Sven Botman back late December/early January 'at the earliest' (Howe)

[mikejaxer]

2 hours ago, NWMag said:

 

He's shite, never rated him anyway.

[LRD]

Interesting that besides De Ligt, VVD, De Vrij, a younger Timber is ahead of him in the national team. Do the Netherlands have an embarrassment of riches at the CB position?

[Manxst]

Not saying it’s not true, but various Milan based sources have continuously claimed Botman has, or will, sign for them over the last few months with zero end result up until now. I wouldn’t be writing anything off until it’s official. 

[Whitley mag]

1 hour ago, Manxst said:

Not saying it’s not true, but various Milan based sources have continuously claimed Botman has, or will, sign for them over the last few months with zero end result up until now. I wouldn’t be writing anything off until it’s official. 

The Milan media seem to be creating a narrative here that no way Botman chooses us if he’s got a choice. I think it’s a face saving exercise and there’s every chance he chooses us.

 

 

[GeordieDazzler]

Honestly never believe a word of the Italian press, they are the most unreliable when it comes to transfers. Botman is already on record saying he’s interested in coming here. 
 

You can see the allure of AC but it seems a big risk going to a team that already has two elite young centre backs.

[Unbelievable]

3 hours ago, LRD said:

Interesting that besides De Ligt, VVD, De Vrij, a younger Timber is ahead of him in the national team. Do the Netherlands have an embarrassment of riches at the CB position?

We do indeed. Ake is ahead of him too.

[TheBrownBottle]

No idea if the lad will sign or not - but surely no-one could be annoyed at him choosing AC Milan over us?  They’re one of the four or five grandest clubs on Earth to me.  Admittedly there are parts of my brain which basically froze in the late 90s, but still.

[sushimonster85]

13 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

No idea if the lad will sign or not - but surely no-one could be annoyed at him choosing AC Milan over us?  They’re one of the four or five grandest clubs on Earth to me.  Admittedly there are parts of my brain which basically froze in the late 90s, but still.

 

Aye, it's fair play. If this had been a couple years ago when Milan were still stuck in a slump that felt like they would never get out of I'd maybe have questioned him more. But with them heading back in the right direction on the pitch, they're one of THE big draws in European football. 

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, sushimonster85 said:

 

Aye, it's fair play. If this had been a couple years ago when Milan were still stuck in a slump that felt like they would never get out of I'd maybe have questioned him more. But with them heading back in the right direction on the pitch, they're one of THE big draws in European football. 

Absolutely.  That we’re in the same conversation with players that they want is unbelievable given the previous decade and a half.  

[LRD]

51 minutes ago, Unbelievable said:

We do indeed. Ake is ahead of him too.

 

Previously you mentioned that he has little chance of getting into the WC squad. Now that the season is done, has anything changed in regards to that, and do you think he is a good fit for the club? 

[Hanshithispantz]

Milan are a huge club but they're miles off the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City on the pitch. We can offer someone like Botman essentially the easiest and most probable road possible to being a club/league legend.

 

I honestly think players are daft as fuck to be turning us down unless it's for the absolute elite (Madrid/Barca/Bayern/PSG etc). 

[Manxst]

39 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

No idea if the lad will sign or not - but surely no-one could be annoyed at him choosing AC Milan over us?  They’re one of the four or five grandest clubs on Earth to me.  Admittedly there are parts of my brain which basically froze in the late 90s, but still.

Don’t think anyone would be annoyed- just saying the Italian press aren’t to be believed that he’s signed for them

just yet. If he does, then we move on- plenty more fish in the sea, and all that. 

[Flip]

7 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Milan are a huge club but they're miles off the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City on the pitch. We can offer someone like Botman essentially the easiest and most probable road possible to being a club/league legend.

 

I honestly think players are daft as fuck to be turning us down unless it's for the absolute elite (Madrid/Barca/Bayern/PSG etc). 

 

It's funny how opinions change. Not you personally, but most players get absolutely vilified for choosing money over anything else in here, however, when it comes to us money should be a priority for players all of the sudden. 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by Flip

[Hanshithispantz]

It's got nothing to do with money, Milan won the Serie A with a 35 year old Olivier Giroud leading the line, backed up by an injured, 40 year old Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They'd arguably be battling it out for a Europa Conference place in the Premiership.

 

If any player wants to join a project with good odds of actually becoming a force in world football then we're better placed than AC Milan. Historically they're a much bigger and better club, it's not even close, but Man City and Chelsea are a testiment to the irrelevancy of that.

 

Especially at this stage we're offering any player a cheat code to being the next Kompany, Silva etc if they're good enough.

[RodneyCisse]

3 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

It's got nothing to do with money, Milan won the Serie A with a 35 year old Olivier Giroud leading the line, backed up by an injured, 40 year old Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They'd arguably be battling it out for a Europa Conference place in the Premiership.

 

If any player wants to join a project with good odds of actually becoming a force in world football then we're better placed than AC Milan. Historically they're a much bigger and better club, it's not even close, but Man City and Chelsea are a testiment to the irrelevancy of that.

 

Especially at this stage we're offering any player a cheat code to being the next Kompany, Silva etc if they're good enough.

I mean in terms of weather and lifestyle it’s Milan>Birmingham>Newcastle so can’t really get too annoyed at his choice.

[TheBrownBottle]

31 minutes ago, Manxst said:

Don’t think anyone would be annoyed- just saying the Italian press aren’t to be believed that he’s signed for them

just yet. If he does, then we move on- plenty more fish in the sea, and all that. 

I’d definitely take that Twitter stuff from the Italian hack with a massive grain of salt 

[Flip]

17 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

It's got nothing to do with money, Milan won the Serie A with a 35 year old Olivier Giroud leading the line, backed up by an injured, 40 year old Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They'd arguably be battling it out for a Europa Conference place in the Premiership.

 

If any player wants to join a project with good odds of actually becoming a force in world football then we're better placed than AC Milan. Historically they're a much bigger and better club, it's not even close, but Man City and Chelsea are a testiment to the irrelevancy of that.

 

Especially at this stage we're offering any player a cheat code to being the next Kompany, Silva etc if they're good enough.

 

I'd say AC Milan, one of the most classic clubs in world football with new owners is also quite a project. I think we'll see plenty of players turning us down until we get into a Champions League spot. 

[The Prophet]

Wouldn't blame him at all for joining Milan. If I supported neither club, I'd do exactly the same.

[Hanshithispantz]

Just now, The Prophet said:

Wouldn't blame him at all for joining Milan. If I supported neither club, I'd do exactly the same.

Why though? The odds are heavily favoured that you would regret the decision in a few years time.

 

Unless it's just purely for the prestige of wearing an iconic shirt?

[GeordieDazzler]

24 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

It's got nothing to do with money, Milan won the Serie A with a 35 year old Olivier Giroud leading the line, backed up by an injured, 40 year old Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They'd arguably be battling it out for a Europa Conference place in the Premiership.

 

If any player wants to join a project with good odds of actually becoming a force in world football then we're better placed than AC Milan. Historically they're a much bigger and better club, it's not even close, but Man City and Chelsea are a testiment to the irrelevancy of that.

 

Especially at this stage we're offering any player a cheat code to being the next Kompany, Silva etc if they're good enough.

Rafa Leao has been arguably the best young striker in Europe this season and the two lads at CB look like they could be top class too. Theo Hernandez and Sandro Tonali have also been excellent. They’ve blended youth and experience extremely well, plenty we can learn from them in terms of team building.

[Hanshithispantz]

6 minutes ago, Flip said:

 

I'd say AC Milan, one of the most classic clubs in world football with new owners is also quite a project. I think we'll see plenty of players turning us down until we get into a Champions League spot. 

I agree but it would take a monumental effort for them to grow to the level of Man City, PSG, Real Madrid etc. They're miles off.

[SUPERTOON]

I’d personally move on to other targets, think the other names mentioned are better suited to what we need anyway.

[Hanshithispantz]

2 minutes ago, GeordieDazzler said:

Rafa Leao has been arguably the best young striker in Europe this season and the two lads at CB look like they could be top class too. Theo Hernandez and Sandro Tonali have also been excellent. They’ve blended youth and experience extremely well, plenty we can learn from them in terms of team building.

They have a great squad, they're just nowhere near the level of the insane, robotic machines like Man City or Liverpool.

 

We just have easier route to that level due to our ability to throw money at our problems.

[Flip]

4 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

I agree but it would take a monumental effort for them to grow to the level of Man City, PSG, Real Madrid etc. They're miles off.

And my point is, we are even further away.

[Jaqen]

Milan are miles ahead of us, like. Got one of the youngest squads in the league who'll they'll be able to keep ahold of and add too. With Inter being their nearest rivals with the oldest squad in the league there's a good chance Milan could be the dominant team in Italy for the next few years. At the Evey least they'll be challenging for titles and playing Champions League. It's hard to say how long it will be before we can offer players Champions League football never mind competing for trophies. Unless we can offer stupid wages it's pretty understandable if players don't want to be in that first wave of signings.