I really don't get it.
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Kalidou Koulibaly
- Thread starter Matt Diablo
- Start date
There is probably at least a 30m pound valuation difference and he is not homegrown like Maguire, which could be a consideration.Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?
Youth is not the first consideration but ability. Even if a player has time, if he never delivers at our insanely high levels, many-a-times the signing will prove to have been wasteful or insufficient even in the long term.Impossible to take any comment that starts with "age is irrelevant" seriously.
If you're investing £85m in an asset, age is very fucking relevant, espeically in a defender with exceptional pace being one of his stand out qualities.
If you spend 85m on Koulibaly and he's not a success, over 30 years old you will not see any meaningful amount of that money again.
If you spend it on a 21 year old, you can still recoup 30-50% after 3 mediocre years.
With all due respect to Stones, the fact that we are in need of a CB now even though we have him and Nico just goes to show that young players can only be said to have time on their side to the extent of their ability to grow and mature to the level required of them.
Agree with you on almost all the points but his price.Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?
He would cost more than Maguire both for the fee and the wages. Napoli are fierce negociators. They don't need to seel, want to keep him and he is a long term contract. I remember when PSG bought two Napoli players : Lavezzi and Cavani. They didn't accept anything but the full clause money. When PSG was interested in Allan this winter, they were asking for 120 M or something like that. They are crazy hard to negociate with.
NorthamptonBlue
Well-Known Member
Well Everton were supposedly going to pay £18m for him before he destroyed his knee. That was when he was 27, 4 years after signing him for 32-40m.
I’ve supposedly given up smoking and eating chips :)
citizens_1976
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It's Koulibaly, De Ligt or bust for me. I don't want another body at CB to fill the spaces. I want someone to come in and walk into the first team.
There are only two defenders who can do that. De Ligt and Koulibaly. I'd rather keep what we have if we can't bring in any of these two.
There are only two defenders who can do that. De Ligt and Koulibaly. I'd rather keep what we have if we can't bring in any of these two.
Benarbia’s Backheel
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Van Dijk was 26 when they bought him, and was pretty much a guaranteed instant success as he'd got 3 seasons experience in the league.
Koulibaly will be 28, has only played well in Italy, and does he even speak the language? It's impossible to be the leader at the heart of defence a la Kompany/Van Dijk if you can't communicate with everyone. We could quite feasibly spend 18 months waiting for him to get comfortable here and he'd be on the verge of 30 - or he could never settle in England.
He's a very good player, I'm not sure he'd be a very good transfer for us.
Yes he was 26 when they signed him, but what would he be worth now? £140m?
blueparrot
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There are loads of centre backs out there , just because you or I don't know them well enough doesn't mean the club can't find one.It's Koulibaly, De Ligt or bust for me. I don't want another body at CB to fill the spaces. I want someone to come in and walk into the first team.
There are only two defenders who can do that. De Ligt and Koulibaly. I'd rather keep what we have if we can't bring in any of these two.
We must take into consideration the fact that we may be loosing two very capable defenders from our choice starting 11 come the start of next season in Kyle and Kompany so the least we can do is to be absolutely spot on in our choice of a CB or even the choice whether or not to sign a CB.
If you ask me, prevailing on Danilo to stay whilst getting a CB in Koulibaly's ilk might make sense more than not signing a CB but going for a Cancelo instead.
I'd love for us to get both but if that would be asking too much from our budget I'd rather we went for Koulibaly.
If you ask me, prevailing on Danilo to stay whilst getting a CB in Koulibaly's ilk might make sense more than not signing a CB but going for a Cancelo instead.
I'd love for us to get both but if that would be asking too much from our budget I'd rather we went for Koulibaly.
citizens_1976
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There are loads of centre backs out there , just because you or I don't know them well enough doesn't mean the club can't find one.
That is true, but players like Manolas and Maguire aren't going to cut it in my eyes.
They are squad players at best, we need someone to come in and command a starting spot. Konate of Leipzig is meant to be a very good talent, but it isn't a dead cert that he will come in and fulfill his potential. De Ligt and Koulibaly are dead certs in my opinion, i want someone to come in and fill me with complete confidence.
Kompany was a brilliant leader and he was someone who will be missed more than we all think. These are very big boots to fill and i want someone who is up to the job.