Had a Facebook memory come up. 9 years ago today, Spurs signed Mousa Dembele. How they could do with a midfielder like that now.
I suspect that these two stories are connected. Leipzig didn't want to stump up the cash, so someone had to force their hand and it was us. Not sure if we've been taken the piss out of or if we're going along with it, for some reason.
Pep obviously fears Nuno big-time, so Citeh spent all summer trying to unsettle the club who finished PL 7th, for a player who was bot really needed. Not so much "4D" chess, as String theory "brane"chess,
We'll do business at the death. We nearly always do. The issue is whether we'll bring in anyone who adds meaningfully to the team. Apart from Van Der Vaart and Sonny, most significant purchases late in the window have been underwhelming. In the last few seasons, the list includes Lucas, Aurier, Sissoko and Rodon. The managers at the time didn't want them and they've generally been a poor return on the investment. If that's what we're going to do this time, we'd be better off saving our dosh and not pissing it away on mediocrity....again.
This is where Fabio will essentially really earn his money… or not. If deadline passes and we don’t have a few much needed additions we’ll be in for a long season again, despite the good start we’ve had. Realistically I think we need three signings before that window shuts: A striker to ensure Kane doesn’t get burnt out, nor Son who’ll likely be overplayed in any Kane absence - though I don’t see this happening and I think we’ll push hard for Traore instead. A RB version of Reguilon. Tanganga’s solid but offers little going forward, he’s more of a mobile right sided Ben Davies at the moment. A creative CM. Dele for me is not Prem starting calibre for most games and having an Eriksen/ Modric type in front of Hojbjerg and Skipp would open so many doors for the front three.
Me too....and I have time for Lucas....but the coaches, at the time we bought them, didn't. That's my beef. Don't buy players who aren't approved by the manager when you have a limited budget. It's no surprise that they're a significant percentage of the players we're trying to shift.
I want to see Paratici bring in players in those positions you mention, but what I don’t want to see is the sort that Levy would have got for us at the last minute. for me, the value of Paratici is this “pulling power” he supposedly has. And that means picking up a striker who will genuinely make an impact off the bench. Someone who we perhaps would have struggled to bring in without Paratici at the club. that goes for any other position, too. If that doesn’t happen (even right at the end of the window), what purpose does he serve, if we end up with Levyesque players?
Ali Gold has just pissed on a number of parades. Looks like we're at a stalemate. The players we want to buy are either going elsewhere or aren't for sale. The players we want to sell no-one wants to buy.
We've actually had two good strikers as our last two backups, problem is both Pochettino and Mourinho severely underutilised them. Llorente especially in his second season proved huge for us, came up with some massive goals and assists/ knockdowns. Vinicius hit 10 goals in 22 games last season and if it was whittled down to minutes per goal he probably done very well considering he didn't always start in Europa and barely played in the Prem. If we do get a striker, Nuno has to make sure they get sufficient game time. Both for the striker's sake and Kane/ Son's otherwise we risk burning them out and likely causing injuries. As for other positions, pulling power or not, Fabio and co just need ensure they get the right signings. Players that fit a manager's system and preferably not bad eggs either. Huge 48 hours ahead. Will make or break our season.
McKennie is back on the boil (although given everyone but Romano said we were looking at him last week, has he ever been off it?) while Yves Bissouma is back on after being linked with us last season Not a creative midfielder, though
According to Daniele Longo and Albert Roge, our second bid for Emerson has been accepted. About €23m plus add ons, now down to the player to decide.
Bale and Vini scored 26 goals between them last year and that was in a team that was literally allergic to attacking and with Kane and Son in the form of their lives. No idea where those goals are going to come from this year. And the answer sure as hell isn't Adama Traore.
Romano's now jumping on the story albeit via Gabriel Sans' information. Other journo's saying similar too. Various fees reported, generally between €23m-€30m. Aurier not included as part of it.
