Transfer Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread - Summer 2014 - Mod note in OP

CSF

Soups123 wrote: »

So Monday 12am will be cut off?

Well the minute that Monday becomes Tuesday. I've never fully understood whether that's Monday or Tuesday 12 am

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

With the amount of quality Atleti/Bayern players last season I don't see how people are reaching that conclusion

He was one of the stars of the team that destroyed Bayern in the semi final and won the Champions League, that's how

Crash Bang Wall

I think its 11pm Mon night

KERSPLAT!

Isn't it 11pm on Monday?

edit, missed the above post

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

He was one of the stars of the team that destroyed Bayern in the semi final and won the Champions League, that's how

Better throw Ramos in there too then, on that ridiculous logic.

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

Better throw Ramos in there too then, on that ridiculous logic.

Don't get me wrong I'm not basing it on one match, just if you can't see how people think one of the best players in the best team is one of the best players in the world then you're the one with ridiculous logic

kevinroche3333

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/9439415/transfer-news-real-madrid-winger-angel-di-maria-set-for-manchester-united-medical

Is it me or is 80million euro outrageous money?!?!?! I dont doubt the quality of Di Maria for a moment, but really? 80million euro?!?!

Soups123

kevinroche3333 wrote: »

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/9439415/transfer-news-real-madrid-winger-angel-di-maria-set-for-manchester-united-medical

Is it me or is 80million euro outrageous money?!?!?! I dont doubt the quality of Di Maria for a moment, but really? 80million euro?!?!

Have you read the last 20 pages?

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

Don't get me wrong I'm not basing it on one match, just if you can't see how people think one of the best players in the best team is one of the best players in the world then you're the one with ridiculous logic

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

kevinroche3333

Soups123 wrote: »

Have you read the last 20 pages?

I have and still haven't got my head around it!! Maybe being an Arsenal fan and a tight fecker myself explains why i can't believe it!

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

You obviously haven't seen the massive outcry from fans about him leaving and reportedly also, players. There is only one man in Madrid who wants Di Maria to leave and that's Florentino Perez, who unfortunately for Madrid calls the shots. He clearly haven't watched much of them if you don't think he was in their top 5 players last year, absolutely ludicrous statement.

zarquon

It's excessive but transfers have undergone serious inflation lately and Di Maria was one of the top players in Europe last season. Anyone that followed La Liga or watched the CL would attest to this. Ancelloti didn't want him to go but Perez forced him out for financial reasons.

If Lallana is worth £25m then Di Maria is easily worth 2 x Lallana. He is certainly also worth a stipend on top of the £40m paid for Ozil.

A lot of Di Maria bashing here from people that didn't watch him much last season. If he played, week in week out in the Premier League then people would be drooling over this signing.

This forum is seriously biased though, certain quarters drooling over balotelli and writing off Di Maria :eek:

Christy Browne wrote: »

You obviously haven't seen the massive outcry from fans about him leaving and reportedly also, players. There is only one man in Madrid who wants Di Maria to leave and that's Florentino Perez, who unfortunately for Madrid calls the shots. He clearly haven't watched much of them if you don't think he was in their top 5 players last year, absolutely ludicrous statement.

Agreed, a lot of Real fans are pissed off. Perez wanted Hames as his new galactico and there was no room for both him and Di Maria. I have 2 friends who are Real fans and they are really annoyed by this. Ancelloti also said he did not want Di Maria to go but the decision was not his.

It is also ludicrous to suggest that Di Maria was not in the top 5 real players last season. That's like suggesting that Suarez was not in the top 5 PL players last season :rolleyes:

Soups123

CSF wrote: »

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

He is easily in the top 5 RM players over the past 2/3 seasons. He was superb last year. You can never rule the fact RM are looking to sell as any real indication of a player.

He was there 3/4 best player last season for sure, the fee is huge an a lot more than you would expect but the is definately a top quality player.

Perez just got the goat with him, its widely reported Ancelloti wanted to keep him

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

You obviously haven't seen the massive outcry from fans about him leaving and reportedly also, players. There is only one man in Madrid who wants Di Maria to leave and that's Florentino Perez, who unfortunately for Madrid calls the shots. He clearly haven't watched much of them if you don't think he was in their top 5 players last year, absolutely ludicrous statement.

I didn't say top 5 players last year. I said he's not in Real's 5 best players. There's a difference.

And the 'you clearly haven't watched much' line just makes people look like an idiot. I wouldn't be discussing this in such depth if I didn't watch Real nearly every week.

CSF

CSF wrote: »

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

Jesus

5live

Christy Browne wrote: »

You obviously haven't seen the massive outcry from fans about him leaving and reportedly also, players. There is only one man in Madrid who wants Di Maria to leave and that's Florentino Perez, who unfortunately for Madrid calls the shots. He clearly haven't watched much of them if you don't think he was in their top 5 players last year, absolutely ludicrous statement.

Ahh i see, he has dropped from being their 2nd best player to being one of their top 5.

By morning he will barely make the match day squad:P

CSF

Soups123 wrote: »

He is easily in the top 5 RM players over the past 2/3 seasons. He was superb last year. You can never rule the fact RM are looking to sell as any real indication of a player.

He was there 3/4 best player last season for sure, the fee is huge an a lot more than you would expect but the is definately a top quality player.

Perez just got the goat with him, its widely reported Ancelloti wanted to keep him

To stretch out on this logic, how many Real players have left on gone on to be world class in recent times?

Robben strikes me as one, maybe you could say Higuain but I wouldn't go that far myself

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

I didn't say top 5 players last year. I said he's not in Real's 5 best players. There's a difference.

And the 'you clearly haven't watched much' line just makes people look like an idiot. I wouldn't be discussing this in such depth if I didn't watch Real nearly every week.

He has been in Madrid's top 5 players for around 3 years now, but really pushed on to another level last year. What else are you basing their best players on? 4 years ago? 5 years ago? Name your top 10 players in the world last year and we'll see.

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

He has been in Madrid's top 5 players for around 3 years now, but really pushed on to another level last year. What else are you basing their best players on? 4 years ago? 5 years ago? Name your top 10 players in the world last year and we'll see.

I don't think he has been in Real's top 5 players for that spell of time. I believe that your inclination to think so is due to the club he is joining now.

This is not a top 10 players in the world last year thread and I don't intend to take it in that direction. Rest assured it would be very full of Atleti and Bayern players though.

IrishIrish

CSF wrote: »

To stretch out on this logic, how many Real players have left on gone on to be world class in recent times?

Robben strikes me as one, maybe you could say Higuain but I wouldn't go that far myself

Well they haven't been selling world class players in recent years so would be pretty hard for players who have left to go on to be world class players

Higuain, Albiol and Callejon have all done very well at Napoli since they left. Sahin has maintained his level since going back to Dortmund. Ozil started well at Arsenal and you'd expect him to continue again this season. Garay was very good when he left for Benfica. Van Der Vaart did very well at spurs.

I actually can't think of many players who have left Real Madrid in recent years and not performed to a high level other than players who were always only bit part players to begin with.

CSF

IrishIrish wrote: »

Well they haven't been selling world class players in recent years so would be pretty hard for players who have left to go on to be world class players

Higuain, Albiol and Callejon have all done very well at Napoli since they left. Sahin has maintained his level since going back to Dortmund. Ozil started well at Arsenal and you'd expect him to continue again this season. Garay was very good when he left for Benfica. Van Der Vaart did very well at spurs.

I actually can't think of many players who have left Real Madrid in recent years and not performed to a high level other than players who were always only bit part players to begin with.

But the point made was that Real selling a player wasn't an indication.

If none of these lads performed to the level required at probably the biggest club in the world after leaving, then Real selling the player was an indication. Robben did perform at that level.

Corholio

Last year Di Maria was excellent last year but I don't think it's such a huge shock that Real are selling him. It was even more of an outcry when Ozil left, and they went on to win the Champions League, and a big part of that was down to Modric playing consistently better over 90 minutes than Ozil did. It'll be very interesting to see how he gets on with the physicality of the English league as his theatrics can be quite something when tackled.

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

I don't think he has been in Real's top 5 players for that spell of time. I believe that your inclination to think so is due to the club he is joining now.

This is not a top 10 players in the world last year thread and I don't intend to take it in that direction. Rest assured it would be very full of Atleti and Bayern players though.

I was raving about Di Maria last year before the thought of him joining United was barely even a dream I could think of, if he was staying at Madrid I'd still say he was their second best player last year. If you're not gonna give you're top 10 then I can't keep this back and forth going since you're not backing up you're points.

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

I was raving about Di Maria last year before the thought of him joining United was barely even a dream I could think of, if he was staying at Madrid I'd still say he was their second best player last year. If you're not gonna give you're top 10 then I can't keep this back and forth going since you're not backing up you're points.

I don't think quoting a top 10 players in the world thing is really necessary to say that a player isn't that close to being in there.

Of the big clubs in the world at present, which would he go to and be their best player? He won't even be United's.

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

I don't think quoting a top 10 players in the world thing is really necessary to say that a player isn't that close to being in there.

Of the big clubs in the world at present, which would he go to and be their best player? He won't even be United's.

Out of interest, who do you think is better than him at United? I think he'd easily be our best player

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

Out of interest, who do you think is better than him at United? I think he'd easily be our best player

Van Persie is still the best player at United by a distance. Just needs a run free of injury for a while and he would still be at the level of his last season at Arsenal/first at United.

Rooney and Mata would both be similar level to Di Maria for me. I'd probably have Rooney over Di Maria if it was Rooney being used to his strengths, rather than Rooney filling gaps due to his flexibility.

Aenaes

CSF wrote: »

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

So Ozil wasn't one of Madrid's best players since they deemed him to be surplus to requirements also? Even though he was the best in Europe when it came to assists.

Clubs sell players regardless of their talent. So the fact that Real Madrid, who have never been shall we say cautious, are choosing to sell him takes nothing away from his ability.

I suppose Diego Lòpez must be a shambles of a goalkeeper if the mighty Real Madrid hierarchy let him leave for nothing.

KERSPLAT!

A top 10 list is subjective, there is no definitive, so there's not much point to it

CSF

CSF wrote: »

Van Persie is still the best player at United by a distance. Just needs a run free of injury for a while and he would still be at the level of his last season at Arsenal/first at United.

Rooney and Mata would both be similar level to Di Maria for me. I'd probably have Rooney over Di Maria if it was Rooney being used to his strengths, rather than Rooney filling gaps due to his flexibility.

One of them will need to miss out, Mata probably the most likely

CSF

Aenaes wrote: »

So Ozil wasn't one of Madrid's best players since they deemed him to be surplus to requirements also? Even though he was the best in Europe when it came to assists.

Clubs sell players regardless of their talent. So the fact that Real Madrid, who have never been shall we say cautious, are choosing to sell him takes nothing away from his ability.

I suppose Diego Lòpez must be a shambles of a goalkeeper if the mighty Real Madrid hierarchy let him leave for nothing.

Yeah I think Ozil has proven since leaving that he wouldn't be one of Real's best players. I'm not sure which of Ronaldo, Bale and Rodriguez he would be replacing in that 3 behind Benzema

Lopez is a very good keeper, but Real will do what they do and replace him with someone better. Navas may end up being that man. Maybe Cech.

It's the Real way, they replace good players with better players for massive transfer fees that the rest of the clubs in the world baulk at. It's a bit nuts but it's been working for them lately

CSF

rarnes1 wrote: »

One of them will need to miss out, Mata probably the most likely

And that seems nuts to me. Mata one of the really strong players in a team with so many weak spots.

I don't see Di Maria as capable of playing CM in the Premiership to a high level myself so I think someone does need to be displaced or lots of unnecessary rotation

MisterAnarchy

Anything over 40m euro for Di Maria is crazy money. Utd are just desperate to even consider paying it.
Two central defenders and a holding midfielder are essential and they could get Hummels, Blind and Khederia for way less than DiMaria and still retain the bulk of the transfer fund for Strootman in January.

They seem to have no idea how to operate in the transfer market, incredible incompetence from Woodward and Utd....
They need professionals , not PR and advertising guys.

How many more wingers do Utd need anyway ?

Anybody playing alongside Alonso and Modric in a 3 man midfield last season would have looked good,Alonso and Modric did most of the heavy lifting.
Di Maria is like the girl with the curl ,When she was good,She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.
He blows hot and cold ,a bit like Nani .

Real seem to be able to get huge money for players they dont want anymore .
In previous years they would flog players off at huge mark downs ,i.e the Dutch clearout of 2009 .
They are going to net a profit of almost 80-90m euro on Higuain and Di Maria.

Hyzepher

I'll have a go at a top ten - in no particular order

Ronaldo
Messi
Bale
Suarez
Neymar
Ibrahimovic
Iniesta
Yaya Toure
Aguero
Van Persie
Lahm
Xavi

and thats without;
Rooney
Ozil
Falcao
Ribery
Robben
Silva

RasTa

CSF wrote: »

But he isn't one of the best players at Real, that's why he is surplus to requirements. He had a very very good spell last season. I don't disagree with that. But not a hope in hell is he in the best 5 Real players. If he was he wouldn't be leaving.

Like Ozil?

CSF

CSF wrote: »

And that seems nuts to me. Mata one of the really strong players in a team with so many weak spots.

I don't see Di Maria as capable of playing CM in the Premiership to a high level myself so I think someone does need to be displaced or lots of unnecessary rotation

Who knows what Van Gaals plans are but I'd hazard a guess the Utd captain and the Dutch captain won't be dropped. That only leaves Mata.

RasTa

RasTa wrote: »

Like Ozil?

He's hardly lit the league up so far

CSF

RasTa wrote: »

Like Ozil?

Like Ozil.

Christy Browne

rarnes1 wrote: »

One of them will need to miss out, Mata probably the most likely

They really don't, there is plenty of systems that can incorporate all 4

Christy Browne

Hyzepher wrote: »

I'll have a go at a top ten - in no particular order

Ronaldo
Messi
Bale
Suarez
Neymar
Ibrahimovic
Iniesta
Yaya Toure
Aguero
Van Persie
Lahm
Xavi

and thats without;
Rooney
Ozil
Falcao
Ribery
Robben
Silva

Xavi didn't have the best of season's last year, nor did Van Persie (because of injury, granted)

zarquon

CSF wrote: »

I don't see Di Maria as capable of playing CM in the Premiership to a high level myself so I think someone does need to be displaced or lots of unnecessary rotation

Di Maria played on the left of the midfield 3 for Real in a lot of games last season where he excelled. I imagine that's why united bought him, with plans to me to a 4-3-3 where he can play in either of the front lines.

Di Maria is also capable of playing the "robben" role in the 3-5-2 so who knows what LVG has planned. There is no way the money would be spent unless there was a concrete plan in place for him.

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

They really don't, there is plenty of systems that can incorporate all 4

I dunno about that, with Mata not being that pacey, I'm not thinking of many.

There's the option to throw Di Maria into CM but I don't think he will work well there. There's the option of throwing Rooney out to the right too but again, wasting one of their few really really good players to accommodate another is stupid to me for a side weak in so many areas.

Fescue

What is Di Maria's best position would you say?

I guess if you pay this amount for a player you play him there and work everything else around that.

CSF

zarquon wrote: »

Di Maria played on the left of the midfield 3 for Real in a lot of games last season where he excelled. I imagine that's why united bought him, with plans to me to a 4-3-3 where he can play in either of the front lines.

La Liga and the Premiership are massively different for someone playing in the centre. I don't think Di Maria would be good enough there. His strength in the premiership would be wide on the left behind the strikers IMO.

Christy Browne

CSF wrote: »

I dunno about that, with Mata not being that pacey, I'm not thinking of many.

There's the option to throw Di Maria into CM but I don't think he will work well there. There's the option of throwing Rooney out to the right too but again, wasting one of their few really really good players to accommodate another is stupid to me for a side weak in so many areas.

I've posted this a few times so at the risk of sounding like a broken record :

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney - Van Persie

Works very well I think, if the talk of De Jong is true then he is the perfect DM to replace Carrick in that line up. No nonsense defensive midfielder who will shield the defence and add bite to the midfield. Di Maria playing where he played for Madrid last year, and Rooney, Van Persie and Mata all in their favoured positions.

Christy Browne

Christy Browne wrote: »

They really don't, there is plenty of systems that can incorporate all 4

Yeah, with the right players.

You'd get steamrolled versus a better midfield

Christy Browne

Christy Browne wrote: »

I've posted this a few times so at the risk of sounding like a broken record :

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw

Carrick

Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney - Van Persie

Works very well I think, if the talk of De Jong is true then he is the perfect DM to replace Carrick in that line up. No nonsense defensive midfielder who will shield the defence and add bite to the midfield. Di Maria playing where he played for Madrid last year, and Rooney, Van Persie and Mata all in their favoured positions.

Carrick is too far wide for that to work

Christy Browne

rarnes1 wrote: »

Yeah, with the right players.

You'd get steamrolled versus a better midfield

If you look at my reply to CSF I think that team is good enough to take on anyone on their day

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

I've posted this a few times so at the risk of sounding like a broken record :

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney - Van Persie

Works very well I think, if the talk of De Jong is true then he is the perfect DM to replace Carrick in that line up. No nonsense defensive midfielder who will shield the defence and add bite to the midfield. Di Maria playing where he played for Madrid last year, and Rooney, Van Persie and Mata all in their favoured positions.

There's very little bite in that midfield. You wouldn't get away with that in the Premiership particularly away from home. A defensive midfielder isn't enough to achieve that when you consider Mata doesn't do workrate either.

CSF

Christy Browne wrote: »

If you look at my reply to CSF I think that team is good enough to take on anyone on their day

It's not though, it lacks balance very badly

Agent Coulson

Balotelli joins Liverpool.