The Unreliable Rumours Discussion Thread (Part 1)

I know, you know, Mbappé knows, he isn’t coming this summer. Because, he is coming next summer, for free.

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I’m not sure that SportBible is a reliable source. Some of their figures look more than a little fanciful.

For example, does anyone believe that Nat Philips (£64.6k pw) and Tsmakis (£60k pw) are on more than Robbo (£50k pw), Trent (£40k pw) or Joe Gomez (£28k pw)? :thinking:

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I think SportBible have copied Spotrac, who themselves use some sort of averaging system across the league because the real figures are not publically known.

Phillips will not be making anything over £10k a week - could even be significantly less given where he was in the squad when he signed it.

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Wolves rumoured to need to sell to fund their new managers squad refresh… Neves is the one touted @ £35mil… I’ve always liked him, but would he fit?

I think Neto is a season away from being ready for us, but I like him a lot.

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Just checked and he’s only 24. Thought he was much older. Def worth considering!

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That’s because he has been around for so long.

Captained Porto at the age of 17 or 18.

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Neves has quality with the ball and works hard but he’s also a bit slow. Don’t think he’s what is needed.

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Wow, I had to check that as well! He’s younger than a lot of up and coming talent and he’s a seasoned pro.

Could be a great signing.

Neves’ development has stalled a little bit I think.

Not what we need at the moment anyway.

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I think that depends what you’re using him for. As a credible source for transfer news, possibly but what if you’re using him for paintball target practice?

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I’ve always had the impression of Neves as someone who has some very nice ability on the ball but hasn’t really translated that to in-game performances in the Premier League. On the one hand that could be a perfect situation for us to coach a little more out of him than Wolves are getting but equally could just be an indicator that he doesn’t have the requisite all-around game to be dominant DM/CM in the PL.

In addition to that I would rather us add physically dominant athletes to our squad as they suit the way we play more rather than technicians who lack pace and agility.

If he was a peripheral figure at Wolves and therefore available at a reduced price, say 15m, then he’d be worth a punt but he’s likely going to cost more than Bissouma who, for me, is a better prospect for us.

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I’m not knocking Mo, questioning his quality or trying to minimise his importance within the current system.

However

I think selling Salah this year is a really interesting dilemma. On the one hand his value will never be greater, and there are compelling talents that could be purchased below market value based on current market conditions.

I don’t buy the idea that Salah leaving materially impacts our ability to create chances/score goals; as long as we replace him with sufficient quality (not necessarily Mbappe).
He is excellent but the point of having a cutting edge analytics department is being able to identify player characteristics that can be purchased in unlikely places at below market value. Ergo, he should be replaceable.

Squad renewal is unsentimental, Bob Paisley used to say that Liverpool sold players so they could lose their legs on someone else’s pitch.
It was also a feature of Utds transfer policy during the Ferguson years. It’s how both clubs stayed ahead of the curve.
Keeping players beyond their peak, even if it means they have a couple of great years elsewhere, is often detrimental to the long term health of the squad.

I know someone will make the very valid point that Salah has scored a lot of our goals this year, however, the team scored shit loads in the year before he arrived without the quality in other areas that the current squad possesses. Man City have also just completed a season where they only used Aguero and Sterling a handful of times, who would have thought that possible 2 years ago?

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Know what? I’ve said all along that Mbappe to Liverpool was a no-goer and that he’d go to Madrid anyway. That feeling got even stronger while we were adrift in the league and looked likely to miss out on the CL next season.

But after that remarkable turn-around, I’m now on the Mbappe bandwagon. He’ll join us, because we are the most appealing destination for him right now. With or without him, we’ll have a lot of momentum going into next season. He must be interested. Of course, fsg will need to stretch themselves financially like never before, but as you say, getting in a world star like him is likely to recoup a lot of what they invest over time.

Also, England is currently an appealing land for football players, because in all likeliness, football will be played in front of almost full houses next season. On the other hand, God knows how things will be going in France or Spain for instance. They might play in front of empty stands for a good while yet.

And yeah, Madrid look like they’ll have some instability in the near future, so maybe your train of thoughts might be right. He could still join them at a later point in his career.

What I absolutely don’t want on the other hand, is Man Cheaty or the red mancs getting their dirty paws on the lad. In that regard, if Mbappe wants to come to England, fsg have to be hard as steel and make everything they can to convince him that we are the best destination. I couldn’t bear enduring a new Cantona/Ronaldo/Aguero/De Bruyne situation, with a generational talent liking us, but then going to a rival, and then fucking us over season after season. That would be horrible.

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Isn’t it a given that the PSG board wouldn’t sell him to City which is why he’s never linked to them. Re Utd I don’t think they are viewed as the optimal English destination for an ambitious young player in the same way that Liverpool or City currently are given their lack of impact domestically and in Europe in recent times.

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That ones still nagging at me, how the fuck is that possible?

Because it’s wrong.

You know when you’re typing in a rush and you hit the wrong key but fail to notice? I reckon it’s more like £4.6k and that first 6 is a mistype.

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No way he earns that.

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No!
You should look up the ‘imposed’ clauses in French contrats. It’s all in the Ligues rules and regulations. From what I can gather Mbappe and his agents have only invoked LFC, RM and PSG. Of course PSG can negociate a higher transfer fee depending on the clubs interested but ultimately it’s Mbappe who decides.

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Yes but even 50% of that guess is far too much. We will never be able to sell him even if we wanted to. :wink:
I must drink less coffee, the more I think about this information the more anxious I get. Edwards out!! :rofl:

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People happy to sell Salah, in his peak years. Mind blowing.

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