Lucas Paquetá

[Dribble]

My thoughts exactly. We should have signed him, he would get banned for 9months at most??? We have had players go missing for that long, MENDY, STONES and we still functioned. I am sure we could have been 8-12points clear at the top of the league if we had signed him.

My feelings exactly. We didn't replace Gundog or Mahrez adequately, & with KDB being out for a big portion of the season, we've essentially been without three major players this season, & it's told imho.

 

[Gabriel]

What would be the difference in taking a gamble (dunno if you realised your pun) on Paqueta & buying an injured Gundog?

Oh, I realised.

Gundogan had an injury but we were convinced he would recover. He was also only our fourth most expensive addition that summer. Based on his then age, his recovery from previous injuries, and our faith in our backroom staff, believing he would prove value for money was a sound presumption.

Paqueta would have probably cost 100 million plus last season but reportedly has a buyout clause this summer that, were we to match it, would still make him our second most expensive transfer ever. Unlike Gundogan, however, the fate of Paqueta's career would not be in our hands nor even his, so we could be signing a player that might be banned from playing (Lord knows for how long) and whose image would be forever tarnished.

 

[bell_mcfc]

So you reckon if his betting allegations aren't cleared up, we'll move onto other targets?

I’d guess so. There is talk of Musiala, Wirtz, Eze etc. I know those first 2 are a stretch.

It’s clear Pep likes Paqueta and he’s a great player. But I’d expect us to move on. We reacted and bought Nunes in the summer of imagine we’d want to finish this once and for all this summer.

Also weren’t there reports coming out of Brazil that it had been resolved and just waiting for the FA to announce it.

 

[Dribble]

I’d guess so. There is talk of Musiala, Wirtz, Eze etc. I know those first 2 are a stretch.

It’s clear Pep likes Paqueta and he’s a great player. But I’d expect us to move on. We reacted and bought Nunes in the summer of imagine we’d want to finish this once and for all this summer.

Also weren’t there reports coming out of Brazil that it had been resolved and just waiting for the FA to announce it.

It's resolved in Brazil, with no word from the FA/PL.

The similar case involving Xhaka took them two years to investigate before clearing him.

To be honest I see Musiala, Wirtz & Ezé being different types of players to Paqueta. The latter I see as a direct replacement for Gundog, with the others being more in the mode of a central Foden, either playing behind a striker, or out wide.

Paqueta can do this & more, hence the Gundog comparison.

 

[Dialog]

I’d guess so. There is talk of Musiala, Wirtz, Eze etc. I know those first 2 are a stretch.

I thought that we were to sign Paqueta and one of Musiala or Wirtz if possible. Was not aware, it was either Paqueta or one of the two mentioned. Can't we have Paqueta with one of the two? Not one out of Paqueta, Musiala or Wirtz?

 

[bell_mcfc]

I thought that we were to sign Paqueta and one of Musiala or Wirtz if possible. Was not aware, it was either Paqueta or one of the two mentioned. Can't we have Paqueta with one of the two? Not one out of the Paqueta, Musiala or Wirtz?

I’m sure we could. Would probably need someone to leave. Bernado?

Personally I’d rather keep him but if we were ever going to replace him all 3 are incredible.

 

[Dribble]

Oh dear...




Sandro Tonali has been charged with 50
betting offences by the Football Association after it was revealed the Italian midfielder placed bets last season while at Newcastle.

Tonali, 23, is currently serving a 10-month football ban after being found guilty of betting on games involving both of his former clubs, Brescia and AC Milan, by the ltalian Football Federation.

'Sandro Tonali has been charged with
misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the FA Betting Rules," an FA statement read.

"It's alleged that the Newcastle United
midfielder breached FA Rule E8 50 times by placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023."

 

[bell_mcfc]

Oh dear...


View attachment 111947

Sandro Tonali has been charged with 50
betting offences by the Football Association after it was revealed the Italian midfielder placed bets last season while at Newcastle.

Tonali, 23, is currently serving a 10-month football ban after being found guilty of betting on games involving both of his former clubs, Brescia and AC Milan, by the ltalian Football Federation.

'Sandro Tonali has been charged with
misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the FA Betting Rules," an FA statement read.

"It's alleged that the Newcastle United
midfielder breached FA Rule E8 50 times by placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023."

I’d say sell him to Saudi Arabia but gambling is haram. Think of it as rehab.

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

Personally, if it was up to me, I'd have signed him last summer & damned the consequences. If he gets a ban, he gets a ban, however we'd have had his services this season which would have made a massive difference to us, & we'd have them after his ban was up.

The issue is the not knowing. Granit Xhaka's investigation took two seasons before he was eventually cleared for similar accusations.

The Brazilian FA have dropped their investigation into him, leaving the PL/FA or whoever's investigating him to crawl at their usual snails pace trying to reach a conclusion.

Whilst being highly suspicious, the smart money's on there being no actual proof against him, hence the Brazilian FA dropping their investigation & announcing he was free to continue representing his country.

Personally I think we should bite the bullet this summer & hope for the best outcome. I've a horrible feeling that the 115 breaches is stopping us from making such a bold move if he isn't cleared beforehand.

With rumours of ArseAnal's interest, can you imagine the meltdown on BM if they bit the bullet & got him, after we spent a year dithering?

I get what you're saying he would've made a major difference to us this season, plus it'd be the worst case scenario if he ended up at a Prem rival too.

The investigation at the time though wasn't just the Brazilian FA was it? I thought it was claimed there was actually an ongoing criminal one too if the reports were true.

If guilty of the charges mentioned by football authorities it would've been a major ban for Paqueta, not just a 12-18 month ban slap that we've seen in the past as it'd be seen as clear case of match fixing, the accusations stated he'd potentially betted on or let people know he was getting intentionally booked in games he's actually played in.
There mustn't actually be any proof of it though if those other more thorough investigations have been dropped, because in theory if guilty of the accusations he could be banned for half a decade or more his career would've been over for him.

If guilty it would've been a major ban no doubt about it I don't think we could've made any move without fully knowing, it might now be a more clear cut thing after the other major investigations on his back have been dropped, it could be a case of lazy processing the FA going at a snails pace and known full well that he'll be found innocent.

 

[JewelZee]

He'll be cleared and we'll sign him this Summer...