Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[Sexual Ealing]

I see Pep has announced he is to leave at the end of his current 2 year deal

What shame - maybe they will go for Steve Bruce then 

"It's one of them horrible ones. All I ask of me false nine is to be half trequartista, half Mick Harford and half large lamb donner with extra chilli and no salad, but the lad hasn't even got his boots on tonight, which is all I ask of him."

[brontebilly]

I'm on about the midfielders as a whole not just centre midfielders so should we be stockpiling that many players for 5 positions? plus the youth players?

For a 433 ideally you want 2 for every position, an extra keeper, and a couple of utility players, not including younger players with less than about 15-20 appearances.

I'd agree to an extent, but look at your list. Now if a DM came in, you've got 4 players twiddling their thumbs, plus our 2 kids who need game time. The cover is nice but realistically you'd probably could lose 1 or 2 of them and injuries permitting not feel their loss too badly.

I also think with a Liverpool style 433 the skill set of the midfield three largely overlaps ie they’re ‘jack of all trades, master of none’, rather than specialists, so two quality alternatives plus youth payers is more than enough imo.

They also combine that with three attackers who are all de facto strikers. Whereas our striker supported by three attackers then requires more defensive focus than any two of our midfielders can realistically give.

If we wanted to mimic Liverpool (and I'm not suggesting we should or will) I'd be looking at all those brilliant tackling / defensive stats that Buendia had for Norwich, pulling him back into the midfield three and seeing if he could do what Wijnaldum did for them for the last few seaons. Then having Bailey / Ings / Watkins playing as three forwards.

The extra body being deeper reduces the need for a purely defensive midfielder, but all are capable of decent passing to find any of the front three who have more license to stay further forward.

It would also need Cash and Targett to show a lot more attacking nous than they have so far.

I think Buendia would need to undergo a fairly intensive conditioning programme before being considered for such a role. Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey and in theory Sanson should all be capable of playing such a role in any case. Liverpool have Fabinho as their anchor in midfield, we have no one remotely at his level.

[LeeB]

I see Pep has announced he is to leave at the end of his current 2 year deal

What shame - maybe they will go for Steve Bruce then 

"It's one of them horrible ones. All I ask of me false nine is to be half trequartista, half Mick Harford and half large lamb donner with extra chilli and no salad, but the lad hasn't even got his boots on tonight, which is all I ask of him."

"Wu trained all week using NASA T-38 training jets for space travel, wu turn up here and it's at sea level. I canna win. It'll be off with me head from the fans, no doubt. And the Sheik as well come ta think of it."

[Percy McCarthy]

I see Pep has announced he is to leave at the end of his current 2 year deal

What shame - maybe they will go for Steve Bruce then 

"It's one of them horrible ones. All I ask of me false nine is to be half trequartista, half Mick Harford and half large lamb donner with extra chilli and no salad, but the lad hasn't even got his boots on tonight, which is all I ask of him."

"Wu trained all week using NASA T-38 training jets for space travel, wu turn up here and it's at sea level. I canna win. It'll be off with me head from the fans, no doubt. And the Sheik as well come ta think of it."

Keep em coming if you want to get back in the good books. The caravan thing dropped days after I’d forgiven you for slagging Paul Weller TO MY FACE*.

*I haven’t forgiven you.

[SoccerHQ]

In some ways I hope they do sign Ronaldo as I don't think he'd fit them in the slightest, and that could be quite funny.

I agree, there were rumours Pep wasn't interested in re-signing Messi due to him knowing at his age he couldn't press at all compared to his Barca peak.

Well anyone who saw Ronaldo at Juve last season will know he's even worse at that know so while he'll get his usual 20 goals from tapping in crosses I agree him coming in might in a funny way make them weaker as a whole or mean Man. City need to play with two sitters in midfield.

Anyone expecting Ronaldo to waltz past 2-3 players and keep firing them in from 25 yards, he simply isn't that type of player anymore compared to when he was in Manchester before.

Surprised they want to sign him but guess they want a stopper for a season before going in for Kane again next summer or Haaland.

Will also be funny as Ronaldo will be automatic pick so means G***lish more likely to be on the bench for some of their bigger games in next 12 months.

[ROBBO]

It's reported Ronaldo has agreed terms, this outfit has become the most detested club in the league. There is nothing fair about the way they operate, it seems every other club plays by one set of rules and they by no rules at all.

[Scott Nielsen]

Surprised by that. Doesn't feel like a Man City style signing, more something you'd expect of PSG or Real Madrid.

[LeonW]

You can't press properly with a 36 year old Cristiano Ronaldo in your team. But then tbh, I feel the same about Kane so maybe they just want someone to score tap ins from the usual Pep City penalty box cut backs  after a zillion passes when they've got an opposition pressed back in their own area.

[sid1964]

Is that true about Ronaldo going to City? - no doubt he will be on his £500k a week after tax, not a bad way to finish off your career

[ozzjim]

Essentially a 1 year deal (maybe 2?) for £70-100m for a 36 year old that will alienate part of your fan base and doesn't fit your style of play seems excessive. Would not be surprised to see Mbappe go to Madrid and Ronaldo end up at PSG with Messi.

[Dave]

It's reported Ronaldo has agreed terms, this outfit has become the most detested club in the league. There is nothing fair about the way they operate, it seems every other club plays by one set of rules and they by no rules at all.

What are they supposed to have done wrong in this case?

[Risso]

It's reported Ronaldo has agreed terms, this outfit has become the most detested club in the league. There is nothing fair about the way they operate, it seems every other club plays by one set of rules and they by no rules at all.

What are they supposed to have done wrong in this case?

I don't what's left of the FFP rules if anything, but Man City have just clearly decided that nothing applies to them any more.

[ozzjim]

I don't think FFP applies any more. It is being replaced with a different thing. They are taking advantage of that.

[ozzjim]

Meanwhile italian press are saying that McKennie isn't interested in a move to Villa.

[sid1964]

I cant see us signing anyone now - unless it is another player for our Under 23 squad of thousands