Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

I just read in marca (altas y bajas) that Madrid has interest in Mariano. I assume as a backup. Does anyone know the details of the deal that sent him to France. I know it was a sale, but was there any buyback option?

IMO, if we do get a new starter (and manage to shed NUEVE), the reacquisition makes more sense than other canteras.

No buyback. Lyon has no intention of selling. Mariano has no intention of leaving. It's fake news all the way around.

That's no longer true Hala... and Lyon won't sell because they don't have depth at cf. They're not going to jeopardize their season this late in the transfer window unless we massively overpay. They'd have to overpay too for a replacement.

With Llorente, Ceballos, and Isco we should have enough to cover what Kovacic offers as a bench player if he does leave. As for Ceballos i want to see more of his work as a deeper lying CM and his long passing/distribution, he still leaves many doubts in me.

Ceballos and Kovacic are so different as players i dont see how one substitutes the other. Kovacic was to offer quality as a deep lying midfielder to both control the game and in working to bring the ball out of the back because of his ability to dribble and to hold pressure in tight spaces; not to mention his tactical versatility that allows him to in a double pivot and to be a reliable defensive player.

Ceballos offers none of that. he likes to play in more advanced positions on the pitch, he likes to dribble and his passing isnt really tested in a context where he has to spread the ball around to get the game moving. Not just that, but the way Ceballos understands and plays football has nothing to do with the job of a CM/controller. you can play him in a 3 man midfield as an interior left or right, but never in a double pivot. Not to mention that his defensive aptitudes have not been tested at the highest level like Kovacic.

Im not even gonna talk about Llorente because he as well, is a completely different animal.

I would say that we do not have a natural replacement for Kovacic in the team, technically and tactically. Do we need a 1 for 1 replacement? i would argue that we do.

They have said over and over that if Kovacic leaves they bring in a replacement such as Thiago!

halamadrid2 wrote:Kovacic could never control a midfield. His footballing know how isn't up to scratch. He is far too lazy to play as a DLP and his range of passing leaves alot to be desired most of which are sideways. His runs from deep amount to nothing as his automatic trajectory is diagonal rather than vertical taking him to the wings passing the closest person to him. Copa was the perfect time for him to show how much he'd grown and he couldn't control anything leaving the "controlling" to Ceballos who'd been with us for 3 nonths. The only quality we will miss is his speed, all our midfielders are slow but in terms of midfield quality we won't miss him

Not to mention that Kovacic will have immense problems with the one touch philosophy of Lopetequi.

I think ultimately Kovacic missed his chance to show more quality but at the same time it's not easy for midfielders to play patches of games here and there and to look dominant.

Yet what i described above is what differentiate Ceballos and Kovacic because they are too different. The concern here i not having a player like Modric off the bench who would produce similar quality to play from deep and to drive the ball forward from the back, while controlling the game.

It's a tough ask because no one does it as well. I know we had been scouting Paredes for a while and i always wondered if it was for this situation. THere is also Ruben neves who played with Lopetegui at porto when he was like 17-18.

@bill, Thiago is too good to come to madrid and to play off the bench. I dont see that happening.

Not to mention Bayern dont seem like they want to gut their team and sell their key players. You dont replace a player like Thiago easily, so i can't imagine them just allowing him to walk, it doesnt make sense

I’m not insisting Thiago will come, rather we will be a MF short and they have stated from beginning if Kova leaves, bring in another. i agree with Hala that we should see what Ceballos can do, but I also agree he is not Modric.

I also agree re Kovacic, he’s not a bad player, but his style of reckless trots forward are not conductive to Lopetequi style, much like Theo will be a misfit with these tactics. I think at end of day, Odriozola or Carvajal will play on left when necessary.

what happened to the spanish LB? even if Theo lives, who is that LB that fits Lopetegui's style.

ps: please dont mention Marcos Alonso lol, he is not a left back

There is none. Alba - no thanks, Monreal - too old and limited, Alonso - I agree with you, Azpili - acceptable, but naturally right, and these days much like Nacho, more CB.

I might add that Nacho was quite impressive as a lateral for NT. It was on right and he is naturally left.
I would be ok if he eventually replaced Marcelo!

I can also add that I have an impressive primo (17 year old) lateral with Real Oviedo, but as I’m his agent, I’ll refrain from mentioning him further!

I still haven't heard anything about Theo leaving, but here are some options that haven't already been discussed:

Grimaldo, Aaron Martin, Toni Lato, Gaya

This is just for backup LB, so I'm not too bothered.

We have been rumored with Aaron Martin in the past I believe.

Marcelo was never a great athlete and i think he is struggling more and more come the end of the season. Look at his game vs Bayern, he was frankly embarrassing. For all the positive things he does going forward, i fear that he faces someone like Mbappe and gets rekt.

So to me, it's just not a back up role. Fullback is just too important a position in the modern game and marcelo is no CR, he definitely doesnt look like the type who cares about his body as much.

Again, this is a transitional year. Theo goes out on loan ( or not) as per rumours and given lateness in market, Marcelo is king and backup is Nacho / Odriozola or Carvajal.

There is no mystery here!

Nacho should be the third option to start at LB or RB. he should only play there if we have emergencies. And i have never seen Carjaval play on the left, let alone Odriozola. Why would you even want that type of risk?

Theo is staying and backing up Marcelo if anything.

Odriozola has never played LB any time I sat down and watched a La Real match (which was a decent to good amount). I have never seen Dani play LB either. We loan out Theo or sell him outright and we'll be short a LB. I do hope the club uses a bit of sense with that one.

Theo can improve, he is 20, defenders take time to actually get really good at their role (unless you're Maldini, Nesta, Bergomi, der Kaiser and their ilk). Do we not remember the train wreck that was Marcelo at 20?

Both Theo and Kovacic exhibited traits last year, i.e. reckless forward motion that usually ended up with loss of possession plus crosses with no direction to anyone in particular, that were not conductive to tactics Lopetequi likes to employ. If they can adapt to more direct passes / crosses, more controlled forward motion then possibly they can contribute!

Doc, Arbeloa never played left until he came to Madrid. Defenders can switch fairly easily. I.e. Ramos a RB but plays LCB. azpili, Nacho, etc etc

Versatility is a skill that not everyone can have. So instead of going into the season with a natural back up you want us to try our hand at transforming a RB? that doesnt make sense.

In any case, i think the club keenly understands the importance of doubling positions, and that's why they signed Odriozola. They wont let Theo leave without replacing him, that i am sure of.