Clrnc wrote:

For 35m there are tons of CM we can sign. Locatelli, Cristante, Pellegrini, Caqueret, Touchuameni, Fofana, Neuhaus, Edson Alvarez, Gravenberch etc etc. Someone who bring vastly different style to Xhaka/Neves mobility issues.

I don't think they'll all go for 35 mil, but even for 40+ mil I'd take Touchuameni. Well rounded and really classy, ultra press-resistant.

I'd much rather have Thomas at the base with 2 8s in front

I think Partey as one of the 8's would work best.

Coombs wrote:

I'll admit I've wishlisted Neves more than once myself, but I hope we've got a more inspired choice that we're keeping under wraps. I wouldn't mind Neves + another CM in the Gravenberch/Tchouameni bracket, or indeed Neves + Bissouma.

Agree with that. 2 new CMs would be great.

Actually we really would need to given that Ceballos left. Unless we are planning on using Willock as one of the 2.

The more I think about what we need the more I think we should try to hang onto some of the young mids and not spread our money around so much. I don't really want any of the £30m players we've been linked to. Push the boat out for fewer numbers but with more quality.

Qwiss! wrote:

The more I think about what we need the more I think we should try to hang onto some of the young mids and not spread our money around so much. I don't really want any of the £30m players we've been linked to. Push the boat out for fewer numbers but with more quality.

Neves and Jordan don’t excite. I would prefer our young mids to them. And please dont mention Sandor. 

But I have seen links to Locatelli. Hopefully, there is real interest there. 

Links with Joan Jordan resurfacing - Dani Ceballos reloaded

I've never really paid much attention to Neves, but the little I remember was very unimpressive. Looks slow and stiff.

He and. Jordan are Xhaka regens. We might as well keep the real thing complete with red cards and skirmishes with the fans. I want some guys who have a bit of skill and lots of energy and running in them. This league is not for kids

For years we’ve been second best physically to our opponents most weekends.

It’s the one trait from The Invincibles that seems to have vanished completely.

Is it that much of an ask to get a few physically dominant players in the first eleven?

Give Saliba a go, get Bissouma, sign wots his name to play in goal...

I'm not sure why we're so physically poor, whether it really is from the player's lack of conditioning or it's actually mental. As I've said before, we perpetually play with handbrakes on thanks to Arteta's emphasis on maintaining team shape. This affects our willingness to sprint or constantly make runs. We had the second worse number of sprints across all teams last season.

banduan wrote:

I'm not sure why we're so physically poor, whether it really is from the player's lack of conditioning or it's actually mental. As I've said before, we perpetually play with handbrakes on thanks to Arteta's emphasis on maintaining team shape. This affects our willingness to sprint or constantly make runs. We had the second worse number of sprints across all teams last season.

Were we physically dominant before Arteta?

banduan wrote:

I'm not sure why we're so physically poor, whether it really is from the player's lack of conditioning or it's actually mental. As I've said before, we perpetually play with handbrakes on thanks to Arteta's emphasis on maintaining team shape. This affects our willingness to sprint or constantly make runs. We had the second worse number of sprints across all teams last season.

not enough steroids. 

if this was 2-3 years ago, people would've gone crazy to sign Neves. I guess times change when playing for an underwhelming team last year. Tielemans didn't set the world on fire when he was at Monaco. 

2 or 3 years ago Neves was young and full of potential though.

He is now reaching his peak and shown nothing of note for the past few years.

IMO we are operating on a restricted budget, and part of the strategy (to offset not being able to sign players of higher quality), is to sign players already adapted to the EPL.
Neves fits that bill and is also capable of replacing Xhaka's role as DLP and tempo setter as a slight upgrade as being more of the same.
I'd prefer him to be DM at the base of a midfield 3, with Partey in the B2B role and another more creative attacking player in the more advanced role.

Neves is a fine midfielder, technical with plenty of PL experience and a strong tactical head. I have no issues with signing him beyond who his agent is. It would be similar to when we signed Arteta himself as a player, except Neves is younger and less injury prone.

It would put more athletic demands on Partey though. He's gonna have to take a sprint every now and then. I don't think I saw him do that once in 20/21. Hopefully he'll be rested and injury free next season.