Romeo Lavia | Chelsea bound?

Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
Probably because Phillips was more of a sure bet with PL experience and Lavia had a well priced buyback clause inserted into his contract.



My point wasn't that City have a better academy than ours. At least we actually give our academy lads gametime whereas all they've got to show for it is Foden. I was making a broader point about how they spend money on the academy and invest in facilities whereas our youngsters have to play at leigh sports village because our owners are so stingy.
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You do know the academy trains at Carrington and play matches there depending on age level....some play matches at Leigh, but not all of the youth teams.

Also, City don't even own their stadium...it is leased from the City. They got a fantastic deal due to the Commonwealth Games which their current owners didn't have any say, since it was long before.

And there's not many city councils who will happily give up the land they own and allow a ownership and developer to do what they want. Land is scarce, but not quite like in East Manchester near Stockport...

Glazers are tight with money, sure, but they aren't as bad as everyone keeps saying. Comparing any ownership group against CFG, which is backed by an entire gulf state is remarkablely wrong.
 
He does look really promising. Absolutely ideal age and profile to learn from one of the best in the business in Casemiro.

It wouldn't solve all of our midfield issues though. Probably only the potential for Casemiro to be overburdened one.
 
edcunited1878 said:
Glazers are tight with money, sure, but they aren't as bad as everyone keeps saying. Comparing any ownership group against CFG, which is backed by an entire gulf state is remarkablely wrong.
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I still don't think it's right that any of our youth teams play at leigh sports village. Even if we aren't backed by a gulf state, it shouldn't be much to ask for United to have their own academy ground.
 
Gabriel Djemba-Bebe said:
I still don't think it's right that any of our youth teams play at leigh sports village. Even if we aren't backed by a gulf state, it shouldn't be much to ask for United to have their own academy ground.
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But that's part of the academy setup...they training in the same building and complex in Carrington as the senior side.

You can't be something if you don't see it and live around it most days. Carrington isn't some shithole dumpster fire.
 
I'd rather we sign five CMs and have an issue with players annoyed they're not getting minutes rather than players getting minutes who absolutely sucks.
 
There’s something about him that makes me think he’d be a better fit for us than Caicedo (not saying he’s a better player, but that he’d suit us more)
 
He would be a great signing for us. The kid has a spark and we need to be all over this type of signing. He can start along side casemiro in big games where need to be tighter in defense. The rest of the time he can be a sub or fill in when required.
 
Reading some of the media reports on him and the comments range from;
We are leading the race with Chelsea for his signature
We have directly spoken with his Father regarding him coming to the club.

Probably a load of old shite I know but if Southampton do get relegated then surely he must be attainable at a decent price if he wants to come to us.
 
Ticks all of the boxes for me. There's no doubt playing under or alongside Casemiro for a few years would elevate his game further.
 
Hard to see us get 2 CMs but I'd love for us to get him and a controlling CM. Maybe if we got someone like Kovacic as the controller for cheap
 
He plays as DM but I believe he can be CM with his dribbling ability. He has talent to be DM and CM. He has similarity with Camavinga.
 
Defensive mid seems such a waste to invest 30-50m on when Casemiro will always be first choice. You just halt a young player’s development - I dont buy the understudy of casemiro thing. It wont matter if you dont play and practice.

its different with other positions - for wings, backs, central defence, or the Bruno/Eriksen positions you compete with at least 2 other guys and it’s way easier to be given chances there because there’s more chance of rotation.
 
jesperjaap said:
Good prospect.....so is Mainoo and Hannibal.

Our three most pressing needs for me are a striker and a partner for Casemeiro. I think a young centre back also comes above signing a back up for Casemeiro.

I dont see £40/50m on Latvia as a viable proposition with our needs and the likely costs for some of our supposed top targets
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How do you figure that? When Casemiro can't play, we have nothing in that position that doesn't have a big negative impact on the whole team's performance. That is not the case at #8, and it is not the case at CB. So how on earth is that a lower priority? In my view, it's right up there with striker as something we have to address.

Ideally we address it by getting a midfielder who are a better #8 than Eriksen, and who also are an able fill-in at #6.
 
If Southampton get relegated and he sold for a discount why not, if we can cover other places.
 
Bilbo said:
Ticks all of the boxes for me. There's no doubt playing under or alongside Casemiro for a few years would elevate his game further.
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Yup. He looks like he’s got a great skill set that suits us. Would be gutted if we lose out as we have a chance here to add a good midfielder who is already doing well in the PL for a decent fee.
 
justsomebloke said:
How do you figure that? When Casemiro can't play, we have nothing in that position that doesn't have a big negative impact on the whole team's performance. That is not the case at #8, and it is not the case at CB. So how on earth is that a lower priority? In my view, it's right up there with striker as something we have to address.

Ideally we address it by getting a midfielder who are a better #8 than Eriksen, and who also are an able fill-in at #6.
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I figure that as improving our first eleven is a priority over improving a back up maybe?
 
jesperjaap said:
I figure that as improving our first eleven is a priority over improving a back up maybe?
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As long as we actually have decent backup at all, yeah. Which we do, for every other position. But for Casemiro's position, we have nothing adequate at all. And at least one of the other positions you wanted to prioritise (CB) was also a backup - and one where we already have at least two (Shaw and Lindelof).
 
ROFLUTION said:
Defensive mid seems such a waste to invest 30-50m on when Casemiro will always be first choice. You just halt a young player’s development - I dont buy the understudy of casemiro thing. It wont matter if you dont play and practice.

its different with other positions - for wings, backs, central defence, or the Bruno/Eriksen positions you compete with at least 2 other guys and it’s way easier to be given chances there because there’s more chance of rotation.
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Casemiro gets suspended and injured and we can’t suffer such a bad drop off and a difference in how we have to play without him.

A CDM for that money that wouldn’t mind being a deputy for a few years is exactly what we need.
 
justsomebloke said:
As long as we actually have decent backup at all, yeah. Which we do, for every other position. But for Casemiro's position, we have nothing adequate at all. And at least one of the other positions you wanted to prioritise (CB) was also a backup - and one where we already have at least two (Shaw and Lindelof).
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Disagree. Not just us but seveal premiership top sides, the drop off from the first elven to the bench is huge. Look at Arsenal and Saliba to Holding.

Varane is missing quite a lot of games and the drop down from him to Lindelof is similar. Malacia has done ok, but if Shaw is playing centre back the drop down to him or Dalot is big, he drop down from Fernandes is big, from DeGea is big.

I know they are a different entity at the moment, but CIty can leave the majority of there first team out and you wouldnt notice/

Where is this good cover in every position you are talking about with us. Right back...I am a fan of Bissaka, always have been but neither him or DAlot have yet to prove themselves all round as numbe ones, I only see it as good there and on the left wing with Rashford, Garnacho and the still not yet performing Sancho.

You can maybe yes swap Eriksen, Fred and Sabitzer around... all different players but not a hge dropdown, the fear of Eriksen beign missed was overplayed.....again for me this is another area where none of them are actually the right player to be starting in a first eleven.

For me bar maybe Rashfords position, our best players (and the majority of them have been big first eleven signings recently) the drop down from Martinez, Varane, Casemeiro and Fernandes is huge, I think its blinkered to think Casemeiros position is the onyl one.

The one thing I would agree with is Shaw has dne an excellent job when called upon to cover Martinez, thats the only one
 
justsomebloke said:
As long as we actually have decent backup at all, yeah. Which we do, for every other position. But for Casemiro's position, we have nothing adequate at all. And at least one of the other positions you wanted to prioritise (CB) was also a backup - and one where we already have at least two (Shaw and Lindelof).
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Shaw can’t really be counted since he's first choice LB (which means if hes playing CB) then we are weaker in 2 positions not just 1.

He can of course cover but its not ideal and I reckon in the summer we will see a CB come in to address that.
 
Cassidy said:
Shaw can’t really be counted since he's first choice LB (which means if hes playing CB) then we are weaker in 2 positions not just 1.

He can of course cover but its not ideal and I reckon in the summer we will see a CB come in to address that.
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Well, for Casemiro's position we don't even have that kind of cover.
 
jesperjaap said:
Disagree. Not just us but seveal premiership top sides, the drop off from the first elven to the bench is huge. Look at Arsenal and Saliba to Holding.

Varane is missing quite a lot of games and the drop down from him to Lindelof is similar. Malacia has done ok, but if Shaw is playing centre back the drop down to him or Dalot is big, he drop down from Fernandes is big, from DeGea is big.

I know they are a different entity at the moment, but CIty can leave the majority of there first team out and you wouldnt notice/

Where is this good cover in every position you are talking about with us. Right back...I am a fan of Bissaka, always have been but neither him or DAlot have yet to prove themselves all round as numbe ones, I only see it as good there and on the left wing with Rashford, Garnacho and the still not yet performing Sancho.

You can maybe yes swap Eriksen, Fred and Sabitzer around... all different players but not a hge dropdown, the fear of Eriksen beign missed was overplayed.....again for me this is another area where none of them are actually the right player to be starting in a first eleven.

For me bar maybe Rashfords position, our best players (and the majority of them have been big first eleven signings recently) the drop down from Martinez, Varane, Casemeiro and Fernandes is huge, I think its blinkered to think Casemeiros position is the onyl one.

The one thing I would agree with is Shaw has dne an excellent job when called upon to cover Martinez, thats the only one
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What, are you serious? No. You can not "swap Eriksen, Fred and Sabitzer around". That is exactly the point. None of those players are more than an emergency fill-in as the deep-lying holding midfielder. That's not their game, and they don't have the qualities it needs. The only one we have is McTominay.

And mate, at CB and RB, the players who are currently our backups were our starters two seasons ago.
 
justsomebloke said:
What, are you serious? No. You can not "swap Eriksen, Fred and Sabitzer around". That is exactly the point. None of those players are more than an emergency fill-in as the deep-lying holding midfielder. That's not their game, and they don't have the qualities it needs. The only one we have is McTominay.

And mate, at CB and RB, the players who are currently our backups were our starters two seasons ago.
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Sorry wasnt clear what I wrote or you misread it. I meant swap around as the partner for Casemeiro and none of them are good enough to be in the starting eleven over a season. Didnt mean swap them around instead of Casemeiro.

Whole point I am tryin gto make, people are pointing to the record of Casemeiro, Eriksen and Fernandes as a trio...buts its still nto ideal for me, not against the bigger sides, that is why a partner for Casmeiro is far more important than a back up for him as a signing, my initial point
 
jesperjaap said:
Sorry wasnt clear what I wrote or you misread it. I meant swap around as the partner for Casemeiro and none of them are good enough to be in the starting eleven over a season. Didnt mean swap them around instead of Casemeiro.

Whole point I am tryin gto make, people are pointing to the record of Casemeiro, Eriksen and Fernandes as a trio...buts its still nto ideal for me, not against the bigger sides, that is why a partner for Casmeiro is far more important than a back up for him as a signing, my initial point
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Ideally we want someone who can do both
 
Quality player and can definitely improve another 2-3 levels with experience and coaching: more of a Robertson or Wijnaldum than (insert typical relegated player signing for promoted club!) though he'll probably cost 40+. So long as we get another midfielder, more of an overt playmaker with mobility and press-resistance, to accompany him, I think this makes a lot of sense to sub in for Cas and learn from him, or even play alongside him in games when it needs to be ground out.
 
This guy would be a cracking buy and hopefully not too costly. The ideal profile for me.
 
MCFC might have a buy-back clause — but that only means that Sunderland has to accept the offer, right?

Unless MCFC can ensure playing time for him, you never know if he would sign there.
 
Messier1994 said:
MCFC might have a buy-back clause — but that only means that Sunderland has to accept the offer, right?

Unless MCFC can ensure playing time for him, you never know if he would sign there.
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That buy-back clause is relevant for 2024
 
Messier1994 said:
MCFC might have a buy-back clause — but that only means that Sunderland has to accept the offer, right?

Unless MCFC can ensure playing time for him, you never know if he would sign there.
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Yeah wouldn't be surprised if they have
 
Messier1994 said:
MCFC might have a buy-back clause — but that only means that Sunderland has to accept the offer, right?

Unless MCFC can ensure playing time for him, you never know if he would sign there.
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I am sure Sunderland would love a few million and it would soften the blow if they miss the play-offs :lol: :lol: :wenger:
 
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