Kalidou Koulibaly

I don't know, whether it's the correct decision with Koulibaly or not, It's definitely a pattern with City that haggling has lead to missing out on targets. Van Dijk we did the same thing and that doesn't look a great decision in hindsight. We definitely have a bee in our bonnet about paying big fees. That we've never spent 70 mil on a player in this day and age is kind of nuts and ultimately is going to box you out of the discussion for top players.

The dippers tapped up Van Dick and he wanted only them

He even put a City top on as an April’s fool

No point in pursuing a lost cause
 
I think the frustrating thing is the overall outlay on the defence has been huge. How many CBs we have purchased over the past decade that haven’t been up to it? If Koulibaly is one that the club think is the man, just pay it. We have had so many “cheaper” options with very few paying off and we typically end up having to replace them with another.

Yeah like I'm all for deals if you can get them, the ferran Torres deal is to me one of the best pieces of business anyone's done in a while, but I also think sometimes it will boil down to either getting hosed by the selling club or walking away. And we choose walking away every time, I think its going to be difficult to sign world class players with that model.
 
So, in other news, apparently United reckon they could get him for €70m. Coincidentally midway between €60m and €80m - I wonder where that figure was dreamt up from...

If only we had that negotiating wizard Ed in our corner!
 
Quick paraphrasing for you lot:

We've officially bid 55 million euro and they're saying reaching a compromise seems complicated (at this point) cuz Di Laufuckface wants 90.

Guardiola's not offering a wage more different than he's receiving at Napoli, and he lives good in Naples.

The conditions are not present to allow KK to leave, even though signs have indicated his departure.

 
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De Laurentiis knows what he's doing. One of those clubs paid something similar for a less capable defender not so long ago. With that said, I hope they get him so they can field a 80 and 90 million pound defenders together.

Yes, and in those days Napoli qualified for the Champions League and could rely on steady income from gate revenue...
 
the mangala hit we took is a big scare for me at £70 million
i know its not the same and he is a better player koulibaly ? but unknown in the premier league and we all know you don't get time on the ball the premier league ? its a league that finds your weakness fast and can make you look daft very quickly

if they are saying they want the £100 million or nothing then walk away ? and if they come back say £50 million haha
must be other world class defenders out there ? we should never look desperate and the nathan ake signing gives us options and maybe stones can find his form again
 
the mangala hit we took is a big scare for me at £70 million
i know its not the same and he is a better player koulibaly ? but unknown in the premier league and we all know you don't get time on the ball the premier league ? its a league that finds your weakness fast and can make you look daft very quickly

if they are saying they want the £100 million or nothing then walk away ? and if they come back say £50 million haha
must be other world class defenders out there ? we should never look desperate and the nathan ake signing gives us options and maybe stones can find his form again

He has the physicality and footballing ability to cope in the Premier League, and he has it upstairs to play our way.
There aren’t any world class defenders available. Koulibaly isn’t world class, which is why we’ll not agree a cash/player deal above €60m, but Guardiola might be able to make him so.
 
Can only presume you are calculating in US dollars, but even if you are, I think you’re overestimating how much we’d be willing to pay.
I think regardless of the exchange rate it’s too much. But yes I was calculating in US dollars. I’ve seen high numbers being quoted as far as what Napoli want
 
He has the physicality and footballing ability to cope in the Premier League, and he has it upstairs to play our way.
There aren’t any world class defenders available. Koulibaly isn’t world class, which is why we’ll not agree a cash/player deal above €60m, but Guardiola might be able to make him so.

if he's not world class then why the fuck are we trying to buy him and at that crazy price ?? stick with stones and laporte and nathan ake and then sign somebody as a squad player or bring in youth
 
if he's not world class then why the fuck are we trying to buy him and at that crazy price ?? stick with stones and laporte and nathan ake and then sign somebody as a squad player or bring in youth

None of the three players you quote are world class central defenders, and when this is finished, I reckon we’ll have signed him in a deal that sees less cash used now than was paid for Stones or for Laporte. Laporte is on his way to becoming world class, but he needs a physical leader beside him who has plenty Champions League experience, of which Ake has none.
 
I think this is a scouting problem at the club. There is surely a 22-25 year old out there who will be a future world star and is available for less than 60m. There always is and other clubs get them. We have been able to identify gems in the midfield but not one proper CB since VK.
As good as Pep is at spotting talent, he cant be expected to scan through all leagues and support has to come from elsewhere.
 
There’s reportedly a pow wow of the Napoli management today to discuss squad development. Paraphrased:

De Laurentiis and Gattuso will have to tell each other everything that they have been unable to tell each other in recent weeks, through systematically playing every three days, and express their respective assessments of the squad, but also calculating the possible developments of the market. These are centered above all on Koulibaly, Allan and Milik (Juve wants him by offering money and either Cristian Romero or Bernardeschi), as a way of covering the expenses incurred recently (Osimhen, Politano, Demme, Lobotka, Rrhamani and Petagna). However, they also need to plan future investments: Callejon's heir, could be Cegiz Ünder (just turned 23) but on the left, the possibility of getting the Greek Tsimikas (24) has faded, with Liverpool interested. Instead attention could turn to the Spaniard Sergio Reguilon (24 years old in December), the winger that Real Madrid has loaned to Seville.​

The paragraph before speaks of the economic pressure Napoli faces (no CL and no tickets), and you can see that a major rebuild is going on, so many new players. However, the market has changed and nobody has the money (see Juventus’ suggestion) to pay what Napoli want.

I expect to read Koulibaly increasingly linked to ‘that lot’ in the coming days and our interest to ‘cool’. But that will be Napoli trying to generate an auction. Not sure that lot could justify spending upwards of 150m (wages included) on two central defenders over two summers, especially when they are of a similar type.

https://www.corrieredellosport.it/n...tuso-de_laurentiis_nder_reguilon_e_non_solo_/
Why are we not in for this kid?
 

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