General Transfer Rumour Discussion Thread

[jimmyb]

Yeah but the only players we've been recently linked to that seem viable and keep coming up are Werner, N'Jie and Berahino. Of the three Berahino doesn't seem close at all, seems like Werner is nowhere either but the French press think N'Jie is close to joining us.

I suspect that Berahino is quite close. I get the impression that everything is agreed with him and his people. I even think we might not be far away from agreeing a price with West Brom. They've already signed Lambert and look as if they are about to sign Rondon. They might only be waiting for the latter to complete before finally allowing Berahino to leave.

Of course, there is always the possibility that Emirates Marketing Project or Chelsea could steal in for him at the eleventh hour.

Agreed, though, that the signs are that the Njie deal is even closer.

 

[NWND]

Possibly. Berahino and N'Jie both signing would be brilliant. I'm also happy with our targets, I really like the look of the potential of this squad. What it lacks is a lot of pace and directness, all of our targets have this minimum requirement.

 

[Jordinho]

Cambiasso gone to Olympiakos to play CL.

 

[mjc23]

Cambiasso gone to Olympiakos to play CL.

That's a shame, enjoyed seeing him in the prem last season.

 

[THFC39]

I'll be shocked if we sign a central midfielder more capable than Yohan Cabaye. Been a steady force for Palace today, and has all the motivation in the world to have a great season with his desire to get in the French team. When pressed on the ball, he isn't prone to make errors with his passing, which is a major cause for some of the goals we've conceded in the last year.

We better have a couple signings ready to step in and contribute early, because with Europa around the corner, this squad is going to need creativity and rotational depth to cope with fatigue and injuries. Someone like Werner can't start for Stuttgart, so I don't think he'd be a big force for us either, right away. Berahino makes sense. Yarmolenko makes sense. Even Llorente would make a lot of sense. But is Levy willing to spend to acquire these players? The jury is still very much out, I think.

 

[Pirate55]

A few days is the new 48 hours?

Less definable!!!!

 

[NWND]

I'll be shocked if we sign a central midfielder more capable than Yohan Cabaye. Been a steady force for Palace today, and has all the motivation in the world to have a great season with his desire to get in the French team. When pressed on the ball, he isn't prone to make errors with his passing, which is a major cause for some of the goals we've conceded in the last year.

We better have a couple signings ready to step in and contribute early, because with Europa around the corner, this squad is going to need creativity and rotational depth to cope with fatigue and injuries. Someone like Werner can't start for Stuttgart, so I don't think he'd be a big force for us either, right away. Berahino makes sense. Yarmolenko makes sense. Even Llorente would make a lot of sense. But is Levy willing to spend to acquire these players? The jury is still very much out, I think.

You see it's a bit short-sighted to just say "we should have signed him, as he's a good player".

Levy needs to support the manager and let him stand or fail by his decisions. I'm pretty sure if Pochettino said "I want to sign Cabaye", we would have signed him. It was a low-value Levy-friendly deal.

I don't think Pochettino wanted to sign Cabaye, because I think he saw him as being a very similar player to Bentaleb and Mason and wanted to retain those players and develop them and spend the money on other areas of the squad. I think if we bring in a midfielder, it will be someone to play the role Dier played in pre-season and yesterday. Not someone like Cabaye.

 

[THFC39]

You see it's a bit short-sighted to just say "we should have signed him, as he's a good player".

Levy needs to support the manager and let him stand or fail by his decisions. I'm pretty sure if Pochettino said "I want to sign Cabaye", we would have signed him. It was a low-value Levy-friendly deal.

I don't think Pochettino wanted to sign Cabaye, because I think he saw him as being a very similar player to Bentaleb and Mason and wanted to retain those players and develop them and spend the money on other areas of the squad. I think if we bring in a midfielder, it will be someone to play the role Dier played in pre-season and yesterday. Not someone like Cabaye.

We will see how good Pochettino's and our transfer teams judgment is at the close of the window. I'm willing to predict Cabaye has a better season than both Mason/Bentaleb and that we don't sign a central midfielder to take on Dier's role, as we will be priced out of moves for Bender, Kramer, and won't pay the release clause for someone like Krychowiak.

By the way, did you watch "journeyman" Payet (voted MOTM) against Arsenal today? Or Ayew against Chelsea yesterday?

 

[DubaiSpur]

We will see how good Pochettino's and our transfer teams judgment is at the close of the window. I'm willing to predict Cabaye has a better season than both Mason/Bentaleb and that we don't sign a central midfielder to take on Dier's role, as we will be priced out of moves for Bender, Kramer, and won't pay the release clause for someone like Krychowiak.

By the way, did you watch "journeyman" Payet (voted MOTM) against Ar5ena1 today? Or Ayew against Chel53a yesterday?

Nah, I genuinely don't think Cabaye would have interested Poch: he lacks the fierce work rate Poch looks for in a signing, and is too old to have it coached into him. He might well have a better season than Masaleb, but it's because he's in a system that fits him: he likely wouldn't have had a great season here, in a system that doesn't.

I'm worried you may well be right about Bender, Kramer and Krychowiak, however.

 

[THFC39]

Nah, I genuinely don't think Cabaye would have interested Poch: he lacks the fierce work rate Poch looks for in a signing, and is too old to have it coached into him. He might well have a better season than Masaleb, but it's because he's in a system that fits him: he likely wouldn't have had a great season here, in a system that doesn't.

I'm worried you may well be right about Bender, Kramer and Krychowiak, however.

I think any player that leaves the comfort of a club like PSG for first team football on the basis of wanting to playing in the Euros at home has the character to put in the hard work the manager demands. He's an excellent passer and tackler, with lots of experience and the ability to create for the team, too. I think he would've been just fine playing alongside Dembele, for instance. I know others won't disagree, and I respect that.

I'm also fine passing on him if we get someone better in. I just am not remotely sold on the Bentaleb-Mason double pivot. Stoke will be a great test for them. Fierce, organized team that will play physical and press them.

 

[NWND]

We will see how good Pochettino's and our transfer teams judgment is at the close of the window. I'm willing to predict Cabaye has a better season than both Mason/Bentaleb and that we don't sign a central midfielder to take on Dier's role, as we will be priced out of moves for Bender, Kramer, and won't pay the release clause for someone like Krychowiak.

By the way, did you watch "journeyman" Payet (voted MOTM) against Ar5ena1 today? Or Ayew against Chel53a yesterday?

Yes I did. I never said they weren't good players. I'm saying that they were players that weren't as good as everyone was making out. When people were saying that West Ham were signing a world-class player, i was pointing out that while talented, he's a journeyman. He's never played for a top club and probably never will in his career. He's 28 so this is realistically his last big move.

They're good players, but they're players that are in areas or positions or roles we are already strong in. Payet didn't do anything that Eriksen can't do. We also have Pritchard coming through. My point was that people were saying "why weren't we in for Payet?" My point was we already had players in our squad who were as good if not better, so we spend our money elsewhere. As to Ayew, we were linked start of the summer, fairly heavily. I think we were probably looking at him. Seems like we passed. My guess is that we felt our targets were better or more suitable (N'Jie etc) and although he was very good, I thought Montero was better.

 

[NWND]

I think any player that leaves the comfort of a club like PSG for first team football on the basis of wanting to playing in the Euros at home has the character to put in the hard work the manager demands. He's an excellent passer and tackler, with lots of experience and the ability to create for the team, too. I think he would've been just fine playing alongside Dembele, for instance. I know others won't disagree, and I respect that.

I'm also fine passing on him if we get someone better in. I just am not remotely sold on the Bentaleb-Mason double pivot. Stoke will be a great test for them. Fierce, organized team that will play physical and press them.

Well I'm not sure Poch is completely sold on them either, hence playing Dier as a midfielder all pre-season and yesterday and our obvious interest in midfielders. So no need to panic just yet.

 

[DubaiSpur]

I think any player that leaves the comfort of a club like PSG for first team football on the basis of wanting to playing in the Euros at home has the character to put in the hard work the manager demands. He's an excellent passer and tackler, with lots of experience and the ability to create for the team, too. I think he would've been just fine playing alongside Dembele, for instance. I know others won't disagree, and I respect that.

I'm also fine passing on him if we get someone better in. I just am not remotely sold on the Bentaleb-Mason double pivot. Stoke will be a great test for them. Fierce, organized team that will play physical and press them.

There, I agree entirely with you. But regarding Cabaye, I'm not saying he isn't mentally strong or up for a challenge: I'm saying he likely wouldn't have worked hard enough when it comes to the things Poch likes to see his sides doing. Pressing high up the field, having 'four lungs' (according to one of his former players), running 13-15 odd kilometres every game and then being the first in for training the next day....Cabaye may well be considered a sufficiently hard worker for Palace, a counter-attacking side that sits deep and stands off the opponent before striking on the counter, but I doubt that he'd be ready to learn the 'Poch' style work ethic at 29, that's all.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

We will see how good Pochettino's and our transfer teams judgment is at the close of the window. I'm willing to predict Cabaye has a better season than both Mason/Bentaleb and that we don't sign a central midfielder to take on Dier's role, as we will be priced out of moves for Bender, Kramer, and won't pay the release clause for someone like Krychowiak.

By the way, did you watch "journeyman" Payet (voted MOTM) against Ar5ena1 today? Or Ayew against Chel53a yesterday?

Ayew and Payet would have been great signings IMO

They work hard whilst still being able to unlock the door

 

[Viper]

Poch isn't interested in CMs that can play his system needs 2 just to sit in front of the back 4 and let the wide players create the chances. Trouble is we could have Dunga and Beckenbauer in our midfield and if we've still got Lamela and Chadli it wont matter

 

[alekaras]

Why does everyone believe that Dier is a temporary solution? He had a good outing yesterday in his first competitive match as a DM and can only get better in that role. Just because he started out as a CB doesn't mean he has to remain one for the rest of his career. Did anyone consider that he may actually be our long-term DM solution and that maybe Poch has seen some potential there that we're all missing?

 

[hamer]

Why does everyone believe that Dier is a temporary solution? He had a good outing yesterday in his first competitive match as a DM and can only get better in that role. Just because he started out as a CB doesn't mean he has to remain one for the rest of his career. Did anyone consider that he may actually be our long-term DM solution and that maybe Poch has seen some potential there that we're all missing?

I don't think this is an experiment a team with designs on the top 4 should be undertaking in the league tbh

 

[DubaiSpur]

Why does everyone believe that Dier is a temporary solution? He had a good outing yesterday in his first competitive match as a DM and can only get better in that role. Just because he started out as a CB doesn't mean he has to remain one for the rest of his career. Did anyone consider that he may actually be our long-term DM solution and that maybe Poch has seen some potential there that we're all missing?

Dier turned down a call-up to the U-21s because he wanted to focus on training to play as a CB for us, not an RB. I don't think a player that set on playing at CB should be arbitrarily converted to a position in which (imo) he doesn't look entirely comfortable.

 

[monkeybarry]

Dier turned down a call-up to the U-21s because he wanted to focus on training to play as a CB for us, not an RB. I don't think a player that set on playing at CB should be arbitrarily converted to a position in which (imo) he doesn't look entirely comfortable.

The attributes of a ball playing CB and s DM are not dissimilar.
Could be that Dier likes to play centrally ( RB is a different game these days), so DM would suit his skills and ambition

 

[alekaras]

I don't think this is an experiment a team with designs on the top 4 should be undertaking in the league tbh

It is, if you're targeting top 4 next season instead of this one, which I believe is the case. Gives you a whole season to make a great DM out of Dier.