These two would be types we try to sign yes! They would come in like Elliott did, finishing off their development and then slow introduction into the first team.
So remind me, which are the types of players we don’t usually try and sign?
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Expensive, widely recognised, 18-21 year olds ready to start for top sides but expected to be the next big thing. Players already at a level, despite their age, to come in and start playing from day one but you pay more than their real value because there’s a good chance they’ll get to world class level.
Hlozek is 19 and is going to cost you about £15m. No way he leaves Sparta to finish off his development with our youth team so would be nothing like the Elliott situation.
We have however just completed a deal for the Clarke lad from Newcastle who is a young striker and will go into our youth ranks. He very much follows the pattern of Elliott, Gordon, Brewster etc.
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Fair enough. Maybe more like Gomez for Hlozek than Elliott then if he came in. Around the fringes of the first team, few runs here and there but not one of the ones challenging for a starting role (like Jota) at least to start with. And the Newcastle kid (if on the same level as Gordon) might actually be exactly what I was hoping for, forgot about him.
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In fairness it’s not exactly a bad strategy to avoid these expensive youth signings,
For example the five biggest transfers for teenagers/U21s…
2014 - Luke Shaw (34m), Romelu Lukaku (32m), Lazar Markovic (23m), Juan Iturbe (22m), Calum Chambers (18m) [Mane would have made the list in 5th with his 20m move to Southampton but he was 22].
2015 - Raheem Sterling (57m), Anthony Martial (54m), Julian Draxler (39m), Paulo Dybala (36m), Mateo Kovacic (34m)
2016 - Leroy Sane (47m), Renato Sanches (32m), Ousmane Dembele (32m), Gabriel Jesus (29m), Goncalo Guedes (27m)
2017 - Ousmane Dembele (122m), Davinson Sanchez (38m), Andre Silva (34m), Alessandro Bastoni (28m), Kelechi Iheanacho (25m)
2018 - Kylian Mbappe (131m), Christian Pulisic (58m), Vinicius Junior (41m), Malcom (37m), Goncalo Guedes (36m)
2019 - Joao Felix (115m), Matthijs de Ligt (77m), Luka Jovic (57m), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (50m), Eder Militao (45m)
2020 - Kai Havertz (72m), Victor Osimhen (63m), Achraf Hakimi (39m), Fabio Silva (36m), Wesley Fofana (32m)
So the 2019 and 2020 players could probably be given the benefit of the doubt that it’s a bit early to judge them but I’m not sure how many of the others you would classify as proving to be worth the fee - Kylian Mbappe, Raheem Sterling, Romelu Lukaku… not seeing a lot of clear success stories outside of that.
And who among them is one of the best in the world at their role? Probably just Mbappe and Lukaku - out of 25 very expensive players.
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You forgot Wan Bissaka. Just ask Red Café.
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Not every 18-21 year old signing fits the description though but yes I did already say in earlier posts it’s a high risk. What kicked all this discussion off was a throw away line by me that it’s often said along the lines of “we don’t sign the Mbappes of this world we sign the next Mbappes” and that actually that isn’t what we do at all. If you agree that we avoid them you are agreeing with my initial point.
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145k for Mbappe now…reportedly…its like players under the hammer…
Now there’s TV programme
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20m? I thought he went for £8m…my memory is shocking. I’m less surprised now at why we didn’t sign him!
For a 1 year contract, they would be idiots to refuse.
Is that all? I’ll buy him for the club.
Not paying his wages, though. 
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I’d bring Sterling back in a heartbeat but I think it’s more likely that I’ll be on the Virgin Galactic flight than that move happening. Not least of all because Man City know we are their only true competitiors for the title.
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Today’s game shows the lack of depth. Not enough quality in the forwards with little options outside Mane, Salah, Firmino and Jota. Minamino and Origi really don’t offer much and hardly the players you want chasing for a goal. Origi doesn’t even make the bench. Oxlade-Chamberlain far from great either. Concern is especially heightened when Mane and Salah head off for the AFCON.
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An attacking midfielder who drives into heart of midfield and a left attacking forward.
Doku or Sarr, someone of that ilk.
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Firmino has waned the last two seasons. Still a good player and while he does a lot of pressing and linking play just don’t think he scores enough. Maybe this season will be different. Jota similar in some respects. Good player but not so sure he’s clinical enough and not quite at that elite level.
Feel we need another player to displace both and play alongside Mane and Salah. That’s where the club can improve. Another quality forward plus ideally another quality midfielder as well.
We have a strong team but the depth isn’t quite at the level we need. There are a few areas which could be improved. The club should be doing more to improve the team when you take into account how little is spent especially when you compare to the other top clubs.
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And now Bobby is injured, so our alternatives to our front 3 are… 