Florian Wirtz

According to Romano, we've walked away because of the fee but also we needed an answer quickly so we know how much of our budget we'd have left to spend. Feels similar to the Laporte transfer


Not sure I like that approach when it comes to generational talents but hey, if you neglect your squad for years you are hardly in a position to be patient with the big money signings

We either learn from how we have mis-managed after the treble or we die as a top club
 
One the plus side, we've now got well over £100mill to spend on other players.
 
Not sure I like that approach when it comes to generational talents but hey, if you neglect your squad for years you are hardly in a position to be patient with the big money signings

We either learn from how we have mis-managed after the treble or we die as a top club

It’s also waffle, Wirtz has effectively turned us down and we’re briefing furiously to save face. It’s a bad look but someone in our PR team thinks it’s a good idea.
 
When Wirtz has achieved what our Phil has, let's discuss.

That's the point. If Foden is better or as good as Wirtz, why pay astronomical money for the latter and play Foden on the wings where he is not at his very best?

Let's hope missing out on Wirtz is a blessing in disguise, as it might help Foden regain form or youngsters like Echeverri or Bobb having a breakthrough season.
 
Not sure I like that approach when it comes to generational talents but hey, if you neglect your squad for years you are hardly in a position to be patient with the big money signings

We either learn from how we have mis-managed after the treble or we die as a top club

Not to be pedantic as I know you're not the only person on here who chats like this, but we won the title a year after the treble. So, y'know, that's the sort of 'mismanagement' every single other club in the country would take.

Generational talent is a modern football term wildly overused, which generally describes a player who is being hyped to fuck at a young age with no guarantees that they'll fulfil that potential. Kai Havertz was a 'generational talent'. Ansu Fati was a 'generational talent'. Mario Gotze and Marco Reus were generational. I could go on but you get the point. I'm glad City aren't obsessed with shit like that and have an actual transfer strategy based on the actual characteristics the squad needs.

What City did was make a conscious decision to not break up the treble winning team because Guardiola asked them not to. That's why we won the 4th title on the bounce and wrote a piece of history that will never be written again. The downside of that is what has happened this season, but only someone with no spine and no foresight would predict City's demise based off one down season. Whilst people talk like our recruitment is done by someone who has never watched football before, our recruitment is actually done by the same people who built the last 2 record breaking City teams. I'm sure they can build a third and probably have a better grasp on how to do it than you or me.
 
Not to be pedantic as I know you're not the only person on here who chats like this, but we won the title a year after the treble. So, y'know, that's the sort of 'mismanagement' every single other club in the country would take.

Generational talent is a modern football term wildly overused, which generally describes a player who is being hyped to fuck at a young age with no guarantees that they'll fulfil that potential. Kai Havertz was a 'generational talent'. Ansu Fati was a 'generational talent'. Mario Gotze and Marco Reus were generational. I could go on but you get the point. I'm glad City aren't obsessed with shit like that and have an actual transfer strategy based on the actual characteristics the squad needs.

What City did was make a conscious decision to not break up the treble winning team because Guardiola asked them not to. That's why we won the 4th title on the bounce and wrote a piece of history that will never be written again. The downside of that is what has happened this season, but only someone with no spine and no foresight would predict City's demise based off one down season. Whilst people talk like our recruitment is done by someone who has never watched football before, our recruitment is actually done by the same people who built the last 2 record breaking City teams. I'm sure they can build a third and probably have a better grasp on how to do it than you or me.
Spot on mate.

Some people find it very hard to deal with the wheels falling off.
 
By many an account it seems that Wirtz has declined to join us.
It’s disappointing of course, but whatever the reasons offered for this decision, then that is the preserve of our owners and/or Wirtz.
We have enjoyed an unprecedented period of success.We have not reached those dizzying heights this season. I was expecting it at some point.
Champions League or not I’ll dust myself down, hope for two dynamic midfielders and full backs, hope for the return of the real Phil, the development of Etcheverri and Bobb and continue to love this club I’ve followed since 1969.
 
Not to be pedantic as I know you're not the only person on here who chats like this, but we won the title a year after the treble. So, y'know, that's the sort of 'mismanagement' every single other club in the country would take.

Generational talent is a modern football term wildly overused, which generally describes a player who is being hyped to fuck at a young age with no guarantees that they'll fulfil that potential. Kai Havertz was a 'generational talent'. Ansu Fati was a 'generational talent'. Mario Gotze and Marco Reus were generational. I could go on but you get the point. I'm glad City aren't obsessed with shit like that and have an actual transfer strategy based on the actual characteristics the squad needs.

What City did was make a conscious decision to not break up the treble winning team because Guardiola asked them not to. That's why we won the 4th title on the bounce and wrote a piece of history that will never be written again. The downside of that is what has happened this season, but only someone with no spine and no foresight would predict City's demise based off one down season. Whilst people talk like our recruitment is done by someone who has never watched football before, our recruitment is actually done by the same people who built the last 2 record breaking City teams. I'm sure they can build a third and probably have a better grasp on how to do it than you or me.
Exactly what is going through my mind but I didn't have the where with all to put it in print. Well said.
 
I dont get why we had to walk to seemingly save face? Is it that bad that we went in big time with huge numbers and the player just chose someone else? Not that bad is it?
Maybe the truth is that the deal was outside our affordability
The fee was going to be circa £130m
Agents fees circa £25m
Salary, he maybe was wanting similar to Haaland >£500K / week net*
Wages costs NHI £3.9M
Possible bonuses ?
That's £304M over 5 years
60M / amortization

*If his demands were for a net salary then the income tax and employee NHI would be an additional cica £13m

UEFA squad control allows 70% / turnover for 25/26 season onwards
Plans have to assume worse case scenario that the turnover could drop so its a serious consideration IIRC PL plan to introduce similar squad control costs as well
 
Who would you say is an actual good alternative that is available and as talented as wirtz? I don’t know actually any?

Agree with your sentiment by the way, I just think there’s a dearth of available good talent.
Both Xavi Simmons and Cherki have formally handed in transfer requests.

On the more frugal side I think Hugo Larsson from Frankfurt would be a top investment for us to make.
 
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Both Xavi Simmons and Cherki have formally handed in transfer requests. I also think there’s a number of players who aren’t formally on the market but can be soon - Benfica’s Neves for example.

On the more frugal side I think Hugo Larsson from Frankfurt would be a top investment for us to make.
Yeah honestly, I'm gutted about Wirtz as are the majority of the fan base.

I do think it opens us up to longer-term planning in other areas, though, provided we see some improvements from the existing squad.

If we see a marked improvement from Savinho, Doku, Foden, Bobb, and Nico G (obviously others) we should improve our goal and creative output whilst maybe having the budget to bring in players like Hugo Larsson and allow them an easier path into the first team.

I'm not looking for a marquee signing this summer, nor a huge statement signing to replace De Bruyne. I'm wanting to see players who fight for the club, develop relationships across the pitch with like-minded players and to get back to the team chemistry we had for song.

We've lost those Cancelo-Gundo-Grealish or Walker-De Bruyne-Mahrez patterns on the pitch and I'm desperate to see this sort of cohesion back in the team.

Unlike most, I'm trusting the board to get the right profile, no matter how big or small the name is.
 
Both Xavi Simmons and Cherki have formally handed in transfer requests. I also think there’s a number of players who aren’t formally on the market but can be soon - Benfica’s Neves for example.

On the more frugal side I think Hugo Larsson from Frankfurt would be a top investment for us to make.
who's this??
 
Maybe the truth is that the deal was outside our affordability
The fee was going to be circa £130m
Agents fees circa £25m
Salary, he maybe was wanting similar to Haaland >£500K / week net*
Wages costs NHI £3.9M
Possible bonuses ?
That's £304M over 5 years
60M / amortization

*If his demands were for a net salary then the income tax and employee NHI would be an additional cica £13m

UEFA squad control allows 70% / turnover for 25/26 season onwards
Plans have to assume worse case scenario that the turnover could drop so its a serious consideration IIRC PL plan to introduce similar squad control costs as well
We knew all of that before we invited his parents over
 

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