Mehdi Benatia

[NMB]

It is highly unlikely that we will buy Sagna, Fernando and a Centre Back. Assuming that Pants is replaced by a Home Grown keeper we would be left with 15 foreign players [Zab,Vinnie,Martin,Kolorov,Nasty,Ferna,Garcia,Yaya,Merlin,Nasri,Aguero,Edin,Beast,Jovetic,Navas]. Premier League rules state, I believe, that we can only name 17 in the squad, therefore it would be foolish to take on 3 more foreign players.
So, we could choose not to take on Sagna, sticking with Richards as RB backup. The downside is that he would almost certainly allow his contract to run down and leave for free costing us about 7 million but at the same time he would not be, this year at least , reinforcing Liverpool or Arsenal's squad.
Alternatively, we could choose not to buy Fernando hoping that Rodwell develops, Garcia maintains his fine end of season form and that Milner can also be used as DM backup.
Finally, we could choose not to buy a CB from abroad sticking with Vinnie, Martin, Nasty and Boyata , perhaps bringing in Shawcross.

The final alternative would be to sell a foreign player and replace him with a Homegrown (e.g. Fabregas for Garcia) which would then free a foreigner's place allowing the 3 signings above to go ahead.

Which option do Bluemooners think the club will take? Or are there others?

 

[MeatHunterrr]

It is highly unlikely that we will buy Sagna, Fernando and a Centre Back. Assuming that Pants is replaced by a Home Grown keeper we would be left with 15 foreign players [Zab,Vinnie,Martin,Kolorov,Nasty,Ferna,Garcia,Yaya,Merlin,Nasri,Aguero,Edin,Beast,Jovetic,Navas]. Premier League rules state, I believe, that we can only name 17 in the squad, therefore it would be foolish to take on 3 more foreign players.
So, we could choose not to take on Sagna, sticking with Richards as RB backup. The downside is that he would almost certainly allow his contract to run down and leave for free costing us about 7 million but at the same time he would not be, this year at least , reinforcing Liverpool or Arsenal's squad.
Alternatively, we could choose not to buy Fernando hoping that Rodwell develops, Garcia maintains his fine end of season form and that Milner can also be used as DM backup.
Finally, we could choose not to buy a CB from abroad sticking with Vinnie, Martin, Nasty and Boyata , perhaps bringing in Shawcross.

The final alternative would be to sell a foreign player and replace him with a Homegrown (e.g. Fabregas for Garcia) which would then free a foreigner's place allowing the 3 signings above to go ahead.

Which option do Bluemooners think the club will take? Or are there others?

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement

 

[NMB]

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement



Which would leave us with 19 foreign players meaning two would need to be sold.

 

[blinkblue]

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement



Which would leave us with 19 foreign players meaning two would need to be sold.

No we'd just name a 23 man squad.

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement



Which would leave us with 19 foreign players meaning two would need to be sold.

No we'd just name a 23 man squad.

Or sell Javi Garcia and replace Fernando with him.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

AS Roma ‏@OfficialASRoma · 5m
#Sabatini: "Benatia is not for sale, unless someone comes to us with an offer of 61 million"

Is that a genuine quote mate?

61 seems a very peculiar figure to specify? 61?

Sabatini said in his press conference........

"The thirty million assumed by his agent to apply only to me on the wrong foot of the boy. So we need at least 60, even 61 million Euros. Faced with that kind of money I can not guarantee its permanence."

 

[NMB]

No we'd just name a 23 man squad.


Agreed, but we would be paying and have paid for 2 players that could not be named in that squad.

 

[blinkblue]

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement



Which would leave us with 19 foreign players meaning two would need to be sold.

No we'd just name a 23 man squad.

Or sell Javi Garcia and replace Fernando with him.

No need to sell Garcia. Loan Rodwell out, sell Richards, release Barry, Lescott, Pantillimon. Buy Caballero, Benatia, Sanga, Fernando and promote Marcos Lopes. Job's a gooden.

 

[blueparrot]

Rumours are pretty clear that we are after Caballero, Benatia, Sagna and Fernando. Regardless of opinions. Fernando is done deal, only needs announcement



Which would leave us with 19 foreign players meaning two would need to be sold.

Don't think Nastasic needs to be counted. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Nastasic is sold and replaced in the squad by Rekik. That would leave 18 which is why I'm surprised at the links to Caballero. Naming a smaller squad doesn't help because you can still only name 17 non homegrown so one player would need to be left out of the squad or sold and I don't think they want to sell Garcia.

 

[Rammy Blue]

How does that work?

Do you really need it spelling out?

Etihad pay a slightly inflated price for being sponsor and Roma reduce price for Benatia's transfer accordingly.

City = Etihad?

Come off it Marv, might not be a direct related party but in reality we know it is an organisation we have reasonable control over.