De Bruyne?

[mancityscot]

Christ at least with sterling we s really out several bids in to highlight our interest. The lack of activity on this one is remarkable to say the least. This one should have been done long ago

 

[ankitptrivedi]

Last 6 games of last season; P6 W6, score 18 goals, conceded 4. Not bad. As a comparison the most goals scored after us was 12. The fewest conceded was 3 (by Burnley).

When we get the system right we're better defensively. Kompany's absence was actually a blessing for us defensively, we looked a lot more confident at the back.

Just 3?
Let's by their backline.

 

[Blue_Rossy]

What made it worse is, our chairman saying major transfer activity, etc.etc., has wet our appetites to the brink of hysteria.

 

[ono]

I

Regarding your last your last sentence, I believe the signing of KDB does help fix a problem.
Too many times last year we failed to get decent deliveries into the strikers. We often failed to break down the parked buses that we came up against and we were made to pay. Having somebody who's as direct as KDB, who's capable of finding the right ball at the right time will help solve that.
I honestly believe the sheer amount of goals we're gonna score next year is what will win us the league - the defence will be secondary.

Think we will win the league if we just keep everyone fit anyway but in terms of kicking on and challenging for the CL I think we have left ourselves really short if that's what we go with

We've been juggling a fair few balls in the air recently - Jovetic and Dzeko out, Pogba and KdB in, and we've most likely had to hold back on rushing into anything until things became clearly on all four fronts. Two players have now left which makes things a lot clearer, and if suggestions that the Pogba deal is all but over are correct, then that would leave City with a very clear view on KdB, thus I'd expect serious activity imminently.

Remember that the worst case scenario was that we ended up stuck with Jovetic and Dzeko, and possibly overspending on Pogba and KdB, then ending up in FFP trouble as a result. City can't afford for that to happen. For all we know, they might still be looking at other signings too?

I also think it's quite difficult to negotiate 3 or 4 completely separate multi millions pound deals concurrently. Not speaking from experience here mind.

 

[sam-caddick]

If we could sign De Bruyne, Otamendi and a left back, maybe Alex Sandro, I think that would be seen as a successful window.

Not convinced by our central midfield but I am not convinced there is anyone on the market that is world class and improves us significantly like Pogba would.

Our central midfield as it is is good enough to win the league, maybe not the Champions League though.

 

[FanchesterCity]

Juggling a fair few balls are we the Katie Price of the football world

Not until we've been shafted by Dwight Yorke ;-)

 

[MeatHunterrr]

If we could sign De Bruyne, Otamendi and a left back, maybe Alex Sandro, I think that would be seen as a successful window.

Not convinced by our central midfield but I am not convinced there is anyone on the market that is world class and improves us significantly like Pogba would.

Our central midfield as it is is good enough to win the league, maybe not the Champions League though.

Strange that we weren't after Vidal, only cost £26million, yes he might have not been a long term solution but still a good option for couple of years at least.

 

[domalino]

What made it worse is, our chairman saying major transfer activity, etc.etc., has wet our appetites to the brink of hysteria.

The poor Chairman probably thought breaking the old transfer record twice would satisfy the fans hunger for big purchases.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

lol

watching porn and typing with 1 hand

 

[sam-caddick]

Strange that we weren't after Vidal, only cost £26million, yes he might have not been a long term solution but still a good option for couple of years at least.

Age mate I reckon.

We can't be going for another 27/28+ outfield player when we already have so many 27/28+ players.

 

[Manchester33]

So De Bruyne has basically come out and said 'it's not me saying that I'll stay at Wolfsburg'. Could start the process off now!

 

[FanchesterCity]

What made it worse is, our chairman saying major transfer activity, etc.etc., has wet our appetites to the brink of hysteria.

In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. As you say, it sort of raised expectations / whet the appetite for a marquee signing (bigger than Sterling). There'd have been little wrong with underplaying things - but at the same time, he perhaps wanted to emphasise the FFP issue as no longer holding us back, thus over egged the pudding on 'major transfer activity'.

All of that said, it seems like we set out to land the likes of Pogba and KdB, and may will still end up with at least one of them. Personally I never believed Pogba would be coming, but that's a purely personal opinion. I still hoped City could prove me wrong (and they still could). I had hoped Pogba would be another statement of intent that opened up the gates for other top stars to join us, but now I'll just hope that IF we land Guardiola next season (big if!) and his reputation is still intact (ideally with a CL win) - then we'll have a serious overhaul next time around - which may even involve some fans favourites saying goodbye.

 

[taconinja]

So De Bruyne has basically come out and said 'it's not me saying that I'll stay at Wolfsburg'. Could start the process off now!

Sweet. :)

 

[ojeme]

There's been no-one else in particular rumoured to be interested in De Bruyne, certainly not to any great degree. Plus, even if there was, they'd need to be able to pay a fairly sizeable asking price, and cover his wages/bonuses which will be pretty big too. There's a very, very small list of clubs that would, financially, be able to do that, and they'd also have to convince De Bruyne to join them. No-one is going to gazump us, as it would be in the players, and Wolfsburg's, best interests to inform us of any other interest, as it would drive the price up. It's guesswork, and supposition, however I'd suggest if no-one has come forward with an interest as yet that we're pretty safe on that front.

well said but remember that u*d have fresh funds to, at the least, give us a run for our money in the race to sign KDB and if KDB and Wolfsburg and the player have been practically crying, "come get him/me" to us for some time now and we've not responded appropriately, don't you think there's the slightest chance of them wanting to irk us by listening to offers from our rivals?

 

[Mightor]

I

Think we will win the league if we just keep everyone fit anyway...

That's the rub, isn't it? Silva isn't capable of starting every match, and I wouldn't be surprised if he spends several weeks on the injured list either. Nasri is simply not consistent enough to be a valid replacement. And if Aguero gets sidelined? We are in real trouble! And then there's the switch to 433 which has been shown in preseason but I'm not too keen on it. Not so sure we can challenge Chelsea when our only first team signings have been Sterling (a great addition going forward but does nothing to address the middle or the defense) and Delph (good but not a world class signing). Are those two really enough to make up 8 points? Is Delph really an improvement over Milner or just a younger, like-for-like swap?

I wish I had your confidence. I would feel much more comfortable if we sign KdB, a top class CM (doesn't have to be Pogba), and another defender (preferably one that can play LB and CB).

 

[domalino]

In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. As you say, it sort of raised expectations / whet the appetite for a marquee signing (bigger than Sterling). There'd have been little wrong with underplaying things - but at the same time, he perhaps wanted to emphasise the FFP issue as no longer holding us back, thus over egged the pudding on 'major transfer activity'.

All of that said, it seems like we set out to land the likes of Pogba and KdB, and may will still end up with at least one of them. Personally I never believed Pogba would be coming, but that's a purely personal opinion. I still hoped City could prove me wrong (and they still could). I had hoped Pogba would be another statement of intent that opened up the gates for other top stars to join us, but now I'll just hope that IF we land Guardiola next season (big if!) and his reputation is still intact (ideally with a CL win) - then we'll have a serious overhaul next time around - which may even involve some fans favourites saying goodbye.

We're going to spend £49m on Sterling and probably a similar amount on De Bruyne.

If people are complaining because we haven't made "big" signings this summer they need to get a grip.

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

We're going to spend £49m on Sterling and probably a similar amount on De Bruyne.

If people are complaining because we haven't made "big" signings this summer they need to get a grip.

I'm sure everyone will feel alot better once De Bruyne signs mate...entering the window De Bruyne and Pogba were the top 2 targets and seen as the hardest to get....until one of those is signed, people are going to get stressed....We all were hoping we'd make a "statement" this window and even tho we have made some excellent signings, I dont think anyone saw Delph and Sterling as the "statement" we were hoping to make....I'm over the "blue" moon about Sterling and feel Delph will be solid but Pogba and De Bruyne are the statement signings......CL and prem champs are the target and "so far" we havent done enough and thats why people have concerns....

 

[kupest]

If we get him we don't need to look at signing another attacking player for the foreseeable future. We do lack a CM and LB, but I don't see us signing one unless we move someone on. We might just have the most enviable front 4 in world football. Sterling and De Bruyne are going to be way more direct than we have been used and thats really going to help us. Hopefully Delph is a surprise.

 

[kupest]

I'm sure everyone will feel alot better once De Bruyne signs mate...entering the window De Bruyne and Pogba were the top 2 targets and seen as the hardest to get....until one of those is signed, people are going to get stressed....We all were hoping we'd make a "statement" this window and even tho we have made some excellent signings, I dont think anyone saw Delph and Sterling as the "statement" we were hoping to make....I'm over the "blue" moon about Sterling and feel Delph will be solid but Pogba and De Bruyne are the statement signings......CL and prem champs are the target and so far we havent done enough and thats why people have concerns....

Hi TRUE BLUE NO1, I would consider Sterling a bigger signing than KDB as well.

 

[Marvin]

In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. As you say, it sort of raised expectations / whet the appetite for a marquee signing (bigger than Sterling). There'd have been little wrong with underplaying things - but at the same time, he perhaps wanted to emphasise the FFP issue as no longer holding us back, thus over egged the pudding on 'major transfer activity'.

All of that said, it seems like we set out to land the likes of Pogba and KdB, and may will still end up with at least one of them. Personally I never believed Pogba would be coming, but that's a purely personal opinion. I still hoped City could prove me wrong (and they still could). I had hoped Pogba would be another statement of intent that opened up the gates for other top stars to join us, but now I'll just hope that IF we land Guardiola next season (big if!) and his reputation is still intact (ideally with a CL win) - then we'll have a serious overhaul next time around - which may even involve some fans favourites saying goodbye.

If we sign De Bruyne that will be almost £100m spent on 3 internationals, and two potential world class players. Roberts and Unal in too. Bony will be like a new signing

On top of that Dzeko, Milner, Lampard, Negredo, Richards, Nastasic, Jovetic, Guidetti, Boyata gone or going.

That's an overhaul in my book. We've basically refreshed a squad that was looking old. Not much left to do other than to add one or two World Class players as and when they become available.