Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

I hope Ericson doesn't go off the boil this season as he did in a lot of games last season.

 

If we keep Eriksen (and extend his deal), plug the RB issue and sign someone to cover Kane, what a ****ing window. Any other signing would then just be a bonus.

Hugo
RB, Dave, Jan, Rose
Ndombele, Sissoko
Lucas/ Alli, Eriksen, Son
Kane

Sexy.

 

Not going to happen re NEW SIGNING.

 

I think Poch will pair N'dombele and Winks personally.

 

Winks if in a three man midfield I could understand but if he drops Sissoko for Winks then just shoot me.

Twice.

 

I don't think ndombele and sissoko will feature together as they are too similar in style.

I suspect it will be winks and ndombele, with sissoko as backup.

 

Ceballos Watch
Marca report that Los Ladrones may decide to keep hold of Ceballos as they haven't been able to line up a replacement

A replacement. For a player who started 12 games in La Liga last season and was usually hooked early. Don't suppose we can interest them in Josh Onomah?

 

Surely its all about having more options in midfield. Last season because of injuries Sissoko and Winks were frequently our only options in the '2' and once we lost Harry as well, Alli, and Eriksen were dropped in there. Its a long season I expect that we will see Ndombele, Sissoko and Winks all featuring regularly if we persist with 4231 and even if we go 433.

 

433 I like the balance and can definitely see a place for Winks as he can play the deeper role to maintain possession and feed it to Ndombele and Sissoko to drive forward. Sissoko and Ndombele’s strength together in midfield negates the need for an out right DM (although in certain games, having Dier with them could be ideal) and so it allows us to have a midfield three who can really control the centre of the park.

In a two man midfield, I’m just not comfortable with him, I get I seem to be in a minority but I just don’t think he has the right attributes for what we need in a midfield two. He’s not defensively sound enough to be a true DM whilst he’s not creative enough to be a playmaker. Whereas with Ndombele and Sissoko in a two, there’s again a lot of power, akin to the Dembele-Dier/ Wanyama day’s but also a bit more creativity now if Ndombele does turn out as expected.

 

Google translate (hack to English) ... done :

Madrid cannot find a club that will agree to all of the following T+Cs :

1. pay a stated % of his wages while on loan

2. option to buy at the end of the loan is not on (at club and/or player behest)

3. if a sale is possible, seller demands a buy back clause

4. player demands a minimum amount of game starts/time during the loan season

 

As I said, tis about building a squad and coaching them to be comfortable in a
number of formations, a couple of which will be the predominant/favoured ones.

Relying on one formation or style is dogma, and even the greatest of teams
get found wanting as a result.

 

RMC now reporting that Arsenal have matched our bid for Saliba. St Ettienne now sitting tight in the hope a proper bidding war breaks out.

Plot twist: Levy calls Baldini, who owes us more than a pound of flesh, orders him to board a flight to London to open "negotiations" for Alderweireld so that our move for Saliba appears sincere. We then drive the price up to £50m, dragging it out until the closing hours of the window before suddenly pulling out, making him Arsenal's most expensive defender ever. Camera pans across, showing Toby signing a new 4 year deal. In the background, Baldini is massaging ointment into Levy's bald head, crying tears of remorse as he does so. Later documentation reveals that Spurs have a 30% sell-on fee should Arsenal ever sell Saliba. No one is quite sure how that happened. Laurent Koscielny is seen cleaning the cubicles at Hotspur Way. Fade to black.

 

Levy to his team : add £1 to our current bid value.

 

This is exactly the kind of player that our current status as a club should better help us secure the signing of. I mean, if we can't provide a more attractive proposition than Arsenal at this point……

 

Part of me still thinks this is a huge bit of ****housing from Levy and he’s somewhat got the result he wanted.

We’ve just forced Arsenal to match our bid. They’re short on cash and the player himself can’t even join this season due to St Etienne’s demands.

I get that due to Toby’s uncertainty and Jan’s age that Saliba is seen as a long term option and if we sign him then great but a part of me would in some weird sense rather they sign him. That’s a chunk (probably £15m-£20m up front?) of their budget spent on Saliba resulting in even less to spend on options who can immediately improve them for this coming season. We on the other hand couldn’t even guarantee Saliba immediate game time in 20/21 (which Arsenal can) because even if worst case scenario we lose both Jan and Toby by then, we still have Dave and Foyth plus players like Dier and Davies.

I said it on the Prem board the other day but really believe this is a no lose situation for us.

 

Put Foyth in at right back I think.

 

It's definitely an option as he looked great in the few games he played there at the end of the season. I'm still leaning towards trying to bring in Dani Alves as our primary option though, if he goes City or elsewhere then I'd happily settle with Foyth being given a go but I just think having Alves around the place could be great for us.

 

I agree with this. If both Aurier and Trippier happen to leave, I'd be more than happy with Alves, Foyth and KWP in place for RB. With Atal being an ultimate option of course.

 

You cannot legislate for the more egotistical demands of players.
The boy could demand higher wages than one club is prepared to pay,
game time etc.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Aarons was the ultimate option, but he's not going to be available for at least a year