Haaland or Mbappé

[blueparrot]

I’m curious, were you thinking about Ruben Dias in the last paragraph?

Dias, Rodri, Bernardo, Cancelo,off the top of my head. None were really touted as targets by the mainstream press, until the latter stages of the deals,or after the deal in the case of Bernardo. While if you you did a list of players we were linked to in the transfers windows of recent years across the media that we probably went nowhere near that would run into the 100s over the last 5 years.
The only exceptions were when we were at the offer stage and the selling clubs like liverpool, Wolfburg started to kick up a fuss but the players were done and dusted by that stage. Nothing I can remember has ever leaked this far out from a window opening.

 

[Maly]

If we’re gonna operate under the assumption that “anything is possible” and “we don’t really know anything for sure”, this Transfer Forum becomes almost entirely useless. I think we can operate under at least some assumptions. Like we knew we had to find a CB last summer, the striker is the “must sign” now (as far as I’m concerned, it should have happened last summer too), and in fact I would say there is a strong case to be made that we should sign not one but two. And for the Aguero replacement, we are looking at replacing our biggest striker ever. To find the targets, we have to look at who are the biggest ones around at the moment, and that’s why people seem to agree that Haaland, Lukaku and Kane make sense (even when they don’t like one of them... but these are solid strikers). A club with our standing and our ambitions isn’t going to replace Aguero with an obscure unproven name.

“I doubt anyone outside maybe 4 or 5 at the club know, and the players and their reps involved”. I’m a journalist. That’s a lot of people for things not to leak. And when you look at some of the reports coming out about Haaland, it’s from well sourced people (not just one). Assuming he’s a target is at this point, to me, inevitable, just like we know Messi is someone our club wants.

Freelance or do you work directly for a media corporation?

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Dias, Rodri, Bernardo, Cancelo,off the top of my head. None were really touted as targets by the mainstream press, until the latter stages of the deals,or after the deal in the case of Bernardo. While if you you did a list of players we were linked to in the transfers windows of recent years across the media that we probably went nowhere near that would run into the 100s over the last 5 years.
The only exceptions were when we were at the offer stage and the selling clubs like liverpool, Wolfburg started to kick up a fuss but the players were done and dusted by that stage. Nothing I can remember has ever leaked this far out from a window opening.

So with Dias, he was talked about in the previous window, he wasn’t a new target. And he also wasn’t the main CB target. The links with Koulibaly, Kounde and Gimenez weren’t fake. When Dias was officially announced, in the official City website in the announcement article there was a mistake and they let a link for a “win a signed Koulibaly shirt” from a pre-written article. Kounde himself has talked about speaking to Pep on the phone about coming to City and how he would play. And the Atletico president also said in an interview that a major club approached him about Gimenez. We all know we got Dias because Benfica was the only one that would take in Otamendi, and Dias himself said in an interview that “everything happened so fast”. With Cancelo there was speculation before the deal too. I don’t remember with Rodri and Bernardo honestly. But the notion that a deal with a major worldclass striker could happen without leaks is unrealistic

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Freelance or do you work directly for a media corporation?

I have worked as both but right now in a press office

 

[Maly]

I have worked as both but right now in a press office

If it’s City’s press office, please start slapping around some of the UKs sports journalists ;)

 

[blueparrot]

But the notion that a deal with a major worldclass striker could happen without leaks is unrealistic

Well as there are no leaks maybe it isn't happening. I on the other hand am not expecting any leaks at least not until the season finishes so will stick to my argument we don't know if Haaland, or Mbappe or somebody else is or isn't our main target. Doesn't stop all options being discussed. But it's just for fun, I've learnt from past experience not to take anyone too seriously thinking they know for certain.

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Where has been stated categorically that Pep is only here for a few years more? If the media were to be believed he wasn't going to come in the first place and then he wasn't going to hang around too long.

It hasn’t been stated and it’s not known if he is here for 5 more minutes or 25 more years
But he is realistically going to stay 3 to 6 years maybe who knows
But he will want a top drawer striker To compete for trophies
Clearly that’s my opinion and you have yours

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Manchester City are probably the most stable football club in world football at the moment. It is the prize managerial position. The plans for the future of the club are second to none and we have the team (on and off the pitch) to deliver everything the owner (and us fans) desire. Why should Pep leave?

a fresh challenge maybe who knows but top managers usually want top players very few clubs b big through youth

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

All opinions and I am not looking to just put yours down. What I am trying to say is that there is no logical reason for Pep to go. Also, maybe Pep is revolutionising football by playing without an out an out striker. I'd love Mbappe in this team but are we doing ok as we are. Bottom line though is, if we won every game, Pep would still want to evolve and improve.

 

[aguero93:20]

Dias, Rodri, Bernardo, Cancelo,off the top of my head. None were really touted as targets by the mainstream press, until the latter stages of the deals,or after the deal in the case of Bernardo. While if you you did a list of players we were linked to in the transfers windows of recent years across the media that we probably went nowhere near that would run into the 100s over the last 5 years.
The only exceptions were when we were at the offer stage and the selling clubs like liverpool, Wolfburg started to kick up a fuss but the players were done and dusted by that stage. Nothing I can remember has ever leaked this far out from a window opening.

Fernandinho, Gundogan, Ederson, Walker, Jesus and Mahrez were leaked well ahead of completion and bar Walker ahead of the transfer window opening too.