Jean Makoun II to London...

[Dharmabum]

Could he be the DMF next season...?

London calling for Makoun
by Laurent Picard, 29 April 2008

Setantasports.com can reveal that Lille star Jean II Makoun is discussing a move to a London club.
The Cameroonian is speaking to ‘an ambitious’ club from the capital, although Manchester City are in the frame for the talented midfielder.
Agent Jean-Christophe Thouvenel has revealed that Makoun has a gentleman’s agreement with LOSC to be transferred in the summer and the representative is planning a big-money move for one of Ligue 1’s outstanding players.
“The discussions are very advanced with a London club,” Thouvenel told setantasports.com.
“It is not West Ham, no. Tottenham? Well, I cannot reveal it to you right now.
“To give you a clue, without naming the club, their manager is not English, they are a very good club that have a very ambitious project, they want to attack well and defend well.
“Last year Mathieu Bodmer and Kader Keita left Lille, and the club asked Makoun to stay one more year to help them with their transition to a new era.
“A new cycle will start there and I expect a very important transfer for the player.
“I am also in contact with Manchester City’s general manager.”

 

[bubble07]

Jean II Makoun

Setantasports.com can reveal that Lille star Jean II Makoun is discussing a move to a London club.
The Cameroonian is speaking to ‘an ambitious’ club from the capital, although Manchester City are in the frame for the talented midfielder.

Agent Jean-Christophe Thouvenel has revealed that Makoun has a gentleman’s agreement with LOSC to be transferred in the summer and the representative is planning a big-money move for one of Ligue 1’s outstanding players.
“The discussions are very advanced with a London club,” Thouvenel told setantasports.com.

“It is not West Ham, no. Tottenham? Well, I cannot reveal it to you right now.

“To give you a clue, without naming the club, their manager is not English, they are a very good club that have a very ambitious project, they want to attack well and defend well.
“Last year Mathieu Bodmer and Kader Keita left Lille, and the club asked Makoun to stay one more year to help them with their transition to a new era.
“A new cycle will start there and I expect a very important transfer for the player.

“I am also in contact with Manchester City’s general manager.”

Maybe this should go general but the agent does say our name. How good is this guy? Is he better then Jean I Makoun?

 

[Dharmabum]

He hasn't really had such a good season though, and I don't think he's much better than Zokora.
Well, if Spurs are after him really then, with Lennon (165), Makoun (172), Modric (174) and a LMF that I can't imagine would be a tower, Spurs certainly don't seem to care about height it seem at all in MF.
But I do think they'll at leat have a DMF that would be closer to 6' ft. Maybe Mahamoud Diarra of Real...

 

[Kendall]

From what i've seen of Lille (only CL) he looks fairly competent, but not a massive step up from Zokora IMO.

We were linked to him last year I think

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I've always been very impressed with him when I have seen him. Reminds me a lot of Davids. Comolli made some quotes on him in the past:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6366003.stm

As for Makoun, he reminds me of Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes.
I like Makoun a lot. He works hard and he is not afraid to put his foot in. He's not tall, he is not big, but he is not scared of anything.
He has good vision and for such a small man he is good in the air. He is very much the symbol of Lille

The quote from Makoun certainly does sound very much like us. I agree about the height issue, but I would certainly expect us to sign another central midfielder with passing ability who is bigger.

 

[sundancer]

Do not know if any of this is true but the player has a good reputation over here and could be what we are looking for, as for height in the m.f I think we overplay the importance of having tall players there.

 

[Dharmabum]

Do not know if any of this is true but the player has a good reputation over here and could be what we are looking for, as for height in the m.f I think we overplay the importance of having tall players there.

If it's a question of just one or two short MF it wouldn't be much of a problem but if the whole MF would be so short it will be hard to defend against corners and free-kicks. Nor would any of them pose much an areal threat on the oppsoing box.

 

[SpurSince57]

He combined very well with Bodmer last season, and Lille's form absolutely bombed when Bodmer and Keita left. Since they rescued Mavuba from Villareal he and Makoun have worked a treat, and Lille are now pushing for a UEFA place.

Definitely an upgrade on Zoko, and actually scores the odd goal.

 

[DC_Boy]

He hasn't really had such a good season though, and I don't think he's much better than Zokora.
Well, if Spurs are after him really then, with Lennon (165), Makoun (172), Modric (174) and a LMF that I can't imagine would be a tower, Spurs certainly don't seem to care about height it seem at all in MF.
But I do think they'll at leat have a DMF that would be closer to 6' ft. Maybe Mahamoud Diarra of Real...

Hi DB - where's JJ in that list - who BTW is tall

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

He combined very well with Bodmer last season, and Lille's form absolutely bombed when Bodmer and Keita left. Since they rescued Mavuba from Villareal he and Makoun have worked a treat, and Lille are now pushing for a UEFA place.

Definitely an upgrade on Zoko, and actually scores the odd goal.

And he can tackle, and he has better positional sense, and he is a leader. Actually I don't see too many comparisons with Zoko at all.

Oh and who says him being short means he isn't a threat in the air? :wink:

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[fazza]

I just bought him on Champ manager :lol:

 

[SpurSince57]

That commentary sounds like the Pythons' Flying Sheep sketch.

Zokora's tackling is actually OK; it's Jenas who's the weak link in that department.

 

[van_Pommel]

He's awsome on Champ Man. Dont worry about him being short, Lucho will provide height in midfield.

Lennon-----Lucho----Makoun-----Modric

Yes please! That would be a bloody awsome midfield!

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

That commentary sounds like the Pythons' Flying Sheep sketch.

Zokora's tackling is actually OK; it's Jenas who's the weak link in that department.

Is it? He has that kind of barrel roll challenge he does. His tackling is a bit better this season, but not great. I am sure Makoun's nickname is 'the Lion', based on his never dying never give in attitude. You can argue that Zoko has that but really he stops playing quite regularly.

The other big difference of course is that Makoun has proved himself at Champs League level and was fantastic against Man Utd, where Zoko seems to disappear against better players and our midfield gets dominated.

 

[robin09]

Could he be the DMF next season...?

London calling for Makoun
by Laurent Picard, 29 April 2008

Setantasports.com can reveal that Lille star Jean II Makoun is discussing a move to a London club.
The Cameroonian is speaking to ‘an ambitious’ club from the capital, although Manchester City are in the frame for the talented midfielder.
Agent Jean-Christophe Thouvenel has revealed that Makoun has a gentleman’s agreement with LOSC to be transferred in the summer and the representative is planning a big-money move for one of Ligue 1’s outstanding players.
“The discussions are very advanced with a London club,” Thouvenel told setantasports.com.
“It is not West Ham, no. Tottenham? Well, I cannot reveal it to you right now.
“To give you a clue, without naming the club, their manager is not English, they are a very good club that have a very ambitious project, they want to attack well and defend well.
“Last year Mathieu Bodmer and Kader Keita left Lille, and the club asked Makoun to stay one more year to help them with their transition to a new era.
“A new cycle will start there and I expect a very important transfer for the player.
“I am also in contact with Manchester City’s general manager.”

Well it aint West Ham.....
Managers not English....So that rules out Portsmouth, Newcastle, Reading, Fulham, Derby and Middlesborough.
London club.....
They want to attack well and defend well.....damn it, thought it was gonna be us.

 

[van_Pommel]

He's awsome on Champ Man. Dont worry about him being short, Lucho will provide height in midfield.

Lennon-----Lucho----Makoun-----Modric

Yes please! That would be a bloody awsome midfield!

In response to my own quote, Bodmer might be an alternative to Lucho as him Makoun will know each other well from Lille. And Bodmer's 6'5, for those who worry about height in midfield!

 

[Marty]

Everything in that article points at us, well, apart from the bit about defending well :smile:

Would go well with the ITK about Levy's dad's 'oo' in the name as well.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Everything in that article points at us, well, apart from the bit about defending well :smile:

Would go well with the ITK about Levy's dad's 'oo' in the name as well.

It didn't say that we did defend well, just that we want to :wink:

 

[SpurSince57]

In response to my own quote, Bodmer might be an alternative to Lucho as him Makoun will know each other well from Lille. And Bodmer's 6'5, for those who worry about height in midfield!

I was disappointed we didn't try for Bodmer last summer, especially as Comolli is supposed to be big mates with Lille's manager. (I suppose we may have done, and the info never got out.) Very good player, although a bit on the slow side.

 

[Marty]

It didn't say that we did defend well, just that we want to :wink:

Yes, but we never will, so what's the point in wanting to? :razz: