It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

John Wayne said:
I am increasingly coming round to the view that we won't be signing many (if any) players in January. This is the case for a number of reasons. The board may take a different view to the rest of us.

Firstly, nobody wants to sell in January and the club are very reluctant to pay over the odds for anyone. City have spent years trying to cultivate a reputation showing that we don't get pushed around in the transfer market. We are not going to piss away lots of money and a reputation on substandard players in one window. A reputation is hard to rebuild. Whilst the here-and-now is important, there is a bigger picture.

Secondly, the club most probably realises that there is a real risk that we will miss out on the CL next season. Rather than chase top 4/5 with panic buys, there may be an acceptance that, after 14 consecutive years in the competition, we fall short on this occasion. The CWC makes up for missing CL football next season in terms of revenue. A productive summer in the transfer market under a new DoF is seen as more important than a desperate scattergun approach in January under an outgoing DoF.

Even if the club missed out on European football altogether, the money from the CWC covers that loss. Everyone can laugh at us now, but free midweeks next season whilst we rebuild the squad could be seen by the board to be hugely advantageous. This helps Pep implement his ideas on the training ground with newer, younger players. The obvious example in the last ten years is Conte winning the league in 16/17 with no European distractions. Prize money is obviously helpful, but finishing between 8th and 17th ultimately all means the same thing.

I don't want to get into 115 too much, but if there were to be a single-digit points deduction of some kind, the club might feel that this would be the year to take it. If there is a lingering doubt about us fully escaping then throwing lots of money at players we don't really want, just to try to save this season, may not be a wise strategy.

Now, before anyone jumps on me, I don't necessarily take the view above. I'm simply trying to present an alternative. My own view is that I think we've fallen so far that urgent action is needed in the next 40 days. We are bottom of the form league over the last 8 games. That to me is catastrophic and elite organisations must seize upon rapidly declining standards as soon as possible. How far do you let things sink? Txiki is still in post and, frankly, whilst he is being paid he should still be doing the job in its entirety.

Prediction: I support the general consensus that we need to make three signings in January for the first team. We may make CFG/future prospect signings, but with Echeverri arriving, my gut feel is we'll make just one midfield signing in January.
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That sounds far too sensible for this forum.
 
richards30 said:
Huge young CB we have strong links with mate, looks a hell of a player already
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I dont even need to know more, I like unknown signings like this.

Some have mentioned the Sporting player Diomande, I say bring both.

Defensive reinforcements are more important now than offensive, so we can wait to get Baena and Williams.

But more urgently id like these 2 quick fast CBs and Baleba for some defensive steel.
 
As I have heard Balebas name more often, I figured id look at hia fbref as I did with Ederson, Zubimendi and Wharton prior.

This guy is a defensive monster in the middle, with good pass completion.

He doesnt seem like a deep lying playmaker, but I think thats okay, we need hia defensive qualities more.

Him and Ederson (Atalanta) would be a dream duo of 6/8s to move on from Gundogan, Kovacic and Bernie in the middle.
 

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