HawK

Saudi have to be seen to be buying players from everyone else before buying off us to set the precedent that the government isn't just bankrolling us by buying all our less desirables for millions. The level of investment is insane.

Without that back pat, there's nothing.

Very smokey. Welcome to SJP Musiala..

Winded

Stats read more like an inside forward than someone who gets involved in build up play, not seen much of him at all though so I'm aware stats don't tell the full story.

I didn't think we might sign Gvardiol, but he's in the same category of players as Tonali, Barnes isn't.

Will post my brief rationale for being underwhelmed. After getting Bruno, then Isak and now Tonali (who is arguably the biggest transfer this club has made since Owen from Madrid), I was expecting more than Harvey Barnes. I understand the transfer if the are wheels in motion on moving on ASM/Almiron, but not just to pad out the squad. As others have said I'd rather we splurge on a proper left back. Gvardiol might be a pipe dream, but he would have been perfect as he operates on the left or as a centre back and has the profile of the players we've been getting in recently..

Hope this is a smokescreen if it's any way 'legit'.

Tbh his smile reminds me a bit of another mercurial Italian midfielder, bit like Pirlo, no?

I think I was quite specific in only referencing the period he came in whilst Trippier was injured?

I dunno, just haven't seen a 'worrying' post for a few minutes so felt I should help fill the void

He was worth every single penny while Trippier was out injured, just got better with every game and looked a quality right-back by the end of the season.

3/4 of the time without the ball, worrying.

Cannot get Tsunami by MSP out of my head whenever I read this lad's name.

In the navy... He's Tonali He can pass it with his knees He's Tonali He goes past you like a breeze He's Tonali He's not like Pirlo did you say He's Tonali, Don't like Milan anyway

Aye, some interesting new info there... "It wasn't Pirlo whom Tonali sought to model his game after, but rather his team-mate, former Rangers midfielder Gattuso."

This is all just some Newcastle fan's FM save and we're just living in it.

It's my presiding memory of his time with us tbh, he doesn't seem to have much movement when we're in possession. Hoping it's just fitness related.

Probably our most underrated player, those percentiles are nuts.

Fbref rates Willock so highly tbf

Glad this is over with, was becoming a bit of a Dirk Kuyt-esque sort of saga, sans the confirmation from the club that we're interested/monitoring all the time.

This guy is fairly clueless tbh :/

Super Re