Transfer Rumours Let's ignore the big ****ing elephant and blame the latest manager, again. Are we nearly there yet?

Always admired him as a player when he was at Spurs but rather lost track of him in Serie A. With him alongside Bruno and de Jong with martinez in behind we should have a strong and productive midfield - at last.

 

still hopeful it is going to happen? Let’s accept the reality mate.

 

If we don't get him it won't be our fault and Barca's season will disintegrate before its even begun, the same could be said for Bayern Munich with Lewandowski wanting out, the same for Leeds............................. everyone in the chain will be ****ed, but at least we have alternatives - Neves for example..

 

Lot of talk about where Erikson will play but I'd say at 10.

Going old school here - de Jong is a 6, Bruno a 7 and Fred an 8.

I happen to think Ronny will stay and be happy, but Bruno is a feasible alternative at centre forward, or off the centre forward, when he doesn't play or if he leaves.

Loads of options.

Martinez seems a genuine one at DCM, although with him at the centre of a back three could be an equally flexible position.

Irrespective of whether Ronny stays, I'd say forget going for a forward and get the de Jong deal sorted.

Then we're more than good to go.

 

I can't see us playing all 3 of Bruno, De Jong and Eriksen.

Not in a 4-2-3-1 which Ten Hag prefers.

 

You brought up Ole earlier, Treble. That’s firmly on the club. Ole was largely setup to fail from the very get go. It was a strictly emotional recruitment. The fact that we were all using “feel good factor” as a precursor for sustained success during his era showed how flawed the whole experiment was.

I’m looking at what ETH has done in trainings, the way that he has spoken in conferences, and what he expects from the players in form of precise execution to a plan, we haven’t had thosee qualities in years. One is left to think about what could have been if we truly hired a true coach after Jose.

 

Could easily in that formation.

De Jong with Fred in the two.

Bruno and Eriksen in the three, one central at 10 and the other wider, Sancho would be one of the other three.

Martinez is then one of the centre halves.

 

So Barca was able to get Raphinha signed. Are we miscalculating a bit thinking that they need to absolutely sell before buying?

 

No.

 

Signed, but I don't think he can yet be registered to play

 

Like Lewandowski, it's all agreed but not able to be completed because their finances are a mess and they're not meeting La Liga rules.

You can add De Jong to that come to think of it.

 

It’s amazing that they are able to pay Leeds but refuse to pay wages in arrears. Something doesn’t add up.

I’m now reading that De Jong’s agent is asking Chelsea and PSG to bid. They don’t even have the need in their squad. If that is to be believed, how does that resolve the wage issue? Sounds more like looking for ideal suitor that isn’t us than about wages.

This is a cluster mess!

 

That was my point about that club not behaving as their financial status would dictate. When anyone falls on hard times (it can happen to anyone btw) they would stop dining in the Savoy or shop at Harrods. They would “cut their cloth according to their means”. But Barcelona think financial reality doesn’t apply to them and still go for the most expensive players: the lewandowskis and Raphinas as if they are still the richest club in the world. They prefer to squeeze their players and try to write off their debts to them.

 

They owe 88m Euros in deferred wages to several players mate. It's not just De Jong.

I don't know the ins and outs of it all, but I can only guess if they pay one, they're worried about paying all. And then the repercussions on the La Liga rules on that.

Fcking shambles of a club.

 

I hope they go under.

Would be wonderful tbh.

 

That term richest club is convoluted in football. I would say that it’s a useless metric. These clubs are so spending on debts loaned to them by shark owners. Barca was spending insane amounts just few years ago when the money wasn’t really there. Look at Chelsea with the massive loan that they incurred just running the club while claiming to the richest club. City and PSG practically make no money but can still spend Saudi’s money and claim to be a rich club.

Football beyond the entertainment value is fkin fked!

 

That will be from Sport - a supermarket checkout rag with no credibility, ignore everything they say.

 

Barca are treading water until several deals come through but none of them will come on tap soon enough to resolve the issues in this window so they have to sell, they are just stringing us out for more money - which, now that Woodward has gone, we won't pay. If we don't buy de Jong Barca are ****ed.

 

I’m confused! What saga?