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BigVic

BigVic

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2015
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Anyone able to paste the article about Poch’s meeting with united at a motorway service station please.
 
spursfan77

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,957
Transfer guesses from the Athletic any of us could have cobbled together

Tottenham are not known for doing business at this time of year. In fact, since signing Dele Alli in 2015, Lucas Moura’s signing three years later is the only time they have signed a player in the winter transfer window.
Jose Mourinho has insisted that the club will continue that policy next month but with Champions League football secured for February and a battle on to repeat it for next season, will he and the club be tempted if they can find value in the market?
Here, The Athletic looks at what Spurs should do next month — and what we understand to be possible.
Sign a central midfielder
Aside from Eric Dier, there is no senior player in the Tottenham squad who can effectively play the holding role that has always been so critical to successful Mourinho teams. Youngster Oliver Skipp is another option but there’s a good chance he will be loaned out in January to get more game time. Dier meanwhile has impressed in fits and starts since Mourinho took over but after suffering badly with illness and injury over the last couple of years he is clearly not yet back to his physical peak. There is also still Victor Wanyama but he has declined hugely over the last year or so and will be available for transfer in January (more on that later). With Dier keen to play at centre-back in the mid and long-term, a holding midfielder looks like a priority.
Interestingly though, The Athletic understands that Tottenham view an attacking midfielder or wide forward as more of a priority. Bruno Fernandes for instance, who operates mainly as a No 10, remains a target.
Earlier this month, Mourinho said that Spurs would not be able to match Sporting’s €70 million (£59.7 million) asking price for the 25-year-old Portuguese international. There is a feeling in Portugal, however, that Mourinho’s claim was an attempt to force Sporting, who are in dire financial straits and desperately need the money, into lowering their asking price. Sporting hope that they could get another team to come in with a bid of more than €70 million but there is little chance of that happening.
Another midfielder who has been linked with Tottenham is QPR’s Eberechi Eze, who is primarily a No 10 but can also operate out wide or as a No 8. The Athletic understands that there is interest from Tottenham but that QPR’s £20 million asking price means there is unlikely to be a deal struck in January.
Either way, Tottenham’s targeting of Fernandes and Eze underlines that they are planning for life after Christian Eriksen — which leads us to the next section.
Streamline the squad
The fact that Eriksen’s contract expires at the end of the season means Tottenham will be keen to get a fee for the player in January, even though recent performances have shown that he can still play a vital role in the team.
The Athletic understands that Eriksen has told the club that he wants to leave in January and that Inter are in pole position to sign him.
A more surprising name The Athletic has heard linked with a move away from north London in January is Erik Lamela, who only played for Mourinho for the first time at Norwich due to a hamstring injury. It would seem a shame to lose such a valuable and versatile member of the squad but a decision will have to be made on whether his frequent injuries are too much of a hindrance.
Another player Spurs will be desperate to shift next month is Wanyama. Tottenham thought they had struck a £12 million deal with Club Brugge in the summer but eventually, that move fell through when Wanyama demanded more money. It’s difficult to imagine a club offering that sort of fee in January, given that Wanyama has looked badly off the pace this season and played only four games (the most recent of which was a late substitute appearance at Bayern Munich, which, if you were being cynical, felt like an attempt to briefly put him in the shop window). Chairman Daniel Levy may have to compromise on his asking price if Spurs are to shift Wanyama in January. It would be a deal worth doing though to get the player off Tottenham’s wage bill and in the longer term, offer more of a pathway to the first team for academy graduate Skipp.
Out of favour Danny Rose is also someone it would be good to move on but he has repeatedly insisted he will stay until his contract expires in the summer of 2021. Earlier in the season, Jan Vertonghen would also have been in the “need to move on” camp but he has established himself as an important player for Mourinho. The Athletic expects him to follow compatriot Toby Alderweireld in signing a new deal rather than leaving for free at the end of the season.
Tread carefully over new right-back
Serge Aurier’s unexpected renaissance has made the need for another right-back less pressing but it is still an area Tottenham want to strengthen, especially with the probable loan of Kyle Walker-Peters in January.
During the summer, they were interested in Max Aarons of Norwich and Fulham’s Steven Sessegnon (the twin brother of Spurs winger Ryan). Tottenham are believed to retain an interest in Aarons but see him as more of a long-term target. The defender, 19, has been almost an ever-present for Norwich this season and is extremely well thought of at the club. The Athletic understands that it would take a bid of close to the £45 million Manchester United paid for Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer to tempt Norwich to sell.
Spurs would probably be better off waiting until the summer, especially as in Juan Foyth, they have Argentina’s first-choice right-back as a deputy for Aurier. By the end of the season, they will also have a better idea of whether Walker-Peters has a future at the club.
It might make more sense for Tottenham to look at strengthening the left-back position, since their current options are Vertonghen (really a centre-back), Rose (past his best) and Sessegnon (not yet ready to play left-back according to Mourinho). Ben Davies meanwhile is rehabilitating in Qatar after suffering a serious ankle injury.
Rose’s refusal to leave, however, will complicate matters.
Don’t rely on the same old faces
It was disheartening to hear Spurs, in the first few weeks of Mourinho’s reign, linked with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini. These are all players we know Mourinho admires but they are also ones indelibly associated with his previous jobs, and signing any of them would have represented a regressive step.
Thankfully, none of them are expected to sign in January. To maintain the gradual improvement since taking over, Mourinho needs to be bolder and more imaginative in his approach than he has sometimes been previously.
The signs on the pitch have been promising in patches so far; certainly an improvement on earlier in the season. Now they need to be off it as well.
 
spursfan77

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,957
I also asked about Bogle and the writer said he’s heard his name mentioned as a target.
 
P

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
spursfan77 said:
Transfer guesses from the Athletic any of us could have cobbled together

Tottenham are not known for doing business at this time of year. In fact, since signing Dele Alli in 2015, Lucas Moura’s signing three years later is the only time they have signed a player in the winter transfer window.
Jose Mourinho has insisted that the club will continue that policy next month but with Champions League football secured for February and a battle on to repeat it for next season, will he and the club be tempted if they can find value in the market?
Here, The Athletic looks at what Spurs should do next month — and what we understand to be possible.
Sign a central midfielder
Aside from Eric Dier, there is no senior player in the Tottenham squad who can effectively play the holding role that has always been so critical to successful Mourinho teams. Youngster Oliver Skipp is another option but there’s a good chance he will be loaned out in January to get more game time. Dier meanwhile has impressed in fits and starts since Mourinho took over but after suffering badly with illness and injury over the last couple of years he is clearly not yet back to his physical peak. There is also still Victor Wanyama but he has declined hugely over the last year or so and will be available for transfer in January (more on that later). With Dier keen to play at centre-back in the mid and long-term, a holding midfielder looks like a priority.
Interestingly though, The Athletic understands that Tottenham view an attacking midfielder or wide forward as more of a priority. Bruno Fernandes for instance, who operates mainly as a No 10, remains a target.
Earlier this month, Mourinho said that Spurs would not be able to match Sporting’s €70 million (£59.7 million) asking price for the 25-year-old Portuguese international. There is a feeling in Portugal, however, that Mourinho’s claim was an attempt to force Sporting, who are in dire financial straits and desperately need the money, into lowering their asking price. Sporting hope that they could get another team to come in with a bid of more than €70 million but there is little chance of that happening.
Another midfielder who has been linked with Tottenham is QPR’s Eberechi Eze, who is primarily a No 10 but can also operate out wide or as a No 8. The Athletic understands that there is interest from Tottenham but that QPR’s £20 million asking price means there is unlikely to be a deal struck in January.
Either way, Tottenham’s targeting of Fernandes and Eze underlines that they are planning for life after Christian Eriksen — which leads us to the next section.
Streamline the squad
The fact that Eriksen’s contract expires at the end of the season means Tottenham will be keen to get a fee for the player in January, even though recent performances have shown that he can still play a vital role in the team.
The Athletic understands that Eriksen has told the club that he wants to leave in January and that Inter are in pole position to sign him.
A more surprising name The Athletic has heard linked with a move away from north London in January is Erik Lamela, who only played for Mourinho for the first time at Norwich due to a hamstring injury. It would seem a shame to lose such a valuable and versatile member of the squad but a decision will have to be made on whether his frequent injuries are too much of a hindrance.
Another player Spurs will be desperate to shift next month is Wanyama. Tottenham thought they had struck a £12 million deal with Club Brugge in the summer but eventually, that move fell through when Wanyama demanded more money. It’s difficult to imagine a club offering that sort of fee in January, given that Wanyama has looked badly off the pace this season and played only four games (the most recent of which was a late substitute appearance at Bayern Munich, which, if you were being cynical, felt like an attempt to briefly put him in the shop window). Chairman Daniel Levy may have to compromise on his asking price if Spurs are to shift Wanyama in January. It would be a deal worth doing though to get the player off Tottenham’s wage bill and in the longer term, offer more of a pathway to the first team for academy graduate Skipp.
Out of favour Danny Rose is also someone it would be good to move on but he has repeatedly insisted he will stay until his contract expires in the summer of 2021. Earlier in the season, Jan Vertonghen would also have been in the “need to move on” camp but he has established himself as an important player for Mourinho. The Athletic expects him to follow compatriot Toby Alderweireld in signing a new deal rather than leaving for free at the end of the season.
Tread carefully over new right-back
Serge Aurier’s unexpected renaissance has made the need for another right-back less pressing but it is still an area Tottenham want to strengthen, especially with the probable loan of Kyle Walker-Peters in January.
During the summer, they were interested in Max Aarons of Norwich and Fulham’s Steven Sessegnon (the twin brother of Spurs winger Ryan). Tottenham are believed to retain an interest in Aarons but see him as more of a long-term target. The defender, 19, has been almost an ever-present for Norwich this season and is extremely well thought of at the club. The Athletic understands that it would take a bid of close to the £45 million Manchester United paid for Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer to tempt Norwich to sell.
Spurs would probably be better off waiting until the summer, especially as in Juan Foyth, they have Argentina’s first-choice right-back as a deputy for Aurier. By the end of the season, they will also have a better idea of whether Walker-Peters has a future at the club.
It might make more sense for Tottenham to look at strengthening the left-back position, since their current options are Vertonghen (really a centre-back), Rose (past his best) and Sessegnon (not yet ready to play left-back according to Mourinho). Ben Davies meanwhile is rehabilitating in Qatar after suffering a serious ankle injury.
Rose’s refusal to leave, however, will complicate matters.
Don’t rely on the same old faces
It was disheartening to hear Spurs, in the first few weeks of Mourinho’s reign, linked with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini. These are all players we know Mourinho admires but they are also ones indelibly associated with his previous jobs, and signing any of them would have represented a regressive step.
Thankfully, none of them are expected to sign in January. To maintain the gradual improvement since taking over, Mourinho needs to be bolder and more imaginative in his approach than he has sometimes been previously.
The signs on the pitch have been promising in patches so far; certainly an improvement on earlier in the season. Now they need to be off it as well.
Click to expand...


Dier wants to play CB? Well that's not correct is it. Thought it was common knowledge that Dier sees himself as a CM.

Makes you wonder what else the journalist has got wrong.
 
Marty

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
40,126
63,608
The Berahino story from yesterday is also superbly written. Full of spats, parties, drink driving convictions, but everyone keeps saying he was a good boy deep down and regret they didn't do more to help him. A very sad tale.

theathletic.com

The sad and frustrating tale of the two Saido Berahinos

At 26, Saido Berahino should be an England international and Premier League star - so why did it all go wrong?
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 
spursfan77

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,957
Marty said:
The Berahino story from yesterday is also superbly written. Full of spats, parties, drink driving convictions, but everyone keeps saying he was a good boy deep down and regret they didn't do more to help him. A very sad tale.

theathletic.com

The sad and frustrating tale of the two Saido Berahinos

At 26, Saido Berahino should be an England international and Premier League star - so why did it all go wrong?
theathletic.com theathletic.com
Click to expand...

sounds like he had a terrible childhood. That’s going to effect you later in life.
 
dontcallme

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
34,225
83,136
carmeldevil said:
pastebin.com

Handing in a transfer request? That’s just embarrassing’ – how players really fo - Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.
pastebin.com pastebin.com
Click to expand...
This is something I find myself thinking about with modern transfers. For a long time if a club received a sizeable offer for a prized player it would be in their interest to sell then reinvest.

Nowadays in the Prem it just isn't in a club's interest to sell. So if a player wants a move then he needs to make it happen. This will result in the majority of players leaving clubs becoming a hate figure.

In the future I hope release clauses become more normal. I don't think it is right for a player's future to be completely determined by a contract they have little choice but to sign if they want a career.
 
Marty

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
40,126
63,608
dontcallme said:
This is something I find myself thinking about with modern transfers. For a long time if a club received a sizeable offer for a prized player it would be in their interest to sell then reinvest.

Nowadays in the Prem it just isn't in a club's interest to sell. So if a player wants a move then he needs to make it happen. This will result in the majority of players leaving clubs becoming a hate figure.

In the future I hope release clauses become more normal. I don't think it is right for a player's future to be completely determined by a contract they have little choice but to sign if they want a career.
Click to expand...
The players can always counter with refusing to sign long contracts and winding their contracts down so they can leave as free agents.

I think a lot more top players will try the market as free agents in the coming years.
 
dontcallme

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
34,225
83,136
Marty said:
The players can always counter with refusing to sign long contracts and winding their contracts down so they can leave as free agents.

I think a lot more top players will try the market as free agents in the coming years.
Click to expand...
Problem with refusing long contracts is the club might not want to buy the player. Imagine if we bought Eriksen for £10m then he wanted a 2 year contract. Levy would rightly not want to sign him. Winding contracts down is exactly what causes the bad feeling.

Players will wind their contracts down to get the moves they want but will give up a portion of their career as a result.

A release clause resolves this issue. We buy Eriksen for £10m on a 5 year contract. So the player has money coming in if he gets injured. We negotiate a £40m release clause. This means if the player performs then he gets to go to a better club without long negotiations and we get money back on our investment.
 
Marty

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
40,126
63,608
dontcallme said:
Problem with refusing long contracts is the club might not want to buy the player. Imagine if we bought Eriksen for £10m then he wanted a 2 year contract. Levy would rightly not want to sign him. Winding contracts down is exactly what causes the bad feeling.

Players will wind their contracts down to get the moves they want but will give up a portion of their career as a result.

A release clause resolves this issue. We buy Eriksen for £10m on a 5 year contract. So the player has money coming in if he gets injured. We negotiate a £40m release clause. This means if the player performs then he gets to go to a better club without long negotiations and we get money back on our investment.
Click to expand...
A lot of clubs still refuse to deal with release clauses though. Man United supposedly refused to deal with Raiola over Haaland because of the insistence of a release clause that I believe kicks in in the summer of 2022 when he's been at Dortmund 2,5 years. But I believe it's required by law to have release clauses in Spain?

The player/club power struggle is fascinating. Just when you think one has the upper hand the other can counter it in some way or another.
 
dontcallme

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
34,225
83,136
Marty said:
A lot of clubs still refuse to deal with release clauses though. Man United supposedly refused to deal with Raiola over Haaland because of the insistence of a release clause that I believe kicks in in the summer of 2022 when he's been at Dortmund 2,5 years. But I believe it's required by law to have release clauses in Spain?

The player/club power struggle is fascinating. Just when you think one has the upper hand the other can counter it in some way or another.
Click to expand...
Absolutely agree. But I believe clubs may need to adjust to this. If they don't want their players throwing strops and pulling the tactics to get their moves and sometimes losing on a free then they need to move with the times.

If Man Utd offered Haaland their normal salary with a release clause of £50m then Dortmund offered their normal salary with a lower release clause then the player would have a simple decision to make.
 
C

Chris Finch

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2012
1,769
7,136
taidgh

taidgh

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2004
7,903
16,259
Michael Cox is doing a series on shirt numbering. If anyone could post it, I'd love to read it.
 
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