Gimme a couple more months and I'll answer, still not sure if Ødegaard is what we need yet.Question: Would you prefer Ødegaard or Aouar as a permanent signing?
You think he'd be willing to come as back-up?Heard from someone I know who’s in the game that we’re going to move for Seny Dieng from QPR.
Us and Leicester apparently interested.
imo we should just get Matt Ryan you won't be able to find a very decent backup.Heard from someone I know who’s in the game that we’re going to move for Seny Dieng from QPR.
Us and Leicester apparently interested.
I would say Holding and Mari are good enough as experienced back-up CB's. I don't want to have my 5th CB on 120k/week. Especially one who is prone to howlers. Get McGuinness or Ballard in as fifth choice. Extending Luiz is a death warrant for Saliba.I don't love Luiz or Ceballos, but I don't see an issue with them. They're good squad players.
5 CBs is a decent number, 4 isn't enough with the schedule these days, and we've spent enough money on CBs in recent years. Luiz, Saliba, Holding, Gabriel and Mari is fine.
Guendouzi and Torreira will leave. If you assume Partey and Xhaka stay, and you buy another quality midfielder, you have 3 CMs. Who's the 4th? Ceballos is better than Elneny, Willock and AMN, and Azeez hasn't broken through yet. I'd rather spend 20m on Ceballos, plus it might help us keep Ødegaard.
Don't get me wrong I still want a quality midfielder, don't know who it is but we need one.
I do assume we will lose Guendouzi and Torreira. I understand that we need four choices at CM if we continue with the 4-2-3-1 (I'd prefer 4-3-3, but alas), but I just can't imagine we can afford to spend €20m+ twice if we also need to replace our RB, get a back-up GK and LB, sign a forward to take over from Auba long-term and most importantly get a creative CAM in permanently (Ødegaard realistically, Grealish as the dream).I think Willock should spend next season at Newcastle and the extent of which Azeez will be integrated is interesting. He'll be 19 and I'm not sure Arteta has fully shown that he can place faith in youngsters. Ideally, I'd like this in midfield:
Partey
Xhaka
New Signing
New Signing
Azeez (Cups, EL etc.)
You think he'd be willing to come as back-up?
Sigh, wish we would stay clear of Ceballos. Think for the price being quoted we could take a gamble in someone else.