Incoming ...

[blues2win]

Sorry misread the article. It's said that Barca are close to signing Marquinhos. He shares the same agent as Benatia but surely Barca won't get both. Positive for us if true.

[phips]

Marquinhos to Barca makes sense. PSG need to recoup $ and have no space for him now with Luiz coming in

[Slim]

Is there some reason Ganso hasn't moved to Europe yet?

If there is a possibility, I think he'd be devastating alongside Fernandinho.

[Ted Hughes]

Is there some reason Ganso hasn't moved to Europe yet?

If there is a possibility, I think he'd be devastating alongside Fernandinho.

I've never been sure whether he would have the necessary for the Prem or whether he'd be a bit too 'old school' Brazilian. I know he hit a bit of a dip a few years ago. Dunno if that put people off signing him.

Edit.

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/th ... 12085.html

And the opposite

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2014/05 ... ras-money/

[blues2win]

Interview with Benatia reported in gazetta dello sport. He said he went to Roma despite being offered more by other clubs on a promise of a decent pay increase if things went well which they obviously have. Now he says he feels insulted by Roma's offer which is according to him well under 3 million euros a year. Only pennies more he says. Clearly City could offer him very substantially more than Roma appear willing to pay and at 27 Benatia knows his value and isn't going to accept less than full value. With Barca going for Marquinhos we do seem to have a decent chance but this could drag on and the Club don't seem to want be involved in lengthy courting followed by Roma eventually coughing up enough to get him to stay.

[DoomMerchant]

Interview with Benatia reported in gazetta dello sport. He said he went to Roma despite being offered more by other clubs on a promise of a decent pay increase if things went well which they obviously have. Now he says he feels insulted by Roma's offer which is according to him well under 3 million euros a year. Only pennies more he says. Clearly City could offer him very substantially more than Roma appear willing to pay and at 27 Benatia knows his value and isn't going to accept less than full value. With Barca going for Marquinhos we do seem to have a decent chance but this could drag on and the Club don't seem to want be involved in lengthy courting followed by Roma eventually coughing up enough to get him to stay.

i'd prefer this guy to Mangala, but on the basis that i've only seen the former 2x and Mangala once i could easily have that wrong.

Anyone that's actually seen these fucks have a perspective on which might partner Vince the Prince better?

cheers

[Wonderwall]

Marquinhos looks like he is heading to Barca, very good player and great prospect at 20 years old.
We are looking to pay more money for Benatia who is 27 years old and in his prime now and will have no sell on value to us, we will probably give him a 4/5 yr contract too? It doesnt seem right to me.

Do we have faith in our youth set up to replace from within in the next 4/5 years?

[john@staustell]

Marquinhos looks like he is heading to Barca, very good player and great prospect at 20 years old.
We are looking to pay more money for Benatia who is 27 years old and in his prime now and will have no sell on value to us, we will probably give him a 4/5 yr contract too? It doesnt seem right to me.

Do we have faith in our youth set up to replace from within in the next 4/5 years?

The real purpose of the youth set-up is to make money for the club in the future - a million here, half a million there.

The simple truth is it is much easier to break into the Premier League at teams that aren't much good - where you might be replacing a near-Championship standard player. In the top 3 you are looking at taking the place of people like Aguero, Silva, Yaya, Kompany, Hart, Zaba, Suarez, Gerard, Hazard, Terry, etc etc.

What is the likelihood of finding a player who will serve you like that at European CL level? Pretty slim. United hit it lucky - once. Barcelona hit it lucky, now fading. Sure if we get the best youth we have a better chance, but it's still fairly unlikely if you want to keep winning stuff.

Hansen was much mocked but he was right. 92 was the exception that proves the rule. You never win anything with kids.

[Wonderwall]

Marquinhos looks like he is heading to Barca, very good player and great prospect at 20 years old.
We are looking to pay more money for Benatia who is 27 years old and in his prime now and will have no sell on value to us, we will probably give him a 4/5 yr contract too? It doesnt seem right to me.

Do we have faith in our youth set up to replace from within in the next 4/5 years?

The real purpose of the youth set-up is to make money for the club in the future - a million here, half a million there.

The simple truth is it is much easier to break into the Premier League at teams that aren't much good - where you might be replacing a near-Championship standard player. In the top 3 you are looking at taking the place of people like Aguero, Silva, Yaya, Kompany, Hart, Zaba, Suarez, Gerard, Hazard, Terry, etc etc.

What is the likelihood of finding a player who will serve you like that at European CL level? Pretty slim. United hit it lucky - once. Barcelona hit it lucky, now fading. Sure if we get the best youth we have a better chance, but it's still fairly unlikely if you want to keep winning stuff.

Hansen was much mocked but he was right. 92 was the exception that proves the rule. You never win anything with kids.

in that case, should we not be looking at Marquinhos instead of Benatia, longer term, very good and has resale value too?

[blues2win]

We're not going to get Marquinhos he's Barca bound. We may get Mangala but Benatia is a really top class centre back who could make a CL impact straightaway which is what our owners want. I'm just a bit concerned about being used for wage negotiations with Roma.

[Ted Hughes]

Marquinhos looks like he is heading to Barca, very good player and great prospect at 20 years old.
We are looking to pay more money for Benatia who is 27 years old and in his prime now and will have no sell on value to us, we will probably give him a 4/5 yr contract too? It doesnt seem right to me.

Do we have faith in our youth set up to replace from within in the next 4/5 years?

The real purpose of the youth set-up is to make money for the club in the future - a million here, half a million there.

The simple truth is it is much easier to break into the Premier League at teams that aren't much good - where you might be replacing a near-Championship standard player. In the top 3 you are looking at taking the place of people like Aguero, Silva, Yaya, Kompany, Hart, Zaba, Suarez, Gerard, Hazard, Terry, etc etc.

What is the likelihood of finding a player who will serve you like that at European CL level? Pretty slim. United hit it lucky - once. Barcelona hit it lucky, now fading. Sure if we get the best youth we have a better chance, but it's still fairly unlikely if you want to keep winning stuff.

Hansen was much mocked but he was right. 92 was the exception that proves the rule. You never win anything with kids.

in that case, should we not be looking at Marquinhos instead of Benatia, longer term, very good and has resale value too?

I think we already have players who will be playing in our first team in the coming years & will continue to find them, forever, because we have put the system in place to do it & we have the desire; the objective is to do it.

I'm not sure we have many centre backs that are Vincent Kompanys of the future though. Mainly because of physicality etc rather than ability. We may have the bloke next to him.

But I'll be absolutely shocked if the next 5 years doesn't produce several first team regulars, several squad players & one or two stars.

In a typical season, I've never seen even us have even 10% of the talent we have have now, & we've still produced players who would get in this squad at their peak; Micah, Ireland, SWP, Johnson, Sturridge etc. We have players at every age group in every position who are better than the players they played alongside & some who are significantly better, at the same age, than they were.

[lets all have a disco]

I think we should go after this guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezequiel_Garay

[Ted Hughes]

I think we should go after this guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezequiel_Garay

Rags have been following him for years.

[lets all have a disco]

I think we should go after this guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezequiel_Garay

Rags have been following him for years.

Well we should make an offer as he was superb in the Europa final 6 foot 2 ball playing centre half Argie and 27 just turned 28 years old.

Sweet.

[Dameerto]

I think we should go after this guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezequiel_Garay

Rags have been following him for years.

Well we should make an offer as he was superb in the Europa final 6 foot 2 ball playing centre half Argie and 27 just turned 28 years old.

Sweet.

Marcos Rojo keeps getting linked with the usual suspects (Liverpool, Barcelona, the RAGs). I can't say I remember seeing him play for Sporting but I'll be watching Argentina in case he gets selected, just to see what the fuss is about. Apparently plays central defence and left back if the internet is to be believed. 24 years old (only just) and possibly entering the final year of his contract.

[Saul Goodman]

Is there some reason Ganso hasn't moved to Europe yet?

If there is a possibility, I think he'd be devastating alongside Fernandinho.

Been hearing that Ganso never turned out to be that good and that Neymar made him look good.

There's a reason no one has poached him from Santos

[patrickblue]

Benatia deal agreed according to Italian media.

Although the comment made by a reader that says "more bollox" sounds more likely.

http://spoughts.co.uk/2014/05/28/manche ... h-benatia/

Manchester City have apparently agreed a deal with Mehdi Benatia, a defender who plays for Roma, according to tomorrow’s edition of La Gazetta dello Sport, the Italian newspaper.

Apparently, however, Roma, who have just qualified for the Champions League by finishing second in Serie A, are not keen to sell the Moroccan, who is considered a key part of their squad. Rudi Garcia, the Roma manager, is loath to lose a player who made 30 appearances last season.



Roma’s squad managed one of their best finishes in recent years last year, after the takeover by an American consortium. After blitzing their way through the league in the early part of the season, they slowly came undone and were overtaken by Juventus as the season wore on. Qualification for the Champions League was success enough however, with the likes of Francesco Totti, a mercurial 37, recapturing the sort of form he showed at a younger age. Garcia also got the best out of Premier League flop Gervinho, who had an exceptional season.

[Wooders]

How can we agree a deal with him before the club has agreed to sell him? That's breaking rule number one in the transfer book surely?

[Bianchi on Ice]

How can we agree a deal with him before the club has agreed to sell him? That's breaking rule number one in the transfer book surely?

rule no.2 should be not to deal with italian clubs at all but I suppose its unavoidable at some stage

[Wonderwall]

Benatia deal agreed according to Italian media.

Although the comment made by a reader that says "more bollox" sounds more likely.

http://spoughts.co.uk/2014/05/28/manche ... h-benatia/

Manchester City have apparently agreed a deal with Mehdi Benatia, a defender who plays for Roma, according to tomorrow’s edition of La Gazetta dello Sport, the Italian newspaper.

Apparently, however, Roma, who have just qualified for the Champions League by finishing second in Serie A, are not keen to sell the Moroccan, who is considered a key part of their squad. Rudi Garcia, the Roma manager, is loath to lose a player who made 30 appearances last season.

Roma’s squad managed one of their best finishes in recent years last year, after the takeover by an American consortium. After blitzing their way through the league in the early part of the season, they slowly came undone and were overtaken by Juventus as the season wore on. Qualification for the Champions League was success enough however, with the likes of Francesco Totti, a mercurial 37, recapturing the sort of form he showed at a younger age. Garcia also got the best out of Premier League flop Gervinho, who had an exceptional season.

Benatia has only ever played two games in europe, a UCL qualifier against Arsenal which Udinese lost.

Seems he is prone to pulling his Hamstring too

http://www.romanews.us/2014/04/08/mehdi ... orza-roma/