Ahmed Hassan from Rio Ave to Le Havre on a free.
Alfie Dorrington from Tottenham to Aberdeen on loan.
Arijon Ibrahimovic from Bayern to Lazio on loan.
James Rodriguez from Rayo Vallecano to Leon on loan.
Laughs in Mikel Merino
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Maybe that’s the plan, for them to recreate their pairing?
Where does that leave Rice?
£100m player the bench, it’s the Guardiola way!
#pepheritage
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I did not see that one coming. Perhaps I should have when Arteta started fielding centre backs at fullback positions!
Some of their best football has come with Rice playing as an 8 ahead of Jorginho. It is an approach he has only used situationally though due to lack of trust in Jorginho’s defensive work…or maybe more accurately his physical capabilities. Presumably the plan is to replace the Italian with a younger fitter alternative who can allow them to use this approach as more of a default.
This approach requires havertz be played as a striker (or not at all) as it was often Havertz playing the 8 with Rice at 6, and forces out Merino. That is a depth they probably need to add, but does become a bit more politically challenging to navigate should they move for the striker they surely need
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Yeah, Rice has played a lot as the LCM #8. It’s possible to have Zubi as #6 and then either a double pivot of him and Rice behind Odegaard or Odegaard RCM, Rice LCM. With Odegaard having more freedom. I think Jorginho has already agreed to stay next season, but he’s a backup player anyway.
I think Arsenal were trying for Zubi at the start of last summer too, before we looked like signing him, weren’t they?
Don’t know. Don’t care.
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Reportedly, although interpreted by many as confusion over who they were in discussions with Sociedad over seeing as they subsequently bought Merino.
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Alexander Jensen from Brommapojkarna to Aberdeen for €650k.
Cedric Zesiger from Wolfsburg to Augsburg on loan.
Aliou Balde from Nice to Lausanne on loan.
Roberto Fernandez from Braga to Espanyol on loan.
Loris Karius has signed for Schalke as a free agent until the end of the season.
Rui Silva from Betis to Sporting Lisbon on loan.
Naby Keita from Werder to Ferencvaros on loan.
Alessandro Vogliacco from Genoa to Parma on loan.
Adryelson from Lyon to Anderlecht on loan.
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Alberto Costa from Vitoria Guimaraes to Juventus for €13.5m.
Woyo Coulibaly from Parma to Leicester for €3m.
Jaden Philogene from Villa to Ipswich for €23.7m.
Sebastian Otoa from Aalborg to Genoa for €2.7m.
Francois Mughe from Marseille to Kallithea on loan.
Didn’t that happen about a month ago?
Yeah, there were some pictures and stuff, but from what I can see, he hasn’t made his debut yet.
Fun fact, Robbie Keane will be his head coach.
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plus ça change…his time at Werder was a more extreme version of his worst time at LFC, I would be surprised if he turns that around at Ferencvaros.
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