Manuel Akanji | City close to £15m agreement, 5 year contract

[Dribble]

Yep and having someone with a different skillset to our other CBs, not least one with genuine pace, not only adds to our overall options but also reduces our reliance on Walker in terms of defending a pacy counter

It will definitely make counter-attacking teams think twice about wasting a ball over the top if they've got both Walker & Akanji to contend with.

Hopefully Gomez is fleet of foot too which will further help resolve us getting caught out by speedy forwards.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Probably half of that as basic , they have included bonuses he hasnt or might not ever earn

they've used the gross figure reported in the germany press and not the net. Half that (there or there abouts)

 

[LongsightM13]

It will definitely make counter-attacking teams think twice about wasting a ball over the top if they've got both Walker & Akanji to contend with.

Hopefully Gomez is fleet of foot too which will further help resolve us getting caught out by speedy forwards.

Yep and who knows, maybe he might end up at right back as well

 

[bluemoon32]

The **** signed yet?

 

[asahartford1]

If THB was good enough for a tough top flight season, don't you think Pep would trust him to play a part in the first team?

City are in a difficult position. We've proven to be perennial title challengers recently, which means we've little opportunity to allow meaningful minutes to our EDS so they can learn on the job.

I can imagine the fans meltdown if we'd kept THB, Lavia, Doyle, Delap & promoted JWE, Palmer, Mbete & Lewis to the first team & sacked off this transfer window.

The reality is that we're fighting for titles & Pep will only invest longterm with players who are better than what we have, or possess the quick potential to be better.

This is why we send players out on loan, or sell them with a buyback clause or sell-on fee. We develop our players, but send them out to gain "Man Football" experience. Only the elite of the EDS will remain with us beyond 20 to see how they fit in going forward.

Some of us need to face the fact that City are not a work experience project. THB doesn't possess the quality or experience at the highest level of football like Akanji. THB may develop to be a better player than Akanji in the future, but that won't help us right now when we need it.

This is the logical position.
Some fans take the emotional stance of giving them an opportunity.
I have been reading it on Bluemoon since Devante Cole.
Meanwhile the success of the academy is a very important revenue source.

 

[Chi-town blues]

I‘ll get excited after Ramano‘s tweet .

 

[StrutterBlue]

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

I‘ll get excited after Ramano‘s tweet .

I’m not believing anything til Duncan Castles has had his say

 

[remember arthur mann]

The **** signed yet?

Tony ?

 

[SebastianBlue]

Don't see Pep playing Alvarez that deep in the midfield, also no Bernie?

Bernie is among the players for each position (would come in for Gundogan or Foden).

And, as far as Alvarez at LWB, the same could have been said of Zinchenko when he first came.

I said in his performance thread—where I first introduced this possible role—that this wouldn’t be his long-term role, just one he could take on in certain matches where we needed attacking thrust against parked buses.