kingxlnc

I think he will want to see if stage 2 of the project involves us investing enough to become title contenders. He will have been sold the project as a long term thing - stick around you are our poster boy, our Aguero. Bruno will have been told he’s our KDB, Botman our Kompany. So I do see the cup win as critical validation for such players who bought into it in the early days. CL will seal it, so as long we get CL genuinely don’t expect any of the blue chip players to leave this summer at least.

Extremely unlikely of course but would completely refresh the team in one fell swoop and keep the powder dry for two proper purples

Yeah can see him at Barca. However, if we get CL, he will surely see plenty of games. Could even revert to Howe's Bournemouth 4-4-1-1 (with King and Wilson) for some games where we want to play both.

That would be some coup if so. You can't get a better Wilson replacement.

“Let’s play”

Ok impossible then for us. Nailed on for Man U

Would love us to get him and have Osimhen and Isak up front. unlikely of course

They will want a new figurehead because Salah is their icon as is Van Dijk. And Trent is the local boy superstar too, integral to how they play. Allison could also go because Marmadishivilli is coming in the summer. All are amongst the best in the world in their positions. It would like if we lost Isak, Botman, Bruno and Hall in one summer. That’s a heck of a spine.

Whatever happened to Osimhen? A few years ago he was considered a 100m player and on a higher level than Isak in terms of guaranteed goals. How did he fall so far?

If anywhere I could see him as Lewansowski’s replacement at Barcelona for sure. If they have the money of course or sell off their rights for the next 100 years The new generation of Messi v Ronaldo Isak v Mbappe Roque v Endrick Yamal v Guler Raphina v Vini Pedri v Bellingham

Box clever with a few free transfers to pad out the squad and a few Minteh type of wildcard youngsters with 3-4 purple first teamers and jobs a good un Would like to get this years Milenkovic at 13m etc - don’t stress about top top tier, think about value relative to ability. We tried to get our A which is Guehi but if a B is available at a quarter of the price then go for that, their value will increase anyway. looking at that squad scoring system: we don’t need every signing to be an A like Tonali. B’s and C’s are useful especially since Wilson and Longstaff etc might be going. Raising the floor is important, as well as the ceiling.

But reluctant Ashley would have not taken action until April

Would be okay with a Mainoo for Longstaff swap + 20m

Irish Paul fantastic points very well articulated, 100% agree mate. We focus on sportswashing for the Arabs but is Hollywood not just Movie-washing? Is owning the media not information-washing? Owning the banks not finance-washing? Music industry, comedy, art, = culture washing. Tech platforms = tech washing The most blatant of all of these is the BLATANT and direct influence in politics. That’s not just washing, that’s literal subversion, direct influence and silencing etc. much more heinous and insidious than anything the Chinese the Russians the Arabs or any one does. The criticism of sportswashing is to throw ungodly amounts of money into sports to influence it and generate positive PR and subsequently cover up or deflect any conversation about human rights abuses. No one benefits more from this in any sphere than Israel, perhaps except in sports. But they will shout the loudest and how unfair everything is in the one field they’re not already dominating. It’s the most blatant of double standards and complete injustice which is infuriating.

With respect, Chucky Ferreyra, Nacho Gonzalez, Marcelino, Seydou Doumbia, Xisco and Islam Slimani have done more for this club than Steve bloody Bruce. At least their contribution is either negligible or neutral. They didn’t actively damage the club, as crap as they were. Steve Bruce was negative, toxic, took the club even further backwards and still continues to spout nonsense to this day. Even Joe Kinnear was at least mildly entertaining even though up until Bruce was probably the biggest embarrassment associated with the club

Perhaps one of those really highly rated goalkeepers like Diogo Costa or Jan Oblak could be one too

Guler would have those vibes A good signing I’d like to try for backup CF is Vitor Roque from Barca

Reminds me of the Kenny Dalglish days crap team but used to be a thing I remember in my childhood the team was all international Lots of one cap wonders like Barton

And Longstaff

Would love Man U’s version of Ashley to consider Bruce as a safe pair of hands appointment to save them from relegation because he knows the club

Delap for sure, Leif Davis is another Dan Burn isn't he, isn't he from Newcastle? Walker Peters if Trippier goes is good back up to Tino and Hall. Harwood Bellis is a good replacement for Lascelles Dibling could be the new first choice RW, he could have a Cole Palmer type trajectory in the right team Hermansen could be a good no.1 actually, if we don't get Trafford he;'s very highly rated Even though all of that lot get relegated, it would sort out many, many gaps and depth in the team for a deep run next year. And cost perhaps £120m all in.

Crazy how many of them already play for Chelsea, Man C and Spurs in particular. Especially Chelsea. Proper FM tactics.

Happy with all of those names mentioned to be honest. Just going to enjoy the summer.

Probably would have been able to cheer up Hugo Ektike if he came

I would say our stock as a destination is probably the highest it's been since the Keegan era, since 1997 or so. Keegan could have attracted anyone in Europe in that 1995-97 window, and we were regularly linked with the likes of George Weah, Roberto Baggio, Zidane etc. Even Asprilla, who we did get was a genuine superstar at the time, even though many don't remember him to be at that level. Players now will see this is an exciting upwardly mobile destination who now win things and will want to jump on board to be part of the ride. Even in the SBR era, we were the next rung down, the Atletico, Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Marseille level, rather than the elite. Players we were linked with were still very very good but not the highest tier - e.g. Rui Costa. Now, we may be below Man City, Liverpool and maybe possibly Arsenal as a destination to come to in the PL, sporting wise. So the calibre, especially if we get CL could be pretty much anyone except for the ultra top tier like Mbappe, Vini etc. Who would have expected we could have gotten Scudetto-winning captain Tonali, after all?