The transfer window is finally picking up some speed. We have made an enquiry for a Italian defender, gave green light to Lokonga’s departure and made our no. 1 goal keeper a permanent and we are going to get some free money.
Most exciting of them all is our pursuit of Riccardo Calafiori. Mikel has approved the transfer, the club has present their long term proposal to the player and he is open to join. But there are couple of complications! Bologna wants a hefty 43m GBP (50m euros). Riccardo is on the younger side (22years of age) and that’s a lot of money for a defender who will sit behind Gabriel and Saliba. He has played only one season of top flight football at Bologna, before which he was at Basel for couple of season. You get a very mature, proven defender for that amount. The other complication is that the player had, in the past, shown interest to join West Ham or Chelsea in the future, and the later is interested in the player as well. I mean, Chelsea are interested in every player being sold in the whole world, but they get what they want even after the Russian left. Mudryk is the case in point.
The positives about the players is that he is on the younger side. He joins a pack who has matured in last 2 seasons and he will learn and adapt like Gabriel and Saliba did. He had a very good season at Bologna, helping them qualify for Champions League after 60 years and was one of the best players in the league. He has played really well in the ongoing Euros and played all the games in group stages. Playing in the Italian team at the Euros level is a confirmation in itself that player is good enough.
Verdict? I think it’s only about the money. I feel we would be paying more for a CB defender who have Gabriel and Saliba ahead of him in pecking order; but, then we had shelled 50 odd millions for a CB earlier who plays at the right back, so yeah.
Sambi never looked promising enough to break into the team. He did get a few games to prove himself and even played couple of good games but that isn’t enough for a team that is fighting and going to fight for the title. He had to leave, Sevilla was interested for which the player gave a green light and the clubs are negotiating on the fees. If Sevilla has a bag full of 15m, take that and run.
This one isn’t particularly exciting, not anymore. Everyone knew David Raya’s loan move would be made permanent, and we have done that finally. We have activated the buy option and Brentford are going to receive 27m GBP.
The club hasn’t announced it yet officially but it’s a done deal. Raya has proved his worth, he kept the most clean sheets in the league even when it was the Ramsdale who played the initial few games for the club. This is just going to make life difficult for the Englishman.
Remember we sold Omari Hutchinson coule years back to Chelsea? Well, they are selling him to Ipswich Town for 22m and we had a sell-on clause in that deal. We would get about 4m from there.
Frankly, I have no idea how Chelsea can sell a player who played half a game for them in 2022-23 season and was on loan for the previous one. On the other hand, we will get half that money for Tavares and Lokonga if we are lucky.
Right, so 27m outgoing for 4m incoming as things stand. If we win the race for Riccardo, we would have to go on a sell spree because we still need to address the midfield and the striker situation. A RB back up as well.
Short one today, let me know in the comments what you think about these.
KP-I would imagine that ten Hag has quite a bit of leverage nowadays due to the manner in which they treated him at season’s end then, after an exhaustive search, decided to run it back…he finagled a substantial raise, plus some more input on personnel decisions, as United would have suffered a PR fucking nightmare of epic proportions if he had rebuffed their renewed interest
I read in the Mirror that ‘Arry Kane’ said he would swap everything he’s done in his career for a win tonight.
Then I asked myself what has the king Spud done/won? All I could think of, as I was I was choking on my morning coffee laughing, was a golden boot and runners up medals maybe.
Our England talisman has won nothing of note in his career playing for a loser club.
I thought that just about sums up Southgate and England football.
Let’s hope we can pull a miracle off tonight but too late for me at 2am ko.
I have only watched some of England’s first half against Xhaka united, but read Spain are the form team.
We have the players, as Arsenal does, it’s the managers that let us down repeatedly.
I hope Southgate gets it right this time……
Anyone have thoughts about the game? I think Spain wins 3:1.
Which probably means with my predictions always going south that England will win……..
Ambarish
Looks like I have to keep adding my details to post even when saved.
Ambarish
Sorry it seems to be ok now. When I looked at earlier comments the details would disappear. Now it looks ok, Thanks.
Tony
Let me put it this way – I’ll be watching more in hope than expectation tonight.
Saka bypassed spinning top Cucurela with a neat pass which Stones could not properly cross.
Saka showing spinning top Cucurela is just a cucumber to be sliced
Sorry Walker, not Stones
Tentative football both sides
looks like Southgate reached out to our little Spanish Skipper to pick his brain, tactically-speaking, which is why the football is so dire…even he realizes how much MA despises his own national side, after all they ghosted him for the entirety of his career
talk about a fortuitous situation for England, as no side is better without Rodri in it
it’s kind of funny that even the Spanish coach chose Zubimendi over our supposed first choice midfield option, Merino
Nico’s a far better option than the now 17 year old wunderkind on the other side of the pitch, at least for the foreseeable future…Shaw made that kid look rather pedestrian for the first 45
England down by a goal.
Notable it came after a slick one touch movement, likely rehearsed in the dressing room. Reason intelligent coaches are a better option than conservatives .
Almost there was another by similar movement.
Morata is a Havertz upgrade…let that sink in
Think it’s almost time for Kane to be subbed…can’t imagine Southgate has the onions to do that this earlier though
Time Kane and Mainoo came off
I think I would replace Mainoo with Palmer, then play him more centrally
looks like someone did grow a pair…maybe MA can take some inspiration from this 60th minute subbing by his managerial doppleganger
Jude Bellingham is class apart
I would make Simon play the ball as much as humanly possible then pressure the shit out of him…there’s mistakes to be had in his wonky boots
Goal by Palmer.
RVL should grumble louder so Southgate can react faster
if I was England I would make a concerted push for a second and not just play for extra time
Hoopah–if only another similarly negative manager would heed my in-match advice lol
with Rodri out of the mix they need to high press the shit out of Spain…if they sit back Spain will find a way through this less than defensively-sound side presently on the pitch