Declan Rice

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DATOIA said:
If Haaland arrives and club has to pay for that "package" including Haaland's fee, plus agents and etc. and etc. then it means that there will be no money left for another 100m purchase like Rice..

So, it's either low-budget transfer and young talent like that Matheus from Sporting or Enzo from River Plate, or we sell Gundo / Bernardo to go for Rice or we just stick to the current players, which means:

1) Gundo will be moved to DM position and play similar role - Fernandinho has now. Captain + useful squad player
2) KDB-Bernardo as main number "Eights", plus Foden or Grealish used as substitutes for them (well... not substitute but like Gundo is used this year, always rotating with either KDB or Bernardo). With the arrival of Haaland, Foden or Grealish will definitely be moved to midfield, that's for sure, so Foden or Grealish will replace Gundo, Gundo will replace Fernandinho.

and 5 players in midfield is enough I think + Lavia and Macatee need time.. So, unless someone is sold, I think our midfield will be: Rodri, KDB, Bernardo, Foden, Gundo + Macatee & Lavia..
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I’m sorry but no, that’s not correct. We can get Haaland and still have a lot of money for investments. His package isn’t ultimately even that expensive. Last summer we were more tied and were still prepared to do Grealish + Kane. We can get a top DM quite easily as we’re losing Fernandinho. It is the top priority. We will also end up selling players, all that still kept quiet so not to disturb the end of the season. The squad refreshment Pep had discussed prior to last summer is in order now. We are not going to rely on Gundogan for this, it’s been tested and underwhelmed Pep. He can remain a third option in case the other two are out, but not as his main role, especially as physically he’s still not 100% and who knows how he will be at next season. I don’t know which DM the club likes and has been scouting and what the price will be. I know it’s not Enzo Fernandez because 1) he isn’t a DM and 2) the links about him are completely unreliable as I have personally checked. The mindset of our fanbase is used to thinking about the squad in an almost minimalist way, ignoring that everyone else has more players, as if we can’t possibly add more bodies. It is not set in stone that it will remain that way. What I know is how he works and he isn’t going to have Rodri without someone as good (even if potentially) as him in the squad. And frankly we can’t go through a season that way either. Academy kids don’t come into the equation. We don’t need to lose anyone to add a DM as we are already losing Fernandinho, and in fact we should have added a DM last summer already.
Our club has every tool to win a quadruple like Liverpool potentially could this year (but won’t!), it just has to adjust the squad depth a little. The way it is now it would take a miracle as it gets to the crunch time of the season and have to deal with a decline that is directly caused by lack of squad depth and a kind of rotation that is unsustainable in domestic cups and affects all competitions. In a perfect world you would say Pep just needs to use more the kids, but it isn’t going to happen, so we need to feed him just about a couple more bodies
 
BrazilianBlue (Gus) said:
I’m sorry but no, that’s not correct. We can get Haaland and still have a lot of money for investments. His package isn’t ultimately even that expensive. Last summer we were more tied and were still prepared to do Grealish + Kane. We can get a top DM quite easily as we’re losing Fernandinho. It is the top priority. We will also end up selling players, all that still kept quiet so not to disturb the end of the season. The squad refreshment Pep had discussed prior to last summer is in order now. We are not going to rely on Gundogan for this, it’s been tested and underwhelmed Pep. He can remain a third option in case the other two are out, but not as his main role, especially as physically he’s still not 100% and who knows how he will be at next season. I don’t know which DM the club likes and has been scouting and what the price will be. I know it’s not Enzo Fernandez because 1) he isn’t a DM and 2) the links about him are completely unreliable as I have personally checked. The mindset of our fanbase is used to thinking about the squad in an almost minimalist way, ignoring that everyone else has more players, as if we can’t possibly add more bodies. It is not set in stone that it will remain that way. What I know is how he works and he isn’t going to have Rodri without someone as good (even if potentially) as him in the squad. And frankly we can’t go through a season that way either. Academy kids don’t come into the equation. We don’t need to lose anyone to add a DM as we are already losing Fernandinho, and in fact we should have added a DM last summer already.
Our club has every tool to win a quadruple like Liverpool potentially could this year (but won’t!), it just has to adjust the squad depth a little. The way it is now it would take a miracle as it gets to the crunch time of the season and have to deal with a decline that is directly caused by lack of squad depth and a kind of rotation that is unsustainable in domestic cups and affects all competitions. In a perfect world you would say Pep just needs to use more the kids, but it isn’t going to happen, so we need to feed him just about a couple more bodies
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The fact that we were going for Kane in addition to Grealish last summer is true, but let's also remember that Bernardo was very near to be sold and probably Sterling or Jesus, in order to collect money for that Kane deal.

So, what I was telling is true in terms of new midfield arrival..

If we go for big-money signing in midfield as well such as Rice, then either Bernardo or Gundo will be sold.
Otherwise we will have low-budget signing with a pure talent, but without an end-product or Pep will try to use current players..

Same happened last summer. We bought Grealish and in order to buy Kane - we were going to sell Bernardo + and most probably one from Sterling / Jesus duo.. Then when Kane deal was off, Pep / club tried low-budget deal for Ronaldo (comparing to the Kane's one), but in the end it didn't happen either, so Pep had to use current players..

I don't seen City spending 200m+ this summer, without selling some important squad players..
 
DATOIA said:
The fact that we were going for Kane in addition to Grealish last summer is true, but let's also remember that Bernardo was very near to be sold and probably Sterling or Jesus, in order to collect money for that Kane deal.

So, what I was telling is true in terms of new midfield arrival..

If we go for big-money signing in midfield as well such as Rice, then either Bernardo or Gundo will be sold.
Otherwise we will have low-budget signing with a pure talent, but without an end-product or Pep will try to use current players..

Same happened last summer. We bought Grealish and in order to buy Kane - we were going to sell Bernardo + and most probably one from Sterling / Jesus duo.. Then when Kane deal was off, Pep / club tried low-budget deal for Ronaldo (comparing to the Kane's one), but in the end it didn't happen either, so Pep had to use current players..

I don't seen City spending 200m+ this summer, without selling some important squad players..
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Our net spending this season has pretty much been zero, ignoring the deal for Alvarez who hasn’t arrived yet.

The figures indicate we have similar incomes to Liverpool, and are also close to United. Why is it that United can spend massively (net spend almost £100m), Liverpool can spend significantly (net spend £50m+) but City can only spend zero without selling? It doesn’t make sense.

I agree we won’t spend £200m, the Haaland deal is probably going to be our biggest overall deal factoring in wages and so on, but that will be relatively cheap as a headline figure

We could have another significant deal with Haaland and still be spending less than the likes of United over the last two seasons, given they are likely to spend big again with the new manager coming in.
 
DATOIA said:
The fact that we were going for Kane in addition to Grealish last summer is true, but let's also remember that Bernardo was very near to be sold and probably Sterling or Jesus, in order to collect money for that Kane deal.

So, what I was telling is true in terms of new midfield arrival..

If we go for big-money signing in midfield as well such as Rice, then either Bernardo or Gundo will be sold.
Otherwise we will have low-budget signing with a pure talent, but without an end-product or Pep will try to use current players..

Same happened last summer. We bought Grealish and in order to buy Kane - we were going to sell Bernardo + and most probably one from Sterling / Jesus duo.. Then when Kane deal was off, Pep / club tried low-budget deal for Ronaldo (comparing to the Kane's one), but in the end it didn't happen either, so Pep had to use current players..

I don't seen City spending 200m+ this summer, without selling some important squad players..
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I don’t think signing Kane had anything to do with selling any player, if we could we would’ve signed him even before the Euros. I don’t know exactly why you’re inferring this. You’re interpretation of where the random Ronaldo situation fits in also seems off to me. We weren’t going to sign a striker unless it was a top drawer one, something I said from the start. Right now we are free for a pretty big summer in terms of investment and that is irrespective of departures (which I’m convinced will happen nonetheless). I don’t know exactly what you consider a low budget signing, but we will get one done that pleases Pep when he is yet to sign a new contract and refreshes the squad as is badly needed. Not signing a DM isn’t an option. And we don’t sign second-rate midfielders, they are the soul of a Pep team. Remember that prior to Grealish, Rodri had been our most expensive purchase. He won’t fuck around when it comes to the DM he wants, even if it isn’t the first option
 
Is it true what I heard yesterday about his salary being capped because he signed forms as a kid for £3k a week until 2023

That must have stung. It’s ok saying he would have known the big bucks were coming but one injury could finish you completely
 
Wonder if the Gundo back trouble is true then? (God i hope its not Bernie that wants to go, love that lad)
 
Gundo has had some bad injuries over his career. He wont be one playing into his late 30's.

This deal makes sense on the basis him and Fdinho will need to be replaced but right now our starting DM is Rodri and there is no urgency. I think this is a deal we would like to do but wont be top of the list and will be subject to us getting a good price and i cant see that happening (this summer).
 
razman said:
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This would be great, perfect Pep player that can take multiple roles, and I think is doable. I actually think West Ham’s strategy of coming out early and announcing an outrageous fee to try to shut up speculation predicting they could very possibly be involved in a Europa League final was very smart; you don’t want to take any focus away from a big game like that. It’s, of course, very probably a bluff, and everyone in football would know.
This summer particularly, anyone thinking United or Chelsea would come for him is kidding themselves. We have a clear lane to do this if we wanted
 
DATOIA said:
If Haaland arrives and club has to pay for that "package" including Haaland's fee, plus agents and etc. and etc. then it means that there will be no money left for another 100m purchase like Rice..

So, it's either low-budget transfer and young talent like that Matheus from Sporting or Enzo from River Plate, or we sell Gundo / Bernardo to go for Rice or we just stick to the current players, which means:

1) Gundo will be moved to DM position and play similar role - Fernandinho has now. Captain + useful squad player
2) KDB-Bernardo as main number "Eights", plus Foden or Grealish used as substitutes for them (well... not substitute but like Gundo is used this year, always rotating with either KDB or Bernardo). With the arrival of Haaland, Foden or Grealish will definitely be moved to midfield, that's for sure, so Foden or Grealish will replace Gundo, Gundo will replace Fernandinho.

and 5 players in midfield is enough I think + Lavia and Macatee need time.. So, unless someone is sold, I think our midfield will be: Rodri, KDB, Bernardo, Foden, Gundo + Macatee & Lavia..
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I agree with your sticking to the same players scenario, with Gundogan covering Rodri, but with Grealish moved to Gundogan’s position. A move for Rice might materialise in the future but at the numbers they’re talking, only if he runs down his contract a bit.
 
Pep - "I would like to manage a National Team some day"

Txiki - "Fuck it, buy him one".

Walker - GOT
Stones - GOT
Grealish - GOT
Foden - GOT
Sterling - GOT
Saka - NEED/SCOUTING
Rice - NEED/SCOUTING
Bellingham - NEED/SCOUTING
 
I said months ago and I’ll repeat: the way people discuss this possibility is VERY reminiscent of how the Grealish saga went down… lol
 
Don't fuel the media bollocks, I'd question why anyone at City or West Ham would want that story out right now.

West Ham have potentially their biggest game in the clubs history coming up, City are in a must win situation in every game and they both meet each other soon, trying to make it a fiery occasion, instead of the damp squib it could be if West Ham make the Europa League Final.

Only one club could want a story like this out there right now.
 
I'd love Rice to come in given how his play has evolved from being a workhorse defensive midfielder in the past season or so.

He's turned into having everything needed and wouldn't be a direct replacement for Rodri anymore, instead he'd be able to fill in across any of the 3 in midfield and presumably provides extra cover for centre back too.

I doubt we'll get involved at the reported £150m, though, but who knows.
 
MCFC1993 said:
Don't fuel the media bollocks, I'd question why anyone at City or West Ham would want that story out right now.

West Ham have potentially their biggest game in the clubs history coming up, City are in a must win situation in every game and they both meet each other soon, trying to make it a fiery occasion, instead of the damp squib it could be if West Ham make the Europa League Final.

Only one club could want a story like this out there right now.
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It’s completely harmless to us. Any big club deals with these stories on a regular basis
 
MCFC1993 said:
It's not harmless when it pisses off a club and fans of that team who are an important part of the title race.
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You could say it benefits us since we play them… but it’s not that cynical
 
SterlingSilvas said:
Wonder if the Gundo back trouble is true then? (God i hope its not Bernie that wants to go, love that lad)
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Surely if we're signing Rice it's to play DM. I'm not saying I don't rate him but I can't imagine him being anywhere near capable of doing what either Gundogan or Bernardo do (just as I wouldn't expect Rodri to).

And we wouldn't sign Rice to play DM when we already have Rodri- that's why these links confuse me so much.
 
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