Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

I don't know how many times we've gone "after him"... but there's little doubt we've been continuously interested since his Dortmund days when he scored 4 against us.

He's great. I'd love him here.

"interested" doesn't equate to being "obsessed". we were also "interested" in auba if we go by AS and marca's commentary.

We were interested in Auba (according to his agent anyhow), hence his in-season appearances at the Bernabeu. Once BvB asked for 100+ mil 2 years ago, that interest went away lol.

sportsczy wrote:We were interested in Auba (according to his agent anyhow), hence his in-season appearances at the Bernabeu. Once BvB asked for 100+ mil 2 years ago, that interest went away lol.

that part is very important.

According to Lucas Biglia's agent, we have been interested in signing him multiple times, suuuuure... lol

these agents make things up all the time.

i would agree to a certain extent that we were interested in signing Lewandowski, but as it's well reported, we came too late, he was already committed to Bayern. After that, knowing our relationship with Bayern, i doubt we even bothered lol

Kepa over Donnarumma though?

If we even have the slightest chance of signing Donna we should, he is head and shoulders above Kepa already and 4 years younger.

Anything is better than Navas atm. He makes more drops than prime Robert Green.

Rumours are they still are interested in De Gea, but are also looking at alternatives i.e. Kepa and Donnarumma.

It's interesting all these rumours crop up everytime Navas makes a blunder.

Reality is the Navas is much older than the alternatives and change would have already been made if Man U hadn't put the ridiculous price tag on De Gea.

But we should just relax because much like the striker situation, we have to go with what we have.

As to these rumours, a lot can happen in next 9 months.

Agreed with bill, the rumors only flare up when Navas makes a blunder, luckily they are pretty few and far between. IMO Navas has secured his spot for this season, so I don't see much point in discussing replacements this year.

Like you said a lot can happen in 9 months, so let's see what happens. On the other hand Navas is getting older and since I feel the De Gea ship sailed when the fax machine broke, the next best option is Donnarumma next summer.

I have heard talk that there is a chance Navas could take a back seat to whomever comes in summer and continue being a huge locker room presence like Dudek. I wonder if he would be happy with that role.

Donnarumma? would rather not get involved with anything of Raiola. Kepa interests me more. Spanish, and not a twat like De Gea whom I've never liked in the first place.

and word is we can get kepa on the free or close to it. the answer is obvious.

I wouldn't deny class talent in spite of their agent. If that was the case we wouldn't have Ronaldo, and half our squad to be honest.

Griezmann has a release clause of 100 mil who is taking bets that he is a Madrid player next summer? In this crazy inflated market, it's too good to pass.

Griezmann already said that he's open to any club other than Real Madrid because "it would be too complicated".  That can change of course.  But I do think he's destined for Man U.

Like Mbappe was bound to Madrid? Lol

I am just saying 100 mil for a player his level is bargain on this market.

Well Mbappe is not here because of Madrid, not Mbappe.

The thing with Girezmann and Man U is that their personnel and style fit him better.  He has a targetman in Lukaku that he can use as an anchor.  He's also best friends with Pogba.  He would be the attacking star without a doubt.  At Madrid, how would we use him?  As second fiddle to Ronaldo?  I don't think he really wants that.

The wild card is that he loves Spain, his significant other is Spanish... and the city of Manchester is not a destination.

The other wild card is that PSG make a move for him next summer as a replacement for Cavani and move Mbappe central.

From the Basque Country to Madrid to Manchester. A gradual decline in destination (according to some, not me obviously). Well, we already broke "the pact" when we signed Theo so whose to say we won't throw a line there. Not sure exactly where he'll play but I'm sure Zidane would find a way to bench him for Benzema.

could you imagine

Never thought I'd reach the point where i can't stand Benzema anymore. It's utterly disgusting that he goes missing going over a year now and, somehow, his position isn't challenged. I understood not picking Morata over him. But selling Morata and then getting nobody is unfathomable... I really think there's some kind of clandestine shenanigans going on here.

vanDEEZ wrote:I wouldn't deny class talent in spite of their agent. If that was the case we wouldn't have Ronaldo, and half our squad to be honest.

It's not our choice to make. Raiola annoyed Flo yet again with donnarumma resolving his future. I don't think flo will do business with that man for a long time.

Plus plus you're ignoring the fact that Real madrid does not pay money for goalkeepers. Friendly reminder that we actually had the chance to bring de Gea to Real Madrid.
And we decided against signing him. Reason: cost. No point paying mad cash when we don't even need him as we got keylor. When we were first interested in de Gea, it was when he had one year left on his contract. Fax incident occurred, de Gea for w/e stupid reason renewed his contract with manutd. For me our serious interest in him died with that renewal.

We were only after donnarumma because there was a chance we could get him on a free. If donnarumma had ambitions to come here, he unknowingly smashed his own ambitions to pieces committing to Milan. With that release clause of upto 80m so the rumor goes, no way we pay that money.

And now we're linked to kepa who btw may be available on a FREE. Do you not see the pattern here? We've been trying to be cheapskates with regards to the keeper spot. And from the looks of things, flo is continuing the policy with regards to the gk spot.

I'm not saying that I want kepa, I'm just saying kepa is most likely the gk we will get assuming kepa is interested and isn't a stupid idiot like de Gea is.

Turok;, De Gea and Donnarumma were forced to renew contracts with a little push in both cases from their agents (the two ugliest ones out there) and assurances (by agent) that there would be a reasonable release clause to go to Madrid later.

Next season, De Gea's contract is closer to expiring and thus we can expect a lower cost. De Gea still wants to come, Madrid as far as I can tell are still interested if price is right and it's been said that Mou has his replacement lined up. So it is possible, but again a lot can happen in 9 months. As to Kepa, Bilbao never does business with us. As to free, we thought we had a chance with both Llorente and Javi Martinez, but as I said they don't deal with us. These are just two examples of recent past, but it's been going on forever. They have this view that they own all Basque players and they should never leave the promised land. If they do, it's to a foreign country and they make the player pay the price for disloyalty.

AND @Doc, it's one thing to break a pact with Atletico for a player they have lent out and had no intention of him on 1st team this year and yet another case to go after their front line player. Flo needs to keep relationships with the other teams!!!

sportsczy wrote:could you imagine  

Never thought I'd reach the point where i can't stand Benzema anymore.  It's utterly disgusting that he goes missing going over a year now and, somehow, his position isn't challenged.  I understood not picking Morata over him.  But selling Morata and then getting nobody is unfathomable... I really think there's some kind of clandestine shenanigans going on here.

Yeah it is no longer fun to do the Benzema arguments for me as he actually is pretty bad nowadays. Before, his numbers would pretty much defend itself but his decline to whatever this version of him is is kinda shitty and not even worth the banter.

Why this club who, btw, posted huge revenues not too long ago, could not even warrant to replace Morata is beyond me. Ok fine, Mbappe didn't work out as Madrid doesn't want to pay him those wages. So we just shrug our shoulders and hope Benzema (injury prone and lacking form), Bale (injury and lacking form) and Mayoral (not good enough) come good?

I still think the squad is very much good enough to challenge all fronts but logic does dictate to replace Morata with equal or greater value.

@Bill
Yeah, I understand that and always like to see Madrid try to maintain a "good" relationship with the rest of La Liga (they all need one another). But I doubt Atletico sees it any other way than Madrid breaking the pact. In any case, just throwing another suggestion, kinda doubt we would even look at Griezmann.

Benzema's press conference was a disgrace

What's up with this hope that Bale somehow gets better. I mean wtf. What if he does? He'll just get injured again anyhow so what's the point.

We can't score goals. That's why we're dropping points left and right. It had nothing to do with defense or the midfield as both have played mostly very well.

Asensio and Isco aren't the answer either since they can't score too (they're more creators anyhow, so not a criticism).

We need a reliable second scorer next to CR. It's freakin that simple. Doesn't need to be a superstar either... just f-in reliable to hit the target and make most tap ins.

sportsczy wrote:What's up with this hope that Bale somehow gets better. I mean wtf. What if he does? He'll just get injured again anyhow so what's the point.

We can't score goals. That's why we're dropping points left and right. It had nothing to do with defense or the midfield as both have played mostly very well.

Asensio and Isco aren't the answer either since they can't score too (they're more creators anyhow, so not a criticism).

We need a reliable second scorer next to CR. It's freakin that simple. Doesn't need to be a superstar either... just f-in reliable to hit the target and make most tap ins.

Sounds like you now are saying we need Morata!!!

It is what it is, as you or someone has said, we have to go with what we have which means Benz, Bale, Mayoral at least until January. It was suggested in another thread that someone from what you termed as minor leagues would do, but you have said we have to be weary of stats from those leagues!! At this point, it is as you said, it doesn't have to be a superstar, but before we can make any move for another scorer, your man Zidane has to recognize the problem and thus far he has done anything but!

Morata's movements aren't good.  Being clever with how you move and read the play are critical when playing next to CR.  Morata is doing well at Chelsea because he can pretty much make whatever runs he likes as the sole striker... remains to be seen if he sustains it and what will happen once the EPL figure out that he literally does 2 things.  His skillset would never work as a second striker who is supposed to play off of the #1 central one (CR).  Just doesn't have the skillset.  Only in his worst day (now), can you say Benzema is less of a player than Morata... and that's only because he currently can't finish.  If Benz just scores normally, he's a much better footballer.

But this is neither here nor there. We would be better with Morata backing up Benz as opposed to NOBODY. That's my point.

Didn't he play well along side Telvez?

You and I are never going to agree on this. Let's check back in another year and compare notes!

As stated before we have no choice but to go with Benz, Bale and Mayoral until January. Our only hope is to dump Mayoral and get someone else in January. Next summer, we definitely need to dump the other two and bring in not only a starter but a competent backup as well. However we will only be able to make these moves when your man Zidane acknowledges the problem!