General transfer rumours

Both Bonucci and Alves are top quality(who will probably demand high wages) but how many defenders over 30 should we be signing when we are looking to rebuild our defence? We have Kompany and Kolarov already who are both 31, is the market that bad for defenders that we can't find anyone younger to the required quality? Is Laporte still on our transfer target list?
 
Metalartin said:
Both Bonucci and Alves are top quality(who will probably demand high wages) but how many defenders over 30 should we be signing when we are looking to rebuild our defence? We have Kompany and Kolarov already who are both 31, is the market that bad for defenders that we can't find anyone younger to the required quality? Is Laporte still on our transfer target list?
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Tbf Pep did say last season that every team needs a few older players for leadership, at the end of the day if our eight signings end up being Bernardo, Ederson, Mendy, Bertrand, Walker, Alves, Sanchez, and Bonucci, then we can look at:

-Bernardo, Ederson, and Mendy being young players
-Bertrand, Walker, and Sanchez in the prime of their careers
-And Alves and Bonucci to provide that experience and leadership
 
Metalartin said:
Both Bonucci and Alves are top quality(who will probably demand high wages) but how many defenders over 30 should we be signing when we are looking to rebuild our defence? We have Kompany and Kolarov already who are both 31, is the market that bad for defenders that we can't find anyone younger to the required quality? Is Laporte still on our transfer target list?
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What happens at the age of 30 that some on here are obsessed with
 
grim up north said:
What happens at the age of 30 that some on here are obsessed with
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The norm is they start to lose a bit of pace, slower reaction times, take longer to recover(fatigue and injuries), obviously not the minute they turn 30 but Zaba is an example we can learn from as blues, as much as we all loved him we all saw he was struggling with the demands of our style of play. A prime Zaba would have thrived in this team under Pep IMO, he was attack minded and solid in defence and would have adapted to it better than most.

A few experienced players over 30 would be fine(probably needed) but we already have some, shouldn't we be making signings that are more long term for the next 5 years or more? Just for the years we could potentially get out of Laporte, it might be a better option for that money we have Kompany and Alves(assuming that's a done deal now) who both have lots to teach our younger defenders as it is(Alves especially as he knows Peps style very well). Like I said if the players aren't available in this window that we would want then fair enough, though I do hope we get a good few years out of him for that money. Is it not fair to say the demands(intensity etc) are higher here than in the Italian league too?

Having said all that Tosin signing an extension could be a clue to Peps thinking about the long term and I'd be quite happy if we manage to turn him into a top centre back.
 
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my only worry with Bonucci is that if we do sign him. (who is world class) would it take him a year to settle in and also play the lone defender in Pep's tactics. He is great in a back 3 at Juve, possibly we could play 3 at the back with Kompany and Stones/Ota. When we signed Ota, he was the best defender in La Liga
 
foggy1974 said:
my only worry with Bonucci is that if we do sign him. (who is world class) would it take him a year to settle in and also play the lone defender in Pep's tactics. He is great in a back 3 at Juve, possibly we could play 3 at the back with Kompany and Stones/Ota. When we signed Ota, he was the best defender in La Liga
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Juve play in a back 4 often as well, and he's just as good.

Some players take time to settle, some don't, impossible to tell from the outside but it's never a risk worth abandoning a transfer over IMO.
 
Bonucci might be the one central defender in the world I have no concerns when it comes to the adjustment period. Dude is so good.
 
Alves 34, Bonucci 30, Iniesta 33 to replace the outgoing Zabaleta 32, Clichy 31 and Sagna 34.
Next maybe Buffon 39 in and Bravo 34 out? If we discuss this on here there's bound to be one of the media sources to pick it up and turn it in to a story.
 
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