Village Idiot

I think there was a report of someone being offered to a French club and then when they went to negotiate, they were only on like 20k/week and the French club could only offer under 10k. So it's not like they're on "unshiftable" wages, they're just on wages much higher than they would normally be commanding on the continent. 20k/week is above the average wage of the entire bottom half of La Liga, for example. Premier League wages are just on a different planet nowadays.

Has there been a genuinely top class Dutch player since the Snejder/Robben/Van Persie trifecta? They seem to be going through a bit of a crisis.

Adrián was weird. For a couple seasons he was like a Spanish mini-Messi and then... nothing.

According to our papers Dortmund is playing hardball - even more so than Liverpool.

It was "Coutinho next monday" last week though I guess we'll get him eventually, just wish we can afford him+Dembele+Martínez (last one seems certain will be announced today).

ManU have bid €40m for Sergi Roberto, according to Mundo Deportivo, which meets his release fee. Mou wants to poke in the wound, I guess.

Too old. We really need some young blood in the team.

I wish I was an old 29...

Arsenal: it's their year.

I think it's just for English cup competitions for now?

Really can't work out my team this year. If Guardiola wasn't such a tinkering f***er I'd have it easier with ManCity players.

I'm still not sure Neves is a player that will make the difference for them in the C'ship. Seems like spending all your savings on a 65' 4k tv when all you can get is Jersey Shore reruns.

Yeah, I'm backing City too unless Guardiola gets all crazy again. They seem to have targeted their weaknesses very well this transfer window (given how crazy the market is).

He was a bit of a sick note I seem to recall? He never got going and then Hodgson got rid of him the following season.

Aquilani was it? I made the same mistake as him and put him in my FF team that year

You made me check. How on heart is Barry still getting 20+ PL starts for Everton?

Benítez does have a pretty good track record of turning "Who?" signings into very solid performers though. Of course he's not gonna get everyone right, but from Marchena to Vázquez, he seems to be a master of turning what everybody thought were just average players into Spanish internationals.

Joselu is decent in the link up, tall striker role. I guess it's an option that Benítez wants to have.

Can't wait for the Jordi Gómez bid.

Yup, it looks like our first use of the Neymar money will be buying Iñigo Martínez from Real Sociedad. I approve.

I don't rate the Bundesliga at all either. Much, much rather watch Italian football.

If PSG matched or just slightly increased his wages instead of doubling them, nee chance he'd gone there. "Challenge and opportunity to lead" be damned. It's fine. I actually wish him well. More worried about what we'll do with the cash.

How about La Liga? You love re-writing history so it fits your point of view. Should become a politician. He only got one good season before he went all "I miss Brazil" and forced himself out. Class player though. Pity he was so unprofessional.

A few weeks ago I was thinking of starting a thread where you have to post a player's career from wikipedia and other users have to guess who the footballer is. Assumed it would die a death or we may already have a similar thread but this Hector one would have been a fun one Do it. Yeah. Class idea.

Nothing since he's buying up his contract and not a transfer. PSG has to pony up that. I'm sure it's pretty hefty.