Arteta and Edu Transfer Targets: Summer 2020

[Marjorie]

You wouldn't say edu has legend status here but he's definitely in danger of ruining his reputation due to the Kia linkup.

 

[A_G]

Bet the usual suspects laugh at you and told you we would win CL with the players Kia is pushing on us?

Who are the usual suspects? @ us like GDeep, puffin botherer.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Who are the usual suspects? @ us like GDeep, puffin botherer.

I rather not @ people anymore because I already has a lot on my plate like having to suffer depression and then get told that everyone on here hate me even if I was just trying to bring joy to this forum.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Bunch of nonsense this

 

[Hunta]

Who are the usual suspects? @ us like GDeep, puffin botherer.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

that's more like it

Doesn’t exist anymore... what was it?

 

[A_G]

Doesn’t exist anymore... what was it?

Villarreal CB Pau Torres is the #1 CB target for the summer.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Villarreal CB Pau Torres is the #1 CB target for the summer.

Low ratings on CIES and WhoScored.

 

[Chicago_Gunner]

Been away for a little bit and wow what depressing stuff on here haha

 

[Toby]

Let's just hope that Juventus won't be able to say no to another player on a free, they were in for him as well.

Ah not sure about Juve's next summer, they really might go for Willian. They will need to generate a lot of cash via outs to get someone in. De Ligt and especially CR7 with his wages are hindering them. Ramsey and Rabiot are obviously two players they could make huge profit on as they came on frees ad were on their books for just one season. Although I'd definitely opt to sell Rabiot - absolute passenger that guy. And they've had a great experience with an often injured but when fit absolute clutch player like Ramsey: Khedira. There's even talk they might sell pjanic who's not without fail among fans while lately Bentancur has moved from 8 to 6 and impressed.

So yeah, to make big moves they need to sell. If they don't I wouldn't put freebies like Willian beyond them.

 

[Toby]

CIES

That thing again that definitely has its ups but also somehow rated Guendouzi among the absolute top of the crop youngsters of current football at 80m or something and somehow paints itself more serious than transfermarkt by putting a bit of math mumbo jumbo on their webpage and residing in a Swiss chateau? There are good scouting tools out there, but they're definitely not transfer value guessing webpages.

 

[Rex Stone]

Villarreal CB Pau Torres is the #1 CB target for the summer.

He’s actually pretty good imo, I know I’ve been spotty at judging La Liga CB’s before like Mustafi and Toby but he’s interesting.

Wrote this a while back:

Pau is a much better player, Villarreal have been a shambles defensively all year long but I’d put that down to a midfield that’s not good enough defensively and as great as he’s been on the ball, a very immobile Santi is hard to cover for defensively. Also Raul Albiol is putting together one of the worst seasons I’ve ever seen from a CB, dreadful stuff. He’s had his moments but I don’t think much blame can be laid at Pau’s door.

I think he’s a quality CB in many areas. Primarily he’s a top quality passer of the ball, you don’t really see it a lot because Villarreal tend to invite pressure on a lot and look to break quickly with Santi launching counterattacks for their front three.

Often he’s having to play quick passes into feet due to high opponent pressing. When Villarreal play against teams like Eibar or Leganes who love to sit deep then he really puts his masterful passing on show.

Here’s the short highlights of Eibar against Villarreal which shows what he can do with the ball, he’s the one who takes out the entire Eibar team with one pass to set up Moreno. This isn’t a one off by any means but it’s hard to find other examples on YouTube.


It’s rare to get a CB with that quality of passing which is why he’s been fast-tracked to the National Team after so few senior games.

I’ve been very wrong on La Liga centre backs before, I rated both Gabriel and Mustafi but I think I’ve realised things in Pau’s game which the others didn’t have.

He’s got incredibly low tackling stats which seems bizarre for a team as defensively poor as Villarreal, the thing is though when you watch them it becomes obvious that it’s because Pau almost never dives in to tackles. He’s very good at reading play in front of the back line and avoiding getting caught out of position making dicey tackles.

However in terms of negatives, go back up to the Eibar game highlights and watch their second goal. While like I said he’s great when the play is in front he’s a bit iffy when the ball is on the flanks, the striker for Eibar doesn’t really have to make that smart a run off him to get a tap in. Pau just doesn’t seem to anticipate or even see his movement.

He loses his man quite a lot because to me he doesn’t seem to take a second look, he gets caught ball watching which is worrying at that level. You’ll often see opposing strikers nip in right in front of him near post side on crosses and while he might still clear the ball, if he’s playing against the very best strikers he’ll give away a lot of goals and penalties.

All in all I think he’s a quality option simply because he’s strong, can dribble and can win the ball back without diving in although for me the ball watching is a bit of a red flag. In terms of passing ability I think he’s right up there already amongst CBs in world football which might be something that interests Arteta, I’m yet to see how he does regularly in a high line.

Price wise you’re looking at 43M as that's his release clause so I think there are probably other options worth exploring before committing that much money to him.

Since then he’s had a tough time, was injured for a few weeks and since he’s come back honestly he’s been really poor.

He hasn’t improved as a blindside defender and has been diving into tackles despite what I said above. In the three games since his return he’s given away two penalties (one debatable) and been at fault for one other goal.

I think his technical ability will take him a long way in all honesty. He’s very comfortable with the ball at his feet but he looks a bit slow and needs to judge when to step out better.

Think he could go up a level in a better system because Villarreal are a shambles at the back but for 43M it’s a gamble.

 

[Toby]

La Liga CB’s before like Mustafi and Toby

Never played in La Liga.

He’s very comfortable with the ball at his feet but he looks a bit slow and needs to judge when to step out better.

To be serious now: Most underrate that. Merte was slow as **** but also really intelligent in game perception and positioning. Nowadays everyone wants a fast CB, but I'd tacke Merte back in a heartbeat with his ability to organize not only himself but a defense and read the game.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

That thing again that definitely has its ups but also somehow rated Guendouzi among the absolute top of the crop youngsters of current football at 80m or something and somehow paints itself more serious than transfermarkt by putting a bit of math mumbo jumbo on their webpage and residing in a Swiss chateau? There are good scouting tools out there, but they're definitely not transfer value guessing webpages.

I don’t go by their monetary values but their ratings. His rating is low.

 

[Hunta]

Should just follow a proven formula on signings.

If you need a CB, go and get one of the 200 French lads dominating in Europe. Want a good DM, head to Brazil. Need fullbacks, scour the championship.

 

[Dutch D]

He can't be both positionally aware and constantly blindsided by strikers.

I do rate the type of defender that is very smart and good on the ball, though. I think Blind was one of the major reasons Ajax did so well in the CL last season even though he lacks the physical attributes of a typical CB.

Don't know Torres well enough to judge though.

 

[Rex Stone]

Never played in La Liga.



To be serious now: Most underrate that. Merte was slow as **** but also really intelligent in game perception and positioning. Nowadays everyone wants a fast CB, but I'd tacke Merte back in a heartbeat with his ability to organize not only himself but a defense and read the game.

Yeah pace in a CB is desirable but you can function without it. Compared to Mertesacker he needs to be more aware of his surroundings, he’s great when the ball is in front of the back line but when he has to turn he loses his man way too often.

 

[Ashybashy86]

Never played in La Liga.

Mustafi and Alderweireld. Valencia and Atletico Madrid, respectively.

 

[Hunta]

Seems Maitland-Niles is off, just hope we refuse to sell him to Palace after their nonsense over Zaha.

 

[A_G]