Mario Hermoso - Free Agent

Highfather_24 said:
Difference being we have 3 midfield spots, while 2 spots for CBs.

7 CBs for 2 spots is crazy, even if one of them can cover for a FB. Just not happening, lots of reporters say a lot of things, doesnt mean its gonna happen.
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As much as I agree with you that 7 options is a lot, the reality is Evans is a player signed for dressing room influence more than anything else. Maguire and Lindelof were less fit than Varane last season (!) and we cannot seem to shift them just yet (though I think Lindelof would go before the end of the window). Yorro is a big player but young and injured now.

We should be bolstering this area with another signing at CB. Hermoso on a free who can cover LB is a separate remit, it's just convenient he can be LCB too.

LB is actually the position we are most desperate to fill the void in.
 
VP89 said:
As much as I agree with you that 7 options is a lot, the reality is Evans is a player signed for dressing room influence more than anything else. Maguire and Lindelof were less fit than Varane last season (!) and we cannot seem to shift them just yet (though I think Lindelof would go before the end of the window). Yorro is a big player but young and injured now.

We should be bolstering this area with another signing at CB. Hermoso on a free who can cover LB is a separate remit, it's just convenient he can be LCB too.

LB is actually the position we are most desperate to fill the void in.
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If we get Mazraoui, De Ligt and this guy in, I'd be the happiest guy and take my words back.
 
Highfather_24 said:
If we get Mazraoui, De Ligt and this guy in, I'd be the happiest guy and take my words back.
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Well there's little sources on this one sadly, but I am sure we are on the hunt for a LCB/LB hybrid. I reckon had we got Branthwaite and Yorro we would not have done so, but De Ligt can't cover LB so there will need to be some coverage outside of Mazraoui being a dual RB/LB cover.
 
Could be worth a punt if he's able to double up as a left back
 
Getting excited again

It’d be amazing if we bring in Hermoso, DeLigt(myballs) and Mazraoui before the deadline.

That for me would significantly improve the defense options and perhaps even enable a Lindelof sale

Rb - Dalot, Mazraoui
Lb - Shaw, Mazraoui, Hermoso, Dalot, Amass
Cb - Martinez, DeLigt, Yoro, Hermoso, Maguire, Evans

That’s even overlooking Malacia if he ever returns.

Anyone claiming Hermoso isn’t a decent squad option should just walk away from football. You don’t make as many appearances in a mean Atlético defence and have nothing about you. Even playing a significant role in their title winning team. The ability to play a couple of positions makes this a real coup if we can get it done.
 
If we looking at him as a LB cover also somebody who come in if we have our annual CB crises and on free is a good signing. I feel maybe we are just getting linked to him so to put more pressure on Bayern to sell De Ligt. Ideally we need to sign both and Mazouri and sell Lindelof and Maguire. Otherwise we would have too many options for 2 spots.
 
Fahad Jawaid said:
If we looking at him as a LB cover also somebody who come in if we have our annual CB crises and on free is a good signing. I feel maybe we are just getting linked to him so to put more pressure on Bayern to sell De Ligt. Ideally we need to sign both and Mazouri and sell Lindelof and Maguire. Otherwise we would have too many options for 2 spots.
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Free transfer what do we have to lose really, we have chronically injured players
 
Looks like a smart signing and great left footed, aggressive cover for the butcher

Gets my vote
 


Wouldn't be surprised if that was his landing spot after they mucked up the Todibo deal
 
I'd rather Hermoso than Branthwaite if they were the same price, never mind 70 million different. He’s better on the ball and has lots of experience.
 
Seems like smart business to me. United have not tended to sign players as stop gaps unless it’s a CF. Give this guy a 3 year deal and hopefully this stops Lindelof and Maguire getting game time.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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That is the general guideline maybe. However, if a good player is available on a free for a position we need and are cash strapped, 29 years is probably fine as well, especially a CB or GK can usually play a bit longer. He should have another 3 or 4 years in the tank, so i dont see a problem. Should be better than most of our CBs, especially Maguire, Lindelöf and Evans
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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Doubt they're gonna say they'll never, under any circumstances, sign a player over 26.
More just that they are targeting younger players for the majority of signings, but each signing will still be taking at it's merits.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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Use your brain. The point of that policy is resell value, i.e. don't go buy a 30 year old for €100m and give him a five year contract that might flop or performance levels drop and you can't get rid of them plus the costly investment goes to waste. It is obviously not meant to restrict opportunities such as signing a 29-year old Hermoso on free transfer. It is intended to stop getting a Casemiro for €60m.
 
£100k a week for a back up to Martinez who has no experience of the pace of the Premier League and is looking for his last big pay check? What could possibly go wrong? Plus he and his agent will be looking for big signing on fees you’d imagine.

He’d get a lot of games at left back, at least in the short term. His style of defending 1 v 1 makes me nervous though. I’d honestly rather give youth a chance at this point and do something about the conditioning of our players.
 
Plays two positions we badly need cover for so it’s a no-brainer on a free as long as it’s not 4+ years on ridiculous wages.

I can’t remember ever watching him play so I don’t know his level but as long as he’s decent La Liga standard and not injury prone then he’d be a real bonus for us. There are certain areas where we just need bodies at the moment and LB/CB are two of them.
 
I hope we get this over the line. Smart signing to deepen our cover at LB and LCB.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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Fans made that up. Ludicrous to suggest a football club would have a blanket rule like that with no flexibility.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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The buying policy is 17-24 year olds. But also open to free transfers and players in their last year of their contract.

The core of the squad need to mature together hence the 17-24 age. Pretty much what Arteta has been doing with arsenal.
 
Holters said:
Use your brain. The point of that policy is resell value, i.e. don't go buy a 30 year old for €100m and give him a five year contract that might flop or performance levels drop and you can't get rid of them plus the costly investment goes to waste. It is obviously not meant to restrict opportunities such as signing a 29-year old Hermoso on free transfer. It is intended to stop getting a Casemiro for €60m.
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Chill. No need to get so wound up.

That seems like more of a "dont give out stupid contracts to old players", rather than a "just buy young players" thing, and both are very different things.

Seems to be its just something made up by fans after hearing Ratcliffe's Mbappe quote.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I thought INEOS had a no player above 25-26 policy? Or did fans make that up?
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I think typically that's a good target to have but when you're skint and need an emergency squad player and the player is on a free, why not?

The "don't sign over 25/26 year olds" typically only counts for spending big money on them like Casemiro. Getting frees like Ibra or Cavani are actually a good idea. They don't hurt you with FFP and when they decline in 2 years it doesn't feck you over, unlike many of our previous guys.
 
Don’t know much about him, but he sounds like a member of the Cartel and will obviously be a master of the dark arts coming from Atletico.

I can imagine him being a fecking lunatic (within reason) so that means I’m onboard with this signing.
 
bosnian_red said:
I think typically that's a good target to have but when you're skint and need an emergency squad player and the player is on a free, why not?

The "don't sign over 25/26 year olds" typically only counts for spending big money on them like Casemiro. Getting frees like Ibra or Cavani are actually a good idea. They don't hurt you with FFP and when they decline in 2 years it doesn't feck you over, unlike many of our previous guys.
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I agree, I think this could be a shrewd signing, tiding us over till Amass is ready.

Just thought it was funny how fans were dismissing other potential options like Tah for example, citing this "no older players policy", which felt made up.
 
Highfather_24 said:
I agree, I think this could be a shrewd signing, tiding us over till Amass is ready.

Just thought it was funny how fans were dismissing other potential options like Tah for example, citing this "no older players policy", which felt made up.
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I think the problem with signing someone like Tah is you'd need to pay min €25m to begin with.
 
Highfather_24 said:
Sure, I'm not advocating signing Tah, just saying there is probably no blanket rule, and its a case by case basis thing.
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For sure. I mean they didn't bring him back, but they kept Evans on again this season. Hopefully he won't play anywhere near as much, but last season he really saved our bacon a few times
 
Window of Yoro, Hermoso, De Ligt and Mazraoui can easily be called overhaul in defense. Good intentions so far, but in case of materialising, could mean definitely productive summer.

Hermoso just like De Ligt and Mazraoui had quite a lot of CL appearances... that's probably the direction Ineos is taking with the defense plan.
 
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This guy on a free along with Yoro and De Ligt would be great work in the centreback roster.

Even better if he can play left back with Shaw being so injury prone, Amass being so young and god knows what with Malacia.
 
Apparently wants a 3 year deal but no idea how reliable the source saying it actually is, does anyone know how often he has played LB?
 
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