Moving on: Yaya, Zab, Navas, Fernando, Clichy, Sagna, Nasri (possibly also Nolito, and Iheanacho)
But realistically we're going to have to watch Kelechi banging the goals in for another Premier League club in the near future, probably starting with an initial loan next season. Is he a hugely promising striker? Yes, absolutely. Will his ambition eventually exceed the amount of minutes we are able to offer him? Yes, absolutely. It's an awful shame, but I see no way that he can make it with us. We're unlikely to play 2 upfront, and when Aguero eventually leaves, he will be replaced by someone in their prime (Aubameyang, Griezmann, Sanchez etc), plus Jesus will be above Kelechi as 2nd choice striker. I can't see anything other than the situation that faced Lukaku at Chelsea. People laughed at Chelsea, saying how could they sell him, could they not see his potential? They could. They just couldn't give him enough game time, and then eventually the big offer came in. Same will happen with Iheanacho. We'll then receive untold amounts of stick about what's the point of our academy blah blah blah, but it's inevitable. I don't think we'll sell him this summer, but I do think we'll loan him, with the sale a year or two after that.Ones in bold are the ones I think we need to keep.
Nolito hasn't had a chance really, and when he has played I feel he's been very productive, but Touré's been brilliant since coming back in, Fernando is unique and a useful player to have on the bench, Sagna has the experience that Maffeo could really benefit from, and Iheanacho is one of the most promising strikers in the world.
But realistically we're going to have to watch Kelechi banging the goals in for another Premier League club in the near future, probably starting with an initial loan next season. Is he a hugely promising striker? Yes, absolutely. Will his ambition eventually exceed the amount of minutes we are able to offer him? Yes, absolutely. It's an awful shame, but I see no way that he can make it with us. We're unlikely to play 2 upfront, and when Aguero eventually leaves, he will be replaced by someone in their prime (Aubameyang, Griezmann, Sanchez etc), plus Jesus will be above Kelechi as 2nd choice striker. I can't see anything other than the situation that faced Lukaku at Chelsea. People laughed at Chelsea, saying how could they sell him, could they not see his potential? They could. They just couldn't give him enough game time, and then eventually the big offer came in. Same will happen with Iheanacho. We'll then receive untold amounts of stick about what's the point of our academy blah blah blah, but it's inevitable. I don't think we'll sell him this summer, but I do think we'll loan him, with the sale a year or two after that.
Will his ambition eventually exceed the amount of minutes we are able to offer him?
when Aguero eventually leaves, he will be replaced by someone in their prime (Aubameyang, Griezmann, Sanchez etc)
People laughed at Chelsea, saying how could they sell him, could they not see his potential? They could. They just couldn't give him enough game time
As there would be if someone said the opposite. There is no proof that he's going to stay and no proof that he's going to go out on loan. But bearing in mind that we've already tried to sign Aubameyang, I'd say predicting Iheanacho to be 3rd choice striker at best next season (just as he is now) is a pretty fair and reasonable belief. Then answer me this: based on what we've seen so far, are we more likely to play with one or two strikers going forward? The answer is one, of course. So... how many minutes is a third choice striker going to get? Not many that matter. If said third choice striker is young and promising, how likely is it that he will want more regular football to enable him to stay on track with his development? Very high. How likely then, is a loan deal? Almost certain. Then, I don't think there's a single person in the world that wouldn't expect Iheanacho to do well out on loan. Offers for him will be plentiful, and at a good price too. Could we really say no? When do we ever integrate a returning loanee back into our team? What do people expect to happen to Denayer and Roberts too? It's really not a far fetched situation.There's a lot of supposition in there.
As there would be if someone said the opposite. There is no proof that he's going to stay and no proof that he's going to go out on loan. But bearing in mind that we've already tried to sign Aubameyang, I'd say predicting Iheanacho to be 3rd choice striker at best next season (just as he is now) is a pretty fair and reasonable belief. Then answer me this: based on what we've seen so far, are we more likely to play with one or two strikers going forward? The answer is one, of course. So... how many minutes is a third choice striker going to get? Not many that matter. If said third choice striker is young and promising, how likely is it that he will want more regular football to enable him to stay on track with his development? Very high. How likely then, is a loan deal? Almost certain. Then, I don't think there's a single person in the world that wouldn't expect Iheanacho to do well out on loan. Offers for him will be plentiful, and at a good price too. Could we really say no? When do we ever integrate a returning loanee back into our team? What do people expect to happen to Denayer and Roberts too? It's really not a far fetched situation.
And we chose Bony over Iheanacho on numerous occasions last season. What's the difference?There's a lot of supposition in there.
Maybe.
Only if he leaves in the next year or so, otherwise he's just as likely to be replaced by Jesus or Iheanacho..or Unal, who will all be about 23 when Aguero's contract expires.
People laughed at Chelsea because in the 3 seasons Lukaku was on loan they gave 51 games to Demba Ba, preferring him to Lukaku.
People laughed at Chelsea because they gave 35 games to Samuel Eto'o, preferring him to Lukaku. (33 years old),
People laughed at Chelsea because while Lukaku age 19 and 20, scored 32 goals in 2 premier league seasons on loan at poor teams, Fernando Torres scored....13 in 2 seasons.
Your assertion that Chelsea simply couldn't give Lukaku game time is a load of rubbish - they chose not to give it to him and that's why we laugh.
And we chose Bony over Iheanacho on numerous occasions last season. What's the difference?
Not true! I've suspected for a while that there's a bigger chance than ever before of Aguero being sold in the summer. I've commented on it recently. I mentioned Aubameyang to highlight that even if Aguero is sold, we'd most likely buy a replacement rather than bump Kelechi up the pecking order from 3rd to 2nd. I see it as 1. Aguero/new signing if he leaves. 2. Jesus. 3. Iheanacho. And I don't see us playing 2 strikers, but we'll see if Pep has a curveball for us!Again you're just stacking hypotheticals on top of each other without really thinking. If we were going to sign Aubameyang, then we were either going to sell Aguero, or we were going to start both, because you don't spend £70m on a backup striker.
So then your answer to 1 or 2 strikers is wrong or redundant, because either it's 2 and Kelechi is 3rd choice in a 2 striker system and gets plenty of games, or it's 1 but Aguero is gone and he's still 2nd choice.
You've said 2+2=5 and then 5+1 = 6 and 6+1=7. The whole thing falls apart because you seem to think Aubameyang was arriving to be Aguero's substitute.
And we chose Bony over Iheanacho on numerous occasions last season. What's the difference?