Otamendi

[George Hannah]

Presuming he does sign, Argentina play in Bolivia and Mexico in early September, so with all the traveling it's hard to envisage him coming into contention until, say, October.

Good job Demichelis has retired from internationals and that Sagna is in good nick. Big Wilfy will get his chance too.

 

[Severus]

I've been wondering if we'll restrict DeMichelis to a DM role and perhaps offload Fernando. Denayer would still be 4th choice then.

Even if Demichelis were a better DM than Fernando, I don't see how this puts Denayer in the 4th, because Demi is still a CB

 

[RichardDunneOwnGoal]

Really not surprised to see the kickback this has had with Denayer.

I thought we had the perfect balance going into the season, Kompany and Mangala first choice, Denayer and Demichelis on an even footing for backup. Both would be content with that role given their respective ages and stages of their careers.

Denayer had a breakthrough year last season, was playing for Belgium only recently.

He didn't have to sign that new contract, and there was clearly some deliberation with the club before he did sign it, now as his agent said, it seems they've been mislead.

I really hope signing Otamendi doesn't prove costly, can't let go of a youngster like Denayer. Sends out the wrong message to the academy lads this move, IMO.

What more could a young lad like Denayer do to earn his place in the squad and chance at first team football?

 

[dasblues]

This is the sort of deal that seems born out of opportunity rather than necessity. The club obviously had doubts about mangala with the intention of loaning him out. The start he has made to the season makes this signing unnecessary given we have four very good centre backs with a great age profile.

Hopefully denayer will not loose heart , but it would make sense for him to go on loan as he will get no more than 5 games this season otherwise

Mangala seems happy to fight for his place for now, the way Pellegrini rotates his back four he should get 30 games at least

 

[MCFC-alan88]

Maybe Denayer agreed to sign the contract with the promise of being 3rd choice CB when MDM leaves next season.

Now we are signing another CB he will still be 4th choice next season as well.

I doubt the club would make any promises to anyone regarding play time, but going in to a season with a 35 year old and a 20 year old as third and fourth choice would be suicide.

 

[BlueRockape]

Even if Demichelis were a better DM than Fernando, I don't see how this puts Denayer in the 4th, because Demi is still a CB

DM is where I think he will play

 

[Neville Kneville]

I'm actually not sure I disagree to be honest. United were linked long before us and before any of the ITK's had a sniff.

Valencia were happy to let him go as long as the €50m was paid.

Otamendi is unlikely to care which side.

If LVG had really wanted him, they'd probably have signed him a month ago.

But who cares? He may not have been the right signing for them, but he is for us. He suits us down to the ground and will make us much better, while they continue to play Blind at CB until someone teflon head feels fits the "philosophy" appears.

The rags aren't our competition at the moment anyway. Barca, Bayern, Real are. They'll plod along in the league in 3rd or 4th after Chelsea wake up, overpaying to watch boring as shit games won by opposition own goals.

Tbh I've played Devil's advocate on such things in this thread, but if the rags think what they have got is better than Otamendi, they are fucking mentalists. Either they are trying not to spend money, or Txiki has wiped the floor with them.

No way can they be seriously in the market for a cb & not be interested in this deal. He would arguably suit them much more than he suits us. And surely they can't have seriously believed Ramos was possible ?

Nah, they were chasing this one imo & either skimped on the fee or got outflanked by Txiki.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

only 1 straight red in his entire career of 230 games

I ain't calling him mate.......exactly the same record as Zabaleta(I think),hard cunts these Argies.

 

[CC1]

Really not surprised to see the kickback this has had with Denayer.

I thought we had the perfect balance going into the season, Kompany and Mangala first choice, Denayer and Demichelis on an even footing for backup. Both would be content with that role given their respective ages and stages of their careers.

Denayer had a breakthrough year last season, was playing for Belgium only recently.

He didn't have to sign that new contract, and there was clearly some deliberation with the club before he did sign it, now as his agent said, it seems they've been mislead.

I really hope signing Otamendi doesn't prove costly, can't let go of a youngster like Denayer. Sends out the wrong message to the academy lads this move, IMO.

What more could a young lad like Denayer do to earn his place in the squad and chance at first team football?

I think they will all get a chance. MDM will be the one to be phased out. Our owners know what they are doing whereas your glass is always half empty

 

[pudge]

DM is where I think he will play

He won't, he's being used there for a few minutes here and there to shore things up because both Delph and Fernando are injured.