kingxlnc

Ben Arfa has all of Ginolas trickery and then some all of Robert’s power and end product and then sadly N’Zogbias moodiness and even Obertan’s mindset

This is the difference between Man City and UAE, vs us with Saudi. I read that the CL final was only the second game the owner has ever attended. In 15 years! as professional and elite run as they are, I’d much rather having that elite level thinking but also mixed in with passion as it’s what the club and area thrives on

Every AC Milan fan I've read refers to the 'Moneyball' project the American investors are trying to set up. And how all US investors are the same, only there for money whereas the Arabs are there for glory. I do get what they mean. It just seems wrong for a storied historical club with plenty of honours to be used in that kind of way. Brentford, Brighton I undersand. Even if it was a Deportivo La Coruna who have fallen on bad times, or a Fiorentina. But this is like taking Bayern Munich, Liverpool or Real Madrid and making them second rate, the odd superstar but everyone's got a price. Obviously we have nowhere near the honours roll of AC Milan but it was the same with Ashley, keep it tight, do just enough, let Graham Carr find gems, sell high etc. But don't do it at a club like Newcastle, do it somewhere where they'll actually appreciate dining at the top table and just being there, without competing. AC Milan aren't used to having their crown jewels sold, they are used to buying others. crown jewels, Rui Costa, Shevchenko, Baggio, Lentini, Desailly, Papin, etc. Don't know why the investors get this so wrong time and time again.

Szob-o-lai, thank you very much, I need some one with a great first touch Stop right now, Spice Girls I'll get my coat

Should have done Transfer Rumours: Str8888888 like a banana

Have France ever had a poor generation of players? Even the one's that hadn't achieved the heights, had some crazy talent, even our own super talented Ben Arfa was nothing but a fringe player. I remember they didn't qualify for USA 1994, but even then, they had Ginola, Cantona, etc

I’d want Guler this summer, Kvara I feel would become ASMs replacement so can wait another year or two

Szobolai or Maddison Guler LB RCB back up CF would be perfect window

Tbh Joelintons journey is the universe saying sorry to us and righting the wrongs for Alan Smith, who had the reverse arc, a good and highly rated forward when we signed him and then became a crap ineffective joke CM

Lewis was rated before he came here, he’s pacy and has similar qualities why didn’t Howe focus on him

This is useful reading for the CM role - done for Liverpool but we have the same need https://theathletic.com/4621666/2023/06/20/liverpool-transfers-u21-euro-2023/ In terms of what we need, would like two of: Lavia, Thuram, Veiga, Kone, Gravenburch (in that order)

Lol he was terrible (although wasn't he supposed to be highly rated, Eng U-21 international etc?) The worst of the lot was Des Hamilton

Arsenal are serious Perhaps the new Liverpool as in the main threat to City going forward.

I liked Emre when he played for us, thought he was quality

Tbh with Veiga, Guler and Szo or Maddison for 100m it’s our CM and RW depth options fully sorted for the next few years even. Their youth will complement the experience we have and make it very competitive. Then getting Lodi on loan to buy and a cheap ish RCB and back up CF can complete the window, for around 50m all in. jobs a good un

Ok I’ve decided what I really want. If 70m was the budget for Szobolai or 50m for Maddison I’d rather get Maddison for 50m PLUS Arda Guler for 20m. Szobolai is good and all that but that’s a way better deal and gives us more ‘door openers’ for the same budget

I’d rather stay with Castore until we’re a bona fide big deal and then get bespoke kits like the big boys Adidas when Keegan was around were desperate to win the deal and remember they did some new stuff that hadn’t been done before with kits which changed the game etc. This was a good article harking back to that time https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-adidas-grandad-kit-18586343.amp

Maddison last summer was the peak of what we thought was possible, now it’s the bare minimum if that ain’t progress I don’t know what is

Interestingly out of all of his permanent signings Fabian Schar - HIT Martin Dubravka - HIT Florian Lejeune - HIT Matt Ritchie - HIT Isaac Hayden - HIT Dwight Gayle - HIT Miguel Almiron - HIT Ciaran Clark - DECENT Mohammed Diame - DECENT DeAndre Yedlin - DECENT Federico Fernandez - HIT Mikel Merino - HIT Daryl Murphy - DECENT Christian Atsu - DECENT Joselu - DECENT Ki Sung-yeung - DECENT Javier Manquillo - HIT Grant Hanley - FLOP Jesus Gamez - FLOP Matz Sels - FLOP Achraf Lazaar - FLOP Yoshinori Muto - FLOP Jacob Murphy - HIT That's around 80% of his signings that were decent or a hit. Only 5 outright flops that haven't shown anything since Very good hit rate - not many are on that level especially when buying at that lower level

4, 1, 3, 2

At that price you could get him plus szo for £100m and between them two and Almiron and Murphy wingers fully sorted with Kuol Minteh to come in, with ASM, Gordon, Anderson, Joelinton and Isak on the other side. Decent

Yes I’d defo take him

Been linked with Villa actually wouldn’t mind him as think Howe can definitely get him back to his best and there’s a lot of quality there

The last thing they need is a number 10 man How did Arsenal get their mojo back so quickly, imagine a year ago thinking that Rice would be choosing them as his next step up?

A weird one but could Mbappe be THE poster boy for Saudi-backed NUFC back in the Champions League? As a one off megastar and the face of the new revolution? I know he may be too big right now etc but as a vanity project I can see this one move, being sanctioned especially as a one-off? And then the extra commercial/marketing opportunities, PL visibility on the marketing spin, Haaland vs Mbappe etc all goes through the roof and it puts NUFC finally on the map as a title-chasing outfit