The 2025 Rebuild of City Squad

[Dialog]

I’ve got no blind faith—we’ve definitely made some bad transfer decisions. Our key players have declined, and yeah, we probably should’ve started phasing them out earlier. There I’m sure we agree.

But it’s way too easy to just reel off a list of top talents and act like we could’ve signed them all. Most of them were either out of reach or would’ve blown up our wage structure.

It’s not so simple to shift ageing, injury-prone players and replace them with the best young talent every time. We’ve got contracts we can’t shift and limited room to move. Without giving our best players the contracts we have, we wouldn’t have had all this success.

Success comes with a cost—and now we’re feeling it. Why do you think we’re signing players like Doku, Savinho, Khus, and González on relatively low wages?

It’s part of the reset, that we’re probably a season or so behind on. We fucked up in the summer but we’re still in with a shout on champions league and in a cup final.

I have no reason to believe we won’t improve upon that next season and beyond.

Liverpool are catchable. Wages are freeing up with outgoings. Fingers crossed we sign the right players going forward.

You make fair points, and yes—we agree that success has a cost and that rebuilding isn’t simple. But what you're doing here is shifting from accountability to resignation. You admit mistakes were made, players declined, and the reset came too late—but then rush to defend the exact structures and the recent poor decisions that led us here. That’s not insight. That’s damage control.


Let’s deal with the “we couldn’t have signed them all” narrative. No one’s claiming we should have signed every top talent mentioned. But the point isn’t about quantity—it’s about missed opportunities when the path was clear. Some of these players weren’t out of reach—they were ignored, misjudged, or deprioritized while we pursued less suitable options. That’s a failure of vision, not resources.


And the wage structure? Let’s not act like it's sacred ground. We already broke it for certain players. We already offered contracts to ageing or injury-prone players to “reward” them—so don’t pretend we’ve been rigidly disciplined. If you’re willing to stretch the wage model for sentimental loyalty, but not for elite reinforcements, then you're not defending structure—you’re defending complacency and also, the players I have mentioned, I doubt would have dented the wage structure.


You say we’re signing players like Doku, Savinho, and Khus because it’s part of the reset. Fine and I agree—but when the likes of Kvara, Neves and Hakimi or Mendes rise through the ranks, do you want to look back and say we passed again because of "structure"? Talent wins. Structure follows it—not the other way around and yes Khus, Sav and Doku are talented but it does not negate the fact that, we also had those that went to PSG in our sight but we did not pull the trigger.


And yes, we’re still in contention for UCL spot and a cup final. But trophies mask trends. We’ve dropped points in ways we never used to. We’ve lacked control in matches we used to dominate. The aura of inevitability is fading—and that’s what signals decline long before results confirm it.

I’m certainly not worried about a falling dynasty.

You say you’re not worried about a falling dynasty—and that’s exactly how dynasties fall. Not with a crash, but with denial. With misplaced faith in “structure” that is not combined with substance, and in hope over hard decisions. You can’t outthink decline if you refuse to acknowledge it while it’s happening.


Yes, success has a cost. But so does complacency. And when this summer’s transfer window comes around, we better course-correct—decisively. No more half-measures. No more safe picks that keep the wage chart tidy while the performances plateau. The poor signings are already taking and enjoying those big fat wages, without being talented enough anyway, so we might as well give it to the talented and deserving. This is where we show our true intentions—whether we’re still hungry, or just content to reminisce.


The quality of players we bring in will speak louder than any press conference, any PR soundbite, or any “fingers crossed” optimism. I don’t want sentiment. I want steel. Ruthlessness. A refusal to surrender an inch to the competition. If we’re serious about staying at the summit, this summer has to reflect that.


Otherwise, history will say the warning signs were there. And we ignored them.

 

[COAT_OF_ARMS]

Absolutely.

KdB is a legend but he's washed and his body can't keep up
Ederson had a foot out the door this past summer but is still here somehow
Stones is a tough one but we just can't renew a contract for an aging and injury prone player
McAtee just isn't up to our speed and we should let him go somewhere he can get the playing time he needs to develop further
Bernardo has run himself into the ground so he should be allowed to end his career how he wants

KDB is still one of the best creative midfielders in the world. He would walk into any Prem side he wants to, and is pretty much nailed on to do exactly that in a matter of weeks, which we will get nothing in return for. I'm not saying he plays every single game, realistically nobody in our squad does anyway, but he would be a strong rotation option and hold the group together. He's only just got the captains armband as well, frankly it suits him as a person, he is a leader and we are increasingly short of them. Give him a three year contract, keep him for two more seasons, he absolutely has it in him, and then get a small fee from the MLS or Saudi in 2027. Don't let Liverpool or Chelsea get a big boost for free and see a club legend go away and give our rivals that leg up instead of us.

Ederson may want to leave and if he does he will turn the contract offer down, but we should still be putting one on the table in the event he wants to sign it. Nobody has the distribution he has, and it is so important to our system. He will be tough to replace, anyone we do get to replace him will be inferior, and again, we shouldn't be losing these kind of players without a fee involved at the very least.

Yes, I take your points completely about Stones, I lean towards it being an overall advantage to keep him but he would be the least priority of the list, precisely for those reasons.

McAtee has literally been the diamond in a pack of raisins this season. Along with O'Reilly, Khusa, and Marmoush, they've been the players that got us out of a dire situation and began to right the ship. Not only is he up to speed, he has been outperforming a lot of his team-mates, and will only go upwards from here.

Bernardo, pretty much the same point as Ederson. Of course it is up to him, he should decide whether to stay or go, and we don't stand in anyones way. We also without doubt should be putting that contract on the table and actually giving him that opportunity to make that decision one way or another. If he doesn't want to sign it, he won't sign it. Does he have the quality to warrant a renewal though? 1000% yes.

 

[CΛL]

That's the biggest mistake anyone can make. You should always be worried about a falling dynasty. Not overly so, but enough so to avoid it happening. Nobody is immune, you constantly have to keep your levels up high and your wits about you, or it is self-fulfilling.

You make fair points, and yes—we agree that success has a cost and that rebuilding isn’t simple. But what you're doing here is shifting from accountability to resignation. You admit mistakes were made, players declined, and the reset came too late—but then rush to defend the exact structures and the recent poor decisions that led us here. That’s not insight. That’s damage control.


Let’s deal with the “we couldn’t have signed them all” narrative. No one’s claiming we should have signed every top talent mentioned. But the point isn’t about quantity—it’s about missed opportunities when the path was clear. Some of these players weren’t out of reach—they were ignored, misjudged, or deprioritized while we pursued less suitable options. That’s a failure of vision, not resources.


And the wage structure? Let’s not act like it's sacred ground. We already broke it for certain players. We already offered long contracts to ageing or injury-prone players to “reward” them—so don’t pretend we’ve been rigidly disciplined. If you’re willing to stretch the wage model for sentimental loyalty, but not for elite reinforcements, then you're not defending structure—you’re defending complacency and also, the players I have mentioned, I doubt would have dented the wage structure.


You say we’re signing players like Doku, Savinho, and Khus because it’s part of the reset. Fine—but when the likes of Kvara, Neves and Hakimi or Mendes rise through the ranks, do you want to look back and say we passed again because of "structure"? Talent wins. Structure follows it—not the other way around and yes Khus, Sav and Doku are talented but it does not negate the fact that, we also had those that went to PSG in our sight but we did not pull the trigger.


And yes, we’re still in contention for UCL spot and a cup final. But trophies mask trends. We’ve dropped points in ways we never used to. We’ve lacked control in matches we used to dominate. The aura of inevitability is fading—and that’s what signals decline long before results confirm it.


You say you’re not worried about a falling dynasty—and that’s exactly how dynasties fall. Not with a crash, but with denial. With misplaced faith in “structure” over substance, and in hope over hard decisions. You can’t outthink decline if you refuse to acknowledge it while it’s happening.


Yes, success has a cost. But so does complacency. And when this summer’s transfer window comes around, we better course-correct—decisively. No more half-measures. No more safe picks that keep the wage chart tidy while the performances plateau. This is where we show our true intentions—whether we’re still hungry, or just content to reminisce.


The quality of players we bring in will speak louder than any press conference, any PR soundbite, or any “fingers crossed” optimism. I don’t want sentiment. I want steel. Ruthlessness. A refusal to surrender an inch to the competition. If we’re serious about staying at the summit, this summer has to reflect that.


Otherwise, history will say the warning signs were there. And we ignored them.

Guess we’ll see what happens — like you say, it all depends on who we bring in this summer.

Barring Gundogan, I think there’s a trend with the players we’ve signed in the past two windows.

We made mistakes with Grealish, Kovacic, Phillips, even Nunes and so on — whilst all not really being good enough, they also cost too much and were signed on deals that would leave them too old to sell or retain any real value toward the end of their contracts.

As long as we improve on this season, we’re heading in the right direction again: younger squad, more sustainable, and with saleable assets, which hopefully leaves room for a marquee signing to two to elevate us. My only worry is this need for homegrown players.

Either way I think we’re quite far from being a Post-Fergie United for example.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

KDB is still one of the best creative midfielders in the world. He would walk into any Prem side he wants to, and is pretty much nailed on to do exactly that in a matter of weeks, which we will get nothing in return for. I'm not saying he plays every single game, realistically nobody in our squad does anyway, but he would be a strong rotation option and hold the group together. He's only just got the captains armband as well, frankly it suits him as a person, he is a leader and we are increasingly short of them. Give him a three year contract, keep him for two more seasons, he absolutely has it in him, and then get a small fee from the MLS or Saudi in 2027. Don't let Liverpool or Chelsea get a big boost for free and see a club legend go away and give our rivals that leg up instead of us.

Ederson may want to leave and if he does he will turn the contract offer down, but we should still be putting one on the table in the event he wants to sign it. Nobody has the distribution he has, and it is so important to our system. He will be tough to replace, anyone we do get to replace him will be inferior, and again, we shouldn't be losing these kind of players without a fee involved at the very least.

Yes, I take your points completely about Stones, I lean towards it being an overall advantage to keep him but he would be the least priority of the list, precisely for those reasons.

McAtee has literally been the diamond in a pack of raisins this season. Along with O'Reilly, Khusa, and Marmoush, they've been the players that got us out of a dire situation and began to right the ship. Not only is he up to speed, he has been outperforming a lot of his team-mates, and will only go upwards from here.

Bernardo, pretty much the same point as Ederson. Of course it is up to him, he should decide whether to stay or go, and we don't stand in anyones way. We also without doubt should be putting that contract on the table and actually giving him that opportunity to make that decision one way or another. If he doesn't want to sign it, he won't sign it. Does he have the quality to warrant a renewal though? 1000% yes.

Absolutely delusional if you think KDB should get a 3 year contract. Football isn't played on misty eyed memories, it's played in the here and now.

Your ideas aren't so much about a rebuild but kicking the can down the road, for a team already in decline.

 

[argyle]

This doesn’t sound promising what Tolmie posted at all!

Not necessarily.

Many of our best players and legends over the years haven't been ready made elite players.

It's good to have hungry, young players who want to prove themselves.

 

[johnny crossan]

Sadly I'm thinking we'll get one elite signing only, a fullback who can play both sides.
The groundwork for accomodating any more looks not to have been done.

 

[COAT_OF_ARMS]

Your ideas aren't so much about a rebuild but kicking the can down the road, for a team already in decline.

If you focus on contract renewals in isolation you might get that idea, but I never suggested to only renew those contracts without signing anyone, or that we wouldn't move others on, or that those renewals would all be nailed on starters every week.

Bringing in Frimpong, Gibbs-White, and Gyokeres wouldn't exactly be kicking the can down the road, would it? The question asked about signings and extensions, presumably we will do some of each, and I wrote about both.

Keeping our captain who happens to be one of the best of his position tied down to a contract and not letting him go for free isn't neglecting your squad, it's just a common-sense move. However long you want to get out of him, you should be offering him *more* than that, in order to recoup something afterwards. I see him having two more seasons at the top level, I know for a fact I'm not alone in that, so if we want two more out of him then we sign him up for three.

There is a reason he is in such high demand, he has not turned into Stewart Downing over night.

 

[CΛL]

If you focus on contract renewals in isolation you might get that idea, but I never suggested to only renew those contracts without signing anyone, or that we wouldn't move others on, or that those renewals would all be nailed on starters every week.

Bringing in Frimpong, Gibbs-White, and Gyokeres wouldn't exactly be kicking the can down the road, would it? The question asked about signings and extensions, presumably we will do some of each, and I wrote about both.

Keeping our captain who happens to be one of the best of his position tied down to a contract and not letting him go for free isn't neglecting your squad, it's just a common-sense move. However long you want to get out of him, you should be offering him *more* than that, in order to recoup something afterwards. I see him having two more seasons at the top level, I know for a fact I'm not alone in that, so if we want two more out of him then we sign him up for three.

There is a reason he is in such high demand, he has not turned into Stewart Downing over night.

Who do you think is going to buy a 35 year old Kevin De Bruyne in two years, for enough money to not only cover his £20m per year wages but also some of his initial transfer fee?

The club is doing the right thing, I love the man but he hasn’t got the body for this league anymore.

 

[Damanino]

let go of: Walker, Ederson, KDB, Grealish and Stones, McAtee
bring in top GK, great RB, a top creator, and a winger with serious output.

does this sound too much in one summer? yes but we badly failed last summer to do it or some of it. brutal when you think Walker already gave up on us due to his personal life drama ad Ederson wasnt far from riding into to Saudi sunset 12 months ago.

then start working over next 6-12 months on phasing out Gundo, Bernardo, Ake while getting Bobb, OReilly and Echeverri more game time, and getting Khusanov and Reis more involved too.

sadly I am not too sure of home grown players, dont see many great fits, and some would warrant a brutal overpriced fee too, but we clearly need to search the market for 1-2 home grown as well.

 

[BluestBlue]

You make fair points, and yes—we agree that success has a cost and that rebuilding isn’t simple. But what you're doing here is shifting from accountability to resignation. You admit mistakes were made, players declined, and the reset came too late—but then rush to defend the exact structures and the recent poor decisions that led us here. That’s not insight. That’s damage control.


Let’s deal with the “we couldn’t have signed them all” narrative. No one’s claiming we should have signed every top talent mentioned. But the point isn’t about quantity—it’s about missed opportunities when the path was clear. Some of these players weren’t out of reach—they were ignored, misjudged, or deprioritized while we pursued less suitable options. That’s a failure of vision, not resources.


And the wage structure? Let’s not act like it's sacred ground. We already broke it for certain players. We already offered contracts to ageing or injury-prone players to “reward” them—so don’t pretend we’ve been rigidly disciplined. If you’re willing to stretch the wage model for sentimental loyalty, but not for elite reinforcements, then you're not defending structure—you’re defending complacency and also, the players I have mentioned, I doubt would have dented the wage structure.


You say we’re signing players like Doku, Savinho, and Khus because it’s part of the reset. Fine and I agree—but when the likes of Kvara, Neves and Hakimi or Mendes rise through the ranks, do you want to look back and say we passed again because of "structure"? Talent wins. Structure follows it—not the other way around and yes Khus, Sav and Doku are talented but it does not negate the fact that, we also had those that went to PSG in our sight but we did not pull the trigger.


And yes, we’re still in contention for UCL spot and a cup final. But trophies mask trends. We’ve dropped points in ways we never used to. We’ve lacked control in matches we used to dominate. The aura of inevitability is fading—and that’s what signals decline long before results confirm it.


You say you’re not worried about a falling dynasty—and that’s exactly how dynasties fall. Not with a crash, but with denial. With misplaced faith in “structure” that is not combined with substance, and in hope over hard decisions. You can’t outthink decline if you refuse to acknowledge it while it’s happening.


Yes, success has a cost. But so does complacency. And when this summer’s transfer window comes around, we better course-correct—decisively. No more half-measures. No more safe picks that keep the wage chart tidy while the performances plateau. The poor signings are already taking and enjoying those big fat wages, without being talented enough anyway, so we might as well give it to the talented and deserving. This is where we show our true intentions—whether we’re still hungry, or just content to reminisce.


The quality of players we bring in will speak louder than any press conference, any PR soundbite, or any “fingers crossed” optimism. I don’t want sentiment. I want steel. Ruthlessness. A refusal to surrender an inch to the competition. If we’re serious about staying at the summit, this summer has to reflect that.


Otherwise, history will say the warning signs were there. And we ignored them.

I beg everyone on this site to read this eloquent post. You are not right but I wish the club could hear this.

The points you touched on truly are the foundation of the new path we find ourselves on.

The club won’t admit mistakes but the 4th in a row title somehow blinded them. Which doesn’t make any sense because we had no business winning that season. The red flags were there. The coaching mistakes, concentration lapses etc. the documentary make a note that the players really struggled as a group. It took Foden to reach heights we’ve never seen and Rodri a PL player to win a whole ballon dor for the first time in ages.

It wasn’t coaching. It wasn’t luck. It was sheer individual brilliance of the highest degree.

The club has to stop messing about and realise that we’re not entitled to winning. That we must fight for it harder than ever. The 2nd highest wage bill in the world but more than half of the players aren’t deserving. They need to realise the assets we have. Haaland staying for TEN YEARS. A generational talent has chosen to stick with a side that doesn’t play to his full strengths but because he’s loyal and loves the club. He should be reward with players that will create for him.

I’m glad that Pep’s comments finally highlight the issue. This City team isn’t exactly brimming with creativity—and with our one true creative genius leaving, the void he’s leaving behind isn’t just noticeable, it’s gaping. It’s a frightening thought how much we’ll struggle to fill that role. He’s noted that the creative drought needs to be filled across the entire team, midfield wingers fullbacks and even the defenders can pitch in.

I pray these aren’t just empty words and whispers of sweet nothings. The holes in the team are clear. 5 positions. 6 if you add a winger. I hope the club does the right things.

 

[BluestBlue]

We royally messed up—no two ways about it. I said it at the time, and I said it again afterward. All of those players were there for the taking, and we stood by while PSG had a free run at them. We hesitated. We overthought. And we paid the price.


I banged the drum for Neves—repeatedly—and what was I told? "He’s not at our level." Then, five months later, we turned around and went after Nico González, a clearly inferior player, I like Gonazalez but Neves is so clear of him and it is not even a debate. The logic? Nowhere to be found.


I pushed hard for Kvaratskhelia, and the response? "We already have a better player in Grealish." Seriously? Saying Grealish is better than Kvara is pure nonsense—delusion at its finest. There’s no comparison in impact, creativity, or raw talent.


I pleaded for Hakimi—a perfect fit for our system. Blistering pace, defensive solidity, technical brilliance, and attacking presence. He was made for us. We ignored it.


I screamed for Nuno Mendes when our left-back situation was crumbling. The kid was miles ahead of his peers at his age, and we still didn’t move. Why? Because apparently, we don’t buy left-backs. Unreal.


We made a push for Fabián Ruiz, but Napoli slapped a €100M price tag on him several years ago. Fair enough, that one was out of reach—but what about the rest?


Time and again, I warned: keep buying average, and you’ll get average. And what did I hear? "The board knows what it’s doing and are smarter." Like—what does that even mean? This isn’t about ego or intelligence—it’s about plainly seeing the flaws in the players we’re signing versus the quality of the ones we should’ve gone after.


It’s not hindsight. It’s pattern recognition—and we kept missing sitters. Players that could have been acquired with ease!

We became too cocky and complacent—plain and simple. When you reach the top, that’s not the time to relax or get arrogant. That’s when the real fight begins. Staying at the top takes even more hunger, discipline, and self-awareness than getting there in the first place.


But instead of digging in and pushing forward, we acted like the work was done. We got to the summit—and then we completely shit the bed. The focus faded, the sharpness dulled, and the decisions started slipping. We stopped evolving and started believing our own hype. That’s how dynasties crumble—not because others rise, but because the kings get lazy.

Fun fact: Mendes was offered to us on a silver platter for 40 mil during covid times the club refused and thought it was too much.

The club is running around like a headless chicken willing to overpay for MGW for the English quota when Olise had a release clause and went for 40 mil. He is homegrown and barely 24. He’s always been well known.

Rodri has publicly begged for rest and the club never took it seriously they just thought he would play 70 games a season forever.

The sad thing is we’re not talking about Mbappe and Ronaldo’s costing 100ms we’re talking 40-65 mil max. We’ve paid more for Doku and Nunes.

The only time this club did the right thing was singing Rodri while Fernandinho was still here and taught him the ropes. That could’ve been done with KDB. We used to sign Mahrez when we already had Sterling x Sane. We used to be a proper club.

They still have a chance to react and correct their mistakes. I’ll judge after the window.

 

[BluestBlue]

Has this approach worked for the rags?

Not really into that reason for signing a player. It’s based on acknowledgement from others. How about: idk realising what are we missing ? What traits/skills will bring us back to winning Prems and UCLs ? Duel winning, PnP, creativity and fluidity. What does Rodri need next to him to ensure his life is easier ? Someone to cover ground, stop transitions. They need long legs and a strong engine. What does Haaland need ? Players that pass him the ball quicker, in transition not just wait for 3 defenders to surround him in the box. He needs good crossers and high volume chance creators from all angles. When you focus on skills rather than names then you sound like someone with a brain that knows what they’re doing.

 

[BluestBlue]

So let me get this straight—all the players mentioned above didn’t have the right temperament for City?


Alright then—congratulations. We signed players who supposedly have the “right temperament.” Let’s take our L proudly, because what we’ve ended up with players who might tick the attitude box, but clearly aren’t good enough to pull us through when it really matters.


What’s the point of having the perfect mindset if the quality on the pitch doesn’t match? We passed on top-tier talent in favor of “safe” personalities, and now we’re stuck with a squad that looks composed while falling short.


Temperament without talent and talent without temperament doesn’t win titles.

Preach.

 

[BluestBlue]

Oh, I hear myself just fine. This is a forum, to discuss football and these are my observations and opinions, as you have yours!


What you’re doing is confusing criticism of current decisions with disrespect for past success. No one’s erasing the brilliance that brought us four straight Premier League titles or the treble. That era was historic. But trophies aren’t lifetime immunity from scrutiny. Dynasties don’t crumble because of one bad season—they erode quietly, while everyone insists everything’s fine because of what came before. That’s how it happened to United. They thought the empire was self-sustaining, too. They didn’t see it coming—until it was too late.


You say we’re not playing FIFA. Of course we’re not. But let’s not pretend fans can’t see patterns or recognize when the hunger fades. This isn’t about pretending to be a scout—it’s about calling out stagnation when it shows up in plain sight. Complacency is real. And when ambition gets replaced by self-congratulation, decline becomes inevitable. You stop evolving, start believing your own hype—and yes, that’s exactly how dynasties crumble.


You claim the club surely looked at the players mentioned—Neves, Kvara, Hakimi, Mendes—and maybe they did. But looking isn't enough. You don’t get credit for browsing the menu and walking out hungry. Acting with clarity and conviction is what separates elite planning from cautious indecision. Not every player picked PSG. Some were there for the taking—we just didn’t pull the trigger.


So no, this isn’t about playing fantasy football. It’s about seeing the illusion of control in a system that risks falling into autopilot while the rest of the world sharpens its edge. Because if we’ve traded vision for comfort, and hunger for hubris, then we’re not evolving—we're waiting to be overtaken.


You either adapt—or you become someone else's stepping stone.


No, I don’t believe I’m a “visionary scout.” I believe I have eyes, memory, and the capacity to recognize patterns—qualities any engaged supporter should possess. You don’t need a scouting badge to see when a club starts favoring risk-averse decisions, or when talent is passed over for comfort.


And let’s be clear: being critical doesn’t mean claiming to be superior to professionals—it means holding those professionals to the standards they themselves set when they built a winning machine. The moment we stop asking questions because “they must know better,” we surrender all accountability to the echo chamber of authority.


Blind faith in leadership isn't loyalty—it's negligence. Support isn’t about nodding along to every decision—it’s about caring enough to question when the trajectory starts to dip.


So no, I’m not a scout. But I know what excellence looks like. I’ve watched it. I’ve celebrated it. And now, I can see when we’re slipping from it.

Your clarity and insights are remarkable. Every nuance captured with such precision—it’s genuinely impressive. You’re hitting every point spot-on, and I find myself nodding in full agreement with everything you say

 

[BluestBlue]

Yes, and maybe except for Kvara, none of those would be seen as elite and our level if we’d gone for them when PSG bought them.

You’re having a laugh. Neves was playing as a long 6 at 19 for the biggest club in Portugal. Do you know how the fans would talk about him ? Like how Argentina fans talked about Alvarez at River Plate. Mendes is a wonder kid too. Hakimi has been a star for years. Ruiz has been known since 19/20. He had a great euros. All these players have bags of technical ability and experience. Did you watch Kvara win Napoli their first title in ages ?

 

[BluestBlue]

People need to manage their expectations. I don't see us signing any players you would consider truly elite.

lol.

 

[COAT_OF_ARMS]

Who do you think is going to buy a 35 year old Kevin De Bruyne in two years, for enough money to not only cover his £20m per year wages but also some of his initial transfer fee?

The club is doing the right thing, I love the man but he hasn’t got the body for this league anymore.

It doesn't cover his wages, those are paid to him to perform for the club, which he is still more than able to deliver on. Nobody is going to play for free, not KDB, not his replacement.

It is simply a fee received for a player who isn't then running down their contract if he has a three year deal instead of a two year deal. Like I said, at that point two years down the line, it probably ends up being an MLS or Saudi club that takes him off our hands for a small fee, whereas currently he is courting EPL and Serie A teams, which he will join this summer for nothing.

He is going to carry on at this level beyond this season, that is undeniable. The question is whether it's for us or someone else. Whoever picks him up, they end up with a stronger squad for it and provide us with a greater challenge.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

If you focus on contract renewals in isolation you might get that idea, but I never suggested to only renew those contracts without signing anyone, or that we wouldn't move others on, or that those renewals would all be nailed on starters every week.

Bringing in Frimpong, Gibbs-White, and Gyokeres wouldn't exactly be kicking the can down the road, would it? The question asked about signings and extensions, presumably we will do some of each, and I wrote about both.

Keeping our captain who happens to be one of the best of his position tied down to a contract and not letting him go for free isn't neglecting your squad, it's just a common-sense move. However long you want to get out of him, you should be offering him *more* than that, in order to recoup something afterwards. I see him having two more seasons at the top level, I know for a fact I'm not alone in that, so if we want two more out of him then we sign him up for three.

There is a reason he is in such high demand, he has not turned into Stewart Downing over night.

Kev's in high demand?

Perhaps you'd like to name all the elite level clubs that are in for him?

Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Bayern?

Your suggestion in another post that he could go to Liverpool is beyond comical.

He's been a great player but time waits for no man.

 

[ArtetaTechnicalArea]

On the homegrown front, seriously with arsenal not gettinng anywjere we should raid the cunts for Timber and Saka

Also livermento or hall, offer them McAtee and lewis

and let me guess, you will offer us grealish and lewis for saka and timber.

these deals never work - swapping players you want to sell for players other clubs want to keep. i tried it once, went to a mercedes dealer wanting to trade my 2106 mazda for a new mercedes.

 

[VOOMER]

Reyna whose dad left his executive position with city and he didn’t want to join us a few years ago ?

Yeah the the father who's son died of cancer shortly after celebrating Sergios goal with the whole family.
Yeah that Reyna