Wild Winter Fun- January 2024 Transfer Window
- Thread starter rguilmar
- Start date
Yup. The 4-4-2 diamond they’ve been playing this year but with Mbappe and Vini up front sounds electric. Bellingham in attacking midfield, Tchouameni or Modric at the base, and Camavinga and Valverde as high energy shuttlers on the sides.
There are actually a lot of similarities to Carlo’s Milan side, with Kaka behind two mobile strikers like Crespo and Schevchenko, high energy shuttlers in Seedorf and Gattuso, and a controller behind in Pirlo.
I had to go back and look it up, but Crespo didn't win a UCL with Milan, but he did score twice in the loss to Liverpool. That Milan stint was a loan, precipitated by Mourinho's arrival at Chelsea, and Mou's acquisition of Drogba. Crespo is a legend amongst the very best, but Drogba was tailor made for the EPL.
Crespo never received a red card in his whole career. He's also 4th all time for goals for Argentina NT, behind...
Messi
Aguero
Batigol
Aguero
Batigol
He kinda looks like Matt LeBlanc nowadays with the gray hair lol
Yeah, I think that 04-05 team with Crespo is just emblazoned strongest in my mind. Inzaghi and Gilardino were longer term fixtures up front.
My broader point is that Ancelotti has been playing these kinds of narrow formations - 4-4-2 diamond, or the 4-3-2-1 "Christmas tree" - forever in which you cram a bunch of technical, talented players into the center of the pitch and then give the front three players a lot of license to switch positions and roam to the wide spaces.
If it clicks Mbappe, Vini, Bellingham will be a devastating trio.
Have a hunch that if Mbappe goes to Madrid, PSG will come hard for Salah.
Replace one of the most popular players on earth for another, keep Salah within the Nike brand, etc.
And with Klopp leaving, this might be an enticing & enriching move for Mo. He doesn’t have to give up his competitive goals like chasing another UCL while also getting a crazy huge salary.
Replace one of the most popular players on earth for another, keep Salah within the Nike brand, etc.
And with Klopp leaving, this might be an enticing & enriching move for Mo. He doesn’t have to give up his competitive goals like chasing another UCL while also getting a crazy huge salary.
With PSG you never know what logic will be applied to transfers. But they just bought Dembele last summer, who strongly prefers the RW, and signed him to a big deal.
I think Real Madrid could be a spot for Kloop. He takes a year off then replaces Carlo.
Madrid is going to need to buy a CB at some point. Rudiger and Alaba are on the wrong side of 30. Militão is coming back from an acl.
There’s also been rumors that Madrid will make a run at VVD, which would make good sense if they also swoop for a young prospect to rotate in while the old guard keep the backline tight for 1-2 more seasons.
He's really a fantastic manager -- he really gets the most of out of players and finds a way to get his young players to reach their potential. It's impressive.
BREAKING: Kylian Mbappé has now informed PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi that he will LEAVE the club as free agent.
The terms of the departure are yet to be fully agreed but he will LEAVE Paris in the summer — Kylian has yet to fulfil his commitments to the club.
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1758165388485943675?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
Fab Romano has been saying for a while that this was the necessary first step and the true indication that Mbappe would be leaving PSG likely for Madrid.
The terms of the departure are yet to be fully agreed but he will LEAVE Paris in the summer — Kylian has yet to fulfil his commitments to the club.
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1758165388485943675?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
Fab Romano has been saying for a while that this was the necessary first step and the true indication that Mbappe would be leaving PSG likely for Madrid.
Real Madrid will be formidable for the next few years. Sigh. If a manager can make it work with Vinicius, Rodrygo, Bellingham, Mbappe, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, and Valverde, the team will be electric. Of course, Real Madrid will need to replace Modrid and Kroos as they age, but that core seven, maybe with Brahim Diaz as the eighth, is outstanding.
And rumors are picking up steam that Alphonso Davies is on his way too, which would not only improve LB but CM too by getting Camavinga to his best position more often. I imagine Modric will move on after the season and Nacho too (with Rafa Marin returning from loan at Alaves to take his spot). Kroos will be given the option to stay and one of the LBs will be sold. It’s kind of a nightmare scenario for us non-Madrid La Liga fans. Barca are in for a rough few seasons while Real Madrid will be at a theoretically top level.
I’ll be rooting for your guys to hang with their cross city rivals. Help me, Atleti. You’re my only hope.
Atletico will remain pesky as long as Simeone is at the hlem, but my view is that team's iffy finances will prevent a big-splash signing -- especially since no one is going to want to pay for Joao Felix after his so-so performance at Barca. Plus, Griezmann is not ageless and may only has one, perhaps two, years of top form.
Real Madrid's push forward also highlights to me that Real Madrid really wants the Super League. While it may be fun to run up the score against Celta or Alaves or Almeria, that sort of competition does not propel Real Madrid toward more growth.
Fab is reporting the inevitable. Mbappe would be taking a huge pay cut even with the signing bonus, and even the signing bonus is basically recouping what he is giving up to PSG by forfeiting his loyalty bonus. It’s a legacy move for him.
Kylian Mbappé, finalising details of his move to Real Madrid valid from July 1.
Image rights, huge signing fee… and then the fixed salary to be in line with stars like Vini Jr and Bellingham.
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1760105997262037216?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
Kylian Mbappé, finalising details of his move to Real Madrid valid from July 1.Image rights, huge signing fee… and then the fixed salary to be in line with stars like Vini Jr and Bellingham.
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1760105997262037216?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
They are rumored to be putting out the same kind of feelers to Hakimi.
No idea who is going to play defense for this team but a 4-4-2 diamond with Mbappe and Vini up front, Bellingham behind as a 10, and Davies/Hakimi bombing down each wing from the fullback positions would certainly produce some fireworks.
I can envision some fascinating matchups in the CL between an uber talented team like that and others with less individual talent but more cohesive tactical systems and more off-ball commitment. Personally, I would still bet on the better recent versions of City and Liverpool against this kind of Real Madrid team.
I think people are underselling what Ancellotti has been doing. He’s done a great job with this team by more or less being an anti-Pep. He doesn’t force players into roles but allows them a degree of freedom, and his team has really responded.
Vini Jr.- Mbappe combo can be devastating assuming the players can make it work.
Bellingham-Valverde-Camavinga-Tchouameni midfield is absurd and super flexible.
Davies (assuming he comes)-Alaba-Militao-Carvadefense is extremely solid, and Davies is insanely dynamic (and fuck me if they can add Hakimi).
Courtois in goal
Besides Carvajal, that is a world class starting 11.
Rodrygo, Kroos, Vazquez, Brahim, Arda, Joselu, Rudiger, possibly Modeic all of the bench? For their top 20-25 players, only 1-2 would be new faces. Last season they added Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Fran Garcia (who was already their player to begin with). This team has continuity in players and coaching staff. This is an absolute monster of a team, and as a fan of pretty much the other 19 teams in Spain, I am thoroughly terrified by their potential (and when you look at the ages of the new core of this team, we’re all going to have to deal with them for a long time).
Put differently, this is a top 5 team in the world as it is, and they will “add” one of two best players in the world, a world class CB pairing, one of the top GK (or is he the best?) in the world, and one of the best (if not the best) LB in the world. Man City and Real Madrid will be 1 and 1a for me with everyone else a significant step below.
I'm not trying to undersell them at all. Its a complete monster of a team and Florentino has done a great job putting the pieces together.
I think its just an interesting open question regarding how this kind of team will compete against other top sides that are perhaps slightly less talented but more tactically regimented and intense off the ball. I really like Carlo and respect him immensely but am not sure about his ability to really match up tactically with managers like Pep and Klopp. Carlo's record in European competitions speaks for itself but I think these opponents have tended to have the upper hand against his teams in the last few years, even if at times Real has pulled off amazing victories despite getting outplayed (like in their 22-23 run). Maybe enough talent simply outweighs all that, it will be fascinating to see.
My bad. I meant to use your post more as a jumping off point, not as a criticism of you. I have been seeing and hearing a lot of lower opinions on what Real Madrid have been doing, mostly by people who don't watch them or really pay attention to them.
I do share your curiosity in seeing how a team allowed to play like Real Madrid do against a more regimented team like Man City. I am not saying that Carlo has no tactics or system, just that it is significantly less than what other managers are doing now. He's not full Diniz, for example. I do feel like teams are overly joy sticked now by managers and would like players to have a bit more freedom. That does not mean I will be rooting for Real Madrid at any point though...
A few quick thoughts and questions on Hakimi.
Thought - Dani Caraval has been in the best form of his career the past 12 months. Really looks like he is a player with much fresher legs. Can't see Madrid paying much of a transfer fee to get a player only on contact for 1 year to replace someone in such fine form...
Leads to Question 1) Does Madrid still have any rights to Hakimi Transfer Fee? He was a Cantero and now it has been a few transfers now but I guess it could be possible and offset the cost.
Question 2 that I wish I did not have to ask: What ever happened to the Rape Allegation? A French prosecutor charged him last year. Never hear anything since then other than the fact his wife left him.
Thought - Dani Caraval has been in the best form of his career the past 12 months. Really looks like he is a player with much fresher legs. Can't see Madrid paying much of a transfer fee to get a player only on contact for 1 year to replace someone in such fine form...
Leads to Question 1) Does Madrid still have any rights to Hakimi Transfer Fee? He was a Cantero and now it has been a few transfers now but I guess it could be possible and offset the cost.
Question 2 that I wish I did not have to ask: What ever happened to the Rape Allegation? A French prosecutor charged him last year. Never hear anything since then other than the fact his wife left him.
I think any interest in a RB is more related to Carvajal’s age than his performance. Adding a 25ish year old Hakimi makes them younger at that position and even more locked in for the future.
I doubt Real Madrid still has rights to Hakimi but contracts are so convoluted and confusing that we might not fully know the answer unless he signs for Real Madrid (who being member owned are more or less fully transparent with their finances).
I admit to completely forgetting about the rape charges. They are still pending. He also received a ban for anti-gay chants this season. Real standup guy.
Lip reading experts agree that there is only a 97% chance that Bellingham called Greenwood a rapist.