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41 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Two things:

 

1) how do we know exactly who the number one options are… it is perfectly possible that we have multiple deals being worked on at any one time.

 

2) with Pedro, the “extra mile” isn’t really something we can just “be willing” to go for. If Chelsea have beaten us to his signature it will almost certainly be because they are offering a wage far higher than we are allowed to, plus the London appeal.

I guess the reason I thought he was number 1 target is that we have history there and we've made a clear attempt to sign him again. But yes, there's no proof that we havent stalled making an increased offer because we have other irons in the fire that are our actual preferences.

I'm sceptical that's the case though as I don't imagine any selling clubbing not leaking our interest in the hope to agitate further interest. 

The news about the Trafford, Pedro and Elanga bids wouldn't have come from our side. 

The above point probably negates the need to answer the second part, but for the sake of discussion, by all accounts Brighton rejected 1 maybe 2 of our offers. Of course Chelsea could and probably would have been a threat no matter, but it surprises me - on the assumption he was our number 1 target - that we hadn't at least agreed on a fee at any point. 

13 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Kudus is definitely on our list like. Don’t know how close to the top though.

I hope so but I can't for the life of me understand how the club could expect to get him if they weren't willing to go the extra lengths to get their number 1 option. 

Based on the fact Pedro would probably come in as a 10, then I can see us maybe moving on to Kudus who could also offer the same versatility with a preference for operating in the middle.

Hope so tbh.

This one hurts

37 minutes ago, HayDen Traces said:

DCL will be no better for us than Everton

Because Everton had a good 15 game spell, where if im correct, he didn't play much? 

Admittedly because of injury but there's a very good player in there for a very very good price.

36 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

It’s not mad tbf some may be over the top, but he hasn’t played well in years.

He hasn't, no doubt. But are there many who have over the past few years for Everton?

I'd say look at his qualities and what he has achieved when things are aligned. 

Add the financial incentive and its a smart bit if business. As with every player we sign, I take into account the next level that Howe seems to get out of them and judge them on that, not what they've done historically. 

We more than anyone should understand that.

10 minutes ago, HayDen Traces said:

Only a point to choose between us and Everton over the last 15 league games of last season.

What point are you attempting to make?

48 minutes ago, KingArthur said:

I would definitely take DCL for a free as a backup

The slander is mad. 

It's almost like we don't know the impact of playing in a good side compared to a shite one.

I can handle the slow progress, but at least give me some fake juicy rumours for me to YouTube scout at least. 

Pathetic from journos tbh, more than happy to be lied to at this trying time.

1 hour ago, Alberto2005 said:

DCL according to Romano.

Would be surprised by that, it'd be a completely different profile of player would offer no way near what Pedro would offer us.

Wonder who they've got down as plan B just in case this is not a goer. 

Still think it'll happen but curious what that might look like because Pedro's a really unique player imo.

I really hope we're casting our eye on Bakayoko in addition to Elanga, especially for the reported £20m. 

As reluctant as I'd be to sell Barnes - purely because Gordon has a far higher ceiling - having 2 right footed left wingers who can only play on the left is pretty restricting tactically, as we found out at times last year. 

Having Gordon on the left with Elanga being equally adept on both wings and Bakayoko as a further high quality option on the right (and maybe left too) gives us some much more flexibility tactically.

Dream stuff but I can't see a valid reason not trying for it seeing as we'd recoup the cost from Barnes anyway. 

Isak, Gordon, Pedro and Elanga on the counter would be terrifying for any defence in the world.

15 minutes ago, nemtizz said:

Our midfield is getting destroyed on the counter in a 2 unless we sign a pacey CB.

Tonali isnt let anyone get past him.

43 minutes ago, McCormick said:

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.

Akliouche was Monaco's player of the season? 

Ekitike ironically is a good case in point, by your own affirmation had a sensational season and is valued at just over £70m which includes a premium as a striker and yet is valued around Pedro's range...what's his value going to be should he replicate that in the PL?

As for flipping lesser known talent into high value sales being rare?

Well, isnt that exactly what alot of Europe do? Milan, Dortmund, RB, the big Portugal sides, Lyon, Napoli, Lille, Atlanta to name a few, add Brighton, Brentford and even Bournemouth to the mix if you like and you have a significant number of excellent clubs who are consistently identifying undervalued talent, developing them and turning them over for significant sums of money which in most cases are still under their actual value. 

No value in Europe is a mad take. 

A player can have a sensational season in the European market (Akliouche, Diomande) and be worth £50-60m tops. 

A player who has a sensational season in this league will be worth twice that if he's bought at that price - literally all of our player bought from abroad are worth double what they were bought for minimum. 

It is the literal definition of value. 

Elanga is a souped up version of Murphy and has the added bonus of being able to play both wings. 

I'm not sure why we wouldn't want that but there's no bad pick out of the 3 names mentioned.

I hate you too with a name like that

Let's not sell Joelinton. He's the embodiment of what we are. 

43 minutes ago, Weznufc said:

Where does that leave big Joe?  

I can't see Bruno or Tonali getting dropped, but equally, I can't see us signing a 60m player for him to sit on the bench. 

I think his skillet lends itself to getting the best out of the wingers and Isak, in particular, so if one had to make way itd be Big Joe, who'd become a key tactical sub in almost any scenario.

I think we'll shift to 4231

17 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

He’s not taking penalties here. He scored 10 goals and 50% were penalties. That does suggest he’s not close to the same level of goalscorer as Cunha who scored 15 I think - all non penalties. 
 

I largely agree with the points you’ve made in general.  I like his profile. But he hasn’t produced consistently, £60m is a stonking fee. Isak has scored 17 goals in a single season in La Liga and fucked up the Eredivisie as a teenager for that money. 

 

The underlying numbers I’ve seen are per 90 mins so total minutes don’t matter. He played enough. 
 

We both agree JP is a work in progress and part of that £60m is on potential. That’s fine if we recognise that. I’m stuck thinking £60m should get you close to the finished article. Agree I think he comes and plays 10 primarily. Eddie is the perfect manager for him. At Brighton I think he got complacent. Where I’m most sceptical is his underlying numbers aren’t great and while he plays a second striker, he’s not that creative. Moving a lot between 10 and 9 has maybe skewed his stats to neither. Even from the eye test, he’s a jinky dribbler which I love and he links well but I would like to see more creativity and line breaking passes. 

Agree, it's a massive fee but if Pedro had torn it up in this league he wouldn't be worth just £60m.

Only reason Man U got Cuhna for £62.5 was because he had a clause...

The more I think about this, the more excited I am. 

He's one of 2 players I can think of who offer that unique blend of physicality and technique that operate in that number 10 role. 

Our play is actually pretty 1 dimensional in the sense Isak is dependant almost exclusively on width with very little creativity coming through the centre and can often be left isolated, so having a player like Pedro who can find those pockets in the centre, draw players out of position and link up our midfield with Isak will be invaluable. 

Comparing G/A with another player and saying x is better than y because of the fact is lazy analysis.

Having a look at the impact that player might have on other players is equally, if not more important, and I believe Welbeck had his best ever goal scoring season this year. 

That is the real value of a player like Pedro.

36 minutes ago, Andy84 said:

We’re tantalising close to a team who can challenge top 3 imo.  Really hope we go for it this summer 

Think what I like about our chances of this is we play a brand of football that upsets the bigger sides who we'd need to take points off to achieve that.

Other sides try and just play the same brand of football better vs the top sides whereas our style and identity is uniquely different.

There are teams I dread to play because theyre bogey sides, but not one single team now that I don't think we can beat, and not because  it's an 'on our day' job, because we're good enough to go toe to toe with anyone now.

49 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Linked in January, worth a punt at that price ?

 

 

This is one of those signings that the smaller clubs buy, develop and sell for £60m in a years time. 

I know nothing about him tbh but if we've cast our eye on him im pretty certain he'll have a lot about him