Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

[BringBackSwales]

This makes no sense. Hazard was never a goalscorer and never will be, why would you expect 20 goals?

Never a goalscorer? 1 in 4 with Lille, 1 in 3 with Chelsea

 

[nmc]

Didn't we claim agent fees for Isco, and it turned out he just wanted to join Real? IIRC wasn't it the same with Hazard? Hard to believe his agent is letting exorbitant agent fees scupper an otherwise lucrative move.

I thought Isco's father wanted a big back hander which we wouldn't pay - the same issue didn't arise when he discussed terms with Madrid - I wonder why? Can't believe Real would contemplate making illegal payments of any form.

 

[Dribble]

I know there is the not unreasonable view that you don't pay over the odds for various reasons but I really think if the thought at the club is that a player or certain players are absolutely what Pep wants and what we need then there's little point trying to play hard ball. The market is bonkers these days, we are unlikely to get many bargains, we need to just take the hit and get it done. Dortmund aren't going to give in, they don't need to, if we want him we are more or less going to have to pay what they're asking. Most of the time in the last few years, when we have walked away from deals and tried to get value for money we have ended up just buying shit players. Don't see any sense in that tbh, totally false economy.

Good post. That's the dilemma in today's market, it's not what a player costs that counts it's how much he's worth to us. Other clubs take the chance on players with potential and seem to have a better record than us of spotting it early. Dortmund and Athletico Madrid spring to mind.

Unless we start identifying the likes of Auba and Sane earlier and buy them cheaper we're always going to be at the mercy of a club who don't want to or need to sell their prized assets. If we want the players so badly, we should pay up or move on, there's no point in whinging or bringing principles into it and ultimately moving on to buy crap.

We've bought some shite along the way, but 2009 - 2011 was our golden period for transfers and our record stood at £38m. Perhaps we should consult with Bob & Garry as to the best way to get value out of the market as we seemed to have lost our way somewhat.

 

[richards30]

For a little bit more we could get griezmann!

 

[Neville Kneville]

This makes no sense. Hazard was never a goalscorer and never will be, why would you expect 20 goals?

For the record, he got 19 for Chelsea two seasons ago, 17 the season before & 22 in his last season for Lille. I'd say that's around 20ish, wouldn't you ?

My point is, I don't think he will keep it up & he hasn't reached the levels Messi has reached as a player, which at one time he looked like he might do, especially when he ripped the scousers to shit at the age of about 19.

 

[LittleEgg]

For the record, he got 19 for Chelsea two seasons ago, 17 the season before & 22 in his last season for Lille. I'd say that's around 20ish, wouldn't you ?

My point is, I don't think he will keep it up & he hasn't reached the levels Messi has reached as a player, which at one time he looked like he might do, especially when he ripped the scousers to shit at the age of about 19.

One bad season, where half the team were exactly the same, doesn't change his quality. He will be back to banging them in next season and pushing for PFA POTY.

I actually think now would be a good time for any big UCL club to try and snag him, before he ends up with a 120m release clause.

 

[pbueno16]

For a little bit more we could get griezmann!

He would be the better signing imo

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Good post. That's the dilemma in today's market, it's not what a player costs that counts it's how much he's worth to us. Other clubs take the chance on players with potential and seem to have a better record than us of spotting it early. Dortmund and Athletico Madrid spring to mind.

Unless we start identifying the likes of Auba and Sane earlier and buy them cheaper we're always going to be at the mercy of a club who don't want to or need to sell their prized assets. If we want the players so badly, we should pay up or move on, there's no point in whinging or bringing principles into it and ultimately moving on to buy crap.

We've bought some shite along the way, but 2009 - 2011 was our golden period for transfers and our record stood at £38m. Perhaps we should consult with Bob & Garry as to the best way to get value out of the market as we seemed to have lost our way somewhat.

There is the odd bit of value around. Gundogan looks like he will be really good value but then there were fairly specific circumstances that meant Dortmund weren't able to play hard ball, as it were. So unless you happen to want a player who is in the same situation as Gundogan or a player who has a release clause in his contract then by and large you're just gong to have to pay what the selling club want. Every club around Europe can see that the Premier League is awash with money, we aren't going to be given an easy ride by selling clubs.

 

[BillyShears]

There is the odd bit of value around. Gundogan looks like he will be really good value but then there were fairly specific circumstances that meant Dortmund weren't able to play hard ball, as it were. So unless you happen to want a player who is in the same situation as Gundogan or a player who has a release clause in his contract then by and large you're just gong to have to pay what the selling club want. Every club around Europe can see that the Premier League is awash with money, we aren't going to be given an easy ride by selling clubs.

Overall I agree with that. My gut feeling though is that City don't want to be seen to break the British transfer record the rags hold for Di Maria unless it's for basically Messi. Not sure we will go that far for any other player potentially on the market this summer.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Overall I agree with that. My gut feeling though is that City don't want to be seen to break the British transfer record the rags hold for Di Maria unless it's for basically Messi. Not sure we will go that far for any other player potentially on the market this summer.

I've got a feeling that the British transfer record will be broken this summer, if not by us then by united but probably by both. The money in the Prem has gone up dramatically and I think the market will reflect that. There was someone on here a couple of weeks ago saying Aubameyang is worth no more than 25 million. I can see why people come out with stuff like that because 25 million still sounds a ridiculous amount of money but too many people (and I particularly include sports journos in this) don't seem to have come to terms with the reality of the market. So for instance people still bang on about Sterling's price tag, yes it was a lot of money but relatively nowhere near as outrageous as people make out. Leicester have made an offer of 25 million for Troy Deeney but supposedly been told that if they want him, it's going to cost them 30 million quid. That is the reality, a top end Championship striker/lower mid-table Prem striker who is 27 (so probably not with the potential to become outrageously better) is valued by his club at two thirds of what we paid for Sterling which was supposedly an outrageous fee. In that market, if we want someone who is even approaching a top end player then we will have absolutely no choice but to break the British record IMO. By the end of this summer, I am convinced the Sterling fee will look fairly run of the mill for clubs at the top of the Prem.