If Hazard were available to us, I would snap him up. He's quality, at least peak Ljunberg level, I would say.

Qwiss! wrote:
Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Does that include Messi, since he's one of the ones mentioned?

Messi doesn't play for Real Madrid.

I either didn't know that, or asked because the post you answered to stated Barcelona/Real Madrid.

Claudius wrote:

If Hazard were available to us, I would snap him up. He's quality, at least peak Ljunberg level, I would say.

mentally freddie is lightyears ahead. hazard has him beat in most other departments though

a month later

Don't see why not. Mbappe is only a year and a half older is reportedly only available for near enough world record fees. If Madrid believe he can be a world beater I don't see why thry shouldn't be allowed to take a plunge on him even if he hasn't turned pro yet. It's a risk they're willing to take if he flops and one they will be happy they took if he succeeds.

If your issue with it is some dodgy way of paying for it then fair enough but assuming a fair payoff with no dodgy 3rd party ownership issues robbing the selling club, and if the player is happy to move then it's pretty fair for everyone involved. A huge windfall for a club that probably won't see that kind of money for a long time, a large hike in salary for the player (if he accepts and believes he has a chance of making it), and a potential star for Madrid.

Sure, and the Spanish taxpayer will get to see borderline slave traders in South America living it up on their dime while the world collapses around them.

Was mostly being facetious.

https://www.planete-asm.fr/actualite/21742-youri-tielemans-aurait-signe-a-l-as-monaco.html

Tielemans to Monaco for 23m euros.

Some notes (from a Monaco fan):

-Source is provided by planete-asm, who is closely linked to the club staff and don’t spread rumours
-Info is coming from the player relatives
-Youri Tielemans already signed his contract, a week ago
-Due to the UEFA rules, it wont be official until the market open in France (June 9th)

Shame we didn't get Tielemans, he's going to be Monaco's next big money transfer in the future. At least it looks like Fabinho and/or Bakayoko will be on the move.

what are we actually doing when all these good players are moving around. it reminds me of when Dembele went to Dortmund last year and we were never mentioned in the rumours despite our paucity of emerging talent. what does Dick do all day?

Isn't he supposed to be a shit hot talent? Why let him go for so little? Also you can make it official well before the window opens, you just can't register him.

Yeah, he's a wonderkid. I don't know too much about the making it official thing, a Monaco fan posted that on Reddit. It does make it seem suspicious, maybe it's not wrapped up yet.

Claudius wrote:

what are we actually doing when all these good players are moving around. it reminds me of when Dembele went to Dortmund last year and we were never mentioned in the rumours despite our paucity of emerging talent. what does Dick do all day?

internal issues distracting us?
AW has said previously that his first priority is to always retain the current players and then to look to replace any departures internally before looking at the market for further signings as needed and for potential bargains.
Signing Dembele was probably seen as taking playing time away from Iwobi / Ox / Walcott & blocking the likes of Rienne-Adelaide & Willock,
but doesn't explain why we didn't go after Moussa ahead of him signing with Celtic after we'd been linked to him at Fulham.

Nolito being sold by City to Betis for 3.5m. What a terrible flop he is. Aspas II.

Some players are just more suited to La Liga.

He opened really strongly but has barely played since November.

I'm not sue he would have done a lot better in Spain this season, mind. He was never that brilliant to begin with and Celta have struggled collectively after overperforming last year.

AC Milan have apparently agreed to sign centerback Mateo Musacchio from Villareal, midfielder Frank Kessie from Atalanta and leftback Ricardo Rodriguez from Wolfsburg.

Good show of intent by the new Chinese owners if true.

Kessie has been one of the breakthrough players this season.

Yes, let's hope they add Ozil to that list for a good (to us) price.