Romano, RL, Newsnow and all that clickbait cookie policy link shite.
On the FFP thing, I wonder if you could end up running it as some sort of cartel where all the BIG teams keep each other in the FFP sweetspot. Sounds like the kind of thing the Bayern/Juve hierarchy would be right into.
Haven't Barca and Juve (and Valencia??) have already done something similar with previous transfers.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Yeah, that Pjanic/Arthur Melo deal must have been one of the dodgiest ever. Plus Valenze or whatever. Juve and Bayern also seem to have a revolving door of transfers between the two.
But you can never overlook the fact that deals can sometime just be plain stupid [See the Ibrahimovic/Eto'o transfer for example].
It's exactly why Juventus are in the shit now.
Essentially they've been amortising player transfers over the length of their contracts, which is standard fare recently, as then the full fee for say Vlahovic doesn't come out in one 70m hit in a season, rather 5-6 much smaller chunks at 1 each year.
Conversely they have applied sales in full to the same season in order to prop up FFP. Where they've come into dodgy ground is sales like Pjanic for Athur. In truth the actual transfer was 12m to Barcelona with the players swapping.
What the clubs actually reported on their books however is Pjanic sold for 60m and Arthur sold for 72m. That allows both clubs to whack each amount straight into their seasons FFP count, giving much needed breathing room and fiddling the books.
This is why there are so many player exchanges in Italy. The problem for Juventus is now the Italians have cottoned on to how bullshit their valuations are in order to try and keep them in the black. One of the board members was braindead and kept an actual black book of the real values. So the points deduction is only the start of their issues.
If there's any truth in the BBC story about Mount [that Chelsea would rather like any deals to be done by June 30th for FFP rules] why would United not wait until July to try to sign him? It's not like Chelsea are going to say no at that point, are they? Surely there will be some interesting bargains to be had if teams are willing to get a little brinksmanshippy with the Todd Boehly Express.
We should offer £40m until June 30th and if they don't take it walk away.
Well actually we should not try to sign Mount because he's shit, but given that seems not to be an option...
Hazard's contract terminated by mutual consent with Madrid.
Fuck knows why he's agreed to that.
Probably signing a contract with a Saudi team.
Or he’s coming home :wub:
ITK.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Done deal, rejecting PSG to sign for Chelsea on £58k a week. What a don.
Him & Enzo will make for some midfield.
Yep. Chelsea back challenging for top 4 will be good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Onana; James, Fofana, Colwill, Chilwell/Hall; Ugarte, Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Nkunku, SterlingQuote:
Originally Posted by Manc
If I guessed, that would be the line up for the start of the season. Fernandez being able to get further forward should have the time of his life. If they sign a proper striker then Nkunku in the 10 and Ugarte on the bench. Massive upgrades on Jovacic and a disabled Kante regardless
Madueke and Sterling :D
It is an interesting experiment in whether going full Champ Manager can actually work.
I have my doubts.
Ugarte and Caicedo are going to cost the thick end of £140m as well, aren't they?
That team doesn't really look like it will score many goals in the BPLSBB.
£30-40m for Kovacic, £50-60m for Mount and £60-70m for Havertz (no idea what Madrid are smoking but he’ll probably do well )covers that with ease. That’s not taking into account Pulisic/Ziyech/Aubameyang/Mendy all being sold. Some gimps will probably be offering stupid money for Gallagher as well.
The above team is fucking awful.
Spending the thick end of a billion quid to still end up with Sterling starting would be some effort.
I’d rather not see him anywhere near the team but I think ‘Poch’ definitely starts him. The midfield 3 also probably rarely happens as he usually likes 4231 so Nkunku will be in the ‘10’ and a new striker brought in.
Toney would have been great but Martinez will do.
Do we reckon the sudden and urgent need for a central forward, will halt the Madrid purchase of Bellingham?
They wouldn't have let him go if they couldn't replace him without a fuss, so let's assume they'll just spend a record amount this summer.
No, and even if it did, he wouldn't go to Liverpool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
#SomehowAboutLiverpool
Kane to Madrid for a less eye-watering price than Levy would want from an English side, surely.
Sounds like they're going to low-ball Dortmund for Bellingham anyway.
Bellingham needs knee surgery so I’d be wary of him. Knee surgery at that age is wild.
Madrid are going for Havertz so I doubt they’re going for Kane. The latter will want to beat Shearer’s record as well
Reports of Juventus preparing a fire sale.
Chiesa is good but the injuries. Vlahovic could be made something of, but do they have much else?
Multiple reports suggesting the fee for Mac Alli is closer to £45m.
Over the past 5 seasons Benzema has scored 161 goals for Madrid. In the same time period, which includes Havertz being in Germany where he actually scored goals, our Kai has 70, 38 of which were in those years in Germany. Not sure he's exactly what they're looking for.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Yeah, he's been dogged by low fee rumours for years so there must be something in his contract to that effect. Probably turn out to be exercisable by Champions League teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Not particularly, entirely depends on the injury.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Madrid are definitely going for Kane. Unlike Chelsea they aren't stupid enough to stick Havertz up as a lone 9 and expect it to work.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...id-harry-kane/
United going to offer £50m for Mount :sick:
Apparently we're going to make a massive bid for Kane and if they say no, we'll move onto other strikers.
Loads of rumours in Italy about Kim Min-Jae still.
The Mason Mouth?Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
There are no plans, at present, to spend significant money on a goalkeeper and a new deal for David De Gea, whose current contract runs out at the end of this month, is expected to be announced shortly.
Ugh.
You were quick, I edited that about 10 seconds after I posted it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Why can't they just offer less than that on the assumption that he only wants to sign for United and Chelsea might as well not accept any other bids? Would they really just keep him for, say, thirty million?
I like the story about him being swayed by champions league football, lol.
I'd prefer us to go balls deep into Ferguson than Kane but it's pretty obvious we've been lacking any kind of threat outside of rashford despite a few goals from midfield. Im hoping its not just mount for the midfield. Plus an upgrade at goalkeeper but doubt it'll happen.
Evan Ferguson?
He's nowhere near the level United need at the moment. The price Brighton would want would put too much pressure on him and he'd almost certainly be deemed a flop on the back of that alone. Anyway, isn't United's transfer strategy (if you can call it that) more focused on the here and now, no? (Varane, Casemiro, Eriksen)
Tbf everyone who talks about him say he's got shades of shearer about him. Him and Kane would be acceptable.
Havertz to Madrid is imminent according to BILD.
I'd hate to see Ferguson go there at this stage. 2 games without a goal and he'd never be heard of again - if he ever even got a game.
This Gabri Veiga looks fucking ripe this summer. Never watched him but one look at his cute fucking face and solid build and you know he's gonna be something special.
Ah, that's the lad we're allegedly after. Him and some Gambian wonderkid terrorising Denmark. The latter sounds like it's done, the former very much isn't.
Ugarte wants to join PSG but Sporting are trying to force him to go to Chelsea because their offer to Sporting is better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Have you actually read the article? It’s amazing. PSG definitely paid Lequipe off to post a slander article. Claiming UEFA will be investigating it and Chelsea are buying stakes in Sporting and that’s why the latter want him to join Chelsea.
:henn0rz:
Arsenal looking likely to sign Caicedo and Rice, if they ship out Xhaka and Partey that's quite an upgrade.
Don't worry mate, stick with me and you'll learn what to listen to.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
I'm surprised we haven't all learned by now with these 'races' for the flavour of the month in Portuguese football. Those three clubs literally exist to orchestrate bidding wars.
Mehdi Taremi is available for under £20m tbf. Whether some cunt actually manages to give him a chance to prove he's a top 5 striker in world football above some favela cunt with sleeve tattoos is the major question though.
Did Gavi ever get his contract reinstated?
I imagine he wont want to leave Xavi and Barcelona, but surely all of Europes elite and also Spurs should be desperately trying to get him signed if he's available for "free."
Mac Allister has been Here We Goed I see.
Seems a decent deal if there's anything in the 'much less than expected' rumours [ie somewhere around £40m] and his wages are £100k [as also reported].
It should be. But Xhaka and Partey have generally been immense all season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Amazing.
The article looks even more stupid tho. The article never mentioned PSG were getting him - they stated that Chelsea is the only bid accepted because Chelsea were going to be investing in Sporting and that UEFA are going to be looking into the length of the contract.
Xhaka looked good in that role, given he seem to be thrown into it. They can probably get so much more out of that posisition though with a proper player in there. This Rice lad. Would he play the Partey role or the Xhaka role?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
https://cdn5.vectorstock.com/i/1000x...r-38108229.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
The Benjamin button of soccer fans.
I have never heard of "Ugarte" and will continue to have never heard of him once he moves to Ligue 1.
I'm trying to think of when I last watched a PSG game. Current estimate is the CL tie against Chelsea in 2016.
Seems Tammy has done his ACL in the last 10 mins of Romas last game. I would have had him down as Spurs' Kane replacement.
Spurs will buy and ruin Ferguson to try replace Kane. Black hole of a club and he hasn't the English benefit of the doubt.
I don't think he's going to be looking to force a move this summer and Brighton will have no desire or need to sell him. Move after a full season as a regular starter maybe, but going now, to be Harry Kane's replacement, would be utter madness.
I'm pretty sure Richarlison was the replacement bought in advance. Him being a donkey for the entirety of last season won't change Levy's mind on that.
Partey went to rat shit when the 'unnamed premier league footballer' headlines reared their heads again, unable to pass a ball 5 yards under no pressure at times during the run in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
I wouldn't worry about it to much, its looking very unlikely that he will go to Arsenal anyway.
Who tf advises these Saudi cunts? Rapist and Autist - sure, Benzema - definitely, Kante - almost astute but then you go and pursue Busquets and Auba? At least the former has some aura about him and may make some actual talent come, he probably fits the strategy of spamming the league with big names but how has Auba got himself in amongst it? Is he a giant in Africa or something?
Edit: That African FOTY award probably explains it, huh?
Brighton bidding £40m for Colwill - another £60m should do it.
Not sure we can compete with the financial muscle of the top six.
I think he wants to go [to play] which will be an interesting headache for Chelsea if they keep him and [inevitably] don't play him.
Just stick a buy back in or whatever.
Didn't they have one of those with Livramento?
Why wouldn’t they start him? Badiashile is injured until September so he’s guaranteed that left sided spot at the start of the season.
Apparently Zaha is also off to Saudi.
Utd also paying off some favela whore to make up domestic abuse accusations to be forced into Greenwood-ing Antony is a move to be respected. You wouldn't think he was the type looking at him.
Chris Wood also got a permanent deal. Good on him.
About 2 hours after I rave about him, we get linked with Gabri Veiga and now Chelsea are in for him. City have been mentioned too. Meanwhile Utd after Mount and Arsenal look to secure Maddison. There's levels to this game, lads.
£35m for the Argie leprechaun. Assuming he must have insisted on a £35m release clause if the biggest club in the game came in for him when he signed that new contract a few months back.
It will be more fun to see who Brighton replace him with.
Dahoud is already on the way, and Billy G is all set to step up (and a slew of other South Americans)
By the time 'Alexis' signs the price will be about £3.50 if the current fee trajectory continues.
Brighton to go down next season.
I think we'll see more and more players demanding reasonable release clauses to sign for Premier League teams outside of the top few.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65832658
Not a particularly interesting (:henn0rz:) story other than this little gem:
Leo, mate, I'm sure you have enough money to stay out of the letting market.Quote:
He already owns a house in Miami, which he currently rents out
They need to accommodate it too. If they start asking too much from other clubs or stomping their foot and saying no, the next young talent will choose somewhere else. Better to get a few years out of them and make a tidy profit shipping off a happy player.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Every time I click on a thread here at the moment another part of my life has been bought by the Saudis for £200 million.
I didn't realise that the PIF has (as of yesterday) actually bought out Nassr, Hilal, Ahli and Ittihad. This is a proper game changer. Within a year top players in their prime will be going there.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
103m Euros for Jude, rising to 133.9m.
400k a week wages is a bit mental.
Yeah, Brighton are definitely going to a Dortmund-on-Sea model. It'll be interesting to see how much they dig their heels in over Caicedo - my guess would be quite a lot, but he will go. Mac Allister had a stronger hand when he signed his new deal as his existing one didn't have long to run, whereas Caicedo's was for longer and on a crappy wage, so I guess that's why he has this weird not a release clause release clause.
Probably won't have to pay a penny of tax either.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
It'll probably end up more like the China situation where it becomes a front for FFP laundering business. Either that or there turns out to be truth in the rumours of wild plans to loan loads of players back to Newcastle, which would be hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Not sure the PIF operates that way.
It would seem Liverpool could be getting 4 players for a bit more than the price of Bellingham.
Mac Allister seems to be £35m now. I've seen Thuram and Kone could be got for around £70m combined and the noises on this Gabi Veiga are getting louder too. He has a set £34.5m asking price as well.
Tough to miss out on Jude, but when the worlds biggest club offers you 400k a week, I don't see many turning that down.
Messi off to Inter Miami.
If it's £35m fee and £100k/week in wages, which is what seems to be doing the rounds, that's 3 years of Bellingham's salary. :happycry:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
What?Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
If Jude's on £400k a week, that's 60-odd million over 3 years, which is what you get if you add £35m [fee] and £26m [wages over 5 years] for Mac Allister. It's why those transfers [like the Haaland one] are out of reach for all but the most financially backed of clubs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Ah, I didn't realise the Mac Allister contract was five years so that's why my maths wasn't adding up.
Just realised Phil Neville is Inter Miami’s head coach. Lol.
No he isn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
No he’s not. Sacked (“fired”) a few days ago.
That's a shame, was looking forward to the arm around the shoulder on the sidelines pics.
Saudis in the mud, or the sand I suppose.
They'll just buy the MLS.
Yep. It’s going to utterly fuck football and there’s nothing FIFA or UEFA can do about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Just needs one big young ish name to sign for an obscene fee and the floodgates will open.
:drool:
Can't see it myself. Who would have any interest in a Harlem Globetrotters in the sand of football type competition? The only type of 'fans' who would have any interest in it [namely 'new market' fans] don't need to be sportswashed anyway as they largely live in oppressive regimes and/or agree with most of what the Saudis get up to.
Maybe Oscar can make the move, again. Or Thiago. Do they want to buy Thiago?
The Saudi league is complete fodder so outside of the three PIF teams there's not a lot of pull (they can only register eight foreigners). Yes there will be the odd mercenary not approaching retirement who will take the plunge but for most decent players, they might as well stay where they are and play European football and cream millions off their current club whilst maintaining an actual life off the pitch.
I've watched what's happened in golf and I'm telling you, the PIF is an unstoppable force. Golf if anything is harder to buy as it has more pre-existing moral scruples and the blazers (small b) have/had more power. Football is defenceless.
I'd also be a bit worried or at least disappointed if I were a Newcastle fan, their plans are clearly a lot bigger than anything Abu Dhabi has done with City, it's a lot bigger than buying one club and trying to dominate. It's not even necessarily about getting people to their own league. It's about being in the room for every key decision, getting Aramco on every pitchside display, making Visit Saudi the number one corporate presence in the game, having the World Cup there, normalising Saudi Arabia in every way they can. It won't all happen at once but it's like the old boiling frogs thing, you'll look up and MBS will be at the helm of everything.
If you mean the fans, then they wouldn't initially, but if everyone good is playing there they would eventually - things like the World Club Cup would take on vastly increased significance and the whole thing would snowball.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
If you mean the players? Kylian Mbappe has already committed what may well be the best playing years of his life to playing in a dogshit league for a side that seemingly suffer as a result and are absolute bobbins in the Champions League. If Al Desert chucked a billion quid a year at him he'd go in a heartbeat.
We need to forget about 'Sportswashing' it's a complete red herring and this is a proper threat.
It won't need to be that. It'll be Champions League final played in Saudi, Super League played in Saudi, all the clubs and personalities you know and love will still be there but their mouths will be stuffed full of Saudi gold and maybe Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr get into the Champions League, becasue why not?Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
This VAR check is brought to you by VisitSaudi.com. Tourism advert plays whilst offside lines are drawn for 6 minutes.
I'm not saying they won't be all over the game in the near future but they'll be far more successful buying more Newcastles, because a lot of Europeans especially will have the "who the fuck wants to go there" attitude when looking at Saudi. Any player with a sense of credibility will go for Newcastle (or whatever other top club they buy out) over Al-Hilal or whatever because whatever money is at their disposal, you're still confined to playing local binmen most weeks and living in a hell hole.
This is all bang on for my money. Forget about human rights, relevance and a proper place on the World Stage is what Saudi Arabia want and they're using the vast resources they have (can anyone compete? I genuinely don't know) to get it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I know fuck all about golf, but haven't the PGA just completely folded as they realised they stood to lose everything if they didn't? If so, it's worth bearing in mind they did nothing to encourage it, whereas football has been sucking the desert cash cock for years now - The Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, they've all opened the door willingly and said come in. It looks like "thank you very much, we will" is the response.
That sounds like the sort of capitulation the established authorities are potentially going to have to do. I'd be more bothered, but the game has been morally and ethically bankrupt for years now (somehow successfully selling the illusion of sporting merit still existing to get away with it), so bring it on. :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
You're living in cloud cuckoo land if you don't think the sums of money that will be on offer (which will dwarf what Ronaldo is getting if it's directed at an Mbappe or Haaland) won't seriously tempt people. Again, buying into this romantic notion of the game that hasn't existed for years. 95% of everything is about money, the Saudi's have it by the bucketload and it looks like they've reached the stage of the plan is to use it to get people there - fair play to them, like many people I didn't realise until now there was a plan, but it's clearly been a brilliant one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
They have completely folded, yes, hence the surprise and shock at the announcement. I don't think they stood to lose everything though. LIV started out as a joke, became more of a joke as Tiger et al told Greg Norman to go fuck himself, then it picked up a lot of steam with a raft of huge signings and ruffled a lot of feathers last summer. But then it seemed to die off in publicity with them getting no half-decent TV deal and therefore little exposure. The past six months they've only been mentioned when there's been a major so a few of their guys were participating, and there was even murmurs of Koepka and a couple of others getting their lawyers to try and find a way out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
So if this had happened the back end of last year, then it probably would have been less surprising. The whole deal happened in the last seven weeks so I don't know what's changed, as the briberies were clearly always readily available to all.
I wouldn't say the PGA have folded necessarily (as they fought the 'breakaway league' very hard and it did ultimately fail in sporting terms), but they realised that Saudi money IS coming and is unstoppable, whether they like it or not, so it might as well be them that takes it rather than fight endless legal battles with a renegade league. Football I would have thought will skip the fighting stage and go straight to taking the cash.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
As for whether anyone can compete, of course they can't, certainly not in democratic countries. This is the sovereign wealth fund of an oil-rich theocracy. It's worth £1 trillion or near enough.
Mbappe plays for his hometown team and gets to make millions living where he grew up. I’m not really sure it’s comparable lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
And what brought that situation about/extended it? The absolutely ludicrous cone-tract he's on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Quite. I appreciate Ligue 1 isn't sponsored by Barclays or has brexitball big-name allure of David Moyes and Luton Town FC but fucking hell :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Saudi league will always be a circus and no individual will be able to change that, it'll need decades of serious development for that to change.
Saudi league will be like LIV. The PIF says to the football establishment: look, we can easily buy out your over-the-hill big names, and the odd bit of prime talent, to this joke competition: now, do you want to have a hollowed out product with far less established star power than before, or will you accept us buying out your sport in the long term?
I wasn't saying that. They're creating avenues for players to stay in decent countries and earn that money, rather than whoring themselves out to Al-Hilal for it. Seems obvious to me which option most players will prefer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
How do you even go about 'buying' football in the same way you would golf?
You can't buy FIFA/UEFA [any more than the extent to which those associations have already been bought], you can't buy the national associations, can you even buy The Premier League [how is it even owned]?
There seems to be night and day between the idea of normalising Saudi Arabia through sponsorship/money/events etc [which is clearly happening and all part of the plan] and them owning everything and therefore having carte blanche to relocate Man Red to the Red Sea coast or whatever.
Also, the boiling frogs thing is apocryphal.
This is the transfer thread you boring cunts.
David Sullivan has said Rice will be leaving.
You can de facto control anything with money. Qatar show how you can 'buy football', but even they lack the resources of the PIF.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
The avenues created in decent countries was the first step, they appear now to be moving on from that and giving them even better money to go there (without the difficulty of managing FFP - lol). Ronaldo wouldn't be on what he's earning now if he'd stayed in Europe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
'Alexis' is BBC official with the [more sensible] fee of £55m being quoted. Although I guess £55m deal could mean anything really.
Take it back, story has changed to £35m fee [rising to £55m if he wins 5 golden balls or something equally unlikely].
Weren't we saying all this about chinkyball a few years ago? Saudi Arabia might well get to slap its branding on everything but so what?
We might have been, but the Chinese are clearly amateurs compared.
The Chinese were told to stop by Xi as the football no longer aligned with his/the counties interests.
I can't see the Saudis getting bored with it any time soon and if anything this is only the beginning.
Even if they only go over for a season or two, how many players would really turn down 5x or 10x what they could earn at a Manchester United or Real Madrid?
Do footballers even pay tax over there?
This is quite good if you prefer the 'Saudis aren't all that' side of the argument: https://chiefexecutive.net/the-rest-...e-golf-treaty/
You can see what they're trying to do.
United trying to send Greenwood out on loan. Feels like we're testing the waters for eventually bringing him back. Yuck.
Just rip the cunt's contract up.
They'll be desparate to make that loan permanent. Assuming he isn't chased out of it like Goodwillie was.
Surely a sale to Saudi beckons.
What happens if everyone goes to Saudi but everyone just stops watching? Young people are fucking imbeciles but there's a certain point they may not care.
They just get 15000 Indians to pretend to be Liverpool fans on the New Kop at Dammamfield.
Isn't the end game for Saudi owning all this so they can milk a new cow when the oil dries up? Otherwise they're just stuck in the desert with no resources.
Lol if instead of saving Newcastle this is just a gateway to siphoning talent through their books to their new league.
Edit: Phillipe Aucliar on Football Weekly pretty good, basically says they want to get the Club World Cup bigger than the CL and their league will have guaranteed spots via a top 4.
I’ve seen at least three kids wearing the kit of whatever team Ronaldo’s at. They’ll lap it up.
5 years at Newcastle with an agreed retirement contract in Saudi. Stuff FFP.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
That’s exactly what it is. They couldn’t give a fuck about ‘sportswashing’ their reputation clean. Much bigger fish to fry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
It seems the Liverpool shortlist is Thuram, Kone, Veiga, Lavia and Gravenberch.
They're going to have to move quickly as every single one of them is involved in the u21 Euros which I think starts in two weeks.
To that end they've moved on Thuram and have agreed terms with the player. Just a case of getting the structure of the fee sorted out.
I don't think owing every sport going could replace Saudi oil revenues, so it clearly isn't that.
$700m a day.
Maybe the plan is to break up all the teams for parts. At Sheikh Jassim prices that should get them through a few months at least.
It's not about replacing the oil revenues with sport revenues, but being slap bang in the middle of the conversation for other opportunities. Sport's the loss leader if you will.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I'm hoping he bags a few and we get a nice fee at the end of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Just seen [the orcale] Darren Bent's take on the Mac Allister transfer.
Now, I'm no Darren Bent level understander of the game, and I don't have any official stats on the matter, but that seems to me to be a bit of an odd take.Quote:
Bent told DR Sports: "Is he what you need though? Don't get me wrong, I like him. I think he's very good.
"He can't run. What's Liverpool's midfield problem? You've got no legs.
The stats I can find suggests Pascal Gross ranked top 10 for distance covered per 90 in the league last season, which is a bit :cab:.
I guess he can run [although not very fast].
Brighton don't seem to rate that highly on distance covered, which I guess is a feature of having the ball so much.
I'd like to think Klopp and his analytics team, who have nailed almost every transfer in the past 5 years, know a little better than Darren Bent.
In other news Tielemans has joined Aston Villa, which is about the best he could have hoped for really.
Couldn’t agree more but you have to answer “Why not?”. Because it doesn’t matter. It is just background noise, branding, and palming the bouncer a grand so you can get in the room. It is the opposite of talent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Steinberg saying Rice to Arsenal is done. Think it’s a good move even at the excessive price. Will be interesting to see whether it’s to take Xhakas position or Parteys.
PSG have told Mbappe he either renews (which he's categorically said he won't) or they'll sell him this summer.
On this also I have no idea what is a good window. Feels like we need one of those Allison/Van Dijk windows where a couple of signings significantly improve the XI but outside of central midfield I can't see signings that don't sideline players that made us good this year or wouldn't be good enough to replace them. Saka played literally every game last year which is untenable but I can't see a player that would be as effective as Saka willing to sit on the bench for most of the season either.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
The price is irrelevant in the modern game. Massive upgrade on braindead Xhaka, who had been playing well for him, but always does something stupid.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Saka played 1400 minutes (nearly 16 full games) less than Bruno Fernandes, the big pussy.
Is he likely to go anywhere other than Madrid?Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Personally I think Xhaka's reputation is incredibly unfair, largely unearned and then due to said unfair reputation gets treated unfairly. Some of his red cards were truly bizarre. I remember one where he got a red card for preventing a goal scoring opportunity when the tackle was in the opposition half and Arsenal had multiple men behind the ball.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
United if the Qatar bid wins :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Being serious, I can't see him going anywhere else, but Perez said the other day they won't sign him this summer so I don't know.
If he goes to City....
MBappe carries himself well and whenever I hear him speak on French TV comes across as seriously intelligent but this whole 1)choosing to go to PSG in the first place followed by the will he won't he thing is a serious black mark on what should be a great careeer.
I'm sure he'll find solace in his billion pounds.
Basically Xhaka played in the position this season he should have done his entire time at Arsenal but was always being put further back where he was prone to getting caughr on the turn and chasing back. Pushed further up this was virtually eliminated from his game.
Mbappe to Saudi would be quite funny.
Was his plan to join them next year on a free, but Benzema has ruined it? Who advised him to sign for Paris again the retard?
Pretty sure their facts are wrong as Notts County didn't pay that much for McGoldrick but I enjoyed this nontheless:
Who's the little black lad?
I presume this explains it. Also made me lol/cry.
What's the Jude Bellingham angle? Was one of his grandparents in Thin Lizzy or something?
There must be quite a large portion of the British population that could qualify to play for Ireland in reality, and then there's the likes of Tony Cascarino and Matty Holland.
Seems like a funny period that, with the likes of Cascarino and Mark Lawrenson etc. My driving instructor used to seethe over it.
I wonder if Mark Lawrenson ever regretted not waiting. He would surely have won loads of England caps in that crap eighties period.
I always thought he had played for Northern Ireland. Don't know why I thought that. Maybe his moustache and hangdog approach to life.
Mbappe apparently available for €200m.
Genuinely, I'm not sure what the point of him going to Madrid is. He has previously pissed and moaned that he doesn't want to play as the 9, he wants to be on the left wing. With Vinicius being their best player I'm not entirely sure how they make it all fit together.
Bring him United and give Rashford a go up front.
Maybe they convince Vinicius to leave? Shouldn't be too hard. Just call him the hard R enough times and he'll be off.
He can deputise for Salah/Jota/Diaz/Gakpo.
They've just given Vinicius the 7 shirt and made a big deal over it, so I'd guess he's not to be moved.
I can't see anyone paying the fee and wages PSG will originally want. Maybe as we get towards the end of the window someone will blink.
Chelsea might :eyemouth:
Kylianm Bappe is the best player in the world and would be a bargain at anything up to a record transfer.
Facts.
Harry Kane well and truly in the mud.
Surely this is where the PIF open the cheque book and take Mbappe to Newcastle. I'm sure he'd enjoy the easy local women and bracing climate.
Rumours Arsenal are in for Havertz.
If sex had any impact on Mbappe's choice he'd be off to Bangkok in a flash.
These Sancho to Villa rumours are out of the blue. I wouldn't touch him with a bargepole...
Sancho will look absolute quality the moment he starts playing with a striker who isn't dogshit.
We are mugs if we get rid.
No he won't.
I look forward to claiming my evictory in due course.
Bellingham to Madrid is done.
The most expensive Englishmen list on the BBC makes for sorry reading for United.
Do think they'd be mad to get rid of Sancho though.
Sancho has been pony but if we're not going to replace him then give him one more season. He will get competition from Rashford, Pellestri, Mbappe, and Garnacho next season so that should be motivation to kick on.
3 years on and Utd fans can't even spell his useless name but he's finally going to deliver competition that forces Sancho to become the starboy we all said he wouldn't :drool:
Shut it gammon.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...ella-deal-50m/
Bomba.Quote:
Newcastle close in on sensational £50m deal to sign Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella
Bruno/Barella/Joelinton. Offft. Wins the treble.
Being Italian I assume his exceptional xTimewasting stats have piqued their interest.
He was garb in the final.
Havertz to Arsenal is an odd one.
Joselu to Real Madrid is apparently a thing that's done.
Arsenal paying £60m for Havertz and £200k a week will be glorious. I love this game
Sounds like Madrid or bust for our 'arry.
No chance in hell they go for him with Mbappe on the market. He's stuck their til next summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
Feels like these two are connected. Get in some generic Spaniard for a year to replace Benz and then get Mbop on a free next yearQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
This the geezer who was at Stoke and Newcastle? :cab:
Yep. :D
He was quality in friendlies for us tbf. Just really, really lacked confidence.
We've also secured that Minteh kid and loaned him out to Feyenoord. Sending him to someone other than Macclesfield or the SPL fills me with hope.
United shaping up for another summer of telling teams their players aren't worth what they think they are worth by the looks of things.
Yeah every other club just pays whatever the selling team asks for.
Ive been informed by man utd man around me that ten hag refuses to give his players mote than 200k per week. This means that Rashford is probably gone.
City moving for Rice. Ugh.
Imagine PSG getting rid of turtleboy and replacing him with Kylian Trashford just on the basis of me coining that nickname. Mad.
Arsenal have pulled out of going for Caicedo (Chelsea and United apparently in for him but I can't see us paying the price).
The add-on structure on Arsenal's first bid for Rice was apparently "embarrassing".
I read that. Any ideas what it was? I’ve no idea why a selling club would ever entertain add one for a player in demand. You want him, pay the price. Now.
It was because the add-ons were tied to Arsenal winning stuff lmao :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Pretty fair.
I'd be baulking at a CL qualification stipulation as a selling club, let alone £Xm when they win the league/champions league.
My favourite ones are the Ballon d'Or clauses. Like the one Bayern tried to put in for something like £10m if Mane won it.
Hazard’s bonuses didn’t half pay out though. Barely even played for the full 5 years too :lol:
The Martial Ballon D'or is still the pinnacle, right?
There's still time, he's a great prospect.
Summer ruined.
At least it looks like De Gea might leave (probably won't).
That Barella stuff was pap. I don't know why anyone pays attention until they're wearing the kit.
The idea that the Saudi's were getting a bargain that the rest of the world wasn't on to was the dead giveaway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Not a fan of these actual football games getting in the way of the most important thing in the game, winning the transfer window.
Feels like Everton have won more transfer windows than away games in the last few years.
Blood money often finds a way.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Is Fabrizio Romano using AI to write a new spin on exactly the same tweet as he made 3 hours ago with zero new information? The man is I’ll and addicted to getting likes on Twitter.
Biggest porko in the league so he won't be missed.
£50m and Wolves have said yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Barcelona going to have to stump up the cash.
With one year left on his deal, if that 50m is correct...
The real life equivalent of adding another manager on FM.
I did think that Chelsea were massively striking it lucky that these Saudi clubs are cleaning up all their deadwood. Knowing that PIF also invested in Clearlake suddenly it all makes sense.
Financial doping.
This is all absolutely glorious. :drool:
The game is now riddled with this money and FFP dies again.
It’s also going to make FM pretty unplayable. Which as far as I can see is the only downside here.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
How so?
I'm half expecting to get home tonight and find the Pif have bought my flat.
I imagine editing Saudi transfer budgets down to zero will be quite popular.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
You have to give it to Boehly, he knows how to grift.
No more 8 year contracts? How about this then? Although, that said, this is just a continuation of Abramovich era policy, where their network of fully paid up agents [Mendes et al] could always be relied on to shift out deadwood at baffling prices [cf the career of David Luiz and all the China stuff].
Tend to think the more of this that happens the better for the competitiveness of the game at the top, bizarrely.
It's not exactly new, all the top clubs have had to get inflated fees from their bent contacts in the past, just that back then when Utd were doing it with their loveable gammon-led Sunderlands and Evertons, Chelsea are now doing it with the hairy brown terrorists. Suck it up, you fucking whities.
You can still do 8 contracts. It’s just the transfer fee will be spread over a max of 5 years instead of the contract length
Koulibaly, Kante and Havertz all leaving frees up £850k a week on wages. The fact they’re also getting £60m from Arsenal for Havertz and £25m from a Saudi club for Koulibaly is the icing on the cake. £35m for Kovacic to City seems like it’s done and I assume Man Utd pay around £55m and get Mason Mount. Minted.
The more concentrated the wealth and talent is, the harder it'll be to take an average or poor club to the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Yeah, so there's not really any point/benefit to them now. You'll still need to give a player a new/better contract if they turn out to be good, even if they are on a long one, and if they're shite you're just stuck in Bogardeville for longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Obviously Borgardeville, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia SA1 FU2 is less of a problem than perhaps the original was.
Tying Trashford down to £375k a week? I fucking love this game.
I don't understand why in the world Arsenal are trying to sign Havertz. He hasn't been very good for Chelsea, he's not really a striker and even if he were he'd still not beat Jesus (or, arguably Nketiah?) to the starting spot. And even more importantly it's not really what they need? Meanwhile they are haggling for 20m here or there for Declan Rice which is exactly what they need. What am I missing?
He's an absolutely class player who is bypassed by modern elite tactics. He should probably go and play in the Championship or something and score 50 a season and make another 50. Actually, he could just stay at Chelsea and do that.
Outing yourself as a Sun reader, ooft.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Ah yes. I can relate actually because modern elite tactics these days expects you to make use of both your feet so much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I reckon I'm literally worth 60M with the old tactics, though.
Always thought Havertz would be good in the Firmino 9 type mould, which, given Arsenal have Saka and Martinelli for goals from out wide, probably suits them.
That’s how he’s played for 3 years though lol
Geezer's numbers for a far superior team make the likes of Zaha and Barnes look like Messi. £60m for him and Mount and it's the Saudis inflating the market and ruining FM :happycry:
Yeah, but Chelsea have absolutely no goals in their team, particularly from their wide forwards. The defensive/facilitator 9 is not so effective in those circumstances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Exactly. All the players Chelsea are selling to Saudi are Muslims as well. And they offered Kante a contract, if they were so onboard with them why would they take Kante from then.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
If players like Pulisic and Kepa start getting offers then maybe they have a case
Mendy's gone now so they'll be clinging on to Kepa.
And Onana, surely?
:’(Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Have to say this guy looked absolutely class on the ball in the CL final. He’d probably be an upgrade on Ederson for City.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
When was the last time this actually happened?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
In Football Manager? Quite regularly I'd reckon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Ah, whoops.
Who or what is a Jason Tindall?
Newcastle ass man.
Ah nevermind,.I'd been caught by one of those spoof pages earlier saying he'd took over as Bournemouth manager.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Not when he has all those Champions League hands to shake.
Was going to come in and ponder whether Saudi had any interest in taking Thiago and then I go and read a rumour in some click bait rag. :drool:
Looks like Saudis style of courting women appeals more to Thomas Partey.
Nkunku to Chelsea is done. 16 in 25 in the Bundesliga and he's a speed merchant? Might not even need to get the doctor in for him.
His eligibility for the operation is currently being determined, I'll give you news as soon as I have it.
Arsenal in for Ajax's Timber.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
And Lavia.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
Sounds like Lukaku wants his lawyer involved because Chelsea won’t loan him to Milan :lol:
Lukaku greets Nkunku outside the operating theatre in July:
https://media.tenor.com/EfnOW4LjUhwA...mes-franco.gif
This might sound insane but I genuinely wonder how much the constant special cards in FIFA have contributed to that Nkunku transfer.
Yeah it does.
I've heard Boehly has entire fantasy team full of Nkunku.
Di Marzio reckons United are in for him. Seems the takeover is causing a lot of holdup though. Boooooorrriiiiiiing.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJay
Was Onana the one who failed a drugs test or some other sort of misdemeanor, which led to his departure from Ajax?
Yeah, took some of his wife's pills.
Can't remember what they were for, weight loss?
Idk where the myth they were weight loss pills came from but it's amazingly ubiquitous.
They were furosemide, which is not in itself a doping agent but can be used to mask the use of other drugs. It's a diuretic (makes you wee more). She was on it after her pregnancy, don't know exactly why. He claims he took them thinking they were headache tablets.
How was her birth?
After that thing with Darrell DK washing his clothes in dishwasher tablets, I'm inclined to believe all these drug cover stories are actually true.
From the Summer 2019 Transfer Thread...
Mueanta set to join Leicester City this week :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
They've got a Thai chairman, that doesn't count.
CALLED IT.
Caps.
Itk.
In Thai know lmao.
It does cos he's awesome on FM
Another hit. It is impressive how "tuned in" to asian football you are.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
Selling Kai Havertz to Arsenal is literally insane. A tacit admission that we're gearing up for several seasons in the bottom half of the table.
Hardly. He’s been genuinely dreadful for 3 years outside of a few sparks. Sounds like he will be playing up front for them as well.
Chelsea selling to Arsenal has historically went pretty well for them as well. Ziyech, Mendy, Koulibaly and Kovacic all confirmed as leaving too. well over 1 million a week saved on wages if you include Kante. Let them spending spree begin :drool:
Kovacic to City is the real head scratcher.
Kai has been ordinary when ive seen him. Even in the bundesliga. Chelsea are having a good time clearing out the dead wood.
Year left on his contract, constant niggling injuries and stopped bothering completely this year. May as well cash in especially when he’s gonna be at best 3rd choice in midfield.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Saved 1 million on wages, which we will then plough into some absolute garbage flavour of the month shite who are happy not to play in the Champions League in exchange for a future move to Al-Taawon. Meanwhile all the players of pedigree are out the door.
:lol:
Are wage saving victories the new "net spend table"?
No idea but it’s handy for a FM save
You can move the slider and get extra transfer budget.
Barry Neville wants us put under a transfer embargo apparently. Love it. Bring it on.
He's also said this:
Integrity of the game. Rofl and if you will, copter.Quote:
"The Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn't being damaged," Neville told BBC Sport.
The Ruben Neves loan back to Newcastle would be incredible lols tbf. Where previously City have done it through all manner of complex (or at least convoluted) means to partake in the gammon circus, it now seems like the muslim man just doesn't give a single fuck about even attempting to thinly veil it. It's glorious.
The prophet would be turning in his paedo grave if he knew how many processed pork products his descendants were having to nibble on daily just to keep the camel train on the tracks.
Peace be upon him.
Interesting to see how soon he embraces Qatari culture under the new regime. Because of course they're completely different!Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
He already did a good job of that pre-2022.
He was raising awareness to be fair.
Sounds like although the Barella stuff was a load of wank they’re gonna end up with a better player in Tonali
Newcastle that is
Gundogan to Barca done.
I'd have major worries about either of those two, although it is quite good to see 'hot prospects' of yesteryear amounting to something.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Newcastle should be going all in for someone like Rice.
BBC say second bid for Mount rejected, so, you never know, perhaps United's transfer 'strategy' will end up working in their favour this time [and they won't sign him]. Or they'll pay £70m in late August.
Also, the Havertz deal is a bit :cab: for all concerned.
It's going to get agreed for somewhere in the middle, sadly.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Also, what the fuck is this?
Toggle Spoiler
Making children millionaires does strange things.
Those articles really give themselves away with paragraphs like this:
Nothing worse than someone who hates sport trying to write about it or its participants. Sad to say it's normally women who are guilty.Quote:
David Bowie, one of the most important pop musicians of all time, pushed conventional gender boundaries fifty years ago. Back then, in the 1970s and 1980s, that was conspicuously provocative and counter-cultural. Today, cross-dressing is so commonplace as to be banal. You know it’s lost its edge when even footballers are doing it.
Seen that clip of some female pundit suggest England play "two number 10s" and Jermain Defoe's like :cab:
Marca seem to think Bernardo Silva is about to go to Saudi as well
New FFP loophole
Well, I for one am shocked that there's another loophole.
I would say football had a massive problem when the pif bought Newcastle, not when Al Hilal started loaning them players.
Where would Neves be paying tax in that structure, particularly if the wage contribution from Newcastle was, say, nothing?
If they go for it and get banned by UEFA can we have their Champions League spot? :baz:
Tonali to Newcastle looks to be ON.
As if the Neves thing is happening you drama queens.
If City are now in for Declan Rice then Arsenal should just buy Caicedo before Chelsea end up getting him for over the odds.
Whoever is going to get Caicedo are going to be paying over the odds/what Brighton want, I would imagine.
Unless, perhaps, some players are added into the mix. :naughty:
Connor Gallagher if you’re lucky
Can I interest you in a Slabhead?Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Yeah, but that puts the price up.
Not signing a guy who was available on a free and then trying to buy him at the peak of his value a year later is such perfect United transfer shit.
Even more so when he was at Ajax, and the manager presumably knew he was off to United well before he agreed to join Inter.
Arsenal being about to get beaten to Rice by City is perfect Arsenal transfer shit.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
What an own. Richest team in the world buys player. They already bought half our team a decade ago.
He got Antony at least.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
You lose your top transfer targets to other teams after twerking for them for weeks literally every window.
And you pay 80 million quid each for Harry Maguire and Fred. I'm not sure you're coming out on top of this argument.
Missed out on Nunez though fortunately.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Fred was £45m.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
What a bargain.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Meanwhile the annual salary costs are 2-2.5 times that of Arsenal and still a shambles.
This is such massively insecure deflection I almost enjoy it.
You paid £800m for Nicolas Pepe, since we're just making things up.
Yeah that sucked and was bad. So bad in fact that the guy who did it was fired for doing something corrupt that the media still can’t openly discuss for some reason. What’s your point?
Best front three in world football.
:drool:
That it's funny players will still only join you if no other top team is interested.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Okay what does that have to do with buying a Goalkeeper for 50 million euros when he was available for free 12 months earlier?
We've got two more fucking months of this, lads. Hold your horses.
They really should be replacing DeGea anyway whether he leaves or not. Here's fucking awful.
Third bid for Mount going in around £55m :happycry:
Could almost have bought a Ligue Un club for that.
This whole multi-club model thing is really the scourge/danger for football going forward. It should be absolutely prohibited.
That’ll be another thing the media and folk in general start scrutinising now Bad Bad Boehly has started it. Man City have a club in every continent or not far off it.
I’d be fuming if I was a fan of said club tbf.
Yeah, that's the main problem of it. Clubs with 100+ years of history reduced to being some feeder outpost for the sand empire.
Or the StarLizard empire, in fairness.
City Football Group buying Palermo being the worst case. :sick:
Fofana already being linked with Strasbourg. FFS.
I think France have max 4 EU players or something so doubt there will be loads of players getting sent there. Fofana might bypass rules because he’s from Ivory Coast though.
I wonder if they’ll finally be able to sign the Russian/Armenian bloke from Dinamo if he joins through Strasbourg
Do they have more than 1 Fofana?
Datro Fofana. Signed from Molde because Brighton wanted him. FM legend
I’m sorry but I legitimately don’t understand how Chelsea can reject a 60 million pound bid for a player with 12 months on his contract. Could he not just invoke that rule where you buy out your own contract and it would only cost 4.5 million quid and then ask United to give him 30 million quid on top of what they already agreeed?
Is there not a point where United just think fuck it we'll wait a year? There must be somebody out there better for that end of money.
Mason Mount probably signs a new contract in a week.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66002640
Kluivert to Bournemouth.
Man Utd will pay up and Chelsea know it. Todd runs these streets.
I've just seen the Neves fee. This is so hilariously corrupt.
Rice to Arsenal looks #ON.
Starting Portuguese CM going for £10m cheaper than the stingy Glazers are willing to spend on England's squad fodder. You're a racist. @phonicsQuote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Liverpool being increasingly linked with Chiesa must be some sort of agent game or there must be something in the Salah to Saudi talk. Otherwise they're obsessed with buying forwards when virtually every other department of the pitch probably needs more attention.
If we milk them for Salah, that would be incredible scenes. He'll surely be gaggin for it too with no CL and being on Allah's doorstep, just RIP the xmas pyjama pics.
I'd forgotten about Udogie at Spurs. Best LB in the league.
I don't think Salah goes this summer. I think he has two years left on his deal? I could see him doing this year, we get back into CL football and then it's off to Saudi on stupid wages for a fee that doesnt matter too much.
He's one I think is taken for granted too. I can only ever remember him missing the 4-0 against Barcelona through injury. Much like Gini was in midfield. The ability to be fit for every game is something not too many players have.
I can see why the Chiesa links exist, as a way to try and cover it off early, but why would he want to sit for a year fighting for his place, when he could stay in Turin and play every game? Unless they need to firesale.
Brighton linked to Kudus, incredible scenes.
Utd linked to Caicedo :lol:
Chelsea pricing Mount out of a move so we don't end up with the useless cunt :drool:
Boehly is a hero.
He would be a better signing, even at whatever silly price Brighton want. Hopefully Antonio Valencia is on the phone.
Really hoping the Chiesa links are nonsense. His injury record is horrendous.
Pretty sure he’ll still sign for you this summerQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Lol at Chelsea briefing that Bayern are "hijacking" Mount.
Clowns.
Do they still want Callum Hudson-Odoi for £30m?
Wondering what had happened to him, a quick googling tells me, of course, 'multiple' Saudi clubs are interested in signing him.
Crewe Alex have signed 19 year old goalkeeper Harvey Davies on loan from Liverpool for the 23/24 season.
Here we go!
Too MASSIVE for that chump.
Thuram and Kone not starting tonight :nodd:
It's almost an entirely different eleven.
Dont use things like logic in here for fucks sake.
United back in for Rabiot on a free. Would actually be a good bit of business I think.
Gundogen confirmed to Barca. I guess Man City will step up the Rice pursuit now, as a direct replacement.
He knows he has to spend 12 months on intense coaching to try and teach a brexitball gammon how to play proper football so if Rice comes in it'll be as a replacement for Phillips. Kova will replace Gundo seamlessly.
:cab:
Nice to see him managing his boyhood club.
I missed our old pal Monchi turning up at Aston Villa. Looks like Pau Torres and Valladolid right back Jose Fraudulento will join him there too.
Newcastle getting Tino Livramento for £15m seems absolutely mental. I know he’s had an absolutely dreadful injury but his potential is incredible if he gets back fit proper.
We must be absolutely fucked financially to even entertain that fee.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Didn't Chelsea have a buy-back option for not much more?
£38m I think and a percentage of sell on fee based on Southampton making a profit. They’re asking for over £50m for Lavia so idk how fucked financially they are. Maybe Livramento’s knees are absolutely gone.
Caicedo has an agreement in place with Chelsea. Have rules about tapping up just disappeared or was it just never reported back in the SSN and non Twitter day?
The rules only exist when the selling club wants them to. See how Southampton spooked off Liverpool for 6 months and got them to give them the offer they wanted in the first place when they leaked the existence of texts between Van Dijk and Klopp then got exactly the price they wanted in full.
It's also how you go about it. It's a bit like Corporate Price Fixing. If you and I held a meeting about how the price of X should be 1 pound. That's price fixing. If you and I happened to be doing talks about 'increasing diversity in the work place' in the same hotel and run into each other in the corridor and said 'hey, have you heard about Y. I think it might increase the price of X to 1 pound.' That's legal.
^ That example is directly from the General Counsel of DuPont De Nemours in a town hall meeting where they definitely weren't training their employees on how to do illegal stuff legally before I'm challenged on it.
Nobody likes a narc, Phonics.
But Newcastles best player plays in that position. :scratch:Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
The cover for that position is Manquillo or erm ... Dan Burn.
City have put a bid in for Rice.
Philips might as well go in the other direction. Seriously, it'd do him good.
Absolutely no-one but tinpot operations bid for players they haven't already tapped up for interest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Isn't that City offer equal to the Arsenal offer that was already turned down?
Well yeah, I’m not denying that. It’s more the open reporting of it these days.
Because the selling club gives a player permission to negotiate with the buying team. The clubs then negotiate the actual sale.
West Ham have rejected Man City's first offer of £90m for D.Rice
Hang on I’ve just seen that some Saudi club is offering £35 million for Demari Gray? I mean come on at least try and hide it a bit.
Have to say that it’s a bit of shame Keita’s contract was up this summer. I’m sure they would have gone balls deep on him for £40 million.
Nobody is that daft.
This u21 Euros needs to hurry up and finish. I'm sick of seeing a different midfielder linked every day because the journos are bored.
Jesse Lingard is begging for a move to Saudi :D
It's quite sad with people like him. Burned out his chief talent at the age of 25, really nothing left for him in the rest of his life other than clinging to the coat tails of that in various guises. I'd hate to be in that situation, no matter how many bent millions I'd accumulated in the process.
Bayern have bid €70m (+add-ons) for Kane.
I dunno, I could probably cope with chancing my way to a life of luxury.
When's 'Dele' moving to Saudi?
I see Oxlade has been linked as well.
I can see Sours letting him go for that fee for a club overseas. UK clubs. Double that.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
A £60m bid for Kane would suggest that Bayern have the old guard mongs in charge of transfer policy again.
Levy will want 100m from anyone you'd think.
Only thing that might tip the scales is if our 'arry goes on strike. They can't afford to have someone like him sat doing nothing while they fall down into the bottom half of the table.
He's too much of a wet blanket to do that.
Not least because it's his own stupid fault he's in this position.
Did he not famously dodge training when he was linked with City?
I thought he did his little interview and put in a transfer request but never actually refused to train or anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Anyway, Bayern's bid already rejected.
He skipped a couple of days of pre-season training.
Isn't the base problem with 'Mikel' phoning up 'Pep' to ask him to bid for Rice that neither of them probably have anything whatsoever to do with transfer negotiations?
It's more likely the exact opposite, City trolling a rival with the intention of driving the price up [didn't they do this with Maguire?].
Or, even more likely, they want to sign Rice. Wild thought, I know.
Apparently United offered De Gea a contract, he signed it, then they withdrew the offer and gave him a lower one.
So fucking amateurish my god.
It's more likely City think West Ham are more arsed about Arsenal trying to pay them a quid a week where as City can ofder two lump sum payments, than any 'help'.
De Gea signed a contract extension on a wage cut and United have backed out of the deal :D
Edit: beaten by ITK Randrew
Gary Neville signing for Dragon's Den promises peak lolz.
Oh my, that really does.
I can only imagine the size of his erection when his agent came knocking with that one.
Spurs should obviously sell Kane.
That is a lot of money.
If I had £105 million, I don't think I'd spend it on getting the rights to have Declan Rice play football for my team (obviously millions more to actually get him on the pitch). I'd probably build a new museum or hospital or something.
Alright Sadio Mane, calm down.
If Arsenal have legitimately beaten City to him that is a proper coup. Does he just not want to move house?
I quite Declan Rice as a player, but £105m for a glorified shitkicker is absolute madness.
Fair enough if City want to waste that on a signing, it matters not to them, but that must be most of Arsenal's spending in one massive outlay.
Timothy Weah to Juventus for €12m (and his entire career to date) is familial nepotism gone absolute wild. All well and good fighting for justice and equality but until useless cunts like this are back selling miniature Eiffel Tower figurines, can we really say we've progressed?
The suggestion is Rice, Havertz and Timber will be the first 'wave' of the window, then once outgoings have been sorted there might be some more spending at the end of the window. I think they could easily recoup half of the soend on those three with a few sales.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
West Ham not happy with the offer :D
9 months on and after captaining the side to their third CL campaign in history (first in 20 years), my muslim don is off to Mecca. Now stop fucking about and come get the Egyptian king.
Edit: ignore number 25 in that twitter thread (or don't, there was some good stuff in that thread on the whole from memory).
Not a chance they let him walk for free next season. I've heard some deluded nonsense that they might give him a new contract and loan him to Madrid / Bayern for a year though. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Quite the disparity there.Quote:
Southampton want a deal closer to £50m for Tino Livramento, according to The Athletic.
Newcastle have reportedly bid £15m for the full-back.
Fab'erewego Romano says Liverpool aren't actually going to buy Mbappe for £250m as reported by Marca. :cry:
Mbappe really doesn't seem the sort to go and live in Cheshire or wherever the Liverpool players live.
Paris, Madrid, New York, Riyadh for him.
He'd get robbed 4 times a week if he played for Liverpool.
Doesn't he already have his brother/parent/family member as an agent robbing him blind every day of his life?
City pulled out of the Rice bidding.
I rate Rice, he's quality and being English is obviously a bonus, but the prices being rumoured are insanity even in this mental market. It's like one of those 1 bed London Flats with the bed over the bath for £1000 a week that somehow get snapped up.
I really think Rice is going to suddenly look quite limited in a top (TOP) team but we'll see.
United apparently going to stick a bid in for Onana soonTM
Are they still in the monitoring the situation phase? Or moving to the retain an interest phase? Or the like the player phase?Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
That joke certainly remains funny after seeing it for the 800th time.
They should try the 'twerking for players you won't ever get' phase. Seemed to work with us and Rice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke Emia
It is a decent strategy, but comes with the warning that you might accidentally spend £100m on Declan Rice.
Better than £80m for Antony.
Szoboszlai the latest midfielder linked with Liverpool. Yes please.
Chelsea after FM legend Angelo from Santos. It really is a real life FM save. I love it.
Nonsense, Antony is easily worth double what we paid just for seethe he causes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
On FM the players are actually good and you don't finish 12th, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
If we finish 12th this coming year I really will be pleasantly surprised. Every report I read makes the team worse. The only hope of top half is smallpockets being able to coach them to a load of scrappy 1-0 wins.
Signing the Senegalese Carlton Cole isn't a great look but Chelsea are gonna be formidable next season. If Caicedo gets done, top 3 guaranteed.
I have never seen him play a game, but my FIFA experience tells me he is more of a forward no?Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Seems a bit odd unless there's a good deal to be had as was with Gakpo.
you seem really convinced that you're gonna do REALLY badly this season, you gonna put a bit of money on it dyou thinkQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
We're 200/1 to go down, definitely worth a nibble. We survived by 10 points last season having been 11 points clear of the drop zone in October. That's relegation form over an extremely extended period and key squad players are leaving, with zero evidence that the people in charge of replacing them have the first clue what they're doing.
Be top 6 at absolute worst. Willing to wager to any value of your choice.
What odds are you offering that you wont finish in the top 6?
10/1 (max bet £10 in true Bet365 fashion :lol:)
I'll have £10 on that.
How would you like to place your bet? I take cheque, cash, bank transfer or PayPal.
You're not going to Mellin us, are you?
Yeah you'd never fall for that trick twice.
It’s £110 quid lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
You could live like a king in Kyrgyzstan for a year with that.
Or Dundee.
Jimmy's blindspot to Fat Frank's incompetence :happycry:
Sounds like the Rice fee is agreed at £105m.
Hell of a statement.
Meanwhile, Maddison to Spurs for £30 million + Harry Winks.
Havertz to Arsenal is official.
Spurs have a special talent for buying players that hate them.
https://media.tenor.com/RcOCaCGd6cYA...tt-doherty.gif
With the exception of Roy Keane, did a relegated player ever improve a side that wants to be good?
https://d3nfwcxd527z59.cloudfront.ne...iverpool-1.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
It's kind of crept up on me [mostly because before last year they were absolute shite] but Arsenal have been spending like mad for a good few years now.
Yeah I was thinking this where is the money coming from? They haven’t sold very well either in the same period and are now spunking the best part of 170 million on two players.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Flip side to that is I wish Liverpool’s owners had shown the same from a position of strength a few years ago.
Gini Wijnaldum.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Is this Arsenal no longer burdened with the stadium outlay?
They've made some shrewd deals and some for a decent fee previously, but to spend 65m on Havertz and then immediately 105m on one other player is a big step up in spending.
It's more like they seem happy posting massive losses every year, although I have no idea how football finance works and how/why you do that, or whether any of it matters really.
Are they still owned by Stan Kroenke?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Is Arsenal's scouting network strictly limited to under 12s or something?
Not much better for 2/3s of G-potts reign.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
How so?Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Apparently Arsenal had a plan that was a big outlay to rebuild key positions (Ramsdale, White, Jesus) and get back into the top 4. The idea was a large outlay initially based on getting that CL money later, and the club rightly identified that it was better to do it before the PIF found a pet club to invest in.
Of course last season was a massive overperformance compared to the plan outlined so there is a suggestion they are trying to start the next 'phase' of the team now. Havertz being referred to as a midfielder etc. I think the formation will look a little different next season based on the signings so far, rather than like for like swaps.
Having a full preseason for Rice, Havertz and Odegaard as the new midfield 3 bodes well, hopefully Partey fired into the sun.
The stadium debts were paid off around the time of the Adidas deal which pretty much covers most of the spending and then factor in that Kroenke has won titles in the NFL and NHL due to actually spending and I think he's learnt his lesson.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
I dont think that his son getting very involved with the business and the increase in spending is unrelated.
I really hope for Arsenal fans’ sake Havertz isn’t played in a midfield 3. He was genuinely abysmal there for Chelsea when he played there in the first season. Rice will have a heart attack trying to cut out the gaps in midfield him and Odegaard will leave.
Yeah it's not gone over my head that in the past 18 months all of his major teams(NBA, NFL and NHL) have won their respective championships, except Arsenal.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
His NFL team the Rams have moved to a very "win now" model as well. They tend to trade away their draft picks for players in their prime. I don't think they've picked in the first round for some 7 odd years, which is almost unheard of. Perhaps he's moving the Arsenal model to the football equivalent.
Someone compared Rice to Gareth Barry and let's be honest, there's little to argue with there. Majority of your budget on him and Havertz is a bit of a waste.
It is, but it's preferable to him going to City and joining Phillips on the scrapheap.
Rice would probably go straight into the City team surely. He would just replace Gundogan or drop deeper, and put KDB further forward...Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
He is nowhere near Gundogans level.
I agree, but they would still put him in the team as part of the starting eleven.
He ain't fit to lace Kova's boots.
I think with Rice that will mean 11 of the squad will have joined PL to PL transfers rather than other leagues, prior to that it was something like 2 in the few years beforehand. Too busy with the Guendouzis, Lichtsteiners and Pepes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Be interesting to see how Pau Torres does at Villa. Linked to virtually every big team over the past couple of years with nobody ever pulling the trigger.
I've watched a lot of him (not sure how, but I have) and he's basically a Spanish replica of John Stones. Whether that's the very good John Stones of today or the error-prone one of a few years ago, time will tell I guess.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65807884
Mount fee agreed :(
Fattest L I've ever had to hold.
Why aren't you tracking his plane?
£80m for Kovacic and Mount in their final years of the contract never mind Havertz fee to Arsenal and people had the audacity to cry about the Saudi transfers
I'll be surprised if Mount is anything other than a good bit of business. Minimal downside/unknowns.
He'll be a great squad option. RL and mahow need to gtfo the fucking bedwetters.
He's 100% being signed as a starter. Ten Hag wants to play Casemiro at 6 with Mount and Bruno as 8s.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Soldier
Cool, he'll be a good starter then.
I'm sad he's going and it gives us even less bedrock to fall back on. His arse twitches under the gun sometimes, but in terms of week to week football he's a completely reliable mensch and our 'fans', the Waff types anyway, have treated him appallingly.
Both scorer and provider of the goal that won us the CL against Pep's City two years ago, sold in one day. Absolutely clueless Americans have no idea what they are doing. Poor old Poch doesn't have a prayer.
Mount is a weird one, nothing about it makes any sense. Why do Chelsea want rid of him? If it's because he won't sign a new contract, why won't he sign a new contract? If they don't want to pay him 'Raheem Sterling' money, why, he's a lot better than old Razza. Why does he want to go to the footballing graveyard that is Old Trafford? I liked the thing I read while ago that it was the allure of Champions League football. Really? It's a good fee and all, but it feels a bit like Chelsea are selling off some of the decent players they have/had to offset the dreadful ones they have bought, which feels like a dangerous game.
I wouldn't be as disappointed as the United contingent appear to be about signing him even if the price is a bit punchy.
I think it will be a decent signing. It is probably too much given the contract circumstances, but I'm not paying it.
Kovacic and Havertz wouldn’t even be starters next season so I don’t really get that point of view. Mount turned down 200k, I don’t blame them for cashing in since he wasn’t signing a new contract anyway. He can enjoy his 300k at Man Utd and replicate Juan MataQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
As far as the fee is concerned, a) he's very marketable so that's worth a few quid, and b) there must be some FFP collusion among these top sides as they're the only ones who can afford to buy each other's players for huge money and keep the BPL gravy train rolling.
Also, after the year Chelsea's had, he probably just wants out.
United meeting with Inter over Onana today.
Szoboszlai deal sounds like it should be done today.
He has a £60m release clause that expires at the end of today so I expect that's how we've suddenly come from nowhere to get him.
Seems odd to send them a number 10 type in Carvalho to get him in, but then he might have plans to change his position like he did with Gini. Or we just go fuck it and all out attack every game.
How tf are we getting that Hungarian dreamboat without CL? We're so fucking massive.
Just realised I’ve been thinking of Zielinski.
Has anyone genuinely good ever been signed from RB Leipzig by anyone?
Kimmich.
Might be a decent heuristic that the better RB prospects go straight from Salzburg to wherever and the ones that go via Leipzig end up disappointing.
The former has produced Mane, Haaland, Adeyemi, the Leipzig path has Konate, Upamecano, Keita (as well as big money Werner, Adams, Hwang, Augustin, Burke).
There is some quite lol material in the recent outgoings of both though. Leeds went all in on the above and gave Salzburg 60 million Euros for Aaronsen, Wober and Kristensen last season, 15 million Euro Ollie Burke to West Brom. Good luck Mr. Nkunku.
The real ones go to RB Bragantino.
I’ve barely seen Nkunku play but circumstances would suggest he’s up against it to be a success.
How do you pronounce this Hungarian chap Liverpool are signing?
Sobber-slyQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Apparently Sz is just pronounced as S in Hungarian and the I at the end should be pronounced independently.
Something like Soh-boss-la-ee.
So Boss La? Perfect Liverpool signing.
He is no Florent Sinama Pongolle
I'm still expecting some shenanigans. That clause expires tonight and unless there's been a medical done wherever the lad is, I expect the fax machine will break and that price will rise.
I'm going with Soz Boz Like.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Under release clause value as well, if you believe click bait hacks, somehow (maybe something to do with the Carvalho deal).
I think it's more a case of release clause being £60m. Liverpool don't want to/can't pay said £60m in one sum, so got in touch with Leipzig and got a some up front, some later, agreement to pretty much the same value.
Fab reckons Liverpool triggered the release clause.
Inter's CEO has confirmed we're trying to sign Onana.
Now I don't intend on offering 10/1 on a top 6 finish, but I've just had a look at Chelsea's roster for next season, is this accurate?
https://i.imgur.com/0S7CKDI.png
A defence built around a pensioner and about 1.2 functional hamstrings per player, a bunch of run aroundy lads in midfield, and a real lack of PROVEN PREMIER LEAGUE QUALITY up front.
It could be quite bad.
Preach. Open your eyes, believers. There's absolutely nothing there.
The only believe is Waff.
Waff believes in Reece James and nothing more.
The defence is pretty decent [not the GK obvz].
They'll also get Caicedo, although I think they lack an actual 'holding' midfielder.
Goals look a bit ropey unless Nkunku repeats his Bundesliga 'form' [I have no idea] from the season before last. You never know. <suppresses laughter>
First choice defence (which includes an OAP and two sicknotes) and Enzo are good. The attack, though? Barely got a goal a game last year (might have been less, actually) and Pochettino not known for improving that side of the game.
My central estimate currently is 15th.
Are the books now sufficiently balanced to go on another spending spree?
Another two midfielders will be getting bought as well as another striker. It’s not even July yet.
It’s clearly a work in progress anyway, hence why every player that’s being signed is young. Defence will be quality especially if they finally punt Kepa.
Considering the money spent Chelsea do indeed look amazingly shite, but 15th :D
Wind it in Jimmy you bellend.
As always everything depends on reputation. If they can do enough to scare lower level teams to not go at them, they’ll be fine.
Little teams going at them would probably help. The biggest issue for the past 3 years is being unable to break teams down due to have absolute no creativity whatsoever. Caicedo coming in at least allows Fernandez to be a bit more advanced
Caicedo-Enzo does indeed make them good enough to overpower about 15 teams in the league. Colwill looks generational, too.
Oi, maggotface, here's one transfer I actually will put up with your worthless updates for.
Caicedo fee is going to be interesting. Nice precedent set by Arsenal the other day and Chelsea clearly do desperately need him. £80 mil plus Colwill should do it.
Hit me up when your source isn't a Portuguese rag.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
3 places worse than last year after selling half our team, I'm not exactly predicting Greece to win the Euros.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Your players are too good to do what happened last year multiple seasons in a row. You went like 4 months without a win and still were in absolutely zero danger.
It's about time United signed an Iranian. Especially ahead of the US tour.
What are the Sheikh's views on Iran? Is any enemy of the Saudis OK in the eyes of Qatar?
Sozboz BBC official.
Also:
:happycry:Quote:
Arsenal are weighing up a move for 24-year old PSG forward Kylian Mbappe when PSG contract expires next summer.
You'd worry about the lack of variety if he didn't have a giant flailing 12 inch racist dick :drool:
As if Salah's letting him take any.
From Onana to some lanky Dutch prick cause they some broke ass wiggas. I don't need this if I'm gonna be donning a Utd shirt this season ffs.
Seems the plan is to use Szoboszlai as the right sided player in the midfield "three" as like an attacking number 8.
The next issue is the home grown player count is now lowered with Milner and Oxlade gone. This means there's space for Szoboszlai and one more foreign signing(likely Thuram) before they either need to buy home grown or sell someone who isn't too free up a space.
Szoboszlai confirmed and given the number 8, which is a pretty big hint on the plans for him.
Interestingly I'm hearing that interest may have cooled a bit on Thuram, with Lavia being the favourite to be signed next. His age means he'll be home grown before he's 22 and that's probably being prioritised. He's also a more natural 'number 6' type to compete with Fabinho, rather than Thuram who you'd likely want further up.
From what I've seen of Thuram he's incredibly raw. Could do without another Nunez situation.
Lavia should definitely only be played in a 2 from what I’ve seen of him. He’s okay defensively but wouldn’t be wanting him to sit in there alone. Especially with how exposed your team seems to be in general anyway. May come with age though. Proper playerQuote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Is Trent going to CM?
Everything we're doing at the minute says no
Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Brentford have cottoned on. £23m.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66006906
Tonali to Newcastle is done.
Proper player.
Is A$AP Balotelli still the only Italian to win the league?
Did Taibi pick up a medal at United?
There must be some others, although I guess Italians don't travel too well/that often. £55m being the record for for an Italian is a bit eye-opening.
I worry about Italian midfielders coming to England. Still scarred by Aquilani.
Isn't alot of it due to the difference in player ownership and image right rules between the Premier League and Sierie A? I seem to remember that scuppering several teams efforts to sign Dybala and if memory serves, it's why Tevez had to leave to play over there. And why FM has to have Zebre instead of Juventus, etc.
Obviously Dybala and Tevez are not Italian, but I imagine the same league rules will be what keep all the top level Italians from moving here.
Taibi didn't play enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I believe Cudicini also "won" the league with Chelsea but he didn't qualify for a medal.
What about that twat Macheda?
Everything about that new keeper at Brighton is pointing to a serious player. Meanwhile his countyman bum is scrambling about trying to get Dean Henderson to keep them out in training.
New Brentford keeper seems top as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
We won two whilst he was there but he didn't play enough games.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Balotelli is the only Italian who actually has a medal.
Although, the rules changed a year or two after Macheda "won" it. They ended up dropping the required games from 10 to 5.
He had 7 appearances in the 2010/11 season.
Some feelers being sent out about Thiago. No Saudi takers as yet, but there is some interest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
He's on a reported £200k p/w and is maybe fit for half the seasons games if you're lucky. Also 32 and in the last year of his contract. I suspect he might not be at the club by the end of the transfer window.
Liverpool first xi looking decent.
Alisson
Trent
VvD
Konate
Robbo
Fabinho
Szbazlol
Mac Allister
Salah
Gakpo
Diaz
Battling for top 5/6 again I reckon.
Why do people keep putting that malnourished favela fuck into our strongest XI? Jota is fit baby.
Give me a top CB and we're cooking.
I saw the Thiago rumours
:drool:
Now we have a mole in the camp [lol Gerrard] maybe he can sort out a few tasty sales into the sand league.
United's first offer for Onana has gone in at 40+5m Euros.
Rejected but imagine it will get done for 45+5 or so.
Meanwhile Burnley signing some lanky League One gammon for £19m :happycry:Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Does 'City academy prospect' just double transfer fees now like when making two appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson meant Sunderland and Everton would always have them?
City have had a right good racket selling [terrible] young 'keepers for a while.
Didn't they shift that Buzunu joker to Southampton last year? Angus Gunn went the same way, probably others.
From the club that brought you Jordan Ibe and Dominic Solanke for 50 million quid. Meanwhile we can't shift a kid who scored half his clubs goals last year.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Gerrard milking the Saudi cash is a bit grim, but if he's willing to take Coutinho off our books – bonza.
I’ve never watched him outside of the Euros 21s but that Trafford is meant to be properly legit. City have the best academy so I’m not surprised folk are paying decent money for their players.
Don't forget Rhian Brewster.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
:baz:
In fairness to Solanke, he probably had a better output than most of Chelsea's attacking signings last season.
This is the basic flaw in the FFP model. Unlimited money can be ploughed into 'youth investment' which is why City and Chelsea have 'the best' academies - they just buy up all the nascent talent. Oh to run a private school near these places. Whitgift laughing into their inflated fee coffers no doubt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
You’ve said this before. Yes they will buy younger players but the best players from Chelsea’s academy over the past 10 years were all there from 6 years old to 10. They just have Neil Bath and Jim Fraser who are two of the best in England.
Reece James, Levi Colwill, Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fik Tomori, Michael Olise, Declan Rice and even Loftus Cheek have all had successful careers in recent years and were there from primary school years. Then you have folk like Eddie Nketia and even the two players mentioned about (Solanke/Brewster) who were there at a young age too.
The new model does seem to be a slightly more aggressive RB Leipzig buying all these young South Americans to then punt to Strasbourg and the Portuguese club they buy and either get them developed or sell for a profit.
Baba Rahman has just been released by Chelski having been on loan, the past eight seasons.
Sounds like Liverpool have been enquiring about Colwill. Not a surprise, they could do with benching Van Dijk
I would say there are a number of factors at play at Chelsea, but money is one of the main. They probably have demographically one of the better catchment areas, if you take it to include west and south London, one of the most populous areas and not heavily dominated by non football cultures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
I always think 'having an eye for a player' is a bit of a myth as evidenced by most superstar DoFs being shite when they get headhunted.
I think the more likely explanation is that certain teams develop a rep for treating their youth prospects very well, and so naturally parents/other influential figures lean towards them, at which point it becomes a numbers game. You get more to pick from to put into the system, you get more out.
Of course, I guess it could just be supernatural talent spotting by one guy and the fact that development football has been dominated by the bottomless money pit clubs for the past 20 years is entirely coincidental.
He's a couple inches shorter than ideal height but Colwill would likely be as monumental a signing as King VVD.
I was going to say they'd be mad to let him go/you'd be mad to think they would but then saw old Fab Rom has been on the case.
:happycry:Quote:
Chelsea star Levi Colwill has refused to enter into negotiations over a new contract at Chelsea as he remains unconvinced by the ‘project’ at Stamford Bridge.
Is Colwill by chance left footed?
If so it suggests the new system klopp was employing late in the season may be here to stay.
Actually resting VVD now and then might do him wonders. Yes the injury took something away from him, but he's looked absolutely fucked since the WC and Klopp insists on playing him for every possible minute.
He is left footed and massive, no idea why Taz thinks he needs to be taller.
Colwill won’t leave though. He’ll sign a new deal once the Euros are over.
I also question where this money is coming from. We're still in for at least one of Thuram(though reports are we're out on him)and Lavia. Surely Colwill is going to be similar money to Mount too?
Maybe they have found some investors after all.
You would Colwill would stick around for 6 months before agitating to move in January if it turns out he isn't getting game time.
I doubt he signs a new deal until his role becomes clearer, and it's not like his current one is running down so there isn't pressure or leverage on either side.
Yeah he’s got 2 years left plus another years option on Chelsea’s side so not a chance he’s leaving. The only way he doesn’t start games this season is if he starts picking up injuries again.
The internet rumour mill would suggest Thiago has turned down a lucrative offer from the Sand Kingdom.
:cry:
He's like a turd that won't flush.
Yeah, if you have a scat fetish. Life is too short to wank over Declan Rice's D-pad movement and SNES passing.
Alright, you got me with D-pad movement :D
Chelsea fans having meltdown over the fact Mount accepting the same pay from us that he'd rejected from them is one good thing to come out of the Mount transfer, at least.
Which has just been ruined by the fact we've given him number 7.
Lad took it via brute force.
What are Mount's wages? Reports seem to range from lolworthy to utterly insane, particularly when you compare them to the wages Liverpool are apparently paying their new midfield acquisitions.
Not a chance he’s on 200k lol. Chelsea removed the contract that was offered and accepted before the World Cup. I just don’t think they wanted himQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Is that not a chance [he's on more than that] or not a chance [he's on less than that]?
Chelsea fans are coping at their golden boy jumping ship by insisting we must've offered him ridiculous wages.
He’ll be on nearer 300k with bonusesQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
His Dad always went on about the abuse he got online (hence deleting Twitter way before joining Man Utd) so I’m not really sure that’s true. If you sign Reece James then sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by SvN
£200k, up to 250 with bonuses.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
EDIT: Waff :happycry:
?
Lamptey
Tomori
Guéhi
Ake
Mount
Gilmour
RLC
Musiala
Solanke
Abraham
Not half bad.
Think he's naive if he thinks he won't get the same dog's abuse from United fans, but it's a big shame that we fucked up keeping him, by whatever means that was.
Him getting #7 is horrific stuff
Maddison is Tottenham's second highest earner on £195,000 a week.
Garnacho’s definitely crying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke
Onana looks like it'll get over the line.
Looking forward to having a bonkers goalkeeper, haven't had one since Barthez that I can remember.
He doesn't seem like the type to have the eccentricity bullied out of him so I can't see him succeeding in the English game. Raya would have made more sense.
Saw Gerrard linked with a 'raid' on 'his former club' [:drool:] and then saw it was to loot some youth analyst or something. Sad times.
I see there's a section of Liverpool journos who insist that Lavia is still on. Almost all seem to agree Thuram is off now that Szoboszlai is in.
However 'Bad News Pearce' is saying there wont be another midfield addition unless one leaves. New target will be a CB and and then a wait and see what else happens.
Can't say it makes much sense that 3 midfielders have left and 2 have come in, to stop now.
We're meant to be buying Ellis Simms for up to £8m which can't be right, it's been over 20 years since we paid over £1m for a player.
MacQuote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Szob
Fab
Thiago
Henderson
Bajcetic
Jones
Elliott
That seems perfect depth to prevent any Nat Phillips type madness in midfield. A top CB and fuck the medical team and we good.
Apart from the bit where the ones to have left virtually never played and/or were older than time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Maybe they just fancy Fabinho getting over whatever was wrong with him or Bajcetic to be an option?
Some sort of defensive reinforcement feels like it would be a good idea.
I always forget Bajcetic when looking at it. By Tazs list there I'd definitely want another number 6 type in.
If the summer off hasn't fixed Fabinho, then you're putting a lot of eggs in the Bajcetic basket.
De Gea has officially left United
How did he go from being offered a new contract one week to leaving the next?
He was offered a contract and signed it however the board pulled it before they signed it.
Some proper cowboy shit.
It seemed they wanted him on reduced terms. He agreed and signed. They then binned that contract and offered him further reduced terms. Then they realised they might be able to get Onana.
Having not taken him when he was available for nothing last summer and they'd just signed his former manager it seems completely mad to be spaffing £50m on Onana now. Did he agree to go to Inter before Ten Hag signed up at United?
Nah when the terms were further reduced, it was with the understanding he'd be second choice and we were going to sign a new first choice (whether Onana or someone else).Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
He obviously didn't want to stay under those conditions. It's shit that we don't seem to be able to give a dignified end to the time at the club of literally any long-term player, but it's clearly the right decision to get rid.
And yes, he had agreed to go to Inter before Ten Hag joined United.
He's now edited it and turned off the comments :D
I hope people don't remember Dave Gayer for being a wally. He was the best in the world for a good few seasons and single-handedly made some of those seasons semi-respectable. I think his game - based solely on shot-stopping and wacky reflexes - was always going to deteriorate relatively early, like when a player reliant on his pace turns thirty and goes to shit. Iker Casillas turned average at round about the same age having spent his twenties performing similar heroics for those dogshit mid-2000s Madrid teams, where as 'keepers with lower ceilings just get slightly worse.
Ashley Young to Everton
38 tommorrow. Pack it in lad.
Says a lot about him and Everton right now.
They and Wolves in some serious trouble if they don't start making proper signings.
Wolves have that giant bloke coming back from injury to score them to safety. Everton have Ashley Young. :harold:
Young was absolutely quality for us last season. I'd have kept him on for another year. He'll do just fine at Everton.
England are at Lunch and the F1 isn't on til 3 so I was bored and knocked a potential set up for Liverpool next season.
https://i.gyazo.com/30a79fc0575c7bb6...5eb5bfddff.png
That's essentially what Klopp stumbled into for the last 10 games or so of the season. Only he had Curtis Jones where Mac Allister is and Henderson was where Szoboszlai is.
It worked well to be fair, but it fell down a little due to the two previously mentioned players not being super creative or overly careful with the ball usually(I will say Jones has improved remarkably in the past 3-4 months). This lead to a lot of losing the ball high up the pitch and then the counter into the right channel.
It would also explain why the only two midfielders in yet are quite clearly attacking oriented and how the next rumoured signings are a '6' type and a left footed CB.
Every formation I see on Twitter is the above now. ‘Pep’ has ruined the game. Trying to nullify Robertson by covering for Alexander Arnold essentially is hilarious.
This also has to be the season Salah turns to shit.
I worry about Robertson long term if that’s the formation we play moving forwards there really isn’t space for a left back bombing on as much as he does.
He’s not big enough really to be the third centre half and not technical enough to slot into the midfield role.
Best left back in the world.
He’s definitely in the conversation but I just wonder if there will be a place in the team for him. Which sounds absolutely crazy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Foe
I’ve just seen Ten Hags decision to sell Harry Maguire, Fred and Scott McTominay as ‘ruthless’. Which might be the greatest PR spin of all time.
Being able to get shot of Fred and Maguire at all is just very good luck.
I hear Saudi Arabia is lovely this time of year
Apparently Jordan Henderson thinks so. Hopefully nonsense.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke
Could probably cope if they want to slip us £50m for him.
Not so fast there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
There's some fun to be had trying to predict just how pointless Sheff Utd and Luton are going to be next season. I'm gonna say 8 wins combined.
Nothing's getting done until the deadline day, is it, thanks to 'there is believed to be interest from Saudi Arabia'.
We've tied Karius down for another year. I'm guessing we're retaining who we can to keep the squad size decent or if Dubravka fancies another spell away.
You must be discounting the HOSTILE ATMOSPHERE at Luton.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
In seriousness there's some shite dwelling at the bottom of the league now. Burnley probably the best equipped to dig themselves out of it.
Never underestimate the power of a sloping pitch. And yes, the league is a shambles from sixth downwards.
Luton will be having a pre-season diet of fox livers and dried blood. Meanwhile Chelsea have started with Poch laying on a lavish Argie barbecue for the staff. Only one way this relegation battle is going.
https://i.imgur.com/5sr9rJp.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
Poch got a team with Harry Winks in the middle to a CL final. He is elite.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Nicolas Jackson arrives. 12 in 35 for Villarreal; failed a medical at Bournemouth in January for £22 million because of his dodgy hamstrings. At £32 million six months later, I reckon we've got an outstanding deal and Boehly et al are to be congratulated on their characteristic eye for a bargain. Now, where's that scalpel?
12 in 26 league games last year. Absolutely profile in comparison to Chelsea players since Hazard/Costa daysb
:D
Pulisic to Acey Meelan for a third of what he cost as well. Masters of the Marketverse.
I’m honestly surprised anyone paid money for him. He was absolutely brilliant in Covid football and one of the biggest reasons Chelsea beat Real Madrid. Just can’t hack a crowd.
He only had 2 prior to March. £32m for a purple patch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Ollie Watkins must be worth about £70m
Everyone thought Harry Kane was just having a purple patch too :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
This actual regen for £13 million as well:
https://i.imgur.com/RdaY2Fs.png
3 goals in 95 games. Sounds promising.
He’ll do bits at Strasbourg
Good brand synergy though, as 3 in 95 is also our odds of a top eight finish.
Ignoring the goals, 95 appearance for Santos quite impressive at 18, no?
Santos don't sell ballers for 19m.
Speaking of ballers, seen that Ecuadorean kid Chelsea have got? Kendry Paez. Looks sensational.
They’re all skint. Hence why they bought Andrey Santos, Angelo and rumoured to be getting Franca as well. The actual don of Brazilian football is going for £25m to Barcelona so that says it all.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
With another £25m of potential add-ons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
So £25m then.
If he's absolute shit, yeah.
'Angelo' does look like a regen as well. Which Football Manager was it where various freaks sent in their pictures for them?
Was it 2005? I though I hallucinated that, there were some corkers. Just people sat in their parent's dining room :D
It was 2005.
https://www.eurogamer.net/news130804fm2005
Can't find any of the pictures sadly.
Their criteria didn't work as planned:
https://www.neoseeker.com/forums/250...ayer-pictures/
I might reinstall and dig through the files.
Can someone explain the nature of this grift? He played 57 minutes in the 6 months he was there last season and precisely none of any consequence.
I think the Portuguese club have some Japanese sponsor or investment.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
No idea where to put this but they best have subtitles on for him especially when he’s on the hotter ones
A gammon eating spice :drool:
Former FM wonderkid Richairo Zivkovic has signed for Lion City Sailors in Singapore. Still just 26.
I feel like teams like that often massively over perform at the start of the season, either on pure momentum/weirdness factor, journos get over excited about their players but particularly their managers, then they absolutely crash around December, and end up getting relegated or just about survive and get absolutely fucked up the following season. usually including a panic managerial change that does absolutely nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
I might be massively overestimating how often it happens, but without really checking Wikipedia I think it's definitely a thing. my bet is they're both solidly mid table in November, and one of them goes down and one of them finishes 17th on 35 points or something.
Teams will always revert to the mean. Big teams can be crap for a while but eventually the quality shows out. It's what made Chelsea last year so weird, they were so crap for so long. On the flip side you have teams like Wilders' Sheffield Utd who overperform for a bit until scouting teams can work out the flaw and then they crash and burn.
Luton will either over perform at the beginning of the season and finish 15-17th or rival Derby for the lowest points total.
No way Luton ever get above 16th.
Luton will giant kill a big team at home this season. Probably Arsenal :moop: