I think he's more likely quite keen to leave now, he's given it a second season shot and will want to restart he career. There will be a few clubs wanting him in the summer somebody will pay a decent fee.I wasn’t suggesting they were the same in character, simply that they are going to be difficult to shift on a permanent basis. If he was unwilling to leave in the summer, I’m not convinced that anything has changed to make him wish to leave now. If anything, with a new baby, he might feel even less inclined to leave his environs.
Not playing when Rodri was out and then behind Lewis, Kovacic and Stones will have given him the message loud and clear.I wasn’t suggesting they were the same in character, simply that they are going to be difficult to shift on a permanent basis. If he was unwilling to leave in the summer, I’m not convinced that anything has changed to make him wish to leave now. If anything, with a new baby, he might feel even less inclined to leave his environs.
Yes it's academic, but if he was fit, available & money was no object, of all the CDM's I can think of, Camavinga would be my first pick.If he were available, perhaps, but I just don’t see him playing in the same way as Rodri. He’s also out with a torn knee ligament so any discussion is purely academic.
It's been evident since the summer that City want to part company with Philips. He wanted to stay & fight for his place, but even when Rodri was suspended, & we've played dead rubber matches, he's failed to start or even get on.That would be ‘at best’ in my opinion. The lad has hardly played and clubs know our predicament and will probably seek to take him on loan with no obligation to buy. With a new baby he may have no inclination to move, so we might just have to accept that he’ll be around until the summer.
How many times have we been successful with this scenario ?
Declan Rice and Douglas Luiz. Not suggesting either is better than Rodri,nor necessarily the two you favour, but they are league tested. I still think we might have to find a system that we can revert to when Rodri is unavailable.Yes it's academic, but if he was fit, available & money was no object, of all the CDM's I can think of, Camavinga would be my first pick.
If you could pick any two CDM's, who would you opt for?
I’ve seen long winded attempts to explain it, but I’ll never understand how we couldn’t get a work permit for Douglas Luiz but Villa could. Very frustrating.Declan Rice and Douglas Luiz. Not suggesting either is better than Rodri,nor necessarily the two you favour, but they are league tested. I still think we might have to find a system that we can revert to when Rodri is unavailable.
They only received one on appeal if I remember correctly.I’ve seen long winded attempts to explain it, but I’ll never understand how we couldn’t get a work permit for Douglas Luiz but Villa could. Very frustrating.
Rodri is Rodri. Before him Fernandinho was Fernandinho & before him Yaya was Yaya. All very different players, but all equally as effective.Declan Rice and Douglas Luiz. Not suggesting either is better than Rodri,nor necessarily the two you favour, but they are league tested. I still think we might have to find a system that we can revert to when Rodri is unavailable.
I’ve seen long winded attempts to explain it, but I’ll never understand how we couldn’t get a work permit for Douglas Luiz but Villa could. Very frustrating.