Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[WiganSpur]

Happy for Hojbjerg to leave - but it has always been with the understanding we would bring in another CM.

That's evidently not going to happen with everything that needs to fall in to place in the last few days of this window.

I don't trust Maddison and Bissouma to be ever present (due to injuries). And Bentancur will have a long road back to full fitness and form - and there may be setbacks.

Not annoyed at all that PEH is on his way out, but very annoyed that we will ultimately be weakening the squad.

I think we'll be fine. Bentancur, Sarr, Skipp and Bissouma can all play 6. GLC, Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison and Alfie Devine can all play 8. No European football either. We need to be more worried about quality in other areas than depth in midfield.

We shouldn't be turning down £25m for Hojbjerg. There is easily another scenario where those injuries you mention don't transpire and he plays only about 3-4 matches all season whilst we're paying him about £80k a week. And next summer he'll be worth about £10-15m.

Also, if we do get injuries and the youth players can't step up, it's always possible to loan in some cover in January.

 

[worcestersauce]

Do you honestly think he's going to play much when Bentancur is fit? It's clear he's not going to be a starter now, and I doubt very much a player like PEH is going to be happy with a squad role getting minutes at the end of games and in the cups. He has 2 years left on his contract, and if he isn't in the long term plans now is 100% the time to move him on. Yes there are players that we would all like to move on before PEH but the fact is now is the optimum time to move on a player that still has some value and isn't going to get a huge amount of minutes.

Pretty sure the move is coming from Hojbjerg as much as the club.

 

[14/04/91]

I have a feeling he ends up leaving on a loan with an obligation to buy, thus taking the pressure of Madrid to find the money and getting him off our wage bill

Which wouldn’t be a terrible solution.

I’ve read that the issue is number of players & wages, so deferring a fee isn’t a big problem.

It has to be an obligation not an option and the fee has to be what we want now, not 12 months time.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

I think we'll be fine. Bentancur, Sarr, Skipp and Bissouma can all play 6. GLC, Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison and Alfie Devine can all play 8. No European football either. We need to be more worried about quality in other areas than depth in midfield.

We shouldn't be turning down £25m for Hojbjerg. There is easily another scenario where those injuries you mention don't transpire and he plays only about 3-4 matches all season whilst we're paying him about £80k a week. And next summer he'll be worth about £10-15m.

Also, if we do get injuries and the youth players can't step up, it's always possible to loan in some cover in January.

I see us turning down £25m is gaining traction although there's no evidence we've been offered that. Chinese whispers

 

[WiganSpur]

Do you honestly think he's going to play much when Bentancur is fit? It's clear he's not going to be a starter now, and I doubt very much a player like PEH is going to be happy with a squad role getting minutes at the end of games and in the cups. He has 2 years left on his contract, and if he isn't in the long term plans now is 100% the time to move him on. Yes there are players that we would all like to move on before PEH but the fact is now is the optimum time to move on a player that still has some value and isn't going to get a huge amount of minutes.

And this has also been one of our issues with selling. Holding on to players for too long such that they become out of favour and they have less appeal to buying clubs.

 

[WiganSpur]

I see us turning down £25m is gaining traction although there's no evidence we've been offered that. Chinese whispers

I'm not saying we have, was speaking hypothetically. I was suggesting that should be the magic number, and we should be prepared to go as low as £20m. Any less and you probably think it's worth keeping him around and trying to sell in Jan or next summer unless it's putting a block on a major incoming.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

I'm not saying we have, was speaking hypothetically. I was suggesting that should be the magic number, and we should be prepared to go as low as £20m. Any less and you probably think it's worth keeping him around unless it's putting a block on a major incoming.

I personally would get him out for what AM have as the squad needs culling. I wouldn't advocate for that in the future but needs must as we don't want to hamstring Ange in future windows.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

As it somewhat relates

Xavi still isn’t sure but Deco, incoming DoF, and Barca still want Felix(Standard Barca trying to get a player the manager isn’t a huge fan of). Barca however can’t sign another attacker without selling one. Both Fati and Torres have said they don’t want to leave so Barca are going to try and sell Abde Ezzalzouli. If they don’t manage to then they won’t be able to buy Felix. They just wouldn’t be able to register him. Not only that there’s still the issue with an option Vs an obligation which is what Atleti want. Atleti want Felix out no matter what but Felix currently only wants Barca however they can’t sign him.

Point is that if this move doesn’t happen I’m extremely skeptical if Atleti will be able afford PEH at the price we are looking for. If Barca end up pulling out of the deal for Felix, unless we end up doing swap which is extremely unlikely, I think PEH doesn’t go there.

 

[Trix]

Pretty sure the move is coming from Hojbjerg as much as the club.

I agree. He's a blood and guts type, and he isn't going to be happy as a bit part player in any side.

 

[Erm33]

I like PEH but as stated it's definitely the right time to move him on. 2 years left and not on the waste pile for years like some of those we've tried to shift. Hope he gets a decent move and we get a nice return for him.

 

[dj_stu]

Re PEH, ultimately he looks like he would be a black up this season

Is this some Al Jolson ITK?

 

[Ruffinthepuffin]

Is this some Al Jolson ITK?

 

[KingNick]

But do we really actively want PEH out the door, or is it more that he's one of the few players that there is actual interest in at more than derogatory price level?

I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

Sad state of affairs if we're now forced to sell players that we'd like to keep in an optimal situation, since we're lumbered with so much deadwood that we could have got rid of, if not for unrealistic pricing in the past. Not forgetting the drain on the wage budget that can be added to that.

It's clear he doesn't fit the system or have the required technical skills. So no, we aren't selling him solely because he is an asset with value and external interest in him.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Happy for Hojbjerg to leave - but it has always been with the understanding we would bring in another CM.

That's evidently not going to happen with everything that needs to fall in to place in the last few days of this window.

I don't trust Maddison and Bissouma to be ever present (due to injuries). And Bentancur will have a long road back to full fitness and form - and there may be setbacks.

Not annoyed at all that PEH is on his way out, but very annoyed that we will ultimately be weakening the squad.

It won’t weaken our squad if he’s rarely going to play.

We have 6 players for 3 positions.

Lo Celso/Maddison rotating for the most advanced midfielder.

Biss/Sarr/Skipp/Bentancur rotating between the 6 and 8 positions. Adding another would be over kill.

 

[KingNick]

It won’t weaken our squad if he’s rarely going to play.

We have 6 players for 3 positions.

Lo Celso/Maddison rotating for the most advanced midfielder.

Biss/Sarr/Skipp/Bentancur rotating between the 6 and 8 positions. Adding another would be over kill.

And would block a potential pathway for Alfie Devine (depending on whether he goes on loan or not).

 

[TheHodFather]

Why the hell would the club let a player of PEH’s ability go for £20m. He has got to be worth £35-40m in this market. I hope a big #### off has been texted to Madrid.

Trouble is it doesn't seem like there's any interest from other PL teams or from the Saudis. And outside of PL clubs and the Saudis, who's spending £35-40m on players? It's a pretty short list and none of them seem to want him either.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Is this some Al Jolson ITK?

Nope, Griezmann ITK

 

[mr ashley]

As it somewhat relates

Xavi still isn’t sure but Deco, incoming DoF, and Barca still want Felix(Standard Barca trying to get a player the manager isn’t a huge fan of). Barca however can’t sign another attacker without selling one. Both Fati and Torres have said they don’t want to leave so Barca are going to try and sell Abde Ezzalzouli. If they don’t manage to then they won’t be able to buy Felix. They just wouldn’t be able to register him. Not only that there’s still the issue with an option Vs an obligation which is what Atleti want. Atleti want Felix out no matter what but Felix currently only wants Barca however they can’t sign him.

Point is that if this move doesn’t happen I’m extremely skeptical if Atleti will be able afford PEH at the price we are looking for. If Barca end up pulling out of the deal for Felix, unless we end up doing swap which is extremely unlikely, I think PEH doesn’t go there.

Almost as highly rated as lamine yamal so this would be an interesting one to pursue

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Almost as highly rated as lamine yamal so this would be an interesting one to pursue

Yeah he had Abde had a very promising season at Osasuna. His dribbling stats were up there with Vinicius as one of the best in the league. He looks a very exciting talent. Tbh this is Barca all over, instead of using the talent they have they decided to overspend on a player the manager isn’t convinced by. It’s only going to get worse now Deco is there as he has very close ties to Mendes.

Anyway, I just have this feeling that Atleti won’t be able to raise the cash for PEH. Reality is if Barca get Felix it will be last minute and on very favourable conditions for Barca.

Edit:
Just to add that Romano just tweeted saying that Abde won’t be sold now as Xavi really likes him. If this is true and Torres + Fati won’t leave then I don’t know how they get Felix. They are stacked up front and I’m not sure how they would be able to register him.

 

[JayB]

Yeah he had Abde had a very promising season at Osasuna. His dribbling stats were up there with Vinicius as one of the best in the league. He looks a very exciting talent. Tbh this is Barca all over, instead of using the talent they have they decided to overspend on a player the manager isn’t convinced by. It’s only going to get worse now Deco is there as he has very close ties to Mendes.

Anyway, I just have this feeling that Atleti won’t be able to raise the cash for PEH. Reality is if Barca get Felix it will be last minute and on very favourable conditions for Barca.

Edit:
Just to add that Romano just tweeted saying that Abde won’t be sold now as Xavi really likes him. If this is true and Torres + Fati won’t leave then I don’t know how they get Felix. They are stacked up front and I’m not sure how they would be able to register him.

Romano reported in his newsletter today that Barca are still looking to move Fati (although Fati is insistent he wants to stay), and that they want to sell Lenglet and Marcos Alonso. I don't know if the latter two would suffice to enable Barca to register Felix, but that appears to be the current state of play.