Mehdi Benatia

[BlueDejong]

I think nasty will be part of any deal as the club have huge hopes for rekik. Can see it being £25m and nasty as his stock is still huge in italy. A real shame but uefa have us by the balls this year and needs must! Didnt know much about but spent a few days checking out videos etc off benatia and he looks top class! A top cb is THE priority for me this year and he would be my number one choice now.

Is Mangala still a 'done deal'?

Haha I still think so glen to be honest. Spoke to my cousin last night and he reckons the benatia interest has been leaked to speed the mangala deal up. The problem we have is other people in the mangala camp wanting slices of the cake as well. After taking time to watch videos of benatia I just think he would be a better choice. Mangala is still the chosen one though I reckon.

Please stop.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Cheers.

I also hope we have now made this lad the priority.

 

[@BluePhil8]

I think unless we sell Touré, it's going to have to be a choice between Benatia and Fàbregas.

If both are going to cost £30,000,000 it should be Fàbregas we go for. But we need a centre back more urgently. Hopefully we will recall Rekik and sign a hidden gem for £10,000,000 or so.

I hope we don't get fingered by Roma for this guy. £50,000,000 price tag sounds like a bad joke.

 

[117 M34]

I think nasty will be part of any deal as the club have huge hopes for rekik. Can see it being £25m and nasty as his stock is still huge in italy. A real shame but uefa have us by the balls this year and needs must! Didnt know much about but spent a few days checking out videos etc off benatia and he looks top class! A top cb is THE priority for me this year and he would be my number one choice now.

Is Mangala still a 'done deal'?

Haha I still think so glen to be honest. Spoke to my cousin last night and he reckons the benatia interest has been leaked to speed the mangala deal up. The problem we have is other people in the mangala camp wanting slices of the cake as well. After taking time to watch videos of benatia I just think he would be a better choice. Mangala is still the chosen one though I reckon.

 

[CITYBOY1000]

If we don't get him, I hope Nastasic can become the player we know he is in the high line.

I'm not sure he can be though, we've seen how much he struggled to adapt to it last year, and with the league set to be more competitive, it remains to be seen whether or not he can adjust

Did he struggle anymore than others ? MDM who is older and slower eventually came to terms with the pattern and style. Nasty didn't really get a chance to adapt before his injuries. After the injuries, MDM was comfortable in the role and so there was no point rocking the boat especially as we only had the league to focus on and didn't need to rotate.

Also Hart was having problems in the first half of the season which can't have helped the back 4 playing any system - the Torres goal in the dying seconds being the prime example.

I'm not so sure we are desperate to have to splash £35 million on a centre back.

 

[hgblue]

If we don't get him, I hope Nastasic can become the player we know he is in the high line.

I'm not sure he can be though, we've seen how much he struggled to adapt to it last year, and with the league set to be more competitive, it remains to be seen whether or not he can adjust

Did he struggle anymore than others ? MDM who is older and slower eventually came to terms with the pattern and style. Nasty didn't really get a chance to adapt before his injuries. After the injuries, MDM was comfortable in the role and so there was no point rocking the boat especially as we only had the league to focus on and didn't need to rotate.

Also Hart was having problems in the first half of the season which can't have helped the back 4 playing any system - the Torres goal in the dying seconds being the prime example.

I'm not so sure we are desperate to have to splash £35 million on a centre back.

We absolutely, 100%, definitely, must sign a top quality centre back. This has to be priority number 1 imo.

 

[Ray78]

Too bad Jérémy Mathieu is not available he would of been a good alternative to Benatia or Mangala.

 

[Marvin]

I'm not sure he can be though, we've seen how much he struggled to adapt to it last year, and with the league set to be more competitive, it remains to be seen whether or not he can adjust

Did he struggle anymore than others ? MDM who is older and slower eventually came to terms with the pattern and style. Nasty didn't really get a chance to adapt before his injuries. After the injuries, MDM was comfortable in the role and so there was no point rocking the boat especially as we only had the league to focus on and didn't need to rotate.

Also Hart was having problems in the first half of the season which can't have helped the back 4 playing any system - the Torres goal in the dying seconds being the prime example.

I'm not so sure we are desperate to have to splash £35 million on a centre back.

We absolutely, 100%, definitely, must sign a top quality centre back. This has to be priority number 1 imo.

Why?

We lost Kompany for a 1/3rd of the season, lost Nasty for almost all of it, lost Hart for 6 weeks, introduced Demichelis yet still ended up with the 2nd best defensive record in the League.

Long term we need a centre-back, but if Mangala, or Benatia are not available we can go with hat we have - maybe give Rekik a chance. He'll be 20 next season

 

[citytillidie24]

Are you all forgetting how much Roma dug their heels in when we were after De Rossi? We won't be signing Benatia unless he really kicks off about the move. Don't hold your breath when dealing with Roma.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Are you all forgetting how much Roma dug their heels in when we were after De Rossi? We won't be signing Benatia unless he really kicks off about the move. Don't hold your breath when dealing with Roma.

Indeed.