Mamadou Sakho

[Yid]

Apologies in advance (didn't read all 3 pages of the thread).
Sakho is a top quality CB, and even though his value has dipped by 2-3 mil since last summer, he will still cost us a pretty penny.
I also saw Papadopoulos' name thrown around. Another excellent choice, but also very very expensive.
However, if we don't end up signing Chiriches this summer (as expected by some), there is another CB on Papados team (Schalke 04) in the Bundesliga, whom I'd highly recommend. The kid is very talented (favours the right foot), extremely strong, very tall, and pacy (almost as fast as Sakho btw). He will probably be several mil cheaper than the two aforesaid CD's, and about a year (or more) younger than Sakho (iirc).
His name is Matip, but tbh I don't recall what his contract terms are, so that could be an issue. I saw him a few times in league play on account of watching Jermaine Jones (and also some CL matches). Kid's got serious skills.
Anyway, that would allow us to save 4-5 million and throw that into an LB perhaps. We may be able to get Oczipka for fairly cheap.

 

[Yid]

I wouldn't mind Zouma from St Ettiene too

Or Umtiti from Lyon. Good kid.

 

[ButchCassidy]

Apologies in advance (didn't read all 3 pages of the thread).
Sakho is a top quality CB, and even though his value has dipped by 2-3 mil since last summer, he will still cost us a pretty penny.
I also saw Papadopoulos' name thrown around. Another excellent choice, but also very very expensive.
However, if we don't end up signing Chiriches this summer (as expected by some), there is another CB on Papados team (Schalke 04) in the Bundesliga, whom I'd highly recommend. The kid is very talented (favours the right foot), extremely strong, very tall, and pacy (almost as fast as Sakho btw). He will probably be several mil cheaper than the two aforesaid CD's, and about a year (or more) younger than Sakho (iirc).
His name is Matip, but tbh I don't recall what his contract terms are, so that could be an issue. I saw him a few times in league play on account of watching Jermaine Jones (and also some CL matches). Kid's got serious skills.
Anyway, that would allow us to save 4-5 million and throw that into an LB perhaps. We may be able to get Oczipka for fairly cheap.

Since you didn't read the thread Sakho will be on sale because his contract is up in June and he wants to move rather than extend it. Matip is an excellent player but Schalke see him as the successor to Papa, who fell out of favor a bit with injuries last year, and they won't want to sell for a reasonable price.

 

[Sandro30]

Apologies in advance (didn't read all 3 pages of the thread).
Sakho is a top quality CB, and even though his value has dipped by 2-3 mil since last summer, he will still cost us a pretty penny.
I also saw Papadopoulos' name thrown around. Another excellent choice, but also very very expensive.
However, if we don't end up signing Chiriches this summer (as expected by some), there is another CB on Papados team (Schalke 04) in the Bundesliga, whom I'd highly recommend. The kid is very talented (favours the right foot), extremely strong, very tall, and pacy (almost as fast as Sakho btw). He will probably be several mil cheaper than the two aforesaid CD's, and about a year (or more) younger than Sakho (iirc).
His name is Matip, but tbh I don't recall what his contract terms are, so that could be an issue. I saw him a few times in league play on account of watching Jermaine Jones (and also some CL matches). Kid's got serious skills.
Anyway, that would allow us to save 4-5 million and throw that into an LB perhaps. We may be able to get Oczipka for fairly cheap.

I personally find Matip quite error prone and erratic. Perhaps Lufti will pop his head in and give his opinion as he knows about him more than any of us

 

[Yid]

Since you didn't read the thread Sakho will be on sale because his contract is up in June and he wants to move rather than extend it. Matip is an excellent player but Schalke see him as the successor to Papa, who fell out of favor a bit with injuries last year, and they won't want to sell for a reasonable price.

Ahh...That makes sense.
Thanks for clarifying, brother
Well, if Chiriches can't be acquired, perhaps we can go for Sakho after all, ey?
What about this Brazilian kid at Inter? Juan Jesus? I heard he's built like a brick house. Allegedly has some issues with focus and discipline though.
Isn't he around similar age group, and price range? I wonder what his situation is like over at Inter.

 

[worcestersauce]

Don't know much about him but is that £10-£15m price tag correct, safe to say we won't pay that.

 

[ButchCassidy]

Don't know much about him but is that £10-£15m price tag correct, safe to say we won't pay that.

We sold SC for £9m and we want to replace him with someone better. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[worcestersauce]

Is he better than Caulker? Does he have the potential of Caulker and does he have as long left on his contact as Caulker?

 

[spursfan77]

@Jon_LeGossip: Le Parisien: Mamadou Sakho is the only current star likely to leave PSG before the end of the transfer window. #PSG #FFW

 

[WiganSpur]

Would defintely prefer this guy over Toby but in all honesty i'd probably take anyone now

 

[teejay]

I think he is left footed, so there are problems playing him and verthongen, as both are left sided cb's

 

[HoltbiusMac]

I think he is left footed, so there are problems playing him and verthongen, as both are left sided cb's

Not really. A lot of teams play two right footed CBs and not even think to mention it. Left and right might be optimal but hardly a problem.

 

[Yid]

Not really. A lot of teams play two right footed CBs and not even think to mention it. Left and right might be optimal but hardly a problem.

Exactly, nowadays that should be a non-issue.
In the last decade (or more) even wingers and/or wide forwards are often employed opposite of their favored flank (and/or preferred foot), so it's no big deal at all.

In fact, in the next decade or so, I believe many coaches/managers in Europe will eventually implement concepts that are sort of similar to Rinus Michels' "Total Futbol" (where some or even all footballers will be used as "utility" players, due to their increased versatility & adaptability). IMHO, such footballers as Bale, Koke, or Vossen (all of whom, especially the former two, can be considered elite-level utility players), will not be such a rare commodity in the future.

COYS

 

[wpd659]

Would be my choice not sure he would be happy here thou.

 

[Jamturk]

We are definitely looking at him

 

[GetSpurredOn]

CB or LB. Prime age. Leadership qualities. Contract running down. National skipper already at Spurs... No brainer, lets make it happen.
Fits in with the theory AVB likes his players to be flexible in terms of position.

 

[AJW]

L'Equipe saying he has announced he wants to leave pSG

 

[Yid]

L'Equipe saying he has announced he wants to leave pSG

IIRC, he did that several days ago, no?

 

[felmani26]

L'Equipe saying he has announced he wants to leave pSG

A deal is there to be done but I'd still say our first choice is Chiriches.

One to keep an eye on though.

 

[King of Otters]

L'Equipe saying he has announced he wants to leave pSG

For some reason I have a vision of Sakho 'announcing' he wants to leave PSG in the same way that Michael Scott 'declared' bankruptcy.