Erling Haaland

[Mr. Wednesday]

Thanks for your response and it's not difficult to see the reasoned argument behind getting Haaland over Kane, if it is just a question of money.

However, whilst I share the view Haaland provides a global personality recognition that Kane only has in England, I feel this is also about immediate optics.

Pep wants to continue winning on the field here and now, and, while Haaland gives us plenty of scope for brand and goals, there is maybe a feeling inside the club that Kane probably comes with a certain guarantee of tried and tested in the Premier League?

I'm sure when City tried to sign Mbappe, they didn't envisage a couple years later a Haaland would come on the scene.

There will always be someone else - whether five years down the line with Kane or Haaland.

I don't think Pep cares too much about where City are in two years time, he just wants to win on the pitch during his own time left with us, which is a perspective the club must reconcile and must have been raised during his contract renewal.

I suppose it depends on what Pep prefers, even if we don't!

This is pretty much it really, isn't it? Pep appears to want Kane so that is what City are going to push for. The club are going to concentrate on giving Pep what he wants rather than looking at the long-term planning.

You can understand it from Pep's point of view and also with the knowledge that it is very hard for the club to go against his wishes given what he's done. Still can't help but be slightly disappointed and genuinely believe if Chelsea get Haaland it will come back to haunt City. We'll just have to wait and see though.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I keep coming back to the fact that we released Sergio Aguero in March.

I simply don't believe that the club would do that with nothing lined up and no knowledge of whether Spurs or Dortmund would sell at a particular price that the club was OK with spending.

I don't think Pep or the club would genuinely think it was acceptable to release Aguero with a 5% possibility that no one came in to replace him.

He wasn’t released; he didn’t agree with the new role proposed to him. At least that is what multiple sources say. It was fair to allow him to have time to plan his career in advance and start negotiating, which he did. It was also right after the “they don’t pass me the ball” incident, and the club probably felt it was better to sort his situation out before it affected the environment. I can see it having happened without a replacement lined up

 

[domalino]

He took over Bayern one year after they had won the UCL, didn’t win it once there.

Dear oh dear.

 

[domalino]

He wasn’t released; he didn’t agree with the new role proposed to him. At least that is what multiple sources say. It was fair to allow him to have time to plan his career in advance and start negotiating, which he did. It was also right after the “they don’t pass me the ball” incident, and the club probably felt it was better to sort his situation out before it affected the environment. I can see it having happened without a replacement lined up

He was told he would no longer be the number 1 striker and his starting opportunities would be limited.

That's what's been reported.

I simply don't believe the club would tell Aguero that and let him look for a new club unless they had another striker who would start ahead of him boxed off, deals agreed in principle with all parties.

 

[willipp]

Why??? They scrapped fourth place this season and are very hit and miss. Yes they won the champions league but that was due to lucky draws and Pep making a mess of tactics and team selection in the final.

Chelsea finished 4th after Lampard left them floundering in mid table. They now have a manager who can deliver at the absolute top level and if they did add Haaland that would take them to another level again.

 

[BillyShears]

I wasn’t here when Gundogan was signed, but he was already a tremendous player, extremely intelligent on a tactical level having worked with Klopp and Tuchel for instance, and won titles with Dortmund and actively helping to carry them to a UCL final (and scoring in said final).



There is no doubt that Pep is an important part of our success, but he could leave at the end of next season. He left Barcelona and they won 5 in 8 La Ligas since, and one UCL with Luis Enrique. He took over Bayern one year after they had won the UCL, didn’t win it once there. He won the Bundesliga every time there, and since he left they continued to win it every time - and won one UCL two seasons ago. We are not dependent on him, is the point I’m making. Which is how it should be.

Pep has just signed a new 2 year contract and has never walked out on a contract as far as I know. So for the next two years minimum he's the most important person at the club.

I think it's worth remembering that Khaldoon and Txiki are very close to Pep. They're not going to force players upon him if he has others in mind, and vice versa they're not going to tell him he can't have a player who he thinks could be important for the next two years without doing everything to get the player.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Would any club commit to spending hundreds of millions on Grealish , Kane or any other player involved in the Euros/Copa America, when potentially they could get a serious injury in those said tournaments.

Certainly, clubs don't really want to be paying fees and big wages out until they absolutely must.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Dear oh dear.

I wasn’t knocking him. It happens. I’m just saying we don’t need to behave as if anyone is the savior. Especially since the poster began his post claiming we shouldn’t believe any player is a savior.

 

[BillyShears]

Certainly, clubs don't really want to be paying fees and big wages out until they absolutely must.

Sterling signed before going to a summer tournament.

 

[Keeper!]

Sterling signed before going to a summer tournament.

To be fair that transfer pissed a lot of people off, red scousers, it was worth the risk and cash flow to do just that.