Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

Nedved wrote:GUys - I have n't watched Pre-season games, except for highlights. Which position was Ozil playing mostly?

I would like to see Ozil in the center(NOT on the right) and Di Maria on the left, but not sure if they get to play in those positions.

Di Maria was mostly on the right but he did drift to the left on occasion.

Ozil was more advanced and also playing on the right but it's not like he was hugging the touchline. The midfield looks like it will be somewhat narrow with FB's providing width.

Di Maria mostly played with the substitute team and Ozil with the starters.

Fiorentina technical director Eduardo Macia trying to sign Xabi Alonso, according to Cadena Ser.

The technical director is apparently speaking to Alonso's agent, according to El Mundo Deportivo.

he can go for 20m.

We don't need the money. I'd rather Xabi stayed.

Its not about the money.They are hoping Xabi doesnt extend and are looking to snap him up on a free next year.

Alonso apparently wants to leave next year anyway.

S wrote:Its not about the money.They are hoping Xabi doesnt extend and are looking to snap him up on a free next year.

Oh I'm totally cool with that then. I thought they were talking about this summer.

Zealous wrote:We don't need the money. I'd rather Xabi stayed.

Having more money is not a bad thing, rather then having to leave for free next season, he can provide us some money we lost over illara.

And we dont even need him anymore, we have modric, illara and casimero who can do his role. All of these three can pass, not to mention having khedira, thats completes our midfeild qouta required.

We are playing 4-4-2 it seems, and we need 4 midfielders, not 5. We can always call jose rodreguez from castilla if we have problems.

Khedira offered to PSG, according to Radio Monte Carlo. Khedira's representative contacted PSG to offer him to them.

Real Madrid's seven pre-season matches have provided a statistical illustration of a new evolution in the team that was led by Mourinho for the past three campaigns. If the Portuguese coach's Real was geared towards the counterattack, Ancelotti's iteration is moving towards ball possession and looking for goalscoring opportunities following a long sequence of passes in the opposition half.

The Italian coach's preference can be clearly seen from his line-ups. Players with a more technical profile such as Özil, Isco, Modric and Benzema have been regulars for the seven warm-up matches, in which Real has, at times, shown a display of football to whet the appetite of the fans.

Ancelotti's Real has, during the pre-season games, put in a total of 4,032 passes, making an average of 576 per match, over 40 more than the team's average under Mourinho during his three seasons at the Real Madrid helm (530).

Even more significant, however, is the number of completed passes. The 'Los Blancos' players were on the money an average of 493 times per game (85%), while, when the Portuguese coach was on the bench, that percentage was less than 80%.

The number of passes given away tells a similar story; the 2013-14 Real Madrid side having been able to cut its failed passes down by almost 30 per fixture, compared to its stint under Mourinho.

http://www.marca.com/2013/08/14/en/football/real_madrid/1376461870.html

If we have such statistics at the end of the season, I'll be a happy camper. Other than that, it's seven games in pre-season. That shouldn't be an indicator for anything but fitness levels and young player prospects...

Yohan Modric wrote:Khedira offered to PSG, according to Radio Monte Carlo. Khedira's representative contacted PSG to offer him to them.

Yeah his Agent confirmed that this was fake.

The agent of Sporting Lisbon winger Bruma says Real Madrid are interested:

To date neither Benfica or Porto have shown any intention of signing the player. I have only received expressions of interest from Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray.

Real Madrid and Granada will discuss Siqueira when both clubs face each other next Monday, according to AS.

Cheryshev could be part of the deal.

Alex Fernandez apparently joins Espanyol, according to Sport. There's a buy back option for around €5m.

In return Castilla get Cristian Gomez.

Alonso has fractured his metatarsal. He will apparently be out for 2-3 months.

Benzema will begin talks in September to renew his contract, according to AS.

He's happy at Real Madrid.

Santos midfielder Alan Santos has a loan offer from Real Madrid apparently. He would join Castilla. There would be an option to sign him permanently.

Alberto Moreno now apparently the first choice to replace Coentrao, according to El Confidencial.

He is LB version of Carvajal. I still would perfer Denis to be our Next LB (2nd LB).

^^ Had he ever played there for Castilla? If so how often?

He only played there for a few games anyway and it was our preseason. If anything, I'd rather him get loaned out and play as a LB where he goes or cement himself in his current position

http://www.lejdd.fr/Sport/Football/Actualite/Benzema-n-ira-pas-a-Arsenal-selon-son-agent-Karim-Djaziri-625542

Benzema's agent says Benz is not going to Arsenal or anywhere else... so that's that.

The most interesting part is that he says: "The signing of Bale does not threaten Karim's position in any way. Ronaldo and Bale are slated to play on the wings and Karim is the central striker."

Is Ozil seriously getting benched? ffs