11 Aug 2024 15:19:08
Think I'd much rather pay £33m for the far superior Matt O'Riley than waste up to £30m on a player like Berge - there must be a dodgy batch doing the rounds in Burnley.
11 Aug 2024 17:21:24
O. K. get your cheque book out then.
11 Aug 2024 18:18:01
Can't mate, I already spaffed it on a bad batch. ?.
11 Aug 2024 19:15:43
I'd offer a loan but my postal order is not due till next week!
12 Aug 2024 12:28:26
Berge is a good player who has many of the qualities we are looking for in a midfielder. He's EPL proven and would likely improve when playing with better players.
Even at 30m he wouldn't be a bad signing. We need squad depth as much as we need quality starters. If we can't bring in a quality starter this summer (for whatever reason) then signing a good squad player who adds to the squad is the next best thing.
12 Aug 2024 13:04:57
There's a reason why he's still at Burnley, it's because he's a bang average player.
12 Aug 2024 14:14:10
Shappy
The qualities Berge has as a player we already have in McTominay who, imo, is a better player with a better workrate.
McTominay is considered by many (including myself) as no longer of the standard or indeed type of midfielder we need going forward, spending upto £30m on a player of a lesser standard than one we already have and seemingly want rid of would be a pantomime backward step.
12 Aug 2024 16:41:01
A few others have come and gone for less than Berge, like Mats Wiefer, international DM who at £25m (and Dutch to boot) seemed worth a punt. Still these are the kinds of players whose values double when Utd come calling. Does that mean Berge is realistically a £15m player?
12 Aug 2024 17:41:39
Ork, that's not really true.
Berge is a natural No.6/ deep midfielder, McTominay isn't. Just because they are both tall and work hard it does not make them similar players.
Berge passing is much better, his press resistance, his willingness to show for the ball and take it under pressure close to his box.
These are all things that he does much much better than McTominay.
12 Aug 2024 17:54:29
Berge of relegated Burnley, Shappy, when we go down that road it’s a step backwards. He is not Roy Keane. If the club want top four they will have to buy a quality player at the right age for the position and that isn’t Berge.
12 Aug 2024 18:15:16
We need a marquee DM. One who is the backbone of the side.
Since Carrick we’ve had Schneiderlin, McFred and now Fat Cas.
I feel our season hinges on bringing in a top player in this position.
12 Aug 2024 18:47:00
Red Man, there have been plenty of good players bought from relegated sides.
Berge was far and away Burnley's best player last season.
Do I think he's good enough to be first choice for us?
No I don't think he is, but he is good enough to a solid squad player in that holding midfield role. A position/ role where the only senior player we have who is good enough to play it is a declining Casemiro.
Ultimately we need two CDM's and for Casemiro to be moved on. One to be first choice and a second to be back/ competition. i. e. a squad player.
If we can't sell Casemiro this summer and we don't have the funds to bring in the first choice quality (plus there are very few available), then the next best solution is to bring in a solid squad option for this summer and try and sort out getting the genuine first choice CDM next summer.
Look at it like this. Currently we have Casemiro and McTominay as the options to play as a No.6. Even though McTominay is poorly suited for the role.
If we can't move on Casemiro this summer then would replacing McTominay with Berge (a player far more suited to the role) be an improvement?
In my opinion it would be. Then next summer we move on Casemiro and bring in a genuine first choice.
12 Aug 2024 19:34:34
Shappy, yes on occasions, very rare occasions there have been individual stand out players in relegated sides. You really think buying an inferior player will get us in the top four and at £30m? The club identified Ugarte, agreed a deal with his agent, are they going to admit we are not a big club by giving up on him?
You really want to buy a “solid squad option” for £30m, is that want SJR does, is that how we have moved forward, buy the cheap solid squad option?
12 Aug 2024 21:08:46
Red Man, it's not about what I want. The club doesn't exist to pander to my whims.
It's about what is viable, what is achievable, and how the club can start moving forward.
We agreed a deal with Branthwaite's agent as well. But when a deal couldn't be agreed with Everton the club walked away rather than cave to their demands. The same thing has happened with PSG and Ugarte.
If the club caved in and paid 70m for Branthwaite and 60m for Ugarte you'd be on here complaining that they aren't doing anything different to the Glazers and the club are still being ripped off.
You are one of those who wants to have your cake and eat it.
I don't want a solid squad option, I just want the team to be better than last year and to start moving in the right direction.
To do that the club needs to work within a budget.
They need to make sure they get value for money and stop to club being ripped off. If we are honest the club have spent 1.3bn on players worth about 400m over the past decade. That has to stop.
They also need to balance that with giving the manager the best squad they can in the circumstances for him to succeed.
If that's Berge this summer because PSG won't budge on their demands with no good alternatives available then so be it.
I'd rather have a stronger squad with Berge in it than a weaker one without him.
12 Aug 2024 21:13:53
Shappy won't admit he is wrong, so just give it a rest guys.
12 Aug 2024 23:10:50
We obviously can’t have both Ugarte and Casemiro otherwise a mega expensive player on mega wages is sat in the stands every week. Maybe going cold on Ugarte has more to do with the definitely not fat (looks to have trimmed down considerably in pre-season) Casemiro maybe sticking around for another season, hence buying a back-up rather than a starter.
13 Aug 2024 02:29:19
Still expecting ugarte to come in, just wearing psg down. No ITk or anything. Just seems how ineos is doing business this summer.
13 Aug 2024 07:52:27
Shappy
I can’t see us making top 4 without a quality CM. If SJR is happy with 5th or 6th because of that it would surprise me. Depends whether we really have learnt our lesson finishing 8th. Strengthened all other positions but one quality CM would bring us up and I would fancy our chances of top 4 if we buy that player and I am not talking Berge. You keep writing all this stuff but ultimately we are not managed by SAF and other teams have better midfields and control matches, we don’t. It must change or we will struggle to get in the top four.
13 Aug 2024 09:52:03
Our midfield is way off as things stand. An in-form Casemiro is still class and helps no end, but were it not for the emergence of a certain Kobi Mainoo I'd put our midfield at mid table at very best, maybe lower.
13 Aug 2024 12:21:13
Why waste 30 million pounds on a bog standard player (Berge)
It has to be Ugarte for me, even if we can wangle a load deal for him for this season with option to buy next season.