Marc Cucurella

[balotelli's back pocket]

I now pronounce this deal officially dead.

Expect Gaughan et al. to be briefed that we've walked away later today.

Who's next?

 

[JWCH-99]

I guess we got to the alternatives now

Raum really is the best second choice if we could get him.

Sosa is good but he's raw and more of a wing back I don't think hes that technically good either to play in a pep team

Grimaldo just don't see it, he had all that hype but is still at Benfica why? Has to be a reason he's not at another team right now.

Raum to leipzig done mate. Sosa currently injured. Grinaldo from last masia so best bet plus only a year left on contract.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

If true (and that’s a big ‘if’ given the source), I’m pleased our Club didn’t buckle and stood firm on our valuation - as I’m sure Brighton fans are theirs did the same.

We’ll move on and sign another left back - no bother. But this could end up being a Pyrrhic victory for Brighton, as it will damage the reputation they’re trying to cultivate of being a club exciting young players from across the world can thrive and show their talent at, and then be allowed their move to bigger and better.

Bloom is now showing he’ll block their move when they want it with ridiculous valuations - and that will have consequences beyond one transfer fee.

Cucurella’s agent looks like he’s developing quite an impressive portfolio of young Spanish players, and is clearly up and coming in the game.

I doubt he’ll take a player to Brighton again - nor will others in his position.

I’d still be surprised if we left him there after his TR, so I’m not convinced by the story - but I guess if we’ve decided their owner is a joker and impossible to deal with, he’s just going to have to get on with it!

 

[DMA's]

Fair play to Brighton. Think we have handled this transfer very badly and clearly underestimated bloom (as did some on here tbh). He didn’t give into stephens, dunk or Elliot when they previously handed in transfer requests so I didn’t expect this to much different. He has a price (one which I don’t think is that unrealistic unlike levy) and won’t be bullied by underhanded tactics by the player and agent.

The fact cucurella covers 3 positions for Brighton and allows potter tactical freedom means he is worth more than white not to mention he was their player of the season. Add into the fact we have sold our only lb and now have 2 senior full backs I think we have majorly messed this up.

We have tried to throw our weight around a bit imo not really too dissimilar to what Barca are doing with bernardo.

Only way this has any legs left is if cucurella goes on strike

 

[dachoosen1]

Don't think it's over but to be honest I really wish it was. They don't want to sell and we don't want to get ripped off feel sorry for Marc but it is what it is time to move on raum is a decent shout but we need to move quick grimaldo is another option.

 

[samuelyeboah]

Cancelo's natural position is right back.

He plays at left back out of necessity.

Either way, 2 senior full backs is not sufficient for the number of games we will play.

there's a huge difference between "we don't have any leftbacks" to "we have a right back who plays extremely well at left back and was one of the best left backs in the world last season".

we need another fullback, but we're gonna do just fine until we get it, and we will.

 

[Complex Simplicity]

Don't think it's over but to be honest I really wish it was. They don't want to sell and we don't want to get ripped off feel sorry for Marc but it is what it is time to move on raum is a decent shout but we need to move quick grimaldo is another option.

Raum is Leipzig is done.

 

[BlueCityfan]

I don't mind Brighton's stance one bit. I want us to do the same but with a much more "unrealistic" price to Barca regarding Bernardo.

My worry is that there is no other good LB alternative. That any alternative is similar to Angelino, someone Pep doesn't really rate. Not signing another full-back is not an option.

 

[SleepingBlueTiger]

I think it’s more the principle than the actual amount. It could adversely affect us in future negotiations if selling clubs know we’ll fold eventually.

I think this is right but the fact that we ended in this situation was poor from the club. We dug a hole for ourselves here and can't get out anymore.

I'll repeat again what I've said here earlier but is still just as relevant. I don't think £50m is an extraordinary price and somehow I don't think the club actually thinks this way either. Countless players of similar quality have moved for that price this window and recently. You can't just ignore that and blindly keep repeating our valuation and expecting things to change. I mean all signs are showing our negotation stance is £40m and it is not that far off the asking price all things considering. We just started the negotiations from the wrong point and this principle of "winning" the negotation is now more important than the current squad quality despite handicapping ourselves earlier.

Are we really in a better place if we save that 10 millions and move to alternative player who the club obviously considers to be inferior? The fact that we still haven't moved on a week before the season seems to show that even the club is scared of moving to alternative.

 

[andyhinch]

Didn’t want the mop haired **** anyway ;-)