This one has Levy's fingerprints all over it. I reckon our priority is Richarlison and Raphina is the plan b, but we'll dig in on the latter to raise the purchase price for Arsenal - who had a bid rejected yesterday, possibly because we'd indicated we'd go higher. I do think Richarlison is more the profile Conte favours, although I'm a big fan of Raphina.
Buy Gabriel Jesus and inflate the price for Raphina. Now that would be a "know your place" statement.
Same Problem is, Spurs aren’t looking for a starter really so it would be silly to go all out for a bigger name
Are you suggesting that Eriksen doesn't have what it takes to be an effective midfielder in the PL? Any player who joins at this point has to know that they cannot guarantee being a regular starter. We are in the CL! It's a squad game. Eriksen will know from experience of working with Conte, how much use he will be to Conte and how often he can expect to start or not. He will also know how capable Conte is of winning something significant. I think if Spurs actually make the call, Eriksen will come. I see Eriksen starting in those games in which the opponent sits back and defends, instead of allow space behind them for Spurs to do the usual tactic that works most of the time. Conte is wanting to be less predictable than the same 3-4-3 every match. Eriksen will allow different formations. If we can force stubborn teams open, with Eriksen on the pitch, early in games it'll make the 3-4-3 more effective later, when they are trying to equalise.
If anything, it has Paratici’s fingerprints all over it: get a couple of plates spinning to see if clubs are willing to negotiate and/or if the player is keen to join us, so we're ready to pull the trigger in two out of three eventualities For me, Richarlison looks like Plan A as we have various other options for AMs in the shape of Eriksen or Paqueta, while the Express has taken a break from sticking pins in an effigy of Mick Quinn to link us with Joao Felix
For me, the funniest thing to date this post-season (and I'm sure there is more to come ) is how many supporters do not get this fundamental point.
A lot of talk about forwards I don't want. I don't want Sterling or Jesus as they are big teams' cast offs. I can't help thinking they won't be hungry enough. I realize Spurs have had some hits (VDV and Bale II come to mind), but I think of those spectacular Arsenal misses with Sanchez and Ozil (though they both had their moments). I tend to agree with whatever pundit said he likes Spurs for top four unless they buy Richarlison. I can't stand his attitude. I kind of like Raphina, but somebody needs to answer the question of how he will be any happier as the fourth man in a three man front line than Bergwijn was. I really think Spurs want the equivalent of Llorente or Bale. The only other option I can see is to get someone so good he pushes Kulusevski to the bench. Someone like Vlahovic or maybe even Felix. At some point Spurs need to replace both Son and Kane.
If Conte wants a forward that can adequately play across the front three then Sterling and Raphinha should be ruled out (think Sterling is anyway), they’re strictly wide players who either haven’t played or aren’t effective enough centrally. If we sign either of these we’d still need a player who can cover and compete with Kane. Richarlison and Jesus are ones that can play out wide and centrally. Jesus is Arsenal’s number one target and he’ll be guaranteed starts in all available games, it makes sense for him to join them especially as he’d essentially be leaving City for a similar situation with us and realistically that just makes zero sense for him. So it leaves us Richarlison. Can’t stand the guy and I’ve said it many times but from a playing perspective he’s the only one that fits Conte’s rumoured requirements that feels genuinely gettable, however I do think if Chelsea seriously come in for him they’ll be able to offer him a higher guarantee of starts there as Lukaku’s back to Inter and Werner’s ****ing ****. I’d imagine we’re working on a number of forwards though and part of me hopes there maybe a Bissouma type signing there where it seemingly comes out of the blue and 48 hours or so later are in a Spurs shirt.
With our schedule, and for everyone really with 5 subs, it’s so much more a squad game this coming season. A quick rundown of (arguably) our 2 best XIs gives a sense of where we still need to strengthen. This is assuming no outgoings from the players who were here at the end of the season (so not including Gio, Tanguy or Gil or the youth strikers) so obviously this will change. Lloris Romero Dier Davies Doherty Bentancur PEH Perisic Kulu Kane Son Forster Sanchez Rodon Tanganga Emerson Bissouma Skipp Sess Lucas *nobody Bergwijn Obviously if you were going to play multiple games in quick succession you can do things like start Sonny twice, or move Lucas centrally and have Perisic as a forward. But even without that it’s clear that we need a flexible forward. It’s why I’m keen on Richarlison, or someone like Brereton Diaz. Eriksen would give us someone who can play in the middle with the right partner in the right situation, gives us an option to flex to a different formation (352) or even play on the left or right of the forward line in a pinch. Or we do someone in the mould of Paqueta who can play out wide but also gives us an option as a 10. I think we also need a reasonable additional option in CM as we’re only an injury or suspension away from being down to one senior sub in that position - that could be Eriksen as a flexible option or maybe we keep Sarr or another young player around to help out in a pinch. Ultimately we need specialists at RWB and LCB to push for the starting positions, and flexible rotational players further forwards. I think it’s a safe bet that one way or another Bergwijn, Gio, Tanguy and Gil will not be playing in a Spurs shirt next season, and with Rodon and Winks wanting more game time, it’s clear that there’s a hell of a lot more work to do this window if we want to be anywhere near ready to compete on all fronts. Regulion leaving may also create a headache and Tanganga’s future is uncertain. We’ve made a great start to the window but there’s a lot more to do.
I don’t think we’re getting Jesus and Raphinha I think is all agent talk to push the price up for Arsenal. If we get Richarlison then it solves a lot of problems for us. We’d probably be overpaying slightly purely based on quality but given the dynamics of the market and what Everton paid for him, I think it makes sense given the solution he provides for us. Richarlison, Eriksen, Spence and a LCB would put us in a great spot from which to properly assess our options once the outgoings begin. I think beyond that we’d still need another flexible option at CB given Rodon may leave.
I’d say considerably overpriced. Whilst I think he offers an upgrade on Lucas and Bergwijn I think he’s one of the most overrated players in the league. Averages over a 1 in 3 strike rate and dives at every opportunity, that’s not a £50m-£60m player in my eyes. I wouldn’t even say he’s worth paying Everton the fee they paid Watford but then I know Everton wouldn’t settle for any less. I think he’s who we’ll target the most out of the names recently been linked but can’t say I’d be as excited at him joining as I was for Perisic/ Bissouma or would be for an Eriksen return etc.
I think he solves a problem for us. Namely how to get a reasonably PL-effective player in who can play as a 9 but will also get gametime and contribute out wide. The other option would be to look at someone like Brereton Diaz who is primarily a striker but can play off the left in a pinch, and then keep Reggie with the intention of using Perisic further forward more regularly, or sign another winger. I think Raphinha is way more overpriced than Richarlison in terms of what they offer us in terms of squad balance so I’d rather look at other options there if possible, especially as he only really plays on the right IIRC. BBD is also a risk as he’s only had one real standout season in the Championship and isn’t proven at PL level. Think only one year left on his contract though so would be a good option to consider if we can line up other cover for other positions.
Leeds announced that they want £65 million for Raphinha , and I dont blame them as I always said if a club comes after one of yours and you don't want to sell, that's the price, pay up or piss off Kane last season was not worth £150 million to city but it would have cost us that to replace him no doubt
Calcio Mercato claim that Juve are looking to sign Filip Kostic & Evan Ndicka for a combined €38m UNLEASH THE PARATICI
If we were paying around £30m-£35m for him I’d be happy with the business as that’s the sort of value I think he’d bring us, because I’d say Lucas and Bergwijn are £20m players and therefore upgrading on them with someone like Richarlison would be smart but for a possible £50m+ it just feels like we won’t get value for money. An upgrade on the other two but not enough to really push us up a level in my opinion. The club has the money to spend though so ultimately prices to an extent are irrelevant but I just think we could probably do a fair bit better with the money and get some real value out of it, whether it be 2 £30m+ players or someone who would be properly worth £50m-£60m (mind’s blank at the moment, long day). To me it just feels a little underwhelming knowing that Richarlison could potentially be our record signing.
