Matthijs de Ligt

Signing for City would probably stall his development anyway. Better to let someone else sign him and bring him on. Then City could make a big bid for him if they like what they see. That's usually what happens

If they think he's god's gift then they probably should do it & we have to back their judgement.

i personally don't think there are that many players born to be the world's best centre half. It's about learning it. Vinny did it quickly because he's clever. He still got arse fucked by Peter Crouch when first tried there.

I think it's just down to the fact that no fucker anywhere knows their arse from their elbow anymore about how to actually defend individually as part of a unit & get both right, so they pick a footballer, who looks as if he might be able to defend and try to put him into their systems & if he's shite, they buy another.
 
If they think he's god's gift then they probably should do it & we have to back their judgement.

i personally don't think there are that many players born to be the world's best centre half. It's about learning it. Vinny did it quickly because he's clever. He still got arse fucked by Peter Crouch when first tried there.

I think it's just down to the fact that no fucker anywhere knows their arse from their elbow anymore about how to actually defend individually as part of a unit & get both right, so they pick a footballer, who looks as if he might be able to defend and try to put him into their systems & if he's shite, they buy another.

I'd argue that the Premier League has become extremely defensive and that there are definitely teams that know how to defend as a unit: Brighton, Burnley and Huddersfield for example. What teams seem unable to do, is switch between that defensive mindset and genuinely trying to win games. That requires a different skillset, either starting with defenders who are comfortable bringing the ball out, or quick counters based on balls into channels with speedy wingers, or a good the ball up centre forward who can lay it off to advancing midfielders.

I think Pep has already described the Premier League as the most defensive he has played in.
 
We already have the best defence as it’s Peps’ philosophy to defend with the whole team. It’s why he actually prefers midfieldplayers in the back line.
As for De Light, he is undoubted a huge talent playing CB at such a young age. Whatever his career turns out to be is yet to be seen.
 
Dutch papers are saying Overmars doesn’t want to sell and De Ligt isn’t really pushing for a move. Also says that interested teams are looking to buy him and loan him back to Ajax but he doesn’t like that option and he name drops Sandler being bought by us and loaned back to PEC Zwolle.

Is there a thread anywhere that doscussss how our CFG plan might be scaring young talent away? I can think of Ünder, Coric who both moved to Roma and now De Ligt being apprehensive about us given the uncertainty of going to the first team right away or being loaned out to one of our clubs and how it affects their development.

Overmars also mentions how if the club is going to keep selling kids at 18 they might as well shut down the academy.
 
I'd argue that the Premier League has become extremely defensive and that there are definitely teams that know how to defend as a unit: Brighton, Burnley and Huddersfield for example. What teams seem unable to do, is switch between that defensive mindset and genuinely trying to win games. That requires a different skillset, either starting with defenders who are comfortable bringing the ball out, or quick counters based on balls into channels with speedy wingers, or a good the ball up centre forward who can lay it off to advancing midfielders.

I think Pep has already described the Premier League as the most defensive he has played in.

Any team can be organised 'defend as a unit'. Just keep going backwards in formation then block everything you can in the penalty area, when opened up, like Burnley do.

That isn't the kind of defending I'm talking about.
 
Dutch papers are saying Overmars doesn’t want to sell and De Ligt isn’t really pushing for a move. Also says that interested teams are looking to buy him and loan him back to Ajax but he doesn’t like that option and he name drops Sandler being bought by us and loaned back to PEC Zwolle.

Is there a thread anywhere that doscussss how our CFG plan might be scaring young talent away? I can think of Ünder, Coric who both moved to Roma and now De Ligt being apprehensive about us given the uncertainty of going to the first team right away or being loaned out to one of our clubs and how it affects their development.

Overmars also mentions how if the club is going to keep selling kids at 18 they might as well shut down the academy.

He's spot on.

Ajax are a club who (imo) have done ten times more for 'football history' than the rags or scousers will ever do, by creating a whole way of playing football & are the reason why we play like we do, now. They don't seem to have any ambition, except to keep afloat.

They have plenty of supporters & a great stadium & should have been able to build themselves a proper team, as that league is ideal for bringing through young players.
 
Juvefc.com‏ @juvefcdotcom 46m46 minutes ago
Matthijs de Ligt is close to joining Juventus. He had a tour of Juve Stadium & facilities with Paratici & Nedved and he was impressed. Ajax want €50m, Juventus are working with Raiola to negotiate the asking price. [Premium Sport]

Juvefc.com‏ @juvefcdotcom 36m36 minutes ago
De Ligt: "It’s a wonderful stadium & Turin is a beautiful city too. Juve is a club with great history & above all many trophies in their cabinet, as well as many excellent players. Raiola? He’s not tied to Juve, he has many interests. I think if it were close he’d have told me."
 
Beautiful city. Has he not been to the Arndale

I was in Turin a few weeks ago for a New Order gig and I thought it was a beautiful city.
Got the train back to Piccadilly after my flight. As I was walking down the ramp, it struck me how much of a shit hole Manchester actually is.
 
Manchester City have made a €60m (£52.6m) bid for Ajax centre-back Matthijs de Ligt (18). Ajax are likely to refuse the offer, having also turned down €55m from Tottenham. [TMW]
City are pursuing De Ligt despite a less than ideal relationship between his agent Mino Raiola and Pep Guardiola. Juventus also want the Ajax defender but are being priced out. [TMW]
 
Market is truly fucked when €60m is not enough for a 18 year old CB. Will probably take €70m-€80m to prise him away and in my opinion thats just too much for unproven CB.
 

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