McCormick

Remember being linked to him around the time before we got Botman in. Liked the look of him but presume he’s left-footed.

Thought he was going to Bournemouth? edit: Bakayoko

Why do people keep saying this? It’s not true at all .

Why would they do that?

They can’t buy everyone, surely.

My dad’s half West African so I hope it wasn’t that. Think we’d been linked to both at the time and I got them confused. Knowing me I probably doubled down without really checking.

Badge aside, that’s pretty cool imo.

Good memory! It was me but I realized I was confusing him with another player . Got him mixed up with Sulemana, I think? I’ll admit though I’ve been impressed with him I just see Elanga as a much better fit for us; even attitude-wise he seems like a more earnest, hard-working type that Eddie seems to like working with. Wouldn’t be averse to Kudus at all though.

Neither Diomande nor Akliouche had what you’d call “sensational” seasons. Akliouche performed well, while Diomande was relatively underwhelming—so a €60 million price tag for either doesn’t exactly scream value. Fair prices, perhaps, but nothing exceptional in my view. Meanwhile, Ekitike, who by most accounts had a genuinely standout season, is reportedly being valued at €85 million. As for the Huijsen deal, people talk about it as if flipping a €17 million signing into a €50 million sale within a year is straightforward—but in reality, that kind of return is extremely rare.

Fine; maybe obscure was a little bit of an exaggeration but any player with a lot to prove represents a gamble and fees usually reflect this. Established or let’s say more “hyped” players in any league will go for big money.

Agree to disagree.

Of course he was. He was an 18 year old defender that Juve didn’t see a future in. Maybe not super obscure but he was definitely a gamble and yes, that’s paid off. You’re using this (quite niche) successful example only with the benefit of hindsight.

Huijsen was a gamble on an obscure talent though.

I like Akliouche but I’ll never understand this take.

I agree with some of this but for the right wing slot Howe wants a 2-footed road-runner, with bags of pace, end product and work-rate. That’s exactly what Elanga is/brings. If the prices are the same (Kudus might even go for higher even after a poor season) then Elanga is the clear choice for how Howe wants to play. Also, Kudus’s best position is centrally imo.

That’s what I’ve been saying. It’s an absolute myth that foreign markets are cheaper; unless of course you want to take wild gambles on obscure talents.

Elanga Akliouche Kudus People preferring Kudus to Elanga is absolutely wild.

They didn’t just spend a billion to buy Newcastle United. The bein thing was a geopolitical mess; being in a high-profile dispute with a major FIFA power over pirating World Cup broadcasts doesn’t exactly scream “take us seriously” on the global football stage.

He’ll go where he’s paid more.

They already got the World Cup. Why waste more money and effort? That was always their priority with regards to football. PIF isn’t the Royal family; it’s essentially a conglomerate of different organizations each needing to be successful in their own right while competing for funding from the same pot.

If you’re wanting someone solid with the passing ability of Schar, with prem experience that isn’t a near 30 year old in Joachim Andersen, then Van Hencke is pretty much your only option tbh . I mentioned him a while back. Would be a good signing imo and doubt he goes for 60m too. No one’s paying that; he’s not high-profile enough to command that kind of fee with 2 years left. 45m and I reckon it gets done.

Forgot about him tbh. Still not better than Guehi though.

Romano linking a player to a big club while he’s negotiating a bumper new contract? Gasp. Standard agent mouthpiece shit imo.

No centre-back signed to a PL team last season is better than Guehi. Milenkovic (sp?) at 12m was the best deal but he’s not a better player imo.

What’s Dwight Gayle up to? Besides rustling Brucie’s jimmies, of course.