Andrea Berta’s Transfer Targets: Summer 2025

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AFCamden
TeamNewsAndTix
MoArsenal86
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TheFootballMole
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Fichajes
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Anything from Miguel Delaney transfer related
​

No excuses.

 

[DuBB]

Have you watched much of Zubimendi, if so what do you think of him?

From what I’ve seen from the odd game I’ve seen him he appears a steady eddy, which puts people off him, but I’d argue that’s what you want in that position.

Haven't seen enough of him to have specifics worth sharing.

But what he sounds like, and from the little I've seen, what he looks like, is a platform player. Like peak Jorginho.

You put him at the 6, and you basically don't have to worry about much going forward or going back. He'll be in the right place, do the right thing, make the right pass and control his zone in a way that means he doesn't need to be covered for by teammates, and allows them to be a bit more expressive.

None of that is what I know or think, but based on the little I've seen and heard, that's what he sounds like. It isn't sexy or flashy, but if you imagine Partey at his best, that's what he provides.

When Partey is on form, we never worry about the centre circle radius of the pitch. We're never worried about being carved through, and we're not worried that we can't play through.

That's what Zubi sounds like.

We love Partey (the player), but he's very rarely gotten a MOTM. Even at his best. But now that we're looking at a new 6, everyone is expecting to find a 6 who'll be highlight reel, MOTM potential player. This is Partey's best and most consistent season for us, and we talk about him as a player less than we ever have.

That's what a great 6 for a team that plays like us should be IMO. But I'm happy to be wrong, I'm not tied to any player. I'll just see who we buy, watch the games and see how it plays out.

 

[scytheavatar]

Tchouameni >> Rice

Madrid fans have been ****ting on Tchouameni all past 2 seasons, he has apparently regressed a lot and has been their worst player most of the time.

 

[Rasmi]

I've always thought Rodrygo had more talent than Vini and could potentially be a better player. I was definitely laughed at on here for that take. I would love for us to bring him in if he became available. I think he has so much more to offer than what he's able to show in this present Madrid squad, similar to how Benzema had to kind of diminish himself individually to cater to CR7.

And you deserved to be laughed at. Rodrygo is pretty player. But no way does he have more talent and is nothing more than a complimentary player for an elite player

 

[HagnSprayGooners]

Hope we don't go for him, watch him a lot in person and he's so crap.

 

[A_G]

Hope we don't go for him, watch him a lot in person and he's so crap.

The Wish List

Sesko doesn’t have a RC either apparently, but a gentleman’s deal that he can leave for an agreed upon fee. With the groundwork that was put in last summer that seems like a deal that could happen quickly, although you can never be sure with Arsenal. It would be really embarassing if Leipzig...

arsenal-mania.com

You wishlisted him a month ago?

 

[Macho]

The Wish List

Sesko doesn’t have a RC either apparently, but a gentleman’s deal that he can leave for an agreed upon fee. With the groundwork that was put in last summer that seems like a deal that could happen quickly, although you can never be sure with Arsenal. It would be really embarassing if Leipzig...

arsenal-mania.com

You wishlisted him a month ago?

He's allowed to change his mind after a month of being a Bournemouth season ticket holder

 

[OnlyOne]

Very interesting thread... I've only watched clips yet I already knew this, scouting in football is dead.

 

[MauveGunner]

The Wish List

Sesko doesn’t have a RC either apparently, but a gentleman’s deal that he can leave for an agreed upon fee. With the groundwork that was put in last summer that seems like a deal that could happen quickly, although you can never be sure with Arsenal. It would be really embarassing if Leipzig...

arsenal-mania.com

You wishlisted him a month ago?

Brother highjacking the account again Spray can't catch a break.

 

[OnlyOne]

Seen Hagn has lost all composure about Zubi.

 

[HagnSprayGooners]

The Wish List

Sesko doesn’t have a RC either apparently, but a gentleman’s deal that he can leave for an agreed upon fee. With the groundwork that was put in last summer that seems like a deal that could happen quickly, although you can never be sure with Arsenal. It would be really embarassing if Leipzig...

arsenal-mania.com

You wishlisted him a month ago?

That wasn't me, naturally.

 

[db10_therza]

Tchouameni >> Rice

Lashing out because you’ve fully fallen off at this point.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

I'm no scout, just a nerd , and not a stats nerd. All just eye test then follow it up with a quick fbref to see if the numbers show roughly what my eyes do. Plus I don't have insights on tons of players. A couple of years ago it was SMS and Lazio, trying to understand him.

When a team or a player is hyped or takes my interest, I'll check them out several times.

You then get a feel for not only what they're good at, or what they like to do, but generally you understand what they're asked to do by their coach and their team. Then it's about transposing their strengths and weaknesses to our team. Not comparing players directly, but saying "what is he doing very well, and what area of the pitch do we do that or do we need that?"

This year, because of Mbappe, Madrid have taken my interest - side note: I'd spend close to Isak money on Rodrygo. He's producing incredible football whilst feeding on scraps. If you platformed and built around him (ie. played him on our left)... he'd catapult from "don't forget about Rodrygo, he's also quite good" to "is he actually better than Vinicius?" level.

He's clinical, he's creative, but most importantly, he works SO hard. Going forward at least, I haven't had my eye on him defensively. But as an attacker, he's very determined and ruthless. He doesn't mess about. Quite Saka-like or Salah-like in terms of "what needs to happen now? OK, I'll do that. Where's the space? OK, I'll go there. Where's the chance? OK, I'll take it." Like Saka, his decision making is WC, and he is a team player. He doesn't do what's best for him, he'll pass or shoot or dribble or cross if it's the right thing in the right moment.

I read that Man City wants Rodrygo. They already spoke to his father and presented plans for Rodrygo.
I don't know what is Arsenal waiting.

 

[Halcyon Daze]

He's allowed to change his mind after a month of being a Bournemouth season ticket holder

I guess you need flip flops down there on the Bournemouth coast.

 

[Iwobeast]

Hope we don't go for him, watch him a lot in person and he's so crap.

7 goals and 4 assists in such a good team, I'm not sure about this guy

 

[Sebastes]

I think because of the way this season has gone, people are taking for granted our solid midfield base, and almost using it as a reason we’ve struggle so much especially in the final third.

I think this couldn’t be further from the truth, and to dismantle/neglect it because he don’t score enough would be foolish. Partey/Xhaka, Partey/Rice, Jorginho/Rice is a big reason we’ve cemented ourselves as a CL club over the likes of Chelsea, United, Sp**s ect.

These guys control most games they play, and give the attackers an unreal platform. I feel the dross Martinelli/Trossard/Ødegaard/Kai have served up has been partly pinned on having two solid midfielders.

My preference is to keep the solidity of Rice/DM and actually prove proper cutting edge up front.

For me it’s just so interesting to see PSG’s midfield that isn’t really physical or so but very fluid and dynamic changing positions and popping up all over interchangeably.

We have one of the strongest back 5 in Europe, but we struggle a lot with moving the ball quickly (albeit could be tactical to some degree). We are the best defensive outfit in the PL but are trailing Liverpool’s xG with 20, whereas they are only .4 xG conceded behind us. It’s apparent to everyone that we need to add fluidity in midfield. The platform you’re talking about does as much harm to our attackers as good, if not more. How often do we release our attackers with space? Take a look at Liverpool, PSG, Barcelona, Real, etc and how they actually set up for their attackers to be successful.

I see this solid base as a false positive. And it’s not a thing for this season, I’ve said it since we were linked with Rice.

 

[Sebastes]

7 goals and 4 assists in such a good team, I'm not sure about this guy

Top in the league for shots NOT on target

 

[Sebastes]

I'm no scout, just a nerd , and not a stats nerd. All just eye test then follow it up with a quick fbref to see if the numbers show roughly what my eyes do. Plus I don't have insights on tons of players. A couple of years ago it was SMS and Lazio, trying to understand him.

When a team or a player is hyped or takes my interest, I'll check them out several times.

You then get a feel for not only what they're good at, or what they like to do, but generally you understand what they're asked to do by their coach and their team. Then it's about transposing their strengths and weaknesses to our team. Not comparing players directly, but saying "what is he doing very well, and what area of the pitch do we do that or do we need that?"

This year, because of Mbappe, Madrid have taken my interest - side note: I'd spend close to Isak money on Rodrygo. He's producing incredible football whilst feeding on scraps. If you platformed and built around him (ie. played him on our left)... he'd catapult from "don't forget about Rodrygo, he's also quite good" to "is he actually better than Vinicius?" level.

He's clinical, he's creative, but most importantly, he works SO hard. Going forward at least, I haven't had my eye on him defensively. But as an attacker, he's very determined and ruthless. He doesn't mess about. Quite Saka-like or Salah-like in terms of "what needs to happen now? OK, I'll do that. Where's the space? OK, I'll go there. Where's the chance? OK, I'll take it." Like Saka, his decision making is WC, and he is a team player. He doesn't do what's best for him, he'll pass or shoot or dribble or cross if it's the right thing in the right moment.

Would you sacrifice Saliba if it meant Rodrygo? Say for a straight swap (even if they never happen)

 

[Sebastes]

Haven't seen enough of him to have specifics worth sharing.

But what he sounds like, and from the little I've seen, what he looks like, is a platform player. Like peak Jorginho.

You put him at the 6, and you basically don't have to worry about much going forward or going back. He'll be in the right place, do the right thing, make the right pass and control his zone in a way that means he doesn't need to be covered for by teammates, and allows them to be a bit more expressive.

None of that is what I know or think, but based on the little I've seen and heard, that's what he sounds like. It isn't sexy or flashy, but if you imagine Partey at his best, that's what he provides.

When Partey is on form, we never worry about the centre circle radius of the pitch. We're never worried about being carved through, and we're not worried that we can't play through.

That's what Zubi sounds like.

We love Partey (the player), but he's very rarely gotten a MOTM. Even at his best. But now that we're looking at a new 6, everyone is expecting to find a 6 who'll be highlight reel, MOTM potential player. This is Partey's best and most consistent season for us, and we talk about him as a player less than we ever have.

That's what a great 6 for a team that plays like us should be IMO. But I'm happy to be wrong, I'm not tied to any player. I'll just see who we buy, watch the games and see how it plays out.

Are we/they though? Imho Zubi isn’t anywhere close to Partey at his best and I think he’s an outright downgrade on what he’s provided for us this season.

The big thing is the speed/agility/ability to turn away a defender and I haven’t seen Zubi play the kind of defense/midfield splitting passes Partey does. Granted I haven’t seen too much of him.

Not a bad player at all, but not one who’ll elevate us in my mind. Even in the longer perspective. More than anything because I see him and Rice as quite similar in possession.

Mind, I don’t think we can get a player that can give us what Partey does.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Semenyo tickles my fancy. Seems to have a lot of strings to his bow. Gets my seal of approval

 

[HattoriHanzo]

For me it’s just so interesting to see PSG’s midfield that isn’t really physical or so but very fluid and dynamic changing positions and popping up all over interchangeably.

We have one of the strongest back 5 in Europe, but we struggle a lot with moving the ball quickly (albeit could be tactical to some degree). We are the best defensive outfit in the PL but are trailing Liverpool’s xG with 20, whereas they are only .4 xG conceded behind us. It’s apparent to everyone that we need to add fluidity in midfield. The platform you’re talking about does as much harm to our attackers as good, if not more. How often do we release our attackers with space? Take a look at Liverpool, PSG, Barcelona, Real, etc and how they actually set up for their attackers to be successful.

I see this solid base as a false positive. And it’s not a thing for this season, I’ve said it since we were linked with Rice.

You need to have balance in the midfield, you need both, creative technical players and physical duel monsters.
What PSG midfield did to Liverpool was impressive, but it was only 2 matches.
Could you use same type of midfielders (only technicians, not physical) throughout the whole season in Premier league, 38 matches?