Kalidou Koulibaly

[ctid1894]

Fair enough, but let's be honest, if going for a defender like Koulibaly goes wrong as well then we're just cursed in buying defenders who either turn shite or are injury prone.

All these fancy names that aren't on market like Upamecano or Koundé are too young and have had 1 or 2 good seasons with little experience, signing them could be an equal mess (do get value for them moving on, but a failure would be useless and their value recouped would mean nothing in the bigger picture). There has to come a time where the club changes policy to sign an experienced player who would not only help the backline but potentially be a leader. We have a fairly young squad in general, barely any players who's age is a big concern. Sometimes experience like this is necessary, I just hope, like most that if he comes he is great and more.

If there was a guarantee age and experience provided a better player, then great but it doesn't. Our whole transfer strategy has been to sign younger players (20-25), with a few exceptions and it's given us some players who have turned into long term world class trusted players for the next 5-10 years in some cases like De Bruyne, Sterling, Laporte, Ederson etc.

It boils down to right player at the right price, if the club believe Koulibaly represents good value for money, perfect. I don't but who cares what I think.

 

[leo_city]

Of course I watched City last season Covid permitting
Did you ? ?
my preference is young and hungry yes it may be his last chance He maybe awesome He may also arrive take time to adapt and struggle
Like I say just my preference
Sane young and hungry Nolito established and his last chance to win something
Which of those would you take ?

The difference is we aren't quite rebuilding now like we were at the time. If anything we lack experience and leadership in the backline, along with quality, which is exactly why Koulibaly's profile makes sense. Another young defender guarantees nothing but just more time to gain manager's trust as he improves and only then becomes a starter IF he gets good enough. Attackers are also much easier to find and put in the team from a younger age than centre backs.

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Rodwell was unlucky with injuries he had it all pace left and right footed athletic strong eye for goal
I could have seen him as a centre half just couldn’t get fit
Yes I agree Fernandinho has and is awesome

 

[Neville Kneville]

Maybe like I say just my personal preference I prefer players 23 ish we can keep for years

We have signed Ake, who could give us 8 years or so.

 

[ctid1894]

No one would take on Ozil’s wages right now regardless of age imo.

You maybe right in the current circumstances but in "normal" circumstances I think someone would, at 25 you can consider future potential and ability to get something better out of him, at 31 you know he ain't getting no better.

 

[WallyA]

Internal competition for places is what helps drive standards, just look at Sterling's comments about City bringing in new wingers and how it pushed him on even further. The same has happened with Walker, Cancelo comes in and Walker's upped his game again. We're doing the same I think with Zack Steffen to push Ederson. Jesus coming in made Aguero step up and change his game to Pep's demands.

I'm the single biggest advocate for giving academy players a chance, however they have to earn the right and force their way into the team (e.g. Foden). You don't create a space for them by buying a stop gap signing, that's just weird logic.

Huh, that's weird logic right there. You should be careful not to assume things I didn't say.

Koulibaly is in no way a stop gap signing, he is a signing to immediately make the team better right now and the future.

Never said we should gift youth chances, but the fact is having an older CB of high quality means eventually the youth CB will have more chances to break through than if we right now had like 4 young starting-quality CBs.

If we sign him, and over the next 5 years some of these youth CBs show there stuff in the few games they get chances then great, if they don't show the quality then bin them. I'm banking on the odds that one of those 4 become quality for us, considering how quick Eric got into the team.

 

[leo_city]

It boils down to right player at the right price, if the club believe Koulibaly represents good value for money, perfect. I don't but who cares what I think.

Which player in current market represents good value? They are all equal risks. No player in modern football market is worth their actual value, and Prem clubs will always have to overpay compared to others to get the same players a Serie A or La Liga club would get half the price for. Wouldn't necessarily go off that

 

[ctid1894]

We have signed Ake, who could give us 8 years or so.

So why not buy someone else who could give us 8 years as well.

 

[leo_city]

Van Dijk wasn't a £75m player when Liverpool signed him. You have to take these sort of risks sometimes.

 

[Ric]

You maybe right in the current circumstances but in "normal" circumstances I think someone would, at 25 you can consider future potential and ability to get something better out of him, at 31 you know he ain't getting no better.

Almost every “big” signing we’ve made post-takeover that hasn’t worked out, we’ve struggled to get rid of regardless of age. Wages are always the stumbling block.