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Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

Ron Burgundy

SC Supporter
Jun 19, 2008
7,705
23,267
Surely IF we get CL football, we’ll have more money to spend?

...and when we SURELY don't, we surely won't

We were sh*t for long periods of the season, few of our recent signings have actually paid off, and no surprise, in a competitive league it's going to impact our position...and potentially far beyond this season

- Revenues are down
- we're massively in debt
- City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd have better invested squads and are cash rich

We've been playing a risky game for decades by limiting player investment, and it's going to cost us...big time. I don't meant to sound defeatist but right now, I can't see how we break back into that group

The fact that (supposedly) we're scrabbling around to find money for (don't get me wrong, a solid signing, but...) Hojberg tells you everything you need to know about where we are in the pecking order right now
 

coy-spurs1882

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
3,989
10,442
there were many people here being skeptical about wanyama before he came, saying something like he was going to pick up lots of red cards etc...:rolleyes:
 

daryl hannah

Berry Berry Calm
Sep 1, 2014
2,674
7,717
...and when we SURELY don't, we surely won't

We were sh*t for long periods of the season, few of our recent signings have actually paid off, and no surprise, in a competitive league it's going to impact our position...and potentially far beyond this season

- Revenues are down
- we're massively in debt
- City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd have better invested squads and are cash rich

We've been playing a risky game for decades by limiting player investment, and it's going to cost us...big time. I don't meant to sound defeatist but right now, I can't see how we break back into that group

The fact that (supposedly) we're scrabbling around to find money for (don't get me wrong, a solid signing, but...) Hojberg tells you everything you need to know about where we are in the pecking order right now
If we get player sales right we won't need much. CCV, Rose, Foyth, KWP, Aurier, Lamela, Sissoko and potentially Ndombele would bring in around £130-140m.

Even if those deals are weighted as initial loans with obligations to buy, presumably we'd be doing the same on purchases anyway.

We will drive hard on purchases, but all the noises are that we're looking to overhaul.

I'm ready for the disappointment once again...
 
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DiVaio

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2020
4,173
17,393
- City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd have better invested squads and are cash rich

In accounts ending 30th 2019 City had 4m cash balance more, Arsenal(167 vs 123 for us), but they can't use them as they're security for the bondholders. Chelsea and Liverpool has less cash than us.

We've been playing a risky game for decades by limiting player investment, and it's going to cost us...big time. I don't meant to sound defeatist but right now, I can't see how we break back into that group

The fact that (supposedly) we're scrabbling around to find money for (don't get me wrong, a solid signing, but...) Hojberg tells you everything you need to know about where we are in the pecking order right now
Or don't believe Matt Law about our transfer incomings because he wasn't that reliable when I checked his transfer news since last year. With new DM and RB we still have very good team.
 

mill

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2007
10,385
37,100
In accounts ending 30th 2019 City had 4m cash balance more, Arsenal(167 vs 123 for us), but they can't use them as they're security for the bondholders. Chelsea and Liverpool has less cash than us.


Or don't believe Matt Law about our transfer incomings because he wasn't that reliable when I checked his transfer news since last year. With new DM and RB we still have very good team.
unlikely it’ll be good enough to challenge for top 4 next season imo. Jose has alreadysaid he wants to challenge for the league
 

wirE

I'm a well-known member
Sep 27, 2005
4,676
5,582
Sorry if posted already



Looking at how he plays, he's strong and fit. Not afraid of going into challenges and usually gets his foot ahead of the player, snagging the ball away. Decent cross as well. He's not that typical defensive midfielder, but he can surely be groomed into one if he's given time
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
There's an interesting article floating around that was discussed in today's Extra Inch podcast episode which argues that we have far fewer financial resources to play with in the transfer market than the media reports over the past two years would have one believe. The basic gist of the argument is that "profit" is a relatively meaningless accounting term, and that the real metric by which to judge a club's spending power is its pre-transfer free cash flow. By that metric, primarily as a result of our huge debt obligations, we have far less spending power than any of the other top six clubs. The data the article was based on comes from our two seasons at Wembley, so I think it's safe to say that moving into the new stadium (with all its additional matchday revenue, naming rights, and the alleviation of the burdensome Wembley rent payments) was planned to give us a huge boost in that regard. Unfortunately the pandemic has scuppered those plans, as we're no longer generating any matchday revenue at all and the naming rights deal has been made more difficult and potentially less lucrative.

The article posted a few pages back suggesting that we'll be sticking to a zero net spend policy this summer certainly sounds true to me. Let's say it is, I would personally prefer that we roll the dice and sell a "big" player or two -- provided it is not Kane, Son, or Lo Celso -- to raise funds and reinvest in top prospects as opposed to relying on free transfers or swap deals involving our deadwood in exchange for middle-of-the-road players.

Personally, and I'm sure some will disagree, I'd like to see Dele and Sissoko sold in order to bolster the transfer kitty. In a theoretical world in which we have a genuine first-XI quality DM and Ndombele has settled and been integrated, neither one of them gets in our best XI in my opinion. Ndombele would be partnered with the new DM in a box-to-box role, and Lo Celso would take up the No. 10 or playmaking No. 8 position depending on whether we go with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. Either way, both Dele and Sissoko would be on the outside looking in.

There are young and affordable attacking midfield talents we've been linked with, such as Eze or Szoboszlai, who could slot in for Dele's place in the squad. Sissoko has been taking up the DM role so would obviously be replaced with the new signing. Given the other midfielders we have in the squad already, I think a squad with a top drawer DM and a bright young AM talent such as the two we've been linked with would be better than a squad with Dele, Sissoko, and a mid-table quality DM like Hojbjerg.

Obviously finding buyers will be hugely tricky and may not be possible. If so, I'd be fine with Hojbjerg, but I'd prefer to see us take some risks this summer if we're able to.
I'd be comfortable sacrificing all of Toby, Lamela, Sissoko, Foyth, Rose and KWP. The last five are probably the most realistic outgoings which you'd think could net us £50-60m. I think we could just about get away with selling Lamela without replacing him since we have Sessegnon, but it may depend on how Jack Clarke performs when he comes back.


There are also a number of younger players out on loan at other clubs (Carter-Vickers, Roles, Amos) that we can move on. I think if we're clever we can also potentially look at moving on Gazzaniga for a few million (proven PL keeper) that would surely be attractive to promoted clubs and replacing him with a free transfer or veteran keeper for backup.

Only at this point would I then place the likes of Winks and Dele as sacrificial lambs.

The problem is that Levy will hold firm on asking prices for all these players, and i'll bet that we only see 2 or 3 out the door at a maximum which will mean either that we'll stand still in the market or Jose starts to consider moving on Ndombele, especially if he hasn't broken into the side at that point.

Taking this into account, we need to get at least one free transfer or loan in, or I can't see how we're going to plug all the gaps effectively.
 

Gspurs11

Well-Known Member
Aug 19, 2012
1,949
8,674
We've been offered him but haven't expressed an interest in signing him. His price is significantly less than what it was 12 months ago.

Is there ITK on this? I knew Lazio were in some financial strife pre-COVID.
 

bbunc

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2019
1,562
6,610
It's what I have been told from a good source. Price is £45m.

I’m sorry but there is very little chance that’s accurate. Half of Europe would be biting off Lazio’s arm at that price. PSG bid 60M and had that laughed back.
 

Danny B

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2011
273
2,532
I’m sorry but there is very little chance that’s accurate. Half of Europe would be biting off Lazio’s arm at that price. PSG bid 60M and had that laughed back.

What Lazio want and what they are going to get are two very different things. Plus, headline figures in newspapers are rarely accurate.
 
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