HOUSEBOAT - Warning: tenuous links ahead!: Page 505 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

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MistaT

jones wrote:
goon wrote:
Why on earth did Atletico pay so much for him in the first place? I know he was highly rated but that feels like they just paid the first figure that popped into Benfica's head.

Obviously because it was his release clause. No wonder Willie asks how long you've been following football 😆

They didn’t actually trigger his release clause. Atletico ended up paying slightly more than it Because they wanted a smaller upfront fee followed by a lengthier payment schedule. My understanding is released clauses have to be paid all upfront.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48859847

jones

Yeah I looked it up and they actually found an agreement with Benfica. They agreed to sell him and to allow Atletico to pay in instalments under the condition they receive the full 120m fee that's his release clause. Benfica's website states Atletico ended up paying 120m for the player, 6m in fees for some financial service provider in London plus 12m in some solidarity tax with smaller clubs which they wouldn't have had to pay extra had they triggered the clause 😆

Ricky1985

Atletico were flush with a similar amount of money from Barcelona's laughbaly stupid signing of Antoine Greizmann.

MistaT

Still an odd transfer to me.

Never seemed like a player Simeone would get the most out of, or adapt his approach to work in.

He'd be unplayable under the likes of Ancelotti, Wenger, Gasperini, etc. Hope we get to see that level from him someday because he certainly has the talent and seemingly the drive.

Clrnc

The same Griezmann that has been wishlisted by many back in those days? And won France the world cup.

Ricky1985

That was a terrible signing from the moment it was first mooted. I certainly thought so, and I'm sure many here did.

lorddulaarsenal

I called Griezmann out very early on.

Little bloke who thinks he’s David Beckham

Anzac

MistaT wrote:
Still an odd transfer to me.

Never seemed like a player Simeone would get the most out of, or adapt his approach to work in.

He'd be unplayable under the likes of Ancelotti, Wenger, Gasperini, etc. Hope we get to see that level from him someday because he certainly has the talent and seemingly the drive.

Also think he'd fit the pseudo Messi type role at both MC and Barca.

Ricky1985

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
I called Griezmann out very early on.

Little bloke who thinks he’s David Beckham

You did. I don't think he is a bad player, it was just a very poor signing for Barca at that time given the make-up of their attack - I think representative of their lack of any idea when it came to team building (a great coach with a clear vision of what he wants to build is imperative, even if the recruitment department is solid gold). And I do think even at his best, Griezmann was a couple of tiers down from the best attackers around.

Qwiss

Of course Griezman isn't a bad player, he's been a world class player for most of his career but you are spot on about him being a bad fit for Barca. They make the dumbest transfers.

Ricky1985

I know he's a bit weak and has been a bit flakey at Atletico, but what a joy it would be to watch him playing the Lacazette role. I'm in love with his techncial ability.

Pepe LeFrits

Wouldn't object to him and a more traditional 9 coming in. Could play with or instead of the 9

Ricky1985

That's what I'm hoping we might see. A solid, cheaper 9 as a option, with Felix potentially shifting to 10 or off the left when we want to play that way.

God, we could be so good next season! 🙂

Big Willie

Ricky1985 wrote:

I know he's a bit weak and has been a bit flakey at Atletico, but what a joy it would be to watch him playing the Lacazette role. I'm in love with his techncial ability.

That video doesn't impress me like I thought it would based on what I remember from him in that season when he first came on the scene. Feels like oaying 100m for him now would be an even bigger risk than it was at the time.

Ricky1985

He's more potential right now. I'm not sure how much muscle he can had to his frame, but I think that could really unlock his potential. He's freakishly good technically, and when he starts to gain more experience he'll become a better playmaker too.

I don't really care what we pay for him tbh, provided we can still get the right CM in. Maybe we can do a swap deal with Pépé? He was probably about the same percentage overpriced!

Klaus

Felix is an incredible talent and we have to try to sign guys like that if we can. It could end in tears but they're everything football should be about. Bloke's one of a handful of beautiful players in a game that just gets more ugly and boring with each new generation. The fact that a football terrorist like Simeone managed to get his hands on him has been grinding my gears for years.

QuincyAbeyie

I think 100m would probably improve the team more if spent differently, but he is a very exciting player.

Ricky1985

Klaus wrote:
Felix is an incredible talent and we have to try to sign guys like that if we can. It could end in tears but they're everything football should be about. Bloke's one of a handful of beautiful players in a game that just gets more ugly and boring with each new generation. The fact that a football terrorist like Simeone managed to get his hands on him has been grinding my gears for years.

That's alright, in the long-run he'll be a better player for Arsenal for coming through the school of Simeone!

I agree 100%. He's an absolute delight to watch, and I'd happily gamble big on him. Can you inagine him linking with Ødegaard, Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli - absolutely mouthwatering!

Klaus

It would be fantastic. We could probably play a pretty good 4-4-2 with him and Martinelli up front in the future. Hopefully these hateful 4-3-3-but-in-reality-more-like-5-3-2 systems will die out over the next few years. Nobody's going to miss them except a weeping Guardiola.

goon

Klaus wrote:
Felix is an incredible talent and we have to try to sign guys like that if we can. It could end in tears but they're everything football should be about.

Yeah this is where I sit.

The timing is right for a risk too. The fact that we have a good young squad with a limited number of areas that need addressing mitigates some of the danger associated with spending big on this type of player.

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