Lazio could make a move for Aston Villa forward Christian Benteke, reports in the Press suggest this afternoon.

La Repubblica believe that the capital club are after a replacement for Miroslav Klose in January, and are looking at the Belgian goalscorer.

The newspaper insist that Vladimir Petkovic’s side will try and table a bid during the winter transfer window, but could face competition from Juventus.

The Bianconeri are also said to be keen on the Villains centre-forward with Fernando Llorente failing to impress in Turin.

Think he'll have better options than Lazio.

Are Juve really looking at Llorente replacements already?

El Jefe wrote:Think he'll have better options than Lazio.

Are Juve really looking at Llorente replacements already?

NAh I am sure we are not going to give him away

El Jefe wrote:Think he'll have better options than Lazio.

Are Juve really looking at Llorente replacements already?

Yes, I think this was a money move all along. he has a high value, and we got him for free, so whatever we sell him for is straight profit. and he's Spanish, which aside from Suarez and Valero, means he cant play in Italy for whatever reason.

El Jefe wrote:Think he'll have better options than Lazio.

Are Juve really looking at Llorente replacements already?

No.Its just usual media bullshit which goes around during the non-transfer period.

There is no way Juve's plan all along was to sell Llorente. Juve would lose a lot of credibility among out of contract players if we sold them as soon as they arrived. If Llorente is sold it's because he doesn't fit with Juve and nothing else. It may sound like smart business and easy money, but it would be ridiculous to think that was Juve's intent all along.

you think they'll go around telling people? im sure they know very well the history of Spanish players in Italy, and bought him knowing he was in demand so if it doesn't work out, which it probably wont, they can just sell him. I think its very smart

Considering before he was benched for a season he was a target for a lot of clubs, and clearly was a better goalscorer than anything we had at the time, I highly doubt we moved in for him purely to sell him for a profit

Also, we were trying to bring him to Turin earlier when he was under contract. But they wanted his full price or nothing.

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Considering before he was benched for a season he was a target for a lot of clubs, and clearly was a better goalscorer than anything we had at the time, I highly doubt we moved in for him purely to sell him for a profit

Also, we were trying to bring him to Turin earlier when he was under contract. But they wanted his full price or nothing.

I forgot about that, and boy would that have been a mistake.

its not a matter of ability, its playing style.member Henry? we had possibly the best striker of the last 15 years, but he couldn't stay on his feet, so it didn't matter.

I understand where you're coming from but Tbf we used him as a wide man, at Arsenal he got his chances upfront and excelled

Llorente is definitely not as sharp as he once was, so even if he would have had trouble 'adjusting' regardless, he's still not his old self after a year and a bit where he barely got to see the pitch.

Can we just cut that Spanish players can't play in Italy crap?

DeviAngel wrote:Can we just cut that Spanish players can't play in Italy crap?

Preach

DeviAngel wrote:Can we just cut that Spanish players can't play in Italy crap?

its not crap if its truedevi. im not saying it simply because they are Spanish, its a matter of style of play, and its been proven over the years. there have been quite a few Spaniards in Italy over the years, and aside from luis suarez and Borja Valero, I cant think of anyone who can be considered a success. Italy is more physical, there is much less time on the ball, and is more demanding tactically.

FilthyLuca wrote:

DeviAngel wrote:Can we just cut that Spanish players can't play in Italy crap?

its not crap if its truedevi. im not saying it simply because they are Spanish, its a matter of style of play, and its been proven over the years.  there have been quite a few Spaniards in Italy over the years, and aside from luis suarez and Borja Valero, I cant think of anyone who can be considered a success.  Italy is more physical, there is much less time on the ball, and is more demanding tactically.

Pepe Reina,Albiol, Mario Gomez must be Jews.....

pepe reina is a keeper, albiol has played all of a quarter of a season in Serie A (and has had 2 or 3 good, not great games), and Mario Gomez is german born and raised, he's as Spanish as I am. I think his dad is the Spanish one

yeah, everything I said above is fact not opinion, so I really don't understand whats to laugh about.

Spanish cant play in italy? Juventus got Llorente to make profit? Him bein sold? Only on GL.......

Ok all im getting is, what I like to call, the Kobe Bryant defense. I say something supported by facts, and those who disagree simply facepalm and LOL me to death, yet none of you (with the exception of elmystique, who had to include a german born and raised player, and Albiol, who hasnt exactly been cannavaro so far) have countered with anything of substance. id be more than happy to retract my statement were I to be proved wrong, but im not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_Serie_A_players#Spain that's the list of Spanish players in serie A, notice the vast majority last 1 or 2 years, and even player like del sol were alright, but nothing to write home about. but then again guess its just blind ignorance, I obviously just don't like the Spanish, and am hell bent on discrediting spain.

It's a ridiculous overstatement to say that about Spanish players.  First of all, the sample size of Spanish players in Serie A is so low that you can't really make an unqualified statement.  Second, the game has only recently become much more globalized and it's only been in the last twenty years that some Spanish players have decided to play in Italy.  If you look at lists, most Spanish, German and English players did not start coming to Serie A until the 1990s. Finally, many players coming from countries with well-established leagues (England, Spain, and Germany) often have not historically played in Serie A because they can play for great teams within their own country.  Granted, there are exceptions to those statements I made, but for the most part it's true.  For those reasons, I think the sample size of Spanish players is just way too small to make a statement that they can't cut it in Serie A.  
 
A better argument to make is that players who are accustomed to playing in La Liga have difficulty adjusting to Serie A because it's much more defensive football.  That statement I can buy.  However, I can't buy that the top Spanish footballers on the NT can't cut it in Serie A solely because they have a passport from Spain.  That's ridiculous to me.  
 
Isn't it just possible that Llorente isn't as good as people thought he is?  How would people like if Giaccherini, Aquiliani, Di Canio, and Diamanti were used to make the statement that Italian players can't make it in the EPL?  It's a ridiculous statement because it's hardly the best Italian players going to England.

Juventude wrote:It's a ridiculous overstatement to say that about Spanish players.  First of all, the sample size of Spanish players in Serie A is so low that you can't really make an unqualified statement.  Second, the game has only recently become much more globalized and it's only been in the last twenty years that some Spanish players have decided to play in Italy.  If you look at lists, most Spanish, German and English players did not start coming to Serie A until the 1990s. Finally, many players coming from countries with well-established leagues (England, Spain, and Germany) often have not historically played in Serie A because they can play for great teams within their own country.  Granted, there are exceptions to those statements I made, but for the most part it's true.  For those reasons, I think the sample size of Spanish players is just way too small to make a statement that they can't cut it in Serie A.  
 
A better argument to make is that players who are accustomed to playing in La Liga have difficulty adjusting to Serie A because it's much more defensive football.  That statement I can buy.  However, I can't buy that the top Spanish footballers on the NT can't cut it in Serie A solely because they have a passport from Spain.  That's ridiculous to me.  
 
Isn't it just possible that Llorente isn't as good as people thought he is?  How would people like if Giaccherini, Aquiliani, Di Canio, and Diamanti were used to make the statement that Italian players can't make it in the EPL?  It's a ridiculous statement because it's hardly the best Italian players going to England.

this is the second time I hear about sample size, there is a reason why its so small. Italy was the promise land in football in the 80s and most of the 90s, and spain has always had great talent, the fact that so few went there and excelled should say something. that top NT players argument is bull because those types of players would do well most anywhere,.e. Luis Suarez, so that's a poor example. im sure iniesta would still be a beast in Italy, but that's Iniesta.

and its not about what people would like or how they would feel, *bleep* their feelings, its about reality, many Italian players flop in England, its a lot more physical and they cant deal.

you picked the wrong examples though. Di canio was pretty damn good in England, I think Man U tried to sign him from west ham, diamanti was the runner up player of the year at west ham in 09, giacherrini has 3 goals in 7 games which is as many as higuain has for Napoli, and ive never been a fan of aquilani so he can kick rocks. but on the whole, they have a tough time adjusting

FilthyLuca wrote:

Juventude wrote:It's a ridiculous overstatement to say that about Spanish players.  First of all, the sample size of Spanish players in Serie A is so low that you can't really make an unqualified statement.  Second, the game has only recently become much more globalized and it's only been in the last twenty years that some Spanish players have decided to play in Italy.  If you look at lists, most Spanish, German and English players did not start coming to Serie A until the 1990s. Finally, many players coming from countries with well-established leagues (England, Spain, and Germany) often have not historically played in Serie A because they can play for great teams within their own country.  Granted, there are exceptions to those statements I made, but for the most part it's true.  For those reasons, I think the sample size of Spanish players is just way too small to make a statement that they can't cut it in Serie A.  
 
A better argument to make is that players who are accustomed to playing in La Liga have difficulty adjusting to Serie A because it's much more defensive football.  That statement I can buy.  However, I can't buy that the top Spanish footballers on the NT can't cut it in Serie A solely because they have a passport from Spain.  That's ridiculous to me.  
 
Isn't it just possible that Llorente isn't as good as people thought he is?  How would people like if Giaccherini, Aquiliani, Di Canio, and Diamanti were used to make the statement that Italian players can't make it in the EPL?  It's a ridiculous statement because it's hardly the best Italian players going to England.

this is the second time I hear about sample size, there is a reason why its so small.  Italy was the promise land in football in the 80s and most of the 90s, and spain has always had great talent, the fact that so few went there and excelled should say something.  that top NT players argument is bull because those types of players would do well most anywhere,.e. Luis Suarez, so that's a poor example.  im sure iniesta would still be a beast in Italy, but that's Iniesta.

and its not about what people would like or how they would feel, *bleep* their feelings, its about reality, many Italian players flop in England, its a lot more physical and they cant deal.

you picked the wrong examples though. Di canio was pretty damn good in England, I think Man U tried to sign him from west ham, diamanti was the runner up player of the year at west ham in 09, giacherrini has 3 goals in 7 games which is as many as higuain has for Napoli, and ive never been a fan of aquilani so he can kick rocks.  but on the whole, they have a tough time adjusting

You missed my point which is that your focus should be more on typical players from those leagues succeeding in another league. It's ridiculous to state that because someone is from a certain country that aren't good in another country. Nedved probably wouldn't have been as great if he played in the EPL because of his style of play.

Either way, this debate is stupid. It's a dumb overstatement.

and the typical player from la liga is spanish.
The problem is people are assuming my intent as if I have something against the Spanish or feel that because of the fact that they are Spanish, they cant play.
im stating an observation, there have been few successful Spanish players in Serie A, PERIOD. they don't do well. the sample size is small because of this, all that you can play in great teams in your own country talk is bull because you can play in great teams in Holland, yet some of the greatest players in serie a history were dutch, same goes for brazil, and france. And like I said, serie a was IT in the 80s and 90s, the most competitive league and where the money was, so if you were good enough, that's what you strived for.
Im pretty sure Nedved is the shit in any country, but that's just an opinion.