Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

As CM said, Dembele was properly unique. Watching player after player throw their weight into him and bounce off, try to pull him back and get thrown off balance in the process it was easy to see him as a bit of a wrecking ball but the carnage was always caused by those trying to stop him. Being strong isn't particularly unusual but it was his control over how he used it, players didn't go flying when he took the ball off him, he didn't slow his run to balance himself before a player bounced off him. Like you talk about how players have a turn of pace, switching between stationary and sprinting in an instant, Mousa had a turn of strength, switching between a deft, technical footballer and a ****ing concrete wall whenever he needed. He also had a turn of pace tbf.

As a fan I'm going to miss the assurance he brought to games. No one ever shouted "don't lose it" when he went on a run because it was never a possibility and the only groans he caused were when he shot, which was mercifully rare

Thanks, Mousa

 

Well that’s that ruled out:

 

Only in a Top Trumps game.

 

He would take up a place in the squad so I can't see how we could nominate him for PL or CL games but he could have been signed for the two domestic cup games I think.

 

He would've taken Dembele's spot in the Prem. As for CL, harder choice seeing as we had to leave Foyth out of the previous selection.

 

Marko Arnautovic has told Mark Noble that he's being offered £400k a week to go to China....

I hope that Mousa's getting a taste of that.

 

I'm rather hoping we will have someone else in Dembele's spot...

 

We’ve got super Harry Winks, no need to panic.

 

If we signed Jack Clarke and Florian Grillitsch would that keep Dier Hard happy?

 

Poch supposedly considering recalling Onomah from his loan at Wednesday. He’s actually back at the club right now...

Injured.

 

He should do it anyway. There's no point in Onomah spending more time being coached by Steve Bruce.
Either use Onomah as an option when he's fit again or send him back out on loan to somewhere more appropriate.

 

Oi! I reported that last week!

 

The man can't help not having a mind of his own...look at his devotion Jack Shi...Grealish

 

Oh. Erm...

please log in to view this image

 

please log in to view this image

 

Always liked Josh. Think he’s been underused by Poch, rarely given a go at CM when he was played. I get the feeling though that he isn’t part of Poch’s long term plans. Even if recalled, I think he’d be used sparingly and if sent back out on loan, he’d be merely playing for a permanent move.

 

Bundesliga Rando Watch
Two for the price of one today!

First up is the routine links for Timo Werner, who we've been linked with without fail for the past four years, but what the hell let's entertain ourselves for a little longer with the thought that a German international who's been first choice for Stuttgart and Taurine FC Leipzig for years would play second fiddle to Harry Kane. Besides, we all know Bayern'll hoover him up eventually, especially as he has eighteen months left on his contract

Secondly we have A German Team central midfielder Jonas Hofmann as the next in the ever-growing line of Dembele Replacements in spite of three obvious problems
a.) Hofmann is a winger who became a central midfielder, meaning he uses his pace to burst through midfield to make up for lacking the physicality of Moose or Sissoko - so not only could be be muscled off the ball, but he won't be smashing through busparquet anytime soon
b.) Due to being a converted winger he has no real defensive instincts, which is a tad problematic for a central midfielder
c.) He has a history of severe knee injures going back to 2014-15 with three lengthy layoffs in that time (87 and 98 days in 2014-15, 64 days in 2017-18, plus a few other shorter layoffs with the same issue inbetween) that are more than enough to make us wary of bringing him in

In a 433 he'd cause a lot of damage, especially as there would be two other midfielders sitting back while he broke forward, but in our current formation I can't see him working out - especially compared to some of the other options we've been linked with (i.e. Berge, Barrios, Grillitsch, Lobotka etc)

 

Exodus Watch
L'Equipe have reported that Besiktas are interested in taking GKN on loan for the remainder of the season. A second non-HG spot opening up in the squad you say? Teşekkür ederim! This in turn leads to...

Lower League Rando Watch
We continue to be linked with Hull's Jarrod Bowen, with Rupert Murdoch's Weapon Of Mass Distraction reporting that we had scouts watching him in yesterday's 2-2 draw against Villa where he got a goal (and nobody can suggest we were scouting Jack Grealish, as he is still out with a shinbone injury)