It's Quiet - a new dawn

[aguero93:20]

If the latter, wouldn't that extend to Gabriel Jesus or Leroy Sane too? Both came, both less tested and proven than Mbappe, both have exceeded most of our wildest expectations in their inaugural season.

We bought both combined for £60m. A World record fee brings an entirely different kind of pressure.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Not sure if your issue is the fees or even just making a marquee signing out of Mbappe in the first place.

If the former, well, City have money, I'm not sure that's such a concern and would be unlikely to handcuff our other expenditures.

If the latter, wouldn't that extend to Gabriel Jesus or Leroy Sane too? Both came, both less tested and proven than Mbappe, both have exceeded most of our wildest expectations in their inaugural season. Could be the Pep factor, or not, but if the club are willing to sink a world record fee into this kid then it's not just because he has promise and nothing more.



When have Arsenal ever spent big? They can, but they just don't.

Dippers maybe?

Probably have Sanchez and Ozil fee's in the bank. Finally backing Wenger for a last hurrah?

 

[IWasHere]

Thought you were talking about Aguero, not Hart, my bad, apologies.

No worries

 

[BillyShears]

Comes across that you have a good rapport and he clearly knows (his) stuff.

I need to listen to the pods more often (time thing). Our Kid listens most weeks as he usually gets train from London to Crewe on a Friday.

Tell him we appreciate the support :)

 

[Akiva]

We bought both combined for £60m. A World record fee brings an entirely different kind of pressure.

Jesus was £27 million plus add ons.
Sane was £43.8 million plus add ons.

Regardless, I get your point about pressure on the player and expectations that come with a world record fee (see: Paul Pogshit) The OP I was responding to wasn't arguing about that though, they suggested another year in Monaco for Mbappe, performing as he has this year, would justify the spend. I do believe it's quite likely that he will opt for another season there, and Monaco (who stand to lose a good proportion of their successful squad) would paint this as a victory, but ultimately his talent has been established and he has set his market value through his performances.

Is he worth a world record fee? Some clubs believe so. Perhaps City do too.

 

[aguero93:20]

Jesus was £27 million plus add ons.
Sane was £43.8 million plus add ons.

Regardless, I get your point about pressure on the player and expectations that come with a world record fee (see: Paul Pogshit) The OP I was responding to wasn't arguing about that though, they suggested another year in Monaco for Mbappe, performing as he has this year, would justify the spend. I do believe it's quite likely that he will opt for another season there, and Monaco (who stand to lose a good proportion of their successful squad) would paint this as a victory, but ultimately his talent has been established and he has set his market value through his performances.

Is he worth a world record fee? Some clubs believe so. Perhaps City do too.

Pogba is the perfect case in point - if he'd cost £40m nobody would blink an eyelid. As it is he's set a World record so is instantly compared to Tranny, Zidane etc and comes up short, way short.

 

[TFC]

Pogba is the perfect case in point - if he'd cost £40m nobody would blink an eyelid. As it is he's set a World record so is instantly compared to Tranny, Zidane etc and comes up short, way, way, way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay short. Basically he's shite.

 

[Callum Ramsey]

Not sure if your issue is the fees or even just making a marquee signing out of Mbappe in the first place.

If the former, well, City have money, I'm not sure that's such a concern and would be unlikely to handcuff our other expenditures.

If the latter, wouldn't that extend to Gabriel Jesus or Leroy Sane too? Both came, both less tested and proven than Mbappe, both have exceeded most of our wildest expectations in their inaugural season. Could be the Pep factor, or not, but if the club are willing to sink a world record fee into this kid then it's not just because he has promise and nothing more.

My issue is that the fee being branded is for players that have had two or more consistent seasons of performance at a high level in which case a more concrete judgement of their base talent level can be made. There have been quite a few young players who've had breakout seasons and then gone on to not better it as they got older as their game gets studied by teams to counter it. That's when their true ability will come through and the ridiculous prices and hype can look justified. Like I said with Martial last season who is having a harder time now that his talent level has been recognised by premier league managers who're finding ways to stop or minimise his effect. Additionally, paying a world record fee for the Gotze of dortmund would be more justified as then you had a clearer picture of his ability through multiple seasons of performances at the highest level.

Now you go on to list Jesus and Sane and yes I'll give you Jesus as he was definitely an unknown quantity even though he'd been making waves in Brazil but could easily also have turned out like any other overhyped young brazilian so I understand your point on him being less proven. In regards to Sane though he had definitely proven himself and had two good seasons prior to being signed. Though he didn't have the kind of season that Mbappe is currently having and rarely played in the champions league, he had built his hype over two seasons in germany where he made 46 league appearances and was also Schalke's best player in his first and only champions league game against Madrid at the bernabeu therefore a clearer judgement of his ability could be made as well as a justifiable fee. Both these players were bought for no more than a combined £62m so their risk level is certainly not the same as paying a world record fee for Mbappe.

Even Sterling who was bought for an English player world record fee £44m had more of a higher sample of games where he performed consistently and proven himself before being bought. He'd had one incredible season where he played a key part in a title chasing team which won him the golden boy award and another decent season where he had to carry an attack by himself as suarez left and fill in as a false nine when sturridge got injured. In fact contrary to what many believe his last season for pool was even more impressive than the previous because of this and the teams' form only started dipping at the latter stages of the season when his contract issues came up and it was clear his focus was not there anymore. If you'd ask most liverpool fans prior to that issue they would've had him as their POTS. So in regards to Mbappe, unless he's being bought as a replacement for Aguero, I see it as too much of a gamble to take on him as a player currently especially for the prices being branded

 

[Akiva]

Pogba is the perfect case in point - if he'd cost £40m nobody would blink an eyelid. As it is he's set a World record so is instantly compared to Tranny, Zidane etc and comes up short, way short.

No arguments here, but @Callum Ramsey is saying that another season of Mbappe performing as he has would be enough to perhaps justify the spend. Pogba had several prolific seasons at Juventus/France and was a known commodity and shoe-in for future best midfielder in the world. Yet, lo and behold, he's shite.

Basically, the argument is that signing Mbappe for a world record fee would be a massive gamble. I agree, but all signings are a gamble. Bravo was a gamble, Jesus was a gamble, Gundogan was a gamble. Mbappe almost certainly would be a big gamble which carries a big risk, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't make it and, if there's a chance another club (particularly a league rival) could make a move for him this summer, I'd imagine the club wouldn't let them get in before them.

I suppose that's why @tolmie's hairdoo is talking about Mbappe AND Sanchez. You have a lot of cover there, with the young, red hot talent and the proven PL superstar. Should things go tits up, well, Mbappe's young and will improve under Pep, meanwhile Sane-Jesus-Sterling with Sanchez thrown into the mix will be more than enough to do the job. Or Aguero, if he stays.

 

[aguero93:20]

No arguments here, but @Callum Ramsey is saying that another season of Mbappe performing as he has would be enough to perhaps justify the spend. Pogba had several seasons at Juventus/France and was a known commodity and shoe-in for best midfielder in the world. Yet, lo and behold, he's shite.

He's far from shite imo, but he isn't playing for a manager that gets the best from him and even if he was he wouldn't justify that fee. Pogba at a World record fee was a huge, huge gamble in comparison to the previous record holders, Vieri, Ronaldo, Shearer, Figo, Zidane, Tranny, Bale all absolutely top quality players proven on the club and international stage or hitting silly amounts of goals.