Madrid Wasn't Built In a Day - The Interim Transfer Thread

i agree 100%. But imo there is more behind of scene we dont now. I refused to believe Perez, Zizou and others thought plan to sell Llorente, Ceballos and bring nothing (If Pobga wont come) its a good plan.

 

For me, too many rumors about Zidane having his finger on the red button ready to resign if Flo doesn't follow his mercato choices.

Maybe we win the treble, and I'll call Zidane a genius again, but if we win nothing, people at the club will have to be held accountable for their decisions.

 

That is how is works at every club. Actually in every line of work.

 

People? there's only two people in this club. Perez and Zidane.
I can guarantee you that if we win nothing, it will not be Perez that will leave.
I also doubt that Zidane have any red button superpowers to leave if Zidane doesn't get what he wants, which clearly he didn't.
If anything, Zidane learned the hard way, that for almost any boss position, there's a boss above.

 

FWIW on LEquipeTV, a dude from France Football just said that the relation between Zidane, and Flo is tense because Zidane wanted Pogba, and only Pogba, and Flo refused to pay 150ME for him.

He also added that to have Zidane back, he was promised some things, and so far, Flo's actually changed his tune.

 

Courtois came off an absolutely terrible season with Chelsea before we bought him. We’re talkong about Navas’ blunders vs Juve and Bayern and then sign Courtois and he walks into the starting XI based off 3 weeks in Russia.

 

I think though Perez could have acted far better in tapping up Lopetegui whilst he was Spains manager and Perez was partly responsible for Spain's poor showing at the last world cup. Had Spain not dismissed their manager at the start of the tournament I think Spain would have had a really good chance to reach the Quarters and even the Semis of the world cup in 2018 .

 

Utd wanted more than 150 ME. English reports varied from 150 MP to 180 M pounds and Marca also mentioned 180 ME+. And EPL clubs don't reduce their demands even if there's long negotiations as we found out with Coutinho, Hazard, Bale etc. Not like Pogba really pushed for a move like CR7 did back in the day.

ZZ needs to understand there's a rich club that has Pogba's rights and their coach always insisted Pogba would stay and he wanted to build around him whenever ZZ or the player himself flirted with eachother. Woodward has been salty about RM ever since we refused to budge on Di Maria fee which they had to pay late in the window and wasn't going to do any favours.

 

150 or 200 is not the problem here.

That's just one more source from France about Zidane being focused on Pogba.

Now of course, if what was said again is true, I believe Flo is right to not have bent over. 200ME for Pogba is dumb (even 150-160ME is imo).

 

I can count on one hand the number of games in which Courtios looked like he was up for the job, regardless what he accomplished in England or WC, he doesn't inspire confidence right now.

 

And some tend to forget the number of times Navas saved our ass during those 3 CL wins run.

Courtois has everything to prove here.

 

Maybe if we played hardball for Hazard (one year left on his contract, only wants to come to us) we wouldn't have paid a ridiculous fee for a player we could already sign in 6 months time. And thus have more money left for Pogba, or any other midfield acquisition(s). That 100 million will never make sense. Complete waste of transfer funds. Not because of the quality of the player, but we could have gotten him for much less.

Focusing on Pogba when the asking price is overexuberant, was a mistake as well. When it became clear Manchester weren't going to lower their price, we should have looked elsewhere instead of solely focusing on an overpriced player because reasons. Yes, I am in the camp that no way should we pay 150-200 million for Pogba. That's not on Florentino for not paying that, that's (supposedly) on Zidane for wanting us to pay that.

As a whole one cannot really say we became weaker. We strengthened many positions even if it's in depth only (so far). CB (Militao) LB (Mendy) AML (Hazard) ST (Jovic) and AM (James). Some positions became weaker (dm and cm) due to some departures, which were no doubt done to make way for a certain player, but why even act for that when it's not a sure thing? Selling Ceballos and Llorente was a mistake if you're not getting good replacements, or almost eventually plan to get simmilar/lower quality players like van der Beek for ********ing 60 million.

I'm not happy with the transfer period as we dropped the ball on the midfield, we could have sold some players for whom it might be time to leave the club, but I am content I guess. Because a good team can be made from the players we have.

 

You could slot most of our defense into any other good club in Europe and think they are a better defender, we are constantly adjusting on the fly and ask a lot out of our defense.

 

I knew we'd have to pay close to 100 ME for Hazard the moment Chelsea signed Pulisic for 65 ME with his contract running out. They also knew we were desperate for a Galactico signing after the season we had and having sold Ron a year earlier with no big name replacement.

 

Sometimes you people confuse me. This is literally what he has done. Did he not alternate between Kroos and Modric. Did he not play James and Isco. Does he not play Bale with Benzema and Jovic. Did he not play Mendy?
Outrageously deluded

 

I'm not sure if I'm more bothered by players refusing to leave or not signing a midfielder. The club really looks like it's lost a step with certain aspects of negotiation.

 

What do you mean you people????

 

Anyone else checked Marca/as/Chiriguinto for transfer rumors today then remembered the window is closed?

 

It’s still strange to have paid it...I mean would the alternative of not having Hazard for 100 million been so bad? It would just mean VJ plays another year while Hazard waits his contract out to join on a free if he really wanted to.

IDK, I’m starting to think maybe the club should have gone that route or maybe playing hardball we get him for much less to join early in the last week of the transfer window.

I’d say summer transfers was 6/10. Addressed some needs but for me we didn’t sell the players we should have and didn’t strength midfield enough.

 

Glad we agree he was not among top percentile - meaning not personification of speed and strength. If anything he had nimble feet which helped his main trait shine even more which is technical capacity and creativity.

 

Not you man, but there's a few who are literally criticizing Zidane suggesting he do this and that while that's quite literally what he's done.

 

The transfer season was poor. Wild expenditure on second-rate product. We needed to invest in a couple elite level players. Instead we bought a bunch of bench material.