Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

Barca also spent 300 millions on dembele and Coutinho, that's idiotic. Can you imagine Madrid making those deals, we would be laughed out of the room in every footy conversations.

Anyway I disagree with the initial premise from Sports, I think JAS and Calafat have a strong grasp of what the transfer market is today, little evidence to suggest otherwise.

They'll get 70 mil back for Dembele...  and 50 for Coutinho.

Point is that that they go for it.  Reason Dembele and Coutinho aren't working out is because they have to compete with Suarez, Neymar and now Griezmann. They don't fuck around if a players is playing like shit like we do. You put up or shut up.

Barca pay the price to get really good players in the fold with the understanding that some of them will drop off due to competition.

Same thing is happening with their CB situation.  Umtiti has had injury problems.... but they had Lenglet.  So for Umtiti to return to his spot, he needs to play better than another really good CB.

Midfield... same.  You have Busquet, Rakitic, De Jong, Vidal, Arthur and Alena.  Well, only 3 can play.  There's going to be 3 unhappy players.  That's fine.

Barca have elite ambition combined with elite execution right now... we're playing the hope game.  That's the huge difference.

And btw, spending 200 mil euros on unproven kids is far more risky to me than spending more and proven ones.

and I'll repeat thimmy's point on another thread....  we keep failing on transfers and our problems accumulate.  So the number of problems we're faced with fixing every transfer window is becoming more overwhelming and unmanageable every cycle.

Our transfer policy has been a joke for years.  Modric, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale, Di Maria, Ozil...  basically all the key components to our recent CL success... came from transfer policies long past.  We've only netted Casemiro, Carvajal and Kroos from the past 5 years.  That's it.  They're nice role players...  but we haven't signed a player that could compete for becoming a leading piece until Hazard.  And ZZ had to beg for him...

Did we strike out? Sure did. Kaka, Danilo and Coentrao for example. But if we weren't in that mode, we never would have signed Ronaldo, Di Maria and Ozil. Like Barca (and it pains me to say this), we have to take risks with big signings knowing full well that only half of them will pan out. That's what elite clubs do. Every big club has a skeleton closet that's full... but that's ok.

No they made bad decisions and they are now looking for a way out. Those were terrible transfers, which just served to inflate the market further.

Ah I see today is criticize Madrid transfer policy day? After it generated 4 CLs but who cares right? Have at it then, a little bit of transition is sure unbearable

I've aways supported the notion that we had a need for new players. Where would they come from though? Each time I see this spouted there's never examples of realistic targets we could've acquired.

There was never a player that was feasible in this market, which had always been the problem. And saying Zidane had to beg for Hazard is wild. If anything Zidane is hindering any sort of transfer strategy because he's hellbent on Pogba, who's not a better player than the alternative from Tottenham, who doesn't need to be catered to every day to show passion and effort for his team.

The Demon of Carthage wrote:I don't know about that, Thimmy. Ter Stegen and Umtiti were two masterstrokes.

If I had to put a label on their scouting department, I would probably choose hit-and-miss. But there's no denying that their willingness to sign established players far exceeds ours and it shows through their transfers.

Also, I think sports makes a pretty good point. It seems to me that Madrid still haven't fully grasped the fact that the market has changed a lot and that you have to go with it if you want to get the best. Barça, on the other hand, wasted no time understanding that and making the transition.

Barca sign a lot more players than we do. Replacing the tiki-taka generation of players was never going to be an easy task, but they've certainly tried. Ter Stegen was a rare, good signing from outside of Spain. The list of failed, foreign signings they've made is almost endless, and ranges from Keirrison, chygrynskij, Alex Song and Vermaelen to Douglas, Yerry Mina and Malcom - just off the top of my head. They've been in the business of missing the mark when signing non-established names for as long as I can remember, and I haven't even mentioned the established names that failed to settle down for whatever reason, like Petit, Overmars, and more recently, Zlatan. We've had quite a lot of underwhelming, Spanish signings, but it's somewhat understandable considering how necessary it is to have a certain number of Spanish players on the team.

Overall, I have absolutely no doubt that we've done the better, foreign, talent scouting over the past two decades. Which is great, but kind of a wasted benefit when we either opt to go into a conservative bidding war for the proven performers, or simply don't want to sign anyone who's not a Spanish youngster. Barca may not be very good at scouting foreign talent, but at least they try.

Freeza wrote:I've aways supported the notion that we had a need for new players. Where would they come from though? Each time I see this spouted there's never examples of realistic targets we could've acquired.

There was never a player that was feasible in this market, which had always been the problem. And saying Zidane had to beg for Hazard is wild. If anything Zidane is hindering any sort of transfer strategy because he's hellbent on Pogba, who's not a better player than the alternative from Tottenham, who doesn't need to be catered to every day to show passion and effort for his team.

Dude... he also asked for Ndombele but we were too slow (we weren't going to spend 80 mil on him without selling and Lyon didn't want to wait).

Same thing is going on with Pogba... we won't buy unless we sell.

We're only able to overpay for kids like we have with Rodrygo, Vinicius, etc. hoping that one of them pan out. What drives me crazy is that, if we had combined the money that we paid for Vinicius, Rodrygo and Militao.... that's over 100 mil. That get you a WC player NOW. What the fuck have we become lol.

Freeza wrote:I've aways supported the notion that we had a need for new players. Where would they come from though? Each time I see this spouted there's never examples of realistic targets we could've acquired.

There was never a player that was feasible in this market, which had always been the problem. And saying Zidane had to beg for Hazard is wild. If anything Zidane is hindering any sort of transfer strategy because he's hellbent on Pogba, who's not a better player than the alternative from Tottenham, who doesn't need to be catered to every day to show passion and effort for his team.

yeah Zidane made it clear he absolutely wants Pogba. I want him to get the players he thinks will make a difference for us. he is the coach and he has earned the right to build his team.

The concern is really just the goal scoring, lack of quality right winger. I saw Sancho relying Bayern from the right wing and then I remembered we have Lucas Vasquez there

I'll add that, if ZZ hadn't pushed for Hazard, we'd be waiting for the Neymar signing...  and we wouldn't want to pay 300 mil.  So we'd have nothing right now.

Not that I wouldn't LOVE Neymar.... but i also know we would be stuck on the pricetag and likely not pay it.  That's my point.

It's great to say you want this that and the other... but it means nothing if you're not willing to pay market prices. That's my big criticism.

At least Bayern is honest with itself and the fans.

Mr Nick09 wrote:

The concern is really just the goal scoring, lack of quality right winger. I saw Sancho relying Bayern from the right wing and then I remembered we have Lucas Vasquez there

As much as I love Carvajal, he's looked like a shadow of himself since his heart complication. I really can't imagine Odriozola being a future starter, either. Our RB is a weak spot. The concern definitely isn't just goalscoring. I've only watched our preseason matches sporadically, but it didn't exactly look like our forwards were swimming in chances. I looked forward to seeing Jovic perform, but from what I could tell, the ball hardly ever reached him. I think it's safe to say that Modric is no longer the untouchable starter he once was, and our midfield depth is a bunch of AMs. I'm guessing you didn't include CM, since you've been insisting all summer that Pogba is a done deal, but time is really running out at this point.

Achraf is coming next summer if Zidane could have brought him back this summer he would have

sportsczy wrote:I'll add that, if ZZ hadn't pushed for Hazard, we'd be waiting for the Neymar signing...  and we wouldn't want to pay 300 mil.  So we'd have nothing right now.

Not that I wouldn't LOVE Neymar.... but i also know we would be stuck on the pricetag and likely not pay it.  That's my point.

It's great to say you want this that and the other... but it means nothing if you're not willing to pay market prices. That's my big criticism.

At least Bayern is honest with itself and the fans.

Hazard coming to Madrid now has absolutely NOTHING to do with Zidane. Sure he recommended him years ago and no doubt is happy he is now here, but that deal was well in the works before Zidane decided to come back!!!!!

Thimmy wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:

The concern is really just the goal scoring, lack of quality right winger. I saw Sancho relying Bayern from the right wing and then I remembered we have Lucas Vasquez there

As much as I love Carvajal, he's looked like a shadow of himself since his heart complication. I really can't imagine Odriozola being a future starter, either. Our RB is a weak spot. The concern definitely isn't just goalscoring. I've only watched our preseason matches sporadically, but it didn't exactly look like our forwards were swimming in chances. I looked forward to seeing Jovic perform, but from what I could tell, the ball hardly ever reached him. I think it's safe to say that Modric is no longer the untouchable starter he once was, and our midfield depth is a bunch of AMs. I'm guessing you didn't include CM, since you've been insisting all summer that Pogba is a done deal, but time is really running out at this point.

most of this is on Zidane not Flo. He is the one that is insisting that he can get players to regain form and doesn't want to let existing starters go!!!

futbol_bill wrote:

sportsczy wrote:I'll add that, if ZZ hadn't pushed for Hazard, we'd be waiting for the Neymar signing...  and we wouldn't want to pay 300 mil.  So we'd have nothing right now.

Not that I wouldn't LOVE Neymar.... but i also know we would be stuck on the pricetag and likely not pay it.  That's my point.

It's great to say you want this that and the other...  but it means nothing if you're not willing to pay market prices.  That's my big criticism.

At least Bayern is honest with itself and the fans.

Hazard coming to Madrid now has absolutely NOTHING to do with Zidane. Sure he recommended him years ago and no doubt is happy he is now here, but that deal was well in the works before Zidane decided to come back!!!!!

this is true, the process started last summer after the world Cup, that's when we really started talking to his dad to figure out how to get him out of Chelsea

In theory we could follow the same gameplan for Pogba but Zidane has no patiente.

It started before the last WC...  it started when Zidane was managing Real Madrid for Hazard.  The worry was that once ZZ left, Hazard would lose interest.  But that didn't happen. He publicly expressed his interest when he did because, otherwise, everyone would harass him about his contract extension. Hazard made the statement so that the media would leave him alone.

In fact, here's an article dated 2017:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/11/10/eden-hazard-playing-zinedine-zidane-would-dream-idol/

Eden Hazard: 'Playing under Zinedine Zidane would be a dream. He is my idol'

Well we are Real Madrid, not a shock players want to be in Madrid regardless of who the coach is

I just hope he gets his fat ass into shape...  giving him a free pass for the preseason (he's been horrible).  But Hazard better step up and take responsibility.

Benzema being our main (and only so far) scoring threat is not a recipe for success. Need Hazard to get his share.

The deal for Hazard started way before. Back in 2006 when Zidane was playing for Madrid and thinking about retirement he contacted the Hazard family. Knowing that Eden would one day be a great player, he asked them to send him to Madrid in 2019. It was at that time that he planted the seeds for Ronaldo and Modric too, it's all on Zidane.

rincon wrote:The deal for Hazard started way before. Back in 2006 when Zidane was playing for Madrid and thinking about retirement he contacted the Hazard family. Knowing that Eden would one day be a great player, he asked them to send him to Madrid in 2019. It was at that time that he planted the seeds for Ronaldo and Modric too, it's all on Zidane.

Zidane is actually.... HAZARD'S FATHER

Might as well say Zidane was the brainchild behind Santiago Bernabeu one time

Zidane also planted the seeds for Bale. I will never forget that interview he gave before we signed Bale calling him world class and a wonderful signing for Madrid. He was doing his pal Perez a favor publically endorsing Bale... Now he is trying to get rid of him

We have had good players come in and do a job last season. Vinicius, Ceballos, Llorente, regui, etc. we reward their efforts by playing modric and marcelo as starters again.

All young and good talents that would probably have had a breakthrough season this season.

Zidane is sticking with his boys and not making the tough decisions. That’s the problem. Fuck names. You play good, you stay. This is Real Madrid.

sportsczy wrote:and I'll repeat thimmy's point on another thread....  we keep failing on transfers and our problems accumulate.  So the number of problems we're faced with fixing every transfer window is becoming more overwhelming and unmanageable every cycle.

Our transfer policy has been a joke for years.  Modric, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale, Di Maria, Ozil...  basically all the key components to our recent CL success... came from transfer policies long past.  We've only netted Casemiro, Carvajal and Kroos from the past 5 years.  That's it.  They're nice role players...  but we haven't signed a player that could compete for becoming a leading piece until Hazard.  And ZZ had to beg for him...

Did we strike out? Sure did. Kaka, Danilo and Coentrao for example. But if we weren't in that mode, we never would have signed Ronaldo, Di Maria and Ozil. Like Barca (and it pains me to say this), we have to take risks with big signings knowing full well that only half of them will pan out. That's what elite clubs do. Every big club has a skeleton closet that's full... but that's ok.

I usually agree with you, but this post had to be one of the dumbest posts I have seen on this forum.

I mean I get it, you are butthurt Pogba ain't coming, but how dare you say that our transfer policy in the past 5 years is a failure?

We found unproven talent in Varane, Casemiro, Carvajal, Vinicius, Asensio and turned them into gem.

You are praising Barcelona for signing, "Proven" talent like Countinho and Dembele? How did that $300 Million investment turn out? They want to sell both, and won't get more than a $100 Million, if Lucky.

Horrible post all over...

Sports you are the type who will sign the Kaka's and Torres's of the world, and waste your club's $$...

No thanks

Neymar on loan? FFS need a change of pants