Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

@guest, many reasons why people are pessimistic. signing a big player in the winter is tough to pull off, especially when said players team is either in the running for a title or ucl spot

two the spanish football media is garbage, they do very little research, sometimes they just quote a foreign media outlet and carry that like its news. they have the scoop on young spanish players cos they are approached for political reasons (that's my theory), other than that, it isn't uncommon for them to make up stories out the ass

three, the benzema situation. i respect zidane too much to harp on that, but i wouldn't be surprised if he's hoping somehow benzema can get out of this rot. frankly i'd have to see the icardi move happen to believe it. i'd rather be pessimistic now, and get a good surprise, than to welcome icardi only to have them announce they're promoting another back up castilla cf

i listen to spanish football media only for humor in some of the rumors

Spanish Football Medias are not any better or worse than medias in other countries in europe. there is a couple of journalists who are prominent and have "great" sources:
-Jose Felix Diaz, Carpio, Marcos Lopez (there is fourth one cant remember, but these are the key mara guys, you want to pay attention if they say something.
-i dont like AS too much, but Manu Sainz is connected to the Mendes camp so they will send him infos; Balague..., and Fred Hermel has the french connection.
-traditionally Cadena Ser and Cadena Cope have been reliable
-J L Sanchez is good
-J Pedrerol, the leader of Chiringuito
-there is another radio that's good, i can't remember the name but they have a show led by an old boss of cadena ser

Yeah, the problem is not Spanish journalism (some sources are good some bad with any country). The problem is the nature of the winter market- The teams we are looking at for their strikers are all competing for titles/European spots, so the money better be worth it for them to give up a quality striker thus lessening their chances in the league/Europe.

And I don't think RM are willing to give up the money needed.

i can't listen to them on anything regarding foreign players. very little research, just copy and paste. player x will be unveiled on monday, monday comes, nothing happens. most of their rhetoric is just their opinion rather than any real research. its cool if they're pundits, but if their job is to review sources and give out the detailed scoop, i pretty much just wait till i see it on tv on eurosports or something as official. don't have their time

same with balague, when he started bringing on ramon calderon as some sort of insider to what goes on, regarding cristiano's "sadness" issues some years ago, i thought that was cheap. i just wait till stuff gets official

This time the story came from ‘chiringuito’, which is NOT Sports media. It’s a late night entertainment program.

Most stories rumours from all media regardless of country come from agents trying to promote interest or from various travel by club officals leading to speculation.

http://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2017/12/09/5a2af5a2ca4741f5088b45af.html

Marca wrote:The fact that Real Madrid plan to bring in a new forward in the January transfer window has led to a series of rumours as to who they might sign, with Robert Lewandowski being one of those linked to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

It is not the first time that the Polish striker has been a potential option for Real Madrid, as the Spanish club have tried to sign him twice, only for pre-contract agreements to thwart their plans.

There was even a point when the striker considered breaking his agreement to move to Bayern Munich, although that never came to fruition.

The striker did meet with go-betweens on two occasions and there was interest in a move from both parties, however it wasn't possible to make it happen.

Now 29 years of age, time is running out for a happy ending to the Real Madrid and Robert Lewandowski love story, and a winter transfer would be a complicated one.

That makes Mauro Icardi a more likely option when Los Blancos splash the cash next month.

From MARCA

there is a difference between being a likely option than a guaranteed target. lol

no journalist actually knows whether madrid will spend in the winter or not.

Usually what journalists know if which player the club is scouting because scouts talk lol, and then they build the stories around those targets.

we won't spend in the winter, lol aren't you watching this sevilla game?

well that i know already, and it's not because of us beating sevilla

lol we might not even sign in the summer, if bale somehow gets fit, flo might come out with a "bbc is the best trio in history" headline

Milan might be pressured to go on a bit of a fire sale because of FFP and the financial mess they find themselves in now.

Please can we swoop for Donnarumma over Kepa, and Andre Silva over the void in CF.

Any other Milan players you guys would take?

I'll take Silva and Donna. Please and thanks Milan.

I don't think the level of journalism can get any lower than this:

In addition to these reports, Corriere della Sera, report that contact has been made. between PSG and Mariano Dybala, who has reportedly told his brother that "Neymar will go to Madrid and you are the very player to replace him.

Source:  [AS via Corriere della Sera]

I would like to meet the reporter, the journalists and the editor-in-chief who together in the newsroom agreed that the following: "...who has reportedly told his brother that..." was a valid source to back up their claim with.
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

I bet they take the meeting just to show you the champagne they bought for themselves thanks to your click and free ads lol.

Doc you know it is works that's the least offensive/comical rumour I have seen

Real's defense is so poor, they might as well go all out and field an attack minded side.

Navas
Carvajal-Varane-Ramos-Theo
Modric-Kroos-Isco
Asensio-Cristiano-Bale

Pool just paid 85 mail for a CB lol,

For the people who want a squad overhaul lol we are gonna get broke trying to do that lmao

Let see
Sign a GK: kepa 20 mil
RB: Odriozola 40 mil
CB: think 50 mil
CF: 150-200 mil for let's say Kane

That's 250-300 mil spent

We just need new forwards and I guess a manager that can play a 4-4-2 with wingers. Why do we even need a squad overhaul or why would anyone think that?

I agree Doc.
looks like we are getting Kepa and there is a question re Achraf and no Nick, i agreed with you it doesn’t make sense reOdriozola. Other than that, it’s the forwards and we need at least 3. If we get a 4th then Lucas would have to go.

We need to rid
casilla or navas
Maybe Achraf
Bale, Benz, Ronaldo (maybe you could delay him one year) and Majoral.

Interesting part is that Virgil van Dijk looked absolutely nothing special against France NT when we played the Netherlands... and he's 26 or so I think. Decent... but that's crazy.

Doc wrote:We just need new forwards and I guess a manager that can play a 4-4-2 with wingers. Why do we even need a squad overhaul or why would anyone think that?

We kind of do though Doc... partial overhaul. CR, Ramos, Benzema and Modric are all on the wrong side of 30. Marcelo looks like he's about to hit a big decline too. It would behoove us not to wait fo more than the 2 we already know fall flat on their face before doing something.

I think we're ok in the midfield department... but CB, fullback and strikers are in bad shape.

CR and Benzema are the obvious choices to be replaced. We all know this. Modric has an adequate, really adequate replacement in Kovacic. Marcelo has Theo who also is more than adequate. Ramos would be an issue but you're gonna have to have balls of Dwarven technology made to not only drop but replace but yes, Ramos needs to be replaced...eventually.

I don't know, we are good bar the forwards. Sure, Navas is gonna be replaced but that can easily hold off till next summer or even in 2019. Again, the squad we have is really good. Easily a title challenging squad on all fronts sort of good. Zidane, for reasons discussed to death, can't seem to get the best out of the squad like last season.

Mind you, we finish the chances we have been having in matches, our issues would not have been so...crazy.

I still think Madrid should not have gotten rid of Pepe this soon. He had at least 1 more of year of genuine world class defending at this level but we do have a CB issue that needs to be addressed. By CB issue, I mean fking Ramos.

According to Onda Cero we are about to sign David Villa on loan from MLS you have to be *bleep* kidding me

still better than benzema

Harry Kane next summer, I don't mind. Best CF in the world

Mr Nick09 wrote:well that i know already, and it's not because of us beating sevilla

Actually Nick, that’s not a bad idea. Villa has been playing really well in MLS and most importantly scoring lots of goals. He was picked up for one game with seleccion and has an outside chance of making that team for WC. This loan increases that chance.

The loan wouldn’t be for next season, as he is ready to retire after WC. This is better than doing nothing.

Mr Nick09 wrote:Pool just paid 85 mail for a CB lol,

For the people who want a squad overhaul lol we are gonna get broke trying to do that lmao

Let see
Sign a GK: kepa 20 mil
RB: Odriozola 40 mil
CB: think 50 mil
CF: 150-200 mil for let's say Kane

That's 250-300 mil spent

RB and CB what do we need those for ?

we need wingers and strikers, 2 of each preferably. a GK would do too, but it's not a hurry because Navas is still reliable and we have other areas to look at. De Gea if available though, go for him.