Claudius wrote:

The nice thing about Koulibaly is he’s mature and can be a tutor for Saliba and Holding. We can still wring 4-5 years out of him.

Not a fan of Chambers I take it?

Champions League is important, but their wage bills pale in comparison to Premier League to be honest. They're a little better equipped to miss out as a consequence. You could also argue that the money Koulibaly would bring in could be more important as a means to strengthen their attack than what they'd lose in defence.

Chambers is an old man and quite good. He’s less in need of coaching than the other two.
At this point, he could coach Sok and Luiz

He's 8 months older than Holding, haha. Down to the exact day. I guess he just feels old because he's been around for a while.

Klaus wrote:

He's like 7 months older than Holding, haha. I guess he just feels old because he's been around for a while.

Yet because of injuries Chambers has twice as many top level appearances as Holding. That’s the difference. Chambers is just much more experienced, even if he’s been a bit of a positional nomad.

I really hope we don’t sell Chambers. I like what he can offer at CB and other positions. There 4 central defenders I would sell before getting to him

Sell baby, sell.

You want to sell everything. There’ll be nothing left. Just Arteta and Mavropanos

Have Art in the midfield right now tbh.

Chambers can stay, though, if he'll only go for peanuts. Anything over 20 mill and he should be out the door.

Claudius wrote:

You want to sell everything. There’ll be nothing left. Just Arteta and Mavropanos

I'm guessing he wants us to drop further down the table.

Selling everything and anything is exactly why we are in this quagmire. We find ourselves in a position where we have AMN, Saka, Nelson, Willock and co. starting games unmerited, because we decided to gut half the squad.

Sell Xhaka, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette. Promote Nketiah, John Jules, Medley and a couple of other kids (again unmerited) and we will be playing in the Championship in no time.

So instead of guessing he's in disagreement with you regarding how to get us out of the mess, you're guessing that he wants us to drop down the table.

And then at the end you put in a flanderized version of what he said to make it seem like that's what he proposed? You must've really missed something if you think those who want any of those players sold want to do so in order to promote kids rather than replacing them.

Correct me if I've got this wrong.

I don't make points based on what I or people want. I make points based on what actually happens in real life. As it stands, we are doing an absolutely diabolical job at replacing departed players. So the desire for people to sell, sell, sell is only going to result in more of the same, which is the arrival or promotion of players who somehow astonishingly turn out to be even worse than the dodgy guy they are replacing.

Oh and I was being a cock.

But the desire to sell is only there if they're being replaced properly, so it doesn't make sense to take one part of their wishes in order to ridicule them. I want to sell Xhaka and buy a good replacement, but that doesn't mean I want to sell him if he isn't replaced. In essence that means I have the same opinion as you, unless you wouldn't even sell him if we were to get a proper replacement.

That would be ideal (to sell and replace properly). Let's see.

I wish we’d act like a big club for once and force Napoli to hand Koulibaly over. It would be a monumental signing that could bring Van Dijk levels of transformative effect.

Clrnc wrote:

I would go for someone younger and established with a lot of potential. Like Pau Torres or Ruben Dias.

Man City called. They want their transfer targets back. ;D

Talk of a move to loan Rabiot in Jan.

Wouldn’t mind him - would probably form a decent partnership with Torreira.

I’d rather a more athletic and mobile player coming in mind

Dortmund have signed Haaland

GooneriC wrote:

Dortmund have signed Haaland

Somewhat surprised - recent reports were he was off to Juve.

Will he be eligible to play CL with RBS dropping into Europa?
I think if they'd qualified he'd be unable to do so for a new club also in the CL.

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

Wouldn’t mind him - would probably form a decent partnership with Torreira.

I’d rather a more athletic and mobile player coming in mind

Lack of pace/acceleration has been an issue in our CMs for years - almost since post PV4.

BWoolley wrote:

Anzac wrote:

Somewhat surprised - recent reports were he was off to Juve.

Will he be eligible to play CL with RBS dropping into Europa?
I think if they'd qualified he'd be unable to do so for a new club also in the CL.

Just Raiola ensuring his own big payday when the kid develops into a 70-100M player and gets sold to one of the big boys.

That makes sense. Get paid twice. Also rumoured that United didn’t want to pay his fee for this transfer. He likely wanted his usual £10m

Reports say that Haalands father got 10m and Raiola got 15m lol.

Meanwhile, Milan closer to signing Todibo from Barca. I think he’s another good young French CB prospect out there.

Clrnc wrote:

People thought it was impossible for Barca to sell Todibo. Wonder what happened there.

Kulevski to Juve done deal 35m. Snapping up best players in Serie A swiftly again

Nothing is impossible. Apparently they would’ve considered Messi at £80m ten years ago. But the bid came in 3 weeks too late.

Anzac wrote:

GooneriC wrote:

Dortmund have signed Haaland

Somewhat surprised - recent reports were he was off to Juve.

I've barely heard Juve rumors. Every Norwegian paper at least have always considered Leipzig, United and Dortmund his options. 

Clrnc wrote:

Kulevski to Juve done deal 35m. Snapping up best players in Serie A swiftly again

Can't believe that Atalanta actually sold at that price. Kulusevski is going to be a special player. He's a throwback to an era where players were both physically imposing and skilled.

Yes looks a bit lumbering mind

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Anzac wrote:

Somewhat surprised - recent reports were he was off to Juve.

I've barely heard Juve rumors. Every Norwegian paper at least have always considered Leipzig, United and Dortmund his options. 

I thought he was likely to replace Werner if he departed RBL at the end of the season.

Clrnc wrote:

People thought it was impossible for Barca to sell Todibo. Wonder what happened there.

Kulevski to Juve done deal 35m. Snapping up best players in Serie A swiftly again

Who thought Todibo leaving Barcelona was impossible?

Clrnc wrote:

jones wrote:

Who thought Todibo leaving Barcelona was impossible?

There are a few posters here who suggested that because of how highly rated Todibo was.

Weigl joins Benfica for 20m euros. That's a really weird one given how high some of us rate him just 2 years ago. 

We should go for Florentino: 

We signed anyone yet?

Mustafi is still here. Edu and Raul out please.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert wrote:

Mustafi is still here. Edu and Raul out please.

With our six defender injury crisis, we will probably sign the always healthy Mustafi to a 5 year extension, with an option to be defensive coach when he retires.

I was watching a J-Lo movie called 2nd Act about a woman who fakes her way to the top of corporate America. Awful movie but I kept thinking that’s Mustafi. How is this mofo playing for a storied club like ours?

Claudius wrote:

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert wrote:

Mustafi is still here. Edu and Raul out please.

With our six defender injury crisis, we will probably sign the always healthy Mustafi to a 5 year extension, with an option to be defensive coach when he retires.

I was watching a J-Lo movie called 2nd Act about a woman who fakes her way to the top of corporate America. Awful movie but I kept thinking that’s Mustafi. How is this mofo playing for a storied club like ours?

There was a true story about some guy who did this in Spain(???) not all that long ago.  IIRC he was either 'injured' and when he wasn't he managed to get himself sent off but he was popular with the other players and the supporters.

Mentioned this in the match thread = was reading something pre-game there is talk of funding being made available for 1-2 key signings this Jan - thought to be CM and CB.

Being linked to Max Aarons today, talk of £30m deal and loan back to Norwich.

Talk the club aren't too sure about Belerin after his injury. With AMN's recent performances I wouldn't be putting Bellerin back in...

I haven't seen too much of Norwich this season, but Aarons was superb against us.

I don't get the Jamal Lewis hype on the other side at left back--like Alexander-Arnold minus the top drawer forward passing, which equals a terrible fullback--but Aarons looks a very good player in the making.