It's Quiet the £250m return

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Cant find any home grown player on this list here that is easily gettable.. of the required level https://www.premierleague.com/news/4243590
its gonna be a pain in the ass and I hope Txixi has schooled Viana well about all the hassle you must think about regularly to build a squad in the UK. If you get a bit behind on this its tough to get the numbers up again. 17 non-homegrown is allowed out of 25

Maybe theres some around Europe as well that was schooled 3 years in the UK, Pogba for example lol

Ake, Stones and Grealish will probably stick around for while. Ake is like gold in this context, Chelsea bred.

alot of hoop jumping just to get Reis or Echeverri on the bench in the CL.

 

[blueparrot]

alot of hoop jumping just to get Reis or Echeverri on the bench in the CL.

It is but nobody in here knows how thay look in training The CWV will show a bit but only the coaches know how much they want them around the first team next year

 

[Dax777]

I am so gassed for this guy to come in.
“We don’t go for man we go for the ball”
“We close gaps but not fully to make them think they can play football”
“Our defenders have to be super fast and good in the air” - Khusonov x Gvardiol
“counterpress is only worth what you do after and we want to go forward and attack”
“Allow our best players to have the ball as much possible”

Please watch these 2 videos gents. This is about to be? Vvone helluva rebuild! We’re gonna be able to press and be more enjoyable to watch again !!

This alone makes me a fan. I have always thought half of teams parking the bus against us was our fault.

Quick counter and getting thle ball to our best players as quickly and as often as possible

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

It is but nobody in here knows how thay look in training The CWV will show a bit but only the coaches know how much they want them around the first team next year

they will but doubt there gonna shuffle goalkeepers just to make a space for them on the list for minimal game time imo

 

[blueparrot]

they will but doubt there gonna shuffle goalkeepers just to make a space for them on the list for minimal game time imo

Not keepers, true.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Chelsea wining the European equivalent of EFL Trophy & scrapped into champions league spot on the last day & you think they've in a strong position than we are, seriously. They've spent the last four years throwing bucket loads of cash at players & are still a basket case of a clubs. Delap will score goals but he's not the striker to turn them into genuine title challengers

You’re not seeing the bigger picture, but that’s the norm here.

Had the rags won the Europa League & got UCL through the back door would you be saying they're in a better position than us ?

I’ll assume that’s rhetorical, because it’s too stupid to need a response. However, what were our results against that club over the last 13 months? ;-)

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Today they have had one shakey season and still finished third and got to a cup final with a ridiculous injury list and said coach is still there for 2 more years with a fantastically well run club with an incredible infrastructure which will be there when he leaves, whats your point?

My point is that our first choice transfers seem to be heading elsewhere and we have lost a year of rebuilding to arrogance and stubbornness.

Maybe that has set us up for a bumper summer window? We’ll see over the next few months!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

City are still a huge draw. With or without Pep, on the up or on the down. Because of the last decade or a bit longer, and because of the now stature and expectations.

As were Liverpool when they were on the down, and Chelsea, and United continue to be etc.

Players don't refuse big clubs because they finished 3rd or have the best manager in the world for only the next 2 years. There will be reasons for preferring one big club over another here and there but to argue we are suddenly no lo ger a draw after 7 trophies in the last 2.5 years is silly pal.

Again, and as is the norm here, you are putting words in my mouth that I have never said…or argued.

Players look forward to their time at a club, and want to know the who, the what, the how of what the club is planning for their tenure. Integral to that is the current squad mix, the manager, the infrastructure.

Clearly, some top players are getting their answers to those questions and choosing other projects, so you decide why that is…

 

[117 M34]

We've spoke a lot about our need for homegrown players.
Any of the stattos on here know what our rivals in the league's homegrown situation is currently and if they will need to be looking at homegrown players too?

 

[blueparrot]

We've spoke a lot about our need for homegrown players.
Any of the stattos on here know what our rivals in the league's homegrown situation is currently and if they will need to be looking at homegrown players too?

Don’t know what the great fuss about homegrown players is. We might only lose 2 Carson and Grealish , Grealish will probably be replaced with either MGW or maybe Livremento. Carson by somebody, who knows who. If Stones leaves we might replace him, or we might not.

 

[Coatigan]

Again, and as is the norm here, you are putting words in my mouth that I have never said…or argued.

Players look forward to their time at a club, and want to know the who, the what, the how of what the club is planning for their tenure. Integral to that is the current squad mix, the manager, the infrastructure.

Clearly, some top players are getting their answers to those questions and choosing other projects, so you decide why that is…

I don't need to decide why that is, I am bot that bothered. Any one of a number of reasons, each to their own.

Rather than the one single that you decided and claimed as fact.

 

[pbueno16]

My point is that our first choice transfers seem to be heading elsewhere and we have lost a year of rebuilding to arrogance and stubbornness.

Maybe that has set us up for a bumper summer window? We’ll see over the next few months!

Pretty much all of our linked transfers at this point are first choice besides Cherki

 

[BluestBlue]

This alone makes me a fan. I have always thought half of teams parking the bus against us was our fault.

Quick counter and getting thle ball to our best players as quickly and as often as possible

Exactly. So glad our philosophy will get upgraded

 

[Coatigan]

Don’t know what the great fuss about homegrown players is. We might only lose 2 Carson and Grealish , Grealish will probably be replaced with either MGW or maybe Livremento. Carson by somebody, who knows who. If Stones leaves we might replace him, or we might not.

Exactly. More HG players just means they take up one of the 17 spots. Which is all fine, if they are good for 1 of the 4 spots they are good for one of the 17. If they are not, just means having to include more academy playersto make up the numbers.

 

[WRicko]

You’re not seeing the bigger picture, but that’s the norm here.

I’ll assume that’s rhetorical, because it’s too stupid to need a response. However, what were our results against that club over the last 13 months? ;-)

What is that bigger picture with Chelsea ?

 

[BluestBlue]

Cant find any home grown player on this list here that is easily gettable.. of the required level https://www.premierleague.com/news/4243590
its gonna be a pain in the ass and I hope Txixi has schooled Viana well about all the hassle you must think about regularly to build a squad in the UK. If you get a bit behind on this its tough to get the numbers up again. 17 non-homegrown is allowed out of 25

Maybe theres some around Europe as well that was schooled 3 years in the UK, Pogba for example lol

Ake, Stones and Grealish will probably stick around for while. Ake is like gold in this context, Chelsea bred.

Dean Henderson, Chalobah, Antoniee Robertson, Sam Johnstone, lmaooo there’s barely anybody out there

 

[WRicko]

I didn’t need an explanation in the first place, but some of you seem to think you know everything!

I made a postulation. Cue the blue-tinted spec parade.

Here is the original post:

View attachment 158455
-/-/-/-/-/-
It’s not even a contentious post!!

I was commenting on the statement I bolded at the time. While there are a litany of teams who are nowhere close to City there are some who might be considered slightly (as opposed to vastly) above us today. THAT was the mouthful he said…one word (vastly) that meant a great deal in the context of the post.

City have been a magnificent draw over the last decade. The team has been literally full of world class talent and proven world class players…and a coach who was at the height of his powers, with the ability to add almost any players he wanted.

Today????

Lastly, I have noted, with amusement, your numerous posts about the squad, who needs to go, who needs to stay, what the complement of HG players does to the maths, etc…

Surely, if we are the dogs bollocks, then we just point at the players we want and they run over to the Etihad with pen in hand to sign on the dotted line, with our castoffs being snapped up for top dollar in a feeding frenzy, no?

Meanwhile, we are ALL watching with bated breath as to who might arrive and who needs to be shipped out…and at what cost…knowing we have NOT got the #1 choice to replace KDB, have yet to see ANY full backs seriously attached, and are seemingly doubling ourselves over a player whose name most of us can’t pronounce and never dreamed of as the “big” transfer of Summer 2025!

It’s early doors, and there’ll be twists and turns along the way to the CWC and the 2025-26 season, but at the moment, we look like a very old team, with our record signing unable to get into the SQUAD (not the team!)

Meanwhile, the team that won the PL, had the POTY and YPOTY and Golden Boot winner…all with a new, relatively unknown manager… has already sealed a deal for two new full backs we seemed interested in and look to be plucking our #1 target from under our noses.

I’m as Blue as the next man (or woman) on BM, but I’m old enough, and seen and played enough football to know City are not in a great place right now and need some significant changes to the squad and the manner of play if we want to maintain the standards and results of the last decade.

We have reached an inflection point and need to both understand where football is, where it is going, and the personnel needed to keep City at the very top.

I have said repeatedly that size, speed and strength are the new language of football. Of course, technical ability is THE basic requirement, but beyond that, you need at least 2 of the 3 S’s to build a team.

If anything showed the world where the game is going, the PSG demolition of old school Inter was a lesson.

Possession without speed and purpose creates the low block defence that kills top quality football.

Possession with speed and purpose creates the transition football that negates the low block and allows exciting, top quality football.

We can see the future. The question is whether we are open to listening and willing to embrace it. I hope so, because I don’t want the next decade to be about ANY other club than City!

If we have £250M to spend this summer, I hope we spend it wisely on a significant refresh and remake of this squad, because we need it!

Which two fullback have Liverpool signed ?

We are yet to see any fullbacks seriously attached to us what does that even mean ?

 

[Rammy Blue]

Which two fullback have Liverpool signed ?

We are yet to see any fullbacks seriously attached to us what does that even mean ?

Not defending his post, and yes he’s jumped ahead ever so slightly, but they have signed Frimpong, and are supposedly poised to sign Kerkez shortly.

 

[VOOMER]

City are still a huge draw. With or without Pep, on the up or on the down. Because of the last decade or a bit longer, and because of the now stature and expectations.

As were Liverpool when they were on the down, and Chelsea, and United continue to be etc.

Players don't refuse big clubs because they finished 3rd or have the best manager in the world for only the next 2 years. There will be reasons for preferring one big club over another here and there but to argue we are suddenly no lo ger a draw after 7 trophies in the last 2.5 years is silly pal.

Players want to know who is going to be the manage.
Good agents will find out where their client fits into the managers plans. Also will the manager be there till he fails, or retires, not when he fancies a change scenery.
Having Pep is brilliant for a player, especially if it's possible that he's round for the first 4 years of their city career.
If that question regarding Pep's tenure is raised and there isn't any clarification, or the response side steps the question then there is a problem for some players.
They are players we actually want, as they believe the coach can take them to the next level.
That said Kerkez would see us for what we truly are a team that is aiming to finish top each season in every competition.
We need to get the next Mendes Neves and Hakimi's before they sign for rivals.
We have feeder clubs, we may see some benefit from them in the long run.

 

[SheeshKebab]

Following on from the lad I know from a few weeks ago and other people on here… Reijnders and Costa done. Costa and Reijnders personal terms agreed for a long time.

Updates…

Wirtz: Was told at the time his family were very into the project and package we put across but he wanted Bayern more in the end and Liverpool blindsided somehow, they weren’t even in the mix originally. These things happen though, as we know I.e Sanchez, Hazard, Messi. Looking like He’s going to the dippers. (Please Madrid, do something)

Costa: Personal terms agreed for a while. Fee talked about and agreed.

Reijnders: Same as Costa but fee nearly agreed if not done, just about.

MGW: Last I heard, we reached out and he’s pining for a move here. Sounds like we’re going for this when the priorities are finished (Reijnders and Costa). Personal terms not an issue at all, verbally agreed.

Livramento: Heard we reached out a few months ago and Newcastle instantly said NO. But, they are seriously interested in Jacky G. Heard this could be huge as Livramento really wants the move and more things have been said over the last few days. Looking more and more likely.

Wesley: heard nothing since a month or so ago when it sounded we were seriously interested.

Cherki: This is so out of the blue. Heard nothing about it till a few days ago when personal terms had already been agreed. Crazy quick, like Bernardo Silva all those years ago.

Ait Nouri: Genuine contacts and player definitely wants the move. Not heard anything about things being agreed.

Joan Garcia: Absolutely nothing in it. Media speculation and his agents were trying to rise his wage for Barcelona.

Rodrygo: Heard nothing about it. Looked on here the other day to see Tolm said something about it and was hoping it was true. Don’t think the lad I know is that deep into it as Tolms contacts hahaha, but I might hear something even if it sounds like Alonso definitely wants to keep him.

Others: Heard we have other targets but nothing concrete. Samuele Ricci would have been our next target if we didn’t get Reijnders but that’s done and that’s about it.

Anyway ladies and gentleman, this is all I’ve heard, wanted to update everyone. Up to you if you think I’m chatting bollocks or not but thought I’d at least give people an update on what I’ve heard from the blue grape vine.

Have a lovely weekend everyone and happy hunting from Viana and Txiki before the CWC.