ponsaelius

I'm not a huge fan of the signing personally but I do think at that fee it's decent value in this market.

True but his stats are genuinely awful otherwise. I think Maxi is a far more talented player who offers more creatively and unsettling teams defensively. I don't mind Barnes as a player but he's the ultimate one trick pony.

He really isn't like.

To be fair though the likes of Son and Kompany became world class in England. They definitely weren't when they joined. Son was even rumoured to leave back to Germany after his first season at Spurs. While I agree that high defensive lines definitely inflate attacking players stats in the Bundesliga - I think it's a fair point that many players will work out or not for a whole host of reasons and the league they come from isn't a predetermination of success or failure. It's why you need good scouting to see through the noise.

Pennant in 2007 I'd guess

Azpilicueta has played over 500 games for the club over 11 years. He's their 6th highest appearance maker and is leaving at the twilight end of his career after the club have told him to go. I'd find it far more weird if he didn't acknowledge the club in such a way tbh.

I'm not pro-selling Maxi, as I like him a lot as a player, but there is certainly logic to doing so if we're playing with a limited budget and we get a good offer for him. Say for arguments sake we have about 60 million left to spend. That is possibly going to get you one more top class player at Tonali level and then leave you scraping around for bargains/loan-to-buys to plug other gaps. There's a pretty good argument that under Howe ASM is going to remain a wildcard option rather than ever being first choice left winger. If you were to bring in Diaby for £50 million as first choice right winger, he could also be an option on the left. Then if you sell ASM for £35-40 million to a Saudi club it leaves you with about £50 million to then spend on the defence. That could get Tierney and Livramento. All this is hypothetical, and again I'd personally rather keep him, but there's no doubt that selling ASM would potentially give us more flexibility in the market and could ultimately lead to a more balanced squad.

It has, although to be honest I think our progress has probably made us change tact as much as direct competition. The South American clubs are generally looking for pretty big fees for kids. And these are players that probably wouldn't be coming straight into the team - either staying out loan or starting on the periphery of the squad. I don't know if we're in a position yet to be dropping 20-25 million on signings like that. Our profile at the moments seems to be first choice starters to immediately improve the starting XI - and punts on development youngsters from cheaper markets (Kuol, Minteh). Getting into the CL has probably only solidified this way of operating.

They've already got Reece James and have spent £30 million on Malo Gusto

They're spending quite a bit. I wonder if Kane is going.

Barnes is probably the most left sided player out there. Plays exclusively on the left, never the right. Just can't see it unless ASM goes.

Krafth will likely speak some as he was at Bologna 3 years.

100% Paris. Probably followed by London, tbh.

Hwang came from Salzburg not Leipzig. But agree with the point - there's been more flops than successes from both clubs. Leeds have been burnt with multiple. Edit: sorry I'm wrong - Hwang was from Leipzig.

They do have VAR for knockouts apparently. It looked at the goal but gave it.

Trips won pots this year didn't he

Not yet. Think it's still up in the air whether he'll sign or not like Zaha.

Nelson will actually be a great pick up on a free for somebody. Agree that he's perhaps not the level we're looking at to seriously upgrade that position though.

Feel like shit just want Tonali announcement

Emery will have to get fatty Tielemans doing some laps in pre season

It'll be interesting to see if we can't get an 'elite' right winger/attacking midfielder whether we go for a more moneyball option and then instead spend bigger money on improving the defence.

Tbf, we've all but signed a £50 million midfielder already in a position we definitely needed to strengthen. I agree we still need to do a fair bit more, but far from time to panic yet.

Don't care about weird colours and reduced identity on away kits tbh. That's the point of away kits. I wish they were as wild and weird as possibly personally.

Toon meltdoon

We already had 3 signings confirmed by this time last year (although Botman didn't officially go through until 1st July, we'd already announced it). No wonder we're starting to get a bit thirsty.