The gossip is that Monaco are lining up a deal to sign Isco. Apparently they're owned by some billionaire or something.
Isco
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I am a little disappointed on Jovetic, a couple of years ago I thought that he would have been a world beater, but he seems to stay at that level.
Impressed by Lamela every time I have seen it. Fantastic player and only a month ago became 21 years old.
If Rooney is to be sold id love for us to sign Isco. Play Kagawa behind the striker and have Isco playing from the left (or visa versa). He's going to be a great player and I think the link up potential with Kagawa and RvP is great.
Looks like he is going City. Another Spanish magician that we seemingly have no interest in!
Express reporting it's a done deal:
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...ootball-news+(Daily+Express+::+Football+Feed)
Him and David Silva linking up together may be some sight, shame he may be going to Shitty, would be a good start from them. Pellegrini to come with him perhaps would be a decider?
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...ootball-news+(Daily+Express+::+Football+Feed)
Him and David Silva linking up together may be some sight, shame he may be going to Shitty, would be a good start from them. Pellegrini to come with him perhaps would be a decider?
Hope not, cnuts!
Wouldnt be a surprise at all
City lack width and clubs got wise to how to defend against them this season. They shoehorn Nasri in instead of having a proper wide player and now seem to be spending more money on another Silva clone.
Good player to be fair but it doesn't really devastate me. If be more worried if they bought some genuine wide players.
I've been impressed with him when I have watched Malaga, I think Moyes might have rated this type of player given the way he uses Pienaar and Mirallas and relies on the fullback's for width.
Or maybe, just maybe, the media are making this up based on rumors that Pellegrini is going to City.
Was that aimed at me?
No.
You think they would do that?
It's possible. They've done it before but it rarely happens.
The Telegraph claim that City are close to signing Isco for 17m!
Would make sense if they're also planning on signing Isco's manager.
That would make signing him on a new contract with a £30m release clause pretty pointless.
I wonder how true is that figure from the Telegraph.
How did the release clause drop from £30m to £17m all on a sudden?
You are assuming that the reported release clause is true but not the reported fee in this instance. Why do you find one newspaper story more credible than the other?
Malaga are skint. They wont neccessarily only let him go for whatever sum is in his release clause.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/...al-which-includes-buy-out-clause-of-35m-euros
Sporting director Mario Husillos said: "He's a world-class player and flies the flag for Malaga.
"If I had to sum up Isco's contract renewal in one word, it would be 'trust', both in terms of the faith we have in him as a player, and the trust he has in Malaga as a club, disregarding his other options and putting us first.
"There have been some informal conversations, as well as more serious talks, with some of the biggest clubs in the world getting in contact every few weeks.
"However Isco has been wise, and has never contemplated a renewal with a future sale in mind; a clause in the contract protects us from this situation.
"Every club in the world does it; Manchester United sold Cristiano (Ronaldo) to Real Madrid, and Atletico (Madrid) sold (Sergio) Kun Aguero to City.
True. Though the original sell-on-clause was 21m euros.
Why would they give him a pay rise, increase the sell-on-clause and then sell him at the previous sell-on-clause? Doesn't make sense.
Sporting director Mario Husillos said: "He's a world-class player and flies the flag for Malaga.
"If I had to sum up Isco's contract renewal in one word, it would be 'trust', both in terms of the faith we have in him as a player, and the trust he has in Malaga as a club, disregarding his other options and putting us first.
"There have been some informal conversations, as well as more serious talks, with some of the biggest clubs in the world getting in contact every few weeks.
"However Isco has been wise, and has never contemplated a renewal with a future sale in mind; a clause in the contract protects us from this situation.
"Every club in the world does it; Manchester United sold Cristiano (Ronaldo) to Real Madrid, and Atletico (Madrid) sold (Sergio) Kun Aguero to City.
True. Though the original sell-on-clause was 21m euros.
Why would they give him a pay rise, increase the sell-on-clause and then sell him at the previous sell-on-clause? Doesn't make sense.
If he signs a new contract presumably its longer, therefore they're more likely to realise a decent price for him? His buy out clause may have been set before but if he only had 2 years left on his deal (for example) they'd get less for him.
At the end of the day, they're probably not in a position of strength. If he's made his mind up where he wants to go, and a deal has been agreed what can they do?
Not sure why City want him mind. Just another David Silva.
Replace Nasri?
The article mentions that the duration of the contract remained the same while they increased his wages and sell-on-clause. That is why I am surprised at the figure mentioned in the Telegraph article.
I guess Nasri will join PSG and he'll be a replacement for him. PSG have mentioned that they want to get more French players next season. Nasri and Cabaye are two players on their radar.
Isco is better than Hazard for me. Would be a great signing for City.
Monaco also want Nasri and he hasn't really set the world alight in his two seasons at City so a transfer is definitely possible. Isco would be a natural replacement for him, he's already worked with Pellegrini at Malaga, he's clearly available at a reasonable price, he's Spanish which should give him good understanding with Garcia and Silva. I won't be too worried if they get him but it'd most likely be a little step in good direction.
Then I'm not sure why they bothered. Unless they thought it might encourage him to stay.
Another attacking midfield player playing out wide.
As I said above, for me City lack genuine width. They have Silva to link the play and to keep them ticking over. If yiou can play wide you can stretch the game and always have an "out ball" to relieve pressure. You can get your full backs to do the job but you'd better be solid at the back and in midfield.
I'd be much mor worried if they signed an Arjen Robben type, however good Isco is.
They don't need width from midfield that much. A lot of teams play without classic wingers these days and do just fine. As long as they have attacking midfielders who are capable of taking the ball from the flanks and drift inside with it, like Isco and Silva do, they can play efficient football.
Spain play without wingers, you can barely call what Barcelona use as wingers and Dortmund also play with more of attacking midfielders put in wide positions (except for Błaszczykowski who's really your classic hugged to the line winger type) and they've all been doing just fine.
I disagree, but its only my opinion. I've obviously watched city play this year and they've looked half the side they were last year. Tevez, Nasri and Silva all want to play in the same position so its get's crowded and when the little two and three yard passes between them weren't working they had no other ideas.
Last year they brought Adam Jonson on and won a lotof games late on. I dont think that's a coincidence.
Teams have simply worked them out. They got a lot of width last year from the full backs but the opposition has gotten wise. It happened a few times but it was most pertinent against Ajax. They were doing well - until Ajax stuck two players on their full backs and defended the box in numbers and shut them down.
You can point to Barcelona doing it I suppose. Firstly though they have a world class midfield capable of keeping the ball for long spells, and full backs who play like wingers to stretch the play and leave space in the middle. Despite that their defence has looked shaky for a while and this season Bayern battered them - with Robben being the star man and giving Alba a torrid time. Arguably teams have gotten wise to Barca as well.
As for Dortmund perhaps they're the exception, but the play a more expanisve game than City. Reus and the Polish lad do get into wide positions.
In terms of needing width I look at United (as an example) and we seem to like to play as wide as we can. Even under pressure we always have an out either left or right and which catches teams out time and again on the break. Even if you're getting battered, get it wide and get it in the box and you've always got a chance.
But wide areas were our main weakness this season and we still won the league. Wingers become outdated these days and are replaced by more versatile players with full ability to go inside and play as attacking midfielders with flair and creativity.
I agree about the lack of plan B though. With a squad assembled for a whooping £400m or so it's a travesty that they are not able to change their game when things aren't going their way. I wouldn't say they need to bring wingers to change their style because I honestly believe that with better quality of players their current style which is usually narrow would still work fine but they need some players capable of going wide just in case that a game requires them to do that. Currently they have no such option.
I haven't actually said I believe either. It's just weird that it was so widely reported around the January window (I think) that the release clause was £30m now it's randomly dropped quite massively.
I agree our wide players havent been at their best this year - but to me that highlights a point. If you have players trying to hug the touchline it opens up space in the middle for other players to do the damage.
As I said - Barca, with probably one of the most talented sides ever put together made this popular. That's fine, but very few teams have the individual talent to make it work. Add to that, as is always the case in football things have moved on and Bayern exposed their weaknesses.
The way I look at it, If I'm a full back and a player is coming at me with the ball, I probably want to show him inside and make him do something special to score or set up a chance. I don't want him taking the outside, pulling me out of position so my centre back has to come across and cover and then slinging a ball in where anything could happen.
If a "wide" player of a front three comes inside every time then its predictable. If they can come wide and come inside then I have a major problem.
To me its all about having a plan B. Last year city had non, because Nasri and Tevez are not wide players.
Maybe this kid can do both and if so, he might do alright.
I think he can do both. He does stay out wide and go down the outside quite a lot, as well as linking up well with the full back. This is why I think he'd work fine in our system. Let's not forget, even our wingers come inside quite a bit.
He is no Tom Carroll.
The sort of player we should be interested in.
(Spanish, midget, good at football)
(Spanish, midget, good at football)
It depends on who is leaving Madrid. I think he will be interested to see that first before he signs for anyone. If enough AM's leave, then I dont think he will hesitate to sign for Madrid.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22681855
He states regular first team football will be key to choosing his new club next season but by following Pellegrini to City would he start week in week out if they keep the majority of their team?
He states regular first team football will be key to choosing his new club next season but by following Pellegrini to City would he start week in week out if they keep the majority of their team?
Nasri could be leaving. Dzeko could be leaving. Tevez could be leaving. He'd start even if they were still at the club though i think.
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