Tello: MY WET DREAM OF A LEFT MID. He's a left sided attacking player in a 4-3-3. Not as physically strong as Son of Hamburg (another fantasy of mine), but lightning fast with a decent finish and obvious passing ability (gets game time for barca... not going to be shoddy). We stand no chance, unless he wants a move
Now THAT would be a great signing!! Unfortunately he seems to be getting more regular game time at Barca and with a likely clear out there in the summer I can only see his stock rising. And even then, we wouldn't be first in the queue by a long way. But the thought of Bale, a fit Lennon and Tello tearing at the opposition...... Wow!!!
A player scores a cup final goal and now everybody wants him including us. Everton are going to approach Malky McKay of Cardiff because he's given them promotion. BOTH big mistakes imo. We want Bentenke who after yesterday DOES NOT appear a match winner to me. I'm certain that we can do better than this.
Benteke provides us with something we don't have though TMT. He's big, strong, holds the ball up, wins everything aerially and can score with both feet! We have to be realistic, and he's the type of signing we'd make. (As long as the price isn't a joke)
Benteke has looked quality all season, playing in a Villa side that has struggled until the last few matches. And despite getting sent off yesterday (and it was a daft challenge in the circumstances of a referee needing to even up the numbers) also scored a really good goal and caused Chelsea a lot of problems. I agree with Roo that for us, especially without CL football to offer, he is a realistic shout if the price is right. But going on the evidence of a couple of games, I do think that Wigans makeshift LB Espinoza looks a decent target.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/05/12/3971829/-? "Spurs have targeted the Roma general manager to head a new-look recruitment operation at White Hart Lane and are hopeful of luring him to north London this summer Tottenham are confident of luring Franco Baldini to White Hart Lane this summer as they step up plans to overhaul their recruitment operation, Goal.com understands. Spurs have been tracking the Roma general manager and former England No.2 since last summer after making him their top choice to take on a technical director role at the club. Baldini is contracted to Roma for another two years but the likelihood is growing that he will leave the Giallorosso for Tottenham at the end of the season. The 52-year-old's powerbase at the Serie A club has been weakened this season following a series of recruitment decisions that backfired. Former manager Luis Enrique, players Fernando Gago and Jose Angel, goalkeeping coach Franco Tancredi and head of communication Daniele Lo Monaco were all appointed on Baldini's recommendation and have since left the Olimpico Stadium. The Roma general manager has ceded control this season on transfer strategy to sporting director Walter Sabbatini, who signed a contract extension in midweek, and his relationship with the club's Boston-based owners is said to have deteriorated considerably. Baldini's â¬600-a-year (£507k) Roma contract runs until 2015 but Tottenham have a long-standing interest in the executive, as revealed by Goal.com last September, and have intensified their pursuit in recent weeks. A deal with the Londoners has not yet been agreed but sources claim that Baldini could negotiate a settlement with Roma that includes a year's pay-off before signing for Spurs. The tipping point in his relationship with Roma could well be the Coppa Italia final on May 26, should the club fail to defeat bitter city rivals Lazio. Spurs have targeted Baldini as they look to overhaul their recruitment operation and create a new senior executive position. Chairman Daniel Levy wants to reintroduce a continental-style set-up to aid manager Andre Villas-Boas five years after abandoning the director of football model when Damien Comolli was sacked in October 2008. Villas-Boas, who held talks with Baldini about taking the Roma manager's job last summer, has confirmed he would be comfortable with the introduction of a technical director at Tottenham. "I have worked with one at Porto and Academica and had no issues with that and I certainly promote that," Villas-Boas said last September. Senior Spurs officials have bided their time while they wait for Baldini to become available, even though club sources insist that there are other names in the frame for the role. Baldini is well known to English audiences for his four years with the England national team working alongside Fabio Capello before his departure in 2011 to return to Roma for a second spell. The former midfielder became director of football at Roma in 1999 and, with Capello, he helped to bring Walter Samuel, Gabriel Batistuta and Emerson to the club. Baldini resigned in March 2005 and joined Capello at Real Madrid a year later.
Mind you, if we were to add Maloney and Macmanaman to Lennon and Holtby, we would be more than half way towards the 7 Dwarves!!! The Wigan lads have looked good at times, especially Maloney over a longer period of time. Macmanaman shot to fame through THAT tackle, but has shown character to come back from the media storm. He is a Scouser, mind, so maybe a thicker skin than most......
But this is where we have to be realistic again... Would any of them be good enough to make the step up? We've signed enough players like this! Benteke is a proven 20 goal a season striker now at a club who have been poor for most of the season. Would any if the Wigan players be better than anything we've got? Not for me, but we should def monitor the progress.
I get confused between them all but I read utd and Chelsea were looking at 1 of them, think it was MacArthur
No arguments here!! I see the likes of Maloney and Macmanaman in a similar way to Dempsey. Over performing in an average or below par PL side, but unable to make the next step up. Trouble is, that one or more of these type of players WILL step up and become a top player, so there will always be the temptation to keep trying...... The one thing to Macmanamans advantage would be his youth. Maloney is 30, so very much on the way down rather than up.
I just hope that we get our transfer business done early and we are ready for the start of the new season.
makes it easier - Levy, don't dick about with Moutinho. Porto say he's available for £20m this summer, so pay up!
