Skipp is a DM while Hojbjerg acted as one last season Sissoko is supposedly headed for the Middle East Dele's an AM dropping back into midfield Winks is the lightning rod at this point, so he's more likely to get booed when the ball comes to him (wait, that's the other Harry...) Realistically that's four CMs (Lo Celso, Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Winks) and with Hojbjerg and Skipp likely rotating and Winks the obvious understudy there's very little incentive for players to keep their levels consistently high as they have little reason to be afraid of who is looking over their shoulder since the options are Hojbjerg getting a run of games but just as likely to rotate back to a DM to give Skippy a rest or Winks coming in and not lasting that long (and similar can be said for Harvey White and Nile John, neither of whom are currently going to have underperforming starters looking over their shoulder just yet) Add to that the fitness concerns for both Lo Celso and Ndombele, plus we surely got away with murder last season by playing Hojbjerg so much last season it's surely going to come back to bite us, having somebody else in the mix is certainly in our best interests, and while it does come across as a FM noob move to have Lo Celso/Sabitzer/Ndombele vying for two spots, given the low fee Sabitzer is available for and the very real concerns about Ndombele's fitness or Lo Celso's injury record, it could either lead to a season of juggling (which is what happened after The Baldini Splurge, to disastrous effect) or it could lead to us finding a working midfield - and if it happens to be Lo Celso & Sabitzer, that's added incentive to get Ndombele off the wage bill at the end of the season
Judging by Winks’ current options it’s no surprise he wants to stay - team he supports’ bench or Everton or Villa’s? Though it’s possible he may not even make our bench anymore (with a bit of luck ). Sissoko should hopefully be off. I think he knows he’s well down the pecking order. Dele’s staying. The club just seem obsessed with hoping he’ll come good again. Ndombele and Lo Celso are also staying, can’t see us selling as the club won’t get back anywhere near what we paid. I’d say the only way one possibly leaves is if a potential swap deal opportunity arises later in the window but they’re pretty rare. Skipp’s been loosely linked with another loan move which I really hope isn’t true. We need fresh blood, he’s returned from an excellent loan and it’s an ideal time to start getting him in and around the first XI. Hojbjerg is the only one I think is safe to say is staying (or certainly not any plans to sell) AND more or less guaranteed a spot in the XI. I think if this proves to be Lloris’ last season, Hojbjerg will be offered the armband the following summer - and rightly so.
See I don’t only do this with Jose Mourinho so here goes…do you think Ndombele is a fat **** because of the management? In other words I don’t think it’s on Nuno to make him work. How can you make a lazy adult work? You can’t. Lo Celso is the better option out of the two for me zero time for fatso
I think Tanguy is wholly unsuited to the demands of the PL and am still angry at Poch, Hitchen and our scouting team for failing to see this coming despite watching him for 2 years and him having had previous with being unfit, being rejected after trials at Amiens and Caen earlier in his career. Having said that, there is no way we'll make back more than £20m of what we spent on him if we sold him now. Levy is no doubt reluctant to do that and would rather chance it that a third manager gets the best out of him. We've been indulging Dele's poor form for 3 years now in the hope he suddenly comes good again, so don't be at all surprised if Tanguy gets the same. Lo Celso is definitely well suited to the PL and would be a great player were it not for his poor injury record. Problem is he isn't a playmaker and struck me from day 1 as a combo between Lamela and Dele, which made our buying him all the more strange as he was supposedly signed to replace Eriksen. Our recruitment that window was shambolic. £150m spent on 4 players who have barely contributed in 2 years. Laughable.
Various reports now suggesting Grealish to City is done. If it really is 100m then that’s a big precedent for any upcoming negotiation for Kane.
I find Lo Celso and Ndombele at opposite ends of the table. I think talent-wise Ndombele beats Lo Celso but lacks the physicality to impose himself, often looking out of shape and out of breath. Whereas I think Lo Celso has the physicality (being made of glass aside) but lacks the necessary talent to impose himself. My other fear with Lo Celso is that he’s on course to be another Lamela. An injury prone player that was signed for specific reasoning but ends up being a different player to what we expected. He has a graft and tenacity which will win some fans over but doesn’t have the goal scoring or creative instincts that we really need from him. We’re being linked with Coutinho this morning, if there’s a loan move possibility I think we should do our best to make it happen. I think he could provide that creative spark that Ndombele, Lo Celso and Dele all lack.
Looks like Bayern are now interested in Sabitzer, so we can kiss goodbye to any potential deal for us, lol.
Bayern interested in top Bundesliga player, shock horror I think if we could point to strong recruitment and offer him a starting position then there’s always a chance but the fact is that we ain’t shifting players in his positions right now, so I don’t think the club see him as a priority. Shame as he’s a very good player and that’s a great price for his services. That said, we have all complained in the past about Levy just signing players the club like without the manager buying into it - the fact he’s sat on his hands here suggests he’s giving Paratici and Nuno more leeway here than before. Might not be a bad thing.
Standard are saying we’re interested in Damsgaard and Madueke. Madueke - Bergwijn swap deal? Bring the lad home!
Yeah I do fully believe Levy has given the transfer reigns to Don Fabio and Nuno. I think he’ll still have a say on the finances for certain deals but ultimately all of these signings and all of these targets are Fabio’s doing and not Levy’s, and from that respect I’m glad he is indeed allowing the DoF to do his job.
Totally overpriced. Not a chance he's worth £100m. Two great PL seasons at a mid table club, not established at international level, zero CL experience. And the media expect us to believe a player barely 2 years older, national captain, 3 time golden boot winner, 4 years CL experience, 2nd highest scorer in club history, multiple PL record breaker now at his peak after 8 (EIGHT) excellent PL seasons is worth only slightly more? Piss off.
And to add, I really would love to see Madueke back at the club. A few of us on here have been following his progress at PSV and were disappointed he left us when he did as he was seen as one of our best prospects, he’s really pushed on in such a short space of time and I think he’s destined for a big future.
Leaving Villa for that lot when Villa are doing the best they’ve done for a long time. Grealish just like Kane and probably 99% of all footballers will take the big money and the easy trophies instead of the chance to become a one club legend
Sounds like he’s arrived in Manchester now according to one or two reports. As everyone here knows, I’m one of Grealish’s biggest fans but as CK has also touched on, if he’s going for £100m then people are actually ****ing dumb if they think Kane should go for a similar or slightly higher price. If anything this gives Levy and Fabio more incentive to up the asking price.
It was interesting to hear Ali Gold support your argument that we could have got Grealish with a little more ambition.
I actually think the Grealish deal is seriously going to **** Kane over here. His camp have handled this atrociously, from signing such a long contract, to the interviews and leaks at the end of last season, to the leaked ‘done deal’ that came out of his brother (and agent’s) wedding… We all have a pop at Levy sometimes and rightly so, some more than others. But one thing I respect about him is that in situations like this he will not be bullied. Kane wants the PL record and can’t afford to **** around in the 23s the year before a World Cup. He will play if he’s at Spurs at the end of this transfer window. And if a crazy fee comes in from City, and it will have to be crazy if they’re seriously going to spend 100m on Grealish, then he’ll sell if it’s in the best interests of the club. But you don’t go to war with Levy and leave entirely on your own terms.
Kane is a great footballer but he is clearly out of his depth in this situation. I can't see even City shelling 150 - 200 million in the same window as 100m for Grealish. Kane's real beef should be with City who have made noises but not produced the goods. Everyone in football knows Levy and his strength in negotiations except City it seems.
