WilliamPS

Agents and entourages always want moves as they want a slice of the fees. What’s important is what the player wants. Only Man City are credible in the PL IMO, I don’t think any Newcastle player turns them down, but the rest? I don’t see it.

But we did learn Dubs, who served the club very well for many years, is not at the standard needed - so another GK is required. The decision is do you go for a backup or a starter. If there’s EC football then there’s enough games for two, one league starter (for me Pope starts first game of season) and one cup specialist and either this guy proves good enough to dislodge Pope next season or is an upgraded backup until he is ready.

He’d have a starters berth and (hopefully) a chance to play in Europe- so I think for an ambitious RW it’s a better offer than Chelsea’s. I’d imagine with them he’d not be a guaranteed starter given their number of signings.

Genuinely think if Bruno stays and the club don’t do something stupid like sell Isak then they’ll win a trophy. A couple of sensible signings and EC qualification and I’ll be putting money on a double. Last time I put money on a cup win was 2004.

Cabaye was a good player but a Bruno has so much more to his game. Cabaye really should have stayed, his move was bad for every party. Ben Arfa wasn’t a team player and didn’t deliver consistently. I remember Cabaye screaming at him in games over his decision making. Personally I’d rank Ben Arfa some way behind both Ginola and Robert. Bruno miles ahead of both Ben Arfa and Cabaye.

Watched the club for 30+ years and, excepting Shearer, I struggle to think of a player at a higher level. Isak might be the only other candidate. Maybe Ginola in 95/96. There were some great players in the robson era but I really don’t think anyone else was on Bruno’s level

I see where you’re coming from but my challenge is whether it’s better to have Man Utd and Liverpool winning everything based on their massive revenues and Asian fan bases in India, China, Japan, Korea, etc etc (what generates their commercial advantage is in practice) Im not having a pop as it’s genuinely something that will very fan by fan, but for me I’m not sure what a ‘traditional’ club like Man Utd with its official tyre sponsor is a more honest winner than Man City - both win as they have more money than the everyone else

Easy on the crack pipe

There is no club in the world that would ever pay £80m for Joelinton. And I doubt there’s any club who would pay £30m for Murphy. ASMs fee is a useful benchmark as ASM had a far better reputation and track record than Murphy does now. Murphy would go for 10-15m. I like the guy, he’s a great character and does his job to the best of his ability but he’s not a top player and I doubt any premier league team would want him as a starter - so that means Championship or a squad player and you’d not see anything close to £30m for that

Or it was all total bullshit to begin with and like Isak he was just ill? Now that’s he’s well again the people who made up the bust up rumour need an explanation why he’s suddenly back.

Chelsea probably really needed CL to balance their books and someone has to carry the can - owners aren’t going to so blame the manager?

This is the problem with a selling club, if all the players and manager know anyone is available for the right offer there’s no incentive to stay long term - and as no one else will stay you’d be a mug to be the one who decides to stick around. Build your reputation and f’off, managers and players

Realise you are being casual but I’m not sure how much longer he has got at City - I don’t think he’ll be there in 3 years certainly but I reckon he wants one more CL before going.

The tweet stinks of bullshit. 1) others have suggested the 23/24 numbers are going to land. It’s why ASM was sold and Hall only loaned. Be crazy to be reliant on a June massive sale to make the numbers work 2) the £105 limit isn’t per season so the tweet is wrong on a technical level? 3)dumb comment to say release clause not ‘resisted’ the whole point of a release clause is you can’t resist it.

Sam Tickle is such a great name, should get him. And if his arms are like his fathers, Mr Tickle, he’ll be a great keeper.

I don’t think Ramsdale is on another level to Pope so I’d find it a bit odd. Clubs periodically try having two number 1’s compete and it rarely works (Barca managed it for a few years IIRC?) Pretty much every club finds you need a number 1 and a keeper who is happy to be second choice and gets cup games etc. If Ramsdale joined either he or Pope would be asking to leave inside 12 months, Pope possibly this summer if told he’s not first choice, same as happened with Dubravka. Number 1 keepers want to play every week or to leave - is Ramsdale on the next level that he would replace Pope, with another backup joining? Am not sure

Also it’s not ‘disloyal’ for him to speak up, he’s a (the?) senior pro and basically the captain- it’s part of his role for him to speak up for the players and squad

A 22 man squad? That will go well.

Am always surprised at how quickly a subset of fans turn on players. Even Trippier isn’t safe! Hes not match fit, but had to start yesterday as Tino was injured. And considering the injuries the squad has had this year does anyone seriously think a trip to Australia is going to be helpful to next season? It won’t just be the national teams that suffer, it’ll be the league campaign in December when Trippier, Gordon and whoever else goes to the euros is gasping. The club needs to make money but there’s a good reason nobody usually goes on post season tours.

Pope will be desperate to start to have a shot at the euros. Trippier probably can get picked without having done 90mins.

Good grief

The Olympic stadium has design issues around retaining the running track that make it terrible for football and for generating an atmosphere. it has that huge gap between tiers that doesn’t get picked up on TV, it’s a uniquely bad set up that won’t be replicated anywhere else that isn’t multi use

There will certainly be links and enquiries for CMs until the end of June when Bruno’s release clause closes - be negligent for the club not to have a shortlist of CM targets in the event Bruno’s clause is triggered. The media will pick up on these so I think there’ll be rumours floating around. I agree the squad is a top level midfielder short, so if a ‘perfect’ target became available I can see the club moving on it opportunistically

Or even more cynical - their agency runs their social media accounts and it’s the same bloke writing all those messages for engagement

I’d have preferred Arsenal, in part as it would really motivate City in the cup final. I don’t think City have been as good to watch this year.