06 Jul 2024 07:44:20
Now Portugal are out, the rumours of Bruno to Saudi will start to increase. if it does happen, who would everyone like to see replace him?
06 Jul 2024 08:49:46
If we are looking like for like, only De Bruyne can replace him. In terms of numbers, Bruno is in the top 1% of midfields of all time for goal contributions.
I don’t really know who can replace him, but it would cost a lot of money and I think there are plenty more reasons to stick with him. I’d hope to get another couple of years under a new contract, and then talk to Saudi.
You can guarantee that if he was available, the world’s biggest clubs would be interested, not just Saudi.
06 Jul 2024 09:01:15
Musiala but absolutely no chance.
06 Jul 2024 09:01:17
If the club receive an offer of £70 million upwards, I'd imagine that they would be quite tempted to cash in on him.
The club need to sell players. Unfortunately those players the club wish to sell are proving difficult to move on.
If Mount stays fit, then he could play as a 10, but I'm not sure if he would excel in that position.
Wirtz would be my pick, but that won't happen.
06 Jul 2024 09:31:00
I don't think any of the world's biggest clubs will come in for a player turning 30 next season for a big fee and astronomical wages.
He can stay here or go to Saudi and double his wages and the club get a badly needed high value sale.
Good start for a rebuild for many reasons.
Makes an awful lot of sense imo and it's a win win.
If he stays it's no problem he performs to a high level in terms of his goal assist contribution. If he goes we can use the income to build for the future.
Eth has said he doesn't have the players he wants to play like he wants perhaps Bruno is part of that in terms of he doesn't quite fit what eth wants the team to play like.
No drama if he goes no drama if he stays.
06 Jul 2024 11:57:33
Ideally we keep him this summer unless a massive offer comes in.
In terms of replacing him, I don't think we should. At least not directly. The truth is that we almost certainly won't find anyone who can come in and match his numbers.
I think the better option would be to use his exit to evolve the team. Bruno plays best as a No.10 or even as a second striker. Great energy, phenomenal creativity, but needs the freedom to move where he can find the space. It's a very individualistic style, that still has huge benefits for the team.
On the ball there is no problem playing that way, off the ball it can lead to defensive fragility. It requires other players to sacrifice to plug those gaps where they can.
In the squad we have a couple of different options who could play in Bruno's place. Mount if fit seems a very sensible option. He has proven he can get big numbers in terms of goals and assists, is a smarter presser of the ball, and can play a more possession orientated style.
Amad is another who has excelled playing in the No.10 role as well as wide right. He would offer a different option.
While if we sign Zirkzee he could be an interesting alternative playing in the No.10 with Højlund up top. His skill set is pretty close to an old school No.10 rather than a traditional No.9. Playing both Zirkzee and Højlund would be a pretty bold way to play, and it might not suit some games.
However, in terms of signing someone I think it would make more sense to take a leaf out of Liverpool's book. Coutinho was a similar player to Bruno in many ways, played best in a free central role, very creative and scored a lot, a bit of a liability in terms of team shape off the ball. When he left they signed a different sort of player, someone who could still get forward, but actually played slightly deeper and closer to the midfield giving them more control in games.
If Bruno leaves maybe moving away from a 4231 shape and more towards a 433 shape would be a smarter move.
Look to sign a midfielder who can still offer ball progression, but can defend better, retain the ball better and improve those around them rather than being the star player.
Ugarte looks like a probable signing, maybe bring in someone like Youssef Fofana as well. Playing a midfield three of Ugarte, Fofana and Mainoo when we need more control, with players like Mount or Zirkzee playing in some games depending on the opposition and the tactics needed.
06 Jul 2024 12:23:45
A fully fit Mount, Ugarte and Mainoo isn’t a bad midfield by any stretch. You could argue having Zirkzee will ease the loss of Bruno and help with link up play.
If we were thinking of a straight swap for a similar type of player then Wirtz, Olmo, even Kudus, . Ideally Palmer, but there is no chance of it happening.
06 Jul 2024 12:31:29
Joao Neves and Xavi Simons with the Bruno cash. Simons has similar offensive stats to Bruno but with better passing and carrying metrics, I’m in no way saying he’s better I’m just saying he’s at a great age with great out put.
06 Jul 2024 13:24:08
It makes 0 sense to sell Bruno Fernandes, 0.
Would be a HUGE mistake to sell our only viable world class individual. The only player that would probably get into any of the top 4 sides.
Plus, there isn't anyone out there you could replace him with. Madness. There isn't a figure in world football I would take to sell him at this moment in time.
06 Jul 2024 13:52:01
Love him or hate him I reckon he's currently the player who'd leave the biggest void if he left. There is zero creativity without him. Mount for whatever reason just hasn't worked so far, maybe that will change if we've start to get to the bottom of these injury issues.
As for who we'd replace him I'm not sure. Paqueta would have been a shout but hasn't done himself any favours recently. I'm yet to be convinced myself but Simons seems a popular shout, maybe an easy link with the Dutch connection.
06 Jul 2024 14:16:59
I’d let him go for a ridiculous offer (£120m-£150m) .
06 Jul 2024 15:25:49
Angel, many, many Liverpool fans said the same thing about Coutinho when Liverpool sold him.
Personally I'd prefer Bruno to stay for another year or two, I don't see him as a problem and he contributes more than most.
That said, a rebuild of the squad will take 3 to 4 years before we are truly ready to complete for major honours. By which time Bruno will be 33-34 years old.
Which means at best he is a sticking plaster over a gaping wound, and helps bridge the gap between this ragtag squad and the one the new owners are looking to build.
He will not be central to any rebuild we make.
He's on massive wages and will start to decline at some point.
If the club can get a big fee for him, remove his wages to help restructure the wage bill. While raising funds to bring in players who will be key to our next title winning team then its definitely something the club should consider.
The thing with losing a big personality and key player for a team is that it creates the space and opportunity for others to flourish and step up.
While the team is built around Bruno that will limit other players as well as the tactical set up of the team.
Lots of cases of clubs selling big players and actually improving afterwards. So I don't see it as all doom and gloom.
Like I said, personally I'd rather keep Bruno. Yet that doesn't factor in what the club, the manager or indeed the player wants. While there can also be upsides to selling him this summer that I think you've either not considered or just flat out dismissed.
Would your opinion change if you were to find out that Bruno wanted out? Would you want to keep a player who doesn't want to be here?
06 Jul 2024 15:27:47
I'd take it if they offer a good figure. Bruno is aggressive but his pressing is sloppy, and he's more of a second striker than a playmaker, he regularly fails to spot teammates making good runs.
Overall, even a less individually brilliant player might offer more to the team as a whole. Plus, getting rid of his ridiculous behaviour on the pitch might be good for the team too.
He is at a stage where he is still worth a lot, but his resale value is going to start dropping. If we are going to cash in, this is probably the time to do it.
06 Jul 2024 15:35:40
Shappy, your posts are getting more and more ridiculous each time I read them.
Coutinho is not and has never been Bruno Fernandes. the importance of that man to our team is unrivalled. Not just because he is a world class player, but because he is our only world class player in a time of change. He is our only constant.
You go on to dribble and still say that you'd keep him ?
And if he wants to leave that is a completely different conversation. No player should be held at a club he doesn't want to be at. But if th club have the choice, they must keep him.
06 Jul 2024 15:46:25
Good post Thorne.
It's up to him and imo he has earnt the right to make his own choice. I think most people can see the benefits on both sides of his decision.
06 Jul 2024 15:59:25
Would sell. Not captain material very unlikeable. Looking forward to when he leaves along with a few others.
06 Jul 2024 18:28:25
RewZ, how much do you think Fernandes would go for? £200m? That’s roughly the current price for Neves and Simons with Benfica and PSG both wanting around £100m for them. Not sure the fee for Fernandes would even be £80m tbh although you can never tell with ME teams.
06 Jul 2024 18:38:55
Angel, who were the other "world class" players at Liverpool when they sold Coutinho?
Benteke? Sturridge? Clyne? Ibe? Lovren? Lucas? Allen?
I'd say the squad Liverpool had when Klopp took over is certainly no better than the one we have now.
Coutinho wad their one world class player, he was also at or approaching his peak, which made him someone they could have potentially built around.
Yet he didn't fit what they were looking to do, so they sold him and used the funds to start to build a squad that went on to win every single titles available.
I think it's a very comparable situation to where we find ourselves now with possibly selling our best player.
Again you're just being dismissive because it doesn't suit your narrative.
Does selling Bruno weaken us in the short term? Yeah, absolutely.
However, long term and even over the medium term it could be what is best for the club.
It allows us to receive a big fee, raising funds that we need to rebuild the team.
It allows us to readdress the wage structure.
It allows us to move to a more team based style over an individual based style.
It creates space for others to potentially step up, or for potential new signings to flourish.
It allows the manager to select a new captain who might be better at bringing all the team together with the right mentality.
So there are plenty of potential advantages to selling him now.
Obviously none are guaranteed, which makes it a gamble. I understand that for many people the fear of the unknown makes them feel it's better the devil you know.
The truth is though that Bruno will not be a part of our next title winning side whether he leaves this summer or not.
06 Jul 2024 19:17:35
I'd look at eze to replace Bruno. Or maybe just play mount.
06 Jul 2024 20:32:37
I can't take you seriously shappy, coutinho world class. There is absolutely no point reading the rest of it.
06 Jul 2024 22:33:08
The feelings mutual Angel, take your United tinted glasses off and see things clearly.
Bruno in 13,857 EPL minutes has 94 goals and assists.
Coutinho in 13,571 EPL minutes has 85 goals and assists.
They have a near identical record in terms of goals and assists.
Which one is the better passer? Has better technique? Is a better dribbler?
Probably Coutinho in all three. How many times has Bruno been at fault for giving the ball away?
It's often said that Bruno doesn't offer much other than goals and assists, but his record in that is so good he's still world class.
So why would you then say Coutinho has never been world class despite a near identical record, while being a superior player in many key skills?
07 Jul 2024 13:53:48
Bruno is not world class never was never will be. Has great moments but not all that at all. Never Brough united up levels because he was not capable like cantoa or Rooney or keane. Fur coat no knickers best way to describe bruno.
07 Jul 2024 14:49:26
Only world class player we have at the club.