Speculation The hysterical and annoying, but traditional, totally unfounded autumn/winter 2017/18 rumours thread

[Lako42]

Another striker who can play as a winger, but can't and wont.

Just a guess like.

 

[bloo]

I reckon it's just one of those stories, and nonsense IMHO.

We don't need another striker, not even on a free. This fella, and no disrespects to him, has hardly set the world alight so far. Indeed, he has somewhat of an inauspicious start to his career. That's not to say he won't come to something but it'd firmly be in the 'punt' category at the moment. I don't see it.

But I have my hat and a salt shaker at the ready.

 

[alex]

Ross Barkley to Chelsea for half the dosh of Drinkwater. Seems odd to me that.

 

[Blaarev]

Ross Barkley to Chelsea for half the dosh of Drinkwater. Seems odd to me that.

His contract expires in the summer.

 

[homer]

Ross Barkley to Chelsea for half the dosh of Drinkwater. Seems odd to me that.

They could wait til the summer and get him for nothing

What is odd is that they want to piss £15 million away right now when he'll hardly play a game

 

[pork pie fox]

They could wait til the summer and get him for nothing

What is odd is that they want to piss £15 million away right now when he'll hardly play a game

Maybe they think there will be more competition to sign him in the Summer, when he's a free agent and are therefore happy to pay the £15m now to avoid that. They may also think that, once under contract, he's worth quite a bit more than £15m and is therefore a good investment.

I agree with you in principle, but I could see reasons why they might do this.

 

[big_mac4824]

If Liverpool have paid 75 million for a CD then surely we should be pricing Mahrez for the same and then Some?

If Man City pay big bucks for Sanchez ( Although they can wait until the Summer imo) then maybe Wenger will bid for Mahrez other than that I just don' see any other clubs who can afford him.

 

[bloo]

Personally, I can only see Arsenal being a possible buyer (in the UK that is) I don't think he'd fit anywhere else...that could afford him anyway. He'd be surplus at Man City, and arguably Utd too (I don't think he's a Mourinho/Utd type player anyway) Chelsea praps if Hazard goes, Spurs wouldn't afford his wages, that leaves Arsenal... anywhere else, Mahrez might as well stay put.

If I was going to take a punt, I'd say somewhere in Italy but, tbh, I reckon he'll stay until summer.

 

[Robin127]

Ross Barkley to Chelsea for half the dosh of Drinkwater. Seems odd to me that.

It helps meet the "Home Grown Player" quota. They are paying 15 million for him, they will get more than that for Loftus-Cheek when they eventually sell him and Barkley will be happy to sit on the bench and trouser the dosh unlike RLC.

 

[SJN-Fox]

From The Merc

Diabate was born in France, but represents Mali internationally, and has played for the African nation’s under-23s.


At Gazelec, Diabate is a team-mate of Gregoire Puel, the eldest son of City manager Claude.

 

[bloo]

Also in The Merc

Diabate’s advisor Yacine Ayad, who also represents City midfielder Papy Mendy, confirmed City’s interest but denied the talks were advanced, as first reported by French media.

So, agent speak?

From his Wikipedia page (so it must be true)...

Diabaté was at the youth academy at Stade Rennais for 7 years before being kicked out, and thereafter joined Stade de Reims.[1] He played for the reserves of En Avant de Guingamp before joining Gazélec Ajaccio on 20 June 2017. He made his professional debut with Gazélec Ajaccio in a 1–1 Ligue 2 tie with Valenciennes FC on 28 July 2017, assisting his side's only goal.

WHY would we be interested? He's been traded on frees, to/from Guingamp reserves... are we looking for players to make up numbers? Seriously, I can't see it.

 

[Miles Away]

Nailed on coutinho replacement I’d have thought.

 

[bloo]

Nailed on coutinho replacement I’d have thought.

Yes, I realised I hadn't mentioned Liverpool. I could see that.

 

[jb5000]

Nailed on coutinho replacement I’d have thought.

I'm not sure that he fits in with the gegenpressing concept, but on the other hand I suppose that he currently plays in a hard pressing side without neccessarily doing too much of that himself. If Coutinho goes for the reported £130-140m though, I'd hope to get at least nine figure fee for him.

 

[Miles Away]

And if not Liverpool it’s the replacement for the coutinho replacement.

 

[SJN-Fox]

Musa on loan to Bursaspor?

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/s...s/leicester-city-negotiate-ahmed-musa-1016843

 

[pork pie fox]

Coutinho to Barca for something like £140m.
Mahrez to Liverpool for something like £60m.
Liverpool sell their best player but bring in two players in exchange who aren’t cup tied in Europe.

That’s my baseless speculation.

Nailed on coutinho replacement I’d have thought.

Yes, I realised I hadn't mentioned Liverpool. I could see that.

See my post from earlier in the week (in the Mahrez thread)

 

[jb5000]

And if not Liverpool it’s the replacement for the coutinho replacement.

That seems more likely to me, especially since Liverpool are reported to have a Monaco player lined up as their first choice replacement

 

[bloo]

So Mahrez to Monaco?

 

[pork pie fox]

That seems more likely to me, especially since Liverpool are reported to have a Monaco player lined up as their first choice replacement

This one?
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...ews/monaco-not-sell-liverpool-target-14114250

Monaco head coach Leonardo Jardim says they have no intention of selling Thomas Lemar to Liverpool during the January window.

The France international has been viewed as a potential replacement if Philippe Coutinho leaves Anfield for Barcelona this month.
Liverpool tried to sign the 22-year-old attacker last summer but couldn’t agree a deal with Monaco and after late interest from Arsenal he ended up staying put.

“Monaco are not in the habit of making big sales in the winter,” Jardim said.

“It’s our strategy. The players understand and they know how it goes here.”

Monaco are currently second in Ligue One and keen to hold on to their top talent until the end of the season.

Jardim’s comments back up the words of vice-president Vadim Vasilyev who in October spoke about Liverpool’s pursuit of Lemar last summer and said they wouldn’t sell him in January.

“Liverpool were really interested,” he said.

“But it was Arsenal that was really close to finalising the deal. At the same time it was just too late, not enough time, to really follow up on this deal.

“Not all the elements of the puzzle fell in place. I’m very happy he stayed with us. For us, we need a player like Thomas Lemar. He’s very important to our team.

“Definitely next summer will be something to look at, although you know in football there are no guarantees. I think it would be fair to say Thomas will have a fair chance to an exit next year.

“January, in football, never say never, but this is not what we’re thinking of, this is really not in our plans. January doesn’t seem like the right time for major changes in the team.”