Transfer Rumours

danyjr wrote:You can sign Koscielny from Arsenal for a reasonable price. You've bullied Arsenal too many times for it to be a problem and why would he not want to leave? At the start of the transfer season he said he'll look elsewhere if Arsenal don't convince that they can win a trophy next season. Looking at their signings (or signing?), they'll make 3rd tops in EPL with that squad when you see how the likes of City and Chelsea have strengthened.

I think no top team (and Arsenal consider themselves one) would let a key player leave in August without any replacements lined up.

free_cat wrote:The ideal transfer policy was the one from early Laporta.

We signed young but ready players from second level teams and great ambition, aka Eto'o, Marquez, Toure, Van Bronckhorst, and a long etc.

This, x100.

I know Alexis falls under this and it hasnt worked out yet and probably wont, but overall,, no question this was the best.

My question is: we secured Neymar's signing almost a year in advance; the directive has known we needed a CB for at least 6 months, so why didn't we tap up a player before the transfer season started? We tried TS and failed pretty miserably. But even when PSG refused to pick up the phone it seems like we never considered other options until PSG threatened they would pay Messi's release clause.

messixaviesta wrote:Reports are that Martino has zeroed down the center back purchase to three options - David Luiz, Daniel Agger and Jan Vertonghen in that order.

My feeling is that if we really wanted these players we should have moved a lot sooner. Chelsea has supposedly priced Luiz at E68.5m. Agger if we wanted we should have chased long ago because with Skrtel likely moving to Napoli this deal will become that much difficult to pull off. Spurs will anyway be very reluctant to sell Vertonghen and we will have Daniel Levy to deal with.

We seem to be in deep soup.

I dont think any of these teams are going to sell.

Luiz because of price and Chelsea arent a selling club and on top of that are trying to improve.

Agger because he is a Liverpool die hard and not only that, Liverpool probably need another centerback...never mind letting one go. Add on they have to deal with Suarez wanting out, they will feel stripped of alot of talent.

Spurs in a similar situation in that they are fighting off the sale of Bale, against, losing him and Vertoghen will feel like a ton of talent being taken from them.

I think we need to look at "selling clubs", the negotiations will be easier and the club easier to deal with.

Not just saying it to prop up my guy Mangala, but its clubs like Porto, who are always ready to sell, who we need to think about.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I think no top team (and Arsenal consider themselves one) would let a key player leave in August without any replacements lined up.

14 August 2011: Fàbregas leaves Arsenal. Source
24 August 2011: Nasri leaves Arsenal. Source
17 August 2012: Van Persie leaves Arsenal. Source

I rest my case.

Tbf to them on Van Persie.

They had already covered themselves with Giroud, Cazorla and Podolski.

Ok them of them are close to him individually but together they are as last season showed.

Can't remember what they did with Cesc and Nasri.

@danyjr: point taken

What do you guys make of Davide Astori?

I would personally pursue other targets BC, I have definite doubts over how well he would cope in a high line and against the quality of opposition that Barcelona would face in Europe. A fine defender on his day, however still troubled by inconsistencies, though I will say in his defence that he has mostly been excellent for Italy when given the opportunity, the disaster against Haiti aside. For the money that Cagliari would demand - I believe on the order of 18 million euros - I think that the offer could be raised a little to procure a better central defender. He would of course add a certain aerial prowess and he is entering his prime with room to grow further, but it is a risk I would not take personally. In all honesty, Serie A is currently bereft of prime defensive talent. There are certain prospects littered throughout the league who can grow in stature significantly if given the game time, however too few have been afforded such space in recent times.

The Franchise wrote:

free_cat wrote:The ideal transfer policy was the one from early Laporta.

We signed young but ready players from second level teams and great ambition, aka Eto'o, Marquez, Toure, Van Bronckhorst, and a long etc.

This, x100.

I know Alexis falls under this and it hasnt worked out yet and probably wont, but overall,, no question this was the best.

dani, I won't say Alexis falls under this category because he was already hyped immensely and many clubs were after him. ManCity even expressed their regret publicly that he did not choose them.

I think this category will be more about players who are good minus the hype.

cat has made a great point no doubt.

The Franchise wrote:I think we need to look at "selling clubs", the negotiations will be easier and the club easier to deal with.

Not just saying it to prop up my guy Mangala, but its clubs like Porto, who are always ready to sell, who we need to think about.

dani, I agree with this idea but some selling clubs like Porto ask for too much money. We can buy from big clubs as well but we need to target their second string players who could transform with us. Sakho may be one such example.

At this point I am really fearing we will end the transfer window without signing a center back.

danyjr wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I think no top team (and Arsenal consider themselves one) would let a key player leave in August without any replacements lined up.

14 August 2011: Fàbregas leaves Arsenal. Source
24 August 2011: Nasri leaves Arsenal. Source
17 August 2012: Van Persie leaves Arsenal. Source

I rest my case.

Interesting but there's one key counter point. Each of these players were known to be likely to leave but there's just no buzz around Kocsielny.

dostoevsky wrote:I would personally pursue other targets BC, I have definite doubts over how well he would cope in a high line and against the quality of opposition that Barcelona would face in Europe. A fine defender on his day, however still troubled by inconsistencies, though I will say in his defence that he has mostly been excellent for Italy when given the opportunity, the disaster against Haiti aside. For the money that Cagliari would demand - I believe on the order of 18 million euros - I think that the offer could be raised a little to procure a better central defender. He would of course add a certain aerial prowess and he is entering his prime with room to grow further, but it is a risk I would not take personally. In all honesty, Serie A is currently bereft of prime defensive talent. There are certain prospects littered throughout the league who can grow in stature significantly if given the game time, however too few have been afforded such space in recent times.

dost, who are the main central defenders that Barca should target in your opinion and in what order.

messixaviesta wrote:

The Franchise wrote:

free_cat wrote:The ideal transfer policy was the one from early Laporta.

We signed young but ready players from second level teams and great ambition, aka Eto'o, Marquez, Toure, Van Bronckhorst, and a long etc.

This, x100.

I know Alexis falls under this and it hasnt worked out yet and probably wont, but overall,, no question this was the best.

dani, I won't say Alexis falls under this category because he was already hyped immensely and many clubs were after him. ManCity even expressed their regret publicly that he did not choose them.

I think this category will be more about players who are good minus the hype.

cat has made a great point no doubt.

Not sure what hype has to do with it. I am little confused as to how that related to the type of level they were at and the past experiences the players have had.

messixaviesta wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I think we need to look at "selling clubs", the negotiations will be easier and the club easier to deal with.

Not just saying it to prop up my guy Mangala, but its clubs like Porto, who are always ready to sell, who we need to think about.

dani, I agree with this idea but some selling clubs like Porto ask for too much money. We can buy from big clubs as well but we need to target their second string players who could transform with us. Sakho may be one such example.

At this point I am really fearing we will end the transfer window without signing a center back.

You have to pay if you want quality, no matter who you sign them from. Thats something that needs to be accepted. Its highly unlikely your going to get quality for cheap, without there being contractual issues and things of this nature.

Yes Porto want alot of money, but they are willing to sell and negotiate. Which is not something you can say about many of our targets.

The Franchise wrote:

messixaviesta wrote:

The Franchise wrote:

This, x100.

I know Alexis falls under this and it hasnt worked out yet and probably wont, but overall,, no question this was the best.

dani, I won't say Alexis falls under this category because he was already hyped immensely and many clubs were after him. ManCity even expressed their regret publicly that he did not choose them.

I think this category will be more about players who are good minus the hype.

cat has made a great point no doubt.

Not sure what hype has to do with it. I am little confused as to how that related to the type of level they were at and the past experiences the players have had.

Its just that hyped players come with huge transfer fees and a major burden of expectations. I am somewhat concerned that in the last few years we have been mainly going after established and/or hyped players. Our scouting and its input in the transfer decisions needs to improve.

The Franchise wrote:

messixaviesta wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I think we need to look at "selling clubs", the negotiations will be easier and the club easier to deal with.

Not just saying it to prop up my guy Mangala, but its clubs like Porto, who are always ready to sell, who we need to think about.

dani, I agree with this idea but some selling clubs like Porto ask for too much money. We can buy from big clubs as well but we need to target their second string players who could transform with us. Sakho may be one such example.

At this point I am really fearing we will end the transfer window without signing a center back.

You have to pay if you want quality, no matter who you sign them from. Thats something that needs to be accepted. Its highly unlikely your going to get quality for cheap, without there being contractual issues and things of this nature.

Yes Porto want alot of money, but they are willing to sell and negotiate. Which is not something you can say about many of our targets.

Fair points. I for one don't mind paying for what we need right now.

messixaviesta wrote:

dostoevsky wrote:I would personally pursue other targets BC, I have definite doubts over how well he would cope in a high line and against the quality of opposition that Barcelona would face in Europe. A fine defender on his day, however still troubled by inconsistencies, though I will say in his defence that he has mostly been excellent for Italy when given the opportunity, the disaster against Haiti aside. For the money that Cagliari would demand - I believe on the order of 18 million euros - I think that the offer could be raised a little to procure a better central defender. He would of course add a certain aerial prowess and he is entering his prime with room to grow further, but it is a risk I would not take personally. In all honesty, Serie A is currently bereft of prime defensive talent. There are certain prospects littered throughout the league who can grow in stature significantly if given the game time, however too few have been afforded such space in recent times.

dost, who are the main central defenders that Barca should target in your opinion and in what order.

Personally my major interest would be in Koscielny, I would rather invest my energies in him than David Luiz however I can understand if Barcelona are interested in the Brazilian. Whilst I do rate Agger, I find it hard to envision that Liverpool would part with him very easily given that he is their star at the back, having lost Carragher to retirement leaving Skrtel who Rogers is not a fan of, an inexperienced Coates and a host of other young prospects such as Wisdom and Kelly.

I foresee little hope of persuading Chelsea to depart with Luiz however and should Koscielny prove unattainable my attention would turn to Mangala if searching in Europe.

Do you guys think Man U is really bidding 40m for Cesc?
if so opinions?

Yes of course. United need a midfielder and they have yet to make any major signings while City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs have been very active in the transfer market. They have the money, they are desperate and willing to pay €40 million for Fàbregas.

I would take that money in a heartbeat if I were Barcelona, having said that the board won't sell him and the player does not want to leave so the deal is extremely unlikely to happen.

Why cant Man U go for other targets is whats keeps getting to me. The longer this goes on the worst it will be for them. Im not sure if they tried bidding for the other players who has moved already apart from Thiago, but this really could be a bad showing already by Moyes?

They're also after Marchisio.

BarcaLearning wrote:Why cant Man U go for other targets is whats keeps getting to me. The longer this goes on the worst it will be for them. Im not sure if they tried bidding for the other players who has moved already apart from Thiago, but this really could be a bad showing already by Moyes?

kinda like us with a defender huh..

danyjr wrote:They're also after Marchisio.

They won't get him lol

I thought Juve almost put Marchisio on the transfer list earlier? Not to mention that they don't appear to have that much money, so they might consider a good offer. In any case, Juve would be stupid to let him go. He's a home-grown product and a fan favorite.

Santiago Vergini signs for Estudiantes de la Plata on the Argentine transfer deadline day.