Transfer: Winter Transfer Thread Part IV

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I mean Juventus clearly don’t think Kulusevski and Bentancur are CL level, (Juventus currently in 5th for the record), but if Conte can get them there, more power to them.

Not entirely sure what you are smoking. Bentancur and Kulusevski are absolutely CL-level squad players. They'll obviously not play a big part in a CL-winning side but neither will most Spurs players.

 

[Savant]

Not entirely sure what you are smoking. Bentancur and Kulusevski are absolutely CL-level squad players. They'll obviously not play a big part in a CL-winning side but neither will most Spurs players.

Juventus clearly don’t think so or they wouldn’t be selling. They are still in UCL and still trying to get into UCL places and they are letting them leave. Big clubs do not do that and both players have been dreadful this year.

 

[Live in the Now]

Bentancur is terrible, Kulu is not. But maybe Bentancur will be better in a different league. I like Conte a lot but I don't know what he sees in him.

 

[Eye of Ra]

 

[Eye of Ra]

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Not "part of the plans" anymore?

 

[KlausJopling]

The winter of Americans going to the Bundesliga continues.

 

[Live in the Now]

And that, as they say, is that

 

[HoseEmDown]

And that, as they say, is that

My question with this move is why wait so long? Why wait till Tottenham puts a bid in? If you really wanted him why not make this move at the start of the window, you know you're losing Mane and Salah to AFCON. This guy could have trained for a bit then played while they were out. Now he's going to be a super sub and FA cup player. I guess he gives you the cover to move Mane in the summer but I just think if you wanted the kid and had the money do it early when the need was greater.

 

[luiginb]

Bentancur is terrible, Kulu is not. But maybe Bentancur will be better in a different league. I like Conte a lot but I don't know what he sees in him.

I watch a lot of Serie A. Two years ago Bentancur had a very, very good season, combining his general meanness with some good offensive skills. He was 22 and it looked like the sky was the limit, but in my few matches watching him this year he seems to have lost all confidence and even some of his drive. Kulusevski has been played everywhere this season with Allegri's offensive musical chairs, and I haven't seem him play all that much, he usually came off the bench. Tottenham probably hopes he's going to replicate his Parma form from two years ago too.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Juventus clearly don’t think so or they wouldn’t be selling. They are still in UCL and still trying to get into UCL places and they are letting them leave. Big clubs do not do that and both players have been dreadful this year.

I'm not by any means saying that they are worldbeaters, but they are absolutely good enough to be CL-squad players. With potential to grow too. I think you are setting the bar way too high.

Juve simply needed money and Kulu and Benta were probably considered the best candidates considering their form.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

My question with this move is why wait so long? Why wait till Tottenham puts a bid in? If you really wanted him why not make this move at the start of the window, you know you're losing Mane and Salah to AFCON. This guy could have trained for a bit then played while they were out. Now he's going to be a super sub and FA cup player. I guess he gives you the cover to move Mane in the summer but I just think if you wanted the kid and had the money do it early when the need was greater.

Because he was a target for the summer. They have been tracking him for a while. They kept informed when Tottenham made a bid and they decided to pounce now when it was obvious that Porto would sell him now and not this summer.
LFC never make move for a tournament like AFCON if they get a player it's for the first team and longterm. In this case, the Spurs action forced LFC hands. That being said, having a guy like him now with LFC still in for 4 possible trophies it's a huge boost.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Because he was a target for the summer. They have been tracking him for a while. They kept informed when Tottenham made a bid and they decided to pounce now when it was obvious that Porto would sell him now and not this summer.
LFC never make move for a tournament like AFCON if they get a player it's for the first team and longterm. In this case, the Spurs action forced LFC hands. That being said, having a guy like him now with LFC still in for 5 possibles trophies it's a huge boost.

That's the way I saw it too.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Ndombele to be loaned back to Lyon.

 

[Evilo]

Came here to post that info.

Surprising.

 

[luiginb]

So Bruno is a goner. Really curious how he is going to do in the Premier League, saw him dominate games in France.

 

[Evilo]

He can dominate games at times yes. A little off/on, but it's tough to judge since it's a team thing.

 

[Havre]

I don’t mind buying Kulusevski and Betancour at all (as individual players I should add - spending in Kulusevski’s position I think is stupid), but about 60m is far far too much. And it is a bit scary that Paratici can’t find better alternatives than two of his former players. Who haven’t exactly been brilliant for Juventus.

Time will tell. So far Paratici hasn’t exactly showed that he can do good business. I’m confident in Romero, but everything else seems to be rather poor. It is early days though so I’m not going to give up on Emerson and Gil yet. Doesn’t seem like Sarr is doing all that well either, but that is based on what I read - as I don’t watch Metz games (even if I used to live there and go to games).

 

[Havre]

Kind of funny thinking about how well Paratici has planned this.

We bring in Gil. Looks like a talent, but we just got too many OK players in that position and he hardly plays. What do we do? We pay a huge fee for a bench warmer at Juventus while we try to loan Gil out. When Gil comes back in the summer we have now blocked his path to getting minutes even further. The only way to rectify this somewhat is to sell Bergwijn who is finally starting to look like a player. You really could not make this up.

We have bought a lot of average to crap players the last 5-6 years. And even those with talent it generally hasn’t worked out for various reasons. Would I be surprised if Kulusevski, Betancour, Emerson, Gil and Sarr in the end ending up like Sanchez and Lo Celso? Not terribly players, but basically squad players at best? No. I would say that is the most likely scenario by now. Hopefully I hope someone will quote me 12 months from now and laugh at my “prediction”, but this is a bit scary.

 

[Evilo]

So Spurs asked for 100 salary and 40 obligatory option to PSG.
I was surprised to see Lyon accepting that.
Turns out they asked much less out of Lyon : majority of his salary (not 100%) and simple buying option.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Havre]

I have no idea how much money Lyon has got, but option to buy is crap. I can just see the club spending the whole summer with this same idiocy. Even if I hope Ndombele can get going quickly back at his old club. At least he isn’t fat so in terms of fitness he shouldn’t need 14 months to be able to run more than for the first 20-25 mins this time.

 

[Savant]

Liverpool FC - Liverpool complete Luis Diaz transfer from FC Porto

Five year deal. Wearing #23

 

[Brunkmeister]

Didn’t he turn down Newcastle because he didn’t want to play for a relegation-side? Well i think Everton are in that discussion aswell. Desire to leave?