Douglas Luiz

Just to add to the ‘discussion’, Zinchenko played a more defensive role in the middle when we beat Burnley away in the league last season, and he was also given a more attacking midfield role when we went to Oxford in the League Cup.On both occasions we adopted a more flexible three at the back.

Guardiola clearly recognizes his versatility, but he doesn’t fancy him to play either of those positions ahead of the incumbents.
 
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WallyA said:
He's a DM for Ukraine, he isnt an attacking midfielder.

Just because we havent tried him there doesn't mean it's not his main position, he's been played LB because we have no choice, that's why he doesn't get to play in midfield as well.
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Regardless of what his position for Ukraine is or what his natural or favoured position is, he doesn’t play in midfield because he’s nowhere near good enough to do so. The day he starts playing regularly for us in midfield is the day we drop from Being title favourites to just top 4 regulars at best.
 
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Gabriel said:
Arguably no, but then we’re not necessarily looking for a starter in that position. Much like Ake, what we require from such players is greater mobility and solidity; we also need to ensure that the drop off from the starting player to replacement isn’t too great. Fernandinho, alas, can no longer perform to the required standard in midfield, so Luiz makes perfect sense at this juncture.

If you do get the opportunity to watch him more, you should focus on how he lays the ball off to colleagues, even whilst making tackles and challenges. He often puts the ball into space ahead of his teammate, which at first glance can look like a misplaced pass, as it can sometimes be close to an opponent, but when you watch more carefully you can see that it’s not a risk and that he’s actually putting the ball to where his colleague should already be. In that sense, he’s seeing the game way ahead of others on the pitch, and if he were surrounded by better players, the impact of that ability would be even greater.

During the times he has been with the club and played and trained, he has looked more than capable, which is presumably why we have a buy back in the first place, so for all those reasons it makes sense to bring him back now.
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Thanks for this. Very informative and I appreciate the perspective. Off to youtube I go.
 
Saw this on Twitter and the replies are pretty interesting.



Would be a great squad player to give Rodri competition for when Fernandinho retires.
 
DId we not have a buy back clause when we sold him - Im suprised we didnt if thats the case with how hard we worked to get this lad and then how pissed off the club (and Pep) were about not being able to get a work permit.

I too like the look of him
 
OliMCFC said:
Buyback is 25m this summer, 30m next summer then it expires.
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Nobody knows that for certain. Pointed this out earlier in the thread. No figures have ever been disclosed, including for the original move, and the ones that so often appear were invented by Birmingham based reporters.
 
We could wait & see for 12 months while he gets either more Prem experience or in probably a winning team if they go down for £5m difference minus wages alternatively have him playing perhaps cup games (no league cup remember) and 2/3 sub appearances.

I'd leave him there until the £30m kicks in & decide then personally.
 
Gabriel said:
Nobody knows that for certain. Pointed this out earlier in the thread. No figures have ever been disclosed, including for the original move, and the ones that so often appear were invented by Birmingham based reporters.
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I got those figures from Stu Brennan because I literally asked him directly. Asked a couple City journos and they said yep 25m buyback. So, I'm inclined to believe that
 
Assuming buyback clause info is accurate...
If they stay up, let him stay there and develop another year and decide in 12 months whether hes good enough to replace a retiring fernandinho
If they dont stay up, the decision needs to be made this summer.
No point leaving him to play a year in the championship, and I doubt other prem clubs will leave him there either, so we’d lose our buyback.

I havent watched him much, but my villa mates are convinced we will activate it and that he is quality. Given they watch him every week I think it’s fair
 
OliMCFC said:
I got those figures from Stu Brennan because I literally asked him directly. Asked a couple City journos and they said yep 25m buyback. So, I'm inclined to believe that
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Seems rather strange that that figure is exactly the same as the one that the Birmingham journalists confessed to conjuring up, but hey ho. It also seems rather steep in comparison to our deals with PSV for Angelino, where we reportedly sold him for 5m and bought him back one year later for 5.3m, so a relatively minimal outlay. Given our position of strength, I’m unconvinced that we’d agree to a buy back clause that would see a player appreciate so markedly in one season, especially one playing for a team on the cusp of relegation. :-)
 
racecar said:
With Villa staying up there probably isn’t as much of a need to bring him back this summer. If he plays well next season I reckon we’ll get him next summer
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Yes, great news for us Villa stayed up. Luiz to continue his development then we bring him back next summer to rotate with Rodri.
 
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