I have my own doubts about the acquisition of James for the money demanded from us, especially when thinking about other players that we might need to buy. However, on the other hand, DL has praised Carlo continuously, who has in turn expressed his opinion about James' quality and importance for our team time and time again. So if the coach DL loves so much is so adamant as to say that the player is nigh to imperative for our plans, I think we should get him.
Even from a marketing aspect, the signing of James is a no brainer. Top south American player who is an Adidas athlete. It's a perfect fit for when we switch to Adidas next year. He is a big name that will help appease some of the fans who have been complaining that we don't spend money.
Report: Icardi open to Napoli By Football Italia staff Inter striker Mauro Icardi is reportedly now open to joining Napoli as opposed to Juventus. Juve left their No 9 jersey vacant for preseason, which was picked up by some as a sign that it was reserved for Icardi. However, Corriere dello Sport writes the Argentine is ‘thinking long and hard’ about an offer from Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis. The newspaper adds he will speak to Coach Carlo Ancelotti sometime this week and that agent-wife Wanda Nara is also coming around to the idea. Inter, in turn, would prefer to sell to the southerners rather than their arch-rivals. Napoli’s No 9 shirt also looks like becoming vacant soon as Simone Verdi is close to leaving for Torino. The 26-year-old, in the meantime, is back in Milan after a weekend away in Ibiza.
The offer for James should be loan with obligation, Icardi coming in on a discount makes sense financially and from a sporting sense, but if we don't get Icardi I wouldn't complain. His wife is such a problem
Bennacer closing with Milan and Veretout to Roma. Two players we were linked with that I think could have really helped our mid
Tbh I think Zielinski, Fabian, Allan, Elmas and Gaetano will all be in the mix for the 2 DM spots. Allan is a horse and Fabian/Zielinski will be the ones facilitating from deep. Elmas apparently is more similar to Allan than the other 2 and Gaetano actually looked decent in that role (even though yes it was against a Serie C team but let's not forget he's only 19)
As of rn looks like this Milik/? Insigne/Younes - ?/Any of Zielinski/Fabian/Gaetano - ?/Callejon Fabian/Zielinski/Gaetano - Allan/Elmas Ghoulam/Rui - Koulibaly/Chiriches - Manolas/Maksimovic - DiLorenzo/Malcuit Meret/Karnezis/Ospina Realistically we're 3 players short right now but at least we're linked with players for those 3 positions (Icardi, James, Lozano and Pepe)
Eljif Elmas official.Fenerbahce announced. All i can say he is very similar to Marek.I hope he'll be better than Marek.Welcome brate
You forgot Mertens and Milik will not be a starter. Midfield really worries me. If Allan does not play we have no ball winner. Veretout would have been great. ?/Milik/Mertens Insigne/Younes - Mertens/Zielinski/Gaetano - ?/Calljon Fabian/Zielinski/Gaetano - Allan/Elmas Ghoulam/Rui - Koulibaly/Chiriches - Manolas/Maksimovic - DiLorenzo/Malcuit Meret/Ospina/Karnezis
OUT 100.5+7 Hamsik 20+5 Insigne 1.5 Diawara 21 Albiol 4 Sepe 4.5 (next year) Grassi 6 (next year) Inglese 20 (18 next year) +2 Rog 15 (13 next year) Vinicius 8.5M (17M but Napoli get half) IN 64.5 Di Lorenzo 9.5 Manolas 36 Ospina 4 Elmas 15M
I think that better than young Marek will be difficult. Young Hamsik was a beast, imo. He could score headers, left/right foot from distance; he could cross the ball behind defense along the pitch as well as through the air; he could cross well from the side; he was actually pretty fast back then as well. I personally rated him as much as Cavani, and more than Lavezzi, who was often pretty careless with the ball, though I admit his game was a feast for the eyes. However, I have always appreciated Marek's style of football more for its safety and utility. If he will be be better than young Marek, and we will additionally be able to buy 1 or 2 reinforcements of quality, I think we're in for one hell of a season.
there's no way he's better than Hamsik. But less can do. As long as he's better than Diawara I'm happy
I was listening to some pundits who were questioning the Elmas transfer. They say we already have Ruiz and Zielinski who play similarly
from the video clips of Elmas I have watched, he is a well-rounded midfielder who seems to play quite deep and is a ball-winner like Allan but with a better range of passing. He can dribble and carry the ball upfield too. Ancelotti is often talking about "modern" midfielders and Elmas is one.
hopefully we will give Gaetano a place in the squad and give him a chance instead of paying another 10m+ on some vanilla midfielder from Ligue 1 pr something.
Realistically there is no space for him. I would loan him out to a Serie B squad where he has more playing time I would also loan out Tuttino but to a Serie A team. Genoa were rumoured to be interested