Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

Tinfoil Hat Watch

 

I confess I don’t follow Serie A that closely but what I thought I’d read/heard is that he went off the boil a bit since he was being touted as the next big thing a few years back. Whether it was injuries or something else I don’t know.

 

Voetball Krant claim that Ajax are looking to re-sign Toby this summer. Interesting, as on paper that implies Ten Hag is a fan - which would mean that, if he joins, he'll keep Toby. Or something. **** knows at this point

Meanwhile, out of the blue we're being linked with Celtic DM Ismaila Soro - although the fact this coincides with him losing his place in the team might have something to do with that...

 

Skriniar Watch
Fabrizio Romano says we are looking at other options for a new CB

Anyone want to guess what his shirt number will be next season?

 

So we've been linked with Adrien Rabiot again...

 

(The Other) Serie A Rando Watch
Out of the blue we've been linked with Corinthians' 18-year old striker/winger Rodrigo Varanda, which either means that our scouts have identified a prospect with a ton of upside who is available for £8.5m...or that his agent is fully aware that his contract expires in January and he's trying to get his client a bumper deal

In case there's anything more to it, it does have to be said he does look a lot like a combination of Lucas, Lamela and Bergwijn as he's quick, skillful, and has a ton of workrate, and the fact he can be deployed on the right wing or up front also helps in regards to any potential squad overhaul as he ticks a couple of potential boxes

Exodus Watch
There's a few sources suggesting that Jack Clarke will go out on loan to Nottingham Forest next season

 

The God call Pep gave an interview to a Manchester paper saying "if a player doesn't like being rotated then City isn't the club for them."

Who can he be aiming that to ?

 

Scott SInclair?

No, wait, that would imply he was rotated into the team at some point...

 

Eredivisie Rando Watch/Turk Watch
They really are starting to blur into one another, aren't they?

With Feyenoord currently sitting fifth in the Eredivisie, meaning they are currently set for a four-team playoff for the Eredivisie's second Europa Conference League spot (or, to put it another way, they're currently sitting fifth in the traditional three horse race that is the Eredivisie) reports suggest that they are willing to lower the previously quoted €25m price for Orkun Kokcu

So who is Orkun Kokcu, I hear you ask? Simply put, he's the metronome for their midfield, so while he doesn't get many goals or assists (2 and 3 respectively this season) he sets their tone of play by moving the ball quickly either with short passes or moving it up the pitch himself - in other words, he's in a similar mold to Frenkie de Jong or Luka Modric

Maybe keep an eye on this one, given the Eredivisie is a regular hunting ground of ours

 

Ah cool, another backup we’ll barely use. I’m sure there’ll be tons queuing up.

 

It is interesting that Mason hasn't used him yet either. Sunday was the ideal opportunity for him to come on or even start but he wasn't in the squad at all. The fact that Bergwijn featured suggests that Vini doesn't have a future at the club whereas the Dutch flop does.

Or for the more cynical, we brought on Winks, Lamela and Bergwijn because we want to put them in the shop window as often as possible before the season ends.

 

I thought that too, especially after Kane's performance and the fact he still likely isn't 100% fit.

As for the others, with the decisions the club's made in the last few years I'm half expecting one or two of those to sign a new deal.

 

I refer you to...

 

The loan signing of Vinicius made almost as little sense as Gedson. The whole tie-in with Mourinho's agent has been a ****ing disaster that hasn't benefitted the club at all...unless you count the possibility of being able to shrink Doherty's head, so that it can be used as a paperweight?

 

I think that the Vinicius loan made perfect sense and it actually worked out well for about half the season.
He mostly played in the cups, scored 10 goals, got a couple of assists and seemed to be settling in.
Then he was completely cast out before being chucked into the starting XI with Kane for no apparent reason and is now exiled again. Bizarre.

Arek Milik has supposedly got a €12m release clause in his Marseille contract, due to his Napoli one running down before he switched.
He'd be a bargain at that price. Grab him and Josh King for nothing and we're good to go!

 

See if Oliver Glasner wants to bring Wout Weghorst with him

 

Yeah I thought Vinicius was a good and smart signing. Essentially I still do but he's just been underutilised - just like Bale.

Two players who've often produced when given chances, though being given chances has been the problem for them.

 

It does have to be said that we were never going to pay £41m to make Vini's loan permanent , so the obvious question is whether or not we've got in contact with Benfica and suggested a more reasonable fee of, for the sake of argument, £18m - and were told where to place that figure, and advised we could do so sideways

 

Vulture Watch
The following players may be wishing to leave Roma in the near future...
Lorenzo Pellegrini (24yo, Italy, centre midfielder, contracted until 2022)
Nicolo Zaniolo (21yo, Italy, attacking midfielder, contracted until 2024)
Amadou Diawara (23yo, Guinea, defensive midfielder, contracted until 2024)
Bryan Cristante (26yo, Italy, centre midfielder, contracted until 2024)

Also, seriously, Lorenzo Pellegrini is in The Levy Zone

 

He's played a grand total of 303 PL minutes. He didn't start a game in the PL until February and has started 2 in total.

I'm not going to call that a success.