Feb '19 football: Sponsored by Ole Gunnar Binman

[niko_cee]

Italian clubs in particular love the certainty of a known performer, even if they aren't spectacular, mercurial talents. If you're Juve (or previously Milan) you're like the Yankees, you don't need to get involved in this 'value' stuff, you pay the big bucks for the reliable known quantities that are available.

If you're Arsenal, you're 6th and you have asset-stripping Americans in charge then it's not worth trying to compete with what a set giant can pay him.

I get this, and obviously 'contract negotiations' went quite quickly down the 'lol u wot mate?' route when Rambo's agent bowled in with his wage demands, but I don't really see what Juve get out of it. OK, maybe they figure there's no real point in trying to nobble the local market as all their rivals are wank (careful though, mess with a proven formula and things can go wrong - see Bayern [I have no idea if they have bought anyone off a Bundesliga rival of late]), but why not just blow an £80m hole in the budget to scoop up those young Italians everyone is going on about (Tonali and some midfielder from the south?).

Speaking of Italian wonderkids, what's the situation with that next Messi one who went to Monaco was it? The Genoa kid? Going by off how well Monaco are doing, not well would be my guess. And, whilst we're on the subject, Odegard? Maybe that answers point A. I still reckon buy a £40m midfielder and pay him £200k a week is better than giving Ramsay that money.