The Arms (Errr, Legs) Race: 2022 Summer Transfer Window

[Stanley Steamer]

Looks like it's official per the Beeb that Raphinia is going to Barcelona for £49M, with another potential £5M in "add-ons", whatever that means. I don't like the fact that Barca get rewarded with a lower fee given all their financial gamesmanship, but I suppose it's a benefit for Leeds that he's leaving the league. At any rate, it was time to get a deal done, and move on. Leeds need a striker. Charles de Ketelaere looks likely to head to Milan, and there are a few other names being tossed around, so we'll see what Orta can get done. An experienced back up GK is also needed, and possibly cover at LB. Then it's time to see how it all meshes together. Obviously, it's a significant loss, without Phillips and Raphinia, and no one is quite sure what to expect from Ted Lasso, I mean Jesse Marsch, as a manager, but I'm quite happy that the depth problems are being addressed. I'm optimistic that this year may prove to be one of consolidation for the club.

 

[67YAZ]

Bayern drop €70m, possibly rising to €80m, on de Ligt. Wow.

Looks like PSG swooped in for Ekitike and nabbed him from Newcastle. This would have been a pretty savvy forward looking move for Newcastle, but it’s hard to see when Ekitike will break into the PSG set up. Good luck to the young man.

 

[candylandriots]

I don’t know much of anything about the Brazilian League. Is this something that I want to happen? Seems a very high valuation for an 18-year old, which means it would most likely be amazing or a complete disaster.

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/07/18/42m-brazilian-has-been-offered-to-crystal-palace/?utm_source=rsn&utm_medium=rsn&utm_campaign=gac0040&fbclid=IwAR0KZiHIDHBDPEFcqkN_nSN5EwRiS4FzyEkDQMfIaOXvMGQHMwLn5TSL5oI&fs=e&s=cl

 

[deconstruction]

Think he'll compete with Xhaxa for left-sided 8? And/or with Tierney for LB? Seems like he has more attacking than defending prowess.

@teddykgb

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

My sense is that he will rotate/compete with Tierney for the starting LB position (and, frankly, probably win that competition) but also be available to play in midfield on occasion - sort of a Milneresque role in the side. Barring any other transfer activity in that area, I think we see Vieira and Xhaka rotating in that left 8 position for the most part.

The quality of Arsenal's defense after the starting back four was shocking last year and really the primary reason the team fell apart down the stretch. Having to rely on players like Nuno Tavares, who is really not a PL quality LB at this stage in his career, Cedric, and Holding was just a killer. Getting William Saliba back from loan and now signing Zinchenko should really raise the floor for Arsenal, giving the team six defenders they can switch between or rotate into the starting lineup without muich of a dropoff in quality.

 

[67YAZ]

I don’t know much of anything about the Brazilian League. Is this something that I want to happen? Seems a very high valuation for an 18-year old, which means it would most likely be amazing or a complete disaster.

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/07/18/42m-brazilian-has-been-offered-to-crystal-palace/?utm_source=rsn&utm_medium=rsn&utm_campaign=gac0040&fbclid=IwAR0KZiHIDHBDPEFcqkN_nSN5EwRiS4FzyEkDQMfIaOXvMGQHMwLn5TSL5oI&fs=e&s=cl

So Mazzuco is a co-owner of both clubs? That makes it interesting and plenty opaque. It says the relates fee is £42m. Will have to see what the insiders deal ends up being.

Palace is collecting a lot of exciting young talent.

 

[Kliq]

My sense is that he will rotate/compete with Tierney for the starting LB position (and, frankly, probably win that competition) but also be available to play in midfield on occasion - sort of a Milneresque role in the side. Barring any other transfer activity in that area, I think we see Vieira and Xhaka rotating in that left 8 position for the most part.

The quality of Arsenal's defense after the starting back four was shocking last year and really the primary reason the team fell apart down the stretch. Having to rely on players like Nuno Tavares, who is really not a PL quality LB at this stage in his career, Cedric, and Holding was just a killer. Getting William Saliba back from loan and now signing Zinchenko should really raise the floor for Arsenal, giving the team six defenders they can switch between or rotate into the starting lineup without muich of a dropoff in quality.

Holding's performance in the second NLD has got to be one of the all-time worst EPL performances.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Holding's performance in the second NLD has got to be one of the all-time worst EPL performances.

Yeah, Cedric (called for the soft pen but gave the ref a choice to make) and Holding basically destroyed that match for Arsenal. The less they see the field going forward the better.

 

[candylandriots]

So Mazzuco is a co-owner of both clubs? That makes it interesting and plenty opaque. It says the relates fee is £42m. Will have to see what the insiders deal ends up being.

Palace is collecting a lot of exciting young talent.

He is a fairly recent addition to the ownership team, and there is now a partnership between the two clubs for I guess exactly this kind of reason. Parrish has been a very prudent and intelligent owner, making the most of their resources. I think they kinda succeeded (survived maybe the better term?) despite themselves for a while, but the vision that they’re pursuing now is exactly the right one they should be following. I think there’s also an element of luck too. Vieira was (at best) their third choice manager (after offers to Nuno and Lucien Favre we’re turned down), and having Vieira has been a boon for recruitment of these young players, many of them French-speaking (though doubtful this Brazilian guy is). Also, credit where due, Dougie Friedman, he who abandoned the team years ago, has been pursuing a lot of the right players. But he hasn’t had anything approaching this kind of success in actually landing them until PV showed up.

Now, the big question about Palace ownership is what is going on with Blitzer and Harris, after their failed attempt to buy Chelsea. That’s, shall we say, a bit of an awkward moment with the fans.

 

[bosox4283]

@SocrManiac The Spanish press is throwing around the rumor that Ronaldo could make a move to Atletico. Apparently, Atletico has not learned the lesson that Juventus did and I have no idea why this idea has not been shot down immediately.

 

[SocrManiac]

@SocrManiac The Spanish press is throwing around the rumor that Ronaldo could make a move to Atletico. Apparently, Atletico has not learned the lesson that Juventus did and I have no idea why this idea has not been shot down immediately.

I've been reading that he's been pushing for it for awhile. I've been scratching my head about why he'd want to piss off Real Madrid fans.

I cannot imagine how Simeone would find a way to use the current version of Ronaldo given his tactical preferences. Ronaldo doesn't fit a lone or hold up striker mold at all. He's not going to lead counters. What's the goal, here?

 

[DJnVa]

Dybala to Roma for 3 years.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Dybala to Roma for 3 years.

I thought he was still considered a player for a bigger club (no offense to Roma, they're my second favorite Italian club), but he will likely do very well with Mou and have one more chance to make another move to a megaclub.

 

[bosox4283]

I've been reading that he's been pushing for it for awhile. I've been scratching my head about why he'd want to piss off Real Madrid fans.

I cannot imagine how Simeone would find a way to use the current version of Ronaldo given his tactical preferences. Ronaldo doesn't fit a lone or hold up striker mold at all. He's not going to lead counters. What's the goal, here?

I have absolutely no idea how Simeone would utilize Ronaldo. In general, Atletico has plenty of players to play in front of the defense and the holding/defensive midfielders -- (1) Joao Felix, (2) Cunha, (3) Correa, (4) De Paul, (5) Griezmann, (6) Koke, (7) Saul, (8) Lemar, (9) Carrasco, (10) Marcos Llorente, (11) Alvaro Morata.

Depending on if Simeone goes with a defensive line of five or four, with his defensive midfielder anchor, there's only room on the pitch for four or five players. With 11 listed above, one or two would have to leave for Ronaldo to fit.

And, if one or two leave so that Ronaldo fits, I have to think that Simeone feels like he needs more of a guarantee up front, someone who can more decisively take on opponents and score goals. Maybe Simeone, in one of his bizarre psychological games, thinks Ronaldo will elevate the internal competition or help Joao Felix grow.

I hate the idea.

 

[67YAZ]

All I can think is that Ronaldo is so intent on playing in the UCL that he’s willing to take a (relatively) low wage and cut the club a very good deal on image rights. This could very well be a net profit for the club given how valuable Ronaldo is as a brand.

Otherwise???

 

[teddykgb]

My completely uninformed speculation is that Ronaldo despises Joao Felix and is intent to block him for both club and country.

 

[Zomp]

He’s using atletico to try and drum up interest going back to Real but they aren’t falling for it.

 

[SocrManiac]

How much happier would everybody have been if he just never left Real? Other than Real, of course.

 

[OCST]

Jesse Lingard to Nottingham Forest.

View: https://twitter.com/FFScout/status/1550185546017918982?s=20&t=6N5E_NI_gxNxOJy0JJhxMQ


Toffees and WH were also in. This is the kind of player I’ve wanted Everton to steer clear of, but the first half against Arsenal and the beat down by Minnesota have me and the rest of Everton Twitter in near panic- no other deals are getting done, we’ve gone backwards by losing Richy, and if we almost went down with him, what will we do now….

 

[Cellar-Door]

Jesse Lingard to Nottingham Forest.

View: https://twitter.com/FFScout/status/1550185546017918982?s=20&t=6N5E_NI_gxNxOJy0JJhxMQ


Toffees and WH were also in. This is the kind of player I’ve wanted Everton to steer clear of, but the first half against Arsenal and the beat down by Minnesota have me and the rest of Everton Twitter in near panic- no other deals are getting done, we’ve gone backwards by losing Richy, and if we almost went down with him, what will we do now….

Moyes absolutely loves him, but word is that he would only do 1 year at ridiculous money.

 

[OCST]

Moyes absolutely loves him, but word is that he would only do 1 year at ridiculous money.

don't have it in front of me but Forest did pay stupid money, so well swerved by everyone else.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

don't have it in front of me but Forest did pay stupid money, so well swerved by everyone else.

If Lingard is the reason Forest stays up then he’s worth 10 times what they are paying him.

And the same could be said for West Ham if he had gotten them into the CL.

Its a one year deal - what’s the risk if there’s no better long term alternative?

edit: ditto Everton

 

[candylandriots]

This isn’t going to happen, but I’m still dreaming:

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/07/24/40m-star-admits-he-loves-palace-fans-and-vieira-is-keen-to-sign-him/

 

[candylandriots]

If Lingard is the reason Forest stays up then he’s worth 10 times what they are paying him.

And the same could be said for West Ham if he had gotten them into the CL.

Its a one year deal - what’s the risk if there’s no better long term alternative?

If Forest stays up, it will be because of Taiwo Awoniyi, not Jesse Lingard

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

If Forest stays up, it will be because of Taiwo Awoniyi, not Jesse Lingard

If Forest’s staying up chance is - 40% And Lingard bumps that to 50% isn’t that worth the excess salary?

 

[candylandriots]

If Forest’s staying up chance is - 40% And Lingard bumps that to 50% isn’t that worth the excess salary?

Oh for sure. I was mostly just making a joke about how great my Unioner Awoniyi is (and he IS the reason they’ll stay up ). See my my other posts in this forum..

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Oh for sure. I was mostly just making a joke about how great my Unioner Awoniyi is (and he IS the reason they’ll stay up ). See my my other posts in this forum..

Understood … I also think he’s going to be a very good PL player. (Being an ex Red and all that) .. rooting for him

 

[candylandriots]

Understood … I also think he’s going to be a very good PL player. (Being an ex Red and all that) .. rooting for him

Gotcha! Don’t know if you saw my posts from yesterday, but he got an amazing homecoming/Verabschieden yesterday from Unioners.

And he’s on my FPL team . Everyone here is wishing him the best and hopes he achieves it (except me when they play Palace, haha).

 

[Cellar-Door]

If Lingard is the reason Forest stays up then he’s worth 10 times what they are paying him.

And the same could be said for West Ham if he had gotten them into the CL.

Its a one year deal - what’s the risk if there’s no better long term alternative?

edit: ditto Everton

In West Ham's case the answer is it breaks your wage structure, and you have to give half the squad new deals to keep them happy, without any benefit to you beyond the year. For Forrest that makes more sense, West Ham has just turned around and allegedly agreed with Sassulo for Scamacca and are supposedly close on Kostic from Frankfurt. Forrest probably can't pivot to those types of players, so makes sense to take on the mercurial, mercenary who has only had 1 good season in his last 4 (and that was only 16 matches).

 

[67YAZ]

In West Ham's case the answer is it breaks your wage structure, and you have to give half the squad new deals to keep them happy, without any benefit to you beyond the year. For Forrest that makes more sense, West Ham has just turned around and allegedly agreed with Sassulo for Scamacca and are supposedly close on Kostic from Frankfurt. Forrest probably can't pivot to those types of players, so makes sense to take on the mercurial, mercenary who has only had 1 good season in his last 4 (and that was only 16 matches).

To me the Scamacca signing is very interesting. He’s a very skilled finisher and is strong with the ball driving at the goal. But he’s not good at hold up play or laying on for others (0 assists in 2100 minutes last season!). If he can understudy with Antonio and learn those skills, he can be a really effective lone striker.

 

[SocrManiac]

Ignoring for a moment that I still don’t see how he could be used at Atletico, this is the general fan reaction I would have expected.

Twitter campaigns rarely go cleanly and there are is some nastiness in there we could do without. If you check the hashtag, be prepared for some pretty unacceptable behavior.

 

[OCST]

Everton news:

-Loan finalized for Sporting LB Ruben Vinagre, formerly of Wolves. Everton DoF Kevin Thelwell formerly held that post at Wolves; maybe unsurprisingly we've been linked to several other Wolves players - originally we were in on Gibbs-White but couldn't make the deal. They also tried to pawn Adama Traore onto us but we didn't bite.

I doubt Vinagre will start over Vitalii Mykolenko, who is on the might-be-a-star trajectory. Fans are underwhelmed with Vinagre, but it's a decent depth signing as the only other natural LB, Niels Nkonkou, is likely to be sold. Toffees seem to be going to a 3-4-3 with Mykolenko and Coleman/Nathan Patterson as wingbacks, so having a LB who can also play as a CB in a back three is good to have.

-twitter rumors are strong that a fee has been agreed for Dwight McNeil from Burnley. We have already brought in Tarkowski - who might be the most reliable player in the XI already - and we were strongly linked with Maxwel Cornet, but again couldn't agree to the fee. Fans are again not happy that we seem to be trying to reconstitute Burnley piece by piece, but you are where you are. I'm not entirely sold on McNeil, his end product has not been there, but Dyche had them playing such dull anti-football and he's young enough that I'm willing to give it a shot. Certainly he's not the worst attacking player in the side, which is damning by faint praise.

 

[swiftaw]

Clearly Everton are going to hire Dyche whenever the Frank experiment blows up.

 

[Rusty Gate]

Can we skim off a little bit of Chelsea's excess while we still have Frank? Pulisic>Traore.

 

[rguilmar]

Kounde to Barca. I love his game and imagine he will fit in nicely in Xavi’s system. I’m bummed for Sevilla. They had a great defense last season and if they could have kept the team together I feel like they could’ve pushed for a La Liga title. Instead they sold both CBs. They’re usually a well run team so I expect them to reinvest smartly.

View: https://twitter.com/fabrizioromano/status/1552310149527789568?s=21&t=JTHzVQHhxmDjz4_uy0U3JQ

 

[OCST]

McNeil to Everton is official.

Rumored to be still in on Cornet, which will be 30% of the side that they just beat out to stay up. To be fair, those are decent players and I think Burnley would have been comfortably safe if they had started the season under the other guy. But, Everton that.

McNeil will take #7. Traditional number for his spot but it was Richarlison's number, so he's inviting the comparison. McNeil's end product numbers are terrible - 1 goal and 0 assists in full-time duty last season - but in a terrible side with even less in terms of attackers to cross to than Everton. His chance creation wasn't bad, and in particular he can cross into the box, which is an imperative on a side with Calvert-Lewin as its biggest and really only goal source. DCL might be the best header for goals in the PL but not so much with his feet and cannot pass or dribble. Richarlison was not a good match for him as an attacking duo. They didn't link up as well as you might think (actually DCL vultured Richy goals by just getting a bare or accidental touch as they went in, which made Richy furious, it was quite funny). If McNeil can get forward and put some balls on DCL's forehead, it will be a good acquisition.

In other news, Toffees have had a gigantic hole in their midfield at the 6 spot since Idrissa Gana Gueye left. Allan and Davies have been fitfully effective there but overall it's been the weak spot. They are now supposedly looking finally to fill it with... Idrissa Gana Gueye. PSG want to sell and he's interested in going back to Merseyside, where he is still loved. He is now 32 and has many, many miles on him, in a physically demanding position, still I'd take him in a heartbeat.

 

[bosox4283]

Kounde to Barca. I love his game and imagine he will fit in nicely in Xavi’s system. I’m bummed for Sevilla. They had a great defense last season and if they could have kept the team together I feel like they could’ve pushed for a La Liga title. Instead they sold both CBs. They’re usually a well run team so I expect them to reinvest smartly.

So the price that Barcelona paid for piss-poor financial management is sending Messi away perhaps inappropriately but before he aged poorly, getting rid of an incompetent (and maybe even law-breaking) president for one who seems competent, and being so mediocre that they fired a mediocre coach and got their dream coach? I think this financial scare was the best thing to happen to the club.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

So the price that Barcelona paid for piss-poor financial management is sending Messi away perhaps inappropriately but before he aged poorly, getting rid of an incompetent (and maybe even law-breaking) president for one who seems competent, and being so mediocre that they fired a mediocre coach and got their dream coach? I think this financial scare was the best thing to happen to the club.

Of course they’ve also signed away a huge portion of future revenue with the tv rights sell off.

 

[teddykgb]

I find it fascinating that they’re still able to attract talents. Barca basically forced their team to take pay cuts and now are fucking around with De Jong on deferred payments and somehow players are lining up to sign there. The one thing I thought you could count on in football is greedy agents getting top dollar and here we have Barca acting like complete cretins and players are ignoring it. Guess agent fees must be paid up front.

which says nothing about a FFP system that scrutinizes the worth of a sponsorship but allows all of this embarrassing nonsense to continue. Barca can sell future TV rights to inject cash and nobody cares at all about debt.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

I'm very much hoping FDJ tells Laporta to fuck off with his demand that he reduce his salary by 50% or leave the club, both because I don't want him going to United but also because I really want to see what Laporta does if La Liga tells him that these new signings can't be registered.

 

[OCST]

I find it fascinating that they’re still able to attract talents. Barca basically forced their team to take pay cuts and now are fucking around with De Jong on deferred payments and somehow players are lining up to sign there. The one thing I thought you could count on in football is greedy agents getting top dollar and here we have Barca acting like complete cretins and players are ignoring it. Guess agent fees must be paid up front.

which says nothing about a FFP system that scrutinizes the worth of a sponsorship but allows all of this embarrassing nonsense to continue. Barca can sell future TV rights to inject cash and nobody cares at all about debt.

I wouldn’t underestimate the allure of the name. There are millions of little kids all over the world playing in the streets and they’re playing for Barca in their dreams. If they’re another club with the same issues they don’t remain attractive to the same level.

 

[rguilmar]

I wouldn’t underestimate the allure of the name. There are millions of little kids all over the world playing in the streets and they’re playing for Barca in their dreams. If they’re another club with the same issues they don’t remain attractive to the same level.

You’re in your 20s. You’re rich and famous. You can pick anywhere in Europe to make a living. Where do you want to spend your winters?

 

[SocrManiac]

You’re in your 20s. You’re rich and famous. You can pick anywhere in Europe to make a living. Where do you want to spend your winters?

Seems like the most recent answer is beautiful Manchester.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Seems like the most recent answer is beautiful Manchester.

Should we ask Pep if he's happy??

 

[67YAZ]

A fun Swiss Ramble thread showing that Brentford & Brighton have done some very savvy squad building and are getting the most bang for their buck.

 

[candylandriots]

A fun Swiss Ramble thread showing that Brentford & Brighton have done some very savvy squad building and are getting the most bang for their buck.

I was just listening to this discussion on the podcast “The Price of Football” yesterday. It came in response to the question of who paid the most per goal (Chelsea £8.3 million if I remember right).

 

[OCST]

Since Idrissa Gana Gueye left for PSG in 2019, Gur have had a gaping hole in defensive midfield, through which attackers have gone through Mad Max-style with disturbing ease and regularity.

Filling that gap has been a priority for Lampard, which he has addressed by bringing in PSG defensive mid Idrissa Gana Gueye. Player is at Evertons training facility undergoing his medical now, deal awaiting announcement.

Gueye was and is a fan favorite at Goodison for his maurauding- he was always at the top of the PL stats for tackles, interceptions etc. big questions over whether he can be as effective at 32, but he played 26 league and 7 CL games for PSG last season.

 

[candylandriots]

Seeing lots of chatter that Palace is likely to bring Ruben Loftus-Cheek in as their annual Chelsea loan player. I think everyone would have preferred Gallagher, but this is the next best consolation prize. I had some thought that maybe he’d be coming on a permanent deal. He was great for Palace when he did play there, and he fills a need. Excited to (hopefully) have him back.

 

[OCST]

What’s going on with Gallagher anyway? I’ve heard little about him either going elsewhere or featuring for Chelsea in preseason.