Their net spend is lower than ours though. Put it this way, if we had sold Alexis for 60m as City offered, if we sold Aaron for £50m as offered according to Ornstein and if we sold the likes of Welbeck and Chambers for anything up to 20m each that would have been an extra £150m to add to our gross figure, i.e. £440m. Gross incompetence is the only reason we have not spent closer to that £550m, even without CL money.

Also in relation to City and Liverpool, the former clearly would have had a head start, it's not like they both started from 0 in 2015.

goon wrote:

Gross incompetence

Nice one.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Claudius wrote:

Liverpool is attainable. A £1,2m squad is not. I would appreciate the example they are setting if it was something in reach for a few other clubs. Only United can conceivably spend in that range, but they are held back by circus management

Since the 2015/16 summer transfer window (Klopp came in a month after), Liverpool have spent _£550m gross, whilst City have spent _£700m gross.

Not quite as much of a difference as you might think.

For comparison: Arsenal's gross spend is about _£290m in that period.

You neglect the beautiful installed base City already had. City and Chelsea came into FFP era with incredibly expensive squads, so they haven’t had to spend as much as Liverpool. We’re just ambivalent

goon wrote:

Their net spend is lower than ours though. Put it this way, if we had sold Alexis for 60m as City offered, if we sold Aaron for £50m as offered according to Ornstein and if we sold the likes of Welbeck and Chambers for anything up to 20m each that would have been an extra £150m to add to our gross figure, i.e. £440m. Gross incompetence is the only reason we have not spent closer to that £550m, even without CL money.

Also in relation to City and Liverpool, the former clearly would have had a head start, it's not like they both started from 0 in 2015.

AW is the reason - he'd never put the club ahead of his players.

Anzac wrote:

goon wrote:

Their net spend is lower than ours though. Put it this way, if we had sold Alexis for 60m as City offered, if we sold Aaron for £50m as offered according to Ornstein and if we sold the likes of Welbeck and Chambers for anything up to 20m each that would have been an extra £150m to add to our gross figure, i.e. £440m. Gross incompetence is the only reason we have not spent closer to that £550m, even without CL money.

Also in relation to City and Liverpool, the former clearly would have had a head start, it's not like they both started from 0 in 2015.

AW is the reason - he'd never put the club ahead of his players.

I think it was Gazidis but in any case both he, and Arsene Wenger, were employed by Arsenal at the time hence the "our".
Also do you think either of these employees would lose £150m from Kroenke's coffers without his approval?

ESPN in Argentina is reporting that #LAGalaxy are preparing an offer of around $12 million for a Boca Juniors winger Cristian Pavón.

We should go in for him at 12 mil I think.

[Cadena SER, Adrià Albets] Coutinho wants to leave Barça. He has already confessed to his surroundings that he is not happy because he has not managed to adapt and the club already knows that he wants to leave.

Who will take him at the fee that Barca want? Probably around 100 mil?

[Matt Law] Eden Hazard to complete Real Madrid move after Chelsea agree £130m deal
Hazard will become the highest paid player in Real Madrid with 15 million net per season.

130 mil for a player in his last year. Wow.

Mohamed Bouhafsi [Tier 1]: Ferland Mendy did not have any problems with the medical. He underwent part of it yesterday. But Madrid wanted to do other tests, which couldn’t be done at the Clairefontaine clinic. He will finish the medical after the international break.

Real are gonna be great next season.

[Sam Lee- goal] Manchester City are in talks with Juventus over a €50m move for Joao Cancelo.

(Romeo Agresti) Sarri completed all talks with Juve last Friday, as soon as Chelsea releases him officially, he signs with the Bianconeri.

Lampard to Chelsea then?

Tottenham is very close to sign Bruno Fernandes, according Record from Portugal

God I hope no.

Jose Luis Sanchez [ Tier 1 for Real Madrid] : PSG wants to get Keylor Navas.... for free. But unless they pay the transfer, Real Madrid won't sell.

And that's the report from this morning

With Coutinho it is an interesting one. On one hand, you know he is a legitimate match winner, unplayable at times.

But his injury record leaves a lot to be desired for the money that will be asked. He was overpriced when he went to Barca, and now they will want most of that money back.

Matt Law still trying to pretend he's a journalist? Pretty much every credible source mentioning an £85m fee and he comes out £55m higher.

Yep. That's nonsesne from Matt Law.

Can see why we have been linked with Keylor Navas if he's available for a low transfer fee. If his wages aren't sky high then he'd be a great signing for us. He and Leno can duke it out for the spot. That's a much better situation than having a nobody like Martinez as Number 2 and Leno starting is season by default. I'm relying on PSG to take De Gea from Man United, so I don't think they're seriously in for Navas.

And Ferland Mendy is going to be great for Real Madrid. Very jealous.

Keepi it coming, Home Steak. Thanks for the round-up.

Courtois

Carvajal Varane Ramos Mendy

Kroos Modric

Isco

Vinicius Jovic Hazard

La Liga champs 2019/20

I think Barcelona, as diminished as they are, would still take care of Real Madrid's squad handily over a season.

And in terms of the latter stages of the Champions League; that team doesn't have it in my opinion. Too young in some positions, too old in others.

Jed wrote:

Courtois

Carvajal Varane Ramos Mendy

Kroos Modric

Isco

Vinicius Jovic Hazard

La Liga champs 2019/20

That midfield ahead of Varane and Ramos is not winning the league

All non-PL giants need to up their athleticism and power game. We can't be having Spurs progress that far in the CL ever again FFS.

Yep, recent 3 time consecutive champions Real Madrid need to follow the template set by series losers Tottenham.

I'm just happy that they are removing one of our chief tormentors in Hazard from the league.

This season they all showed they're old and busted.

goon wrote:

Yep, recent 3 time consecutive champions Real Madrid need to follow the template set by series losers Tottenham.

Real Madrid should try to replicate . . . Real Madrid.

goon wrote:

Their net spend is lower than ours though. Put it this way, if we had sold Alexis for 60m as City offered, if we sold Aaron for £50m as offered according to Ornstein and if we sold the likes of Welbeck and Chambers for anything up to 20m each that would have been an extra £150m to add to our gross figure, i.e. £440m. Gross incompetence is the only reason we have not spent closer to that £550m, even without CL money.

Also in relation to City and Liverpool, the former clearly would have had a head start, it's not like they both started from 0 in 2015.

Which brings me to this little bit of joke

ohboy!!! wrote:

Jed wrote:

Courtois

Carvajal Varane Ramos Mendy

Kroos Modric

Isco

Vinicius Jovic Hazard

La Liga champs 2019/20

That midfield ahead of Varane and Ramos is not winning the league

Fine, stick Casemiro in for Isco. Done.