Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

Are RMC reliable with their news?

Regarding James, Jose Felix Diaz still says we are interested in James, Fermin De La Calle in El Confidencial says Perez is not.

Apparently Courtois to RM is done, 35m. Not bad.

Now I think we just need to sort out 1 AM and a CF.

It seems like the AM area could take 2 different paths- either Hazard makes a fuss to bring down his price, or we go for James. I find it hard to believe Chelsea would play hardball for Hazard with 2 years left, especially if he doesn't want to be there. I don't believe the 200-250m figures I've seen in the media. As for James, it is up to Bayern, and we really screwed ourselves unless there is some sort of buy-back/return to sender fee that we don't know about.

Then the dreaded CF position, still a complete mystery. If we got Hazard, I'd be fine with a Rodrigo type- good enough for most LL games but not WC.

Di Marzio is reporting 160-170 deal being negotiated for both hazard and Courtois. That would put hazard at 125-135 mil lol, less than dembele

That makes sense to me, and if those are the true figures, then it is good business. Good business if we still have money left for a CF.

Like I said, if we are able to get Hazard, I'd be fine with a Rodrigo-level striker, but I just looked up his release clause ~ 100m what the heck, lol.

What strikers/CFs would you guys be interested in?

Kane, Icardi, Lewa, Higuain, Mandzukic, Cavani, Werner, Belotti (lol remember his hype), Mertens (another Belgian), Dolberg, Lacazette, Maxi Gomez?

Obviously if we had the funds, I would go for Kane, but if we are being more realistic I'd probably go for either an experienced player like Higuain or Cavani, or a young guy like Dolberg or Maxi Gomez.

Maxi Gomez has a release clause of 50m, supposedly, buy buy buy. Unless we have more money and are willing to spend, because he is only backup/rotational quality at the moment.

let's see
Icardi: his 110 clause expired few days ago, we are clearly not interested
kane: spurs wont sell
Werner: not good enough
Belotti: scrub
Mertens: not happening
Dolberg: not good enough
Lacazette: not good enough
Maxi Gomez: not good enough
Higuain: lol
Lewandowski: bayern wont sell
Cavani: i dont think we have ever been linked with him

We need a CF we all agree but the tier 1 CF: Kane, Lewandowski, Cavani, Higuain (lol) might not be available.

so what do we do, when there is not even a hot prospect on the market? lol

Jose Luis Sanchez: Real Madrid are not expected to make any ‘galactico’ signing as the transfer prices are exorbitant & will cost around €400M. They will bet on young talents like Asensio and Vinicius as the club doesn’t want to break the salary limits.

Marca: Bayern are open to let James leave providing they can find a replacement.

I think that is pretty likely they find a replacement.

If we signed both Hazard and brought James back our AM roster would look like:

Isco, Asensio, Hazard, Bale, James, Hazard, Vazquez, Vinicius and Rodrygo.

The last 2 probably go out on loan, but still. Bare minimum that is 1 too many players. Asensio, and Vazquez can take more rotational roles, but how do you fit in Isco, Hazard, Bale, AND James.

vanDEEZ wrote:I think that is pretty likely they find a replacement.

If we signed both Hazard and brought James back our AM roster would look like:

Isco, Asensio, Hazard, Bale, James, Hazard, Vazquez, Vinicius and Rodrygo.

The last 2 probably go out on loan, but still. Bare minimum that is 1 too many players. Asensio, and Vazquez can take more rotational roles, but how do you fit in Isco, Hazard, Bale, AND James.

Rodrygo can’t come this year

i want Isco to play in midfield, im not sure it will work but thinking of spain 4231, he would play Iniesta's role and hazard would play his

By the way, Cadena Ser reported the same info about Theo leaving. There is no clear young talent that i can think of at LB, definitely no spanish talent at that role. anyone guys?

Mr Nick09 wrote:By the way, Cadena Ser reported the same info about Theo leaving. There is no clear young talent that i can think of at LB, definitely no spanish talent at that role. anyone guys?

No one I'd pick over Theo. I think they'll end up in the same situation. Hard for young players to fit in right away, and I didn't even think he was that bad last year.

I did not like much of his game when he played last season, one of the reasons i think why Zidane dropped him after featuring him quite a bit early in the season. Remember the double fullback tactic with Marcelo + Theo on the left? Zidane played some moronic stuff last season, good lord.

his best game if i recall was vs Real Sociedad actually, he had an amazing battle with Odriozola.

Mr Nick09 wrote:I did not like much of his game when he played last season, one of the reasons i think why Zidane dropped him after featuring him quite a bit early in the season. Remember the double fullback tactic with Marcelo + Theo on the left? Zidane played some moronic stuff last season, good lord.

his best game if i recall was vs Real Sociedad actually, he had an amazing battle with Odriozola.

Well Zidane playing him at the wing wasn't exactly a great plan

One of the worst tactics I've seen. I'm just not seeing why we should sell now. I can see us signing yet another left back who doesn't hit immediately and getting sold right away.

Freeza wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:I did not like much of his game when he played last season, one of the reasons i think why Zidane dropped him after featuring him quite a bit early in the season. Remember the double fullback tactic with Marcelo + Theo on the left? Zidane played some moronic stuff last season, good lord.

his best game if i recall was vs Real Sociedad actually, he had an amazing battle with Odriozola.

Well Zidane playing him at the wing wasn't exactly a great plan

One of the worst tactics I've seen. I'm just not seeing why we should sell now. I can see us signing yet another left back who doesn't hit immediately and getting sold right away.

i think he has issues with his technique and his football intelligence + ability to manage is small spaces. This should have been picked up when scouting him but i saw him very limited in those areas. Like a way less technical bale with a lesser physique.

Some of those mechanical issues will take a while to fix/improve, which is why this doesnt bother me much. In comparison, despite Achraf numpty ways last season, he was way more gifted technically. He will become good imo.

A player with 0 technique is just non-negotiable for me.

Oh, that's right Rodrygo would be coming next season anyway. Still, we have an issue with the AM area. It's a good problem to have (too many players), but it would still be a problem.

And I really don't see Isco dropping into the midfield under Lopetegui. All the matches I saw for Spain Lope favored Isco further forward as a CAM or false 9. So if James comes in, I might expect that means Bale has to go- I'm not sure that would be the smart decision, but if we could get enough money to spend on a top class CF I'm all for it.

As for the Theo problem, I really hope that is just a false rumor. I think Theo has the potential, just didn't have the right management. As you guys said, throwing him on the wing with another LB is just confusing- him and Marcelo occupy the same spaces. I hope Lope is smarter than that, especially since Theo is maybe one of the only promising LBs I've seen.

Can't think of any LB old or young who would help us. Please no one say Coentrao (still under contract, how).

the club has no plan to sell Bale, certainly not at this point.

I wonder if the idea, if rumors about Theo are valid, that they plan to use one of Carvajal or Odriozola on left when needed in addition to Nacho.

My thoughts now after listening to Nick, particularly about Lewandowsky not for sale and Bale remaining, are that

Club will likely reach a deal for Hazard

Try for Cavani, maybe Lewandowsky as well, and if not successful,will go after Rodrigo.

That means Benz in addition to Bale stays and given the price they put on him, Kovacic as well.

Not sure about James!

Kova is leaving for sure.

Perez at Odriozolas presentation: we are going to reinforce the team with fantastic players

Courtois is one
Hazard is potentially another
Maybe James comes back
Maybe we replace Theo
Maybe we sign a CM/DM
And then I think we sign a CF

There are like 6 weeks to go still in the transfer market

Mr Nick09 wrote:Di Marzio is reporting 160-170 deal being negotiated for both hazard and Courtois. That would put hazard at 125-135 mil lol, less than dembele

to follow up on this news, Euro United is saying that we have agreed a deal with Hazard.

Interesting to see how we'll line up with Isco and Hazard. Get James and a striker and we are good to go