Ross Barkley

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I would imagine July/August will bring the Luiz replacement.

Enzo, Barkley etc are there to bulk the squad up given we'll have to go full tilt in Europe everytime.

[AV84]

Depends on who else we sign, but with Kamara out and Luiz gone, Tielemans and McGinn probably having a slightly longer break, Ramsey and Buendia's return from injury status unknown, there should be a fairly big opportunity for Barkley to make his mark early on. Obviously he'll need time to settle and adapt, but potentially a couple of weeks of pre season where it's just him and a bunch of kids in midfield.

[VillaTim]

Depends on who else we sign, but with Kamara out and Luiz gone, Tielemans and McGinn probably having a slightly longer break, Ramsey and Buendia's return from injury status unknown, there should be a fairly big opportunity for Barkley to make his mark early on. Obviously he'll need time to settle and adapt, but potentially a couple of weeks of pre season where it's just him and a bunch of kids in midfield.

If we've come all this way to pin our hopes on Ross Barkley in the middle it's a huge gamble.

[PaulWinch again]

We won’t be “pinning our hopes” on him. He’s one addition to the midfield, and a good one at that.

[Brazilian Villain]

We won’t be “pinning our hopes” on him. He’s one addition to the midfield, and a good one at that.

Yeah, the only player we're 'pinning our hopes on' is JJ.

[AV84]

Depends on who else we sign, but with Kamara out and Luiz gone, Tielemans and McGinn probably having a slightly longer break, Ramsey and Buendia's return from injury status unknown, there should be a fairly big opportunity for Barkley to make his mark early on. Obviously he'll need time to settle and adapt, but potentially a couple of weeks of pre season where it's just him and a bunch of kids in midfield.

If we've come all this way to pin our hopes on Ross Barkley in the middle it's a huge gamble.

If you took that from what I said, I don't know what to tell you.

[RamboandBruno]

I think we could be seeing all sorts of permutations...

McGinn, Tielemans, Barkley, Barrenechea, Ramsey... With Kamara due back at the end of the year.

It wouldn't surprise me if we got another central midfielder in.

Adapting a new middle of the team without Kamara/Luiz is vital. Tielemans is the Luiz upgrade but we need a quality DM now

I really like Tielemans, but saying he’s a Luiz upgrade is just you trying to continue your point in the Luiz thread that you don’t think Luiz is that good.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep it’s nonsense.

[VillaTim]

I think we could be seeing all sorts of permutations...

McGinn, Tielemans, Barkley, Barrenechea, Ramsey... With Kamara due back at the end of the year.

It wouldn't surprise me if we got another central midfielder in.

Adapting a new middle of the team without Kamara/Luiz is vital. Tielemans is the Luiz upgrade but we need a quality DM now

I really like Tielemans, but saying he’s a Luiz upgrade is just you trying to continue your point in the Luiz thread that you don’t think Luiz is that good.

Not really. Luiz is good, Tielemans is better and an upgrade.

[PaulWinch again]

He’s not, he’s a different player.

[tomd2103]

I would imagine July/August will bring the Luiz replacement.

Enzo, Barkley etc are there to bulk the squad up given we'll have to go full tilt in Europe everytime.

If the formation doesn't change too drastically next season, then Tielemans, McGinn or Barkley will likely play where Luiz did.  None or probably better, but I don't think there is much in it if they perform. 

Not bringing in an adequate replacement for Kamara while he is out will be a much bigger than losing Luiz I think.

[Smithy]

I think we could be seeing all sorts of permutations...

McGinn, Tielemans, Barkley, Barrenechea, Ramsey... With Kamara due back at the end of the year.

It wouldn't surprise me if we got another central midfielder in.

Adapting a new middle of the team without Kamara/Luiz is vital. Tielemans is the Luiz upgrade but we need a quality DM now

I really like Tielemans, but saying he’s a Luiz upgrade is just you trying to continue your point in the Luiz thread that you don’t think Luiz is that good.

Not really. Luiz is good, Tielemans is better and an upgrade.

There is a reason Luiz has been chased by Juventus for circa £60m and linked with various other champions league clubs like Arsenal, and Tielemans hasn't.  And it's not because Tielemens is a "better player".

Youri did MUCH better for us in the second half of last season, but re-writing history just because Dougie is leaving just makes you look a bit silly.  Now, can Youri step up and fill Dougie's boots this coming season? Quite possibly, and I certainly HOPE he can - but he's not a "better" player today.

[LeeB]

As usual Tim is being belligerent for effect, but Tielemans was certainly bought in with a view to Doug leaving, that I'm sure of, and we got him when his stock was at probably the lowest point of his career.

[Risso]

There is a reason Luiz has been chased by Juventus for circa £60m and linked with various other champions league clubs like Arsenal, and Tielemans hasn't.  And it's not because Tielemens is a "better player".

Youri did MUCH better for us in the second half of last season, but re-writing history just because Dougie is leaving just makes you look a bit silly.  Now, can Youri step up and fill Dougie's boots this coming season? Quite possibly, and I certainly HOPE he can - but he's not a "better" player today.

Tielemans cost Leicester £40m when he signed 5 years ago, and at times 2 or 3 years ago he was being linked with some big moves like Barcelona and Arsenal. Just because he hasn't been linked with a move this summer, doesn't mean he isn't a top notch player. I haven't seen much in the way of speculation for Martinez or Watkins either.

The only reason Luiz was linked with Juventus pretty much straight away is that we must have made it clear we were were willing to listen to offers. It's telling we were prepared to do that with Luiz and nobody else. Maybe his second half of the season performances convinced Emery we could manage without him?

[Smithy]

There is a reason Luiz has been chased by Juventus for circa £60m and linked with various other champions league clubs like Arsenal, and Tielemans hasn't.  And it's not because Tielemens is a "better player".

Youri did MUCH better for us in the second half of last season, but re-writing history just because Dougie is leaving just makes you look a bit silly.  Now, can Youri step up and fill Dougie's boots this coming season? Quite possibly, and I certainly HOPE he can - but he's not a "better" player today.

Tielemans cost Leicester £40m when he signed 5 years ago, and at times 2 or 3 years ago he was being linked with some big moves like Barcelona and Arsenal. Just because he hasn't been linked with a move this summer, doesn't mean he isn't a top notch player. I haven't seen much in the way of speculation for Martinez or Watkins either.

The only reason Luiz was linked with Juventus pretty much straight away is that we must have made it clear we were were willing to listen to offers. It's telling we were prepared to do that with Luiz and nobody else. Maybe his second half of the season performances convinced Emery we could manage without him?

Youri was available for free last summer, and I'm delighted we got him, but it's not like we were fighting off Champions League sides to get his signature.  There is a reason for that.

I'm not saying Youri is a bad player, far from it. I think he's really good, and a valuable part of our side. I just think it's revisionism to pretend that he's better than Dougie - who has at times in the last couple of years has been a truly stand-out player - just because Dougie is going.

I'm also acutely aware that one of our best results last year, in beating Arsenal at the Emirates, was achieved with Youri playing the Dougie role.  So I know he's capable of it, but Dougie has done it for a prolonged period of time for us.  I'm hoping Youri can, too.  I'm also hoping Dougie leaving will eventually be seen as the shrewdest transfer move of the entire summer, but the jury will be out on that for a while.