Declan Rice

[mancityscot]

The only reason to be concerned is that a rival is considerably improving themselves in a crucial area.

However, I've got faith that Kalvin will be like a new signing next season. Add Kovacic/Perrone into the mix with McAtee, Foden playing more centrally as well as Stones/Rico supporting the midfield, and we weren't in need of Rice.

Even Shea Charles has excellent potential as a holding mid / CB.

these are complete 'ifs' but yeah it could happen

 

[burning blue soul]

So..... Aluko was right???

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

The way we sometimes bid for players that have a pretty fixed valuation from the seller, with no intention of actually meeting that valuation… it’s almost like it’s intentional so that we can walk away and Khaldoon can say “look, we don’t spend more than the others”.

You do have to wonder. Or we do it to give another target or club a push?

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

I'd be shocked if we had more than a dozen teenagers posting here. Everything else is true about the 55 year olds who post here, though, including the hormones.

Hahaha - you’re probably right mate!

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

City come out of this looking very prudent imo. Financial limits like everyone else or so we want them to believe. We play by the rules…

I'm not sure prudent is the word. We've telegraphed we have £90m burning a hole for someone.

 

[Sky Blue]

So..... Aluko was right???

No.

 

[Blue and true]

I keep hearing Phillips will step next season but I think it’s utter nonsense, if he stays I hope he proves me wrong but Pep played Gundogan, who was overplayed, ahead of him as a 6. He started 4 games (2 cup including our defeat at Southampton and 2 dead rubber league matches including defeat at Brentford).

On the scant evidence so far he simply doesn’t fit for us. Not good enough defensively and not a good enough passer. He’s also one of the very few players Pep has publicly criticised.

If Rodri gets injured I’d say we’ll play Kovacic ahead of him.

The fact that we bid £90m for Rice should tell Phillips how he’s rated by City.

That last sentence nails it. He's dogshit, the club have realised it and want to get rid; and stake everything I own on that being the case.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Disappointing but we place a value on a player and if that is reached history tells us we walk away.

 

[Blu1]

Glad we have walked away as he’s not worth more than £75 million & that’s down to being English. Good player but he’s not world class.

The fact he selects Arsenal over City tells you everything. Let’s see what he wins over the next few years.

 

[Jokithedruid]

You do have to wonder. Or we do it to give another target or club a push?

Aluko was right all along, all hail the new transfer guru!