Looks good. He's on the short side but could maybe improve that with timing in the air. I'd rather have Upamecano even if he's around 50m though. Just pay the sum and get over with the CB hunt instead of trying to cheapskate and look for bargainsWe are being linked with a 28mill bid for the marseille and french defender who can also play as a defensive midfielder. The 20 year old is contracted with marseille until 2022 and looks very promising hes being likened to thiago silva as hes strong in the tackle and can bring the ball out of defense with style. Would be a great addition as he can play both centre back or defensive midfield he looks a class player.
This kid looks a really good prospect if we are going for a young option comes cheap as well.
This kid looks a really good prospect if we are going for a young option comes cheap as well.
Shut up you dickhead, I want a shiny new toy even if I've got a brilliant one already ;)
It's the same posters ignoring Adaradiayo just because he's not a shiny new toy, who think Phil Foden won't be ready until he's 45 so we must buy a shiny new David Silva replacement as well.
But then complain that the academy isn't producing talent and we might as well burn it down.
We do not need a right sided centre back when we already have Garcia, Adaradiayo, Stones. We also have the very reliable option of playing Fernandinho and Rodri at centre back if all three of them fail miserably. I think THB would benefit from a year out on loan just until we decide which one of Stones, Garcia and Adaradiayo isn't performing, then bring him back in their place.Exactly - that’s why any new centreback signing should be circa 28 ala Koulibaly, with a view with performing at an elite level for 2/3 years before being replaced by one of the academy lads; it will give Tosin - but especially Garcia and THB - a clear pathway to the first team.
It’s going to be awkward watching Garcia lifting European Cups with Barcelona in 5 years because holistic Pep couldn’t be arsed developing him here.
Kamara, Upamecano etc weren’t more talented than our aforementioned academy talents - they’ve simple been given opportunities, rather than seeing 34 year old midfielders, soft Stones or the perpetually chaotic Otamendi selected ahead of them. As soon as it became obvious Liverpool were winning the league at Christmas, Garcia should have been a default starter.
Stones has lost his head and the youngsters are too unproven at this level. Would be a huge gamble to start them even if they have the talent and potential to fill in and do great. I definitely think we should get a stop gap that hasn't lost his legs yet. De Vrij, Koulibaly, Alderweireld, Felipe or even Gabriel Paulista would do. De Vrij would be my nr 1 choice, he has been world class this seasonWe do not need a right sided centre back when we already have Garcia, Adaradiayo, Stones. We also have the very reliable option of playing Fernandinho and Rodri at centre back if all three of them fail miserably. I think THB would benefit from a year out on loan just until we decide which one of Stones, Garcia and Adaradiayo isn't performing, then bring him back in their place.
A left footed left sided centre as cover for Laporte, absolutely. Ake would give us perfect cover at left centre back and also as an emergency inverted left back, if Mendy and Angelino don't work out.
That's the biggest contradiction you've made to date. You constantly advocate the signing of 18-22 year olds in the transfer forum, very few who are proven at any, let alone at this level. Yet because Garcia and Adaradiayo are already City players and not shiny new toys you chose to write them off.Stones has lost his head and the youngsters are too unproven at this level. Would be a huge gamble to start them even if they have the talent and potential to fill in and do great. I definitely think we should get a stop gap that hasn't lost his legs yet. De Vrij, Koulibaly, Alderweireld, Felipe or even Gabriel Paulista would do
I can see us signing either a younger CB to take over the spot long term or a stop gap. Not really a contradiction, it's more of two different strategies and it's up the board to decide if they want to get a older CB which will open up space for THB and E. Garcia or get someone who's ready now and have pretty much a decade left to give at the highest level. My response was to your post about that we should make our young CB's a priority is that I think we should get an older CB instead of signing someone like Upamecano if that is the case.That's the biggest contradiction you've made to date. You constantly advocate the signing of 18-22 year olds in the transfer forum, very few who are proven at any, let alone at this level. Yet because Garcia and Adaradiayo are already City players and not shiny new toys you chose to write them off.
And don't try to say it's just to give them more time to develop; we have enough stop gaps in Stones, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Rodri and Walker who have all played CB and are all more than capable of getting us through to the next transfer window if it goes belly up. They're not perfect but we don't live in a perfect world and there's absolutely no guarantee any shiny new toy mega signing would make us better (e.g. Pogba, Sanchez, De Ligt, Cancelo).