Coombs I think it is down to them only having Basque players in the squad so they need to pay big money to keep them.

If it is £300k he wants then we move on, he might be worth that one day but he isn't worth messing with our wage structure for.

Big Willie Really liking what I've been seeing of Sesko this Euros. Not being able to get him may be a miss for us.

You can see why so many clubs were trying for him but you have to respect he wanted to stay. Probably for the best from his perspective, he still needs a bit of time to really hit the next level and he'll get that time if he stays.

Meatwad we pay Havertz more than we should. Thats not a mistake I want to see repeated.

Re: Williams wage demands - It’s all speculation at this point based on hearsay from that Arsenal “ITK”. We know he’s on pretty high wages for his age and status due to Bilbao paying more to keep their players due to their recruitment limits. Even if he was asking for the same wages, that would likely get grouped in a “he’s demanding high wages” category but also would likely be doable in our current structure. Now if he’s asking for 300k a week, that’s a different story but no one knows. I would hope Arteta and Edu try to make the case that he shouldn’t be making more than Saka but that his commercial opportunities are going to skyrocket being in London.

Exactly - It's all speculation. Who knows what he wants or if he even wants to move. What I do know is he looks ready to contribute now, and is an impact player. That's what we need. And we should be able and willing to pay for what we need. Bring him in, and 50% of our summer shopping is done.

Next must have target is harder to find - a midfielder that can do what Partey does, and possibly provide a consistent long range/edge of the box goal threat. Bruno G. would be my first choice for this.

That gets us to City level I think.

Every other incoming is a bonus.

—————————-Raya
White/Timber—Saliba—Gabriel—Calafiori
———————-Rice/Partey
Saka———-Odegaard——Musiala—-Williams
————————-Havertz

Orwff

Ferdi Kadioglu , he's very good .

A not so subtle hint there.....

Barca doing Barca things.

He wants to join Bilbao?

Barca don't have money

Meatwad yep. He was the donor. Everyone knows this.

Keep going.......a little bit lower

Do it!

Clrnc what about Jorginho?

Mirth what about Jorginho?

Jorginho isn't the same as born and raised Italians. Didn't he come to Europe pretty much at 15/16 years old anyways? He's more of a Brazillian for me who will travel where he needs to go to make it, win stuff and make money.

Big Willie Udogie?

Mirth Udogie?

Decent shout, but he's only been here for a season. Even then, as a first or second generation immigrant, he'll still be in close touch with his African roots. Africans, even those of us born and raised in Western Europe, have no issues uprooting and moving cross continents if we believe it will get us paid and the sacrifice is worth it. I've done it myself.

Actually wouldn't even say only Africans, most people who's family still has connections back to countries of their origins rife with poverty would have similar thinking (wherher from Africa, South and Central America, or South and South East Asia.

Williams and Leao are very good, but I don't think either of them will significantly improve the team. Martinelli is on the same level going forward, but much better defensively and off the ball.

Martinelli is not on the same level as Leao. Leao is one of the few wingers in the world who beats his man 6-7 times a game.