Riyad Mahrez

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I don't know who we'd get if this falls through.

- He's perfectly suited to hitting the ground running because of his experience in the country.
- He's already very good, with potential to take a step up in a better side.
- He's not such a marquee signing that he'll have to play every single game. We can balance his game time with Sterling and Sané and keep them all happy.


No one else on the market offers that. Also it's a big bonus he's not at the world cup.

Anyone else mentioned as a target is either a v. young player to develop or too big a name to fit alongside the other 4/5 forward options we have.

Spot on. We would end up paying significantly more for a superior player and perhaps only a little less for someone who isn't quite Mahrez standard.

Sanchez changed the dynamic when city told him we would wait until this summer, he couldn't wait and United handed him a ridiculous set of terms for a perceived PR coup.

Mahrez has a higher ceiling to go to in this team and is at the perfect age.

Put it this way, I doubt United would have to think twice if there was any signal the player would consider other options because we wanted to send a message.

The closer to the window closing, the only message we send is that we are desperate to recruit someone else in a shorter time frame, which invariably ramps up the price.

Leicester are clearly trying to move the goalposts, so maybe they are trying to exact revenge on both the player and us for what happened in January. Very unprofessional, whichever way you carve it up.

 

[cleavers]

Good job that wasn’t the standard when we bought Silva, Silva, Laporte, Ederson, Aguero, Yaya, Sané, KDB or Kompany, eh?!

“Proven Premier League Player” is very simplistic and adds £20M+ to anyone!

Yes, but it wasn't the standard then was it, but if that is what Pep wants NOW, who do you suggest ?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

My problem is that I still don't see where he fits. We have Bernardo and Sterling for the right hand side and, for the sake of balance, I was hoping we'd be looking at a right footed left winger to compete with Sané who, in my opinion, is easily the most inconsistent of our wingers.

Zaha?

 

[Didsbury Dave]

He didn’t say anything that wasn’t absolutely true, so I don’t know why you felt the need to attack him.

When you tell someone you take everything they say with a "Pinch of salt" you are insulting them. It isn't complicated.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Zaha?

I would have scoffed at the suggestion a few months ago but yeah, I'd take him.

 

[higgi1p]

Spot on. We would end up paying significantly more for a superior player and perhaps only a little less for someone who isn't quite Mahrez standard.

Sanchez changed the dynamic when city told him we would wait until this summer, he couldn't wait and United handed him a ridiculous set of terms for a perceived PR coup.

Mahrez has a higher ceiling to go to in this team and is at the perfect age.

Put it this way, I doubt United would have to think twice if there was any signal the player would consider other options because we wanted to send a message.

The closer to the window closing, the only message we send is that we are desperate to recruit someone else in a shorter time frame, which invariably ramps up the price.

Leicester are clearly trying to move the goalposts, so maybe they are trying to exact revenge on both the player and us for what happened in January. Very unprofessional, whichever way you carve it up.

A lot of good points TH but do you think the club and Pep will stand for being messed about much longer?

 

[CityDreamer]

Leicester are clearly trying to move the goalposts, so maybe they are trying to exact revenge on both the player and us for what happened in January. Very unprofessional, whichever way you carve it up.

I think this sums up the behaviour at Leicester; playing tough without substance.

 

[KennyG]

Spot on. We would end up paying significantly more for a superior player and perhaps only a little less for someone who isn't quite Mahrez standard.

Sanchez changed the dynamic when city told him we would wait until this summer, he couldn't wait and United handed him a ridiculous set of terms for a perceived PR coup.

Mahrez has a higher ceiling to go to in this team and is at the perfect age.

Put it this way, I doubt United would have to think twice if there was any signal the player would consider other options because we wanted to send a message.

The closer to the window closing, the only message we send is that we are desperate to recruit someone else in a shorter time frame, which invariably ramps up the price.

Leicester are clearly trying to move the goalposts, so maybe they are trying to exact revenge on both the player and us for what happened in January. Very unprofessional, whichever way you carve it up.

I think the inflated price they paid for Kelechi could also be a factor.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

He's better than Sterling. The only thing Sterling can oppose him is his pace which makes him very similar to Sané on the left. Everything else, skills, passing, shooting, finish and especially game vision are in favor of Mahrez. The latter is not only a winger but also a playmaker, which both Sané and Sterling aren't.

Not having at Sterling who had a fantastic season and still a lot of room for improvement but at the moment for anyone who saw both play, it's a no contest.

That said I'm fairly certain that both clubs will come to an arrangement.

Personally, I think Barnardo is far more gifted and will prove as much well before he reaches the same age. I'm not sure just how unpopular an opinion that is but, either way, he's similar enough to Mahrez in terms of which systems will benefit their playstyles most. In my mind, we could do with an equivalent of a Bernardo/ Mahrez on the left hand side more for the sake of versatility than symmetry.

 

[razman]

Mahrez and Man City. Minor update. Those involved say it happens. There are two prices. One with Roberts in. One without Roberts. Think Roberts still in it all the same.

From Alan Nixon