I'd slap the best part of £100m down on the table for him and Fabregas if I thought we could get them.
Javi Martinez
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Why the bloody 'eck did Fergie never go for him in the first place? It was obvious even at Athletic that he'd become one of the best midfielders in the world.
Kroos, Muller, Gotze and Martinez all wanting to leave? Doubt it. Don't see any leaving this season.
The only one I could see, as he is the only with any leverage to force a move, is Kroos whose contract is ending soon.
If any of Chelsea, United, Liverpool or Monaco offered them 40 million, they`d have to think about it, as they could just spend the money on basically whatever replacement they want (certainly no shortage of talented German midfielders) for Kroos and maybe invest in the top center back they could use, with Martinez moving full time to DM, and it certainly makes sense for all those teams:
Chelsea could play Matic-Kroos with Oscar in front of them, which lookswell balanced to me. Can always bring in Ramires to run around and push Kroos a bit higher, too, in tougher games, with Oscar coming off the bench or playing wider. They were outclassed in midfield against Atletico playing Luiz-Ramires, and though Matic has looked good as a DM, they really do need to buy a CM that can pass the ball.
United would finally have a Scholes replacement, and if we buy Carvalho, as rumoured, we`ll need a passer next to him you would think.
Monaco could buy him and play Kroos-Moutinho in front of Toulalan and in time, Kondogbia, which looks excellent.
Liverpool aren`t really talked about, and Henderson, Allen and Coutinho give them decent depth at CM, but Rodgers does love playing 3 in midfield and maybe Kroos could start as a CM and then replace Gerrard as the DPM in 2 years or so when he goes. Wouldn`t be any worse defensively.
The other teams that could throw 40 at a player don`t really fit (City have foreign player restrictions coming for the CL, PSG have good depth there already, Barcelona don`t need him, although if they decide he`s Xavi`s replacement, then it could happen, Madrid don`t need him, Wenger won`t spend that much on him when he has Ramsey and Ozil to fit centrally already, the Italian teams seem a bit poor for that kind of thing bar Juve, who really don`t need a CM, Wolfsburg are said to have money but I doubt Bayern would sell to a Bundesliga team), unless I`m missing one.
The list of good La Liga CM`s we failed to buy is dark and full of terror.
That's Arsenal fecked then.
If he moves there, Fabregas must be out.
It's Song that he'll be replacing, more than likely.
Either that or they'll play him as a centre half. Which would be the most obvious solution to a lot of Barca's problems this season. He'd be perfect for them as ball-playing defender.
Barca already have Busquets. Unless Martinez wants to play as CB regularly (which I doubt), I don't really see the point.
Song will go for peanuts then. Liverpool may buy Song.
Song's a squad player. If Martinez was happy to be one, he'd stay at the club he put a lot of effort getting to. The only way he can be a starter at Barca is if they play both him and Busquets in the middle with 4 out and out attackers meaning no place for Fabregas or he goes there as a CB which again, if he's happy with, can easily be done at Bayern.
If he went to Barcelona, I'd imagine it'd be to replace Xavi, with Busquets moving futher forward.
Martinez
Busquets Iniesta
Busquets Iniesta
If Martinez is on the market, I hope we're not just going to let him pass by a second time without making serious enquiries. If he doesn't want to come, then fair enough, but we should be wooing him with all our might if there's any possibility he wouldn't mind playing here.
I'm not sure if Busquets would be effective or mobile enough to move further forward in that Barca side.
I highly doubt Bayern will sell him and even if, the number is most likely closer to what they paid at that time which was 40m Euros
I think we need a CDM along with a box-to-box midfielder and I think Javi Martinez is exactly what we need in defensive midfield. I would be really happy if we signed Martinez and Strootman as our two new CM's.
Any chance we can get him? Would love him at United.
Clubs will be queuing up for him if he's available, so I wouldn't say we'd have a great chance of signing him.
Would love it if we signed him, will fill a need almost perfectly and reprise Keane's role albeit with less box to box ability. Can't see it happening unfortunately. Pep is reportedly a Javi fan from his Bilbao days and Bayern is probably pissed off by our public courting of Kroos. If Martinez does move I'd imagine the likes of Madrid (upgrade on Illaramendi + old Alonso), Barcelona (upgrade on Mascherano as skills CB) would get involved at some point. 
Would love it if we signed him, will fill a need almost perfectly and reprise Keane's role albeit with less box to box ability. Can't see it happening unfortunately. Pep is reportedly a Javi fan from his Bilbao days and Bayern is probably pissed off by our public courting of Kroos. If Martinez does move I'd imagine the likes of Madrid (upgrade on Illaramendi + old Alonso), Barcelona (upgrade on Mascherano as skills CB) would get involved at some point.
Real Madrid and Barcelona can't just bloody buy every single midfielder that would be available. We can't sign Koke because Barca will be in the way, we can't sign Martinez because Madrid will be in the way. We couldn't sign Thiago because Moyes was in the way, we can't sign Fabregas because LVG is in the way, we couldn't sign Strootman because Moyes was in the way, we can't sign him now because his injury is in the way. Is there no end to the madness, when does the madness end?
I fear this is my punishment for not wanting Sneijder a few years back when I expected the likes of Cleverley, Pogba and Morrison to take the mantle and instead we'll be forever stuck with Fellaini and his deceptive YouTube videos.
I think he would.
Other than Koke, I can't think of anyone better suited to the role.
He's better at dribbling and turning a man than he's given credit for too. In that rampant opening 25 minutes Barcelona had against Arsenal at the Emirates (back when Ibrahimovich was there) a few years ago, I remember him going past men with ease, navigating tight areas with two or three guys around him.
Maybe though, he's had that drummed out of him a little bit now, due to the restrictiveness of his role since then.
You have been moaning the same thing in every thread. If you don't believe we can even get him, why enter the thread?
So threads are only accessible to muppets? Never knew that was a rule. Some of you need to be more realistic.
If he's available at the sort of price we'd be willing to pay, they'll be half a dozen clubs (who may not have even prioritised a midfielder) who'll get involved.
I think they`d just sign a very, very attacking RWB to replace Alves long-term, and play like this:
Neymar-Messi-Sanchez/Pedro/Delofeu
--------Iniesta--------
--Martinez-Busquets--
Alba--CB--Pique--RWB
It's actually the perfect set up for Cesc, in Iniesta's role, to hit through balls to that pacey front 3 with a solid midfield behind him, if they were willing to go from possession-oriented to a more up-tempo, balanced style, but that leaves Iniesta with no role, so I doubt it ever happens.
To get him we'd need to be swift. Ask for numbers and pay them. People forget that he's had a quite season. Some clubs will probably consider that if he was willing to move and we could have himm at carrington in that time. Lots of hype about pogba and vidal and I'm sure the bigger hitters will be looking there before checking him out.
Pep would sanction the deal IMO. He's not his type of midfielder and the fans put pressure on him only wanting to see him in midfield while he sees his value at the back. Get DDG on this asap.
Pep would sanction the deal IMO. He's not his type of midfielder and the fans put pressure on him only wanting to see him in midfield while he sees his value at the back. Get DDG on this asap.
They can't have Martinez though
.One of my favorite players
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Nono I didn't want to sound like a downer and claim that we can't sign midfielders.
A bit difficult to comment on the others you mention with certainty FWIW but TBF I think the assessment if Martinez was correct in decreasing order of likelihood :
1. He'll probably stay at Bayern. They are financial healthy and he was one of the most effective players for them before the injury marred campaign. Their coach is a big believer in him and made attempts to sign the guy at Barcelona. They don't even need money given they have options at every position and signed a Top 5 striker for free.
2. Madrid and Barcelona have never been afraid to stockpile quality players. Also they need players at vital positions and you can't get a better option than Martinez who's an experienced, versatile player. Alonso is getting old and Khedira has been below par/ recovering from a long term injury. Madrid have revenues that exceed ours by 100 million and they're never averse to spending money irrespective of what they have. Similar with Barcelona who might make him the priority failing in their pursuit of Benatia/ Koke. And it makes sense too. Javi would return to his home nation, play for a massive club like ours, speak the same language, same culture, weather etc.
They can't have Martinez though
I bet Guardiola would do Iniesta for Martinez in a second. Not sure what the Germans over at Munich would think, though.
Under Guardiola i've seen him many times in the bench
But then your line-up wouldn't work because Iniesta is gone
But then your line-up wouldn't work because Iniesta is gone
Right, I`m saying that actually Cesc is arguably even a better fit there than Iniesta.
TBF he had struggled a lot with fitness issues (groin in Sept, knee in November) this past season. Once fit and on form he did play a healthy role at Bayern starting in 7 of their last 10 matches including the Pokal final and Bundesliga fixture vs Dortmund and played almost 90 minutes over 2 legs vs Madrid (participated in 8 CL games overall). Also Guardiola had to find playing time for Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Lahm, Thiago *when fit so he couldn't risk starting Javi every game at the risk of seeming partisan and falling out with the other players.
explain
Too expansive and bayern won't sell him
I agree. I think we should nearly ask Bayern for their price and meet it. We need a holding midfielder to replace Carrick and apart from Carvalho (who is unproven) and Martinez, I can't see anyone else who's we could go for.
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