January defenders

Still to this day do not know why we didn't sign Alderweireld in the summer for his buy out clause.

He's all but certain to leave on a free in the summer, so I would be selling Leroy (who I've resigned to us losing) to free up a foreign space and testing Levy's resolve with a £10-15m bid. It's better for them than losing him on a free. Younger than Otamendi and considerably better.

Then flog Otamendi in the summer (or even better, in the winter if someone is stupid enough to buy him) and use his foreign space for another forward if we really feel we need one, which I personally don't think we do and makes this squad unbalanced in terms of keeping our forwards happy.

Give Otamendi's squad spot to Garcia. Laporte, Alderweireld, Stones, Fernandinho and Garcia as our CBs for next season. Laporte and Alderweireld is arguably the strongest pair in the league.

Fernandinho will be phased out at the end of next season I feel, giving a pathway for Garcia to become more of a regular and then a couple of years down the line we can do the same with Alderweireld, making way for Harwood-Bellis.

Instead I can see us faffing around trying to sign Soyuncu, only to be shocked when Leicester ask for £70m for him and if we do succeed in getting a younger CB like him, we've just blocked the pathway of one of our two most talented academy players.
 
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Jonathan tah? big powerful defender looks ok with ball at his feet
Don't think he'd cost the earth either. Physically he's absolutely what we need and is apparently rapid. Captains the u21 team as well. Him next to Laporte could be deadly, and wouldn't come with the pressure of a big-name signing.

Can you imagine if we got Koulibaly for £90mil+ and he tore his ACL/had a bad run of games. We saw what that did to Mangala.
 
Schar for leadership Sanchez for pace and determination, but i would go for Konate and if Sane has not signed by January it should be his spot taken If not his then Bravo`s, but at least Sunday showed us that all those who said we do not need a defender were full of shit
 
Schar for leadership Sanchez for pace and determination, but i would go for Konate and if Sane has not signed by January it should be his spot taken If not his then Bravo`s, but at least Sunday showed us that all those who said we do not need a defender were full of shit
All good shouts, think Schar could be pretty cheap if Newcastle go down and he's got goals in him. Even though he hasn't settled amazingly, really like Sanchez. Think he needs a leader next to him though.
 
All good shouts, think Schar could be pretty cheap if Newcastle go down and he's got goals in him. Even though he hasn't settled amazingly, really like Sanchez. Think he needs a leader next to him though.
Not really been impressed with Schar`s club form but internationally he is a monster
 
If like us to get otamendi out in jan but that won’t happen so demote him and bring the younger ones in because I would imagine by jan the title will be gone so we might aswell build for next year and getting the title back . People say have faith but liverpool will muller us at the back when we play them .
 
Considering the 'small' team we are, we have look at height besides age and obviously quality. I consider anyone we buy to be a long term solution and partner to Laporte, to rotate with Stones and perhaps Garcia. Considering Laporte is left footed, we need a right footed CB and for me there are only three considerable alternatives today:

1st choice: Raphael Varane (191 cm, 26 yo, right footed). Would never leave Madrid but one can dream. Would be an amazing partner to Laporte.
2nd choice: Milan Skriniar (187 cm, 24 yo, right footed). Strong, decisive, aggressive, seem like a leader.
3rd alternative: Ruben Dias (186 cm 22 yo, right footed). Strong, aggressive, talented.

Wouldn't be surprised if we went for Skriniar this January, but he wouldn't be able to play in the Champions League, right? Considering Inter is in the CL.
 
Obviously every club in Europe is aware of our need, and any Jan purchase will result in us getting our pants pulled down to an extent that paying Pogba money for maguire last summer will look like a bargain :-(
 
If like us to get otamendi out in jan but that won’t happen so demote him and bring the younger ones in because I would imagine by jan the title will be gone so we might aswell build for next year and getting the title back . People say have faith but liverpool will muller us at the back when we play them .
Lets wait till Jan then shall we
 
Considering the 'small' team we are, we have look at height besides age and obviously quality. I consider anyone we buy to be a long term solution and partner to Laporte, to rotate with Stones and perhaps Garcia. Considering Laporte is left footed, we need a right footed CB and for me there are only three considerable alternatives today:

1st choice: Raphael Varane (191 cm, 26 yo, right footed). Would never leave Madrid but one can dream. Would be an amazing partner to Laporte.
2nd choice: Milan Skriniar (187 cm, 24 yo, right footed). Strong, decisive, aggressive, seem like a leader.
3rd alternative: Ruben Dias (186 cm 22 yo, right footed). Strong, aggressive, talented.

Wouldn't be surprised if we went for Skriniar this January, but he wouldn't be able to play in the Champions League, right? Considering Inter is in the CL.
Didn't they change the rules so that a player who has started a CL knockout games would not be eligible ?
 
Didn't they change the rules so that a player who has started a CL knockout games would not be eligible ?

So you mean that if we were to sign Skriniar before the CL knockout stages that starts in February 2020, we would be OK to use him in CL?
That's awesome news in that case because I do believe Skriniar is ticking all the boxes for Pep and the club. It'll be interesting come January but he has to be the top five alternatives in a CB role.

I really struggle to think of that many more players who has all necessary attributes. As they said in the documentary, the CB position is the hardest one for Pep to fill.
 

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