Kalidou Koulibaly

[Matt.D]

What is he not good enough at yet? I think most posters say stuff like that because of his age, when he plays with far more maturity than some defenders who are 29/30. He can still improve like anyone but to say he's not good enough to be first choice for a couple of years is complete bollocks in my opinion.

Laporte isn’t slow but he isn’t the quickest, Garcia is slower than Laporte. Put Rodri in front of them and there’s zero pace in the defensive spine. Garcia is certainly mature beyond his years but he has made mistakes. To put it bluntly he is not yet athletic or strong enough to be a first choice for us in big games. He may never get quicker but he’s going to have to get stronger. You made comparisons with De Ligt- the difference at a similar age being that De Ligt was an absolute unit and bullied Lewandowski and others in the champions league - Garcia is nowhere near the same level yet.

 

[richards30]

Some journalist on twitter is claiming its €72 mill up front with €15 mill in possible add ons and his medical will be next week.

Oh really? Got a link mate?

 

[ws01]

KDB turned 29 today. Koulibaly is literally 8 days older. Would people turn down a KDB today due to his age? I doubt it.

It's all about £££ - the ultimate deciding factor. If the price is right, absolutely not. If it's extortionate, yes.

And before someone chimes in to state that it's the clubs' money and not ours, you can guarantee the club think exactly the same.

 

[CWMCFC]

Some journalist on twitter is claiming its €72 mill up front with €15 mill in possible add ons and his medical will be next week.

I'd be very shocked if we get any major business done before our CAS ruling.

Would a 29 year old Koulibaly join us if he can't play CL football until he's 31? Very unlikely imo.

 

[g180aj]

Got the link broski?

Sorry mate I've got no idea how to add the link but it was fabrizio Romano, also seen that the athletic are reporting it as £62 mill

 

[walker_is_faster]

Some journalist on twitter is claiming its €72 mill up front with €15 mill in possible add ons and his medical will be next week.

This is fake profile

 

[g180aj]

I'd be very shocked if we get any major business done before our CAS ruling.

Would a 29 year old Koulibaly join us if he can't play CL football until he's 31? Very unlikely imo.

I'm not claiming to be ITK just saying what I read on Twatter!

 

[ctid1894]

De Ligt has been incredible since the turn of the year.

Almost like he's a world class defender who just needed a couple of months to get used to a new country/league/coach.

Exactly, at 19/20, who would think that's possible looking at this thread!!

 

[g180aj]

This is fake profile

Ah ok, how do you ad those links in?

 

[BringBackSwales]

Oh really? Got a link mate?

Do you really need a link? It’s Twitter, the land of the no nowt

 

[BringBackSwales]

Isn’t he going to have African Nations cup from Jan? Also I just read he’s only started 15 games this season? Injured?

 

[ctid1894]

Laporte isn’t slow but he isn’t the quickest, Garcia is slower than Laporte. Put Rodri in front of them and there’s zero pace in the defensive spine. Garcia is certainly mature beyond his years but he has made mistakes. To put it bluntly he is not yet athletic or strong enough to be a first choice for us in big games. He may never get quicker but he’s going to have to get stronger. You made comparisons with De Ligt- the difference at a similar age being that De Ligt was an absolute unit and bullied Lewandowski and others in the champions league - Garcia is nowhere near the same level yet.

There's not a single technical trait you can talk about because there isn't any. It's yet another futile attempt at justifying your point when you say he's made mistakes, all defenders do including Koulibaly, VVD and Laporte, however even Pep said Garcia doesn't make mistakes and that's what makes him as good as he is, it's a lazy argument to throw at a young player.

Physicality you have a valid point, he's not the biggest or quickest but that's a very small part of the game, he more than makes up for that with his reading of the game.

 

[walker_is_faster]

Ah ok, how do you ad those links in?

Just copy url like any other link.

 

[domalino]

Exactly, at 19/20, who would think that's possible looking at this thread!!

Are you really comparing De Ligt with 200 senior appearances, who captained his side to a Europa League final at 17 and a CL semi final at 18, the youngest Dutch international in 100 years with Eric Garcia?

I think Eric's got a lot of potential but De Ligt has the same incredibly old head and sense of danger inside a 6'3 body and built like a tank, so he was able to get all that experience as a teenager that Garcia hasn't.

 

[ctid1894]

Are you really comparing De Ligt with 200 senior appearances, who captained his side to a Europa League final at 17 and a CL semi final at 18, the youngest Dutch international in 100 years with Eric Garcia?

I think Eric's got a lot of potential but De Ligt has the same incredibly old head and sense of danger inside a 6'3 body and built like a tank, so he was able to get all that experience as a teenager that Garcia hasn't.

Nope not at all, I'm using De Ligt to show age should be no reason to hold back Garcia.

 

[simon23]

Not sure how any media can claim we are/are not in for him as Txixi etc wont even know what we are going to do until we get the result of the CAS appeal - no way a player like Koulibaly at the age of 29 comes to a team who cant play in CL for two years regardless of how much we pay, how much the player wants to work with Pep etc.

We may be in for him (but so will other clubs be) but the rest is just media talk with zero substance to it.

 

[blueparrot]

Txiki will have a list for either outcome, might not be very different lists, but Koulibaly would be one . He will also have a reasonable idea of the outcome of CAS. Can’t know for sure but they will have some idea how it went and if confident be at least doing the groundwork on deals.

 

[ctid1894]

Not sure how any media can claim we are/are not in for him as Txixi etc wont even know what we are going to do until we get the result of the CAS appeal - no way a player like Koulibaly at the age of 29 comes to a team who cant play in CL for two years regardless of how much we pay, how much the player wants to work with Pep etc.

We may be in for him (but so will other clubs be) but the rest is just media talk with zero substance to it.

If he wants to get into management after his playing career there's no one better to work with than Pep, so it maybe future planning. That said I completely agree, I don't think we'll spend a penny if we're not in the Champions League, certainly not on the first team.

 

[Plain Speaking]

Isn’t he going to have African Nations cup from Jan? Also I just read he’s only started 15 games this season? Injured?

He's had some injuries in December and beyond, since mid December until the end of February he's not played 9 games out of 12 in the league, he's played the one game since resumption. Prior to that he only missed 2 League games this season, suspension after a sending off.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kal...ails/spieler/93128/wettbewerb/IT1/saison/2019

 

[Stockport Blues]

1. No

2. Yes

You cannot rotate Centre-Backs like you do Midfielders or Forwards.

You say Bastoni is our only target at centre back, besides inter not wanting to sell, do you think Bastoni would want to go from being a starter at a club back on the rise to someone who will essentially only play if Laporte is unavailable or cup games. I know you mention a back 3 but I feel that’s more of an option than what we will play regularly. Do you know what the plan would be if we aren’t able to get Bastoni?