Sebastián Eguren will be joining us in the summer

[Dirk]

i'm not buying that, I hope we get more creative players

 

if Torres gets injured Babel can be our striker and we need better quality to replace/rotate Babel on the left anyway and on the right we probably need another 2 players as I dont think Kuyt is a long term option

 

that should be the focus imo, i would even take Bentley but only as a squad player with more to come

 

Dream on. Where are we going to get the money from?

[rebel23]

Dream on. Where are we going to get the money from?

 

we're not skint Dirk or shouldn't be, with a normal expected summer budget and sales, that's 35-40m gross

 

we will spend this summer like we do most years, it's what Rafa choses to spend it on

[WaltonRed]

Its only a rumour, calm yourselves.

[Dirk]

we're not skint Dirk or shouldn't be, with a normal expected summer budget and sales, that's 35-40m gross

 

we will spend this summer like we do most years, it's what Rafa choses to spend it on

 

How big are our loan repayments? Cuckoo. Cuckoo.

[rebel23]

How big are our loan repayments? Cuckoo. Cuckoo.

 

that could be a problem aye but if it is then Rafa should come out and tell us that he has to operate under new financial constraints and act like Wenger in the transfer market, then we as fans can lower our expectations and monitor the quality of cheaper players

[Jorge Borge]

According to the video he's a 'matchvinnare'. That's good enough for me.

 

When do we start killing people?

[Ged B]

that could be a problem aye but if it is then Rafa should come out and tell us that he has to operate under new financial constraints and act like Wenger in the transfer market, then we as fans can lower our expectations and monitor the quality of cheaper players

 

I've already lowered my expectations. I don't see how we can do anything else in the current climate.

[Hazel Motes]

[Maldini]

Rafa should be sacked for allowing this rumour to spread. It's unacceptable!

[Guest PaddyBerger15]

Egurenmania. Lets get it started.

[CWD82]

This thread is an embarassment.

 

Some random comes out with a completely unfounded rumour and straight away the manager is getting crucified.

 

Thats without anyone having any insight into the financial constraints he's working under or any other transfer targets we may be in for.

 

Remington may have good intentions and be posting in good faith but he's never posted anything like this before so until this Uruguayan signs I'll remain a sceptic (no offence)

[El Rojo]

As Mrs Doyle would say, 'Eguren, eguren, eguren, eguren etc etc'.

 

Careful now.

[Faustus]

What's the point in signing him?

 

We're well stocked at centre-mid and even if Alonso were to leave in the summer, I'd rather see Plessis or even Guthrie be promoted to the first team as cover and pool the cash together to buy either a decent pair of full-backs or a winger.

[Dirk]

What's the point in signing him?

 

 

Try reading the entire thread.

[Faustus]

Try reading the entire thread.

 

I did.

 

I meant if we were to sign him, what would be the point?

[Dirk]

I did.

 

I meant if we were to sign him, what would be the point?

 

Because it seems he plays more than one position, which would give us cover in a number of positions and allow us to sell more players with having a smaller risk - Pennant, Crouch Alonso -, both financially and in a footballing sense. We could cut the wage bill of a number of players too and get a transfer fee. His wages would be relatively small. I don't see why people are getting so worked up about a rumour, even if it's true, it's £2 million and I doubt he will be the only signing; it's even more maddening given that we are relatively skint and it could actually be a clever way of freeing funds. I'm not particularly pleased about it but there is some logic to it because he plays in two positions.

[Juan Galonso]

Because it seems he plays more than one position, which would give us cover in a number of positions and allow us to sell more players with having a smaller risk - Pennant, Crouch Alonso -, both financially and in a footballing sense. We could cut the wage bill of a number of players too and get a transfer fee. His wages would be relatively small. I don't see why people are getting so worked up about a rumour, even if it's true, it's £2 million and I doubt he will be the only signing; it's even more maddening given that we are relatively skint and it could actually be a clever way of freeing funds. I'm not particularly pleased about it but there is some logic to it because he plays in two positions.

 

It is okay saying he can play in 2 positions but there is just a small problem with that. Is he actually any GOOD in those positions? If he turns out to be a bag of shite and the omens aren't good at all then we will have wasted 2m which could have gone towards obtaining a better player with the rest of the money we have available. I would rather us buy one or two players who go straight in to the team rather than 5 or 6 who are gonna float round the squad all season playing 15 games each or whatver.

 

It isnt about this specific player it is about the way Rafa has done business in the past. The mancs are obviously going to spend big, Chelsea DEFINITELY will and even Arsenal are sure to spend a few quid. We need to be competing at the top end of the market instead of these middle of the road players who the rest of the top 4 wouldnt even piss on.

[Dirk]

It is okay saying he can play in 2 positions but there is just a small problem with that. Is he actually any GOOD in those positions? If he turns out to be a bag of shite and the omens aren't good at all then we will have wasted 2m which could have gone towards obtaining a better player with the rest of the money we have available. I would rather us buy one or two players who go straight in to the team rather than 5 or 6 who are gonna float round the squad all season playing 15 games each or whatver.

 

It isnt about this specific player it is about the way Rafa has done business in the past. The mancs are obviously going to spend big, Chelsea DEFINITELY will and even Arsenal are sure to spend a few quid. We need to be competing at the top end of the market instead of these middle of the road players who the rest of the top 4 wouldnt even piss on.

 

Where are we supposed to find the money to compete at the top end? The lad will rarely play, like Pennant rarely plays, like a lot of our back up, they will be bit part players. If we want to improve the first team, we need to sell players because we won't be given the cash, we'll be looking to sell players that have a decent value but aren't guaranteed a starting place, players like Riise, Pennant, Alonso and Crouch. As he's probably going to be back up, we won't especially need to spend large amounts on a back up player - we will need back up because we will be selling our present back up players to raise funds.

 

This player could, in effect, reduce the need to buy extra squad players because it will mean Kuyt can go back to the middle, he can be back up for the right side - which Pennant presently is and he can also play in the middle. It frees up Crouch, Pennant and Alonso. If we were on a level financial playing field, I could see merit in your complaints but we aren't, we can't afford a £60 million bench and given that we are probably going to see a number of sales, we probably will need 1 or 2 squad players but I expect we'll also see other players brought in.

[05 Milan]

Would be a pointless signing, so I really hope it's bullshit.

[El Rojo]

He's the white Cruyff. Sign him up, Rafa.

[Juan Galonso]

Where are we supposed to find the money to compete at the top end? The lad will rarely play, like Pennant rarely plays, like a lot of our back, they will be bit part players. If we want to improve the first team, we need to sell players because we won't be given the cash, we'll be looking to sell players that have a decent value but aren't guaranteed a starting place, players like Riise, Pennant, Alonso and Crouch. As he's probably going to be back up, we won't especially need to spend large amounts on a back up player - we will need back up because we will be selling our present back up players to raise funds.

 

This player could, in effect, reduce the need to buy extra squad players because it will mean Kuyt can go back to the middle, he can be back up for the right side - which Pennant presently is and he can also play in the middle. It frees up Crouch, Pennant and Alonso. If we were on a level financial playing field, I could see merit in your complaints but we aren't, we can't afford a £60 million bench and given that we are probably going to see a number of sales, we probably will need 1 or 2 squad players but I expect we'll also see other players brought in.

 

And that is where the likes of Guthrie, Plessis, Nemeth and Insua should be filling up the extra gaps in the squad. We won't need any defenders if Agger regains fitness over the summer so instead of buying the likes of this lad the 3 players above should be able to stake more of a claim. Lucas has looked the part since the derby to me and hopefully he will step up the plate even more next season and maybe become an established important member of the squad. We need two or 3 top class additions with the funds which we will raise from selling the players which you stated yourself and hopefully a Euopean Cup win with the kudos that brings will help attract some of the better players. The money situation IS worrying but look at the one QUALITY player we bought last summer. The first time Rafa has been at the top end of the market in Torres and look at the impact he has had. If Crouch leaves I would be reasonably happy with four strikers of Torres Babel Kuyt and Nemeth as 4th choice instead of Voronin. It is the wide midfield areas and full back where we drastically need improvement on, the less squad players we buy the more chance we have of being able to compete with the Alonso, Crouch, Voronin, Riise funds we have available to buy REAL class in those positions.

[Jorge Borge]

The thing is, Rafa seemed quite happy and positive in his recent interview saying, "I've given you enough clues, etc." If this was his only signing or we were struggling that badly to get players that a) Rafa's happy with and b) he thinks we'd be happy with, he wouldn't be talking like that. I'm not saying he'd be throwing a strop, I just don't think he'd say anything. It's way too early to be getting worked up about these matters.

[Unrighteous]

Not good enough, too old, it's bollocks.

[andyfm]

Lucas has looked the part since the derby to me and hopefully he will step up the plate even more next season and maybe become an established important member of the squad.

 

Not sure who you've been watching this season, but Lucas is already an established important member of the squad.

[Juan Galonso]

Not sure who you've been watching this season, but Lucas is already an established important member of the squad.

 

I mean playing near game in game out in his correct position rather than missing a few games then coming in for 3 games etc. It is only since the derby he has started to show any consistency, in his best position as well.