Well to be fair they did buy a left back last summer window (who admittedly does suck) and this window is the first opportunity to address it since the end of the current season.
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@Bl1nk any idea on what Ajax might want for him?
I think this signing could ‘fix’ multiple positions for us, both the deputising the LB slot and being Partey’s alternative when his legs explode.
Looks like a Super Saiyan version compared to Zinchenko for me.
I think somewhere between €40 and €50 million would do it.
If we do find an agreement I think it will be something like €38m + €5m in bonusses etc.
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He is not very pacey, is he?
Many legendary defenders weren’t pacey. Anticipation and positioning is key. Martinez excels at that.
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It’s written in Arabic, so this is 100% true.
Says we’re offering £5M more and this will apparently be sufficient.
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CBs don’t really work but full-backs did/do. I remember using Lahm as a CDM in Fifa 11 (Bayern had really slow centre-mids), Jordi Alba in Fifa 12, and Cesar Azpilicueta in Fifa 17. Tried Bellerin and Kolasinac in Fifa 17 but the former couldn’t pass and the latter turned like a truck and again couldn’t pass.
https://twitter.com/ZRAFC/status/1538541771424157697
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off to try this on Fifa 22. Verdict to come in 2 days
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I do love versatility, but I also want a player who is guaranteed to upgrade us in a specific position. If he’s a LB by trade then is he better than Tierney?
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How often do CBs move into the 6 spot consistenly?
People were saying similar about White before he signed can’t really see Martinez being deployed there consistently.
I cannot see Arteta moving Partey out of the 6 spot for this guy.
Could he provide additional cover there in a pinch? Maybe but I doubt that is really the idea.
I think he would compete with Tierney to start at LB, provide cover at LCB, and then maybe he can play CM in more of a double pivot situation if necessary, kind of like how we have used Xhaka.
The fact that we’ve already submitted a bid is positive. What I’ve always understood is that clubs usually only submit a bid when they are confident that the player wants to come and a bid has a good chance of being accepted.
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Didn’t we submit a bid for Locatelli and Vlahovic?
Hm, not sure but that could be…
Well, for what is worth it does look like he is keen to work with Mikel so there’s that.
We’ll now test the resolve of Ajax. If I were them, I would try to get a bidding war going. Couple of clubs looking at CBs this summer. Could bump that fee to 50m if they were to join in with bids.
This certainly does line up why we’re keen on landing Jesus and him right now. Jesus we know is in high demand, Lisandro must be in the shortlist of various clubs too.
Poor Tielemans has to wait for us to wrap those up.
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It was to be expected.
And they’ll have the advantage, given they have ten Hag. Unless Martinez secretly hated him 
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It could be he wants something new. A different opinion. Arteta’s project.
We’ll see.
Man Utd have their hands full securing Frenkie anyway.
Not sure Manure are any more appealing than Arsenal at this point in time
Yeah, in terms of the football. Just depends on what kind of relationship he has with ten Hag and if that has any sway at all.