Summer Transfer Window 2018

[the bubble hammer]

So is Seri a red herring while we go for sturaro I wonder. There's been a lot of noise about Seri

[funky chicken]

It's a shame we can't sign both Sturaro and Seri. As they both have at least one weakness that we don't need. We need a midfielder to be able to tackle and win the ball back and to be a good passer of the ball. And annoyingly one is good at just one of those options, according to Whoscored anyway:

Sturaro:
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/97265 ... no-Sturaro
Strength: Defensive contribution
Weakness: Passing

The weakness is worrying considering the good players he plays alongside. If he can't pass well with those good players, how abd could he look for us?



Seri:
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/13626 ... chael-Seri
Strenght: Passing
Weakness: Tackling


Of course I haevn't seen either play. I can only go by what they say on Whoscored and watch games on YouTube. If we had a bit more ambition we should try to sign both to be honest as for me the midfield needs a big revamp. But it is likely we will go for one.

If I had to choose between one through what I have watched on highlight reels, I would just about go for Sturaro. We were weak defensively so need someone who can tackle and protect the defense, he is younger, will probably be cheaper in terms of fee and wages.

We shall see I guess

[Patito]

So is Seri a red herring while we go for sturaro I wonder. There's been a lot of noise about Seri

I think there are bigger/better teams in for him to be honest. Chelsea, Dortmund, Sevilla, Arsenal all been heavily linked.

[faubert93]

Sturaro comes across as a Behrami type player IMO.

Works hard, always gives 100%. Isn't the most technically gifted in the world but does the job you ask him to do.

[Patito]

It's a shame we can't sign both Sturaro and Seri. As they both have at least one weakness that we don't need. We need a midfielder to be able to tackle and win the ball back and to be a good passer of the ball. And annoyingly one is good at just one of those options, according to Whoscored anyway:

Sturaro:
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/97265 ... no-Sturaro
Strength: Defensive contribution
Weakness: Passing

The weakness is worrying considering the good players he plays alongside. If he can't pass well with those good players, how abd could he look for us?

As someone who's seen him play, he's a decent passer. He won't split defences open but he won't be giving away possession constantly. More of a Carrick than a De Bruyne.

[hxhammer]

If what ive read this morning is true, can somebody please enlighten me as to why we are ****ing about with Declan Rice's contract??

For me, apart from Arnie post Slave, he was the only bright spot of last season, thought the kid stepped up and did terrific. Ridiculous if true

[fjthegrey]

Sturaro is so unremarkable.

If you'd watched both Seri and Sturaro play, you wouldn't even need to discuss which you'd prefer.

[Patito]

Good to see you back, FJ.

[Danny's Dyer Acting]

Just thinking - Can to Juve just went official. That would make it much easier for them to sell Sturaro, one would think.

Would be a great bit if business for Juve. Can may have been signed on a free but they seem to be paying him a £10m+ signing on fee. Selling Sturaro covers that and frees up wage/squad space.

[wormley]

Alleged bids in for:

Izzo
Sturaro
Seri
Anderson
Wilshire
Mawson

Is that about right?

[ageing hammer]

Seri, Anderson, Wilshere, Loftus-cheek, and Stu summink (the Italian Hayden Mullins.)

Any 2 from that bunch would be great.

[Zippycat57]

It's great to read about all these players we are interested in but one of the best things we could do is get Declan Rice's contract sorted out

[funky chicken]

As someone who's seen him play, he's a decent passer. He won't split defences open but he won't be giving away possession constantly. More of a Carrick than a De Bruyne.

Hmmm that's interesting. Thanks for sharing Patito I would happily take him if he is like a Carrick. That would still be a big upgrade. To be fair I think it's just as much about who partners him in the middle. As his partner can worry about the passing a little bit more, as long as Sturaro does his job and helps us more defensively. Him alongside either Obiang or Rice 'could' work.

[Burnley Hammer]

Sturaro is so unremarkable.

If you'd watched both Seri and Sturaro play, you wouldn't even need to discuss which you'd prefer.

I'd love to have both. They'd compliment each other well. Unremarkable doesn't always translate to uneffective - Sturaros role may simply be to provide energy and aggression to midfield and break up play. As good as Seri is (and I would obviously choose Seri if I could only have 1 of them), you do need somebody in there doing the dirty work. Kouyate doesn't do it effectively as he's often found wandering and making little effort to track back. Once every 20 games, we'll see the old Kouyate who dominates midfield but as soon as he's here, he's gone again and replaced by an inferior clone that runs around like a clumsy headless chicken. At 28 years old, I have serious doubts that he's suddenly going to change. Noble doesn't really break up play - it's not what he's good at. Sure, he may occasionally do an overenthusiastic mistimed sliding tackle, but he's mainly in there to lead the side and to keep play ticking over, spreading play where possible and starting attacking moves. Obiang... I'm still not sure about him. He's technically a good player but seems rather lackadaisical sometimes. He's never really convincingly pulled off the midfield enforcer role despite being a decent tackler. It would be nice to have a high energy Scott Parker / Behrami type player with lots of energy buzzing around midfield and generally being a nuisance to the opposition.

Sorry, I waffled on a bit more than I originally intended there...

[Patito]

Hmmm that's interesting. Thanks for sharing Patito I would happily take him if he is like a Carrick. That would still be a big upgrade.

By Carrick I meant someone who will look to retain possession with their passes as opposed to De Bruyne/Shelvey who's look to open teams up with 40 yard passes, I wouldn't want to big Sturaro up too much.

[Ludo1973]

This Italian midfielder sounds promising. Just read what I can about him on the www.

Things looking up hopefully.

Did you read this: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/20/ne ... ld-be-a-b/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not that encouraging a view point.

[I am Lawro]

Sturaro would be our Italian Gary O'Neil. Not one to get our pulses racing, but would be a useful addition to the squad.

[YorksHammer]

Sturaro and Seri are two completely different types of midfielder - the former is a combative tackling defensive centre mid, the latter is a more creative deep lying playmaker type.

For my money, the former is much more necessary in our team right now than the latter. I mean, in an ideal world we'd have one alongside the other. But the former is a priority, while the latter would probably be a luxury. And as Sturaro doesn't break the bank in the way that Seri might, I think it's a much more sensible signing, too.

[Jinxed]

Alleged bids in for:

Izzo
Sturaro
Seri
Anderson
Wilshire
Mawson

Is that about right?

No

[Jedi Al Khalaas]

Sturaro comes across as a Behrami type player IMO.

Works hard, always gives 100%. Isn't the most technically gifted in the world but does the job you ask him to do.

I wish we still had Behrami , he has just got better and better since he left us