Source?
I can only assume that Bentaleb is being a bit of a 'bad apple' in training/around the club?
I hope that Poch's admission that those players aren't in his plans does not impact the bids that other clubs make for them.
I wonder if it's more about him being too uncompromising - i.e. unwilling to compromise/be moulded for the good of the collective.
Maybe Levy said he'd support Poch in the transfer window, but we'd need to balance the books. So Poch may not ideally want to part with said players, but it's necessary to buy the squad members he deemed vital.
If you publicly say they are not in your plans, you are basically telling them to do one. If we don't find buyers, they will definitely be loaned out.Other than Fazio I don't think we are actively pushing anyone out, just means that they're available if a good enough offer comes in and they might not get much playing time if they stay (unless they somehow change Poch's mind through their efforts in training).
We brought in wanyama...if poch had seen something in nabil I doubt we would have another mf
As we are in 4 competitions including the CL I would suggest Dembele, Dier, Bentaleb and Wanyama would be a solid quartet that a squad likes ours needs.
Amazingly Carroll is still here because I simply do not think he is remotely good enough.
i don't think there is much between Bentaleb/Carroll and Mason - arguably Carroll is the most technically gifted of the three and certainly the best passer of them but his defensive contribution/physicality probably holds him back. Mason/Bentaleb have more energy/are more physically imposing but i imagine it's a question of attitude which has ultimately seen Bentaleb lose out
I see big differences.
At the moment Mason is clear in the lead of the three of them, with Bentaleb second and Carroll a distant third.
However in terms of potential, I see Bentaleb as up there not far behind Dier and Alli.
I'm not sure Carroll is a top flight player, certainly not in this country. He'd really benefit by doing a Samways and heading off to mid-table Spain or Italy.
If he had that kind of potential i doubt we'd be showing him the door - maybe the transfer fee we receive when he is sold and/or the stature of the buying club will give some indication as to whether you're close to the mark on that or not.
Weren't we trying to shift Lamela on last summer? I seem to recall him being close to joining one of the French clubs but ended up staying as we couldn't get Berahino.